Ecotrust in the News
The Oregonian
July 19, 2006
By Angie Chuang
LaDuke speaks at Ecotrust meet
For the past six years, Ecotrust recognized Native Americans across what it calls "Salmon Nation" -- which extends from western North America, from Canada through California -- with the Buffett Indigenous Leadership Awards.
Aside from honoring a winner and four finalists every year, the awards provide an opportunity to highlight important issues facing indigenous communities, from global warming to habitat loss to domestic violence, says Elizabeth Woody, director of indigenous leadership for Ecotrust.
"We have 30 people (who have been winners or finalists) now, and they represent several lifetimes' worth of knowledge," Woody says. "We are developing a significant network of leaders and a braintrust."
The awards will be given tonight, amid a week of workshops that includes a lecture by Winona LaDuke, Native American environmental activist and former vice presidential candidate.
The award program is supported by the families of Howard and Peter Buffett and gives $25,000 to the winner and $2,500 to the finalists each years.
This year's winner is Guujaaw, a carver, traditional medicine practitioner, singer and negotiator. He is president of the Haida Nation, located on the Haida Gwaii archipelago off the coast of British Columbia.
The finalists are: Harold Gatensby; A Dahka T'lingit from Carcross, Yukon Territory, Canada; Ilarion "Larry" Merculieff, an Aleut from Anchorage; Tawna Sanchez, a Shoshone-Bannock/Ute from Portland; and Chief Judith Sayers, a Nuu-chah-nulth from Port Alberni, B.C., Canada.
-- Angie Chuang
