Read While Listening To: Why Can’t We Live Together by Timmy Thomas
The first line of the Osage Nation Constitution reads, “We the Wah-zha-zhe, known as the Osage People, having formed as Clans in the far distant past, have been a People and as a People have walked this earth and enjoyed the blessings of Wah-kon-tah for more centuries than we truly know.” From the very beginning of our tribe’s sovereignty, our government emphasized language like this to highlight not only are we people first and foremost, but that we’ve been here long before those who colonized and dehumanized us.
When I considered the next piece for this column – 100% Osage – to further explain our culture to tribe members who may not have grown up in Oklahoma or with the presence of elders, I couldn’t help but wonder about the current state of Osage politics and how the sovereign governs today. Especially if we are now recognized and listened to more than ever, what do we as a Nation have to say?
Referring to the constitution, our government is modeled after that of the United States. We have a similar Declaration of Rights, a Distribution of Powers that forms our three branches, a process for referendums, and even multiple amendments as time goes on. However, unlike the United States Constitution, ours places an emphasis not only the preservation of our culture, but the formation of an additional branch: the Minerals Council.
The Minerals Council oversees the protection and distribution of every sub-surface mineral – including oil – found on the Osage Reservation. It is their duty to ensure that headright holders receive funds derived from this estate. When I conducted interviews for this piece, everyone told me the same thing: the Minerals Council holds equal weight, if not more, than our legislative, executive, and judiciary branches. Many even expressed to me the most pressing issue in Osage County today is the pay increase that the Minerals Council gave themselves this past May, despite a consistent decline in headright payments.
When I first heard this, I was taken aback. I was surprised to learn from many that payment discussions were the most urgent issue our Nation faced, rather than preparing for when our resources are exhausted. Furthermore, as an outsider looking in, I didn’t understand why similar domestic conversations regarding age were not pertinent to Osage voters. When I spoke to Carter Rogers, the youngest board member in the history of the Osage County Historical Society and current candidate for Oklahoma’s House of Representatives, he echoed similar concerns.
“Within the structure of the Osage Nation Government are age requirements for elected positions, which start at 25 or higher. If there were no age requirements, I’d have run for the Osage Nation Congress by now,” said Rogers. “Yet, knowing I could run for a statewide office was really appealing to me because I could at least say I ran and got my message across.”
Rogers’ sentiment is something countless young people, myself included, have felt when attempting to engage with the political sphere. When it comes to Osage voters, younger candidates do not always win. Yet, when Joe Tillman lost the race for Principal Chief to Geoffrey Standing Bear by only eighty-six votes, it may have signaled a rising shift in ideologies. Chief Standing Bear himself expressed to me in October that not only would this potentially be his last term, but that younger generations must step up for the survival of our Nation. When this may be allowed or happen is still up for debate. For now, larger issues the sovereign faces is expansion and how to encourage higher voter participation in the face of a declining rate.
Despite these obstacles, Rogers remains hopeful. “I’d encourage any young Osage who wants to start having these conversations to get up and get involved wherever they can. It will be intimidating and even scary, but that’s what’s needed to roll the ball forward,” said Rogers. “We’ll get the best results possible for our citizens when we have a wide range of people involved from every background and age group.”
Maybe the question at large is not what the Osage Nation has to say, but rather what’s next? We know that oil is not easily replaceable and that leaders don’t last forever, despite how much we may want them to. For the future of the Osage Nation, candidates must shift voters’ focus to how we will continue to build on the prosperity of the tribe for everyone. Young advocates for change and inclusivity, like Carter, are crucial in that process and may even call for an end to age barriers. A more difficult question to answer, however, is who will we become when the oil runs out.
