ON LEADERSHIP

Gaming on Reserves is not new. Prior to European contact, on social occasions Native people engaged in what was to the Ancestors an innocent and fun leisure activity. The game of choice was a type of ‘bones’ game: The Mi’Kmaq for example played ‘waltes’ which called for the flipping of boned dice into a bowl; the Huron also had a derivative of the game in which they used fruit stones as dice; the Nuu-chal-nulth called it “lehal”; in this case drummers tried to confuse their opponents. The Plains Native People (i.e. Lakhota) also had a variety of gambling games, and on and on. Gambling was restricted to the winter months, for such activity was thought to make the people lazy if engaged in during the spring and summer months when everyone was busy with hunting, fishing, trapping - preparing for winter in other words.

As noted above, gambling was a pastime to be enjoyed on a very limited scale. This is not to say that some warriors did not lose their moccasins, they did. Such humiliation, however, could draw the censor of a Nation and this was to be avoided at all costs. Prior to contact, lust for money and power did not cloud the sacred teachings as it does now, for the simple reason that money was not a commodity to be used within tribal communities, that is, until the arrival of the Europeans on our land.

Given today’s climate it was all rather innocent. High stakes gambling really came to fruition in the late 1980s and 1990s and not without much pain and suffering. The split in the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne and Kahnawake in the late 1980's caused what some refer to as the “Mohawk Civil War” when entrenched sides of ‘pro-gambling’ and ‘anti’gambling’ fought a bitter fight. Well-armed warriors denounced by the Council of Traditional Chiefs engaged in beatings, fire-bombings and shootings resulting in two Mohawk deaths at the hands of their own people. This is an extreme case, but nonetheless a terrible reality and one which the two reserves in question have yet to totally recover.

Depending on the agreement with the various provincial and federal governing bodies, the reserve receives a portion of the millions of dollars that are yielded from gambling. The term,, “Revenue Sharing” has become the catchphrase - it is darkly amusing in one sense because the word “tax” cannot be used, for the simple reason that reserves cannot be taxed - so ‘revenue sharing’ becomes the euphemism of choice.

It cannot be ignored that those reserves with Casinos, have resulted in a dramatic improvement in the standard of living, employment opportunities have increased where none existed before. It is hard to argue with that. However, one can argue that Native societies are now in the same position as white societies, wherein there is a deep chasm between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ grows ever wider with each passing day.

It is also hard to argue economic boom times when one in three Native people live well below the poverty line in this country resulting in devastating social ills - violence, substance abuse, illiteracy, poor nutrition. As tribal leaders struggle to find solutions to their problems, for some the answer has come in the form of wheels, slot machines and chips.

Keep in mind because Crown land prohibits economic development on even a small scale, gambling is one of only a very few opportunities where financial gain can be made by tribal communities. Reserves cannot bring in industry and other commercial enterprises for the simply reason that reserve land cannot be used as collateral. In other words you cannot develop what you do not own.

Casinos are built on the land for tax break purposes by non-Native organizations with the approval of the reserve’s governing bodies, Ottawa and the Province concerned. This is not to say that tribal councils are benign participants in the wealth being extracted on their lands, not at all, depending on the negotiations, economic advantages for certain reserves (i.e. Rama-Ontario) are a huge fact of life. Moreover, gambling has become a multi-faceted economic stimulant - employment, hotels, conference sites, tourist destination, in other words, Las Vegas on a smaller scale. With money, these reserves have new schools, hospitals, community centres, language programs, the arts, roads; they are even in a position to influence the political process in this country - money talks, in other words.

Some final thoughts and ironies:

• In terms of casinos and gambling, an influx of cash has jolted a rebirth of Indigenous National pride, values and teachings albeit on the backs of inevitable human misery that has accompanied this financial mother lode - addictive gambling, suicide, violence, financial ruin by those not in control of such a heady drug. Gambling like alcohol is an addictive disease and one that can occur quite quickly.
• The preservation of Indigenous identity again with a rebirth of cultural practices and languages programs paid for by a portion of gambling funds set aside for those purposes.
• With impunity, can the Casino Reserve crowd carefully hang up their Armani suits and step into a sweatlodge to commune with the spiritual nature of their Ancestors and find balance and harmony with the left hand on their hearts and the right hand spinning wheels?
• Is it fair and right that most Native communities are continuing to live lives of abject poverty when only a few are thriving? Here’s hoping that the casinos stepped forward with financial assistance when the population of KASHECHEWAN was evacuated in 2005 because of E-coli poison in their water system?

