"Tribal leaders and Portland can be forgiven if they don't recognize one another when the National Congress formally convenes this week in Portland for its 68th annual convention, the first Rose City visit in more than 30 years. There are few remnants of the Burnside Boys as the tribes of Oregon have been restored from termination and can offer relatively robust opportunity to their people.

Dynamic native service organizations like the Native American Rehabilitation Association and the Native American Youth and Family Center offer a wide array of services and help families reconnect with traditional support systems.

The gaze of tribes is turning increasingly outward as healing occurs. A new generation of tribal citizenry, educated, wired, globally savvy, is changing the insular nature of tribal politics. My work on tribal natural resources and the "Great Tribal Leaders of Modern Times" project has shown me that effective tribal leadership bears distinctive hallmarks:

It's accountable, surrounded by good people, and involves decision-making based upon good information -- less of an Ivy League business model than traditional tribal leadership practice."

Get the Story:
Charles Hudson: American Indians rising: Congress of tribes pivots in a new direction (The Oregonian 10/31)

Also Today:
Canoe landing and procession kick off Native American convention as participants embrace rain (The Oregonian 10/31)
Tribes meet in Portland for NW conference (KGW-TV 10/30)

Related Stories:
Native Vote on agenda at NCAI annual meeting next week (10/28)