Native leaders address state legislature.
Miss Yavapai Apache Keikliana Lowry of Camp Verde was among several members of Native American royalty attending the 30th annual Indian Nations and Tribal Legislative Day Jan. 15 at the state capitol.
“This is great and amazing,” she said. “I love to see how all the different tribes are trying to retain their culture and how there are so many cultural events here,” said Lowry, 20, a beader who plans to major in business at Mesa Community College.
Tribal royalty is selected based on their knowledge and practice of their culture. Lowry shares insights into her Native traditions with area school children.
Miss Navajo Nation Ranisha Begay, 23, is one step ahead of Lowry, as she already has earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Fort Lewis College in Colorado.
“It is great to see our tribal representatives working with other communities,” she said.
Miss Indian Arizona Isabella Newman from the San Carlos Apache Tribe said the gathering was great because everybody was connecting. Newman graduated from Dartmouth, where she studied Asian cultures and language with a minor in government.
“I love government and I’m planning to go to law school,” she said.
Newman offered a blessing at the opening of the event. She asked people to pray in whatever way they felt comfortable. She pointed to the suffering of the people in California from wildfires.
Miss San Carlos Apache Veronica Bonilla, 17, is a student at Fort Thomas High School. She plans to study radiology at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Stephen Roe Lewis, longtime leader of the Gila River Indian Community, gave one of the keynote speeches and recognized the importance of youth. He said when he comes back for the 40th gathering of tribal leaders and state legislators in 10 years, he hopes to see one of the Native American youth in the audience as governor.
He spoke about the importance of protecting Colorado River water rights for tribes, including Navajo, Hopi and Paiute. He noted that the Gila River Indian Community gained the largest water settlement rights in the U.S. in 2004. He said that when one tribe obtains water rights, it helps all tribes in their quest for tribal sovereignty. He emphasized the need for tribes and state legislators to work together in a non-partisan fashion.
Arizona State Senate President Warren Petersen and Arizona State Speaker of the House Steve Montenegro welcomed the tribes and spoke about working together. FBN
By Stan Bindell, FBN
Photo by Stan Bindell: Miss San Carlos Apache Queen Veronica Bonilla and Miss Indian Arizona Isabella Newman, also of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, were among the Native American representatives visiting the State Legislature and sharing insights about their culture.