American Public Health Association
136th Annual Meeting,
Public Health Without Boarders
October 25-29, 2008,
San Diego, CA
“160 years of the Spirit of 1848:
Critical Reflections, Celebration and Inspiration”
On Behalf of the American Indian/Alaska Native/Native
Hawaiian Caucus
Dean S. Seneca, MPH, MCURP
Health Scientist Policy, Tribal Portfolio
Portfolio Management Program
Office of the Chief of Public Health Practice
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Historical Events in Indian Country 1848
• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on February 2, 1848, The Treaty of
Guadalupe-Hidalgo ends the Mexican War, giving the United States
Texas, California, New Mexico and other territories in the southwest
including control over the Navajo Nation
• The Seneca Nation of Indians adopted its Constitution (electoral
form of government) on December 4, 1848
• Cornelius Gilliam led over 500 white settlers in attacks against
tribes in central Oregon in response to the Whitman Massacre.
• St. Michael's Cathedral, Sitka, was consecrated, becomes seat of
the Bishop of Kamchatka, the Kuril and Aleutian Islands, and
Alaska. Tlingit had become emerged in Russian Orthodoxy
• Due to diminishing whale stocks in the North Pacific, whalers
moved north into the Arctic Ocean in search of new whaling
grounds. This resulted in sustained and profound contact with
Inupiat along the Arctic Coast.
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Historical Events in Indian Country 1848
• Potatoes and timber were being shipped to Hawaii from Sitka,
Alaska, from Tlingit and Haida gardens in exchange for Hawaiian
goods
• A group of Cherokee set out on an expedition to California, looking
for new settlement lands. The route become known as the
Cherokee Trail or the Rocky Mountain Trail.
• California Gold Rush started in 1848, and greatly impacted the
surrounding tribes
• Hawaii's Traditional Land System was eliminated in 1848, by the
Mahele, which converted Hawaii's land to governance by a private
property system. The Western property system quickly took hold in
Hawai'i, and coupled with various factors, eventually forced many
Hawaiians off their ancestral lands.
Historical Events in Indian Country 1848
• Significant outbreak of measles among the local Tlingit populace
in Sitka, Alaska in the late spring to mid summer of 1848.
Outbreaks so devastating that it required opening 3 temporary
hospitals in addition to their permanent hospital. They also report
that a new cemetery site was chosen to bury the significant number
of dead from the effects of the measles
• Waves of smallpox decimated the tribes of the Upper Missouri
• Treaty with the Menomiee 1848.
• Treaty With The Pawnee-Grand, Loups, Republicans, Etc., 1848
• Treaty With The Stockbridge Tribe, 1848
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Federal Indian Policy
•
1830-1850 “Removal Policy”
•
1850-1871 “Removal Shifts to Reservation System”
•
1871-1928 “Assimilation and Allotment Era”
•
1943-1968 “Termination”
•
1968-Present
“Self Determination”
Public Law 93-638, Indian people will never surrender their desire to
control their relationships both among themselves and with nonIndian governments, organizations and persons
Assimilation
Apache children upon arrival at the Carlisle Indian School (Pennsylvania)
wearing traditional clothing.
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Assimilation
Assimilation
Apache children at the Carlisle School four months later.
Social Justice & Public Health
• “Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistant Act”
has brought change in the following:
– Tribal Sovereignty
• Warriors
– Education
– Health
• Social Determinants
• Racism
– Repatriation
– Environment
• “Vibrant Sustainable Communities Today”
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CDC Healthiest Nation Initiative
CDC Healthiest Nation Initiative
Reinforces and builds on CDC’s
Health Protection Goals and Strategic Imperatives
•
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•
Expanding the Vision: Collaborate with HNA and others to create a clear
and compelling vision that motivates people and organizations to support a
true health system.
Empowering Leaders: Convene and collaborate with current and new
partners to help lead and align their support.
Energizing People: Create excitement and relevance among people and
employees.
Enacting Health in All Policies: Create opportunities to integrate health
considerations into societal policies across sectors and at all levels.
Executing Health Protection Goals: Achieve greater health impact by
focusing on the priorities in our Health Protection Goal portfolios and
address the priorities and needs identified in our Goal Action Plans.
Evaluating Health: Define and measure health and health value for
individuals, families, communities, organizations, states, and nations.
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CDC Portfolio Management Program
American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribal Portfolio
• Development, management and monitoring of CDC’s
Tribal Portfolio
– Provides consultation and recommendations on CDC FOA
development
• Tracks and displays CDC’s AI/AN resource
commitments
• Shared leadership, collaboration amongst partners
• Alignment of CDC goals, investments relevant to
health impact
• Improved public health business services, enhance
efficiencies and encourage flexibility of CDC
resources
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American Indian and Alaska Native Population By State
WA
NH
MT
VT
ND
ME
MN
OR
MA
ID
SD
WI
NY
NV
RI
MI
WY
CA
IA
NE
PA
IL
UT
IN
CT
NJ
OH
WV
CO
KS
MO
DE
VA
KY
MD
NC
AZ
TN
NM
OK
AR
SC
AL
TX
GA
AI/AN Population
by State, 2000
MS
100,00 to 333,400
LA
FL
AK
50,000 to 99,999
10,000 to 49,999
1,713 to 9,999
HI
* Census 2000, One race (AI/AN) alone
Treat all men alike.
Give them all the same law.
Give them all an even
chance to live and grow.
All men were made by the
same Great Spirit Chief.
They are all brothers.
The earth is the mother of
all people, and all people
have equal rights upon it.
Chief Joseph, Nez Perce
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