By Miriam Jorgensen

1. Wise Practices in Indigenous
Community Development Symposium
Aboriginal Leadership and Management Program
The Banff Centre
September 15, 2012
Indigenous Business and
Economic Development in
the US
Miriam Jorgensen
Research Director
HPAIED, NNI at UA

2. American Indian nation
private sector development
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

3. Two Approaches to Economic
Development in Indian Country
 The Standard Approach
(pretty much what we’ve had for years)
 The Nation-Building Approach
(invented by Indigenous nations)
How do these approaches differ, and why does one
work so much better than the other?
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

4. The Standard Approach to
Development
1. Short-term, non-strategic
2. Views economic development as an
economic problem
3. Instead of building an economy step-by-
step, looks for the big hits
4. Lets others (usually other governments) set
the development agenda
5. Views Indigenous cultures as obstacles to
development
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

5. In short, the standard approach produces a poor
foundation for sustainable development…
External controls
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

6. What is the
alternative?
The nation-building
approach to (economic)
development
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

7. The Nation-Building Approach to Development
1. Practical self-rule
(the nation calls the shots)
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

8. The Nation-Building
Approach to Development
2. Capable governing institutions
(back up authority with
competence)
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

9. 1.0 PREAMBLE
WE are the Gitanyow peoples. We have a long-standing and rich oral tradition which
speaks to all aspects of our lives.
This written Constitution must be interpreted and understood in the context of our oral
history and oral traditions.
The Gitanyow peoples are known collectively as the Gitanyow Nation. The Gitanyow
Nation comprises two pdeek, the Lax Gibuu and the Lax Ganeda, organized into eight
Wilp. These are the Wilp Lax Gibuu of Gwass Hlaam, Wii‟litsxw, Malii, and Haizimsque
and the Wilp Lax Ganeda of Gamlaxyeltxw, Gwinuu, Luuxhon and Watakhayetsxw.
The Lax’yip of each Wilp is embedded in the Git’mgan and is rooted in Gitanyow
Adawaak and Ayuuks. Each Wilp owns and has authority over its respective Lax’yip. The
Gitanyow Nation Lax’yip are collectively known as the Gitanyow Territory, and are located
primarily in the Nass Watershed. A map of the Gitanyow Territory is attached as Schedule
1.
The Nation-Building Approach to Development
3. Cultural match
(governing institutions match community beliefs
about how authority should be organized)
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

10. The Nation-Building
Approach to Development
4. Strategic orientation
(decisions are made with long-
term priorities in mind)
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

11. The Nation-Building Approach to Development
5. Public-spirited leadership
(instead of politics as boxing ring where factions
fight to control the goodies)
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

12. Results of the
Nation-Building
Approach
More effective access to
and use of resources
Increased chances of
sustained and self-
determined economic
development
A more effective defense
of sovereignty
Communities – not just
economies – that work
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

13. None of the characteristics of the Nation-Building
approach is something we usually describe as
―economic.‖
They are all political. In the nation-building approach,
development is first and foremost a political problem.
Once the political problem is solved, then economic
assets begin to pay off.
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

14. In short, the nation building approach provides a
more solid foundation for sustainable development…
Sustainable
Development
Leadership
Strategic orientation
Cultural match—legitimate governing institutions
Capable governing institutions
Jurisdiction—being in the driver’s seat
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

15. The Nation-Building Approach
to Economic Development
1. Practical self-rule Then = circa 1992
2. Capable governing
institutions
3. Cultural
match/legitimate
institutions What about now?
4. Strategic orientation
5. Public-spirited
leadership
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

16. The Nation-Building Approach
to Economic Development
1. Practical self-rule
2. Capable governing
institutions
3. Cultural
match/legitimate
institutions What are the
4. Strategic orientation contemporary
concerns that make
5. Public-spirited these principles
leadership difficult to implement?
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

17. Four contemporary tensions in
Native nation building
1. Does exercising
“practical self-rule” mean
all or nothing sovereignty?
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

18. Four contemporary tensions in
Native nation building
2. Can’t a tribe have
capable institutions while
still allowing elected
officials to make business
management decisions?
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

19. Four contemporary tensions in
Native nation building
3. How can a Native nation
pursue cultural match in its
institutions and practices?
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

20. Four contemporary tensions in
Native nation building
4. How can Native nations
stay on a strategic path
that looks to the 7th
generation?
© HPAIED & NNI, 2012

21. Nation building…
 Native nation and First Nation business
development depends on it
 Native nation and First nation economic
development depends on it
 Positive social development outcomes depend on
it
 And its intimately tied to Native nation and First
nation cultural strength
…it’s about
building nations
and communities
that work.