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Oct. 15, 2018 -Vol. 14, Issue 19

AARP Oklahoma continues tradition of recognizing Native American elders

Rosemary Stephens, Editor-in-Chief

The 10 annual AARP Oklahoma Indian Elder Awards continue their tradition of recognizing and honoring the lives of Oklahoma’s Native American elders. This year’s event was held Oct. 2 at the National Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

Honorees included 50 Native American elders from 29 of the 39 Native American tribes located in the state of Oklahoma.

“We started the AARP OK Indian Elder Honors 10 years ago because we saw so many Cheyenne and Arapaho elders, Wanda Whiteman and Matheson Hamilton were honored at this year’s accomplished Oklahoma NaAARP Indian Elder Awards banquet Oct. 2 at the National Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. tive American Elders who are truly making a difference in has honored 500 elders from all 39-feder- its work on issues affecting Native Amertheir local communities and nationwide. ally recognized tribes and nations in Okla- icans in the state, particularly working to These are stories that need to be told for all homa since its inception in 2009. address health disparities, transportation generations to see and to be inspired by,” “It is the largest gathering of its kind in needs and cultural preservation.

Mashell Sourjohn, Oklahoma AARP Asso- the sate and, perhaps, in the nation,” VoHonorees from the Cheyenne and Arapciate State Director said. skuhl said. aho Tribes of Oklahoma were Wanda AARP Oklahoma State Director Sean He said Oklahoma continues to expand Whiteman and Matheson Hamilton.

Voskuhl said the Oklahoma Indian Elder th

Whiteman was recognized for her kind heart, caring nature and devotion to assisting tribal citizens in ther pursuit of higher education. She began her 25-year career with the tribes in 1977.

Throughout her career Whiteman worked in various departments such as the Johnson O’Malley (JOM) program, which provides enrolled Native American students with support to encourage success in school and foster participation in school related activities. She also supported the 10th annual tribal nation’s employment and training program.

Ultimately Whiteman found her home in higher education, where she has been the coordinator since 1994.

Her love of knowledge led her to pursue two associate degrees, a bachelor’s degree, and she recently received her master’s de-

Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Oklahoma City Oct. 8

Indian Elder Awards / pg. 8

Latoya Loneloge, Staff Reporter

Oklahoma City Mayor Holt was gifted with a Pendleton blanket following his reading of the Proclamation declaring the second Monday of October as Indigenous People’s Day on the campus of Oklahoma City University. (Photo / Latoya Lonelodge)

On Oct. 8, marking the second Monday of October, the sounds of beating drums, dancers in regalia and crowds of people could be heard far and wide from Oklahoma City University (OCU) campus. It was a day of celebration as Indigenous Peoples’ Day is now declared an official holiday in Oklahoma City after years of being rejected by the city council.

“There’s been Indigenous people working to establish this day for many years and we have a mayor in office now that’s supportive, a mayor who’s a member of the Osage Nation which is also my Nation. I’m particularly proud that he was able to see this through and we can all be here to see it come to fruition here on Oklahoma City University’s campus,” Russ Tallchief, OCU director of student diversity and inclusion said.

Tallchief said OCU has been recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the OCU campus since 2015 when OCU President Robert Henry

established the celebration. The celebration now extends to the city and community.

“I think this is emblematic of some of the opportunities we’re going to have now with our mayor in office, I think we’ve got some good momentum now in our city council as well and I look around the state and there are a lot of Indigenous women that are starting to run for office and take on formal leadership roles that can actually impact change and impact progress for the state,” Tallchief said.

As many gathered around the Chickasaw Sculpture Garden on OCU’s campus, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, an enrolled Osage Nation citizen, read the proclamation declaring the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. With Holt officially taking office in April 2018 and bypassing the council’s decision against Indigenous Indigenous Peoples’ Day / pg. 8

El Reno Oct. 8

On Monday, Oct. 8 the City of El Reno hosted a double-header celebration at the Our Glass restaurant in El Reno, Okla. Indigenous Peoples’ Day and the honoring of Cheyenne Chief and artist Harvey Pratt.

In a unanimous vote, the El Reno City Council voted to recognize Oct. 8 as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. A celebration that was taking place all across Oklahoma and the United States.

“We are here to honor two things, we want to honor Harvey and I told Jeannine it would be really neat to do Indigenous Day. The city council of El Reno voted 5-0 in favor of this and I think the reason why is because of how far we have all came in understanding.,” El Reno Mayor Matt Whte said. “I always joke, but I never see Christopher Columbus in church or at the United Grocery

Rosemary Stephens, Editor-in-Chief

store or anywhere else, but it’s important that we recognize our neighbors and our citizens of this community. The people we grew up with, played ball with, went to church with and it’s important to remember it’s their land and we’re here, El Reno is in the middle of Cheyenne and Arapaho Nation.”

The second celebration was to honor Tribal citizen Harvey Pratt.

Pratt was born and raised in El Reno for most of his life.

The celebration was to recognize Pratt’s design, ‘Warriors’ Circle of Honor,’ being chosen by the Smithsonian National Museum for the National Native American Veterans Memorial to be built on the grounds of the National Mall. One of the last memorials to be placed on the City of El Reno Mayor Matt White presents Cheyenne and Arapaho Gov. Reggie Wassana with a Proclamation declaring El National Mall in Washington, D.C. Reno’s first Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Oct. 8 at the Our Glass restaurant in El Reno, Okla. White also presented Wassana with a (See more photos pg. 8 ) key to the city during the celebration. (Photo / Rosemary Stephens)

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Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Oklahoma governor candidate Drew Edmondson visits Cheyenne and Arapaho country With the general elections right around the corner in the vote to appoint Oklahoma’s next governor, the future of Oklahoma will be in the hands of voters once the polls open up.

On Sept. 26 gubernatorial governor candidate Drew Edmondson visited the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes for a meet and greet event and discussed his future plans if elected as Oklahoma’s governor.

Edmondson is a democrat who grew up in Muskogee, Okla., graduated from Muskogee Central High School and attended Northeastern State College in Tahlequah, Okla., Edmondson served in the U.S. Navy and returned to his hometown as a speech and debate teacher at Muskogee High School.

Elected in 1978 to the state legislature, Edmondson went on to graduate from the University of Tulsa School of Law. In 1982, he was elected District Attorney and was elected Attorney General in 1994 where he served for 16 years.

With beliefs surrounding education, health care, leadership and transparency, Edmondson hopes to be the state of Oklahoma’s next governor.

Cheyenne and Arapaho Gov. Reggie Wassana vouched for the Edmondson campaign and looks forward to working together if elected.

“This time of year is critical for us as a Tribe because from when we was at a campaign event this last weekend, a lot of people were talking about the 2020 compact negotiation … one of the representatives said nobody really understands how much the Tribes donate or how much we give to the state for their funding, to the educators and other needs, and it’s never been discussed or never talked about so I think it’s critical that we put somebody in office that’s going to help us and work with us and Drew’s the only candidate that we met that’s really interesting to me,” Wassana said.

The meet and greet event was not Edmondson’s first time to C-A territory as he has previously met with Wassana and visited Tribal territory before.

“He came out here before, we met in the small conference room and one of the first things he said was ‘what do the tribes need, what do the tribes want,’ so that was really interesting that a candidate for governor was taking our needs and our wants into consideration,” Wassana said.

Edmondson discussed some of the pressing issues many tribes across Oklahoma face.

“The issue of the compacts has come up in a number of meetings that I’ve attended across the state of Oklahoma and there is a shortage of how the compacts work and the relationship between the state of Oklahoma

and the sovereign Indian nations that reside within our boarders and I spent a lot of time explaining that the state of Oklahoma has no right to any of the proceeds from Indian gaming,” Edmondson said.

Edmondson vowed for mutual agreements between Tribal and state governments.

“I look forward to visiting with your governor and tribal leaders from the other tribes across the state of Oklahoma to talk about those things and I have committed on more than one occasion that those discussions will be on a government to government basis where we’re talking as equals along how this is going to work for our mutual benefit,” Edmondson said.

Edmondson said through his experience he’s very impressed with how wisely tribal nations have been spending gaming proceeds in every corner of the state.

“The state of Oklahoma, when it gets a little bit ahead has a bad habit of just cutting taxes then cutting budget state agencies, what I observed is when the Tribes in the nation get a little bit ahead they build a clinic, they send their people to college with scholarships, they build housing, they use the means that benefit the people of their Tribes and by doing so they benefit the state of Oklahoma and I have said on more than one occasion that my observation is that the Indian Tribes and Nations have been spending their proceeds a lot more wisely than the state of Oklahoma has,” Edmondson said.

In observing and watching the tribes, Edmondson said that he has learned by example and looks forward to using what he learned in his future endeavors as governor, if elected.

“I have learned from your example and I will do my best to spend the revenue coming in from the state of Oklahoma in the same wise manner to educate our children, to take care of the health needs of our people, to take care of mental health, drug addiction, alcohol addiction and the other plagues that bother us all. To take care of these in order to reduce prison population because most of the people in prison have an underlying drug, alcohol or mental health problem. So by solving them we either reconcile another problem at the same time. I have learned a lot from you and from other tribes across the state and I will take what I have learned with me if and when I’m elected governor of the state of Oklahoma,” Edmondson said.

With a number of issues yet to be resolved in Oklahoma, Edmondson looks to dive head first into the issues of education.

“Well the biggest issue right now in the governor’s race is education and I’ve proposed some funding mechanisms to try to get more money into our classrooms, more pay

Latoya Lonelodge, Staff Reporter

Drew Edmondson, Oklahoma governor candidate, was gifted with a Pendleton blanket from Cheyenne and Arapaho Gov. Reggie Wassana on behalf of the tribes and a coffee mug by Chief Larry RomanNose. (Photos / Latoya Lonelodge) for our teachers, start reducing class sizes and increasing the number of teachers that are available so all of those things are necessary and not just in common schools but we also need to help our colleges and universities and our career techs in relationship to tribal governments I intend to work on a government to government relationship to improve all the lives of our citizens, we share our citizens, citizens of the C-A tribes are Along with Oklahoma governor candidate Drew Edmoncitizens of the state of Okla- son, Ashley McCray, Oklahoma Corporation Commission homa. What’s good for your candidate also attended the meet and greet. Pictured l-r: people is good for my people Cheyenne and Arapaho Gov. Reggie Wassana, Ashley Mcand I’ll be working with the Cray and Drew Edmondson. tribes to make sure educational opportunities, healthcare, pansion to provide medical coverage to about housing and all of those needs are met,” Ed- 153,000 of our citizens who work full time, mondson said. earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but In the final race to the polls, Edmondson not enough to opt into the insurance pool or will be in the race against Republican Kevin purchase private insurance and they end up Stitt and Libertarian Chris Powell. Edmond- being a drain on local hospitals because they son and Stitt set the tone for the Nov. 6 gen- wait until the last minute when they’re really eral election for governor, as they are two sick and then show up in the ER, we need opposing rivalries supporting very different to provide them with basic health care covercauses. age so they can practice preventive medicine, “Another area that we disagree on is in the don’t get as sick as they might otherwise and area of health care, I have said the state of get their medical needs cared for,” EdmondOklahoma needs to opt into the Medicaid ex- son said.

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

PAGE 3

Annual Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Council meeting live streams on Facebook (CONCHO, OK) The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes’ annual Tribal Council meeting was held Saturday, Oct. 6 in the usual manner.

What wasn’t usual was the live streaming of the meeting via Facebook Live

by CATV. For the first time the annual council meeting became accessible to all tribal citizens to view with access to Facebook. A welcomed change for thousands of citizens who live out of state or are not able to attend the annual meetings. Though only those present can vote.

With over 1,800 views of the video, it is obvious live streaming was a successful addition and will be continued in the years to come.

The 75-member quorum, constitutionally mandated, was reached at 10:13 a.m.

A tribal council resolution requesting legal assistance for NARF. A tribal council resolution authorizing the hiring of experienced attorney or firm.

A tribal council resolution for attorney contract to go through BIA. A tribal council resolution to approve/establish a tribal council blood quantum committee.

Item one, a resolution to approve the 2019 annual budget for the tribal government, passed with a vote of 112 for and 43 against.

Item two, a resolution for the 2019 election commission budget, did not pass with a vote of 54 for, 106 against and 8 abstaining.

Item three, a resolution for rules of order and procedure for the tribal council and terms and condition, was

Albert Old Crow was elected meeting chairman and Roberta Hamilton was elected secretary.

Ten items were on the agenda as follows: A tribal council resolution to approve the 2019 annual budget for the tribal government.

A tribal council resolution for the 2019 election commission budget.

A tribal council resolution for rules of order and procedure for the tribal council and terms and condition for the tribal council coordinator.

A tribal council resolution to increase the salary of the tribal council coordinator.

A tribal council resolution to establish a veteran’s board/ committee and funding.

A tribal council resolution to modify the GRAP.

tabled.

Item four, a resolution to increase the salary of the tribal council coordinator, did not pass with a vote of 60 for, 102 against and 7 abstaining.

