T h e C e n t e r F o r W o r l d I n d i g e n o u s S t u d i e s Advancing Cooperation and Consent Between Nations The Center for World Indigenous Studies (CWIS) is an independent, non-profit [U.S. 501(c)(3)] research and education organization dedicated to wider understanding and appreciation of the ideas and knowledge of indigenous peoples and the social, economic and political realities of indigenous nations. The Center fosters better understanding between peoples through the publication and distribution of literature written and voiced by leading contributors from Fourth World Nations. An important goal of CWIS is to establish cooperation between nations and to democratize international relations between nations and between nations and states. Rudolph C. Ryser (a member of the Cowlitz Tribe and Chief George Manuel of the Shuswap Nation founded CWIS as an independent organization in the Spring of 1984 in response to calls by the Conference of Tribal Governments in the United States and the World Council of Indigenous Peoples for a documents center. Concerned with the advancement of ideas for solving social, economic and political problems in the Fourth World, the Center For World Indigenous Studies links voluntary contributors world-wide and conducts original research, education, conflict resolution symposia and conferences benefiting constructive relations between nations, and nations and states. The Center serves as a clearinghouse of ideas between nations and between nations and states governments. CWIS receives documents, publications and undocumented information from throughout the world. These materials are carefully archived. Organizations, governments, and individuals frequently ask CWIS to provide information from Fourth World Nations or about nations. We gather and store information and make it available. We also promote direct exchanges of information through people exchanges, encouraging direct visits between people in their territories, through workshops, symposia, conferences and an internationally accessible computerized Fourth World Documentation Project on the World Wide Web accessed through the Internet. THE UNDERLYING PRINCIPLE GUIDING CWIS IS: Access to knowledge and peoples ideas reduces the possibility of conflict and increases the possibility of cooperation between peoples on the basis of mutual consent. By democratizing relations between peoples, between nations and states, the diversity of nations and their cultures will continue to enrich the world. CENTER ACTIVITIES IN THE '90s ELABORATING POLICY ------------------ INTERNATIONAL LAW: The Center for World Indigenous Studies has long advocated that the world's nations must resume direct and active role as the source of international rules of conduct. Over the last two hundred years, states' governments have slowly taken the primary responsibility for formulating and instituting international law. During the same time, nations were pushed to the back bench. In 1994, with CWIS playing the leading role as the agency responsible for drafting the document, the world's nations formulated the first modern international law called the INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS NATIONS. This law is currently under consideration for ratification by nations around the world. HEALTH POLICY: Under the leadership of Dr. Leslie Korn, the TRADITIONAL MEDICINE PROJECT seeks to increase understanding of the role women and traditional medicine play in the strengthening, stabilization and nurturing of human society. The Working Group elaborates policy recommendations in support of this goal to national, state and international decision making bodies. PUBLIC DELIBERATIONS: The WORLD CONGRESS ON VIOLENCE AND HUMAN COEXISTENCE will convene at University College Dublin in Ireland 17 - 21 August 1997 under the sponsorship of the International Association for Scientific Exchange on Violence and Human Coexistence (ASEVICO) in collaboration with the Center for World Indigenous Studies. This important Congress will provide an interdisciplinary, multicultural forum for expression, research, exchange, and problem-solving on the conditions required for the fullness of human coexistence and a deeper understanding of the eruptions of violence in human life and history. Planning of the FOURTH WORLD CONGRESS ON APPROPRIATE ENERGY RESOURCES is underway to bring representatives of Fourth World nations and of First, Second and Third World states into an international Congress to discuss and deliberate on the future use of energy to diminish adverse demands on the Earth's limited resources, the preservation and protection of traditional foods and medicines, and to formulate an agreement on the appropriate disposal of nuclear, chemical and biological waste. THE POLITICS OF LAND AND BIGOTRY conference was convened by CWIS on March 8, 1996 in Seattle, USA. This conference joined public policy activists and representatives of Indian nations in a dialogue about the portentous movements in America intent on promoting interracial discord, extremist claims on lands and natural resources, and a growing politics of fear. Conferees formulated proposals for constructive land and environmental policies promoting a balance between human need and nature's ability to replenish. A second session of the Conference is proposed to convene in late 1996. RESEARCH -------- SELF-GOVERNMENT PROCESS EVALUATION PROJECT (SPEP) was commissioned by the Lummi Nation Education and Communication Project to evaluate the negotiation and implementation of Compacts of Self-Government between thirty-three Indian governments and the government of the United States. This eight month Study examined documents and communications by affected Indian Governments and the United States. CWIS published a final report of the project entitled SELF-GOVERNMENT PROCESS EVALUATION - FINAL REPORT in 1996. Research in this specialized area is expected to become an ongoing focus of CWIS work RIGHT WING AND ANTI-INDIAN NETWORK PROJECT (RWAIN) was originally sponsored by CWIS beginning in 1986. The Center conducts this on-going project to study the phenomenon of population displacement by non-tribal members experienced by Indian nations in the United States. The study is conducted in cooperation with Indian Tribes, local organizations, the Western States Center and the Center for Democratic Renewal. While the project continues to examine and update data for events in the United States of America, a new phase begins with a focus on Canada in 1996. THE FOURTH WORLD