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April 15, 2020 -Vol. 16, Issue 8
Tribal leaders face difficult decisions ahead Rosemary Stephens, Editor-in-Chief
Tribal leaders across the country continue to make hard decisions and provide leadership to their citizens in the midst of a world health pandemic. Much like state governments, Tribal governments are monitoring their dwindling budgets as Tribal leaders deal with loss revenues from the closing of their tribal casinos and businesses in an effort to stop the spread of the virus, and are operating essential services only. Unlike state governments, Tribal governments have continued to pay their employees full pay and benefits during the shutdown. With casinos closed indefinitely and the days turning into weeks tribal leaders are now facing hard decisions as they look to temporarily furlough employees. What is a furlough? A furlough is an employer-mandated leave of absence without pay. Furloughs are intended to be short, with employees returning back
to work after a short period of time. The majority of Oklahoma Tribal Nations’ closed their gaming businesses during the week of March 16. For Cherokee Nation in northeastern Oklahoma with over 380,000 citizens, Cherokee Nation’s Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin stated the tribe had strong reserves and ccould operate without disruption for awhile, but there is a limit. “We’re taking it in stages, but the truth is, as someone in the media said, we don’t make the timeline, the virus makes the timeline,” Hoskin told The Tulsa World during an interview. In other parts of the country, the Bay Mills Indian Community announced the temporary furlough of 400 employees, but will continue to carry health insurance on all their employees. The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes based out of Concho, Okla. have also announced the temporary furlough of tribal employees, but they, too, will be continuing to cover employees’ health
insurance. In addition, the tribe has set up a group filing of unemployment benefits to assist their employees in filing for unemployment benefits. On March 25 the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a $2 trillion economic rescue plan called the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, that offers relief to individual Americans and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Several key funding provisions of the CARES Act could provide relief to tribes that are suffering from the loss of revenues from casino closures, including the following the U.S. Dept. of Treasury Tribal Stabilization Fund. Section 601 provides $8 billion in emergency relief funds to Indian Tribes. These funds will be available to tribal governments who certify that the funds will be used to offset expenditures incurred due to the COVID-19 outbreak. One centerpiece of the Act for Indian Country is the Coronavirus Relief
Oklahoma City doctors warn residents are not doing enough to isolate during coronavirus outbreak
Fund (CVF). The “use of funds” provision the Act states that CVF payments to tribal, state and local government can cover only those costs that: (1) are necessary expenditures due to COVID-19; (2) were not accounted for in the most recently approved tribal government budget; and (3) were incurred between March 1 – Dec. 30, 2020. Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association Chairman Matthew Morgan (Chickasaw Nation) said, “Tribal Nations are in the process of identifying and determining how best to utilize these relief packages to care for their citizens, the public health and safety needs within their jurisdictions and their tribal economies, which include but are not limited to tribal governmental gaming operations and associated entertainment amenities.” With over 574 federally recognized Tribal Nations in the U.S., it is unknown what percentage each Tribal Nation would receive from the $8 billion relief funds earmarked for Tribal Nations.
By Ali Meyer
A New Era of Distance Learning
Parents and Schools Configure Plans for Online Learning Latoya Lonelodge Staff Reporter
Louie’s in midtown Oklahoma City on March 27, sits empty during the “shelter in place” guidelines issued for Oklahoma City residents. (Photo Sarah Phipps) (OKLAHOMA CITY) Doctors in leadership positions at each of the Oklahoma City metro’s major medical centers are preparing for a surge in patients. They are worried Oklahomans are not doing enough to stem the COVID-19 crisis. Hospital systems are now sending out this warning: every time you leave your home you are putting yourself at risk. Oklahoma medical systems are now joining forces to help residents understand how important it is to stay at home. COVID-19 came to Oklahoma City in spectacular fashion. Thunder fans had a front row seat March 11, as the NBA cancelled the season when Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive. Nearly four weeks later, some medical professionals believe we should have locked down Oklahoma that night. Some say we are losing the battle against coronavirus. “We’ve tested under 20,000 people in a state of four million people,” said Dr. Jeff Cruzan, President of Integris Medical Group. “We’ve tested less than one half of one percent of the population. We have no idea how many cases are out there. There’s a huge number of cases out there. It’s inadequate where we are right now.” Mobile testing sites are open, but Oklahoma remains last in the nation for the number of people tested, per cap-
ita. New York has the highest rate of COVID-19 testing. Their hospitals are overrun. Doctors at every medical system in the Oklahoma City metro say Oklahoma could be in a very similar situation, if residents don’t heed medical advice to remain isolated. “People have to understand, the only vaccine for this virus is staying at home,” said Integris Health Partners President, Dr. Carl Raczkowski. In Oklahoma, poor health outcomes are well documented. The coronavirus pandemic is on track to overwhelm a system already taxed by an unhealthy population. “We live in a state that has (high rates of) obesity, diabetes, heart disease. All of the things that are the worst risk factors for this disease we lead the country in,” said Dr. Raczkowski. “We have, if not reality, a real potential of our healthcare system being over-run, so if you’re having a heart attack you might not be able to get in the door because there’s no room in the inn.” In Oklahoma the messaging out of the Governor’s office has been consistent. Their plan “safer at home” recommends Oklahomans over 65 years old should stay home. The Oklahoma City mayor has gone one step further, urging all residents to stay at home, only leaving for essential errands like purchasing food or medicine. CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK / pg. 5
Uncertainty and concern continue to plague the nation as the COVID-19 pandemic becomes more widespread. During this unprecedented time of social distancing to stop the spread of the deadly virus, schools, parents and communities are working together unlike ever before to bring quality education students within their homes. On March 16, the Oklahoma State Board of Education voted to approve school closures for all public, charter and virtual schools until April 6 in an effort to stop the rapid spread of COVID-19. During school closures, parents and students used this time of social distancing to structure and put best practices of learning to use while at home. Throughout Cheyenne and Arapaho country, parents have been utilizing online resources along with methods of their own to ensure their children’s education. Whether that is following school instructions or learning by nature, education ensues outside of the classroom despite the uncer-
tainty of the future. Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal citizen Mahgan Muskett, who is also the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes STEP program director, said learning from home is a different experience for children. While Muskett’s children attend Calumet Public Schools, she has been utilizing resources at home that were given by her children’s schoolteachers. “My children, I’m sure like many other children, are used to learning in a classroom setting with a teacher or an aide available to assist when they have questions. Home is a place of relaxation and playtime. Creating a learning environment is something new and confusing and my children are feeling the frustration of not having their teacher available to answer questions,” Muskett said. Muskett said since the closure of the school, her children’s teachers created a Facebook page for each grade level and sent invites out to families. “This page is used to update us on information and let us know about the teachers posting updated lessons on their apps that they use in the ONLINE LEARNING / pg. 4