Item five, a resolution to establish a veteran’s board/ committee and funding, was withdrawn as Cheyenne and Arapaho Gov. Reggie Wassana agreed to establish a veteran’s commission.

Item six, a resolution to modify the GRAP, did not pass with a vote of 39 for, 128 against and 10 abstaining.

Item seven, a resolution requesting legal assistance for NARF, passed with a vote of 69 for, 2 against and 25 abstaining. An amendment made by Alden Whiteman passed for the C-A tribes to request legal assistance from

Tribal citizen Kenny Ray Williams assists elder Betty Romannose off the transit bus to attend the annual Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Council meeting Oct. 6 in Concho, Okla.

(Photo / Latoya Lonelodge) the tribes legal department.

Item eight, a resolution authorizing the hiring of experienced attorney or firm, did not pass with a vote of 33 for, 53 against and 11 abstaining.

Item nine, a resolution for attorney contract to go

through BIA, was removed.

Item ten, a resolution to approve/establish a tribal council blood quantum committee, passed with a vote of 59 for, 16 against and 22 abstaining.

The meeting adjourned at 2:46 p.m.

Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes host Oklahoma candidates giving citizens opportunity to meet the candidates for upcoming Nov. 6 elections Latoya Lonelodge Staff Reporter

Election season is in full swing as candidates are working vigorously to improve and create change in the state of Oklahoma.

Looking to the community for support, some candidates made it a priority to discuss differing opinions and issues with Tribal communities, including the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes.

On Oct. 2 Republican lieutenant governor candidate Matt Pinnell, visited with the Tribes to discuss the improvements and vows he will adhere to as Oklahoma’s next lieutenant governor.

From Tulsa, Okla., Pinnell was a graduate of Oral Roberts University. He served as chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party from 2010 to 2013 and has worked for the Republican National Committee. Pinnell upholds the belief in marketing Oklahoma more with its historical roots for tourism.

“Oklahoma is Native America so we should be doing a much better job of promoting the historical lands across the state from a tourism perspective than we are right now in Oklahoma and so that’s one of the reasons I’m out here today, it’s one of the reasons I go across 77 counties meeting with every tribe that I can, every nation that I can to make sure that they know they’re going to have a partner with me as Lt. Governor of the state of Oklahoma to make sure that people around this country and around the world know that Oklahoma is a great place to come visit from an historical perspective and really promoting Native American again as state,” Pinnell said.

In promoting tourism for the state of Oklahoma, Pin-

right now we do, we have about 8500 kids in state custody, we want to make sure that we have good families that are going to stand in the gap as families are restored, for me it’s a two problem approach, we want to make sure that the state is being a partner with the Tribes to make sure from a substance abuse perspective, from issues that Nations deal with, that the state can be helpful with in repaying from a funding perspective,” Pinnell said.

On Oct. 3 Democratic nominee for Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner, Ashley Nicole McCray, visited the tribes and highlighted some of the goals she will oversee in environmental issues if elected as the next Corporation Commissioner.

“The corporation commission is the regulatory agency responsible for overseeing oil, gas, utility and transportation and they’re responsible for protecting our environment and our water, I think that having a Tribal member in there who cares about Tribal concerns and understands Tribal sovereignty is a good thing because a lot of these projects are popping up on Indian land without out permission, without notifying our people and it’s impacting our land, our communities, our futures and our right to self govern, I think that one of my goals is making sure that the corporation commission is actually consulting with the Tribes whose land the projects will be upon,” McCray said.

As an enrolled member of the Shawnee Absentee Tribes, McCray stands strong in her Native roots and in her beliefs in protecting the environment. From Shawnee, Okla., McCray received her B.A. from the University of Central Oklahoma in Psychology, an

nell said he looks forward to a working partnership and sitting down with Tribes to put a plan together through a promotional perspective.

“The department of tourism in Oklahoma has been literally cut in half the last few years with budget deficits down at the state capitol and that has to change, one of the things certainly that I talk about is we have to fully fund the department of tourism so that we can help promote, the Tribes are already doing a pretty good job of promoting themselves, they have the I-35 corridor which is kind of the adventure road now that the Chickasaws are promoting but we have so much more than that, it shouldn’t just be the I-35 corridor, for example you (the Tribes) have the largest Tribal buffalo herd in the entire state of Oklahoma. I think the state of Oklahoma should be helping promote that much more and I certainly will as lieutenant governor,” Pinnell said.

Along with tourism, Pinnell advocates for education and teacher pay raise, small businesses, government accountability and foster care.

Pinnell said that him and his wife served as foster care parents for a number of years and look forward to fostering again.

“We have way too many kids in state custody … from a funding perspective I want to make sure that we have money budgeted with the department of human services to recruit more families to stand in the gap but also for money that can be there to help restore some of those families so that they’re not losing custody of their children, that obviously is priority number one is making sure that we can rebuild and help restore some of those families so that we don’t need more foster parents but

Rosemary Stephens, Editor-in-Chief 405-422-7446 / rmstephens@c-a-tribes.org

Gov. Reggie Wassana introduces Matt Pinnell, Oklahoma lieutenant governor candidate to guests at a candidates’ meet and greet held Oct. 2. (Photo / Latoya Lonelodge)

M.A. from the University of Oklahoma in the History of Science, Technology and Medicine, an M.A. from the University of Central Oklahoma from the department of History and Geography.

McCray focuses on political economy, industrialization and the environment.

“The water and environment are one of the top major issues but I’m also seeing republicans who are concerned about their property values being decreased because nobody wants to buy a house next to a giant fracking well and so these people have saved their entire life savings to buy these homes that are really expensive and now they can’t even sell them at the same value because of these projects, they’re also worried about property damage, if anything does happen to these projects and their houses are in really close proximately to those projects, it can impact them and the earthquakes are also impacting our property too because nobody likes

their land being stolen, people don’t like being told that they have to give up part of their land for these corporations to come and build on and so I think that those are some of the major ones and also not notifying the people who are actually being impacted by the projects so they don’t even have a voice in the actual decision making process and that’s really frustrating to a lot of Oklahomans,” McCray said.

McCray is an activist who speaks on behalf of communities and Tribal citizens who have faced issues relating to political and environmental issues.

“One of my favorite quotes is, ‘if you’re not at the table then you’re going to be on the menu’ and I think that’s what we’re seeing done to a lot of Indigenous people in Oklahoma, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t have majority power in the state because we do have so much Tribal jurisdiction and there are 39 federally recognized Tribes here that

Ashley Nicole McCray is a Democratic candidate for Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner and an enrolled member of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe.

all have their own unique governmental powers and I think we need to acknowledge and recognize that we have always had this power and this leadership ability and just go ahead and exert that, I think we’ll do a lot for not just our Indigenous people but all Oklahomans because Indigenous people do have more respect for life, longevity and sustainability, I think that’s a good thing for all people and not just Natives,” McCray said.

Cheyenne and Arapaho r i b a l T r i b u n e

Latoya Lonelodge, Reporter/Advertising Sales 405-422-7608 / llonelodge@c-a-tribes.org 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

T

Oklahoma Press Association member

Native American Journalist Association member

DISCLAIMER: Letters to the editor, opinions and commentaries do not reflect the views of the Tribune unless specified. Correspondence must be signed and include a return address and telephone number for verification, otherwise it will not be published. The 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.

2010-2018 NATIVE AMERICAN JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION MEDIA AWARD WINNER & 2012-2017 AWARD WINNER OF THE OPA BETTER NEWSPAPER CONTEST

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

PAGE 4

No dream is too big: Annual AISES National Conference returns to Oklahoma Latoya Lonelodge, Staff Reporter

Students, professionals and educators alike, are pursuing interest in the world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) as various tribal attendees across the nation came together to take part in a one-ofa-kind event.

Oct. 4-6 the annual American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) National Conference was held at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City.

With the convention attracting over 2,000 American Indian STEM students, educators and professionals, AISES focused on inspiration, networking and creating an interactive atmosphere for students to engage.

Groups of students and attendees made it a priority to support and embrace the fun and energetic environment of AISES, specifically held for students to engage in educational, professional and workforce development.

“AISES is a phenomenal organization, we started some 41 years ago right here in Oklahoma. Our founding fathers really focused on how do we help the transition for those living on reservations to get an education in STEM so they’re able to go back home or go be successful in whatever they want to do with a great educational background. Native American students really struggle sometimes because family is such an important part of who we are, in fact the elders play an important role here, it’s one of the only organizations where elders play such an important part because it’s all about relationships, our engagement, we learn from those who walk before us so with that as a foundation we have a great program for our youngsters to be engaged from pre college, college and professionals,” Rick Stephens, AISES vicechair said.

When AISES first began in 1978, the organization had a hard time creating awareness due to the idea of Indian scientists and engineers being an actual profession among

Native Americans.

“Being an Indian scientist engineer is the most natural thing for our people because that’s something who we’ve been for thousand of years, we shouldn’t be looked at as some kind of academic person but rather a natural person who has natural ways with the mother earth and awareness. I’m a physicist but that enabled me to study the earth and all the lessons here in a different way than other people because of my attachment to the earth and her ways. So we, for thousands of years in this country, have been scientists and engineers we just never went to school for it but many of our people, through medicines, through healing and all kinds of things, we contributed a lot to this society even the teepee’s an amazing engineering design, it’s the geometrical shape that the wind can’t topple over, it’s particle and keeps our people warm and safe. The arrow is truly aerodynamics,” J.C. Elliott High Eagle, AISES founder said.

High Eagle said native people have a place in society and in the world.

“I want the world to know more about our people, more than just a Hollywood image that we’ve been portrayed for so many years,” High Eagle said.

With particular challenges in the field of STEM, High Eagle said he’d like to see more American Indians, especially women, involved in technical careers.

“For a long time there’s been a connotation that if you’re a woman then you shouldn’t be in these kind of professions and I’d like to see that grow for the benefit and participation of women. Science and engineering don’t care if you’re a man or woman, it cares about your mind, how your mind thinks so there’s lots of opportunities for women in the future and I’d like to see more involved in technical careers and in management, get involved and it’s not a competitive thing, it’s just allowing more diversity and thought in what we do and women have also a way of thinking that men don’t have sometimes so it’s good to include

AISES attracts students, professionals and educators from across the country, to the threeday conference to learn and engage in the field of STEM. Pictured is Genevieve McGeshic, 19, and Austyn Dagen, 20, from the University of Minnesota. (Photo / Latoya Lonelodge) that,” High Eagle said.

In expanding AISES over time, the conference looks to grow in educational opportunities and provide those opportunities to its members.

“I’d like to see more AISES members, I’d like to see more companies getting involved with AISES and supporting us and most importantly making scholarship opportunities available, education opportunities available for our people because some of our people come from very traditional families and very low income and sometimes it’s difficult for people who want to advance in science and engineering to do so because of the cause so that’s another major accomplishment of AISES they’ve been able to get scholarships but I’d like to see that continue and grow in the future,” High Eagle said.

The AISES conference holds true to its board members and employees who stand be-

hind the conference’s goals. John Herrington, retired naval aviator, test pilot and astronaut, is on the board of directors and was a keynote speaker for AISES. “The idea is to try to increase the number of representation of Native Americans in science and engineering communities because we’re the least represented minority and it’s not because we’re incapable, it’s because you got to find things people are passionate about and get them motivated to want to learn and once you find that trigger, there are people that can help you, that’s what AISES is, a place for mentors and professionals to work with students and say ‘hey this is what you can do, this is what I did, you can do the same,’ and hopefully they’ll follow in that same path and lead a successful career in communities and for themselves,” Herrington said.

AISES / pg. 8

First ever community-driven Native American Charter School to launch in Oklahoma City Latoya Lonelodge

Staff Reporter

Overcoming a history of cultural abuse and assimilation of Native Americans that were once forcibly stripped of their Native identities to be educated accordingly to European customs has been a long and painful journey.

Today, the need for a multicultural curriculum in education across Tribal nations and communities has become a large topic. With Oklahoma as one of the top states in the U.S. with a large Native population, a new and innovative approach to sovereignty in education grapples the opportunity to teach an Indigenized curriculum to students.

In the fall of 2019 the very first of its kind, Sovereign Community School (SCS) will officially open its doors. The SCS project first started out as part of a larger effort led by Phil Gover, Founder of SCS, and fellow colleagues who were inspired by the Native American Community Academy (NACA) in Albuquerque, N.M. In the spring of 2015, Oklahoma legislature changed the charter school

The annual National Congress of American Indian Convention & Marketplace Oct. 21-26, 2018 in Denver, Colo. For more information or to register visit www. ncai.org.

Tribal Payroll Management Oct. 23-24, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nev. For more information or to register visit www.falmouthinstitute.com.

law in Oklahoma to allow Tribes the ability to authorize schools directly.