ATLAS PROJECT is a continuing research effort coordinated by Dr. Richard A. Griggs. The project focuses on the documentation of the social, economic, political and territorial characteristics of the worlds surviving original nations. In cooperation with researchers in the Department of Geography at the University of California - Berkeley and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Queensland, and contributors of individual nations, CWIS is building a detailed database and maps depicting Fourth World Nations. THE NEW-AGE INDIANS STUDY is a continuing research effort coordinated by Rosalee Tizya, Chief George Manuel Chair for Fourth World Politics. This study examines the abuse and misuse of ceremony and ritual by non-tribal native people who have not been properly trained by spiritual leaders. The study focuses primarily on Canada. THE FOURTH WORLD COMMUNITY TRAUMA STUDY is a ten-year study initiated by CWIS as a priority beginning in 1996. The Study is an applied research project focusing on the evaluation and treatment of native communities which have suffered traumatic stress due to sustained experiences with violence, torture, displacement, and attempted genocide. The Study focuses on traumatized populations which have experienced "historical violence" and those populations that have experienced violence in the modern era. EDUCATION --------- FOURTH WORLD INSTITUTE: Beginning in 1996 CWIS established the Fourth World Institute that includes a Graduate School and a Division of Continuing Education. The Institute offers learners (expected to begin in the Fall of 1996) an opportunity to earn graduate degrees in Fourth World Geopolitics, Indian Affairs and Traditional Healing Arts and Sciences. Under the Division of Continuing Education individuals seeking to improve their skills in the governments of Fourth World nations are offered intensive training in "Self-Government Workshops for Nations." Individuals seeking to improve their skills and understanding of Fourth World nations and relations between nations and states in are invited to participate in "Fourth World Geopolitics for States' Governments Seminars." Graduate learners participate in a "remote learning" program augmented by participation in Institute sponsored seminars presented at different venues. All learners are connected to each other and Institute Faculty via the seminars and the Internet. Continuing Education learners participate in five-day workshops located at convenient venues. CWIS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM: Exceptional individuals interested in a stimulating experience working with CWIS programs, participating in CWIS research or conducting independent study writing for CWIS journals are invited to apply for an internship. Activists and academics participate in this program on-site in Olympia, virtually (via the Internet) or on a remote campus (where a cooperative arrangement has been established. Most interns are "virtual interns" located throughout the world. DOCUMENTATION AND PUBLICATIONS ------------------------------ FOURTH WORLD DOCUMENTATION PROJECT: The Fourth World Documentation Project (FWDP) was organized by CWIS in 1992 under the direction of John H. Burrows. Its mission is to document and make available to tribal governments, researchers and organizations, important documents relating to the social, political, strategic, economic and human rights situations being faced by Fourth World nations. The Documentation Project is an historical archive of the political struggles waged by indigenous peoples reclaiming their rights as sovereign nations. As one of the first documents archives on the Internet's World Wide Web, the Fourth World Documentation Project on-line archive contains full text documents from nations in the Americas, Africa, Europe, Asia, Melanesia and the Pacific. The FWDP is an award winning resource vital to the needs of tribal officials, researchers, academics, activists or any one interested in the status of the world's original nations. The FWDP Archives may be accessed via: WWW at http://www.halcyon.com/FWDP/fwdp.html Gopher at fir.cic.net (1. Politics, 2. Fourth.World) FTP at ftp.halcyon.com in the /pub/FWDP directory FOURTH WORLD BOOKSTORE: In the Spring of 1996 CWIS opened the on-line Fourth World Bookstore available to users of the Internet's World Wide Web. CWIS publications, videos, audio tapes, and calendars are available for purchase directly. On-line publications like the Fourth World Journal and eventually Occasional Papers are also featured for subscribers. FOURTH WORLD JOURNAL: The first on-line journal (World Wide Web) dedicated to the advancement of ideas and knowledge from the perspective of indigenous peoplesÄthe world's more than six thousand nations. This is the quarterly publication of the Center for World Indigenous Studies. DAYKEEPER PRESS: Books, and Occasional Papers written by activists, scholars and cultural leaders from the Fourth World perspective. Multi-Media offerings for the Internet and users of compact disks are coming. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Members of the Board of Directors and members of the Founding Advisory Board reflect the diversity of the world's peoples, and their cultures. They are leaders of nations' governments, community activists, academics, artists, and spiritual leaders actively contributing to the survival and development of the original nations of the world. BOARD OF DIRECTORS ------------------ * Rudolph C. Ryser, Ph.D., Chairman (Cowlitz Indian Tribe) * John H. Burrows III, Executive Director * Dr. Kenneth Benshoof, Secretary * Joseph W. Ryan, Treasurer * Russell Jim (Yakima Indian Nation) * Ralph Eluska (Aleute) FOUNDING ADVISORY BOARD ----------------------- * Apesanakhwat (Minominee Nation) * Prof. Carol J. Minugh (Gros Ventre Nation) * Dr. Bernard Q. Nietschmann (U.C. - Berkeley) * Sharon H. Eluska (Navajo Nation) * Lars Anders-Baer (Nordic Sammi Council) Sweden * Jacob Marule (Shoa) Southern Africa * Yann Celene-Uregei (Kanak) Kanakia (New Caledonia) * Joseph Tallakson (Sense, Inc.) * Dr. John H. Bodley (Washington State University) * Rosalee Tizya (Vandu Kutchin Nation) Chief George Manuel Chair for Fourth World Politics F O R M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N If you would like more information on CWIS or would like to inquire about any of our programs, please contact John Burrows, Executive Director . OR WRITE TO Center For World Indigenous Studies 1001 Cooper Point Road SW Suite 140-214 Olympia, WA 98502 U.S.A.