Ann-Erika Whitebird of Lakota Voice
Rosebud Sioux Tribe investigates writer’s blog
By Brandon Ecoffey
Native Sun News Managing Editor ROSEBUD — The Rosebud Sioux Tribe has risen to the defense of their Attorney General, Aisha Concha, who they say was misrepresented in an online blog. In an entry written by Ann-Erika Whitebird on the online blog Lakotavoice allegations were made through anonymous sources and an unnamed tribal council member that Concha had intentionally misled the tribe during the hiring process by claiming that she was an enrolled member of the Taos Pueblo. Whitebird also told Native Sun News, that she had heard the interview personally and that she had recorded Concha stating she was an enrolled member of Taos Pueblo. At the time of print however she had yet to produce the recording. In response to the allegation the Rosebud Sioux Tribe’s Human Resources Department issued an official statement saying that Concha had never claimed Indian preference nor did she state in her resume or application that she was an enrolled member of any tribe. “Due to the recent questions brought on stating that Rosebud Sioux Tribe’s Attorney General, Aisha Concha was claiming “Indian Preference” in her Tribal Application and/or resume a memorandum was asked to be written to clarify as to what was claimed or not in her Tribal application and/or resume,” wrote Benjamin Kitteaux Jr. “I certify that upon reviewing Ms. Concha’s Rosebud Sioux Tribe Application and her resume along with her Contract with the Tribe which are on file here in the personnel office, there is not any place that she claimed Indian Preference nor does she ever claim that she was enrolled with any Federally Recognized Tribe.” During her investigation in to the matter, Whitebird sent an initial email to Taos Pueblo’s enrollment office asking for the status of Concha. Taos Pueblo responded by asking Whitebird to submit the request on an official letterhead from the tribe. After acquiring an official tribal letterhead, Whitebird resubmitted the request signed by her as a tribal member. Taos Pueblo’s enrollment office would respond to the inquiry by sending a response stating that they did not have anyone on their official enrollment under the name of Aisha Concha to the tribe. However Taos Pueblo Governor, Clyde Romero Sr. did send a letter to the tribe saying that, “Aisha Concha is not an enrolled member of Taos Pueblo herself; however, she was raised on the Taos Pueblo and is considered part of the Concha family. Aisha is and always will be affiliated with Taos Pueblo.” Romero also said that Concha’s father is an enrolled member of the tribe and that both her paternal grandparents were enrolled as well in Taos. In the entry posted on Lakotavoice it is stated that President Scott told Whitebird that an investigation was underway looking in to the matter of Concha falsely claiming to be an enrolled member of Taos Pueblo. However after speaking with Phillip Valandra of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and Concha, it was confirmed that there is an investigation taking place. The investigation however is not in to Concha but in to Whitebird using an official letterhead of the tribe to attempt to gather information about this matter. “There is an investigation in to Ann-Erika (Whitebird) and how she misrepresented the tribe and acquired the official letterhead,” said Concha. “All that information has been turned over to the criminal investigations office at the police department.” Concha said that she has nothing to do with the investigation due to her personal involvement in the events and that if prosecuted it would be handled by a different tribal prosecutor. Whitebird commented that she had picked up the letter head from the tribal secretary’s office where they were set out in a public area. Whitebird supplied Native Sun News with pictures of the containers that were hanging on the wall in the secretary’s office. Whitebird claims that she took the letter heads from one of the bins and that when she sent the letter to Taos Pueblo she signed it as a tribal member and included her personal email and mailing address. She also said that the containers had been removed from the wall recently. “I was representing my political rights as a tribal member,” said Whitebird. “I did not misrepresent myself as someone from the tribe only as an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.” Whitebird feels that the investigation is part of an ongoing effort by the tribe to prevent her from doing journalistic work. However Paul Valandra of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe stated that is was about protecting their employee. “It is one thing to have a local blog that isn’t always accurate but when it is run nationally on Indianz.com there is real damage done to Ms. Concha’s professional reputation. We just wanted to clear the air and show that she had never claimed to be an enrolled member or claimed Indian Preference during the hiring process,” he said. (Contact Brandon Ecoffey at staffwriter2@nsweekly.com)
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