“Authorizing a charter school basically means a Tribe, through its main governing authority or Tribal Council, can effectively create a public school and start getting state money for the students that enroll at that school. There’s no other state in the country that lets Tribes do that and so I left my job in the summer of 2016 to basically see if I can get any Tribes or anyone interested in building schools that were more centered around our people, Indigenous peoples, experiences, ideas and just education overall and I really saw it as the last frontier,” Gover said.

Gover said Tribes have not actively played a role in education, due to how education is funded as education funding comes mostly from the state and local government.

“Tribes don’t have a lot of influence or ability to influence state and local government unless they’re pretty wealthy so Tribes don’t play a really big role in local education,” Gover said.

The new Oklahoma charter school law will ultimately

change the way Tribes actively interact in Indian education. Gover said he started conversations about having a school in Oklahoma City after working different projects in Tulsa, Ardmore and Shawnee. It was then that Gover started to look for a school leader to lead the SCS project.

“Someone with an educational background that I could give the job to and they would be the ones to create the school, design it and be the face of the effort but I couldn’t find the right person and so last year I kind of just thought well I’ve helped with all these other efforts in Ardmore and Tulsa and so I have a good feel for what this needs to be, I’ll just do it myself,” Gover said.

In Gover’s vision, he did not want to play the leading role for just himself but to make the effort in engaging a community of people to lead SCS. “We needed to enlist a community of people to really engage in this project in a broad base way and that it couldn’t just be an effort led by just me, I suspected that the school district wouldn’t be terribly receptive to some of the ideas and things that

Site for the first Native American Charter School in Oklahoma City

we cared about … I knew that we would need a lot of support from our community here in Oklahoma City in order to stand a chance of getting approved at the end of the day,” Gover said.

With statistics of high drop out rates and low college enrollment among Native American students in Oklahoma, SCS looks to combat specific challenges that students may face.

“The challenges our parents see that their kids face in schools are the things that the school are going to tack-

BRIEFS AT A GLANCE

Responding to the Opioid Crisis in Indian Country Oct. 25-26, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nev. Tribal communities are grappling with one of the worst ever drug crises.

Examine the epidemic and community based solutions.

For more information or to register visit www.falmouthinstitute.com.

bassy Suites in Las Vegas, Nev. For more information or to register visit www.falmouthinstitute.com.

Tribal Cultural and Historic Preservation Nov. 5-6, 2018 at the Em-

Native American Contractor Association’s Federal Contracting Policy &

Wellness Strategies for Community Health Representatives Nov. 13-14, 2018 in Albuquerque, N.M. For more information or to register visit www.falmouthinstitute.com.

Advocacy Conference Nov. 13-15, 2018 in Washton, D.C. To register or for more information visit www.nativecontractors.org.

Intertribal Transportation Association Annual Meeting Dec. 6-7, 2018 at the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. For more information or to register visit www.tribaltransporation.org.

le specifically. This isn’t just a school, the school doesn’t exist just to close achievement gaps and be just a sort of different option from the school district. We have to be very different than any other option in the city or else this isn’t even worth doing,” Gover said.

The mission of SCS will be unlike any other school, as it will be primarily built from the ideas given from community outreaches.

“SCS is a school built to impact our students and families overall through

wellness and well being and when we say that we also mean holistically, it’s not that we just want healthier kids and healthier families, we do want that, but we’re not just talking about physical wellbeing, we’re also talking about mental wellbeing, spiritual wellbeing, social wellbeing and academic wellbeing,” Gover said.

With an outpour of community input, the majority of concern among Native Americans was health and wellness. The crisis children

Developing Tribal Youth Summer Camps and Programs Nov. 15-16, 2018 in Albuquerque, N.M. For more information or to register visit www.falmouthinstitute.com.

Indirect Costs Basics for Tribal Organizations Dec. 6-7, 2018 at the Tropicana Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. For more information visit www.falmouthinstitute.com.

Land into Federal Trust: An Introduction to the Rule, Process and Issues Dec. 3-4, 2018 in Anchorage, AK. For more information or to register visit www. falmouthinstitute.com.

Tribal Administrative Assistance Certification Program Dec. 10-12, 2018 at the Tropicana Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. For more information or to register visit www. falmouthinstitute.com.

Charter school / pg. 6

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

PAGE 5

Temple University inducts Cheyenne-Arapaho artist Edgar Heap of Birds into Gallery of Success (PHILADELPHIA, PA) Edgar Heap of Birds, Cheyenne-Arapaho artist, educator, advocate for Indigenous communities and distinguished alumnus of Temple University’s Tyler School of Art, is returning to Tyler for a public lecture, an exhibition of his work and his induction into Temple’s Gallery of Success on Oct. 17-18, 2018.

The celebration of Edgar Heap of Birds, MFA ‘79, begins on Wednesday, Oct. 17, with a free public lecture, Influences, Mentors, Colleagues and Our Homage to This Earth, at Temple Contemporary, Tyler’s exhibitions and public programs space (6 p.m., 2001 N. 13th St., Philadelphia). The lecture is part of the Critical Dialogue series, a long-standing core component of Tyler’s MFA program in Painting, Drawing and Sculpture. Temple Contemporary will display his powerful work, Not Your Coyote Stories until Dec. 8.

On Oct. 18, Heap of Birds will be honored in a private Gallery of Success ceremony in historic Mitten Hall at Temple’s Main Campus. Now in its 21st year, the Gallery of Success is Temple’s annual celebration of the outstanding professional achievements of its alumni. Each year, one alumnus from each of Temple’s 17 schools and colleges is honored. Their portraits and bi-

ographies are put on display in Mitten Hall, where they serve as an inspiration to current students.

“We are thrilled to honor Edgar Heap of Birds,” said Susan E. Cahn, dean of the Tyler School of Art. “The Tyler community is proud of his long record of artistic achievement, his willingness to tackle society’s most vexing challenges and his tireless commitment to improving the lives of indigenous peoples and the health of the planet. Edgar represents the best of the Tyler spirit.”

Heap of Birds is a multi-media artist whose works range from drawings and paintings to monumental outdoor sculpture. Best known for his use of the written language, his pieces often incorporate short, sharp, painted messages. He “wields words like weapons,” wrote Art in America in a 2017 cover story about his life and his work. “The pithy phrases he scrawls on paintings and monoprints are searing indictments, calling out state violence against indigenous people.”

In 2007, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian invited Heap of Birds to participate in the Venice Biennale. His “Most Serene Republics” project included installations throughout Venice honoring the warriors who were coerced into performing in Buffalo Bill’s

Announcement Dept. of Labor Satellite Office in Watonga

Edgar Heap of Birds Wild West show, particular- lace Foundation, the Bonly those who died while the fils-Stanton Foundation and show toured Europe. Heap the Pew Charitable Trusts. of Birds’ work also has been He was named a USA Ford exhibited at the Museum of Fellow in 2012. Currently Modern Art, Whitney Mu- professor emeritus in the Deseum of American Art, the partment of Native AmeriNational Museum of the can Studies at the University American Indian, the Na- of Oklahoma, Heap of Birds tional Gallery of Canada, also has taught as a visiting the Metropolitan Museum of professor at Yale University, Art, Museum of Contempo- the Rhode Island School of rary Art Australia and docu- Design and the Michaelis menta in Kassel, Germany. School of Fine Art in South He has received grants and Africa. Before attending awards from the National the Tyler School of Art, he Endowment for the Arts, earned a BFA degree from the Rockefeller Foundation, the University of Kansas in the Louis Comfort Tiffa- 1976 and attended the Royal ny Foundation, the Wal- College of Art in London.

Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes receive over 5.9 million dollars in grants

(CONCHO, OK) The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes receive notification they have been awarded eight grants totaling over $5.9 million. They are as follows: FY 2018 Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) Tribal Set-Aside Program – The C&A Domestic Violence Program was awarded, Sept.

28, $718,505.00. Pending Phase II application.

FY 2018 Native Youth Community Project (NYCP) – The C&A Dept. of Education was awarded on Sept.

28, 2018 a total of $2.67 million dollars for a 4-year performance period 10/01/2018 – 09/30/2022.

FY 2018 Tribal Opioid Response Grant (TOR) – The C&A Dept. of Health was awarded on Sept. 26 for a total amount of $610,802.00 FY 2018 Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 106 – awarded on Oct. 1, 2018 for $65,000.00 FY 2018 Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (GAP) – awarded on Oct. 1, 2018 for $115,000.00 FY 2018 OVC CTAS Purpose Area 7: Comprehensive Tribal Victim Assistance Program – The C&A Domestic Violence Program was awarded $450,000.00 FY 2018 OVW Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program – The C&A Domestic Violence Program was awarded $325,000.00 FY 2018 CTAS Purpose Area 4: Tribal Justice Systems Infrastructure Program – The C&A Dept. of Justice was awarded $1,000,129.00 On Sept. 28 the Cheyenne and Arapaho Domestic Violence Program was awarded $718,505.00 from the U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC),

pending Phase II application.

They also received for the year 2018 the OVC Comprehensive Tribal Victim Assistance Program grant in the amount of $450,000.00, and the OVW Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program grant in the amount of $325,000.

The Office for Victims of Crime’s (OVC) mission is to enhance the nation’s capacity to assist crime victims and provide leadership in changing attitudes, policies, and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime. OVC achieves this mission, in part, by administering award programs supported by the federal Crime Victims Fund to develop innovative training and technical assistance, and to provide direct services to improve the overall quality of victim assistance.

On March 23, 2018, Congress passed and the President signed the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018, into law. Section 510 includes the following language in reference to the annual obligation of the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), “3 percent shall be available to the Office for Victims of Crime for grants, consistent with the requirements of the Victims of Crime Act, to Indian tribes to improve services for victims of crime.”

Under this solicitation, OVC will award eligible tribes, tribal consortia, and tribal designees grants to support allowable services for victims of crime.

The OVW Comprehensive Tribal Victim Assistance Program’s missions is to enhance the Nation’s capacity to assist crime victims and to provide leadership in changing attitudes, policies, and practices in ways that will

promote justice and healing for all victims. OVC is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, within the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

Established in 1988 through an amendment to the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984, OVC is charged by Congress with administering the Crime Victims Fund, a major source of funding for victim services throughout the Nation. The Fund consists primarily of fines, special assessments, and bond forfeitures from convicted federal offenders.

Without relying on American tax dollars, the Fund supports thousands of programs annually that represent millions of dollars invested in victim compensation and assistance in every U.S. state and territory, as well as training and demonstration projects designed to enhance the skills of those who provide services to victims. The Fund provides state victim compensation and assistance formula grants; support for victim-witness coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, FBI victim specialists, and the Federal Victim Notification System; formula grants to states through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as mandated by the Children’s Justice Act; and discretionary grants, including the Comprehensive Tribal Victim Assistance Program.

The OVW Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program is to support programs or projects in Indian tribal lands and Alaska native villages that increase intervention, advocacy, accompaniment, support services, and related assistance for adult, youth, and child victims of sexual

assault; family and household members of such victims; and those collaterally affected by the victimization, except for the perpetrator of such victimization.

The Dept. of Education has received $2.7 million for a four-year performance period for the Native Youth Community Project (NYCP).

The NYCP is centered on the goal of ensuring that Indian students are prepared for college and careers by promoting partnerships in American Indian tribal communities.

The NYCP allows the local community to choose a project focus based on a needs assessment or other data analysis as well as the areas the community identifies as having the biggest impact on improving outcomes for AI youth. Through a collaborative partnership between the United Houma Nation, the Point-Au-Chien Indian Tribe, the Biloxi-Chitimacha Confederation of Muskogee Indians, the Terrebonne Parish School District, Louisiana Indian Education Association, Fletcher Technical Community College, Nicholls State University and the Houma- Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce, the purpose of the Native Youth Community Project is to improve the college and career readiness of American Indian students through a community- led project.

The Dept. of Health has received $610,802.00 from the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services (DHS) for the Tribal Opioid Response Grant (TOR). The program supplements current activities focused on reducing the impact of opioids and will contribute to a comprehensive response to the opioid Grants / pg. 6

The newly established Department of Labor, would like to announce the opening of the Department of Labor Satellite office in Watonga expected to open Nov. 5 2018. The satellite office will be located at 209 W. Main St., Suite C in Watonga, Okla.

The office will provide Adult Education and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services throughout each week and occasional outreach services from Employment Training and Office of Veteran Affairs.

For immediate assistance, the Adult Education is providing GED services in Watonga on Wednesdays from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. at 109 N. Noble Avenue (current VR Office).

Other arrangements can be made by calling the Adult Ed counselor at 580-331-2412, or the Adult Education Director at 405-274-2982.

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes Dept. of Enrollment Address Notice for 2018 December Per Capita Payment Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal members have until Friday, Nov. 9, 2018 to turn in an Adult Change of Address Form and/or a Minor Change of Address Form to the Dept. of Enrollment in order to receive their 2018 December per capita payment on time.

Please note that you ONLY HAVE to submit a Change of Address Form if uour current mailing address on file with the Dept. of Enrollment is NO LONGER VALID or if you have MOVED. Parents/Legal Guardians, be sure to update your children’s mailing address as well. Please remember that the “care of” listed in our database is the only person(s) who can change a child’s address. For further information contact the Dept. of Enrollment and we will be happy to explain this to you.