Tsistsistas & Hinonoei
Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune
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SOCIAL DISTANCE
POWWOW
Social Distance Powwow Becomes Popular Social Media Page During Pandemic
Founding members of the new Social Media page, “Social Distance Powwow.” The page was created on March 17, 2020 and now has over 152K followers. From l-r: Dan Simonds, Stephanie Hebert and Whitney Rencountre. (Courtesy photos) Latoya Lonelodge, Staff Reporter
For many tribal citizens throughout the country, March and April mark the beginning of powwow season with annual big powwow events such as the Denver March Powwow in Denver, Colo., and Gathering of Nations in Albuquerque, N.M. That is until the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic spread across the U.S. in a matter of weeks, bringing with it the cancellation of powwows, art markets, and thousands of other planned events indefinitely. For many Native American communities, powwows mean more than a way of life. Powwow events and gatherings in the United States provided the opportunity to showcase diverse cultural backgrounds of Native Americans, whether that was through dancing in full regalia or vendors selling artwork, jewelry and handmade regalia. With the spread of COVID-19, dancers, singers and vendors were forced to follow social distancing guidelines, with many unaware of what the future will hold. However, through technology and social media, powwows and social distancing have gone viral online. A Facebook page called Social Distance Powwow quickly gained popularity through its name, content, and has now spread worldwide with Native Americans sharing videos and stories from the comfort and safety of their own homes. Dan Simonds, with the Pequot Tribe, was the original founder of the Social Distance Powwow page, along with co-founders Hebert Rencountre, Crow Creek Sioux, and Stephanie Hebert, Mi’k maq. Through the Social Distance Powwow page, Simonds said he reclaimed the social distancing that is shown through media. Simonds said himself, along with fellow vendors and artists have had shows cancelled due to the social distancing order. Simonds specializes in wampum, a type of traditional jewelry from his tribe in the east coast, and also owns a business called Wampum Wear. “A lot of powwow folks, even dancers and drummers, have been affected by what’s going on, there wasn’t any kind of group, to the level that I envisioned on any kind of social media platforms, so I wanted to make a group that could embrace the drums, the dancers, the singers, the artists, the vendors and our whole community so that we had a place we could go to be seen and heard,” Simonds said. Simonds said there’s not many Indigenous outlets for media and the page shows how important it is to have a nation wide media presence for native people. “There’s not one that really exists, on a good level, we really don’t have our own stations on TV, Netflix is starting to pick up some things but it’s not enough, often our voices are silenced so this kind of shows how necessary it is for our voices to be heard and how much people want their voices to be heard,” Simonds said. Since the creation of the page on March 16, more than 140,00 Facebook users have joined the Social Distance Powwow page, with users openly sharing videos of dancing in regalia, artwork and songs. Gaining momentum in popularity, Simonds said he had no idea but the cause was needed. “We needed more of our own platforms, since I started this page there’s been another one that popped up and a few others, another big one I noticed growing is the Quarantine Dance Specials page, that came after we did, so they’ve been doing a lot of specials and hosting live videos and they’ve been getting sponsors for dances so people are competing for that prize money, that’s been cool to see that emerge and grow along with our platform,” Simonds said. With the need for a social media platform like the Social Distance Powwow page, Simonds said he wants to see more pages growing on Facebook. “It’s kind of interesting this is a bad time for everyone in the world but bad times often force us Indigenous folks to think outside the box and be resilient in a lot of ways and this is kind of a way of being resilient, and in dark times, bringing some light to everyone that needs it,” Si-
monds said. With the Social Distance Powwow becoming a movement worldwide, Simonds said they were focused on the Indigenous peoples of North America, but has gained recognition in other countries such as Canada and Europe. “We are in our early stages in our organization so we’re still trying to figure out do we want to go the non-profit route and how and when do we want to do that, with everything that’s going on in the world, we’re kind of taking everything slow because we never know what tomorrow will bring,” Simonds said. Through live streaming, video submissions and content posted to the Social Distance Powwow page, a clash of diverse cultural backgrounds can be seen from around the world. “We have a lot of topics … one I like is called ‘Our Story,’ all too often our stories are silenced and not really shared publicly in a lot of ways, some of that’s traditional we keep things to ourselves but there’s times when things and stories need to be shared, I think this is one of those times. We found a lot of traditional storytellers that are up on the page,” Simonds said. “Speaking and telling their stories, it’s been great to hear these stories and we also have a lot of Native musicians, and that’s under the performers section, they’ve been going live throughout the page, there’s also something new, artists are doing art studio talks and art tours and some people can kind of enter their space during this time when we can’t be together,” Simonds said. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic when businesses, organizations and social events were being shut down, conversations began between Simonds and Rencountre, co-founder, over the cancellations of powwows. “As we spoke, we shared how the COVID-19 pandemic has led us to losing our opportunities, Dan as a powwow vendor, and myself as a powwow emcee. We lost several opportunities due to the pandemic and wanted to work together with Stephanie to help encourage people to continue to support one another,” Rencountre said. Rencountre said the page has held live Social Distance Powwows for the past three weekends. “At first we had no idea how the Social Distance Powwow would work, or if people would even enjoy it. However, the excitement of acknowledging people online, even if it’s virtually, validates the importance of having a place for people to gather online, this helps us feel like we are actually together sharing space, the participation is great and continues to grow,” Rencountre said. During the social distancing order, Rencountre said this time is important. “Indigenous beliefs and traditions have always been around, however, western philosophy dominates school education, entertainment and media. Now that all of that is taken away, Indigenous values and customs now have a platform because people have open minds and hearts during this time,” Rencountre said. Fellow Co-Founder Stephanie Hebert said Simonds and herself have known each other for years as artists. “I reached out to him to ask if he wanted or needed any assistance with the group. At that time it had 150 people, little did we realize how quickly the movement would gain momentum, and the magnitude of support it would provide to the people,” Hebert said. Hebert said the experience has been humbling. “There are so many people who have suited up to dance for others, as well as support each other in these difficult times. I am honored to be part of this wonderful movement and to be working alongside Dan and Whitney in this endeavor,” Hebert said. Hebert said she’s proud of the positivity the Social Distance Powwow has brought to people across the globe. “It has also become a platform for artists, storytellers and dancers to share their prayers with others,” Hebert said. For Hebert, she said powwows are more than just fun on the weekends.
