Biden addresses historic injustices during visit to Gila River Indian Community

WINDOW ROCK

President Joe Biden visited the Gila River Indian Community on Friday, where he praised Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland as a groundbreaking figure in his administration and reflected on the historical injustices faced by Native Americans.

In his remarks, the president expressed his gratitude for Haaland, the first Native American to serve in a presidential cabinet.

“I can’t tell you what a special thanks I have for Deb Haaland, my Interior secretary. I made a commitment when I became president, of having an administration look like America, except you’re America,” said Biden. “And there never has been a Native American, Indigenous person, who was on the cabinet or in the Secretary’s job, or any consequential job in the presidential administration.”

Biden emphasized Haaland’s dedication to strengthening the relationship between the federal government and tribal nations. He also highlighted the significance of his visit, marking the first time a sitting president has visited Indian Country in a decade.

Historical injustices, healing wounds of past

Secretary Haaland spoke about the historical injustices inflicted upon Indigenous youth, who were forcibly taken from their families to attend boarding schools from the 1870s to the 1970s. She remarked on the systematic efforts to “isolate children from their families and steal from them the languages, cultures, and traditions that are foundational.”

Haaland acknowledged that while the federal government attempted to “annihilate our languages, our traditions, our lifeways,” it ultimately failed in its mission to destroy Indigenous identities.

“But as we stand here together, my friends and relatives, we know that the federal government failed,” said Secretary Haaland.

In her address, Haaland emphasized the significance of an investigative report that calls for the federal government and Congress to undertake concerted actions aimed at healing the wounds of the past.

“We are already putting some of those recommendations into action through our interagency efforts alongside the departments of education and health and human services,” she noted.

This includes significant investments in preserving Native languages and working on a decade-long national plan guided by tribal leaders and Native language teachers, which will soon be revealed.

Haaland touched upon the painful loss of Indigenous languages as a recurring theme in her meetings with survivors across the country.

“From Hawaii to Michigan to right here in Arizona, we are ensuring that our stories are told so that future generations can understand the impacts and intergenerational trauma caused by the boarding school policies.,” said the secretary.

Reflecting on her collaborative efforts with Assistant Secretary Brian Newland, she mentioned their initiative termed “the road to healing,” which involved twelve visits to Indigenous communities. This allowed survivors and descendants to share their experiences and the lasting effects of the boarding schools.

Educational resources, substantial investments

Haaland also announced plans to finalize agreements with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and the Library of Congress to incorporate these oral histories into educational resources.

The announcement comes as Biden seeks to solidify his legacy in the closing months of his presidency. According to a White House press release, the Biden-Harris Administration has already outlined substantial investments made under his administration, totaling nearly $46 million directed toward Native American initiatives through the American Rescue Plan, the bipartisan infrastructure law, and the Inflation Reduction Act. These funds are aimed at improving infrastructure, ensuring access to clean water, addressing drought challenges, and expanding high-speed internet access within tribal communities.

The initiative marks the first comprehensive effort by the federal government to confront and address the harrowing legacy of past Indian boarding school policies, with a focus on healing intergenerational trauma within Indigenous communities.

Comprehensive report

The department released the second and final volume of its investigative report, spearheaded by Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland. This latest volume builds upon the initial report released in May 2022, significantly expanding the scope to include detailed accounts of institutions, attendee deaths, burial sites, and the involvement of religious organizations. Moreover, it outlines policy recommendations for Congress and the Executive Branch to support ongoing healing efforts and redress for affected Indigenous communities.

The newly published volume 2 updates the official list of federal Indian boarding schools to include 417 institutions across 37 states and territories. The initiative reveals that at least 973 Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children perished while attending government-operated or supported schools.

The report also identifies at least 74 burial sites – both marked and unmarked – at 65 different school locations. Through extensive research, the report estimates that between 1871 and 1969, the U.S. government allocated more than $23.3 billion.

In their comprehensive review, the department examined approximately 103 million pages of federal records. Secretary Haaland and Assistant Secretary Newland also engaged with government officials and Indigenous leaders from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand to gain insights into how they addressed similar issues stemming from boarding school policies.

First step toward healing

Gila River Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis, who emphasized the profound significance of the moment, said the acknowledgment was the first step toward healing.

“We are here today to acknowledge the past and to take the first difficult, but necessary steps to begin the healing,” said Lewis. “Because today is as much about our future as it is our past. All of us present today are joined in spirit by those who did not survive the unmanageable.”

Gov. Lewis paid tribute to the lives lost to the systemic trauma inflicted by the boarding school system.

“We offer our prayers to those who did not survive, and we offer our heart to those who did as we admire their strength,” he stated, highlighting the resilience of Indigenous communities in the face of such adversity.

Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren expressed his gratitude for President Biden’s apology regarding the historical injustices of Indigenous boarding schools, emphasizing its significance.

“The apology was very significant because if it were easy, any previous presidents would have done it already,” Nygren said. “But we’ve never received an apology. It highlights the difficulty of this issue in U.S. history.

“Now, the most powerful person in the world has apologized,” he said. “I’m sorry on behalf of the United States for the trauma that boarding schools inflicted on Indian Country, attempting to erase our culture and language, leading to the tragic reality that hundreds of children never returned home. For him to do that was incredibly honorable.”

Following a one-on-one meeting with the president, Nygren said he conveyed his appreciation and thanked Biden.

Much work still left

President Nygren said that while he was appreciative of Biden’s apology, much work was still left.

“When listening to his speech, I agree that much more needs to be done. We must ensure that this apology is meaningful, and now he must align the Department of the Interior and the Department of Education to allocate resources that will help our people heal,” he said. “This responsibility falls on him over the next three months, and it’s important that whoever follows as president respects his decision so we can continue the healing process.”

Nygren concluded by reflecting on the importance of this moment in history, asserting, “These are historic times. The fact that the most powerful person is apologizing is something we can all be proud of as Indigenous people. Our voices are finally being heard at the highest level, and we are being taken seriously.”

Speaker Crystalyne Curley, who attended Biden’s visit, said that while the apology does not undo the generations of harm and devastation inflicted on Indigenous people, she commends President Biden for taking an unprecedented step toward healing and reconciliation.

“President Biden’s apology is a critical acknowledgment of past injustices and wrongdoings by the federal government, and it lays the groundwork for continued healing,” said Curley. “This moment is both a recognition of what our children endured and a commitment to a better future where our voices, cultures, and traditions are protected and celebrated.”

Biden’s presidency and political career which began in 1973 as a U.S. senator for Delaware recalled his own early experiences in the Senate. Biden shared personal stories and underscored the importance of recognizing the sovereignty of Native nations.

“I was taught early on that it’s not ‘Indians,’ it’s ‘Indian nations,’” he said, adding that respect for tribal sovereignty has diminished over time, culminating in a history of broken treaties and forced removals.

The president lamented the dark chapter of the federal Indian boarding school era, which spanned from the 1800s to the 1970s, during which generations of Native children were forcibly removed from their families.

“We should be ashamed,” Biden stated. “A chapter that most Americans don’t know about.”

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