It is the tribal members responsibility to make sure that their mailing address is current and correct with the Dept. of Enrollment.

For questions or concerns about the 2018 December per capita checks, please contact the Per Capita Office at 405422-7725.

For inquiries about your mailing address, questions, concerns or requests for Change of Address Forms, please contact the Dept. of Enrollment at 405-422-7600.

Legislature Announcement Call for New Bills / Resolutions for December 2018

The Constitution of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes requires the Legislature to convene in Concho for Regular Sessions. Article VI, Section 6, subsection (a) reads in part: “The Legislature shall convene in Concho for twelve Regular Sessions of up to two consecutive days beginning on the second Saturday of each month beginning at 9:00 am..."

In addition, Article VI, Section 5, subsection (a) of the Tribe’s Constitution reads in part “the Legislature shall have the power to make laws and resolutions in accordance with the Constitution which are necessary and proper for the good of the Tribes.”

The Legislative Process requires: "All Bills shall be published in a Legislative Calendar for at least thirty days prior to action on the Bill. All Bills shall be made the subject of a public Legislative Hearing prior to action on the Bill."

Article VI, Section 7, sub-section (a) (ii).

The Deadline to introduce New BILLS/ RESOLUTIONS for the 12th Regular Session to be held on Dec. 8, 2018 is 4 p.m., Nov. 5, 2018.

PLEASE READ

1. Legislative Action Request form filled out completely and signed- off by the Executive/ Legal Counsel Office.

2. An ORIGINAL hard copy of Resolution a.) ALL Supporting Documents b.) Identify funding source and amount(s).

3. A digital copy emailed in Word format to jmorsette@c-a-tribes.org.

All due dates for submission for working Session and Public Hearings are established in the 2018 annual legislative calendar.

Thank you for your attention and timely submissions.

Any Branch, District/ Department/Program submitting new bills or resolutions are requested by the Legislators to be PRESENT at the working session and Public Hearings.

For more information call 405-422-7597 or 405-4227780.

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

PAGE 6

A glimpse into the Cheyenne Arapaho archives at the Oklahoma History Center Kimberly Burk, CATT Correspondent

It’s hard to believe the Indian agent was not trying to be funny.

The letter is neatly typed on Department of the Interior letterhead, dated Aug. 2, 1907, from Superintendent J.R. Eddy of the Tongue River Agency in Montana to Superintendent Charles E. Shell of the Darlington Agency in Oklahoma.

“Sir,” Eddy addresses Shell, “Turkeylegs of this agency has a brother named Turkeylegs at your agency who recently wrote me requesting that I request of you that he Turkeylegs (Southern Cheyenne) be allowed to forward to our Turkeylegs $100, as part proceeds as I understand it of land of your Turkeylegs’ daughter which was recently leased.”

Eddy continues.

“If Turkeylegs desires to send this money to our Turkeylegs, and you have no objection … I will not object to the money being forwarded to Turkeylegs. Please get the matter straight from your Indians and advise me as to your conclusions.”

The communication that could rightly be considered a forerunner to Abbott and Costello’s “Who’s on First?” is filed in one of the more than 1,000 boxes that make up the Cheyenne and Arapaho archives stored at the Oklahoma History Center. Federal legislation sought by the Oklahoma Historical Society and approved in 1934 placed many Indian records in the custody of the state.

The collection includes allotment records, tribal member’s bank records, copies of treaties, lease agreements, photographs, maps, diaries, prisoner rolls, information about Native veterans’ organizations and letters from Indian school superintendents to parents and agents and law officers.

“The Cheyenne and Arapaho is one of the biggest collections that we have here,” said Mallory Covington, manuscripts department supervisor for the Oklahoma Historical Society. “The U.S. government kept these records.”

Tribal members and Native American researchers have also contributed to the archives, Covington said.

Most of it is not digitized and cannot be accessed on the Oklahoma Historical Society website, so people who are searching for their ancestors or just interested in tribal history must travel to the OHC and don white cotton gloves before perusing the records.

The paperwork is heavy with names, because the gov-

ernment was very much into the personal business of the people who lived on the reservation created in the 1860s.

If the C-A people obtained money from land leases and other sources, the agents likely knew about it, as evidenced in the “Turkeylegs” letter.

The letters written by Indian agents in the early 1900s run the gamut from sympathetic to patronizing to downright mean. Some made no bones about their desires to “civilize” their charges.

“I have established a rule at this agency,” a Shoshone agent in Wyoming wrote to Darlington agent George W.H. Stouch in 1902, “that hereafter no passes to visit other reservations will be given (to) any longhaired male Indians or one wearing paint or feathers. Should any such Indians come to your agency from this reservation I will be very thankful if you will at once have your police or some employee cut the hair of any such male Indian and take from him his paint and feathers.”

The agent in Wyoming, where many Northern Cheyenne had gone to live, said he would “gladly return the favor should opportunity arise.”

In July of 1910, another Darlington agent quibbled with Chilocco Indian School student Van Horn Flyingman over his $5 a month vacation allowance. The youth was entitled to the money, the agent acknowledged in a letter, but the Commissioner of Indian Affairs would not want him to use it to do any traveling during the summer.

“Would it not be a good idea for you to get out in the fields History archives / pg. 9

Grants continued from pg. 5 epidemic. Tribes will use the results of a current needs assessment if available to the tribe (or carry out a strategic planning process to conduct needs and capacity assessments) to identify gaps and resources from which to build prevention, treatment and/or community-based recovery support services. Grantees will be required to describe how they will expand access to treatment and recovery support services as well as advance substance misuse prevention in coordination with other federally-supported efforts.

Grantees must use funding to supplement and not supplant existing opioid prevention, treatment, and/or recovery activities. Grantees are required to describe how they will improve retention in care, using a chronic care model or other innovative model that has been shown to improve retention in care.

The Dept. of Justice has received the Tribal Justice Systems Infrastructure Program award in the amount of $1,000,129.00 for Phase II of the Tribal Justice Center.

In addition, the tribes have also been awarded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 106 grant in the amount of $65,000 and the General Assistance Program (GAP) in the amount of $115,000.00.

The CWA provides financial assistance to establish

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

and administer programs for the prevention, reduction, and elimination of water.

Since 1987, EPA has provided technical assistance and funding under the Section 106 program to assist tribes and intertribal consortia to understand, assess, and preserve water resources on their lands. For tribes, Section 106 grants are a crucial, dedicated source of funds for developing, maintaining, and expanding water quality programs. These programs are designed to control, prevent, and eliminate water pollution as well as to educate tribal members and the general public.

In 1992, Congress passed the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act. This act authorized the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide General Assistance Program (GAP) grants to federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia for planning, developing and establishing environmental protection programs in Indian country, and for developing and implementing solid and hazardous waste programs on tribal lands The Tribal Environmental Agreement with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and Region 6 EPA began in 1997. The GAP grant is for capacity building the GIS/GPS activities, solid waste activities, educational awareness and staff training.

Charter school continued from pg. 4 face in Native American communities was at the forefront of discussions.

“The first topic that came up was this sense that our kids and our families are unhealthy and our kids experience so much, there’s a lot of emotional trauma and physical trauma, there’s a lot of addiction and abuse in our communities that we don’t confront and we don’t have the language to confront. Our kids suffer from higher instances of bullying and higher incidents of being put in special education, of being put in alternative schools, of being exposed to sexual and substance abuse, all of these sort of vices and ills affect our kids more than other people’s kids and our kids are invisible,” Gover said.

Although SCS will primarily be focused on an Indigenized education, the school will accept students from all backgrounds, including non-Tribal. With wellness playing a big role in part of SCS’s core missions, other goals will be based more on the experiences of being Native American in Oklahoma.

“The first is this general sense that our kids, when you grow up in the city you’re not as connected to who you are, where you come from, your ancestors and that’s your culture, language, your traditions and ceremonies. You get a lot less of it and you have to be much more purposeful about it and there are lots of kids and lots of families who lose that over time. SCS can be a safe place for our kids and our families to make stronger connections, reconnect in some cases and in other cases I think be who they’re going to be or be who they are,” Gover said.

Gover said one of the pushbacks SCS received from education boards and other feedback was the misunderstood notion of segregating schools.

“Segregation is a system of oppression, our parents and our kids are choosing to go to this school, we are not oppressing them into this school where it’s like we’re going to abuse them, it’s the opposite of segregation.

I think that point of view completely misunderstands what it is to have an Indigenous identity in this state of all states,” Gover said.

Gover said there is a need for being radically inclusive in how Indigenous communities are thought of in the school in order to be successful.

“There are 80 different Tribes represented with just the kids that are in Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) alone, so we’re going to have dozens of different identities and we know that we can’t be all things to everyone but we can be a little bit of everything to everybody and create something that’s much more Intertribal and inclusive,” Gover said.

The initial SCS plan was submitted to the OKCPS board and was denied on a 7-1 vote, due to financial concerns. OKCPS board member Henry Charles solely provided the

yes vote on the plan. The proposed plan was denied twice by the OKCPS board. SCS was then appealed and brought to the Oklahoma State Board of Education (OSBE) where it was ultimately authorized on a vote of 5-2, making OSBE their official sponsor.

“Anytime we’re able to provide a high quality and solid choice for families I think it’s a good day and we’re able to do that at the state school board, the charter was not accepted by the local school district (OKCPS) and so then after that application was rejected it came up to the state school board. We got support from the school board to supPhil Gover, Sovereignty Community School (SCS) founder, led the community effort for the school project. port it because we know how SCS will officially open in the fall of 2019 for sixth and ninth grades. (Photos / Latoya Lonelodge) important it is to offer this very unique experience for our With the school first being formed from for sixth and ninth grades, with more grades Native American families and community discussions and unraveling to to come in the future. community and we know that they’re going become a living dream within the upcoming “We’re taking applications for enrollment to work so hard to make the school a great year, there are many reasons to be excited. now, you can get our pre-enrollment applisuccess, they have support from the Native Sarah Adams-Cornell, SCS board memcations for enrollment now on our Facebook American Tribes and so many in the comber, said she’s most excited about indigenizpage, if you search Sovereign Community munity that as a state school board member ing the curriculum at SCS. School.

We are proposing to start with 75 I was very pleased to see the outpouring sup“I was very sad that Oklahoma City Pubsixth graders and 75 ninth graders and then port and knew that the school was going to lic Schools didn’t embrace this opportunity each year we will add grades, so our secbe a great success,” Bob Ross, OSBE board to really turn things around for their Native ond year we’ll have sixth, seventh, ninth, member said. students who aren’t graduating but I’m real10th and then our third year we’ll have sixth Ross said that for him, he was so impressed ly excited to get started.

I think it’s going to through 11th and our fourth year we’ll have with the amount of community support from be a pivotal point in the native community in sixth through 12th grade,” Gover said. families and Tribal citizens over the school Oklahoma City when this school is up and In the event that SCS hits maximum enthat he wanted to vote in favor of the school. running and I’m really excited to see other rollment, there will be a waiting list, as the “Anytime you can offer up something communities outside Oklahoma City, but state contract will only allow 75 kids per special and unique like SCS, where students within Oklahoma start to really stretch their grade.

Kids will be chosen at random to fill can really succeed and they can be better sitwords of sovereignty to embrace this responthe 75-seat quantum. uated for the future, I’m all for it and I think Although the deadline for resume and approviding these type of options for parents is sibility and honor that we have to educate our own children, it’s so important and I hope plication submission for SCS’s principle was important and we need to continue providing that we see the success of those schools soon Oct. 15, applications for enrollment will be more high quality options for parents, not just to get their charters approved within their open.

Teachers will not be hired until a prinOklahoma City but across the state,” Ross tribes so they can start too,” Cornell said. ciple is hired and faculty and staff positions said.

Cornell said that in Oklahoma Native will be hired in late fall.

Like a chain reaction, in promoting the au“It’s kind of a complicated process but we thorization of SCS, Gover said other Tribes youth have a lot of mental health care crisis situations and a lot of that is not ever adwould be lucky if we get there next spring, are looking to also launch charter schools in dressed in educational institutions. we have to run a lottery if we have that much the upcoming year. The Comanche Tribe will “We will be able to offer them tools and interest in the school but if parents have fifth plan to launch an elementary school in Lawteaching and talking circles to really build or eighth graders right now in this school ton, Okla., the same year SCS will open. that knowledge and those tools so that they’re year and they’re in the Oklahoma city met“My biggest hope is that when SCS opens, able to understand what they’re feeling, have ro area they can totally come to our school this process we’re going to go through over coping skills, know appropriate pathways and you do not have to be an OKCPS student the next year of opening the school is going to wellness and really be able to save themto enroll at our school.

