Celebrating Native American Heritage Month in the Digital Age - A CIO's Tribute to A Great People and Their Amazing Heritage

We celebrate two seminal events in USA in November (Veterans Day & Thanksgiving), where we thank Veterans for their service and sacrifice to our Country and give thanks for all the blessings in our lives. November is also Native American Heritage Month, and it is often forgotten (but shouldn't be). This is a personal tribute to ALL Native Americans during this month. Disclaimer: these are my personal thoughts and are not offered in any official capacity. I chose this infographic for Native American day because it is very illustrative, simple and good from a kids perspective. We all know children don't hate intrinsically - hate is taught or learned. We must therefore always teach our children to respect great cultures and strive for greatness from the onset (Source: https://www.pta.org/home/events/About-Every-Child-in-Focus/Calendar/Native-American-Heritage-Month).

Please visit the website dedicated to this occasion for information on history, events and stories that will inform and endear you to honor these great people - the original inhabitants of the USA! (Source: https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov) #Remember#NativeAmericans#HeritageMonth#Tradition#Honor#Love#Respect

In November, we honor Veterans; thank God for family and friends during Thanksgiving - all that is fantastic and should continue forever! But, how about also recognizing and honoring indigenous people - Native Americans for all their contributions to our great country, lest we forget their self-less contributions throughout history? After all, it is noteworthy that Native Americans played key parts in American History on both Veterans and Thanksgiving (amongst many other areas). Thanks to the U.S. Defense Department for honoring Native Americans (Source: https://www.defense.gov/News/Special-Reports/American-Indian-Heritage/).

In today's digital information age, everything moves so fast with Internet time exigency, where competitive advantage or the next great digital invention seems to always purport to help us do things "faster, better and cheaper"...24 x 7 X 365...anywhere, anytime and on any device and now so efficiently to our doorstep (e.g., Amazon). Even "holidays" and "holy days" are now turned into commercial events (e.g., Black Friday and Cyber Monday)! In today's fast-paced digital age - perhaps we should also spend a few minutes to recognize humans in the loop? This post is not a diatribe - instead, it is a salute to all Native American tribes.

This tribute salutes Native American courage, bravery, sense of honor, tradition, sacrifice, character, culture, love of Mother Nature and its natural order of life and wisdom. They weren't primitive or savages - they fought to survive. Perhaps, they could've been more united. Nevertheless, we can learn so much from their wisdom of the balance of nature, if we can only live a day in their shoes or take the time to appreciate them. This tribute hopes for a positive resurgence of their languages, traditions, culture, population after centuries of an unfortunate history of oppression and suppression. This tribute proffers the ideal that its time to move forward from the past, create a better present and shape a brighter future, while respecting and empowering Native American traditions, heritage and identity. Honoring their presence, while supporting their resurgence, enriches the tapestry of America and rights the wrongs of the past for a better future in the ideal of America.

A Brief History Of Native America: Tribes, Demographics, Languages, Culture/Traditions And Service To Country Data about Native Americans from a multitude of sources provides context and shows their rich traditions, proud culture and also, heartaches suffered over time and history. A brief synopsis is provided here with some salient points:

Native Americans Have Been Here For Thousands Of Years: A study of history and/or basic google search reveals that Native Americans resided in present USA thousands of years ago. “The history of Native Americans in the United States began in ancient times tens of thousands of years ago with the settlement of the Americas  by the Paleo-Indians. Anthropologists and archeologists have identified and studied a wide variety of cultures that existed during this era. Their subsequent contact with Europeans had a profound impact on their history.” “The Pre-Columbian era incorporates all period sub-divisionsin the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during the Early Modern period.”  (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Native_Americans_in_the_United_States).

567 "Official" Tribes: there are now 567 federally recognized tribes in the USA (up from 562 about ten years ago). According to the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), "An Introduction to Indian Nations in the United States" and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA): "There are 562 federally recognized Indian Nations (variously called tribes, nations, bands, pueblos, communities, rancherias and native villages) in the United States. Approximately 229 of these ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse nations are located in Alaska; the rest are located in 33 other states." (Source: https://www.ncai.org/about-tribes/indians_101.pdf; https://www.bia.gov/FAQs/index.htm)

Sovereign Governments: "The United States Constitution recognizes that Indian Nations are sovereign governments just like Canada and California. The Supreme Court, Congress, US Presidents, and hundreds of treaties have repeatedly reaffirmed that Indian Nations retain their inherent powers of self- government."

