Female Candidate Gains Attention During Navajo Presidential Forum Story-Date: 06:53 p.m. PST Monday , July 27, 1998 ------------------------------------------------------------ Female Candidate Gains Attention During Navajo Presidential Forum By Brenda Norrell, Indian Country Today, Rapid City, S.D. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Jul. 27--WINDOW ROCK, Ariz.--Navajo presidential hopefuls pledged to return stability and ethical order to the Navajo Nation government, during a presidential forum in the tribal capital. While nine candidates pledged to abide by Navajo laws and uphold traditional teachings if elected for one of two positions in the August 4 primary, the possibility of a Navajo woman as president became an issue. News reporters wielded hard questions at the candidates at the forum at the Window Rock Sports Center. Bernadette Chato, news director for KTNN radio, said, "Some Navajo say if a woman is elected leader it will mark the end of the world." But the lone woman candidate, LeNora Fulton, council delegate for Fort Defiance, responded that her elders, including a grandfather who was a medicine man, never told her that. Instead, they encouraged her to get an education and channel knowledge into service and leadership. Get an education she did. The mother of five sons and one daughter received a master's degree in health education and two bachelor's degrees. Attracting a roar of applause, Ms. Fulton asked, "Tradition is taught in the home and who are the teachers?" Ms. Fulton said her journey is a journey for all women and future generations of Din. Recalling the sacred teachings, she said, "No prayer is complete without the female. I have been told it is our duty to become leaders of our people." Ervin Chavez, serving as San Juan County Commissioner in New Mexico for eight years, was among the candidates addressing the issue of instability within the tribal government during his opening remarks. "We do have a lot of problems here on this reservation. The main problem is our Navajo Nation government is wobbling. The outsiders are really trying to attack our sovereignty." No-nonsense candidate Irving Billy, a former BIA superintendent in Tuba City, said, "I could make false promises, but I'm not that kind of a guy." "There's no beating around the bush -- we need to restabilize our government. The most important thing is to get the government back on its feet so a prayer and blessing will be given to the people," Mr. Billy said speaking in Dine'. Ernest Harry Begay, former councilman from Rock Point, presented a revolutionary form of new government based on ancient, traditional teachings. Mr. Begay said the current tribal government, reformed with amendments to Title II of the Navajo Code adopted by the Navajo Nation Council in 1990, was never presented to the people for a vote. Mr. Begay said the government reform which followed the removal of former Navajo Chairman Peter MacDonald has resulted in disunity. "It has taught us to label each other as: 'You are a MacDonald,' 'You are a Zah,' 'You are a 49er." His comment referred to supporters of former Mr. MacDonald, former Navajo President Peterson Zah and the 49 council delegates who voted to remove Mr. MacDonald from office in 1989. But Mr. Begay cast away divisions and labels with the comment, "We are Din." Urging a new four-branch government with the addition of a traditional Din branch, he said, "We can address our issues with a Din frame of mind." Holding up a copy of the Navajo Nation Code, Mr. Begay said, "This is a white people's book -- that is why it is making us clash." He suggested traditional leaders review and revise Navajo tribal laws in accordance with Dine' teachings. Navajo President Thomas Atcitty said, "It's not fun to be president anymore." Mr. Atcitty said he is working for unity in the three branch government -- executive, legislative and judicial -- and new homes are the result. This year, $87 million will be available in new housing funds for Navajo people. "Navajo Nation Council: I want to work close with you," he said. Mr. Atcitty's comment came two days before the council was scheduled to decide his fate on allegations of ethics violations. Navajo Nation Council Speaker Kelsey Begaye said he threw his hat in the ring for tribal presidency at the urging of Navajo tribal members. He said ethics laws are to be upheld by everyone, including the Navajo speaker. The Kaibito father of four daughters and two sons, urged the strengthening of values, "The answer lies in the home with the family -- human values, family values and most important, spiritual values." Urging parents to speak Din to their children, Mr. Begaye said, "If you know your language, you are a complete person." Duane "Chili" Yazzie, previously one of the all-time high vote getters as councilman of the largest chapter, Shiprock, said the way to return credibility to the Navajo Nation is for the president to obey the laws of the Navajo Nation. Mr. Yazzie said the president must bring "integrity and credibility to the presidency by being a pillar of strength that the people can emulate." Further, he said the position requires leadership and wisdom. "To be a leader, you have to think for your people." Speaking in poetic form in Din, Joe Shirley, councilman for Chinle, said he is initiated to be a medicine man and is educated as a social worker. Urging a voice for the people, Mr. Shirley said, "We should listen to the workers on the reservation." Mr. Shirley is a member of the Native American Church and a medicine man performing the Blessing Way ceremony. He is serving his fourth term as an Apache County Supervisor in Arizona and serves on numerous national committees for land use, development and leadership. During the forum, hosted by the Navajo Times, Arizona Sen. James Henderson urged reform of the tribal government. "People go to Window Rock all the time in search of authority and nothing happens." Mr. Henderson said while Navajo people suffer high unemployment, council delegates waste time and money fighting with one another and belaboring issues. He recommended new industries of food canning and sheep butchering to create jobs. While urging Navajo youths to return to tribal land with their education and newly-acquired skills, he said the flow of Navajo dollars off the Navajo Nation is also a concern. "We need to build at least two towns on the Navajo reservation, so money can circulate." On the subject of economic development, Mr. Chavez responded to a reporter's questions about the possible establishment of a sales tax on the Navajo Nation. "Here on the reservation, we always say we don't want to pay sales tax, then we go out to the cities and pay sales tax," Mr. Chavez said. On the issue of gaming, Mr. Henderson was asked if he would support gaming on the Navajo Nation if it is placed before voters for a third time. Mr. Henderson said, if another attempt is made, following two "no" votes by the people, he would advocate for a new formula for distributing profits. Rather than having gaming revenues deposited into the tribe's general fund, Mr. Henderson wants 80 percent to go to the tribe's 110 chapters in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, 10 percent to go to future generations and 10 percent to go to the tribe's general fund. Responding to questions about freedom of the press, Mr. Henderson said news content should not be dictated by elected leaders. While tribal officials often object to articles reporting negative behavior, Mr. Henderson said, "Respect: You have to earn that. You don't earn it by being elected." Candidates vowed to establish new standards of respect in the office of the president. Mr. Begay said the president of the Navajo Nation is like a father to the people and the First Lady is as a mother. "As parents, you have to be role models." Responding to questions, Ms. Fulton said she does not believe the Navajo Nation is ready to contract the services of the Indian Health Service. "The Navajo Nation is today not prepared." But, in the audience, Navajo tribal members voiced objection among themselves. "We are ready," said Rosalyn Curtis, former division director for the Division of Health. "The Nation is ready. How else are we going to solve the problems, like the lack of rehabilitation centers and the long waiting hours?" Joining several hundred Navajo people in the audience was Vern Lee, mechanic for San Juan Coal Company in Farmington, N.M. He was unimpressed with candidate responses at the forum. "I hear them say, 'I think,' 'I feel' -- but I don't hear them say, 'I believe,"' Mr. Lee said. "They are not confident and they lack vision." Still, supporters cheered and rallied around the booths of the nine candidates for campaign bumper stickers and buttons in anticipation of the August 4 primary. ----- Visit Indian Country Today on the World Wide Web at http://www.indiancountry.com/ ----- (c) 1998, Indian Country Today, Rapid City, S.D. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. ------------------------------------------------------------