You can go to school to be the flagship of the SCS project and any selves and hopefully see some of these rates anywhere and enroll at our school, we will Tribe and Tribal community across the state with our kids decrease and see their educaonly be offering transportation to families that’s interested in what we’re doing in Oklational, mental and physical wellness all inwithin OKCPS boundaries,” Gover said. homa City can come and learn from us and crease,” Cornell said.

For pre-enrollment applications visit we can teach you how to open schools the The newly proposed and upcoming SCS www.kwiksurveys.com/s/ruX7PLEP#!/0 same way we opened SCS using a commuFor more information about Sovereign nity led design process, that’s what we do,” will move into the former Mayfair Center located at 3200 NW 48th St, Oklahoma City.

Community School, visit www.soverGover said.

The school plans to launch in the fall of 2019 eign-community-school.webflow.io.

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

PAGE 7

Homecoming queen yesterday, U.S. Marine today Rosemary Stephens, Editor-in-Chief

Brianna Bighorse is a name I will not forget. Not because of the name itself, but because of the young woman who possesses the name.

At 19-years-old, Bighorse is a 2018 graduate of Northwest Classen High school in Oklahoma City, where she was the football homecoming queen just one year ago. But that seems like a long time ago for the now U.S. Marine.

Bighorse recently completed her 13 week boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot, Parris Island, S.C., where she not only earned the Honor Graduate award for Platoon 4036 Oscar Company, 4th Recruit Training Battalion, but she also received the Molly Marine award, was top 10 percent in her class and her platoon’s highest shooter.

Not knowing what to expect, I arrived at her mother’s home in Oklahoma City and as I was setting up for the interview in bounced this energetic, smiling, confident young woman. I can only compare her presence to being stuck in a hot, stale space until someone opens a window and a blast of fresh clean air hits you … it was that kind of feeling.

Not knowing her prior to this meeting, I could immediately sense this young lady had never felt fear, or if she had, she had conquered that feeling and was no longer plagued by such an inconvenience as fear.

Settling in, my first question to this long hair, beautiful girl was her reasoning behind joining, what some people call, one of the most challenging military branch of service there is.

“I thought about going to college, but school really wasn’t my thing but I had always had thoughts of being in the military when I was younger … just didn’t really take it serious,” Bighorse said. But when it came closer to graduation she said she felt she needed to make a decision and chose the U.S. Marine Corps.

“I am the first member of my family to join the military … and why the Marines?

I get asked that a lot. I wanted a challenge because I am a really competitive person and I needed a challenge and there are very few Native women in the Marines,” Bighorse said.

She said she immediately met a drill instructor that called out, ‘whose Big Horse?’

“I yelled out, ‘I am,’ and this instructor looked at me and said, ‘I have been in the Marines for 20 years now and you’re only the second Native American woman I’ve ran across,’ so I am hoping to change that … even just a little,” Bighorse said.

Her decision made, she signed the papers in March 2018, with a scheduled date to leave in October 2018. But as is the case in life, plans changed.

“I signed in March and had to wait until after I graduated, so I was supposed to leave in October, but then my recruiter thought I was ready, though I wasn’t sure if I was ready physically, but I just decided to go ahead and go and I shipped out June 25 for South Carolina.”

Her mother, Rose Bighorse, thought she was crazy and didn’t think she would go through with it, but then at the last minute at the end she decided she was going, “but I knew she could do it, but I still thought she was crazy.”

And Bighorse’s journey to a world she never knew existed began. First time on an airplane, she said she was really nervous at first, but then it wasn’t so bad. Arriving in Charleston, S.C. her and other recruits were loaded on a bus, told to put their heads down and away they went.

“We had to put our head’s down so we couldn’t see where we were going. We get there and there was this drill sergeant screaming at us to get off the bus, everything was chaotic. We got to make one phone call to our parents, but we had to read a script and then just hang up and the whole time they are yelling at you and there were girls crying,” Bighorse said, and admittedly said she thought to herself several times, ‘Who does this? Who signs up to come do this … why did I do this?’

But she followed up by saying she didn’t understand at the time that everything they do has a purpose behind it and later on she said she viewed it as a pretty smart strategy.

“The hardest part for me was I was so tired, getting up at 4 a.m. everyday being on your feet all day, in the heat up until 8 p.m. at night and then still not getting to go to bed beBighorse / pg. 9

cause we had to get ready for the next day and then back up at 4 a.m. and start again,” she said, laughing about it now as it all seemed like a dream.

Soon she would find herself experiencing the gas chamber, rifle range, repel tower and the swim crawl … all events designed to mold and build her into a U.S. Marine.

“I didn’t like the repel tower, because I almost fell off of it, but the thing I liked the best was the gas chamber,” Bighorse said explaining the process of entering a room filled with gas chemicals, wearing a gas mask and having to remove the mask at different times without freaking out.

Which for some in her platoon was impossible.

“You just have to stay calm and it becomes mind over matter. The thing with boot camp, I came to believe,

Brianna Bighorse spends time with her mother, Rose Bighorse in Oklahoma City while on leave. Brianna reported to Camp Pendleton in San Diego, Calif. on Oct. 8. (Photo / Rosemary Stephens)

Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes host 100 Year NAC Commemoration (CONCHO, OK) The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes host the Native American Church State of Oklahoma 100 Year Commemoration Oct. 9-10.

On day one the commemoration began with an invocation, raising of the colors by the Cheyenne Arapaho American Legion Post 401 and a flag song.

Next, the Oklahoma Secretary of State and Native American Affairs, Chris Benge presented the state proclamation, by Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, proclaiming Oct. 10, 2018 as “Native American Church Day.” After the proclamation was read, Cheyenne and Arapaho Gov. Reggie Wassana welcomed the attendees to Concho saying he was happy the Tribes could support the Native American Church and the 100 Year Commemoration celebration.

Brunch was served and the program continued

Pvt. First Class Brianna Bighorse, U.S. Marine Corps

Gov. Reggie Wassana welcomes guests to the 100th Year Native American Church Commemoration held at the Concho Community Center in Concho, Okla. (Photos / Christopher Roman Nose)

with recognition Tribes and Tribal leaders, followed by presentations by the Apache Native American Church, Native American Church Cheyenne Chapter 1, Comanche Native American Church 1918 Chapter, Kiowa Native American Church, Otoe Native American Church and the Ponca Native American Church. Followed by a timeline presentation

by Linda Benally, Indigenous Peyote Conservation Initiative and Commemoration Committee.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day-OKC continued from pg. 1

Above: Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt reads the proclamation declaring Indigenous People’s Day as an official holiday for Oklahoma City.

(Right) Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Chief Gary Batton was honored with a Pendleton blanket in his support of Indigenous People’s Day. Peoples’ Day, new opportunities opened for the future of Oklahoma City and its Native communities.

“This is a celebratory day and it’s certainly appropriate and perhaps a bit overdue.

I’m the city’s first Native mayor. We have tremendous history going back many centuries, long before the founding of Oklahoma City, we have Indigenous history here in the city and today we still have a thriving Indigenous Native community here in Oklahoma City, we’re the soon to be home of the American Indian Cultural Center, we’re the soon to be home of the Sovereign Community School, we are the

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Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

PAGE 8

home of Red Earth and Sovereignty Symposium, we are the capitol city of a state that has 39 Native Tribes and it’s so very important that we value that and as a candidate for mayor I talked about valuing all the people of our city and certainly today we are following through on that promise,” Holt said.

Holt said people will take Indigenous Peoples’ Day as an opportunity to celebrate the history, heritage and culture of Native peoples.

“This is overwhelming, the size of the crowd, the excitement and emotion was tremendous and it was wonderful to be a part of it,” Holt said.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day

was part of a four-year project that many worked tirelessly to get passed through the city council. One activist, Sarah Adams-Cornell, member of Live Indigenous OK and citizen to the Choctaw Nation, made it a priority to continuously work on getting Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognized apart from Columbus Day. “We found out that the former mayor (Mick Cornett) was not going to run for re-election that he was actually running for governor and so we took that opportunity to really talk to all the candidates that were running for that office, to say how do you feel about this, so that we could be informed voters when we went to the polls to vote on our next mayor. When we sat down with Mayor Holt, we were so excited, he’s Osage and we were real excited to have a Native representation and the highest office in the city and so he really helped us come about this in a simple way, we had been going before council to get the votes, we knew we probably didn’t have the votes to change that this year, there wasn’t enough turnover in the council and so we worked together to come up with a proclamation so that he could simply just

make the proclamation himself and it was a completely different feeling and experience to work with somebody that wasn’t working against us, he was working with us,” Cornell said.

In working with Mayor Holt, Cornell said community effort is what initially pushed Indigenous Peoples’ Day to be recognized as an official holiday.

“Even through all the language to what we were going to call it, to talking about things like making sure we mentioned Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, that’s huge, I’ve never seen that in another proclamation so there was some really great things that we got to do with Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Oklahoma City that I’m really excited about,” Cornell said.

In closing, once the proclamation was read, a sense of joy and happiness spread across the crowd as they clapped in agreement and dancers continued to celebrate the mark of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. “Oklahoma Fancy Dancers just added that explanation point to the event because they are such amazing dancers and dancing is such an important part of what we do so we wanted this to be a celebratory event. There’s some sublimity to Indigenous Peoples’ Day and we have to acknowledge that and we also have to take that step forward and continue to move in a celebratory way celebrating Indigenousness,” Tallchief said.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day-El Reno continued from pg. 1

Cheyenne and Arapaho Gov. Reggie Wassana and City of El Reno Mayor Matt White on Oct. 8 in El Reno, Okla.

Harvey Pratt with his family, l-r: son Nathan Pratt, Harvey Pratt, wife Gina Pratt and son Judson Pratt.

Harvey Pratt was presented with a key to the City of El Reno and a copy of the Proclamation declaring El Reno’s first Indigenous Peoples’ Day by El Reno Mayor Matt White.

Indian Elder Awards continued from pg. 1

Chance Rush, comedian, entertains the audience and served as a spokesperson for the AISES conference.

AISES continued from pg. 4

While AISES aims to increase its participation and interest for STEM, AISES Director of Marketing and Communications, Montoya Whiteman said it’s important to reach younger audiences in the K-12 grades, and even before then.

“It’s to plant that seed of curiosity and discovery and link it to our Indigenous heritage because we are Indigenous scientists, our ancestors are Indigenous scientists, we were the first geologists, we were the first environmentalists, we were the first earth sciences and so we have that expertise and its genetic, it’s in our genes and it’s in our spirit, it makes up who we are. It’s our genetic makeup and so that’s what gets me passionate about working with AISES is that I’m able to return to my own communities and to Native students and those are going to be the scientists of tomorrow, we could have the second Native American astronaut in this room, that’s a really tough and high dream but that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible,” Whiteman said.

And Whiteman believes

through AISES, no dream is too big and the opportunities in the field of STEM are endless for native youth.

“STEM jobs are the highest paid, they’re the highest sought after and so we want to get in on that, those are the jobs of the future and so what’s important for us and the challenge is that we want to be able to get students into that work force, get them in that pipeline and to be interested in science, work on their grades, have good grades, really have the chance to dream big and strategize and have a plan as they’re going through that pipeline and be able to achieve what they want to and it all really comes down to exposure … That’s what we’re trying to do is we’re trying to increase that exposure to STEM and what STEM can offer an individual and their families and part of that is there’s good paying jobs out there for STEM,” Whiteman said.

As the conference overflowed with enthusiasm for growth in academics, the challenges most often associated with pursuing a STEM curriculum seemed

El Reno High School students in Indian Education attended and participated in activities for the AISES STEM day on Oct. 3.

to diminish as attendees applauded one another in each individual’s success.

“A word to the Indian students is never give up, it’s always been my motto no matter how difficult these things are, never give up because we can and we always have, that’s why we’re still here, we never gave up.

We’re still a people that accepts challenges and today we’re accepting an academic challenge, for the past we had our challenges to survive with our people being here so our priorities have switched now to different challenges and I always say you can do it, you can make it happen,” High Eagle said.

gree. strumental in starting the hepHamilton is a decorated U.S. atitis C clinic at Army veteran the Chickasaw Nation Medical and advocates for others. He Center as well is described as as the virtua man that anyal visit service one would be in the CNMC emergency deproud to call their partment and brother. pediatric clinic.

As a member Tribal elder Wanda Whiteman (center) is presented Parker is also a of the Post 401 American Le- with the elder’s medal as she poses for a photo with published augion, the Chey- staff members of AARP. (Photos / Rosemary Stephens) thor with her book, Dynamic enne and Arapaho Color Guard, U.S. Veterans Affairs Native Chickasaw Women, which was on the OklaAmerican Elders and the Veterans Affairs homa Book Awards finalist list and earned Warriors, Hamilton has helped countless the Gold Medal for Independent Publisher award.

Native and non-Native veterans.

The evening opened with a dance presenEvery Memorial Day Hamilton takes flags to all the Cheyenne and Arapaho cem- tation by the Oklahoma Fancy Dancers and eteries throughout western Oklahoma and an invocation by Dr. Steven Pratt. With over plants an American flag on the final resting 800 guests in attendance, Sourjohn said this place of each veteran. He has also won the year’s event marked the largest attendance national Gold Medal honors at the National to date.