Treaties: "From 1774 until about 1832, treaties between individual sovereign American Indian nations and the U.S. were negotiated to establish borders and prescribe conditions of behavior between the parties. From 1832 until 1871, American Indian nations were considered to be domestic, dependent tribes. Negotiated treaties between tribes and the U.S. had to be approved by the U.S. Congress. In 1871, the House of Representatives ceased recognition of individual tribes within the U.S. as independent nations with whom the United States could contract by treaty, ending the nearly 100 year old practice of treaty-making between the U.S. and American Indian tribes." (Source: https://www.archives.gov/research/native-americans/treaties). "Treaties and laws have created a fundamental contract between Indian Nations and the United States: Indian Nations ceded millions of acres of land that made the United States what it is today, and in return received, among other guarantees, the right of continued self-government on their own lands." (Source: https://thedailycheck.net/map-missing-history-books/). Note: Many treaties were unfortunately not fully honored in the past, which led to a steady decline in Native American power and wealth....challenging their great native spirit. I took this picture of historical depiction of the two cultures inside the Interior Department as a reminder of the history that transpired before us. I served as CIO of not only the Bureau of Indian Affairs but also later as the Interior CIO.

Original Maps Of Tribes:

"Most maps in US history are missing a visual representation of the tribes that lived across the USA before the arrival of Europeans." (Source: https://thedailycheck.net/map-missing-history-books/).

Mr. Aaron Carapella, a self-proclaimed, mixed-blood Cherokee, "designed maps of Canada and the continental U.S. showing the original locations and names of Native American tribes. What makes Carapella's maps distinctive is their display of both the original and commonly known names of Native American tribes, according to Doug Herman, senior geographer at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C." (Source: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2014/06/24/323665644/the-map-of-native-american-tribes-youve-never-seen-before; https://www.npr.org/assets/news/2014/06/Tribal_Nations_Map_NA.pdf)

Population and Demographics: "From a population peak of roughly 20 million, Native American tribes were decimated by the twin killers of war and disease, such that the Native American population dropped to only a quarter-million. The present Native American population in North America is still less than 3 million." (Source: https://thedailycheck.net/map-missing-history-books/). According to the 2010 Census Bureau demographics of Native Americans: "5.2 million people in the United States identified as American Indian and Alaska Native, either alone or in combination with one or more other races. Out of this total, 2.9 million people identified as American Indian and Alaska Native alone. Almost half of the American Indian and Alaska Native population, or 2.3 million people, reported being American Indian and Alaska Native in combination with one or more other races." [Source: https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-10.pdf]. "5.4 million - The nation’s population of American Indians and Alaska Natives, including those of more than one race. They made up about 2 percent of the total population in 2014." [Source: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2015/cb15-ff22.html]

Languages and Symbols: Before Europeans arrived in North America, many scholars say more than a thousand languages may have been spoken here; only 296 indigenous languages remain, and only 8 of those languages are practiced by enough people to fill even a small town. It’s likely that within the next century, fewer than 20 Native American languages will remain - eight languages with a chance of surviving? Navajo, Cree, Ojibwa, Cherokee, Dakota, Apache, Blackfoot, and Choctaw." Many symbols were also used, each with specific meaning. (Source: https://thedailycheck.net/map-missing-history-books/; https://www.pinterest.com/explore/native-american-symbols/)

Culture and Traditions:

The Native American "Indian Ten Commandments" are perhaps a deepest insight into their culture and traditions. While there two versions that list these commandments - the message is powerful and universal. "Perhaps no other group of people has quite the rich and storied culture as those of the Native Americans." "Native Americans also had a rich and storied culture." "When European settlers arrived on the North American continent at the end of the fifteenth century, they encountered diverse Native American cultures—as many as 900,000 inhabitants with over 300 different languages" [Source: https://indians.org/index.html; https://www.pinterest.com/explore/native-americans/; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_cultures_in_the_United_States;https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/immigration/native_american.html]

