On June 24th, 2024, the 50th Anniversary Conference of the International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) concluded with a traditional Lakota prayer and song for safe travel. The closing ceremony followed 4 days of information sharing, cultural presentations, prayer ceremonies, and intensive discussions to develop strategies addressing shared threats and concerns.
Representatives of IITC affiliates from North, Central, South America, the Pacific, Arctic, and Caribbean representing more than 300 Indigenous Peoples and Nations also adopted resolutions by consensus on the final day that will be the basis for IITC’s future work. These resolutions addressed Treaty Rights; Environmental Violence including extractive industries; Missing and Murdered Indigenous women, girls, and relatives; Climate Change and Food Sovereignty; Youth organizing; Cultural Rights, Indigenous Languages and Sacred Sites; impacts of “Protected Areas” imposed on Indigenous Lands and Territories; Indigenous environmental and human rights defenders; and support for the People of Palestine. IITC representatives also gave updates on the progress made over the last 50 years defending Indigenous Peoples’ rights at the United Nations, including the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the UN General Assembly in 2007.
The active participation of Indigenous youth, including in a multi-regional “Youth Organizing for
Rights and Sovereignty” panel, was an inspiriting highlight noted by many participants. IITC Board Member and Head of State for the Nation of Hawaii Pu’uhonua “Bumpy” Kanahele spoke at the Conference about the violations of several international Treaties concluded by his Nation at the Conference. Bumpy stated “I was very impressed with how the Conference was put together by people on the ground at Standing Rock who organized this for us. As an elder, I also appreciated the active role and involvement of Indigenous youth from many of our Nations. We need to involve the next generation of Indigenous leaders in our work, and this was a perfect example of bringing together our youth and elders. By making this link so strongly, this Conference will open new doors for IITC as we move forward into the next 50 years”.
Faith Spotted Eagle, Chair of the Ihanktowan (Yankton) Treaty Committee and Grandmother of the Brave Heart Society, was a participant in the 1974 founding conference. She participated in IITC’s 50th Anniversary Conference as a speaker on the panel on extractive industries and the impacts on Indigenous women and girls. Commenting on the conference, Elder Spotted Eagle stated “This amazing gathering was an example of intergenerational vision-making, proving powerful and much needed spirit building for the future. It honored and recognized the grassroots Treaty Rights defenders and inspired our work to build and rebuild our Nations and heal Mother Earth.”
In addition to IITC affiliate representatives from various regions and countries, special guests included spiritual leaders, elders, delegations of Treaty Councils, Tribal Officials, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as well as a group of participants from the original 1974 Conference who were honored at a special ceremony on the opening day.
IITC Executive Director, Andrea Carmen stated “it was so very powerful to return to our birthplace Standing Rock, 50 years later. IITC is very grateful to our host and all those who contributed to make this historic event a great success, including funders, in kind-contributors of buffalo meat and tipis, staff and volunteers. We also recognize with profound gratitude the contributions and sacrifices of all those who went before us in this work to defend our Peoples’ lives, rights, and ways of life.”
The adopted resolutions and photos from the Conference will be posted on IITC’s web site www.iitc.org in the coming days, and a commemorative film about the Conference and IITC’s work is currently being finalized.
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The International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) is an organization of Indigenous Peoples from North, Central, South America, the
Arctic, Caribbean and Pacific working for the sovereignty and self-determination of Indigenous Peoples and the recognition and protection of Indigenous rights, Treaties, traditional cultures and sacred lands.