To read the bios of all 50 Native AmeriVeterans Creative Arts Festival with Albert GrayEagle in performing arts and creative can elder honorees visit www.aarp.org.

To learn more about nominating a Native writing. Hamilton also enjoys being a sun dancer as a part of the traditional Cheyenne American elder for next year’s event email sun dance, offering prayers for the welfare MSourjohn@aarp.org or call toll free 866of the people and for the increase of their 295-7277. resources.

“We wanted to spotlight local Native American heroes that are making positive social change, helping other citizens live their best lives and all the while challenging the stereotypes and narrative of aging while they are doing it. Our honored elders have been recognized for their contributions from tribal leaders, tribal judges, lawyers, cultural preservationist, traditional bow makers, artists, Olympians, to elders who address food insecurity, education on traditional foods and even ten time world female arm wrestler champion,” Sourjohn said.

A relatively new addition to the OK Indian Elders event is the Dr. John Edwards Leadership Memorial award in honor of AARP’s former executive council member, Dr. John Edwards. Winning this year’s John Edwards Leadership Memorial award was Chickasaw Nation citizen Dr. Judy Goforth Matheson Hamilton awaits Parker.

Parker currently serves as a commissionthe calling of his name as one er of health policy of the Chickasaw Nation of the 50 elder honorees at the Division of Health (CNDH). She is an ad10th annual AARP Indian Elder vanced practice registered nurse (APRN) awards in Oklahoma City. at the CNDH women’s clinic. She was in-

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

History archives continued from pg. 6

Bighorse continued from pg. 7 was that it was a lot of mind over matter because a lot of it comes from freaking your own self out, not the event itself,” she said.

As the days turned into weeks, the weeks started to turn into months and surprisingly enough Bighorse said she was at the end … with 62 starting and finishing with 57 … she graduated on Sept. 21, 2018 and was officially Pvt. 1st Class Brianna Bighorse, United States Marine Corps.

“I’ve always had confidence, but I have more self-confidence than I have ever had. My emotions were off the wall graduating, it was bitter sweet because I had gone through this for three months with girls who were, at first, strangers, who became really close friends … it’s a big accomplishment,” Bighorse said.

On Oct. 8 Bighorse departed for Camp Pendleton in San Diego, Calif., where she will be in Marine Combat Training for 29 days.

Afterwards she will travel to Missouri for six weeks of training for her job as a Motor T, working on big vehicles.

“It was one of my job options and I chose that because I love working on trucks and cars,” she said, and if you met her this would not surprise you at all.

On the day of our interview Bighorse was going to be getting dressed in her dress blues and would be crowning the 2018 Northwest Classen High School

Brianna Bighorse proudly displays her Honor Graduate award for Oscar Company and her Molly Marine award.

homecoming queen, a title she held just a year ago.

“I would tell anyone in high school to go for it, join the military, it’s a big decision but it’s going to change your life. It’s changed my life. In the end you learn so many things in boot camp and you will have so many opportunities with a lot of doors opening up for you.

It may be hard during boot camp but all the hard work is going to pay off. I feel like an adult now, a lot more mature,” Bighorse said.

So if you are in school and one day you find yourself about to graduate high school with no plans and no direction … perhaps the U.S. Marine Corps will be the answer for you as it was for Bighorse.

“I would like to see a lot more Native American women in the Marines because I was like the only one. Every time someone heard my last

name, they would ask me, ‘is that really your last name?’

I would laugh and tell them yes, it’s really my last name, why would I kid about that.

Some of them acted like I was a foreigner,” she laughed and as she laughed she picked up her Honor Graduate award, signifying being first in her class and her Molly Marine award, you could see the pride in her eyes, in every movement of her being and I got the sense her decision to join the U.S. Marines was the best decision Bighorse ever made.

Brianna Bighorse is the daughter of Rose Bighorse and Christopher Billingsley.

She has three older siblings, two sisters, Valencia and Brittany Bighorse, and one brother Julius Billingsley.

Her maternal grandmother is Carol Shawnee, and her paternal grandparents are Tim and Barbara Billingsley.

PAGE 9

and harden your muscles and earn a little spending money at the same time while the harvest is going on?” the agent suggested.

Some people searching for their ancestors might find them on a truant list.

“I understand that two of my school boys have gone to your agency,” the Seger Indian Training School superintendent wrote to the Cantonment agent in 1904. “Their names are Mistamiha Wolfchief and James Badteeth, and Mihate Blackwolf may be with them.”

The OHC also houses examples of Cheyenne and Arapaho beadwork and other craftmanship in its archives and in the ONEOK, Inc. Gallery. Most of it was donated to the history center.

Jeffrey Briley, deputy director, said people who want to view the artifacts Cheyenne and Arapaho moccasins were often in the basement storage area should arbeaded to resemble the shape of a deer hoof. (Phorange it in advance. There they will find to / Kimberly Burk) dozens of drawers filled with moccasins in all sizes including doll moccasins, cradleboards, feather bonnets, pipe bags, tools, gourd rattles, powder horns, bridle rosettes, jewelry and leather clothing.

What they won’t see is pottery.

The Plains Indians were practical, Briley said.

“They used baskets or gourds as water containers,” he said. “And they liked to trade for cooking implements. A brass bucket works better and is more durable than a lot of other options.”

Upstairs in the gallery, Briley’s eyes sparkle when he shows off a beaded buckskin dress made in 1915 by Bear Woman, who was Cheyenne, for her 6-year-old granddaughter, Vida Roman Nose.

Staffers knew about the dress long before it was donated to the OHC, Briley said, because there was a photo in the archives of the girl wearing the striking piece of clothing.

But they had no idea who owned the dress or if it still existed.

Other pieces by Cheyenne and Arapaho artisans on display in the gallery include a shawl, a fan made from the white feathers of a bald eagle, a bolo tie, an 1890 hairpipe breastplate and a whetstone and case, circa 1870.

Another favorite of Briley’s is a piece of Cheyenne ledger art done in 1870 with colored pencils. It’s a self-portrait of a man named Buffalo Meat seated on a horse, rendered in a manner that makes the rider prominent in the drawing without sacrificing the form of the animal.

“Until then horses were depicted from the side,” Briley explained. “It had never been done in Native American art, the way he shortened the perspective. In a Cubist way he turned the horse.”

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

PAGE 10

E a t i n g healthy for

DIABETES

Halloween is just around the corner and candy will be of abundance. The trick is to enjoy your treats without being spooked. It is a time to talk to your kids about savoring their treats and help them be mindful of how they feel when they overeat on candy and too much sugar. Explain to them that you are going to spread out the candy over time. That they can pick out their favorites and then look at donating the rest to local shelters or make care packages to send overseas or to family and friends.

There are many options for healthier treats at Halloween. Grocery stores ae are stocked with kid-friendly favorites containing whole gran, extra vitamin C,

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Happy and Health Halloween

100-percent fruit juice and added fiber.

This year try mixing up the candy bowl with some of these items that kids will enjoy and you can feel good about serving. Here is a list of items that are available in easy to distribute single snack size packages.

Whole grain cheddar flavored crackers Fruit snack made with 100-percent fruit with added vitamin C Fruit leathers made with 100-percnt fruit Sugar-free gum Animal shaped graham crackers made without trans fat Mini rice cereal treats Cereal bars made with real fruit Individual fruit cups

Tara Conway, MS, RD, LD, CDE C&A Diabetes Wellness Program Mini 100-percent fruit juice boxes Low-fat puddings (great source of dairy) Mini bags of pretzels You should try and avoid snacks that contain nuts so children with nut allergies can enjoy Halloween. Instead of providing food at Halloween have you considered non-food items such as Halloween pencils, pens, stickers, tattoos, glow balls, bubbles or super rings?

Food borne illnesses can ruin your Halloween, remember to stay safe only enjoy factory wrapped treats. If you know the person who is making homemade treats, make sure you talk with your parents before eating the homemade treats. If you have a party

make sure your perishable food isn’t out more than two hours at room temperature.

To keep food cold, fill bowls with ice and place dishes on top. Avoid harmful bacteria that may contain Salmonella, always serve pasteurized products and avoid unpasteurized juice or apple cider.

When preparing treats, don’t eat any dough or batter that contains uncooked eggs.

For more information and tips on wellness contact Tara Conway at the Diabetes Wellness Program 405-4227685 or email tconway@ca-tribes.org.

Source:https://www.eatright.org/homefoodsafety-tips/ holiday/halloween, www.eatright.org/health/lifestyle/holiday/enjoy-a-healthy-and-happy-halloween.

Members of the Arapaho Tribes return to their home in the Boulder Valley

By Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post

Dancers in feathers and bright teal and pink regalia whirled to the beat of a drum in the center of Boulder High School’s gym as four generations of the Arapaho tribes sang a victory song in their ancestral home.

Hundreds of people gathered Sunday afternoon in the gym to welcome more than 100 members of the Northern and Southern Arapaho tribes back to land they inhabited for generations. In the 1850s, the Arapaho tribes were forced from Boulder Valley by white settlers and sent to reservations in other states.

The day-long celebration of their return was the product of more than a year of collaboration Opening ceremony of Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Oct. 7 at the Boulder High School between the tribes, local govern- in Boulder, Colo. The event is a recognition of the Arapaho Tribe, their culture, and the Arapaho tribes / pg. 13 importance of their history in Boulder County. (Photo / Chet Strange)

Thank you

Calendar

Arapaho District 2 and Cheyenne District 2 Date Night 6 p.m. Oct. 18 meeting at Chelinos in Bricktown, with movie to follow. Must be a registered voter of either district between the ages of 18-54.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month Outreach Events 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Geary Community Center in Geary, Okla.

1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Watonga Community Center in Watonga, Okla. Sponsored by the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes’ Domestic Violence Program.

Homer Wassana Memorial Dance Saturday, Oct. 20 at the Clinton Community Center in Clinton, Okla. Gourd dance begins at 2 p.m., supper at 5 p.m.

MC Burl Buffalomeat, HS Jimmy Anquoe, Honored Veteran Gerald Panana, HM Orville Whiteskunk, HL Angie Littleman, AD Jerry Romannose, Contest Coordinator Isaac Rhoads and Honored Family Duck and Margaret Anquoe. For more information call 405-538-5330.

Cheyenne and Arapaho R.E.Sp.E.C.T. Program’s annual Halloween Carnival 6 p.m. - 9 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018 at the Concho Powwow grounds in Concho, Okla., and the Clinton R.E.Sp.E.C.T. Gym in Clinton, Okla.

Inflatables, carnival games and petting zoo from 6-8 p.m., costume contest and pumpkin contest from 8-9 p.m. For more information call 405-422-7570.

Career Fair 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Oct. 26, 2018 at the R.E.SP.E.C.T. gym in Clinton, Okla., and Nov. 9 at the El Reno Fairgrounds education building in El Reno, Okla.

For more information contact Chris Sindone at 405-4227494.

Cheyenne and Arapaho Labor Day Powwow Committee’s Halloween Dance / Masquerade Oct. 27, 2018 at the Clinton Community Center in Clinton, Okla. Gourd dance at 2 p.m., supper at 5 p.m. and constume contest and masquerade at 8 p.m.

Costume contests for 0-5 year olds and 6-17 year olds.

Masquerade contest for 17 years and older.

MC Max Watan, HS Evan Ortiz, HM Jordan Roque, HL Sarah Kauley, HB Levi Porras, HG Ra-Kayah Davis and AD Alonzo Salcido.

Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes American Legion Post 401 Bingo 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018 at the Clinton Community Center in Clinton, Okla. Meal served at noon sharp.

Good prizes, good food, good fun.

Oklahoma City Community Thanksgiving Dinner 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018 at the Centennial building, State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. Hosted by Gov. Reggie Wassana and Lt. Gov. Gib Miles. For more information call 405-422-7734.

Career Fair - Cheyenne and Arapaho Dept. of Labor, Employment & Training Administration 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Nov. 9, 2018 at the El Reno Fairgrounds, Education building in El Reno, Okla. Lunch will be provided.

For more information call 405-422-7494.

We would like to say thank you to Gov. Reggie Wassana and all the support we received this year for our Warrior’s Celebration in Canton, Okla. Pictured l-r: Gov. Wassana, Ruben Watan, Lena Nells, Norene Starr and Dale Hamilton.

Norene Starr, Dale Hamilton, Lena Nells, Ruben Watan

LOST AND FOUND

If anyone is missing these from the Warrior’s Celebration in Canton, come by the Language and Culture Program Office in Building One to claim them or call 405-422-7433.

The 16th annual Elders Conference / Diabetes Wellness Program 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Nov. 9, 2018 at the Frisco Center in Clinton, Okla. Open to all tribal elders 55 and older. Breakfast and lunch will be served. Registration closes at 10:30 a.m.

No children allowed.

Native American College & Career Fair 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13 2018 at the Redlands Conference Center, Redlands Community College in El Reno, Okla. Free and open to all Native American students.

