TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Cherokee Nation Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin Jr., spoke Monday at the First World Conference on Indigenous Peoples at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

Hoskin Jr. was among 28 North American indigenous delegates selected to attend the opening meeting and spoke in a roundtable on implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“It's an honor to be among those representing indigenous people in North America at the UN World Conference,” Hoskin Jr. said Monday. “Because of the work of so many leaders across the country and around the world, indigenous people will have a stronger voice in global affairs that impact their lives, communities and environment. It is fitting that Cherokee Nation is playing a leadership role in this work.”

Cherokee Nation Tribal Councilor Victoria Vazquez, of Welch, is also slated to speak at the UN conference Tuesday on a panel discussing the prevention of violence against indigenous women.

Hoskin Jr.’s remarks Monday are as follows:

Osiyo.

My name is Chuck Hoskin Jr., and I serve as Secretary of State of the Cherokee Nation.

 I am honored to be here on behalf of Principal Chief Bill John Baker. I’d like to share a little bit about my people, but first I would like to express appreciation for the opportunity to participate in this round table today.

Thank you to the United Nations, and the President of the General Assembly for having this meeting and hosting the World Conference of Indigenous Peoples, and thank you to the Presidents and Ambassadors here today.  I especially want to recognize and thank the President of Estonia, Chief Lyons, Dr. Dorough, and Sami Parliament President for their remarks this morning. And thank you to my fellow indigenous people for traveling and leaving families and communities behind to make sure all of our voices are heard.

The Cherokee Nation has a rich history and culture that is surviving and thriving.  We are the federally-recognized government of the Cherokee people, and our inherent sovereign status has been recognized by treaty and law.  Our government headquarters are in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and our jurisdiction covers 7,000 square miles. With more than 300,000 citizens, we are the largest tribal nation in the United States.

One hundred and seventy-five years ago, our ancestors endured The Trail of Tears, our forced removal from our homelands.  By the time the last detachment of Cherokee people finally reached Northeastern Oklahoma in the spring of 1839, about 4,000 of our 16,000 had died.

Despite being violently uprooted, enduring a brutal cross-country march, and losing nearly a quarter of our population, within a few months the Cherokee people had begun to rebuild.  On September 6, 1839, the Cherokee people ratified our Constitution.

Our Constitution established a democratic government with three branches: legislative, our tribal council; executive, our Principal Chief; and our judicial system.  Our tribal council members, Principal Chief, and Deputy Principal Chief are elected by Cherokee citizens in a democratic election every four years.  Our government is committed to protecting our inherent sovereignty, preserving and promoting our beautiful Cherokee culture, language and values, and improving the quality of life for Cherokee citizens for the next seven generations.

I tell you all of this today to emphasize our sovereignty and to help you understand our structure, and why it is so necessary for us to participate at the UN as governments. On behalf of the Cherokee Nation, I am pleased that paragraphs 33 and 40 of the outcome document is a commitment to participation of indigenous peoples’ representatives and institutions in the 70th Session of the General Assembly. Allowing the meaningful participation of our voices in relevant meetings is an important step for indigenous people around the world. Indigenous peoples have unique governments, nations, societies, and cultures, and our varied experiences can ensure that our interests are represented when we participate in proceedings that have the potential to significantly impact our ways of life.

I am thankful the outcome document includes the creation of an appropriate participation status for indigenous governments, and our Nation looks forward to working with the UN on the details.  To recognize and protect our sovereignty, we need to be able to participate without having to go through a non-governmental organization.  Having an appropriate status will help us ensure the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is implemented, as the outcome document intends.  We are hopeful and want to work with the UN and member states on these issues after this conference and release of the outcome document.

Wado. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you all today.

---

 
About Cherokee Nation

The Cherokee Nation is the federally recognized government of the Cherokee people and has inherent sovereign status recognized by treaty and law. The seat of tribal government is the W.W. Keeler Complex near Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the capital of the Cherokee Nation. With more than 300,000 citizens, 9,000 employees and a variety of tribal enterprises ranging from aerospace and defense contracts to entertainment venues, Cherokee Nation is one of the largest employers in northeastern Oklahoma and the largest tribal nation in the United States.