9367 ‎(2)‎

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9367
• Author: Colorado Water Workshop.
• Title: Proceedings
• USFW Year: 1992.
• USFW - Doc Type: Colorado Water Workshop July 22-24, 1992.
• Copyright Material: NO

The Ten Tribe Colorado River Partnership

George Arthur
Vice Chairman, Resources Committee,
Navajo Nation Council

It is a great pleasure to come before you this morning. I am a
member of the Navajo Nation Council and I am here on behalf, not only
of the ten tribes, but also on behalf of the Navajo nation. I am not
a lawyer. Within our tribes we encourage our young people to go
school, learn, and acquire skills and wisdom so that they can and come
back to help their peoples, such is the case today. I would like to
introduce to you the young lady that is a member of our tribe that has
gone off to school and she is my lawyer. Bernadine Martin could you
stand?
I was asked to give a twenty-five minute talk, .but I was taught
by my parents if you do not have anything to say, keep your mouth
shut. I do not know if I can say enough to expand over twenty-five
minutes, but I will try.
Over the past few months the tribes along the Colorado River have
come together and have been talking. This particular discussion, this
particular procedure was implemented back in December. California
took a position and out of that the Indian tribes gathered and stated
that we would need to come together and present a position. We all
know that there is a great need for the water in various sectors of
our country, especially in the southwest and more so in our homelands
along the Colorado River.
Yesterday, there was discussion about the Law of the River. Is
it obsolete? We, as Indian people, feel that it was obsolete the day
it was written for the fact that we were left out, not because we did
not want to talk, not because we did not want to participate, but
because we were just left out. Because of that the river faces many
problems. Today, we are faced with many problems. In 1922, if we
would have sat down together, perhaps these mountainous problems that
are facing us today would not be so. However, because of the concerns
that were brought out at the session in Las Vegas, Nevada and because
of what the Indian people along the river feel is their right, and is
their right, we are willing to come to the table and talk and see what
we can work out, what we can agree on.
This morning there was a comment made about controversy, why it
existed, and how it developed. Controversy, to me, develops because
we do not communicate. We do not sit down. We do not talk to each
other. How can we understand, how can we know what the other one
feels, or what the other one's positions are when we do not sit down,
and talk it over? As I stated, the ten tribes are willing,
individually, to talk and see what they can offer and what they can
work out. Yesterday, there was a comment made from this podium that
the ten tribes are coming together. Yes, we are coming together, but
bear in mind it is very important that we come together with one
voice, but with different interests. We are not coming together on
the pretense that the ten tribes are under an umbrella and that
whatever is agreed upon is the position of the ten tribes. The ten

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