For more information call 405-422-1494 or email jessie.botone@redlandscc.edu.

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

HAPPY

Happy 10th Birthday (Oct. 29) to our Hockets baby girl- Mary Skye Curtis!

You’re so special to us.

We love you very much ~mom, gma Mary, Ben, Laney, Caelen & Kenna.

BIRTHDAY

Happy Birthday Erwin Pahmahmie Jr. Oct. 19 (I won’t put the year) We are proud of everything you’ve accomplished.

With love from Anne, Ronnie, Mary Ella, DJ, Jocilyn, Colton and Kyle

Pause for the cause, because 8 is great! Happy 8th Birthday to Princess Aleigha Raquel LittleThunder! We love you!

Love mommy, daddy, Gabe, CiCi, Mia, Kobe, aunt Monica & Sidney

Congratulations to Punkin Blackowl On Monday Sept. 17, 2018 Punkin Blackowl, 3 years old, won first place in the 2018 Comanche Nation Fair Beautiful Indian Baby Contest in the 3-4 year old boys division. Punkin is the son of Bridget Blackowl.

Oct. 29 You put the Sweet in Sweet 16!

We Love you bunches Ryan Baylen!

Happy Birthday Love all of your family

Congratulations Summer Pippen!

Summer Pippen placed third in the Cross Country for Ketchum in Wyandotte, Okla. Pictured is Summer (r) and her mother RobinAnn Winfrey.

OBITS

Katherine Ann (Fishinghawk) Humphrey was born on March 15, 1954 in Clinton, Okla., to Ann Louise LittleHead and Jesse Fishinghawk, Sr. She passed away surrounded by her husband, children, family and friends on Sept. 22, 2018 at the age of 64.

Katherine was raised in the Canton, Watonga and Clinton communities. She graduated high school at Chilocco Indian School.

Katherine married Tim Humphrey on May 12, 1996 and they made their home in Oakwood, Okla., for the past 25 years. Katherine worked for the tribal food distribution center in Watonga and

Margaret Pollock Feb. 10, 1926 Sept. 21, 2018 An all-night wake service was held Sept. 24 at the Concho Community Building.

Funeral services were held Sept. 25 at the same venue.

Interment followed at Concho Indian Cemetery.

PAGE 11

became a homemaker. She and her husband Tim enjoyed their country home, and love of country music together. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. Kathy was a very spiritual lady, close to her Great Creator and her Native American ways.

She was a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribes of America.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents; son Johnathan Fishinghawk; grandparents Frank LittleHead and Pauline LittleHead; sister Dorthy Dotsy Heenan; Survivors include her husband Tim Humphrey; three children, daughter Ste-

Marla Jean Big Horse Sept. 7, 1961 Sept. 28, 2018 An all-night wake service was held Oct. 2, 2018 at Elk City Indian Baptist Church.

Funeral services were held Oct. 3 at the Clinton Community Building. Interment followed at Clinton City Cemetery.

fanie James Sheldon and husband Trey of Oklahoma City, Okla., daughter Randi Lynn Smith and husband Rusty of Leedey, Okla., and son Paul “P.R.” Owens of Oakwood, Okla.; grandchildren Kyler Owens of Leedey, Kayla Anne Pollock of Woodward, Kolby Smith of Leedey, Johnathan Owens of Fairview, Karly Jean Owens of Wisconsin and Cash Owens of Oakwood; great-grandchildren Braylee Anne Hinkle and Cooper Baker of Canton and Venus Owens of Fairview; four brothers, Curtis Fishinghawk, Jesse Fishinghawk, Jr., Sonny Fishinghawk and Leroy Fishinghawk; one

Kirkland Lee Black Bear Feb. 28, 1976 Sept. 1, 2018 Wake services were held Sept. 25, 2018 at the Concho Community Building. Funeral services were held Sept.

26 at the same venue.

Oct. 19 Happy Birthday Rachel Mowatt!

(I won’t put the year) We are so grateful to have you.

With love from Anne, Ronnie, Mary Ella, DJ, Jocilyn, Colton and Kyle!

Happy 25th birthday to my baby Jeffrey Allen Baggett!! I'm so happy to have you in my life! We been thru so much in just the short amount of time we been together!

Just makes us stronger! I love you with all my heart! May God bless you with many more birthdays to come! Love always Nova

sister, Sue Fishinghawk; extended adopted kids are Byrd Roy Nightwalker and Sherri Berrong.

Wake services were held Sept. 25 at the Canton Native American Gymnasium.

Funeral services were held Sept. 26 at the same venue with Pastor Ezra Randall officiating.

Ahinawake Nibbs Feb. 9, 1935 Sept. 22, 2018 Wake services were held Sept. 26, 2018 at Concho Community Building. Funeral services were held Sept. 27 at the same venue. Interment followed at Concho Indian Cemetery.

Congratulations to the success of the C&A Warrior Celebration held in Canton, Ok on Sept. 29, 2018.

Singing Challenge winners are “Southern Boyz” Pictured are: Powwow committee, Gov. Reggie Wassana and Southern Boyz

Thank You

I want to thank Russell Willey with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Veterans office for helping me with gas money to go to my aunt Ina Parker’s funeral in Lawton on Sept. 7, 2018, who was my last living auntie.

She lived to be 96 years old.

Sue Whiteshield

PAGE 12

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS

To apply please submit a tribal application, resume, diploma(s), transcripts, valid copy of driver’s license and a copy of CDIB (if applicable) to the Personnel Department, PO Box 38, Concho, OK 73022 or call 405-422-7498 or email atisdale@c-a-tribes.org.

Arapaho Cultural House Parent Victims Advocate Concho Head Start Specialist Emergency Youth Domestic Violence Center C&A Language & Shelter-PT / On Call Closing: Until filled Supervisor Culture Program Closing: Until filled Closing: Until Filled Qualifications: Closing: Until Filled High school diploma and Qualifications: Qualifications: High school diploma or Qualifications: associate’s degree, with two Bachelor’s degree in earyears of documented experi- G.E.D. required preference Valid Oklahoma driver’s ly childhood education and ence as a domestic violence/ given to post secondary license. Must be insurable a minimum of one year exsexual assault advocate. Sub- training in the following re- for government fleet insur- perience working with adults stitute of experience for edu- lated fields: child develop- ance. High School graduate in a supervisory capacity or cation may be made only for ment, nutrition, culinary arts or equivalent. Five years of an associate’s degree with the associate’s degree. Abili- or psychology. One year’s experience in Arapaho tra- minimum of three year’s exty to work flexible hours and experience working in sitatu- ditional activities and proj- perience working in a superwilling to attend in state and ions related to children. Must ect management experience. visory capacity. Must have out of state training relevant be able and willinto work Supervisory experience mat a Tier I or higher training to job position. Ability to alternating shifts on week- substitute for educational in center administration and be on ‘on call’ status. Abili- ends, nights and holidays. requirements. Familiar with management. Must be faty to maintain high level of Must retain a valid Oklaho- the culture, history and tra- miliar with federal, regional, confidentiality on all client ma driver’s license and have ditions of the Arapaho. Must state and local tribal regumatters and other matters a clean driving record. Must be familiar with the C&A lations as they apply to the protected by the Privacy act pass criminal record check former reservation and ser- specific area of program opas well as other confidenti- and have a telephone or cell vice area. Must demonstrate erations. Must submit manality regulations. Possess a phone at place of residence. professional conduct. Must datory criminal background current Oklahoma driver’s Three current letters of ref- be available to work nights check prior to employment. license. OSBI and criminal erences required. Current TB and weekends as required by Mandatory reporting of all background checks required. skin test or chest x-ray and planned activities. Must have suspected incidents of child Cheyenne and Arapaho pref- pass complete physical ex- good writing, communica- abuse and neglect. Oversee amination. erence. tive skills and organizational the day to day operation of SALARY: Negotiable SALARY: Negotiable skills with attention to detail. the center.

SALARY: Negotiable SALARY: Negotiable Custodial/Maintenance Master Teacher Internship-Temp/PT On Call Child Care Program TEDNA / Education Hammon Community Arapaho Project Concho Closing: Until filled Center Manager Closing: Until filled Closing: Until filled C&A Language & Qualifications: Qualifications: Culture Program Qualifications: Current college student Required to be 18 years or Closing: Until Filled High school diploma or (2-4 year higher education older and possess an AA/AS Qualifications: G.E.D. required.

One year’s institution) majoring in eddegree or higher with ECE/ Associates degree from experience in custodial work ucation, American Indian CD credit hours. Oklahoma an accredited college. Five desirable.

Must know methStudies, social work or reCertificate of Mastery in Earyears of experience in Cheyods, materials and equipment lated field.

One to two years ly Childhood Development. enne traditional activities used in custodial work.

Abilrelated experience3 working Current Child Developmenbt and project management.

Associate Credential or Cur- ity to follow oral and written Supervisory experience may with students and/or tribes rent Certified Childcare Pro- directions. Indian Prefer- substitute for educational preferred. Must possess a valid driver’s license and be fessional Credential. Must ence. requirements. Familiar with SALARY: Negotiable currently insured. Must have have valid Oklahoma drivthe culture, history and trareliable transportation. Basic er’s license, pass a physiditions of the Arapaho. Must Transit Drive II – FT understanding of tribal sovcal exam and be able to lift be familiar with the C&A Tribal Transit Program ereignty, Oklahoma Native 50 lbs. Must pass drug test, former reservation and serClosing: Until Filled culture and experience to criminal background check vice area. Must demonstrate increase participation by the and submit to random drug Qualifications: professional conduct. Must individuals and tribes to be screenings.

Must possess CPR and have valid Oklahoma’s drivserved. Possess interpersonSALARY: Negotiable First Aid Certification or er’s license. Must be insural skills to handle sensitive be willing to attend vari- able for government fleet and confidential information ous training programs to insurance. Cheyenne prefTeacher if necessary, ability to work obtain certification. Must erence. Must be available to Child Care Program in a fast paced environment. pass pre-employment drug work nights and weekends as Concho Must be familiar with comscreening process and be required by planned activiClosing: Until filled puters, specifically Microsubject to random drug test- ties. Must have good writing soft Office, PDF formats and Qualifications: ing. Should be able to lift, at and communicative skills.

Google Documents.

SALARY: Negotiable Required to be 18 years or a minimum, 50 lbs. with no SALARY: Negotiable older and have a high school physical barriers from doing diploma or G.E.D. certifi- so. Must possess the ability cation. Must obtain CDA to communicate effectively or Mastery Certification to to patrons and superiors any maintain employment. Must findings, incidents, activities have valid Oklahoma driv- and daily responsibilities. er’s license, pass a physical Must possess a high school exam and lift up to 50 lbs. diploma and possible comMust pass a background pletion of a commercial drivcheck, mandatory drug and ing raining program and/or alcohol test, work flexible defensive driving program. work schedule and have ad- Must have an accept able quate transportation. Chey- driving record and if selected enne and Arapaho prefer- for the position, must proence. vide a current Motor Vehicle The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Child Development SALARY: Negotiable Report (MVR) from the Sate Program announces its participation in the Child and Adult Department of Public Safety.

Care Food Program (CACFP.) All participants in attenSALARY: Negotiable dance are served meals, at no extra charge to the parents.

The United States Department of Agricultural (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status familial or parental status, sexual orientaThe following applicants need to complete a 2018 UPtion, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived DATE FORM by Oct. 31, 2018 from any public assistance program, or protected genetic If an update form is not received by this date, they will information in employment or in any program or activity be removed from the Mutual-Help waiting list for FAILconducted or funded by USDA. (Not all prohibited bases URE TO UPDATE-NO EXCEPTIONS!! will apply to all programs and/or activities.)

For questions or more information please contact Ei-

Department of Housing Waiting List Report Mutual Help Program

leen Salcido at 580-331-2400.

Paris Goodbear Michael Kodaseet Norma Smith Cathy Yellow Eagle

Charles Harrison Sara Johnson Lehomahte Wassana Cornelius Bates

If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr. usda.gov/compliant_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call 866-632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, by fax 202-6907442, or email at program.intake@usda.gov.

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339 or 800-845-6136(Spanish).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

This statement applies to the centers listed here: Concho Child Development Center and Clinton Child Development Center

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

LEGAL NOTICES

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

Silas Miles, El Reno High School Born and raised in El Reno, Okla., Silas Miles, 18, confident and self-assured in demeanor, looks to make a final impression as a high school student on the football field. Standing at 6’4, Silas is a senior who plays right guard and offensive line for the El Reno Football Team.

When did you first begin playing and how?

I began playing my freshman year, I never even thought about playing until people started telling me to try out and stuff because of my weight and height and size and I’ve just been playing since then.

What is it about the sport that you love the best?

It can teach you life lessons like when not to quit, like when times get tough throughout life it helps out in the long run.

What has been your biggest accomplishment in the sport so far?

Recently, SNU has been talking to me lately asking if I’m interested I told them yeah I’d be interested, basically I’m trying to get scholarship offers for this sport.