“There is a lifestyle and relationships that are built on the trail that really affect peoples’ day-to-day lives,” Hebert said. Hebert said native culture values relationships with family members and friends. “Powwows are one major way these relationships are strengthened and maintained. Today, we are being told to socially distance ourselves, which is completely contradictory to most people’s values. At the SDP, we are providing a space for those relationships to continue in a safe way, as well as widening the social circles in the powwow community,” Hebert said. Through the page, Hebert said they also strive to create a space for others to escape the negatives aspects in the world. “It also provides a way for dancers and singers to share their prayers and songs with others, which has been lifting the spirits of those watching, and creating a feeling of comrade in these hard times,” Hebert said. Through the Social Distance Powwow page, a variety of cultural backgrounds from around the world can be seen through dance, regalia, art and storytelling as the page continues to gain followers by the day. During a recent t-shirt launch for the page, Simonds said there were a lot of questions and conversations regarding the t-shirt design. Simonds said they collaborated with Votan, an artist who is known for his work with t-shirts, for the launch. “We collaborated with him and we rolled out this shirt and there’s been a lot of questions and conversations because the woman that we featured, she’s got green eyes and a lot of Natives, especially Plains Natives, don’t realize Natives come in all colors, eye colors and shapes, so a lot of Natives that don’t get out of their communities much don’t realize that yeah there are actually Natives with green and blue eyes even prior to contact,” Simonds said. Simonds said that even as Indigenous people, we bring ourselves down because others don’t realize they haven’t been to every reservation. “They haven’t gone to every tribe to see that these people with green and blue eyes exist within our own country, it’s kind of sad even within our own country we break each other down, it’s all because of ignorance so this shirt kind of educates in a way that’s simple but people are kind of getting it,” Simonds said. Simonds said t-shirt profits have gone towards supporting Native businesses. “We just get a small donation of all that back to SDP that we’re holding just to have a fund so we can figure out what we want to do with later, but majority of these sales are going towards those businesses, it’s just dollars that we’re getting,” Simonds said. For future endeavors with the page, Simonds said he wants to see Social Distance Powwow exist in a real physical space and have a real powwow. “Like on a scale of Gathering of Nations, to have a Native run powwow and a Native run organization so we can help Indigenous communities in any way we can, again it’s in the early stages so we’re kind of figuring out what roads we want to take and how we want to do this,” Simonds said. As an artist, Simonds said he has always told people that no matter what they are pursuing in life, to always do what they love and good things will follow. “As long as you do what you love and follow your heart, good things will come from it and that’s kind of how I’ve managed to succeed in life myself is just doing what I love and good things come out of it,” Simonds said. For questions regarding Social Distance Powwow email stephmuise91@gmail.com.
Tsistsistas & Hinonoei
Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune
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Family holds onto hope while mother fights for her life after being diagnosed with COVID-19 Rosemary Stephens, Editor-in-Chief
On March 13, 2020 the Oklahoma State Dept. of Health reports four confirmed positives for COVID-19. Four short weeks later the data showed 2,184 confirmed positives, 488 currently hospitalized and 108 deaths from COVID-19 (as of April 14). As the number of confirmed positives and deaths increase daily across Oklahoma and the United States, there seems to be many who still hold to the belief, ‘this won’t happen to our family.’ And that mind set is the most frustrating for Tomi Bailey. Tomi’s mother, Shineesta Emily Bushyhead Adams (Shine) has been hospitalized with COVID-19 for over two weeks, fighting for her life. Shine, 61 years old, is a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes living in Newkirk, Okla., who, prior to becoming exposed to the coronavirus and being diagnosed with COVID-19, was in good health and active in her children and grandchildren’s daily lives. “Stay home. Social distance … please. This is taking lives. It is separating families and people are fighting this alone. Nobody wants to be separated from their mothers, their fathers, and their children
… their grandmas or their grandpas. The hardest thing is you are alone in this. If they die from this, they die alone and you are not able to give them a funeral. This is serious. It is NOT the flu,” Tomi said in response to being asked what was one message she would want to send. How Shine came into contact with the virus is still somewhat of a mystery but the force and quickness the virus attacked Shine follows along with almost every account one reads about a person who becomes infected with COVID-19. “My brother AJ came home on the 20th (March) and he wasn’t feeling very good so he had gone to the clinic here in Newkirk. They said he had a sinus infection and he asked if he could be around his mom and dad, and they said yes,” Tomi, said. By March 24 Shine began to show symptoms. Fever, a cough, and said she had had a headache for three days. On March 25 Shine went to her primary doctor who tested her for the flu, it came back negative, and the diagnosis ended up being bronchitis. They gave her medicine and sent her home. “For days my mom sheltered at home, exhibiting all the symptoms of COVID-19, getting worse with each passing day. The folSHINE ADAMS: COVID-19 / pg. 6
Shine Adams (l) pictured with her son AJ Adams. Shine is currently hospitalized in Oklahoma City fighting to recover from COVID-19. (Photo via Facebook)
Clinton Indian Health Center in Clinton, Okla. began drive-thru testing for COVID-19 on Monday, April 6. Above is RN Shane Enochs (r) and Lacey Laurenzana, medical support personnel manning the registration station. (Photos / Rosemary Stephens)
Clinton Indian Health Center begins COVID-19 drive thru testing Rosemary Stephens Editor-in-ChieF
(CLINTON, OK) As Oklahoma’s positive cases for COVID-19 continue to increase 100+ on a daily basis, testing sites are increasing throughout the state. Clinton Indian Health Center located in Clinton, Okla. began their drive thru testing on April 6. “Drive thru testing is available for one patient per household and only for those individuals who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough and shortness of breath,” Capt.
