Navajo times., 1963-08-22
What Can NauahO's Expect
From Their Tribal Council
WINDOW ROCK ARIZONA
Phone 871-4217

What is the Tribal Council ? Bascally the Coun
Gil consists of IA people who have been elected from
the parts of the reservation to represent their
communities in the governing OF the tribe The coun-
cilmen serve on various committees and super
visedby Chairman and Vice Chairman who have been
elected by the Tribe whole.
These IA and their leaders are human beings
who have families and face much the sort of daily
problems of living do other Navahos on the reser-
vaton Some know a great deal about life off the re
servation Others do not All working hard and
we'll they to be good councilmen.
It is very important to realize that the power OF
the Council is limited for several First the
Council has to deal effectively with situations that con-
cern the Tribe as whole ana not lndly!duals; me
Council does about the welfare Of individuals but
it does have time to decide what to do about John
Navahos loss of his favorite horse or Mary NaVahos
hopes for sewing machine Such things have to
be worked out by John and Mary and their relatives
Second the Council, if it is to be effective, must
cooperate fully with federal state and local city gov
because to date, it has neither the money
nor the experience to act independently This means
that the Councils wishes must at times, give to
the d e i of these other governments Within the
next few decades it may we'll become independent to
degree but until then it will remain "a state within
state within state. Since the general goals of the
tribe overlap with those of these other governments
it would probably be mistake to try be fully indie
pendent Total independence would mean isolation which
would have disadvantages than advantages, and
after ALL Navahos want to be and proud of being
Americans.
Third, the Council has control develop
ments, especially of an economic nature which
OH the reservation. Ii tne Stee ralrOaQ ana team
sters unions decide to strike, living conditions will
become very difficult for those off the reservation.
Life will be worse on the reservation.
But, given these limitations, what the re-
sponsiblity of the Council to the people? The indiv
dual Councilman must find out what the people who
elected him to office thinking about He take
the time to listen to them talk Then he should carry
their ideas with him to Window Rock, and together with
other Councimen who have done the he, try
decide how to solve the problems the tribe faces
The Councilen will often disagree among themselves
to what to do but this to is be expected and even
good. there always agreement there would be no
need for a Council. The Council will make mistakes
but these will be good mistakes because they made
by Navahos trying to help other Navahos. They will
learn from sometimes being wrong.
What is the responsibility of the people to the
Council? The people must help the man they elected
to the Council by listening to his ideas what should
be done at Window Rock If they think he is wrong they
should tell him that he is wrong They should realize
that the Tribe is not just the people from Chnle Ship
)k or Navajo Mountain but all those who live the