Service To Country (Veterans): From the famous Navajo Code-talkers to numerous Medal of Honor Recipients, Native Americans have served with high honor and distinction throughout our history in our Armed Forces as some of our bravest warriors with a native honor code. This is despite the fact is that until 1924 and even 1957 (due to some state laws), Native Americans were not considered U.S. Citizens! (Source: https://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/jazz/jb_jazz_citizens_1.html; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Citizenship_Act; Source: https://navajocodetalkers.org; https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/n/code-talkers.html; https://www.cmohs.org; https://nmai.si.edu/nnavm/heroes/)

I saw this picture from a Native Americans Facebook page [sourced below] that is so layered in meaning that it will make you proud, think about the respect, honor and selfless service of generations of brave native Americans to our country (despite what happened to them). This is what makes America Great. The caption simply read: "Navajo Codetalker, Roy Hawthorne USMC~ This elder walked a two mile parade route. Two Navajo Marines helped him through the last half mile. Much honor and respect." Wow! This brought me an overwhelming sense of pride as an American. My response: "Thank you Sir for your selfless service to country, bravery, courage, and invaluable contributions to the allied victory. You changed the course of history and represent the many, amazing heroics of native Americans. You are part of the many veterans from all walks of life that truly make America Great!" [Source: https://www.facebook.com/nativenationamerica/].

Native Lands: It goes without saying that their loss of land and sacred grounds has had devastating effects on their culture, well-being and traditions. This particular graphic by Professor Sam Hilliard from Louisiana State University/LSU (my Alma mater) graphically depicts at least three dimensions of information on 2-D paper: the amount, locations across time. An animation version on You tube is even more powerful: "This animation by SunIsUp on Tumblr appears to be based on a chronological collection of land cession maps by Sam B. Hilliard, of Louisiana State University, that was published in 1972 in the Annals of the Association of American Geographers. " (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZCvUroBpaE).

Themes such as Native Nations face the loss of land and traditions; removal from their lands; Native Americans loss of land or cessions of land have been well documented over time (Source: https://www.nps.gov/articles/negotiating-identity.htm; https://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/immigration/native_american2.html; https://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vault/2014/06/17/interactive_map_loss_of_indian_land.html).

Climate Affects: Climate is one of many things affecting Tribal nations. There are 1883 Tribal data sets at DATA.gov [Source: https://www.data.gov/climate/tribal-nations/].

Health: According to the U.S. Government, "Members of 567 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes and their descendants are eligible for services provided by the Indian Health Service (IHS). The IHS is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services that provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2.2 million of the nation’s estimated 3.7 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. The American Indian and Alaska Native people have long experienced lower health status when compared with other Americans. Lower life expectancy and the disproportionate disease burden exist perhaps because of inadequate education, disproportionate poverty, discrimination in the delivery of health services, and cultural differences. These are broad quality of life issues rooted in economic adversity and poor social conditions. Diseases of the heart, malignant neoplasm, unintentional injuries, and diabetes are leading causes of American Indian and Alaska Native deaths (2008-2010). American Indians and Alaska Natives born today have a life expectancy that is 4.4 years less than the U.S. all races population (73.7 years to 78.1 years, respectively). American Indians and Alaska Natives continue to die at higher rates than other Americans in many categories, including chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus, unintentional injuries, assault/homicide, intentional self-harm/suicide, and chronic lower respiratory diseases."(Source: https://www.ihs.gov/newsroom/factsheets/disparities/). Facts from the CDC also show afflictions (Source: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/american-indian-health.htm). Sadly, native Americans were affected by so many maladies over time ranging from disease, alcoholism, discrimination, deception etc. Broken hearts, souls and spirits cannot be measured unless one looks at all they have been through.

The First Thanksgiving (1621): It is really important to appreciate and understand Native American perspectives of the first thanksgiving celebrated by early pilgrims in 1621. It harkens to a time when the benevolent contributions of Native Americans first occurred, despite the irony and agony of the eventual impact to them over time and history. The "story of America's first Thanksgiving holiday offers some important lessons. Native Americans welcomed the arriving immigrants and helped them survive. Then they celebrated together, even though the Pilgrims considered the Native Americans heathens. Thanksgiving, from its very beginning in America, has been an interfaith holiday about faith, food and gratitude to God." (Source: https://www.history.com/s3static/video-thumbnails/AETN-History_VMS/106/819/History_BYDK_Thanksgiving_SF_HD_1104x622-16x9.jpg;https://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2017/11/native_americans_welcomed_immi.html).

