I traveled 1,600 miles in six days with legislative candidate Louis Archuleta this month as we embarked on an epic journey to meet with tribal leadership from all 5 tribes in Idaho. I learned so much from this trip, and I feel very honored to have met the leadership of all the tribes in Idaho. It was truly an amazing experience. Being a white man from a mostly white family, this was never something I expected would happen to me. I have always cherished diversity and have a great amount of respect for American Indians. Growing up so close to the Fort Hall Reservation, I have always been fascinated by American Indian history and culture. While an undergrad at Idaho State University I took Native American Culture & History, which stands out as one of my favorite classes.

This year at the Idaho Democratic Party Convention the delegates, through resolutions and the platform, called on the Democrats in Idaho to work more closely with the tribes. As a chairman in the IDP, I feel very strongly about increasing acceptance and inclusiveness with people of all races and backgrounds. Louis Archuleta is an enrolled member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe. Because of this Louis felt strongly about meeting tribal members from around the state. Although my column today will focus on the interactions with the tribes of Idaho, Louis and I met with various community leaders throughout the state too.

I spoke with Louis a lot about this trip, many people asked us why we decided to take on this journey, here is what he had to say about the purpose of the trip:

“I will be a representative for all the people in my district, in addition to the tribes of Idaho and the Hispanic community. I believe the solutions to Idaho’s problems must address the needs of everyone in Idaho. I made this trip because the best way to understand the needs of everyone is to meet with leaders from all over the state. I will continue to create lasting relationships with community leaders, educators, tribal members, and Idahoan’s across our great state as I work to improve all our lives.”

On Sunday we departed from Pocatello and headed to Boise. We did not meet any tribal leadership on Sunday. We held an open house for Boise area Democrats and Louis’ family. The day ended with lots of excitement and anticipation. This trip was an historic occasion, never before has a legislative candidate (or legislator) traveled the state to meet with all the tribes of Idaho. I had fears that the trip would be a waste of time or a big cost with no benefit. Thankfully as the trip went on I realized my fears were unjustified.

Monday morning was a continuation of the excitement and anticipation I felt Sunday night. I was exhausted after sleepless nights getting ready for the trip and little sleep Sunday before our 5 AM wake-up call. We woke and started on our 2-hour drive to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribal Headquarters which sits exactly on the border between Idaho and Nevada. The fact the Duck Valley Reservation covers parts of Idaho and Nevada makes the Sho-Pai very unique. Meeting the Chairman Lindsey Manning, Councilwoman Cristi Walker, and Jim Gibson was exhilarating. Learning about their struggles and triumphs was enlightening to say the least. I learned that the Sho-Pai is experiencing a housing shortage, especially for teachers. The reservation is 100 miles away from any city on the Idaho and Nevada sides. This creates real challenges for population growth and sustainability because supplies and resources are so far away. It was honor to learn so much about the Sho-Pai, their history is rich and they deserve to be proud of the challenges they have faced.

After of meeting with the Sho-Pai Chairman Manning was gracious enough to film an endorsement video for Louis right on the spot. Our first tribal meeting was a smashing success. Louis and I returned to Boise with a sense of relief, our first meeting was over — and we saw only good things ahead on our trip.

We awoke Tuesday morning for a meeting with Jerry Sturgill (US Senate Candidate). Jerry and his team are a solid group of individuals, and I have no doubt that Jerry will make an outstanding United States Senator. After a productive meeting with Jerry we set out to Lapwai Idaho to meet with the Nez Perce Tribe. It was a long drive through Idaho’s highways. The scenery while traveling north is outstanding. I had never been to Norther Idaho before, absolutely breath taking.

We arrived and met with the Legislative Director Darren Williams & Vice-Chairman McCoy Oatman of the Nez Perce Tribe. We learned about their robust history and struggles with losing much of their land even after signing their treaty with the US Government. Their reservation is a checkerboard, this makes it much harder for the tribe to provide consistent services and threatens their sovereignty. It was interesting to see that the tribes, including the Nez Perce, face many of the same problems many Idaho communities face. Things like: heath care, education, drug use, and unemployment. The meeting was productive and positive.

After leaving the tribal headquarters we happened to stop into a native shop on the reservation and had a long and great conversation with the shopkeeper. At the end of our conversation we discovered the shopkeeper was the Mayor Ruth McConville of Lapwai (the city where the Nez Perce Tribal Headquarters are located). We learned so much from her, our whole trip was sprinkled with chance encounters that were hidden treasures.

On Wednesday we traveled to Plummer, Idaho where the Coeur d’Alene Tribe is headquartered. We meet with the Legislative Director Helo Hancock and the Chairman Chief Allan of the Tribal council. The CDA tribe’s biggest issues were gaming rights and tribal sovereignty. We had a very productive meeting. The CDA tribe is home to the only American Indian currently serving in the Idaho Legislature, Representative Paulet Jordan. Louis had this to say about the CDA tribe and Rep. Jordan. “Unfortunately, Representative Jordan was out of town during my trip, so I met with a member of her campaign staff. Having both of us in the Legislature will provide a stronger voice for Idaho tribes than we would have individually.” From there we headed to Bonners Ferry, Idaho.

Thursday morning, we woke up in the three moon suite, of the Kootenai tribe’s hotel, overlooking the spectacular Kootenai river. This river is not only spectacular because of its beauty, but because of the depth of its importance for the Kootenai tribe. I learned so much from Chairman Gary Aitken Junior. These hearty and dedicated American Indians lost their reservation. They were eventually given back just a mere 12 ½ acers of land. Their total population is only 149 members. The treatment of their tribe by our ancestors forced them from their lands, and led to the toxic pollution to the river central to their identity and life. I was completely amazed by the successful efforts to restore the Kootenai river, increase their numbers, and buy back their land. After our meeting we drove almost 9 hours back to Pocatello through Montana. It was a long drive, made easier by the success of the trip. It was so nice to sleep in my own bed after a week of hotel rooms!

On Friday we met a second time with the Chairman Blain Edmo of the Shoshone Bannock Tribe. Louis said, “I discussed our trip and experiences with the chairman, it was an informative meeting for us both. We also continued our discussion of the issues facing the tribe.” He later met with the council and received an endorsement and full support. I can’t wait to experience the Sho-Ban Festival August 11th – 14th, I hope you will join me for what has been promised to be an “amazing experience”, you can learn more at www.shobanfestival.com.

As a chairman in the Idaho Democratic Party I want to work on relations with all the tribes of Idaho. The passion and culture of the amazing tribal members of our state deserve a stronger voice and better recognition for their essential contributions to Idaho. This trip has been one of the better and more meaningful experiences of my life. I have so much more respect for American Indians after this event. Louis summed up what I learned on this trip perfectly: “Being a member of a tribe is more than being part of a traditional organization. It is blood. It is tradition. It is culture. It is deeply rooted.”

JD Wardell was born in Pocatello and has been a lifelong resident. JD is 27 went to Century High School and studied Communications & Leadership at Idaho State University. He is a passionate Bernie Sanders supporter dedicated to continuing the political revolution in Idaho. He currently serves as the Chairman of Legislative District 29 in Pocatello for the Idaho Democratic Party. He is also the Founding President of the Grassroots Democracy of Idaho and Campaign Manager for Louis Archuleta. Louis Archuleta is running for the Idaho House in District 28 (seat B) and was a former space shuttle engineer, you can learn more about him and his campaign at www.facebook.com/Arch4Idaho.