What is your biggest accomplishment in the class-

room so far?

Just keeping my grades up, trying to get A’s and B’s.

What is your GPA (if known)?

3.3 What goals have you set for yourself in sports, school?

Try to get some scholarships and do good and do a deadlift max, most I deadlifted so far is 500. For school, to graduate.

What actions are you taking to reach these goals?

Show up on time and try to do good in class and out in the field.

What has been the most exciting game you have played in?

When we played Noble last week, because we was down at the beginning of the game and the first half and we came back and won.

They only scored once in the second half, we won by like 8 points, if they didn’t score the last two minutes of the game we would’ve won by like 15 points.

What is the best advice you have ever been given and who gave you that advice?

Be mad dog mean, one of my coaches, coach Bak-

PAGE 13

Interview by Latoya Lonelodge

er told me that. Try to get a personal foul just from playing dirty, not playing dirty but just playing physical.

Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by?

Just do it.

Who or what inspires you the most?

My dad inspires me because when I first started this sport, I didn’t know what to expect but he told me how it’s going to go down, how it’s gonna be a lot of hitting, he told me stick with it no matter what.

What does your routine workout consist of to stay fit for your sport? How often?

I got first hour weight lifting in the morning, when I practice we got conditioning and running every school day.

What are one or two things in your training, that you feel are keys to you being successful in your sport?

Cardio and strength.

What is your favorite meal before or after a game?

Steak Who has had the biggest impact on your life?

My dad because he showed me how, what’s right

and wrong, he raised me.

What are some of your hobbies (what do you like to do when not playing sports)?

I like to hangout with my friends, sleep and workout.

What kinds of music do you enjoy listening to?

Classic hip-hop What is one thing about you that no one else knows?

I’m making moccasins and have an upcoming project.

Were you ever bullied in school? What steps do you feel should be taken to protect those being bullied in schools today?

To let people know and let me know and see what happens from there.

How do you combat drug & alcohol use by peer pressure?

StrongHearts Native Helpline receives 1,000th call from those affected by Domestic Violence and Dating Violence Across Indian Country

Just say no, walk off.

If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

Make everybody get along with each other.

What would be a dream come true for you in your life?

To make the NFL or make the UFC. Who is your favorite athlete of all time?

Carter L Thomas, he’s not in college yet but he’s a LSU commit, he’s graduating this year, same year as me, but he’s number one in the nation right now for offensive line. He’s from Baton Rouge, L.A. Which team is your favorite team?

OU What are your immediate

plans after graduating high school?

Go to whatever college I decide to go to, whatever college gives me the best offer. I’d probably go for business, start my own, because I weld and start a welding business or something like that.

What would be your advice to younger kids coming up behind you?

Whatever sports you’re playing in, whatever you do in life, just be positive and be cool with everybody and stick with it.

Silas’s parents are Emil Miles and Sonya Orange.

His grandparents are Clifford and Elizabeth Reeder.

He has three siblings, Marshal, Matt and Courtney.

Arapaho Tribes continued from pg. 10

Calls received at helpline paint a picture of Native victims’ experience and critical need for culturally-based supportive services for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AUSTIN, TX) In time for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the StrongHearts Native Helpline (1-844-7NATIVE) announced 1,000 callers have now reached out to the helpline for safe, confidential support and resources for domestic violence and dating violence, shining a light on the deeprooted issues of violence plaguing Tribal communities across the United States.

Since March 2017, the StrongHearts Native Helpline has offered a culturally-appropriate space for victims, survivors, their families and friends, service providers and abusive partners to reach out for help. As a partnered effort, StrongHearts combines the technology and infrastructure of the National Domestic Violence Hotline with the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center’s policy and programmatic expertise and community connections.

“This is a key milestone in our work to support those facing intimate partner violence, though we recognize these calls are only beginning to scratch the surface of violence in Tribal communities,” said StrongHearts Assistant Director Lori Jump (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians). “Every call speaks to the bravery of our people in breaking the silence of violence in our homes, families and communities.

For those reaching out to StrongHearts, we hear you, and we are here for you, no matter what.”

Steeped in Native cultures and traditions, advocates navigate each caller’s abuse situation with safety, compassion and respect. Created by and for Native American communities, StrongHearts is uniquely designed to serve a population facing some of the highest rates of domestic violence in the United States. Tribes, even as sovereign nations, face significant jurisdictional hurdles when addressing domestic violence in

their communities. Gaps in culturally based supportive services create unique barriers for Native victims seeking help.

According to StrongHearts’ data from its first 19 months of operations, the severity of victims’ experiences is telling: more than 7 out of 10 victim-survivor callers reported experiencing more than one type of abuse (71 percent), including physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, digital abuse, cultural abuse, and other complex situations. Nearly half of callers experiencing violence reported a child being involved in their situation (46 percent).

The top service referral requested by victims, survivors were shelters and legal advocacy.

“Because more than four in five Native Americans experience violence in their lifetime, there is a clear need for a national, confidential and tailored resource like StrongHearts to support Native victims,” said Jump. “However, we cannot do this work without the help of our relatives; every call to the helpline speaks to the need for more resources for tribally-run services for victims in Indian Country and Alaska Native communities.”

In 2016, the National Institute of Justice released a study indicating more than one in three American Indian and Alaska Native women and men had experienced violence within the past year. Of those who had experienced violence, a third of Native women and one in six Native men were unable to access the supportive services they needed.

“Our advocates take calls from victims, survivors, family members and friends, service providers, youth and elders— anyone who is impacted by violence and needs help,” said Jump. “Domestic violence affects everyone in our communities and each generation. We encourage anyone who needs to talk to reach out to us. Every story matters.”

ment officials and local organizations.

It was a bittersweet moment; simultaneously a joyous homecoming and a reminder of past and present trauma.

“We always have a sensation, a feeling, here in this area where our ancestors left their moccasin prints,” said William C’Hair, eagle chair of the Northern Arapaho.

“We can still hear the echoes of the songs of our ancestors in the wind,” he said.

Elders and tribal leaders explained the history of the Arapaho in the Boulder area, where the tribe wintered for hundreds of years until white miners discovered gold in the foothills in the late 1850s and settled there, despite a previous treaty that preserved that land for the tribe. The Arapaho split into two and the approximate 12,000 current members of the tribes now live on reservations in Wyoming and Oklahoma, which they share with other tribes.

The Arapaho are the only tribes in the U.S. without a reservation of their own.

Members of Right Relationship Boulder, a volunteer organization working to help Boulder Valley residents learn about native cultures, first reached out to the Arapaho tribes about a year and a half ago, volunteer Paula Palmer said. Three members of the group traveled to the reservations in Wyoming and Oklahoma to meet with tribe members and discuss what kind of relationship the tribes would want with the people now living in their homelands.

“For us, it’s more than

Photo / Chet Strange just an event,” Palmer said.

“It’s relationship building.”

Organizers hope that the celebration Sunday, ahead of Monday’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day, will serve as the beginning of an ongoing relationship between Boulder leaders and the Arapaho. The school district also hopes to collaborate with the Arapaho tribes in improving how the tribes’ history and current culture is taught.

“We noticed that it’s not necessarily the history the people it’s representing want to be told or how they want it to be told,” said Kyle Addington, director of health and culture for the Boulder Valley School District.

There’s still work to be done, said Ava Hamilton, a member of Right Relationship who is Arapaho. In the future, the group and the tribes hope to work with city and county leaders to set land aside for the Arapaho people so that they have a place to stay when they travel through the area and a place to teach their children about their home.

“It’s really important to be able to have a relationship with our home,” Hamilton said.

Many of the members of the tribes said words failed them when trying to describe the feeling of returning home. Despite decades of separation, a special connection with the land and water remains.

“Our houses may be in Wyoming,” said Roy Brown, chairman of the Northern Arapaho Business Council. “But our hearts and our spirits are here. It feels so good to be home.”

Tsistsistas & Hinonoei

Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribal Tribune

PAGE 14

Cheyenne-Arapaho Domestic Violence Program brings education, awareness to communities in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Dept. of Social Services Executive Director Winnie Whitetail addresses the audience during the kick off outreach in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. (Photos / Rosemary Stephens) Rosemary Stephens Editor-in-Chief

They wear purple … for survivors of Domestic Violence, who have been wounded physically, mentally and emotionally, the color is meant to be a symbol of peace, courage, survival, honor and dedication to ending the violence.

And stopping domestic violence was the key message at the Domestic Violence Awareness kick off event held Oct. 4 at the Concho Community Center in Concho, Okla. The event was the first of four planned community events hosted by the Cheyenne and Arapaho Domestic Violence (CADV) program.

“I believe it all stems back to our Cheyenne and Arapaho families. If we teach our children and our young people the proper roles of our people and how to treat our

women, how to treat our men and how to treat our children, if we will do that, our communities will begin to heal and be healthy again,” Winnie Whitetail, Dept. of Social Services executive director said.

Domestic Violence Awareness month was observed in 1981 as a national day of unity. It was established by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) to ensure the victims knew there was help available.

Domestic violence is a serious violent crime that includes physical, mental and emotional abuse. It is often hidden from public view, even from extended family members. Many victims suffer in silence, afraid to seek help or not knowing where to turn. The traumatic effects of domestic violence also extend beyond the abused person, impacting immediate

family members and communities. Children who often witness the violence become victims themselves later in life, or worse, perpetrators of violence.

According to the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Native American women are at a significantly higher risk for domestic violence than other populations with 84 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native women experiencing violence in their lifetime and more than half have endured the violence at the hands of an intimate partner. More than two-thirds of the women, or 66 percent, say they have been the victims of psychological aggression by a partner, more than half of the Native women have endured sexual assault and another 48 percent have been stalked. In comparison, roughly 35 percent of non-Native women and 28 percent of non-Native men in the U.S. have experienced rape, physical violence and/ or stalking by an intimate partner in their entire lifetime.

With those staggering statistics ever present in one’s mind, Whitetail said she has learned three things over the years.

“If you want to curb, say substance abuse, and I will transfer these over to apply to domestic violence, but there are three things that have to be present to create a substance or drug user. One, they have to have someone that models the behavior for them, shows them how to do it. Two, the substance is present and three it becomes acceptable behavior within the family,” Whitetail said.

“So if I want to not create a substance abuser it would be, one, don’t model that behavior for anyone, two remove the substance from your home, and three make it unacceptable in your home and in your community … unacceptable to use alcohol or drugs.”

Whitetail expanded on her thoughts by applying the same principles to domestic violence. She said first of all do no harm to others, do not batter your wife or batter your husband in front of your children. Second make it an unaccepted behavior not allowed in homes and in communities.

“If we remove the domestic violence then we are going to have healthy communities. We are going to have healthy children. We are going to have healthy partnerships,” she said.

Whitetail said a story had come to her while driving to the event of a time when she was just a teenager living in Thomas, Okla. She said she remembered watching her cousin beating his wife.

“It made me sick to my stomach. I didn’t live in that home, but it just made me sick. I ran clear across town to one of my aunties, who was a positive person, and I could just go in and say to her, ‘auntie guess what I just saw … guess what happen?’ and she said, ‘oh we better call the police,” Whitetail said. “It had an emotional effect on me, on my spirit and on my well-being.”

One thing Whitetail knows for sure is domestic violence and substance abuse has become a behavior within the tribes’ communities

that has become accepted, turning a blind eye, but that it needs to be made unacceptable with the tribes and within tribal homes. Breaking the cycle … much along the same thinking as Gov. Reggie Wassana in his remarks.

“Most of you know about domestic violence because it has hit most of our families. Domestic violence is a cycle and we have to break that cycle. As you lose your traditions and culture you lose your ability to see what is right and what is wrong,” Wassana said.

Culture and traditions are the solutions both Whitetail and Wassana see as the answer in combatting, not only domestic violence, but substance abuse, child abuse and child removal.

“Child abuse, child removal, substance abuse and domestic violence are all on an equal plane. One influences the other. We as Cheyenne and Arapaho people have the culture and the traditions as tools. We have to put the culture and traditions out here (in the communities) and then we can see them, acknowledge and appreciate them. Our women deserve

better. Our men deserve better. Our children deserve better,” Whitetail said.

And in educating and promoting domestic violence prevention, Wassana said it best when he said, “We have to teach and educate people about domestic violence awareness not monthly or weekly, but daily. As parents we need to teach our children how to respect women and how to respect themselves.

We have to break the cycle generation to generation, we have to teach and we have to remember who we are. As Indian people domestic violence is not who we are.”

The Domestic Violence Program will be hosting awareness events 1-2:30 p.m., Oct. 19 at the Geary Community Center in Geary, Okla., and 1-2:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Watonga Community Center in Watonga, Okla.

If you or someone you know is in a domestic violence relationship, and needs help, call the Cheyenne Arapaho Domestic Violence 24 Hour Hotline at 405620-6395 or 405-538-5590 or call StrongHearts Native Helpline toll free at 844-7628483.