CONCLUSION
Gambling is now embedded in tribal life. Reserves are cashing in on what people love to do - gamble. In the words of a visitor to the Mystic Lake Casino owned by the Shakaopee Mdewakanton Dakota tribe,

“Walking through the doors, I'm taken aback by the glitter and noise of hundreds of slot machines and video games. The structure's circular design, our host says, symbolizes "the great circle of life, the four seasons, and the three cycles of life. Within the concentric circles of the main casino, all seven tribes of the Sioux nation are represented." I wander into the 1,100-seat Bingo Palace located at the west end of the structure and pause, disoriented by the mixture of spiritual and cultural images that frame this setting. A clergy friend from northern Minnesota had told me that the radio advertisements for Mystic Lake use a drum and the voice of an "authentic" shaman to lure customers to its gaming tables. Mysticism of a kind abounds here, but I'm not sure it is exactly what Black Elk had in mind.” (John Magnuson, February 16, 2004)

As Native Teacher, I want my people to succeed. I want them to have all the advantages that the rest of society has. I know that this is an almost impossible task through regular channels as racism and intolerance continues to abound. Although I cannot deny the economic advantages to some of my brothers and sisters, getting rich through a process of legalized financial prostitution, and selling out our sacred symbols such as the drums, eagle feathers, the medicine wheel to do it was DEFINITELY NOT what Black Elk, Chief Joseph, Mourning Dove, Big Bear, Shamolla, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and all the other great Native leaders and mystics had in mind for their people.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER

There is much responsibility associated with Leadership; It is a dynamic process and involves many interactions. It is not simply about leading other people. It has everything to do with how a person leads herself. Thoughtful self-assessment requires equal amounts of wisdom and courage. If she does not feel confident and hides behind a facade of timidity and passive aggressive manipulation, OR if he does not believe in himself, and hides behind a facade of bullying behaviour, then effective leadership cannot exist. One's own mental, emotional, spiritual and physical house must be in order to influence and effect positive change and healing in others.

There is no room for arrogance or self-serving attitudes when dealing with the bigger picture - refusing to get back in the trenches from whence one has emerged, suggests a reluctance to go back and revisit perhaps painful personal history; this reluctance translates to a lack of sincerity in really wanting to help others through shared experiences.

There is no such thing as a 'perfect' leader, one whose traits and attributes can be cut out of a common template and applied to all organizational situations. There are many different types of leaders who are equally effective in getting things done. Generally speaking, good leaders do have some similarities:

Rather than looking at the dots that create a photograph, a good leader sees the big picture.
The three C's: Collaborate, Collaborate, Collaborate
The three S's: Share, Share, Share
A good leader has the willingness to adjust personal habits and attitudes in order to accomplish goals.
A good leader always, always remembers where she came from -- she willingly gets back into the trenches from time to time; she likes getting her hands dirty; yes, she answers her own telephone! - that is, she will lead by example.
A good leader deals effectively and quickly with problems by anticipation and preparation.
A good leader, is a good person because she understands her own 'soul', and the soul of the organization and the people she lives/loves/works/communicates with.
A good leader is not someone who places her own wellness and self-gratification first.
A good leader has the greater good of the people, organization and the surrounding community at the forefront of her general attitude.
Dreams and visions are part of her building process.
She sees change not as an obstacle but as an opportunity to move the process forward. All opinions are sought and valued.
She has great empathy and compassion for all those affected by decisions of change, but she does not become overwhelmed with empathy.
She knows it is simply not always about bottom lines.
A good leader has the confidence to hire people who know more than she does on various issues. She know that it is not possible to have all the answers all of the time.
A good leader knows how to get the best out of the people she is working with.