Joe Bryant, Clinton Indian Health Center’s chief executive officer said. When patients arrive at the Clinton Indian Health Center they follow road signs directing them to the registration area, known as the first checkpoint. Individuals are then screened for symptoms of COVID-19, and once confirmed they are instructed to move forward to the testing area. Lab and medical staff will instruct the individual to roll down their window, tilt their head back and their nose will be swabbed. Following this procedure, individuals will be asked to
DRIVE THRU TESTING / pg. 6
Cheyenne and Arapaho
Latoya Lonelodge, Reporter/Advertising Sales Rosemary Stephens, Editor-in-Chief T r i b a l T r i b u n e 405-422-7608 / llonelodge@cheyenneandarapaho-nsn.gov 405-422-7446 / rmstephens@cheyenneandarapaho-nsn.gov 1600 E. Hwy 66, Suite 8, El Reno OK / P. O. Box 38, Concho, OK 73022 Fax: 405-422-8204 Society of Professional Journalists members
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DISCLAIMER: Letters to the editor, opinions and commentaries do not reflect the views of the Tribal Tribune unless specified. Correspondence must be signed and include a return address and telephone number for verification, otherwise it will not be published. The Tribal Tribune reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length. Submission of a letter does not guarantee its publication. Photographs, news stories or other materials in this publication may not be reprinted without prior permission. Printed by Lindsay Web Press, Lindsay, Okla. 2010-2019 NATIVE AMERICAN JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION MEDIA AWARD WINNER & 2012-2017 AWARD WINNER OF THE OPA BETTER NEWSPAPER CONTEST
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Tsistsistas & Hinonoei
ONLINE LEARNING continued from pg. 1 classroom,” Muskett said. While this is Calumet’s way of assisting students with home schooling, Muskett said there are many resources for families to utilize for free. “One application I suggest that is provided by the tribes for tribal families is myON, which is a reading application. It is great for all ages and has thousands of books and reading options. My 5-year-old daughter likes using myON because it reads to her. You can also print off worksheets from education. com, which will allow you to print so many before needing to sign up for a premium account,” Muskett said. One of Muskett’s favorite applications for younger children is the TeachMe app. “It covers grades Pre-K through third grade. My children have both utilized this app in the classroom. Our school uses MobyMax and Acellus to do their school work that the teachers have uploaded,” Muskett said. While this is uncharted territory during this time of social distancing, Muskett encourages parents to keep in touch with their children’s teachers. “Remember not everyone is made to be a teacher, so don’t get frustrated. Give your kids a lot of support and make this fun. Don’t get mad when they get one wrong because their teacher doesn’t get mad, stay calm, which I know is hard because we want our children to get it right, but that is how they learn,” Muskett said. Muskett said some children are going to do great learning at home and some are going to struggle. “I would suggest only doing work one hour to 90 minutes a day for students 1st grade through 6th grade and encourage them to read. If they can read they can follow instructions and teachers can assist in catching them up at the beginning of the next school year.” “So don’t get down if there is something they are struggling with. Pre-K through Kin-
dergarten, I would suggest 45 minutes of learning time, and a lot of playtime. Our children actually learn a lot through playing. If you are working outside invite your children to help, they will learn a lot about science, nature and life,” Muskett said. And while learning outdoors remotely, other parents are soaking in the time spent with their children and educating what it means to spend time together during the pandemic. “We have been using this time at home to organize our home, clean out clutter, enjoying the outdoors during nice weather and cooking together,” Tashina Tahdooahnippah, Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal citizen said. Tahdooahnippah, with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Education Department has children that go to Darlington Elementary School, El Reno High School, and a 2-yearold that attended the Child Development Center. Alongside her children, Tahdooahnippah said they began utilizing the trails and powwow grounds in Concho, Okla., as a safe social distancing outing area. “Living close to the El Reno Lake, especially having younger children, we utilize that as a resource in taking walks as a family, to talk about nature, weather and the animals
we see,” Tahdooahnippah said. Structuring her children’s education at home, Tahdooahnippah said one task that helps keep her children on track was creating a daily schedule for each of them. “This helps with who will be using the computers for online classes and who will be using that time for other things like crafting, chores or playing. Keeping things as close to normal for the kids has been key for making the days seem less hectic and helps keep them active throughout the day,” Tahdooahnippah said. In setting daily schedules, Tahdooahnippah said she tried to mimic a school day for them with regard to how long they spent on each subject. “As the weather begins to change we will be utilizing our backyard for more outdoor projects, we want to begin learning about plants and gardening,” Tahdooahnippah said. Uncertain of how long the pandemic will continue, the Oklahoma State Board of Education voted to close all schools through the remainder of the year, with classes resuming on April 6 with distance learning. While receiving instruction from schools on continuing classes starting April 6, Tahdooahnippah said Darlington second grade teachers have been prompt about getting
links and login information out to parents as soon as spring break had ended. “It has allowed us to start the programs and pick right back up on the reading requirements, which are critical in the elementary level. My 2-year-old has been a little more relaxed as far as curriculum but she still engages hands-on with play dough, coloring and helping to add ingredients to food we cook together,” Tahdooahnippah said. For her high schooler, Tahdooahnippah said she had to wait a little longer as the state gave a date of April 6 for instruction to resume. “El Reno district has been very helpful in contacting us to pick which method works, either paper or online, and then we received emails and phone calls from teachers to make sure our student were ready to log in on April 6,” Tahdooahnippah said. Being an education specialist working in early college and career readiness, Tahdooahnippah said some advice she would give for high school and middle school students is to continue challenging oneself and work on free websites for college prep. “Now would be a great time to set some short term and long term educational goals and begin working towards those. For sophomores and juniors now would be a great time to work on ACT prep courses online, a great free website that includes videos and guidance for all grade levels and courses would be Khan Academy,” Tahdooahnippah said. Tahdooahnippah said libraries are also working with the schools in order to create logins so that students continue to have access to books. “No matter what age your students are I recommend setting time aside for them to read each day,” Tahdooahnippah said. For tribally enrolled students, the myON online digital library has been made into an available resource for students in Pre-K through 12th grade. ONLINE LEARNING / pg. 6
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Tsistsistas & Hinonoei
Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune
SHINE ADAMS: COVID-19 continued from pg. 3 lowing Thursday she was admitted to the Ponca City Alliance Hospital and by the 28th of March she was placed on a ventilator and being sedated into a coma,” Tomi said. Shine’s ventilator was set at 75 percent, and before long she seemed to be making progress so the doctors started to wean her down off of the ventilator. First 55 percent, then 50 percent and then 45 percent … everything looked promising. “But then overnight she took a turn for the worse. Her body started filling up with fluid, her legs, arms, her lungs and it became hard for her to breath on her own again. They had to turn up her ventilator to 85 percent, which means my mom is only breathing 15 percent on her own,” Tomi said. For Tomi and her family they are learning how little medical doctors really know about the coronavirus causing COVID-19. “The hardest thing is everything is unknown. The doctors and the nurses can’t really predict what’s going to happen because they don’t really know what is happening next. This virus is affecting people differently and some people need oxygen and being placed into a coma, and some just need to be quarantined. My mom happened to be the one who needed to be on the ventilator and be sedated,” Tomi said. Upon arriving to the hospital with severe symptoms, Shine was given a COVID-19 test. Within 48 hours the results were back … positive. The family was contacted from the hospital and was told everyone Shine had come into contact with needed to quarantine, and
if any showed symptoms to come to the hospital for testing as soon as possible. “AJ went ahead and went in because they told him he needed to go get tested. He goes in but they did not test him saying his symptoms were mild and to just go home and quarantine. So they are not testing everybody, they are only testing the severe ones,” Tomi said. “They should be testing those who aren’t showing major symptoms so we can figure out how to handle it from there instead of waiting until they are severe and have to be on the ventilator.”