"The Indians in attendance, the Wampanoag, played a lead role in this historic encounter, and they had been essential to the survival of the colonists during the newcomers’ first year. The Wampanoag were a people with a sophisticated society who had occupied the region for thousands of years. They were also a people for whom giving thanks was a part of daily life." (Source: https://nmai.si.edu/sites/1/files/pdf/education/thanksgiving_poster.pdf). Native Americans, see this day differently: "While today Thanksgiving is one of our nation’s favorite holidays, it has a far different meaning for many Wampanoag, who now number between 4,000 and 5,000. For the most part, Thanksgiving itself is a day of mourning for Native people, not just Wampanoag people." (Source: https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/news/the-wampanoag-side-of-the-first-thanksgiving-story/).

An infographic from Annick Press (2013) illustrates key milestones in the Native American journey in USA. While we are not expert historians with all the facts, various sources represent a sense of how history transpired, unintentionally or not, but mostly to detrimental affect for these proud people. I am sure this synopsized post doesn't do justice to get a holistic, full-spectrum view to fully appreciate these great people and their great civilization. Much more detailed historical research can provide more comprehensive perspectives to appreciate their history. However, it is clear that these great, proud people with such a long storied history in our country have dwindled in numbers, been subjected to so much suffering over time including loss of their land and culture that defined their identity and presence. Nevertheless, they have persevered despite devastating forces and circumstances. They do deserve and command our utmost respect!

A Personal Note (Former CIO of Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) - Ten Years Ago!)

My personal tribute is from an "Indian-American" to the "American Indian" (Native American) in recognizing and never forgetting these great people. I had the distinct honor and privilege to serve as the first "Indian-American" CIO to serve "American-Indians" in 2007 (10 years ago) under the Bush Administration as a career Senior Executive Service. It is an experience that I will cherish forever - learning the great culture of Native Americans and forming a bond of kinship and friendship with a great people and from whom I learnt a lot in their rightful place amongst great civilizations.

Why I left the World's Premier Law Enforcement Agency (FBI) OCIO in 2007 to Become the BIA CIO to Honor and Serve Native Americans: Until August 2007, I had proudly served as an IT Program Management Executive (one of the top Assistant Director-level "gold badge" senior executives) in the FBI, implementing technology and cybersecurity to enable our FBI mission, which was to protect the American public and our great country. As one of the highest-ranking "Asian" and "Indian-American" Executives in the FBI, I had also been awarded the prestigious Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executive for my years of accomplishments in 2006. I had done exceptionally well at the FBI with exceptional ratings throughout my tenure - thanks to hard work and consistent achievements. I loved my job in the FBI but informed my boss, the Executive Assistant Director/CIO (and one of handful direct reports to the Deputy Director/Director), of my decision. Former FBI Director Robert Mueller (a great man and highly respected leader) summoned me, was quite disappointed, and wondered why I was leaving FBI, the world's premier Law Enforcement Agency to go to BIA? He heard my explanation of my inner call to public service, this massive Cobell Litigation and the unthinkable situation of an agency accomplishing its mission by being off the Internet for 6.5 years. He understood my reasons - even though he thought I was the "other kind of Indian"! I thanked him for the incredible opportunity to serve under his amazing leadership at the FBI. In front of the FBI CIO, he offered me a position if I ever chose to return - a rarity from what I was told. I reluctantly left FBI to try on a new career challenge and I've never looked back....

First "Indian American" CIO serving "American Indians": I had decided to apply for the CIO of BIA on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) site (https://USAjobs.gov) a couple of months before.... I got competitively selected ten years ago in 2007 as the as the CIO for BIA and later realized that I was the first "Indian American" to serve as the CIO for BIA serving "American Indians." My East Indian name is "Sanjeev", derived from the 5, 000 year Sanskrit word "Sanjiva", which means "reviving." It also means "one who can bring back the dead to life." Although I have no such powers, myIndian name signifies meaning just like Native American names signify meaning. My Indian name is a derivative of a magical life restoring herb called "Sanjeevani" mentioned in Hindu Mythology. In the Holy Book Ramayana written in Sanskrit 5, 000 years ago, Lord Hanuman is sent to the Himalayas to get Sanjeevani to restore Lakshmana wounded in battle. I believe in the Indian concepts of "Karma" (deeds), "Dharma" (principle of cosmic order) and "Kismet" (destiny). Something stirred within me as a calling...It was destiny that brought me here...to help my Native American Brothers and Sisters in any small way I can. You gotta have passion and belief in the mission to do the absolute best job you can do. I believe there is a lost connection between these two ancient cultures....