ASK YOURSELF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
BE HONEST ABOUT THE ANSWERS!

How well do you know yourself?
When was the last time you sat in thoughtful contemplation reviewing your life, and where you are today?
What does spiritual and emotional wellness mean to you?
Can you define what it means to "stand in your truth?"
How do you make decisions - alone, consensus, collaboration?
When was the last time you admitted that you were wrong? How did that feel?
When was the last time you admitted you did not know something?
When was the last time you took responsibility for sub-par work done by subordinates?
When was the last time you took ownership of sub-par work done by yourself?
Describe your best three communication tools.
When was the last time you took a reality/attitude check?
When was the last time you elevated, supported or assisted someone else in a significant and tangible way?
Describe three behaviors and competencies you consider drawbacks to your effectiveness.
How do you define yourself: how much does your job define you? How much does your soul define you?
What are some of the values that have shaped your life to this point? What works, what could be changed?
Do you work to better yourself to be a better person or to be better than everyone else?

GENERAL GOALS FOR ORGANIZATIONS

Encourage collaboration across cultural, political, social and professional boundaries.
Build stronger links between colleagues.
Emphasize the need for partnerships, team building and consensus.
Support for middle Managers - it is generally their posteriors on the line!
If the organization is a circle with the top revolving around the bottom which revolves around the middle, which revolves around the top, then much more can be accomplished because everyone knows what everyone else is doing.
Identify, evaluate and respond to the many factors that determine a successful work environment.
Create a new matrix for evolving new models of behaviour and creating dynamic new alliances among a variety of traditions and disciplines.
Understand the importance of employee diversity in the workplace.
Understand that Reflection and Contemplation are important Life and Business skills.
Review Shared leadership tenets below.

Definition of Shared Leadership for Native Cultures and Organizations

Modern Native cultures are complex and difficult; it never used to be this way, but the imposition of European beliefs and values on well-established tribal societies forever changed The People. After The Change (basically 1491), how tribal cultures were treated became a patchwork quilt of racist, knee-jerk reactions by all-levels of Canada's new Government(s).

The bottom line was always divide and conquer, assimilationist policies which were founded on appalling intolerance and flat out aggressive, warrior attitudes, including the first acts of germ warfare perpetrated on a North American people. (See Facts and Fantasy). As a result tribal societies were and continue to be torn apart; over time the infighting among Native people escalated to a level that is now legendary amongst urban and reserve tribal units. The oppressed became the oppressors turning against themselves. Corruption in Native organizations is now almost commonplace.

A number of Native Organizations quite enjoy the patriarchal 'Power-Over', hierarchical mentality adopted from European attitudes, and have gotten away from the Matriarchal, shared leadership, consensual behaviour that ruled the tribes for thousands of years. In fact, most Band Councils are dominated by men reluctant to relinquish their power. In the time before The Change, Shared Leadership respected the gifts and talents of everyone, because it was felt as long as each person could use their special gifts, the tribe would hum for another day. Each person was valued, in other words, for what they could bring to the collective table of tribal civilizations.

SHARED LEADERSHIP IS:

A representative and collaborative decision making process characterized by collective empowerment. A co-operative effort, in other words, that should involve: Reserve and Urban Native Cultures; Elders, Women, Men, Young People and Children. These groups should include: Status or non-status First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and any group or individuals committed to the elevation and promotion of Native culture, history and spirituality; all levels of Native and Canadian organizations and government infrastructures.
A commitment to the principle of respect for the opinions of all those sharing in a common purpose;
All about support, sharing, caring and cooperation.
Comprises structures, procedures, standards and time limits arranged to make decisions and policy in an orderly and effective manner.
Necessitates that all participants attempt to arrive at a consensus when making decisions appropriate to their responsibilities. Therefore, all participants share in the consequences of those decisions.
Neither create nor sustain groups or organizations that benefit only certain individuals or particular interest group(s), but function to achieve the elevation, missions and purposes of all of Canada's Indigenous Peoples.