The lack of testing has been a key issue in Oklahoma and many states, causing frustration among doctors and nurses across the country. Tomi said it was possible AJ could have been a carrier, but without adequate testing no one knows, “You don’t have to necessarily be showing any symptoms to be a carrier, but he has been fever free and doing good now.” It still feels like a bad nightmare for Shine’s family … a nightmare they wish they could wake up from. Her husband, Alton Adams stayed in isolation for 14 days, off work with no pay and no contact with any loved ones except over the phone while his wife, Shine
“My mom drove herself to the hospital. She’s a strong woman. We had quarantined, me and my children, right when all this started happening. Before there was a positive case in Kay County we had been staying inside and not going anywhere. That’s the hardest part,” Tomi said. Tomi said she is hanging on to the words her mother told her that day. Shine told her daughter she was not going to give up, she would fight and giving up was not an option for her. “She said she is going to come home to us and I’m going to hold her to that, she’s going to come home,” Tomi said. Tomi said she believes more needs to be done to
make people realize how serious COVID-19 is and a stay at home order needs to be enforced. Especially when she sees photos of parents taking their children to the parks in Ponca City spreading the virus, or photos of high school kids gathering together while her mother lies in a hospital bed fighting for her life. “Makes me sick to see people out there doing that because my mom is alone. We are alone trying to find out how to take care of my mom from a distance. And to see people out there who treat this virus like it’s nothing or say it’s just like the flu, it’s not like the flu. This is killing people,” Tomi said. “There needs to be a lock down and get this under control. There are too many in the state of Oklahoma that have contacted the virus and something needs to be done.” And Tomi hopes for many other families, there will be more testing available. “We need more testing. We need more testing for our people and our clinics because without proper testing we are going to see our tribal numbers decrease. What about our elders and our children? We need to protect them. We need to stop the spread of this virus and in order to do that I do believe the stay at home needs to be implemented,” Tomi said. “My mom is not a statistic of COVID-19. She has a name. And her name is Shineesta Emily Bushyhead Adams, and she is a warrior.” UPDATE: Shine Adams was transferred to a Oklahoma City hospital from Ponca City on Friday, April 10 as she continues to fight for her life and recover from COVID-19.
(SEILING, OK) When my grandmother, Lavon Gore, died in early March, every pew in the local Methodist church was full and many other people, unable to find a seat, congregated along the walls. Just a few weeks later when granddad died, there were nine of us in the chapel for the service, including two ministers. It was not as if Alton Gore had not meant as much to our family, or to the community he had been deeply involved in his entire life. Rather, credit a pandemic that had crossed an ocean and finally reached our doorstep in
small-town Seiling, Oklahoma. The funeral directors, dealing with an unprecedented situation without a real play book, tried to adhere to new directives that limited gatherings to 10 people. This meant our family was split. A few of us said goodbye in person, while the rest watched a live stream in another wing of the church. In this instance my stubbornness came in handy, as I stayed put and simply said no when asked to leave my seat on the second row. I made it understood that I was not going to watch the service on a TV screen.
Selfish? Maybe. But regardless of my presence or lack thereof, there was plenty of room for social distancing. We complied at the beginning of the service, but as the funeral proceeded to a slideshow of our family’s favorite memories, the distance between us disappeared, emotionally and sometimes physically. The service was similar to Grandma’s in its message, our family’s mourning and the recordings of gospel songs by Willie Nelson and Alan Jackson. But it was so heartbreakingly unfamiliar. I felt torn that my cousins
By Hogan Gore, Gaylord News were having to watch granddad be put to rest remotely, even though they were in the same building. Somehow that thought made it even worse, being so close and feeling so far away. However, when I glanced behind me as Willie wrapped up his rendition of “I’ll Fly Away,” I could not help but smile. Several family members had filtered into the back of the room. I guess stubbornness runs in the family. It was a somber feeling as we walked beside the casket to the hearse waiting outside. Not only because it was a last
laid in the hospital fighting to stay alive. “He wants to hold her hand, to be there and kiss her on the forehead, instead he just had to stay home alone, cut off from all his family and his wife. There was nothing else he could do and that’s just the hardest part. We do a lot of calling. A lot of praying and keeping up with updates from the hospital everyday,” Tomi said. Tomi’s last time seeing her mom was through her window as Shine sat in her car in her driveway, talking on the phone. The next day Shine was hospitalized.
“My mom is not a statistic of COVID-19. She has a name. And her name is Shineesta Emily Bushyhead Adams, and she is a warrior.”
It was hard. It was unfair: It was a funeral during a pandemic
PANDEMIC FUNERAL / pg. 7
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CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK continued from pg. 1
The medical community is now sending urgent word to the public, stay home and stay isolated. These medical experts say far too many Oklahomans are running non-essential errands, or bringing their children with them to the grocery store. “What people really don’t understand is we are essentially food for the virus. If we stay at home, the virus runs out of its food supply. If you take grandma and the kids to Wal-Mart, they just became the new buffet offering for the virus,” said Dr. Cruzan. “So they really have to stay at home if we’re going to stem the tide of this pandemic. We have to starve the virus out, and that’s how we do it. We stay at home. We don’t let it have another food source.” The novel coronavirus needs people to keep getting together, going shopping together, visiting public places together in order for humans to fuel the feeding frenzy. Medical experts say the best way to stop the disease from feasting on humanity is to isolate. “Assume every person they come in contact with outside the house they’re living in has this disease,” said Dr. Raczkowski. “How would you act if you had a potentially fatal illness that was in everybody that you interact with. What would you do? I think if you think of it that way you’ll do the right thing.” Epidemiologists now believe individuals are capable of infecting another person with COVID-19 despite exhibiting no symptoms. “What we know about COVID-19 is that a lot of individuals may feel great, and are not having any symptoms from COVID-19, but they can be actively shedding particles everywhere they’re
going and spreading it to other individuals,” said Dr. Charles Smith, Vice President of Medical Affairs for Mercy Health OKC. No sane person would get on a cruise ship right now because we know these vessels are a breeding grounds for disease. Medical experts say going to the grocery store is like hopping on a cruise ship. “All of those people in the store are at risk of being infected,” said Dr. Cruzan. “The difference is, it’s not a ship out at sea. They can’t contain it. Those people go to another store, and you have another mini cruise ship episode, and it just keeps spreading. That’s how we end up with a pandemic.” Take heart, Oklahoma. We’ll get through this. Our best bet is to hang tight at home right now, so we can outlast this menace before coronavirus claims any more victims. According to the Medical Director at OU Medicine, Dr. Cameron Mantor, the required changes are small. They key is every citizen has to prioritize isolation. “We have lots of predictive models of what Oklahoma would look like compared to other states. I think we are lucky in that we don’t have the density of population like you have in New York City. So, I think there is no question, we can continue to flatten this curve and decrease the burden of the people who do become ill in Oklahoma,” said Dr. Mantor. “But, it’s going to be us. We absolutely can impact this, but it’s going to take all of us.” Recently, the CDC recommended using cloth facemasks to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Over the past few days, we’ve seen a number of Oklahomans follow that recommendation.
Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes’ receive donations of fresh produce from Wal-Mart, Inc. for distribution to families. Volunteers showed up to assist with unloading and transporting fresh produce to the tribes’ community centers for distribution.
OBITUARIES
Alice Marie Seger Alice Marie Seger was born Aug. 6, 1949 to Arthur and Bessie (Black Beard) Seger in Washita County, Oklahoma, and passed away March 31, 2020 in the Mercy Hospital Emergency Room in Oklahoma City. Alice was raised in Clinton and attended Clinton Schools and the Chilocco Indian Boarding School where she graduated. She has been a stay at home mom and became a master seamstress. She was well known for the shawl making. She married Roy Kester in 1990 in Clinton, Okla., and they have made Clinton their home ever since.
She was a member of the Indian Baptist Church and loved going to powwows and memorial dances. She was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, Douglas Seger, Sterling Seger, John Homer Seger, Cyrus Seger and two sisters, Bertha Big Horse and Mary Seger. She is survived by her husband Roy Kester and a son dren, Karson, Edson, Juliana Christopher Kester, both and Joshua and two Cheyof the home and a daughter enne sisters, Joan Swallow, April Dawn Rivers of Clin- Geary, Okla., and Patsy Jim ton. She is also survived by of Chickasha, Okla. Family graveside services six grandchildren, McKinwere held April 3 in the Clinley, Macey, Katie, Daniel ton Indian Cemetery, officiJr., Alessandra and Marylyn, ated by Gerald Panana. and four great-grandchil-
Winston Thomas Rouse
Winston Thomas Rouse, Jr. was born on Sept. 9, 1965 in Clinton, Okla. to Winston Thomas Sr. and Marie Ellen (Blindy) Rouse. He passed away on April 5, 2020 in Weatherford, Okla. at the age of 54. Thomas was raised in Clinton and attended Clinton Public Schools. He moved to Geary in 2010 to live with Deborah Sweezy and her family and has lived in Geary since that time. He enjoyed walking, being outside, cutting wood, playing dominoes, and Chinese checkers. He was a member of the Na-
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Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune
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tive American Church. He worked at the Chesapeake Arena where he met many of the NBA players. He is survived by his special mothers, Mary Blindy Sweezy, Carole Blindy, Anita Blindy Campbell and Joan Blindy Soap, his niece Johnna Marie Watts, his grandkids, Cheyenne, Maysen, and Magnus, as well as many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Winston and Marie Rouse, three brothers, James Allen, Roger Dean, and Johnny LaRue Rouse and his grandparents, Bell
ONLINE LEARNING continued from pg. 4 Learning and Organizational Specialist Christine Denny said the program allows children to access thousands of books and is individualized for each student based on their interests and reading level. The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Child Development program originally purchased the program for children enrolled in child development and for head start programs. However, the tribes’ opened it up to become available for all tribally enrolled children. “Families are encouraged to spend time together reading and learning with myON,” Denny said. Denny said the book reader allows students to select optional reading support including audio narration, text highlighting and an embedded dictionary for any book they choose to read. “myON includes fiction and nonfiction, with about 10% of the titles available in Spanish. Titles range from monsters and sports, to biographies and health to help expand your child’s imagination into the world of reading,” Denny said. Denny said parents can sign their children up through email with their child’s first and last name, and grade. With schools working closely with their students’ families and configuring ways to continue classes on April 6, numerous plans were set into motion throughout school districts for distance learning. El Reno High School Principal Pat Liticker said the high school has a remote learning plan in place that began on Monday, April 6. “Teachers have reached out to each student and parent in order to determine if they prefer digital, online instruction or paper packets to work on. All work will be available each Monday in either format and paper packets will be picked up at the STEM Center or food distribution locations according to the student’s preference,” Liticker said. With the pandemic affecting in class instruction, Liticker said the school is confident in the plan set forth. “There is no doubt the school closure will impact student learning, but we are confident in the plan we have so that students will be able to stay engaged and continue learning and enriching previous learning. This is a challenge we will overcome together,” Liticker said. Liticker said students choosing the online option would continue using familiar formats such as Google Classroom, Math XL, Get More Math, Studysync, USA Test Prep, Canvas, or Plato. With social distancing and safer at home policies in place to help stop the spread of COVID-19, Liticker said the school is taking these policies very seriously. “We regret that our students will miss out on many of the fun and exciting things associated with school this spring. These are very extraordinary times and need to be taken very seriously, we have put measures in place to continue instruction while keeping the health and safety of our faculty and students our top priority,” Liticker said. For other schools with an Indigenous ac-
ademic community, Sovereign Community School (SCS) in Oklahoma City have also set forth a distance learning program for students and their families. Outlined in their distance learning plan, SCS sixth and ninth grade students will engage with materials focused on Math, Reading and English Language development and are expected to participate in lessons each day. SCS’s distance learning outline states, “we will work collaboratively with our SCS families for the duration of our distance learning program to ensure that students’ unique needs are met, especially the needs of our students who receive special education services. Parents will receive consistent communication from our teachers and will have access to the online platforms teachers use to deliver instruction (e.g. Google Classroom, YouTube, etc.). It is our hope that during this period of distance learning, SCS students continue to grow and develop, and most importantly stay healthy and safe.” As part of their learning daily expectations, a total of 135 minutes of learning is offered for sixth graders and 180 minutes of learning offered for ninth graders at SCS. With practices in place for social distancing and distance learning, education continues to move forward with remote schooling during the covid-19 pandemic. “I think what is most challenging is our kids are missing their friends and wanting to get out and go places,” Muskett said, “But the best part about the stay at home order is our children have learned to be creative.They are playing outside more, reading, running, learning about plants and playing with their animals. We have some caterpillars that were given to us at the Chickasaw Cultural Center, so we have been watching them form into cocoons and the kids are excited to see them become butterflies and set them free.” For Tahdooahnippah, what was most challenging was facing the unknown. “We were not aware of how long they would be out of school or if they would return,” Tahdooahnippah said. With the recent announcement of school closures for the rest of the year, Tahdooahnippah said it has allowed her to plan out a schedule for her children to finish their online course work. “Keeping in contact with the schools is crucial in making sure your students are keeping up with the curriculum and will not lose out on necessary school work needed in order to advance in the fall,” Tahdooahnippah said. She said the most positive thing for her home was that many of the programs she was already familiar with. “Being able to help them stay involved and advance their education has been a task but can be done with patience and allowing the kids to work at their pace,” Tahdooahnippah said. To sign your children up for the myON reading program email Christine Denny, cdenny@cheyenneandarapaho-nsn.gov.