Successful Enterprise Transformation at BIA: Interestingly enough, my team and I helped BIA with the following accomplishments in the 2007-2008 timeframe, proving that the Native American Agency became the best within a year after I arrived with the support of BIA leadership and Tribes: BIA secured court approval to be fully back on the Internet within 9 months (after being off for 6.5 years); and BIA achieved top grades (all-green) on the OMB electronic Government (e-Gov) Information Technology/Information Resource Management scorecard and BIA OCIO was considered to be the best in short order (they had the ability all along).

I had a chance to visit the reservations across the country and truly see Rural and Native America. It is not like the oasis of suburbia or the metropolis of DC or our big cities! They live simple lives and I met some amazing people, elders and leaders, who are trying to help their people survive with dignity. Their living conditions and breakdown of society in some once-proud tribes (e.g. Lakota) made me cry. The conditions some Native Americans are living in present day USA is appalling - they deserve better on all counts. I don't have magical answers but know if we work together, we can solve this as a great country - its about time. While Casinos are not the answer, prosperity requires balance between self-determination, self-identification, traditions, mutual respect, education, and new skills in the digital age for new generations. East Indians have used Information Technology to make themselves balance east and west traditions with success - Native American Indians require solutions that could mirror our cultures. I believe our cultures are connected in beliefs, traditions and divine power, even though we were worlds apart in geography.

Closing Thoughts - "Thank You - Words of Gratitude that have Survived the Information Age"!

While their numbers are dwindling in many states and concentrating in others, everywhere we go across America, their heritage is unmistakably present (even though many Americans may not realize the connection)! For example, 27 names of the States in the USA are derived from Native America - each with meaning and from a tribe. This include Native Hawaiians, Alaskans and all Native Americans. Something new to learn about USA everyday (Source: https://www.columnfivemedia.com/check-native-american-translations-27-state-names)!

In today's digital information age, everything is solved online with Internet time exigency, competitive advantage or the next great digital invention which will help us do things "faster, better and cheaper". Today's digital age is about money, jobs, convenience and ability to do things in the digital, mobile world anywhere, anytime. Even holidays and Holy days have become digital events.Today's social media has good information but is often "clouded" (double entendre) by instant-and-often uninformed opinions, self-promotion, immediate gratification, "vitriol from trolls", negativity, fake news and uncivil discussion. Additionally, we have forgotten to understand and balance the human aspects of our history, human decency, the digital divide that still precludes Rural America and Native America from full participation and how the digital age it affects human beings and culture. Are human values, decency, respect, culture, language, tradition, integrity, respect for elders and Mother Nature etc. out of fashion and an anachronism? I think not! Perhaps it is time to invest in what really matters: appreciating each other's culture and treating each other with honor and respect.

Perhaps, we should remember that these great people still persevere their beautiful culture, art, traditions and spirit with amazing grace, bravery and sacrifice for this great country, despite enduring unimaginable hardships. They have incredible wisdom that can still teach us to live better with balance and harmony with Mother Nature and each other. Respect and caring for our own indigenous people, Native Americans, is paramount. Their resurgence, success and issues will go a long way for our national well-being and reputation. This painting by Artist Tim Nevaquava, from the Society of American Indian Government Employees (SAIGE) at Defense.gov (2016 heritage month) is a reminder of service to the people.

Leaders across the globe have apologized for past atrocities and forceful assimilation of native, indigenous people in the past century(ies). This is noteworthy, but more action is required from all parties to reconcile and more forward. Unfortunately, time marches on, life goes on and circumstances keep changing like the climate and landscape of our country. Their prosperity (at many levels not just economic) is a bellwether for "US." People who forget history are doomed to repeat it - ergo, we must preserve, learn from the past, improve the present and create a better tomorrow. We can do it together - United we stand - divided we fall!

Native Americans are great people and their amazing heritage deserves highest love, respect, thanks, remembrance and honor. Lesser civilizations would've vanished completely after all that they've gone through history. They have survived with fierce resolve, cultural independence and integrity. I conclude my personal tribute for Native American Heritage Month 2017 with a simple - THANK YOU! These words of gratitude have survived the information age and is represented in the languages of some of the tribes. God Bless Native America and God Bless the USA!