Wilson Rouse, Thomas Winston Rouse, and Angus and Josephine Blindy North. Graveside services were held April 8 at the North Family Cemetery, officiated by Rev. Gerald Panana.
Joyce Marie Twins
Joyce Marie Twins was She worked many years for born Dec. 30, 1943 to Harvey the Cheyenne and ArapTwins and Mariam (Mann) aho Tribes of Oklahoma. Twins in Clinton, Okla. and She was a planner for the passed on March 29, 2020 Planning Department and in the Corn Heritage Vil- the director for the Lanlage in Weatherford, Okla. guage and Library program. Joyce was raised in Ham- Joyce worked for the Cheymon and Clinton area and enne Culture Center Inc., she graduated from Clin- from 1977 to 1992. One ton High School in 1963. of her highlights while She went to Chilocco In- working for the center was dian School and received teaching “Circle Keeper a cosmetology certificate. Children” to sing Cheyenne She continued her educa- hymns at the National Cation and received her bach- thedral in Washington, D.C. elor’s degree and master’s She was a member of the degree from Southwestern Indian Mennonite Church. Oklahoma State Universi- She loved going to powty (SWOSU). She served wows and was a traditional as a language instructor dancer, she enjoyed makfor the Native American ing shawls and buck skin Indian Language Studies dresses and Sundance dressat the University of Okla- es and she loved to shop. homa, SWOSU, and she She is preceded in death taught native language by her parents, three in several high schools. brothers, McClain Twins,
DRIVE-THRU TESTING continued from pg. 3 roll up their windows and depart. “The samples will be sent off for testing and patients can expect test results in Rupert Twins, Raphael approximately 24-48 hours. The service Twins and a sister, Miniunit will contact the individual once the ta Twins Runningwater. results are received,” Capt. Bryant said. She is survived sister LuClinton Indian Health Center had no cinda Twins, Taos, N.M., positive test results as of Friday, April and brothers, Lucian Twins, 10. Clinton and Wesley Twins, On a national level according to testStillwater, Okla. She is also ing reports from the Indian Health Sersurvived by numerous nieces and nephews. vices (IHS), there have been 11,818 tests Graveside services were performed through IHS. Of those tested, held April 2 at the Clinton 985 have tested positive for COVID-19. Indian Cemetery officiated The three regions with the largest numby Rev. Gerald Panana. ber of tests were listed as the Navajo
area, Oklahoma City area and the Billings, Mont. Area. Combined, these three regions serve more than 754,000 Native Americans. The two regions with the highest number of COVID-19 positive cases are the Navajo area and the Albuquerque, N.M. area. According to the IHS website, “Data is reported from IHS, tribal and urban Indian organizations facilities, though reporting by tribal and urban programs is voluntary. This is a rapidly evolving situation and the IHS will provide updated information as it becomes available and verified.”
Tsistsistas & Hinonoei
Happy 10th Birthday DJ April 5. All your family & friends love you. You’re such a blessing, hope you had a great day!
Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes
P.O.Box 38 Concho, OK 73022
(405) 262-0345 / (800) 247-4612
cheyenneandarapaho-nsn.gov
Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune
Happy Birthday Rachelle BirdsHead We are very blessed to have you in our lives. May the Lord continue to watch over you & keep you safe. We love & miss you granddaughter. From your grandma Regina and your baby sister Tara Jade
Happy 11 Birthday TJ April 16th your growing up so fast, love all your family & friends, God bless you!
Happy 9th Birthday Trystan April 4! Love all your friends & family, dad & Sarah, mom Hope you had a great birthday!
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Happy Easter to my friends back home. My “phat” baby Ralen Bird and the one and only Julia Cozad. I love and miss ya’ll so much! Happy Easter. Stay safe and be strong One love from Carswell, Texas Rachel Tonka White
In Loving Memory of Patrick Emhoolah II Nov. 15, 1997 – April 24, 2017
Moonlit morning still at night Dark as day and day is light Sense the movement through the trees Feel the passion ‘neath the falling leaves With stars for a crown And a mountain as a throne I can feel your presence As the cool wind blows Nothing here for me to fear ‘Cept the pain of feeling alone Rodney P. Candy Fire
Request for Prayers
To our beloved son: You left us three years ago on April 24, 2017, but it seems like yesterday. People tell me it’s time to move on. These people do not know what it’s like to lose a child. I am grateful for the 39 years I had with you sonny. The laughs, jokes, pranks, all we used to talk about. Our little inside jokes … I love and miss you to no end. Your son and daughter are growing up real nice. Soon pretty baby is going to be 18! Sonny, until we see you in the heavenly home, love dad Michael, mom Georgia, sister Stacy and auntie Rita.
Department of Housing Waiting List Report Mutual Help Program The following applicants need to complete a 2020 UPDATE FORM by April 30, 2020. If an update form is not received by this date, their name will be removed from the Mutual-Help waiting list for failure to update. NO EXCEPTIONS! For questions or more information contact Eileen Salcido at 580-331-2400 or email esalcido@ cheyenneandarapahonsn.gov Rita Price Bonita Cruz Anita Gouge Georgia McGee Christopher Tall Bear Miranda Cometsevah Danecia Wandrie Summer Klinekole
Irene Frances (White Tail Mendivil) Martin deploys to New York state to assist in treating COVID-19 patients. Irene is a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes residing in Lavern, Ariz., with her husband Nathan Martin. She is a licensed RN serving in the U.S. Navy Reserve and is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Irene’s parents are Winnie White Tail and Spencer Mendivil. The family is requesting prayers for Irene’s safe return.
It’s Official
Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal citizen Jennifer Wilkinson was officially named a candidate on the democratic ticket for Oklahoma State Senate District 45 on April 8, 2020. On the Republican ticket, incumbent Paul Rosino will
face off against Steve Cunningham on June 30, 2020. Pictured below Jennifer Wilkinson (l) and her daughter Livy (7) hold up the official paperwork declaring Wilkinson as a candidate in the 2020 Oklahoma State Senate District 45 race.
PANDEMIC FUNERAL continued from pg. 5 goodbye, but because we were doing it without so many important people. There were no friends to hug or distant relatives who made the trip, no old classmates to share stories about days gone by and no one from our little town expressing how much Alton Gore had meant to their experiences growing up in a tightknit community. It was hard. It was unfair. It was a funeral during a pandemic. As we lingered outside the church before the procession to the cemetery began, there was still a feeling of incom-
pleteness. But as we drove down Main Street and passed by Gore’s Phillip’s 66 Service Station, which has been in our family since 1939, there was a sense of normalcy. Cars and trucks stopped along the road, drivers got out of their vehicles and took their hats off to show respect. Some from the community were able to be there for my family and to wave goodbye. It was a small sense of closure. There is no doubt it has been a hard year for my family, losing our patriarch and matriarch in addition to my father,
Marty Gore, who died in August in a motorcycle accident, and my great-grandmother, Betty Wilson, who died in December. But through it all, and even a pandemic, we have been there for each other and carried on together. My family has not lost anyone to the coronavirus, but the pandemic definitely altered the way we said our goodbyes to Granddad. In the days following the funeral we had the collective chore of sifting through our grandparents’ home of more than half a century. And believe me, it was all
there. This may seem like an unfortunate chore, and it was a daunting task. But we were all there together, rediscovering memories once lost under piles of paper and stacks of boxes. As we worked throughout the day, a few of my cousins and I would occasionally sneak into the backyard, where Grandma and granddad had once set up our own family sandlot. We played baseball until dusk, like we were kids again, and the only tears came from laughter.
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Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune
Tsistsistas & Hinonoei
Oklahoma Tribes Push for Census Completion Despite Pandemic
By Hogan Gore, Gaylord News
Oklahoma’s tribes have spent the last decade to ensure their citizens are better counted by the U.S. census. But the coronavirus pandemic is making that harder. Some counties where tribes are predominant are far behind others in the statewide count that shows 41 percent of the state’s households have completed the census survey as U.S. Census 2020 nears the end of the second week of the decennial count. Counties that comprise the Choctaw, Cherokee and Muscogee (Creek) Nations are below the current state average with 28.4 percent, 35.2 percent and 36.5 percent of households being reported, respectively. Osage County, home of the Osage Nation, is far behind with only 19.3 percent of households having completed the census with nearly the entire response, 19.2 percent, being turned in online. In contrast, the response from Pottawatomie County, home of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, is higher than the average state response at 45 percent. “Our tribal nations are important and everyone needs to be counted,” said U.S. Rep Kendra Horn (D, OK). “But we know, historically, that Native Americans and indigenous peoples are undercounted and they are one of the groups that is most likely to be undercounted.” Horn and U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (R, OK) introduced in February a resolution that emphasized the importance of tribal participation in the census and the negative impact an undercount will have for tribal communities. “When we’re talking about trib-
al communities, the federal programs and the funding that goes to our tribes are dramatically impacted. It goes to help tribal health programs, housing programs, workforce programs, infrastructure, and so much more,” said Horn. During the 2010 census Native American communities across the country were undercounted by nearly five percent, or nearly 340,000. Oklahoma tribes were no exception as differences in how tribal affiliation was recorded left many tribal citizens uncounted. “Ours was an 80 percent undercount when you look at our numbers we had at the time,” said Melissa Landers, senior director of membership services and head of the complete count committee for the Choctaw Nation. “But what hurt our tribe in particular, was being one of three federally recognized tribes to go by Choctaw.” The tribe learned after the 2010 census unless respondents wrote in “Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma” their tribal affiliation was not counted. This meant the roughly 159,000 that responded with “Choctaw” or “Choctaw Nation” were excluded. The 24,000 respondents that identified as “Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma,” were then used to determine federal funding and grant money. “That’s one of the reasons that I’ve emphasized this so much is
that it is very important when people fill out the census for tribal citizens to fill out the exact name of their tribe on the census form,” said Horn. “That’s something that we worked with the census on, but right now the solution is we need to make sure that when people fill out their census, they put the official name of their tribe.” In response to the undercount and miscommunication in 2010 the Choctaw Nation took steps leading up to the 2020 census by advertising and using social media. The tribe also started the complete count committee to promote the census and coordinated with the U.S. Census Bureau. Choctaw Chief Gary Batton in a letter to Steve Dillingham, director of the U.S. Census Bureau, explained the tribe’s situation and asked if completing the form with “Choctaw Nation” would be sufficient in 2020. The bureau agreed. “The biggest part of our messaging to members was not only do
we encourage you to complete the census, but when you do, please be sure to write in you and your family as members of the Choctaw Nation,” said Landers. The Muscogee (Creek) Nation was also undercounted in 2010 due to variations in how tribal affiliation was recorded. “We had similar issues and that’s kind of why we put an emphasis on how we are marked,” said Jason Salsman, a spokesman for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. “So we’re asking our citizens to either put Creek Nation, Muscogee Nation or Muscogee Creek Nation without the parenthesis.” The tribe is currently working to promote the census through its Census Day Count Me Muscogee initiative with online advertising, social media and public service announcements. Due to the coronavirus all in-person efforts have been halted. “So, for us, it’s been a little bit of unfortunate timing, with the na-
tional crisis and the global crisis that we’re facing, because it’s taking a little bit of, I guess you could say energy away from our census push,” said Salsman. Like all the tribes in the state, the Choctaw Nation’s efforts to raise awareness about the census also have taken a hit. The Choctaw Nation had to cancel and postpone events that were lined up to promote the census as well, such as youth engagement events and a “roadshow” that would have made its way around the Nation’s travel plazas and casinos. “So the downside is, while we saw a lot of excitement generated about the census early on, after it actually officially kicked off we’ve not been able to be in personal contact with our members. And so there’s a little bit of concern there,” said Landers. Gaylord News is a reporting project of the University of Oklahoma Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication.