_ __ _____ __ _ __ ___ ____ _ __ ___ ' ) / / ') / / ) ' ) ) / ) / ' ) ) / ) / / / / / / /--/ / / / ___ / / / / ___ (_(_/ (__/ ( / (_ / (_ (___/ '__/_ / (_ (___/ ' ____ _ , ___ _ , ___ / ' ) / / ) ' ) / / ' VOLUME 14, ISSUE 043 / /-< / /--/ /-- __/_ / ) (___/ / ( (___, WOTANGING IKCHE - Lakota - Common News Wotanging Ikche and Native American News Copyright c. 1996-2006 nanews.org Aboriginal/AmerIndian Perspective about the First Nations of Turtle Island October 28, 2006 Zuni Li'dekwakkwya lana/big wind moon Western Cherokee Duninhdi/harvest moon Mvskogee Otowoskv-rakko/big chestnut moon Eastern Cherokee Nvda tsiyahloha/harvest moon +-------------------------------------------------------+ | Much more happens in Indian Country than is reported | | in this weekly newsletter. For daily updates & events | | go to http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm | +-------------------------------------------------------+ Otapi'sin Atsinikiisinaakssin -- Blackfeet -- News for All the People Ni-mah-mi-kwa-zoo-min -- Ojibwe -- We Are Talking About Ourselves Aunchemokauhettittea -- Naragansett -- Let Us Share News Kanoheda Aniyvwiya -- Cherokee -- Journal of the People O Es'te Opunvk'vmucvse -- Creek -- People's New News O o O Acimowin -- Plains Cree -- Story or Account O o O Tlaixmatiliztli -- Nahuatl -- News O o o o o O Agnutmaqan -- Listuguj Mi'kmaq -- News O o O Sho-da-ku-ye -- Teehahnahmah -- Talking Birchbark O o O Un Chota -- Susquehannic Seneca -- The People Speak O Ha-Sah-Sliltha -- Ditidaht Nation -- News of the People Ximopanolti tehuatzin, inin Mexika tlahtolli -- Nahuatl -- For you we offer these words It-hah-pe-hah Ah-num pah-le -- Chickasaw -- Together We Are Talking Dineh jii' adah' ho'nil'e'gii ba' ha' neh -- Navajo Nation -- What's Happening among The People News Okla Humma Holisso Nowat Anya -- Choctaw -- People(s) Red Newspaper Hi'a chu ah gaa -- Pima -- The stories or the talk of the People s ch mA mL tL squee Lux -- Okanogan -- News from the People Native American News -- Language of the Occupation Forces ++>If you speak a Native American language not listed above, please send us your words for "News of the People." We'd rather take up this whole page saving these few words of our hundreds of nations than present a nice clean banner in the language of the occupation forces who came here determined to replace our words with their own. email gars@nanews.org with the equivalent of "News of the People" in your tribal language along with the english translation <================<<<< >>>>================> This newsletter is produced in straight ASCII text for greatest portability across platforms. Read it with a fixed-pitch font, such as Courier, Monaco, FixedSys or CG Times. Proportional fonts will be difficult to read. <================<<<< >>>>================> This issue contains articles from www.owlstar.com; www.indianz.com; www.pechanga.net; Frostys AmerIndian, Chiapas95-En and N.A. Poetry Mailing Lists; UUCP Mail IMPORTANT!! ----------- In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, all material appearing in this newsletter is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for educational purposes. <================<<<< >>>>================> This newsletter is a way of keeping the brothers and sisters who share our Spirit informed about current events within the lives of those who walk the Red Road. ++ It may be subscribed to via email by sending a request from your own internet addressable account to gars@speakeasy.org ++ It is archived at http://www.nanews.org <================<<<< >>>>================> +-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --+ + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- + | As historian Patricia Nelson | | Once a language is lost, it is | | Limerick summarized in "The | | gone forever | | Legacy of Conquest: The Unbroken | | * Of the 300 original Native | | Past of the American West... | | languages in North America, | | "Set the blood quantum at | | only 175 exist today. | | one-quarter, hold to it as a | | * 125 of these are no longer | | rigid definition of Indians, | | learned by children. | | let intermarriage proceed as | | * 55 are spoken by 1 to 6 elders;| | it had for centuries, and | | when they die, their language | | eventually Indians will be | | will disappear. | | defined out of existence." | | * Without action, only 20 | | "When that happens, the federal | | languages will survive the next| | government will be freed of | | 50 years. | | its persistent 'Indian problem.'"| | Source: Indigenous Language | +-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --+ | Institute | |http://www.indigenous-language.org| This issue's Quote: + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- + =================== "When I was a boy, I saw the white man afar off, and was told that he was my enemy. I could not shoot him as I would a wolf or a bear, yet he came upon me. My horse and fields he took from me. He said he was my friend. He gave me his hand in friendship; I took it, he had a snake in the other; his tongue was forked; he lied and stung me." "I asked for but a small piece of this land, enough to plant and live on far to the south - a spot where I could place the ashes of my kindred - a place where my wife and child could live. This was not granted me." __ Chief Wild Cat (Coacoochee), Seminole +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ | Indian Pledge of Allegiance | The Indian Pledge of Alleg- | | iance was first presented | I pledge allegiance to my Tribe,| on 2 December '93 during the | to the democratic principles | opening address of the Nat- | of the Republic | ional Congress of American | and to the individual freedoms | Indian Tribal-States Relat- | borrowed from the Iroquois and | ions Panel in Reno, NV. NCAI | Choctaw Confederacies, | plans distribution of the | as incorporated in the United | Indian Pledge to all Indian | States Constitution, | Nations. | so that my forefathers | | shall not have died in vain | Walk in Beauty! Night Owl +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ | Journey | In the summer and early fall | The Bloodline | of 1998 the Treaty Unity Riders | | rode a thousand miles on horse- | For all that live and live by law | back, carrying a staff and | We Stand, we Call, We Ride | praying each step of the way. | For All that fear and fear by sight | | We Hear, we Listen, we Ride | These prayers were offered for | For all that pray and pray by strength| each of us, and that the Unity | We Feel, we Move, we Ride | of all Peoples might happen. | For all that die and die by greed | | We Hurt, we Cry, we Ride | Tatanka Cante forwarded this | For all that birth and birth by right | poem on behalf of all the Unity | We Smile, we Hold, we Ride | Riders that we might stop and | For all that need and need by heart | ask if the next words we say, the | We Came, we Went, we Rode. | next act we make is for the good | | of the People or is it from ego | Treaty Unity Riders | for self. +- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -+ O'siyo Brothers and Sisters! The lead article in this issue concerns the loss of Native tongues in Oklahoma. The sad truth is Oklahoma is not unique in this regard. Our Native languages are disappearing, and with them our Native cultures. Language is arguably the most important component of a culture, because much of the rest of that culture is normally transmitted orally. It is impossible to understand the subtle nuances and deep meanings of your culture without knowing its language well. Thoughts expressed in one language can rarely be translated into another language with all the nuances and underlying meaning intact. Two native people speaking in English will be expressing a slightly different world view than they would if they were having that same conversation in their own native tongue. As languages die, the cultures also die, leaving little real reason to maintain the separate cultural identity that language belonged to. Some Tribes and First Nations are making serious efforts to bring new life to their languages by making their tribal tongue a required subject in tribal schools. It is true children adapt more quickly than do adults to language training. It is also true that the next generation carrying the language will insure its continuance. Knowledge of the language alone is not, however, enough. It must be the primary means of exchanging thoughts and communicating for the language to be functional, and the major key to cultural survival. Otherwise, it remains window dressing, and the culture becomes a parody of itself. =========================================== - Warrior Moccasins Project seeks out your help Date: Sunday, September 24, 2006 02:10 pm From: Sherry Subj: Warrior Moccasins Project seeks out your help! Mailing List: Frostys AmerIndian Warrior Moccasin Project seeks out experienced beaders, moccasin makers and names for a pair of moccasins for their service in the military. Those interested in donationg Deer Hides, please email me so i can give you the name and address of where to ship it to. Deer hides CAN be donated to this project. To do so, you must first salt the hides with medium grade salt which can be purchased at any farm supply store. After salting the hide(s) ship them to the address i will give you following the laws as specified BY YOUR STATE. A copy of the possession tag which was issued by the game warden must be included for each hide being shipped. Any monetary donation to this project is also greatly appreciated. Each cost of the pair of moccasins is $32.00 (includes shipping/handling charge). Those serving in harms way and those who have returned state side are encouraged to get in touch with my via email. If you know of a native military troop member who you want to honor, please get a hold of me through my email. Thank you :) =========================================== Again, this winter this editorial section will feature groups or individuals who are helping those in need, primarily on reservations and especially those who aid children and elders. Urban help will not be excluded. I have lived in the Cedar-Riverside area of Minneapolis and been a guest in Lakota Housing in Rapid City and in Shiprock. The need to eat and be warm does not end because a person has left the rez. PLEASE forward contact information for all you know who help those less able to do so make it through the harsh winter months. ------ Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 16:15:49 +0300 From: "Brigitte Thimiakis" Subj: HYS WINTER 2006 Toys & Clothing Request Winter & Christmas 2006 - Toys and Clothing Request Winter will set in soon in many places of the world, but once again it will not be the same for all the children. Some are lucky and have everything they need, other children have much more than they need... and yet there are also the children who have very little - or nothing... They don't have the right clothes, and they have no toys. These children need warmth, and they need hope, and loving support. You can be there for these children, and make a difference in their lives. Even if the Northern Cheyenne Reservation is far away from you, toys, warm clothing and shoes can be sent to them directly on the reservation, where they will be distributed by trusted Northern Cheyenne contacts who have helped so much the previous years. There is a large need especially for new and good quality used warm items, as well as toys. During Montana winters, the temperature can drop to 30 or 40 degrees below zero so warm winter clothing and blankets can be lifesaving. These items will be distributed right away. The toys will be distributed during the Christmas give away. Here is a list of things that can be sent in support of these children: - warm clothing such as knitted items for children of all ages from babies to teenagers, children's jeans, coats and warm T-shirts - socks, gloves, boots, hats and scarves - blankets - toys for Christmas Other items that would also be appreciated: grooming supplies like toothpaste, tooth brushes, soaps and shampoos, combs, hair brushes, hair barrettes, rubber bands or other types of hair or pony tail holders. Last but not least : pampers diapers or pull-ups. Please make sure that the items sent are safe, and sensitive to the culture of the children and their People. When sending a box, it would be appreciated if you could send us a short email with your name or location, type of items sent ('toys', 'clothing', etc), approximate weight and shipping date, so that we can help our contacts by keeping a list of what is sent to them. Our aim is to always make sure that everything reaches the reservation. The priority of our group, "Honor your Spirit - Protect the Children" is to make sure all donations get to where they are supposed to and recognized. It is very important to us to make sure that everything is distributed fairly and to those in the greatest need. Our goal is to help the children of families unable to make ends meet due to the high unemployment rate, the difficult conditions and the extreme poverty on the reservation. These children need all the help and encouragement they can get, so if you can help, please contact us for more information. Contact Info: Dodie Finstead, USA dodie_finstead@yahoo.com JR Robertson, USA Jim_ Robertson@BarefootCreations.com Dominique Larrede, France d.larrede@wanadoo.fr Brigitte Thimiakis, Europe thimiakischool@the.forthnet.gr Respectfully, Honor Your Spirit, Protect The Children "Your help makes a huge difference for those who have never received help. Your donations provide hope and encouragement to those who have never known these qualities. Your concern and solidarity can improve the lives of many children, elders, families, on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. There is still a lot to do but all together you can help us make these dreams come true. Thank you for being a part of this project and supporting it." Respectfully, Manuel Redwoman, Northern Cheyenne/Lakota/Arapaho To learn more about the HYS projects, please visit: http://www.geocities.com/honoryourspirit/home Our heartfelt thanks to everyone for your support ! <>o<>o<>o<>o<>o<>o<>o<>o<>o<>o<>o<>o<>o<>o ==[This message may be forwarded under the condition that it is not altered in any way] == ---- http://www.devilslakejournal.com/articles/2006/10/20/news/news01.txt "Stuff a Truck" help for the holidays begins By Crystal Martodam Journal Staff Writer October 20, 2006 Load 'em up and move up, it's that time of year again for the "Stuff A Truck" food drive to fill the local food pantry at the Dakota Prairie Community Action Agency in Devils Lake. Dakota Prairie disperses food according to need and not income. For example the loss of a house in a fire or some other tragic accident that leaves a family or individuals in need of emergency food supplies. This year the food drive will begin on Oct. 23 and run until Nov. 12. This will be the fourth annual "Stuff A Truck" event. Dave Burstad, assistant manager at Leevers County Market said that there will be very large bins set up at the front of the store with the "Stuff A Truck" logo on them. Any non-perishable food items can be placed in these bins for donation. Cash donations are welcome also. There will be paper trucks that can be purchased, your name can be placed on the truck or it can be left blank. The trucks will then be hung on the walls in the store. Brustad also commented that items will be tagged in the store. "Many times people are unsure of what the pantry is lacking," he said. "This will help make it easier for those who wish to contribute." There will also be pre-bagged groceries than can be purchased for $10 and then placed in the bins. These bags are non-perishable food items that have been pre-bagged by Dakota Prairie with needed items. For every bag bought Leevers will also be donating between $1.75 and $2 per bag. "The bag has a value of $12 rather than $10," Brustad said. Last year there was approximately $1,500 worth of groceries collected. "We try to make it bigger and better every year, so we are hoping for more this year," Brustad said. This is the seventh year that the Stuff a Truck Program has been running. It began at that time in the Country Markets in Minnesota donating to the local food pantries. "This is not designed as an advertising entity, it is designed to help the community," Brustad said. People can also make direct cash donations to the Dakota Prairie Agency. "It is such a fun program we look foreword to every year." Brustad said. The local food pantry run through the Dakota Prairie Community Action Agency is an emergency pantry. It is there to help people in need. There are other services available at the DPCAA that can provide aid to an individuals situation such as providing money management services and services that can help an individual receive services from government programs that may be available to them because of income. For more information contact them at (701) 662-6500. Street Address: Dakota Prairie Community Action Agency 1219 College Drive Devils Lake, ND 58301 USA Mailing Address: Dakota Prairie Community Action Agency P. O. Box 698 Devils Lake, Nd 58301 Contact Name Phone 701-662-6500 FAX 701-662-6511 Copyright c. 2006 Devils Lake Journal, a GateHouse Media paper. Dohiyi Ani Oginalii , , Gary Smith (*,*) wotanging@bellsouth.net P. O. Box 672168 (`-') gars@nanews.org Marietta, GA 30006, U.S.A. ===w=w=== http://www.nanews.org ----------- News of the people featured in this issue ----------- Editorial Section: - OPINION: Indians are . Language Loss, Culture Loss the Palestinians of Virginia . Warrior Mocassins - YELLOW BIRD: Tribes should . Winter Help guarantee Press Freedom - Group draws attention - Cobell sees parallels to disappearing Languages in Aboriginal wage theft - New Program solves - Center protects Rez Home Ownership Conundrum American Indian Languages - Katrina debacle leaves Blackfeet - Language Loss Can Be Reversed drenched in debt - Impending Massacre in Chiapas - Pueblo, Navajo - Concerns about $34M sue over Education restructuring in Kanesatake Police Spending - Yankton Sioux Tribe ER closes - Chiefs to meet with Council - Call for early adoption on Water Declaration of UN Rights Declaration - Ontario investigates Cigarette Ads - Border Town Hate Crimes discussed - Chief Paul gets - Bison Range employees peace offering from Ottawa complain about Tribe - Candidate wants - BIA to sign agreement to cancel Me'tis Agreement to remove Klamath Dam - Native fishermen refuse - Ho-Chunk Inc teams to pull Fishery Traps with Wisconsin Tribe - Family seeks $40 million - Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in North Slope Lawsuit tout 'Green Manure' - Two suspects arrested - Learning From the Universe in Reservation Rapes - New Echota Traditional - Native Prisoner Culture Study wins Awards -- Natives face - Native American Christian Prison discrimination in two Worlds of Beliefs - Rustywire: - GIAGO: Indian contributions Day in the Life of an Indian Woman to Native American Day - Lee Goins Poem: Eternal Spirit - EDITORIAL: No place for 'squaw' - Verse: Hawaiian Book of Days on Idaho's Maps - Upcoming Events --------- "RE: Group draws attention to disappearing Languages" --------- Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 20:22:31 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="CULTURE, LANGUAGE PRESERVATION" http://www.nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=8273 Losing the Native tongue Cultural preservation group draws attention to disappearing languages NORMAN OK Sam Lewin October 22, 2006 Up until a few months ago there were six people still fluent in Euchee. Then one died, dropping the number to five. The average age of the speakers is currently 85, said Richard Grounds, the head of the Euchee language program and a language preservation and anthropology professor at the University of Tulsa. "You try to raise the visibility of language by connecting people- matching elders and youngsters," Grounds tells the Native American Times. Grounds and several dozen other people attended the Intertribal Wordpath Society's 9th annual celebration of languages spoken by Oklahoma tribes. The event, held Oct. 20th at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds in Norman, comes with the stark knowledge that there are too few speakers left and that languages once thriving are now in danger of disappearing altogether. It's already happened. According to the society, there are 13 Oklahoma Indian languages that no longer have any fluent speakers in the state. While a handful - including Wyandotte, Seneca and Cayuga - are still spoken by people living in other areas and Canada, others - Delaware, Kaw, Tonkawa and Modoc - are effectively dead. Those facts scare people like Grounds and Alice Anderton, a linguist and former Comanche language instructor who serves as the society's executive director. Anderton has her own theories as to why languages once used by state Indian tribes are now disappearing at an alarming rate. Anderton said tribes are "very assimilated here culturally. There are many tribes living in a small space and you have situations where someone speaks Cherokee and they are talking with someone else that speaks another [Indian] language. They don't speak each other's language so they communicate in English." In addition to funding language teaching programs and stressing the importance of cultural preservation, Anderton has other ideas for stemming the tide. One notion, she says, is for a tribe hosting a powwow or other cultural celebration to use the occasion as a chance to speak in their language, making the event more specific to that tribe and highlighting their language in the process. "So if it's in Kiowa Country, they use - and everyone learns - a little Kiowa,' Anderton said. According to the society, out of the 591, 437 people enrolled in Oklahoma tribes, only 22,979 of them are fluent in their tribal languages. That boils down to a whopping 96.2-percent of the tribal population not knowing how to speak the language of their ancestors. Delving further, the numbers turn even grimmer. The number of children newly fluent in tribal languages due to programs of the last 20 years: Zero. At the current rate of speaker replacement, likely surviving languages by 2030: Five. The tribes themselves are not wholly blameless. Out of 39 tribes in the state only 10 fund language preservation programs. The Modoc, for example, did not. Now their language is gone. Albert Lorentz made a three hour round trip to attend the society's language celebration. He has three daughters ranging in age from 12 to 13 and each is enrolled in a Pawnee language program. He is optimistic about the future of his tribe's language preservation efforts. "Our language is coming back," he said. "Pawnee children are returning to their roots. But the parents have to keep at it." Native American Times. Copyright c. 2005 All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: New Program solves Rez Home Ownership Conundrum" --------- Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 07:45:54 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="LAND ASSIGNMENT PROGRAM DODGES LAND OWNERSHIP ISSUE" http://www.rismedia.com/index.php/article/articleview/16310/1/1/ New Program solves Reservation Home Ownership Conundrum Native American home ownership has lagged far behind the rest of the country RISMedia October 16, 2006 Building a home on the reservation can be one of the trickiest problems in Indian country. Individual ownership brings back memories of the allotment policy of the late 19th century, and its not-so-hidden goal of breaking up tribes and taking land from Indian hands. But the federal holding of tribal land in trust, designed to protect tribal territory, makes it very difficult to get a bank mortgage or to obtain the economic return on a home that the rest of the society expects as a matter of course. Because of this dilemma, Indian home ownership has lagged far behind the rest of the country. Tribes have had very limited access to private bank lending. The economic stimulus from home building and growth in home equity has been almost non-existent, imposing a major drag on reservation economies. But a solution might be at hand in a program newly launched by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation in Connecticut. With a framework of innovative tribal ordinances, tribal members are applying to build homes with mortgage financing from a local savings institution. The tribe is planning to assign 89 reservation building lots to members. On Sept. 27, the tribal clerk recorded title for the first lots, which have mortgage financing from the Dime Savings Bank. The tribal members will own the houses outright and have the power to sell or bequeath them to other tribal members without interference from the BIA. Since the homes aren't subject to a lease, they will grow in value as time goes on and the owners pay down the mortgage, accumulating the home equity that is a major part of net worth for most Americans. But the underlying land will remain in trust held by the federal government, thus insuring that it will stay tribal territory. The Land Assignment program has drawn strong interest from federal agencies and the home real estate industry, as well as from advocates for Native housing. "This Land Assignment initiative has the potential to draw reputable lenders to Indian country, increasing the shockingly low Native American homeownership rates and reducing the threat of predatory lending," said Jane DeMarines, director of External Relations for the National American Indian Housing Council. DeMarines is also the chair of NAIHC's Mortgage Partnership Committee. "This can also reduce the involvement of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the home buying process and accordingly reduce the time required to get someone into a house." The key to the program is a set of tribal ordinances drafted by Mashantucket Pequot attorney Henry Sockbeson. One allows assignment of building lots to tribal members. The tribe also sets up its own title records office. The program received a major boost when the Solicitor's Office for the Department of Interior ruled that the assignments would not require BIA approval, removing a potential bottleneck. The second ordinance is designed to attract bank financing by setting up a foreclosure procedure through the tribal court. Private banks have been extremely reluctant to lend money against tribal trust land because they had no security they could take over if the mortgages went bad. Sockbeson told Indian Country Today that the foreclosure ordinance would allow the tribal government to back a mortgage and reassign any defaulted property to another tribal member. But it would not go to non-members. A member of the Penobscot Indian Nation of Maine, Sockbeson said his own tribe had private home ownership when it was state-recognized. The Penobscots received federal recognition in 1995. The tribal territory on Indian Island in the Penobscot River in Maine has the appearance of a well kept working-class neighborhood, with blocks of neatly maintained homes. But the Mashantucket Pequots, he said, were breaking new ground for a home ownership legal structure on federal trust land. "As far as I know, they are one of the first, if not the first," he said. Federal officials are already touting the program. Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary Orlando Cabrera described it in June 28 testimony to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. He said that HUD's Office of Native American Programs was working on rules to make land assignments eligible for its own Section 184 loan guarantee program. A real estate industry spokesman also told Congress that by cutting out the BIA the Mashantucket Pequot ordinance potentially streamlined a key component of private ownership. The creation of a tribal office to record land assignments "with procedures similar to a county recorder's office" would make it easier to obtain title insurance, said Ed Hellewell, a spokesman for the American Land Title Association, in July 31 testimony to the House Financial Services Committee. Hellewell, an executive and legal counsel for a title guaranty company, said diplomatically that his experiences in obtaining title information from the BIA "have ranged from excellent to baffling." Copyright c. 2006, Indian Country Today, Oneida, N.Y. --------- "RE: Katrina debacle leaves Blackfeet drenched in debt" --------- Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 20:22:31 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="CLASSIC PYRAMID SCHEME WITH TRIBE NEAR BOTTOM" http://www.pechanga.net/ http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article? AID=/20061021/NEWS01/61021002 $2 million loss from hurricane cleanup debacle leaves Blackfeet Tribe reeling By KAREN OGDEN/Tribune Enterprise Editor October 21, 2006 A failed attempt to tap into the huge federal contracts for Hurricane Katrina cleanup has left the Blackfeet Tribe $2 million in the hole. Launched as a plan to combat unemployment, the ill-fated enterprise could end up costing tribal jobs at home. "The tribe is in a financial crisis," said tribal Councilman Rodney "Fish" Gervais. "They're struggling to make payroll." Read an in-depth report on the Nin-Nah-Too-Sii debacle on Sunday morning here at www.greatfallstribune.com and in Sunday's Great Falls Tribune. --- http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article? AID=/20061022/NEWS01/610220305 Katrina cleanup debacle leaves Blackfeet drenched in debt By KAREN OGDEN Tribune Enterprise Editor October 22, 2006 A failed attempt to tap into the huge federal contracts for Hurricane Katrina cleanup has left the Blackfeet Tribe $2 million in the hole. Launched as a plan to combat unemployment, the ill-fated enterprise could end up costing tribal jobs at home. "The tribe is in a financial crisis," said tribal Councilman Rodney "Fish" Gervais. "They're struggling to make payroll." The enterprise was spearheaded by two tribal members, Anna Bull Shoe and Anne Pollock, who established a tribally chartered corporation called "Nin-Nah-Too-Sii," or "Chief Moon." The tribal council (which has since seen six of nine seats change over because of elections) financed the venture, which lost $2 million in less than three months. "It wasn't well thought out," Gervais said. "There was no accountability and it just went terribly wrong." To be sure, the Nin-Nah-Too-Sii debacle is only part of the Blackfeet's experience with hurricane cleanup. The Blackfeet successfully sent hundreds of workers to the Gulf Coast to work directly with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the immediate aftermath of the hurricanes in September 2005; 500 more are now on their way south. Those workers are bringing home good paychecks, with little investment from the tribe. Buoyed by their success, the Nin-Nah-Too-Sii enterprise sought to take it a step further and work on the Gulf Coast as a subcontractor, instead of working directly with the federal government. Bull Shoe had a good record of grant writing and other work for the tribe, according to associates. "Everybody had the very greatest of intentions," said Leland Ground, a Browning businessman who served for two months as chairman of Nin-Nah-Too- Sii's board of directors last spring, before resigning in frustration. "The problem ... was they were not seasoned people to be able to handle that kind of a climate." # # # The Blackfeet aren't the only ones to lose their shirts on the Gulf Coast. Money from huge federal cleanup contracts has lured workers from across the nation, some of whom took big risks for disappointing returns. "This is actually, very, very common,"said Pratap Chatterjee, program director of Corpwatch.org, a corporate watchdog project based in Berkeley, Calif. The Blackfeet found themselves at the bottom of what Chatterjee calls a "contracting pyramid." At the top was the Florida-based AshBritt Environmental corporation, which won a $500 million contract from the federal Army Corps of Engineers for debris cleanup. That translates to $23 per cubic yard of material hauled away, according to Chatterjee. He was not familiar with the Blackfeet's situation, but in at least one other case, AshBritt paid a subcontractor for debris removal at less than half the $23 per cubic yard rate, he said. The subcontractor, in turn, hired another subcontractor and so on. The worker at the bottom of the pyramid, a man from Michigan who invested his life savings to set up his business on the Gulf Coast, grossed $4 a cubic yard. "Well-connected corporations are growing rich off of no-bid contracts while the sub-contractors - the people who actually perform the work - often do so for peanuts, if they get paid at all," said Rita King, author of a Corp Watch investigative report called "Big Easy Money." Working for peanuts The Blackfeet were at the bottom of a five-layer pyramid. Nin-Nah-Too-Sii's founders, Bull Shoe and Pollack, could not be located for this story. How many contracts they were offered and for how much pay is unclear. But according to Leon Vielle, a career wildland firefighter and manager who worked briefly with Nin-Nah-Too-Sii, the group's main debris removal contract was for $5.31 per cubic yard. Vielle said it would have taken more than twice that amount to make the venture profitable. "I think they got over excited because there was so much money floating around down there," Vielle said. "I think they jumped before they looked." Blackfeet Treasurer Joe Gervais, who is a cousin of Councilman Rodney Gervais, estimates Nin-Nah-Too-Sii collected less than $100,000 on the venture. He faults Nin-Nah-Too-Sii and the tribal council for exposing the tribe to the losses. Joe Gervais says that as treasurer he raised concerns about the venture, but was ignored by tribal council members who supported Nin-Nah-Too-Sii. "I never thought they had a clue as to what they were doing," he said of Nin-Nah-Too-Sii. "They had no plan." Nevertheless, Joe Gervais said that he believes at least one of the subcontractors Nin-Nah-Too-Sii worked under has some liability. He named the subcontractors as Infinity, Hubbard Trucking and Sceola Enterprises. He said he does not know where the companies are based, nor do others who were interviewed. As the Nin-Nah-Too-Sii enterprise floundered, the tribe pumped in money to jumpstart it, then poured in more in an effort to save its investment, Joe Gervais said. Most of the $2 million the tribe lost was on salaries for its workers. Reimbursements from the subcontractors above Nin-Nah-Too-Sii came slowly or not at all. "It was really to a point where they were down there, and they were doing the work, and they were being told they were going to get paid, and they never did," Joe Gervais said. "I wish someone would look into what was going on. We just happen to be one of those that were taken advantage of." His cousin, Councilman Rodney Gervais, said the tribe is pursuing legal action, but added he did not know details. A tribal attorney did not return phone calls, and a Nin-Nah-Too-Sii worker said the attorney advised him not to comment. William "Allen" Talks About, a former tribal councilman who was closely involved with Nin-Nah-Too-Sii, also declined to comment, saying the tribe is in negotiations with at least one of the subcontractors. Current Blackfeet Tribal Chairman Earl Old Person, who was on the council during the Nin-Nah-Too-Sii debacle, did not return calls seeking comment. Expenses pile up Vielle, the firefighter, helped drive Nin-Nah-Too-Sii's first group of 30 workers to the Gulf Coast in September 2005. They did roofing work and made good money, Vielle said. The problems started in early March, when a group of 25 workers left for Hattiesburg, Miss., on the debris cleanup contract. Almost from the start, the effort began to unravel. Nin-Nah-Too-Sii had an arrangement with a Browning-area company that could set up a camp with a mess hall for the workers, like those used for firefighters, according to Joe Gervais. That didn't work out. The tribe ended up footing hotel and food bills for the workers. At the outset the enterprise involved roughly 120 workers and at the end there were roughly 60, said Ground, the former Nin-Nah-Too-Sii board chairman. Competition in the work zone was fierce. The cleanup jobs paid per cubic yard of debris hauled away. Bulky objects, such as large stumps, provided the biggest return on labor. At one point Nin-Nah-Too-Sii learned that other subcontractors had already cleared the most-valuable debris from sites they were assigned, leaving behind less-valuable scraps, Ground said. There was also less work than anticipated. Ground said that in one case "word was put out" that 3,600 work orders, or individual jobs, were available, each worth $1,800 to $12,000. Nin-Nah-Too-Sii only ended up with 260 to 285 work orders, Ground said. Equipment was another unforeseen challenge. When Nin-Nah-Too-Sii left Browning, the understanding was that they would provide labor only, according to Joe Gervais. It quickly became apparent that they needed heavy equipment. On some jobs, "our guys were lifting logs by hand because they did not have the equipment to do the lifting," said Ground who visited the crews shortly after he was appointed chairman of Nin-Nah-Too-Sii's board in April. In an effort to salvage the enterprise, the tribe purchased or leased roughly $750,000 in equipment, which it is now paying the bills for. The investment included five used bucket trucks for roughly $110,000. Six Bobcats and six VersaHandlers were signed for by Bull Shoe without approval from her board, alleges Joe Gervais, the treasurer. "The board was really a nonfunctioning board," said Ground, who resigned in frustration barely a month after he was appointed board chairman. He said he couldn't get a meeting with the tribal council, which was in the midst of elections. Some of the equipment is now unaccounted for, said Councilman Randy Gervais. The tribe has sent investigators south to try and recover it, he said. Efforts grow frantic As the financial bleeding continued, Nin-Nah-Too-Sii directors reported to the tribal council at meetings in late April or early May that they were within days of getting $600,000 in payments, said Joe Gervais, the treasurer. The tribe was invested in the enterprise "way more than $600,000 at that point," he said. In mid-May, barely two months after the first Nin-Nah-Too-Sii crew arrived in the hurricane zone, Ground made his second trip south, this time to wrap up the operation and bring the workers home. "By that time, it was a frantic situation of trying to control costs," he said. The tribe is now focused on recovering from the loss. Its current debt load is $4.1 million on a $10.7 million budget, according to Joe Gervais. The tribe has delayed payment on a large loan to help make ends meet, Joe Gervais said. The tribe also expects a big chunk of revenue from timber salvage sales from the Red Eagle Fire near St. Mary that burned roughly 20,000 acres on the reservation in July and August. The tribal council has set up a financial task force to tackle the problem and established a grant-writing office, Joe Gervais said. "I think this council has actually really slowed down the spending and stabilized," Joe Gervais said. But some cuts are inevitable. This week the tribe will close a homeless shelter in Heart Butte, cutting two positions. And the tribe is not funding its White Buffalo Home youth detention center, which employs roughly 20 people, this year, Joe Gervais said. The Bureau of Indian Affairs funds half of the home's budget. What happens to those jobs and the home will be a BIA decision, Joe Gervais said. He expects the tribe's finances to rebound, with the debt service dropping roughly 50 percent by next year. But as for everyone touched by Katrina, the recovery will be a long one. Tribune Staff Writer Kim Skornogoski contributed to this story. Reach Tribune Enterprise Editor Karen Ogden at kogdengreatfal.gannett.com or at 791-6536 or 800-438-6600. Copyright c. 2006 The Great Falls Tribune. All rights reserved. --------- "RE: Pueblo, Navajo sue over Education restructuring" --------- Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 07:45:54 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="STUDENT PROGRAMS WILL SUFFER" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.kvia.com/global/story.asp?s=5544207 Pueblo, Navajo Indians sue over education restructuring October 16, 2006 SANTA FE - A federal government decision to restructure the agency that oversees tribal schools has drawn lawsuits by pueblo and Navajo tribes. The Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council and the All Indian Pueblo Council contend they were not properly consulted about the revamping of the Bureau of Indian Education. And they allege the new system funds more high-level bureaucrats at the expense of programs that help students. The Albuquerque Journal reports today in a copyright story that the Navajo Nation has been meeting with the federal government to work out a settlement. And in the pueblos' case, a federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction ordering the federal government to halt restructuring the bureau. Copyright c. 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. Copyright c. 2002 - 2006 WorldNow and KVIA. All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: Yankton Sioux Tribe ER closes" --------- Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 08:53:46 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="IHS CLOSURE" http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096413821 Yankton Sioux Tribe ER closes by: David Melmer / Indian Country Today October 18, 2006 MARTY, S.D. - Signs on the doors and bulletin boards of the IHS facility on the Yankton Sioux Reservation inform people of a reduction in services - no more emergency room services. The change from an ER facility to urgent care occurred on Oct. 2, after a temporary restraining order issued by a federal district court judge expired. The health care facility located in Wagner on the Yankton Reservation has a sordid history and one tribal government after another have been forced to commit time to saving the facility. The facility has changed over the years from a hospital to an emergency facility, with promises for another hospital, to what it is now: an urgent care facility. Instead of offering 24-hour service, the new hours will be 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Saturday. "The new hours are consistent with the IHS's long-held concerns that the current operating hours of the Emergency Room are not supported by a hospital or sufficient utilization of patients," the IHS press office stated in an e-mail. Tribal health care advocates and tribal officials stress that the change may cost lives, with the argument that many lives had been saved because the emergency room was open 24 hours a day. The change will mean the urgent care facility will be open only during the day. Despite threats of lawsuits and pressure from the South Dakota congressional delegation, the IHS stuck to its guns and made the change, mostly for economic reasons, according to Stephen Cournoyer, vice chairman of the Yankton Sioux Tribe. The IHS written statement also said that the Wagner Service Unit does not receive reimbursement from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services for emergency services provide by the unit because it does not meet emergency room criteria as defined by CMS. "Closing the emergency room is going to be devastating. There are a lot of people who utilize it," Cournoyer said. The IHS, Cournoyer claims, has advised people to use the emergency room at the local Wagner Community Memorial Hospital. He said the community hospital does not have the staff to handle the numbers that go through the IHS facility after hours and on weekends. The community hospital is ready to accept the additional emergency room burden, CEO Connie Wagner said. "We may see some of the patients with emergencies come through; we are prepared for that. "I don't know the numbers right now, but we'll be able to tell in six months. We have an idea, but can't give exact numbers," Wagner said. Cournoyer said he thought that some of the emergency patients would be turned away. The Yankton Sioux Tribe has attempted to negotiate to have the hospital reopened. The hospital closed in 1992 because the patient numbers were down. Cournoyer said the numbers were down because prior to that date, the hospital did not have up-to-date equipment. In 1992, a promise from the area director to do everything possible to bring back in-patient care "never happened," Cournoyer said. The South Dakota congressional delegation addressed a letter to Dr. Charles Grim, director of IHS, and to Don Lee, Aberdeen area director in opposition to the facility change. "In past fiscal years, the IHS has demonstrated an ability to find the resources to maintain 24-hour access to emergency care at the service unit. We ask that you do so again to allow the tribe, the congressional delegation and the IHS to continue to work towards a long term solution that is more acceptable than a simple service reduction," the three congressional delegates stated in the letter. A 2005 report commissioned by the IHS stated that lives had been saved by the emergency room facility. The Sharpless report acknowledged that a closure could result in the loss of lives. Other options being looked into by the tribe and congressional delegation include the possibility of tribal contracting of the emergency room service, co-location with a new Veterans Administration community- based outpatient clinic or the addition of IHS-funded positions at the 20- bed Wagner Community Memorial Hospital. Wagner Community Memorial Hospital was asked to support the tribe to keep the ER open. "We are here to cooperate with the IHS and the Yankton Sioux Tribe. We did not take a stand but did give a statement to the congressional delegation. We are empathetic to the concerns of the tribe," Wagner said. "I think we can absorb the traffic." She said the community hospital had done some upgrading in anticipation of this IHS facility reduction. Without an IHS hospital facility, tribal members will have to either go to Wagner Community Memorial Hospital or be sent to surrounding hospitals, which are at least 20 - 60 miles away. The hospital and emergency room are needed for the Yankton people because, Cournoyer said, most of the people do not have the resources to travel great distances to be with their family members who are ill. The Yankton Sioux Tribe cannot fund a 24-hour emergency facility, otherwise it would be considered, Cournoyer said. "It's a real essential part of health care on the reservation. When we lose anything in Indian country we very seldom get it back. We lost way too much up to this point," Cournoyer said. Copyright c. 1998 - 2006 Indian Country Today. All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: Call for early adoption of UN Rights Declaration" --------- Date: Wednesday, October 18, 2006 01:31 pm From: frostyca2000 Subj: PRESS RELEASE: UN system and NGOs call for an early adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the General Assembly PRESS RELEASE: UN system and NGOs call for an early adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the General Assembly -------- Original Message -------- Subject: PRESS RELEASE: UN system and NGOs call for an early adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the General Assembly Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 17:23:47 -0400 From: Indigenous Permanent Forum To: Indigenous Permanent Forum PRESS RELEASE UN system and NGOs call for an early adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the General Assembly Chairperson of UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and Special Rapporteur appeal to Members States New York, 17 October ? Indigenous peoples' representatives from all over the world are attending events this week at UN Headquarters to celebrate the recent adoption by the Human Rights Council of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This landmark document was endorsed by the Council in June after more than twenty years of discussions and the establishment of a fruitful dialogue among states and indigenous peoples. The events in New York this week coincided with the Third Committee of the General Assembly's discussions on indigenous issues on 16 and 17 October. Co-sponsored by the Secretariat of UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues/DSPD/DESA, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, NGOs and the Permanent Missions of Mexico and Peru to the United Nations, the events highlight the significance and importance of the Declaration. Speaking about the document, UN Under-Secretary-General Jose' Antonio Ocampo said, "I welcome the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the first historic session of the Human Rights Council in June and I am looking forward to its final endorsement of the Declaration by the General Assembly in fall. The Declaration provides the international community with a comprehensive international standard which we should all strive together to achieve." The Declaration addresses both individual and collective rights, cultural rights and identity, rights to education, health, employment, language, and others. It outlaws discrimination against indigenous peoples and promotes their full participation in all matters that concern them. It also ensures their right to remain distinct and to pursue their own visions of economic, social and cultural development. The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of Indigenous People, Mr. Rodolfo Stavenhagen and the Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz have sent a strong message to members of the UN General Assembly to adopt the Declaration without further delay in the present session through addressing to States a formal letter of appeal. Speaking at a special event, on 16 October, a panel discussion titled, "Towards implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples", Ms. Tauli-Corpuz, highlighted that many of the rights in the Declaration require new approaches to global issues, such as development, decentralization, and multicultural democracy. Mr. Stavenhagen, stressed the need to urgently get the Declaration adopted in the current session of the General Assembly and to work towards its full implementation, including making it a part of everyday life, across the world. Other events included the book launch of "Mairin Iwanka Raya, Indigenous Women Stand against Violence" prepared by the International Indigenous Women's Forum. The book focuses on human rights violations and the violence faced by indigenous women. It is a companion piece to the UN Secretary-General's Study on Violence against Women presented on 9 October. Like other UN Declarations, even though it is not legally binding, the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is expected to have a major impact on the rights of indigenous peoples worldwide. Once adopted, it will establish an important standard for the treatment of indigenous peoples and will undoubtedly be a significant tool towards eliminating human rights violations against the estimated 370 million indigenous people worldwide and assist them in combating discrimination and marginalization. The Human Rights Council adopted the Declaration on 29 June 2006 by a vote of 30 in favour, 2 against and 12 abstentions. The document needs to be now approved by the members of the General Assembly. It is expected that the Declaration will be submitted for adoption by the UN General Assembly at its current 61st Session. "The exceptional process through which member states and indigenous peoples worked together on each article, painfully yet collaboratively, has come to an end. A vote for the Declaration is a vote in favour of this collaborative process and in the greatness of the UN. It would be a vote to open the doors to indigenous peoples once and for all", said Mr. Aqqaluk Lynge, Vice-Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council at a press conference to launch this week's events. For more information of the Declaration, please visit: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/en/declaration.html For background information on the Declaration or interviews with UN officials and indigenous leaders, please contact: Oisika Chakrabarti, Department of Public Information, tel: 212.963.6816, e-mail: mediainfo@un.org For Secretariat of the Permanent Forum, please contact: Mirian Masaquiza, Secretariat of UNPFII, tel: 917.367.6006, e-mail: IndigenousPermanentForum@un.org --------- "RE: Border Town Hate Crimes discussed" --------- Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 08:29:05 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="TOWNS SURROUNDING NAVAJO NATION DISCUSSED" http://www.pechanga.net/ http://www.daily-times.com/news/ci_4514511 Border town hate crimes discussed By Erny Zah, Staff Writer The Daily Times October 19, 2006 WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. - Following a summer of racial tensions in the region, the Navajo Council heard the oral report "Hate Crimes in Border Towns of the Navajo Nation" from Speaker Lawrence Morgan and Levon Henry, executive director of DNA People's Law Services, at this week's fall session. Council delegates also received paper and digital copies of the information compiled by the two offices. "It is not surprising, the results. None of what we received from the border towns shocked us in any way," Henry said in the nearly 20-minute presentation to council late Monday. The report listed results from 13 towns and cities that are in close proximity to the Navajo Nation, including Farmington, Aztec and Bloomfield. The report stated that its compilers had asked each city for information in the four following areas: The amount of reports filed with the police departments of harassment or excessive use of force; If any of the allegations led to state or federal litigation; the percentage of Native Americans on staff or the police force and; the type of formal training of cultural sensitivity the police departments conduct for cultural sensitivity. Of the three local cities, only Aztec did not respond the requests for information, according to the report. Farmington had one lawsuit filed against it within the past five years regarding use of excessive force filed by Navajo people. In addition, eight complaints were filedwithin the last five years, against the department, but only one was sustained. Of 151 employees in the police force, 17 are Native American. The report didn't cite how the department trains for cultural sensitivity. Farmington Mayor Bill Standley said all city employees were required to undergo a cultural sensitivity training in 2005 to help create better understanding between the cultures. The training was conducted by former Navajo Vice President Marshall Plummer. Results from Bloomfield's inquiries showed that no complaints were filed by Navajo people. In addition, Bloomfield police have two Native American officers. The department employs the cultural sensitivity training provided by the State Police Academy. The report was the result of a directive from Council Delegate Ervin Keeswood, of Hogback, during a June special council meeting. At that meeting, the council heard an oral report from Della John, mother of Clint John. Clint John was shot and killed by Farmington Police Officer Shawn Scott at the Farmington Wal-Mart on East Main Street. Scott was cleared of any wrongdoing in the incident. Another summer incident involved three white men in the alleged beating of a Navajo man. All three white men were charged with hate crimes. The 16-page border towns report wasn't entirely accurate, Henry said. He said many Navajo people probably don't know the process of filing a complaint with the agencies, or they may feel reluctant or passive because they believe that nothing will be done. "Navajos are victimized and don't know the reporting procedure. Not very many of these towns address this. We all know it happens," Henry said. Standley said Farmington has an "open door policy" if Navajos or other people feel they need to file a complaint of harassment or discrimination. He invites people to talk to himself, City Manager Bob Hudson or Police Chief Mike Burridge. He added that he has participated in Native American events, such as conferences and powwows, and has always tried to let Native Americans know his position. Standley said he has released his own personal cellular phone number to help Native Americans feel comfortable in raising their concerns. "I get calls many times to ask if I will talk," he said. Henry outlined three possible solutions to provide Navajos with an avenue to have grievances heard. He said the Navajo Nation could create a special subcommittee whose only purpose would be to hear complaints and allegations of racism, harassment or discrimination. Another solution would be the creation of a Human Rights Commission. A bill that would create the commission is on the council agenda to be heard later this week. Thirdly, Henry said a special committee could be set up, with members comprised from both the Navajo Nation and the border towns. "I like the third option," said Council Delegate Katherine Benally, of Dennehotso, during the question and answer session of the report. "I think that will have more teeth and standing in collaboration with our neighbors." Standley said he is open to any solutions the Navajo Nation may bring to Farmington officials. "I am open to any dialogue they may have," he said. None of the local area delegates had any questions or comments regarding the report during the council session. But the report did spark another question from Council Delegate Lorenzo Bedonie, of Hard Rock and Pinon. "The issue here is discrimination. I'm thinking what percentages of (the reported allegations of discrimination) are real? (Some people) may be overreacting to negative remarks," he said. The question wasn't answer directly by Morgan or Henry, but Morgan added that Navajo people are victimized unjustly. "Just because one person is drunk, it doesn't mean he is guilty. The guy may be drunk walking alongside the sidewalk. There's nothing wrong with that. That's not breaking the law," he said. Henry concluded his report by saying Navajo people may be the victims of their own thinking. "It's a majority versus minority situation. We have trained our minds (as minorities) to think in certain ways. There are studies being put forward today. We train ourselves to defeat ourselves before we even begin," he said. Erny Zah: ezah@daily-times.com Copyright c. 2006 Farmington Daily Times. --------- "RE: Bison Range employees complain about Tribe" --------- Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 08:29:05 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="CLAIM BISON RANGE CONDITIONS WORSEN UNDER SALISH-KOOTENAI" http://www.indianz.com/News/ http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/10/18/news/ state/33-complaints.txt Agency orders outside investigation into complaints By The Associated Press October 18, 2006 MISSOULA - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has ordered an outside investigation into criticism that work conditions at the National Bison Range have deteriorated under a joint management plan with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Staff members at the federal facility filed a joint grievance in September, alleging a hostile work environment created by members of the tribe. In one document obtained by the Missoulian newspaper from the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, the agency's deputy regional director, James Slack, said staff members either asked to be reassigned to a different station or for a retraction of the funding agreement between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the tribe to jointly operate the bison range. Slack ordered an investigation into the matter by an outside agency, although it was not immediately clear which agency would conduct the probe. The contentious agreement to share management duties at the bison range was signed in 2004. Under its terms, the tribes performed some of the activities on the Bison Range through the end of fiscal year 2006, which ended in September. Besides the annual bison roundups, the tribes were given responsibility for migratory non-game bird surveys, weed control, wildfire suppression, prescribed burns and collection of federal public use fees. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service retained ownership and management authority over all lands and buildings at the Bison Range and its associated wildlife refuges, all of which are within the Flathead Indian Reservation. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided to extend the agreement beyond September while negotiations continue between the two entities, said Brian Upton, a tribal attorney. "We're hoping to have the negotiations completed within the next few weeks," Upton said. "We're optimistic." Upton said the tribes haven't been given a copy of the grievance. "It's difficult for us to be able to respond. We've requested a copy, but were denied," he said. The tribes plan to appeal the decision to withhold the grievance from them. PEER and others contend the management agreement isn't working. The first annual performance evaluation showed that much of the work assigned to the tribes wasn't getting done. But tribal officials called the evaluation unfair. PEER said the grievance was the latest sign of breakdowns at the refuge. "Federal employees should not be subjected to racial or sexual intimidation and should expect their own agency management to do more than just stand by," said PEER executive director Jeff Ruch. "The Fish and Wildlife Service has put its own people in an untenable position by signaling to the tribes that they would get to keep any jobs that became vacant _ in essence putting targets on the backs of refuge staff and creating an incentive for harassment." PEER officials weren't pleased with the Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to hire an outside investigator. "Agency managers have been aware of the problems for months; they do not need to hire sleuths from California to know what is going on," Ruch said. "Somebody in a position of responsibility needs to bite the bullet and make a decision." Copyright c. The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises. --------- "RE: BIA to sign agreement to remove Klamath Dam" --------- Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 08:53:46 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="CHILOQUIN DAM TO BE REMOVED FROM KLAMATH" http://www.indianz.com/News/ http://www.waterpowermagazine.com/story.asp? sectioncode=130&storyCode=2039660 Agreement for Chiloquin dam removal 18 October 2006 A cooperative agreement is due to be signed between the US Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Modoc Point Irrigation District (MPID) on 19 October concerning the removal of Chiloquin dam on the Sprague river near the city of Chiloquin in Oregon. In addition to calling for the removal of the dam, the agreement will define the roles of the BIA and the MPID in planning and constructing an electrically-powered pump plant which will supply the irrigation water currently provided by the dam. It also provides US$2.475M to the district for mitigation related to the impact of dam removal. Chiloquin dam was built by the US Indian Service between 1914 and 1918 to establish an irrigation project for the Klamath Tribe. As a result of Congress terminating the Tribe's status in 1954, ownership of the dam was transferred in 1973 to the MPID, a non-federal entity chartered under the laws of the State of Oregon. The dam provides MPID with its primary source of irrigation water. Congress later restored federal recognition to the Klamath Tribe. In 1988, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) determined that both the Shortnose and Lost River Suckers fish were endangered species. It concluded that Chiloquin dam was a major factor in limiting the species recovery and contributing to their decline. Severe droughts in Oregon and California in 2001 also resulted in significant conflicts between local water users and the Department with respect to its obligation to protect fish species listed pursuant to the Endangered Species Act in the Klamath River Basin. In March, 2002, President Bush created the Klamath River Basin Federal Working Group consisting of the Secretaries of Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce and the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality to advise the President on long-term solutions to enhance water quality and quantity, and to address other complex issues in the Klamath River Basin. After various studies including an Environmental Assessment, the Interior Department selected dam removal as the preferred alternative because it provided the highest certainty of improving passage above the dam into spawning habitats in the Sprague River. After negotiations, MPID and the Department agreed that the best solution would be for Interior to remove Chiloquin dam and construct the electric pump plant. Copyright c. 2006 International Water Power and Dam Construction. Published by Wilmington Media Ltd. --------- "RE: Ho-Chunk Inc teams with Wisconsin Tribe" --------- Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 08:53:46 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="HO-CHUNK INC, POTAWATOMI BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TEAM UP" http://www.indianz.com/News/ http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2006/10/16/daily17.html Potawatomi launching logistics firm with Nebraska tribe The Business Journal of Milwaukee October 17, 2006 The Potawatomi Business Development Corp., an economic development arm of the Forest County Potawatomi Community, is joining with the Winnebago Indian tribe of Nebraska to launch a new transportation brokerage company. Potawatomi Business Development will work with Ho-Chunk Inc., the business development arm of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, and HCI Distribution, the largest minority-owned business in Nebraska, to launch HCI Logistics. HCI Logistics will open an office in Omaha, Neb., with plans for a Milwaukee distribution subsidiary in the future. Ho-Chunk Inc. maintains tribally-owned business entities and other passive investments in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado and Texas, including a Minnesota modular housing manufacturer in which the Potawatomi Business Development Corp. has invested. HCI Distribution markets Native American tobacco and gasoline products. HCI chief executive officer Mike Porter said the firm has identified an increased demand for logistics services from a minority-owned provider. The Potawatomi Business Development Corp. invests funds from the tribe's gaming operations, including Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee. Copyright c. 2006 American City Business Journals Inc. All rights reserved. --------- "RE: Shoshone-Bannock Tribes tout 'Green Manure'" --------- Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 08:29:05 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="SHOSHONE-BANNOCK UTILIZE ENGINEERED COMPOST" http://www.indianz.com/News/ http://www.journalnet.com/articles/2006/10/18/news/local/news01.txt Green manure program hopes to reap sweet success By Dan Boyd Journal Writer October 18, 2006 FORT HALL - Local potato farmers may have found a spicy weapon in the battle against weeds, pests and wind erosion. Oriental mustard-seed plants and a host of other crops were showcased on a windy Tuesday at the Fort Hall Indian Reservation as biologically- friendly "green manure" agents that could change local agricultural practices. The rows of arugula and mustard blends look attractive from the road, but their planting in mid-August by University of Idaho research and extension scientists wasn't done for aesthetic reasons. After being cut several weeks from now, the plants will work their way into the soil over the winter, providing a new energy source and injecting natural chemicals that keep harmful nematodes at bay. "What the oriental mustards have is a chemical compound that has a fugicidal effect," explained John Taberna, a Blackfoot seed distributor who's been working with green manure for several years. Taberna said he and his business partner currently have 25 customers using green manure crops that cover 10,000 acres in Bingham County alone. "The majority of the guys have purchased more every year," said Taberna, taking a bite of a mustard leaf to show its flavor. "It's a learning curve." On the Fort Hall Reservation, concerns over pesticides leeching into groundwater prompted the tribe's business council to officially aim to reduce pesticides by 15 percent in the next 20 years. Tribal Agricultural Resources Manager Tom Liddil said farmers around Idaho are watching closely to gauge the success of the test fields in Fort Hall. "When we have a failure or we have a learning experience, it costs us a lot of money and a lot of time," Liddil said. "The real world met the university this time and it was perfect." Thanks to a two-year, $69,000 grant from the American Farmland Trust and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U of I program will offer 50 acres of free seed next year to three growers each on the Fort Hall Reservation, and the Power and Bingham County Conservation Districts. U of I research and extension scientist Pamela Hutchinson led about 40 people on a tour of the test fields north of the Fort Hall town site Tuesday, and said the project differed from most agricultural experiments conducted by her office. "When we do things at the research station, we want things under control," Hutchinson said. "We've done green manure trials at the station before, but nothing like this." Hutchinson said green manure has been used successfully in Washington, but its long-term benefits are still relatively unknown in Southeast Idaho, despite the burgeoning success of seed sellers like Taberna. According to preliminary estimations compiled by Hutchinson, a farmer could save $61 per acre by using mustard plants or other green manure and bypassing traditional fumigants and pesticides. But a quick look at the five-inch tall plants lining the test field showed the difficulties involved with using the alternative technology. The sandy and dry nature of the soil necessitates frequent watering and the so-called volunteer wheat that pops up after harvest every fall can crowd out some of the healer plants. "Success or failure really depends on your management in the fall," Hutchinson told a room full of listeners. "You really have to know how to deal with the volunteer wheat." In addition to the arugula and mustard, four other plants are also being grown at the test field. The plants will be individually analyzed in order to ascertain their specific benefits. Green manure? It might sound stinky, but to frustrated farmers who've seen their costs escalate for years, it just might be the smell of promise. Copyright c. 2006 Pocatella Idaho State Journal. --------- "RE: Learning From the Universe" --------- Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 07:45:54 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="SKYTELLERS PROGRAM" http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/693209/ learning_from_the_universe_skytellers_program_uses_native_american_stories/ index.html?source=r_science Learning From the Universe: Skytellers Program Uses Native American Stories to Inspire Artistic Soul By Ellie Baublitz The Baltimore Sun October 15, 2006 Native American legend has it that the sun was formed long ago when a coyote got tired of the dark and cold. Taking a hawk, rabbit and turtle with him, he went in search of fire. Upon finding humans in a cave, the coyote tricked them into getting close enough so he could steal some of their fire. He ran off with the fire on the tip of his tail. The humans chased him. The coyote yelled to the hawk to take the fire. The hawk grabbed the fire and passed it to the rabbit, who gave it to the turtle. But the humans caught the turtle, so he protected the fire by withdrawing into his shell. The humans threw the turtle in a river and left. The turtle climbed out and gave the fire to the coyote, who shaped it into a ball and threw it up in the sky, bringing light and warmth to the world. The legend of "Coyote Makes the Sun" is just one of many Native American stories that tell how the universe came to be. At the Eldersburg branch library, children are learning these legends and myths at a 10-part weekly series called Skytellers. "The Lunar and Planetary Institute has 10 Native American stories on DVD that have different topics," said library associate Mary Sadaka. "The DVD starts out with the folk tale explaining the topic, followed by the first Native American astronaut giving the scientific explanation of the story." The Skytellers Web site, she said, also has suggested activities for children to do after each video. Last Monday, 11 youngsters ranging from 3 years old to 12 years old, most with a parent or grandparent, listened to the story of "Coyote Makes the Sun." Then the astronaut explained how atoms squeezed up against each other to form the sun. After the video, librarian Joann Beninghove asked the children questions about the story, then told them they were going to paint scenes from the legend. On large poster boards, the youngsters drew colorful pictures of the sun, the fire and the animals. Hannah Gregor, 5, and her brother Tristan, 3, of Taylorsville, were well acquainted with the Native American stories. Their parents, Amy and Ferenc Gregor, were drawn to the lifestyle years ago after visiting the Native American Learning Center in New Mexico. "This is part of Hannah's homeschooling," Amy Gregor said. "The stories are fascinating - it's the first time hearing these versions. The crafts they do are really great - they really bring it together for my daughter." Tristan, Amy Gregor said, "picks up on the talks afterward - he's a drummer." His painting was colorful swirls on the poster. Hannah started her four-cornered painting with a bright yellow sun, then added the cave in red, people around the fire, the hawk flying by the sun and the turtle. Her favorite part of the story, Hannah said, was "the coyote was dancing around the fire." Amy Gregor said the family has signed up for the whole series. Diane Raymond of Sykesville brought her granddaughter, Alexis Buswell, 8, because the girl likes arts and crafts and learning about Native Americans. "I'm going to do four pictures - the first is the people in the cave," Alexis said. She added the sun, a bright blue sky, the hawk passing the fire to the turtle, the coyote throwing the sun up in the sky and all the animals enjoying the sun. Alexis then showed off her picture and described it to the group. Cameron Weikel, 7, of Marriottsville, attending his second Skytellers program, drew the turtle running away with the sun. "I like Native American stories in school," he said. Beninghove said the program has many budding artists. "I love it when you all show the fire on the coyote's tail - that's so cute," she told the children. Skytellers continues at 7 p.m. Mondays at Eldersburg library branch as follows: "How We got Stars" tomorrow; "Why Coyote Howls - A Star Story" Oct. 30; "Why the North Star Stands Still" Nov. 6; "The Creation of Earth" Nov. 13; and "Coyote and the Milky Way" Nov. 20. Information: 410-386-4488. ellie.baublitz@baltsun.com Copyright c. 2006 The Baltimore Sun. --------- "RE: New Echota Traditional Culture Study wins Awards" --------- Date: Thursday, October 19, 2006 05:24 am From: Dale Mitchell Subj: New South Associates - New Echota Traditional Cultural Property Study Wins Awards http://www.newsouthassoc.com/NSA%20News/New%20Echota%20 Traditional%20Cultural%20Property%20Study%20Wins%20Awards.html New Echota Traditional Cultural Property Study Wins Awards New South's work on the New Echota Traditional Cultural Property Study, the subject of a video commissioned by the Federal Highway Administration, supports a National Association of Environmental Professionals Award of Excellence, the National Partnership for Highway Quality's "Make A Difference" Award, an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History and a Certificate of Appreciation from the National Park Service's National Historic Landmarks program. New South Associates has worked with the Georgia Department of Transportation to develop a Traditional Cultural Property (TCP) study of New Echota, the capital of the Cherokee Nation from 1825 to 1838. TCPs have been defined by the National Historic Preservation Act as sites that have religious and cultural importance to the identity of a group of people. Work on the New Echota TCP represented a proactive effort by GDOT. While no new highway construction projects were imminently scheduled for the New Echota area, GDOT recognized that a future bridge replacement had the potential to affect New Echota. Having learned from an earlier TCP for the Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon, where the evaluation of a site for TCP status when highway planning was well advanced led to difficult negotiations, GDOT called on New South to conduct the New Echota TCP evaluation well in advance of road planning. Most of the TCPs that have been identified to date have religious and ceremonial associations. New Echota was a new type of property to receive TCP evaluation, as this historic capital of the Cherokee was also the site of the Treaty of New Echota, which led to the expulsion of many of the Cherokee from the southeast. New South's work also involved consultation and interviews with representatives of three federally recognized Cherokee tribes: the United Ketoowah Band and the Cherokee Nation of Tahlequah, Oklahoma and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of Cherokee, North Carolina. While the TCP study also incorporated the site's history and prior archaeology, it was the tribes' opinions that carried the greatest weight in making the determination. The three tribes had different relationships to New Echota, but all recognized the site as being a defining place in their histories with a strong cultural identity, and New Echota was determined to be eligible for the NRHP as a TCP. Recognizing that few TCP studies have been conducted in the east, and also seeing the benefits of GDOT's proactive approach, GDOT and the Federal Highway Administration provided funding for the development of a video on the New Echota TCP study. New South Associates worked with the documentary's producers, Omega Media, to develop a script and coordinate filming. The resulting film does an excellent job of relating how TCP studies are done, as well as the history of New Echota, the Cherokees relationship to New Echota, and the New Echota TCP study. Copies of the New Echota video are available to the public for a $4.00 fee by contacting the GDOT's Map Sales office by phone (404-656-5336) or by writing to Georgia DOT, Map Sales, #2 Capitol Square, Atlanta, Georgia 30334. The video can also be viewed on The Archaeology Channel. New South's work on the New Echota TCP was recognized as a contributing factor in GDOT's and the FHWA's receipt of the National Association of Environmental Professionals Award of Excellence in 2004 as well their receipt of the National Partnership for Highway Quality's "Make A Difference Award". These awards recognized GDOT Office of Environment and Location, the FHWA, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Historic Sites, the Cherokee tribes and New South Associates for working cooperatively at New Echota in the conduct of the TCP study and the preservation of the site. The project and New South Associates were also recognized with a 2004 Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History, and a Certificate of Appreciation from the National Historic Landmarks Program of the National Park Service. --------- "RE: Native American Christian in two Worlds of Beliefs" --------- Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 08:29:05 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="HONORING BOTH CHRISTIAN AND TRADITIONAL PATHS" http://nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=8253 The life of a Native American Christian walking in two worlds of beliefs October 18, 2006 [The author, DeMaris Gaines, is the mother of Native Times' co-publisher Liz Gray. Her experiences helped lead the way for Liz's life journey as publisher of Native Times and can help show other Native Americans that even though their contact with traditional ways of worship has been severed it can, and should be, regained . A special thanks to you mom for leading the way in letting me feel okay with the way I worship God as a Native American and a Christian.] By DeMaris Gaines Dear Daughter, You have asked me for several years now to write down my life experiences in the spiritual realm. Now that my 70th birthday is approaching, I think it is time to begin my sharing of personal experiences. My mother, who was French-Cherokee was adopted as a baby by Quakers. She told me when she was a young child she would ride down from Riverton, Kansas to Devil's Promenade (Indian Territory in Northeast Oklahoma) in a horse drawn buggy driven by her adoptive grandfather who was a Quaker preacher. She said she would sit in the buggy and listen to him preach to the Indians. The Quakers who adopted her were kind, loving people and lived the peaceful prayer life the Quakers are noted for. In my childhood they had great influence on my life in the fact that they practiced "waiting" on the Spirit to move in their meetings rather than going by a determined agenda. "Feeling" what the Spirit's direction was held as much, if not more, important than their programmed concepts. My mother always upheld Indian way beliefs to me but she never in her life talked to me about the fact that she was of different lineage than her adoptive parents. In my own spiritual development the Creator taught me through his creations. When I was five years old the Creator took my spirit out of my body and I flew head first thru the earth. I remember traveling at a very fast rate of speed. I do not recall what I saw in Mother Earth but I vividly remember 'snapping' back into my body. I heard one of the medicine men at the Traditional Indian Medicine Conference held in Tucson, Arizona make a comment about those who 'pierce the earth'. That was 50 years later after my experience took place and was the first time I ever heard anyone speak who might understand my experience. It has yet to be revealed to me what I experienced in the earth but I was told at the Medicine Conference that the power of the experience will come when I need it and the teaching will be revealed at the same t ime. Now I realize that in spiritual matters there is very little concern about time. When you have a question in your heart 'hang on'. It might be fifty years later but the Creator has chosen just the right one and the right time to answer your question. As a grandmother and great-grandmother I want to say, "Pay attention and be respectful concerning the things your children might do that seem strange to you. They can be important spiritual happenings and be very prophetic for their lives (and sometimes other peoples lives)." When approximately eight years old I took nine, small pieces of paper torn into various sizes - just a little larger than a stamp and placed them in a small wooden box and buried the box on the west side of the ranch house where we lived. The box was buried close to where my spirit had entered the earth. I never returned to the box to dig it up but just left it there. I did not question why I did this, I just knew I was suppose to. In my adult years after teaching music for twenty years in a small community college, I founded a Heritage Program that linked the college with nine tribes in our area. It was a big undertaking for the teaching of the history and languages of the tribes. To facilitate such a program on top of a full music load at one point put me into a mental state as to question myself whether I could do it. In this state of 'wondering' I tore off nine stickies (which were about the size of a stamp) and wrote the name of the nine tribes on each of the papers. As I reache d in to the small box to pick them up and place them on a calendar of events indicating the teaching schedule for each tribal language, my mind went racing back to my wooden box I buried so many years ago on the ranch. The 'realignment' of my sense was instant. I could do it, after all I had already performed it in years past and safe-guarded it in Mother Earth. In the Traditional Indian Medicine Conferences held in Tucson, Arizona, I received the answers to many questions I had about my own Indianness. Many of the teachings were preparation for the Heritage Program I founded shortly after the first conference. When raised in Christian influence without any comprehension of your own spirit or the spirit world it can be a bit frustrating. When I shared some of my own experiences I was labeled a 'mystic christian'. In a few settings that was an acceptable explanation. But needless to say it was a relief to be among the medicine men and women who found spiritual perception to be an everyday way of life. In my early thirties I was driving across the Kansas prairies and had an awake vision. I saw thousands of Indian people coming up out of the ground. The Lord spoke to me and said, "I am raising up my dark skinned people to worship me their way, not white man's." I was astonished by this announcement, and surprised to be spoken to in such an adamant manner. And what did this mean "their way, not white mans?" I chose Baylor University to polish my music skills in the division of sacred music as a young adult. In the study of the methods of worship in this Christian school. There was no suggestion of any 'cultural differences' in the mechanics of worship. After having years of this type of intensive study I was a bit taken back to be informed the Lord was Himself orchestrating a way of worship different from my training. To tell you the truth I felt left out. What is 'their way'? A few years later my husband's business partner, a Shawnee roadman (a leader in the Native American Church) invited us to a tee-pee meeting. While sitting in my first tee-pee meeting, experiencing the singing in the different Indian dialects in front of the fire I was spoken to again. The Lord said, "This is the way I was telling you about. This is their way, not white mans." While studying most of my adult life the Charismatic movement and the gifts of the Holy Spirit I experienced the paradox of great freedom from religious doctrine and yet among the charismatics a limitation in the ability to bridge into other cultures. Fear seems to be a major stepping stone into judgement. And I have experienced a lot of judgement on this path. It is very sad to see many teachers and leaders attempting to silence the spirit of the Native Americans into self-denial of the initial gifts they were born with. Such innate abilities to perceive and experience spiritual journeys coupled with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for healing and direction is a dynamite package for embracing life. A tremendous coupling of forces, which can overcome negativity, illness and depression for the individual, community and tribe. The main reason I am sharing my experiences is that those who have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit be strengthened and enlightened by this teaching and not fear the combination of Traditional Indian Way and Charismatic Christian Way. My mother told me, "God has many nations of people and he has designed a way to communicate with every one of them." This understanding is taking place and it feels like a rumble across the land. It feels like a new energy similar to a rolling wave breaking off these restrictions that have been placed on our spirits and setting us free to be who we are. To be born with spiritual endowments, sensitive to the Spirit and healed and balanced by the Holy Spirit, all of which is our right to possess and develop, is a combination the Indian Family has inherited. There has been a path blazed before you that you can walk on into a life of endowment plus freedom. Many others have gone before you and paid a price in the various arenas of religious persecution. As I facilitated the Indian Program servicing nine nations I was told on several occasions that many of our remnant tribes who moved to the Northeast corner of the state lost their medicine people in the move. This void seems to have caused a lack of direction and assurance in self-worth for many indigenous people. But within the last twenty years I have been told that the Creator has marked a few that he has chose to bring the medicine back into the circle of life on this planet. He has shown some of the medicine people and the grand parents who they are. There are several types of 'institutions of learning' that will try to squelch this medicine-medical science: religious orders and organizations are the most subtle and dangerous: the overly trained conscience of the religious who have never been set free by the Holy Spirit. Native American Times. Copyright c. 2005 All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: GIAGO: Indian contributions to Native American Day" --------- Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 07:45:54 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="GIAGO: INDIAN DAY?" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=8247 Notes from Indian Country Indian contributions to Native American Day irrelevant to white media in South Dakota Tim Giago (Nanwica Kciji) October 16, 2006 For more than 100 years the white editors of the largely white owned media in the State of South Dakota, have had the freedom and the opportunity to push the state governor and legislators to create a Native American Day as an official state holiday. For more than 100 years they have had the freedom and the opportunity to push the governor and the legislators to make an effort to heal the terrible race relations between Indians and whites in South Dakota by proclaiming a year when Indians and whites could visit each other and talk about their problems, their differences and their commonalities, in essence a Year of Reconciliation. Those 100 years passed without constructive action by any of the white media because they did not have a vested interest in what happens on the nine Indian reservations in the state. It may not have been because of racial prejudice on their part, but more than likely it was because they just didn't give a damn. Indians were out of sight and out of mind. Last week South Dakota was the only state in the Union to celebrate Native American Day as an official state holiday. The day became a holiday because the editor and staff of a small, weekly newspaper called The Lakota Times, based on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, pushed Governor George Mickelson and the state legislators with countless editorials into making it happen. It took a man named Lynn Hart, a man of mixed racial heritage, half black and half Indian, to stand before the body of legislators in Pierre, S. D., and read one of the many editorials written by me to that body of lawmakers urging them to create a Native American Day to honor all Native Americans in the state. It has been 16 years since this happened and it has been 16 years since Gov. Mickelson wrote a letter to the Lakota Times telling our readers that he would accept my challenge to create a Native American Day and to proclaim a Year of Reconciliation between Indians and whites. Both actions set precedents and both actions happened because the editor and staff of the Lakota Times fought tooth and nail to make it happen. We had a vested interest in our future. Gov. Mickelson was killed in a tragic plane crash before he could really put the state efforts behind reconciliation or the holiday in motion, but he was big enough to say that neither event would have happened without the consistent urging of the editor and staff of the Lakota Times. Gov. Mickelson was my friend and he visited with me two weeks before his death and we talked about how we could make reconciliation work. Since his death not one single state governor or legislator has had the guts to pick up the flag of reconciliation and run with it. If one was a visitor to South Dakota last week one would never know the history of Native American Day by watching local television or reading the editorials in the largest newspapers in the state. That's because the South Dakota media executives apparently believe that the Lakota people do not have the intelligence to make anything positive happen in this state. In their minds, the only reason these good things occurred is because a white man was there to get it done. These white media has usurped the success of Native American Day, a holiday initiated by Indians, by rewriting history to make it an event initiated by whites. At this stage in my life I really do not care who gets credit for these events, but I totally resent and reject the arrogance of the white media in this state because they would push the Indian people that instigated Native American Day and the Year of Reconciliation totally out of the picture and give 100 percent of the credit to a white governor who would not have enacted either policy if he had not been pushed to do so by Native Americans. Neither Gov. Mickelson nor the media in this State had reason to consider Columbus Day a bad holiday. They loved Columbus Day because they believed that they would not be here enjoying the fruits of America if not for him. As Indians, we saw it differently. Columbus was not one of our heroes because he was largely responsible for bringing the hordes of settlers to this continent that resulted in the near annihilation of all Native Americans. We had a clear and definite reason to ask the governor to cancel Columbus Day and replace it with Native American Day. As Indian citizens of this State we are sick and tired of being considered irrelevant when great events are created that advance the positive aspects of South Dakota that eventually lead to improving race relations. As the states largest minority we have been discriminated against in those 100 years while the state media sat on their hands and said nothing. We are proud that a small, Indian owned weekly newspaper accomplished in one year what the white owned media behemoths failed to do in 100 years. As Lakota people we had a vested interest in improving our lot in this state that was once known as the Mississippi of the North. Our small efforts helped to turn the tide of racial discrimination and opened the doors of dialogue between Indians and whites and we accept this major achievement with pride. The Lakota Times did in one year what the rest of the media in South Dakota failed to do in 100 years. And now we ask this same white media not to push us to the sidelines as if our contributions to Native American Day and the Year of Reconciliation were irrelevant. We stood tall and fought for the changes you now celebrate, changes that would not have happened even to this day if it had not been for the staff and editor of the Lakota Times. --- McClatchy News Service in Washington, DC distributes Tim Giago's weekly column. He can be reached at P.O. Box 9244, Rapid City, SD 57709 or at najournalists@rushmore.com. Giago was also the founder and former editor and publisher of the Lakota Times and Indian Country Today newspapers and the founder and first president of the Native American Journalists Association. Clear Light Books of Santa Fe, NM (harmon@clearlightbooks.com) published his latest book, "Children Left Behind". Native American Times. Copyright c. 2005 All Rights Reserved. --------- "RE: EDITORIAL: No place for 'squaw' on Idaho's Maps" --------- Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 08:50:04 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="EDITORIAL: REMOVE 'S' WORD FROM IDAHO MAPS" http://www.indianz.com/News/ http://www.spokesmanreview.com/tools/story_pf.asp?ID=154822 Spokesman-Review Editorial Our view: It's not just a name Removing derogatory term difficult but vital October 16, 2006 White elected officials, such as Kootenai County Commissioner Rick Currie and state Rep. Dick Harwood, R-St. Maries, don't get it. It doesn't matter what they think the word "squaw" means. Or if they use the word in the best manner possible when they refer to geographical place names in North Idaho. Or if they're tired of name changes. Or if the name has a debatable background. In the 21st century among American Indian tribes - including the Coeur d'Alene, Nez Perce and Kootenai of the Idaho Panhandle - the term is universally regarded as a derogatory reference to female genitalia. Not only does it have to go away, but it is going away. Montana has expunged 20 of what the tribes call "S-words" from geographical places. Washington has deleted four. Idaho already has made four changes, most on the Nez Perce Reservation. Meanwhile, the League of Women Voters, spurred by its Idaho chapter, has embraced this issue as an important cause. Momentum is building to eliminate the smear on this nation's Indian tribes. As a result, two things should be done: Local elected officials whose districts include or border Indian reservations should eschew 19th-century thinking about the word "squaw" and support name changes. On the other hand, the tribes should consider their non-Indian neighbors and our collective history when searching for appropriate replacement names. It would help non-Indians accept the changes if they are able to pronounce and spell the new place names. Now, the Coeur d'Alene Indian Tribe is pressing to delete the word from 13 place names found in its aboriginal territory in the Inland Northwest. Spokesman-Review staff writer James Hagengruber reported it isn't easy to change a place name. The state names council must recommend the change to a national board, which considers local use and seeks input from local politicians before accepting the change. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names makes the final decision. In the Coeur d'Alenes' situation, Benewah County commissioners decided to take no position on proposed name changes, according to the St. Maries Gazette Record. Although it's neutral, the Benewah County position is better than the one taken by Commissioner Currie, who said he's "basically tired" of "changing the names of absolutely everything." Believe it or not, Currie's position is better than the one held by state St. Maries Republican Harwood. Harwood insists that "squaw" is a name of "honor" and opposes name changes, especially if the substitute word is in an Indian dialect. Harwood told the Gazette Record, "If we're going to change the names of those places, we should change them to English and not Indian because we speak English in this state." Harwood should begin looking into ways to change the names of the two big lakes that touch his far-flung District 2: Coeur d'Alene and Pend Oreille. The public should have no trouble pronouncing the Coeur d'Alenes' suggested change for Squaw Bay on Lake Coeur d'Alene: "Neachen Bay." Neachen is a Coeur d'Alene reference for a place where deer were forced into the water to be killed. Nor should there be a problem with the recommended name for Squaw Creek in the St. Joe National Forest: "Chimeash, " the tribe's term for "young woman of good character." But Q'emiln (ka-mee-lin) Park in Post Falls is a place that many non- Indians still can't pronounce. With support from local elected officials and care on the part of the tribes, the transition to the new names can proceed smoothly. Copyright c. 2006 Idaho Spokesman-Review. --------- "RE: OPINION: Indians are the Palestinians of Virginia" --------- Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 07:45:54 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="VIRGINIA INDIANS GETTING SHAFTED" http://www.indianz.com/News/ http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/102006/10142006/228592 Give Virginia Indians a fair deal Kerry W. Canaday October 14, 2006 I don't understand why white people in the commonwealth are so afraid of the native people obtaining federal recognition ["Talking tribes," Oct. 10]. This state has done everything within its power to kill off its native population, yet we survive. I am so tired of hearing that all we want is a casino and the "evils" that are associated with it. How two-faced the forked-tongued white man is! We have legal gambling in this state, with the state-owned lottery and horse racing. No tribe has plans for a casino. What we want is the legal recognition that we have been denied and the respect associated with being recognized. My tribe - the Chickahominy (I am an enrolled member) - had a reservation, but that, too, was taken from us in the 1700s. We are the Palestinians of Virginia, a people in their homeland without legal recognition. Respect, not casinos, is what is owed to the Virginia Indians. Help us obtain what has been legally denied us. Don't be afraid of what you know nothing about. Listen to us. We do not want casinos. Kerry W. Canaday Copyright c. 2006 The Free Lance-Star Publishing Co. --------- "RE: YELLOW BIRD: Tribes should guarantee Press Freedom" --------- Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 08:53:46 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="YELLOW BIRD: CONTROL OF PRESS BY TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS" http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm? id=13717§ion=columnists&columnist=Dorreen%20Yellow%20Bird& freebie_check&CFID=2526071&CFTOKEN=16780282&jsessionid=883038a264cb8276a327 Tribes should guarantee press freedom Dorreen Yellow Bird Grand Forks Herald October 18, 2006 Monday evening, a candidate for tribal chairman of the Three Affiliated Tribes in New Town, N.D., said he supported a free press for the reservation. I will take him at his word. But history tells me two things: First, a free press on reservations is hard to come by. And second, it is "oh, so necessary" as one of those essential checks to keep balance in government. The history of tribal newspapers can be traced back to 1828 and the Cherokee Phoenix in New Echota, Ga. It struggled with conflicts as do newspapers today. Today, there are more than 300 tribal newspapers. That number fluctuates as some newspapers cease to exist and new ones take their place. There are many more so-called newsletters or bulletins that provide information about the tribe but rarely report hard news. There are a growing number of magazines, about 33 radio stations and one tribal college television station on the Confederated Salish & Kootenai reservation at Pablo, Mont. Some tribal newspapers struggle for a breath of air as their tribal government closes its hands around reporters' necks. Is a free press possible on reservations? Perhaps. Dan Agent, associate editor of the modern Cherokee Phoenix, which is published by the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, says that landmark legislation in the Constitution of the Cherokee Nation protects the press. The Phoenix's advisory boards are part of these protections as are the readers who appreciate what the Phoenix does. The Phoenix has about 28,000 to 30,000 readers. But the turkey feather in this eagle feather war bonnet is that the Phoenix hasn't been tested. The Navajo Times has been tested. In 1986, the Navajo Times was one of the largest and possibly the only daily tribal newspaper. The paper endorsed the candidate who lost the election. Some weeks afterward, tribal police came in and employees were told to gather their personal belongings and get out, said Tom Arviso, the paper's current publisher. Two months later, the paper resurfaced as a weekly. In 1988, Arviso - then the sports writer - was recommended as editor. The new Navajo Times has been publishing for 18 years, but Arviso says it doesn't do political endorsements, just profiles of the Navajo candidates. "We're not here to direct what people think. Let the people decide for themselves," he said. Did their tribal constitution carry any weight in the 1987 decision to temporarily close the paper? I asked. The Navajo nation does not have a constitution, Arviso answered. It has the Navajo Tribal Code, and there is First Amendment-style protection written in it. But the best protection for newspapers is good journalism that is fair, balanced and accurate, he said. One of the ways to ensure a free press is to own and print your own newspaper. That is what Tim Giago, retired published of Indian Country Today and the Lakota Times, told me. For my own part, I managed a newspaper on the Fort Berthold Indian reservation in New Town almost 16 years ago, and I, too, got crosswise with the tribal chairman. He didn't want council minutes in the newspaper or on the radio. Needless to say, I was history after publishing a paper for nearly nine years. I listened with wonder when Giago said he earned enough through advertising to keep his paper, which at the time was in Pine Ridge, S.D., publishing. He also solicited from tribal programs and the tribal college. He eventually moved the business to Rapid City, S.D. During the time I was at the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Times, I found it almost impossible to make enough from ads to keep the paper afloat without support from the tribe. Another local newspaper got most of the ads, and when the tribal chairman pulled the tribal programs' financial support, it was goodbye Charlie for our paper. These stories about tribal newspapers are the norm, even in those situations where the tribal constitution guarantees freedom of the press. The federal Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 says, "No Indian tribe in exercising powers of self-government shall make or enforce any law prohibiting the free exercise of religion, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of press . . ." But somehow, there doesn't seem to be a way to enforce the act. In my opinion, organizations such as the National Congress of American Indians, National Tribal Chairman's Association, National Indian Education Association and other groups should bring leaders or tribal councils together in a conference to find ways to move tribes from a Third World mentality to one of fair and good government. I am referring to freedom of information on reservations. Fortunately, there are tribes that are doing well and that protect the rights of their people. They could be important in teaching other tribes how to develop a good system. ---- Dorreen Yellow Bird is a reporter and columnist. Her columns appear Wednesdays and Saturdays on the opinion pages of the Herald. Reach her at (701) 780-1228 or dyellowbird@gfherald.com Copyright c. 2006 Grand Forks Herald, Forum Communications Co., Fargo ND. --------- "RE: Cobell sees parallels in Aboriginal wage theft" --------- Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 07:45:54 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="STOLEN ABORIGINAL WAGES PARALLELS STOLEN TRUST FUND" http://www,indianz.com/News/ http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867 Rough justice over stolen wages The theft of Aboriginal pay is much worse than a breach of trust Stuart Rintoul October 14, 2006 In May 2002, a group of senior Aboriginal figures waited uneasily to see Queensland Premier Peter Beattie. The meeting was to discuss a $180million claim for wages and savings that were lost, or stolen, from Aboriginal workers during much of the 20th century. These workers included children who were taken from reserves to work as servants and labourers, whose wages were managed by "protectors" and whose passbooks, after years of work, were often found to contain little or nothing. Profoundly corrupt at a time when no one cared, this management of Aboriginal wages lasted from 1897 until 1972. According to Ruth Hegarty, one of those who attended the Beattie meeting, which she recalled to Ros Kidd for her book, Trustees on Trial: Recovering the Stolen Wages, Beattie arrived with a sheaf of yellow papers in his hand that he immediately tossed on the table, saying, "This is our offer, take it or leave it." The offer was for $55.6million: a "full and final" payment of $4000 for surviving workers over the age of 50, $2000 for younger survivors and nothing for descendants. In order to receive the payment, individuals were required to relinquish any legal rights they might have under the various protection acts in place in Queensland between 1897 and 1984. A week later, Beattie told the Queensland parliament the proposal was historic and aimed to ease the lasting pain caused by past government policies. He said many Aboriginal people had been treated worse than animals. The Beattie deal generated feelings in the Aboriginal community ranging from anger and disgust to grudging acceptance. Some of those who had fought for years fortheir entitlements took the money to pay for funeralexpenses. But, after four years, only half the 16,400 anticipated claimants have applied for payment. One-third of those who applied have been rejected because the Government has been unable to find substantiating documents. Only $20million of the $55.6million has been distributed. But the issue is far from over. Several legal actions are now being prepared in Queensland and NSW; a NSW trust fund repayment scheme, which is more generous than Queensland's, has accepted claims over the past year totalling $400,000 in amounts of up to $25,000; and a Senate inquiry has begun hearing evidence in all states andterritories. Somewhere near the centre of this legal and emotional vortex is Kidd, whose work over the past 15 years, culminating in Trustees on Trial, has not only exposed the extent to which Aboriginal people were deprived of their entitlements for the greater part of the 20th century, but lays the legal grounds for arguing that Australian governments were in breach of trust. Over the past fortnight, Kidd has been talking to lawyers in Queensland, NSW and Victoria in the company of Elouise Cobell, who for the past 10 years has been locked in a $US176billion ($234billion) class action against the US Government on behalf of 500,000 Native Americans, over trust money that was similarly lost, looted or mismanaged. Cobell, a member of the Blackfeet nation and a banker who has helped found banks to support Native American-owned enterprises, sees strong parallels between that case, in which a district court judge has ruled the US Government breached its trust responsibilities, and the Aboriginal stolen-wages issue. Cobell has described the US case as "worse than Enron, because it's the Government that is lying, covering up and breaching its trust. They stole people's entire life savings. They robbed an entire race." The Bush administration has stalled on a settlement in the case, with costs soaring above $US100million, and after presiding over the case for a decade, Judge Royce Lambeth was recently removed. But Cobell remains confident and determined to keep the US Government's feet to the fire. "We will stay in litigation until this is resolved," she says. Having heard some of the stories of Aboriginal people who were denied wages throughout their lives, she says: "I don't see how any Australian, after listening to the stories, can feel good. It's emotionally draining." In Townsville, Cobell spoke to Yvonne Butler, who told her how three generations of her family were denied wages owed to them, from her grandfather who worked as a "faithful slave", to her own employment as a child cook and governess. Butler has four times rejected the Queensland Government's offer of $4000 compensation. "I'm not taking it," she tells Inquirer. "It's an insult. It was a slave labour system. We worked very long hours for next to nothing. "I remember everything that happened: how humiliating it was as a child to go to the police station to watch your mum and dad being interrogated for their own money." She remembers also suffering from malnutrition. Legal opinion by constitutional lawyer Maurice Byers has previously suggested all Queensland "protection" legislation was in breach of the imperial Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. But the widespread corruption, misappropriation and mismanagement of the Aboriginal accounts - revealed in a report to the Goss Labor government 15 years ago and reinforced by Kidd's unprecedented access to Queensland government records - has raised new legal possibilities. These records, she says, reveal the extraordinary extent of government controls over Aboriginal wages, savings, endowments and pensions and include many accounts of wages being mismanaged through negligence, forgery, trickery or collusion, and make a powerful case that governments breached their trustee responsibilities to protect the interests of people who were forbidden from seeing their financial records. Kidd, who uncovered the extent of misappropriation in Queensland while researching her doctoral thesis in 1990, says the difference between the stolen generations debate and the stolen wages case is that "if we focus on the finances, there is no room for whether you meant well or whether it was the policy of the time; you either break trust law or you don't". "Aboriginal people were entirely at the mercy of government," she writes. "That vulnerability, the undertaking by the government to act on their behalf, the reasonable belief that it would do so, all suggest an enforceable fiduciary obligation. "The power of government and the machinery of its protection regime was truly extraordinary, both in scope and intensity. It controlled child- parent and marital relationships, the place and conditions of living, the type of labour and earnings from it and the availability and security of private savings." Comparing the unlimited authority governments exercised over indigenous Australians and Native Americans, Kidd writes: "Like congressional power in the early 20th century over Native American interests, the power that Queensland governments wielded over Aboriginal lives and finances was certainly as 'manifestly awesome, perhaps unlimited'." Two states - Queensland and NSW - have attempted to come to terms with the stolen-wages issue over the past four years. The contrast could hardly be more pronounced. In NSW, the scheme is uncapped; entitlements are indexed for today's dollars, with compound interest; the scheme takes responsibility for searching archival records; disputed claims are heard by an indigenous panel, chaired by former senator Aden Ridgeway, which is able to take account of oral evidence; the scheme allows for claims by groups of descendants, which the Queensland deal does not; and there are funds for counselling claimants who find the process traumatic. Many claimants, according to Marilyn Hoey, director of the NSW Aboriginal Trust Fund Repayment Scheme, are shocked to discover how closely their lives were monitored by the Aborigines Protection Board and the Aboriginal Welfare Board. Another key difference is that NSW has not required indemnity against further claims, or legal action. Robin Banks, chief executive of the NSW Public Interest Advocacy Centre, says the NSW scheme is "much more respectful" than Queensland's, although claims in NSW, as in Queensland, will fail if documentary evidence cannot be found. This, she says, is a refusal to acknowledge "that it was a responsibility of the government to maintain the records, not of the individuals, who had no hope of maintaining the records because they had no access tothem." In the fading pages of the Queensland records, the story is told time and again of the breach of trust inflicted upon Aboriginal people. In 1927, when workers at Wrotham Park station refused to sign their contracts until outstanding wages of pound stg. 200 were paid, the protector threatened them, plied them with alcohol and locked them in a poisons shed overnight until they capitulated. In the early 1940s, the protector in Coen described a system in which Aboriginal people authorised wage arrangements with thumbprints as "just a farce". At Camooweal in 1956, the year of the Melbourne Olympics, the protector said the system was "absolutely beyond control". At Birdsville, the protector said he had never seen a pocket-money book. At Cooktown, the protector said the system was "futile" since most workers were illiterate and had no way of knowing what they were "signing" for. At Urandangie, the protector said the books were "useless". In his preface to Kidd's book, lawyer Geoffrey Robertson observes: "At a time when organisations representing indigenous people are routinely accused by governments of mismanaging their funds, it is appropriate to consider how those funds were managed when they were entrusted to governments." Copyright c. The Australian. --------- "RE: Center protects American Indian Languages" --------- Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 07:45:54 -0700 From: Gary Smith Subj: NA News Item - - - - - - -- - - - - - - filename="LANGUAGE PRESERVATION" http://www.owlstar.com/dailyheadlines.htm http://www.dailyutahchronicle.com/media/storage/paper244/news/ 2006/10/16/News/Center.Protects.American.Indian.Languages-2351492.shtml? norewrite200610161120&sourcedomain=www.dailyutahchronicle.com Center protects American Indian languages Alyssa Farley October 16, 2006 Of the 175 native languages spoken in North America, only 20 are currently being taught to children. More languages are nearing extinction now than ever before, according to the U's Center for American Indian Languages, and the center is striving to change that fact. The U's Center for American Indian Languages is an organization composed of linguists whose goal is to maintain and revitalize the native languages of the indigenous peoples of North and South America. Projects focus on the documentation and preservation of endangered languages and community revitalization programs for groups who request the center's help. Lyle Campbell, professor of linguistics and director of the center, helped specifically with the documentation of one of the native languages in El Salvador. "There was one native Linka speaker, and I worked with him (to preserve the language) up to his death," Campbell said. Information that has been passed down about natural medicines and wildlife often disappears when native speakers pass away, so many projects focus on preserving those lesser-known languages. One current project at the center involves Mauricio Mixco and Marianna DiPaolo, who currently work on preserving and enhancing the availability of Goshute and Shoshoni materials. Wilson Silva, a doctorate student, created the Amazonian Language Research and Documentation Group. He and other graduate students are working to provide literary resources in the form of stories, specifically for the language of Ticuna, spoken in the Amazonian state in Brazil. Silva became interested in endangered languages as an undergraduate in Brazil. He worked with the Satere'-Mawe' language group and later with Ticuna. "When I was first exposed to the indigenous languages of Brazil, I was amazed at their exoticness," he said. Silva also said the importance of preserving such unique languages is huge. "(Language) shows us different ways of seeing the world," he said. According to the center, increasing awareness of the important information contained in language can help linguistic diversity to cease being seen as a hindrance and become celebrated for the insights it gives into the means and methods of human expression. For more information on the center, visit its Web site at www.cail.utah.edu/ Copyright C. 2006 The Daily Utah Chronicle. --------- "RE: Language Loss Can Be Reversed" --------- Date: Sunday, October 15, 2006 12:52 am From: George Ann Gregory Subj: newsletter Anumpa Achukma/Good News Language Loss Can Be Reversed 2006.07 This is a newsletter dedicated to reporting the successes in revitalizing endangered languages worldwide. Share your good news with us by sending us an article about your program or current activity in revitalizing an endangered language. Please forward this newsletter to anyone who might be interested. Perpetuation How do we perpetuate our languages? This is what some people are doing. (1) Around 5 years ago, a big part of that desire, I think, was that my wife fell pregnant and having to think about the responsibility of being a parent I actually went through the things that I valued. And one of the things was my Maori culture. And I really had this strong desire... that my children learn Maori as well. And I knew if I didn't have at least a certain level, base level of language then it would make it really hard for them to learn. (2) I guess when stringing sentences together, it's slower for me in Maori because I really have to sit there and think about what I'm going to say as opposed to just respond in a natural way. But, yeah, when I have kids. How old am I now? I'm thirty now, so when I'm fifty and I pop out my first kid, then I guess I will stop being so lazy. (3) Probably off an on for about fifteen years [actively learning the language] I suppose. I always kept running away from it because I didn't really want the responsibility of learning it because once you learn it come other responsibilities of running the family functions, speaking on behalf of your family. And not being the eldest brother, because that's his job, I didn't want the responsibility. So I kept dodging it for many years... My grandmother obviously saw something that was in me to learn, but as I said I kept dodging it as long as I could, and, then, I couldn't run away anymore. I just sort of sat down and started learning. So I did... If it wasn't for our Maori woman, who have got a group called the Maori Woman's WelfareLleague, they are responsible for keeping the language, I believe, (4) No, we didn't really grow up speaking it. I was born in 1950. My exposure to it was probably a great aunt, who would have been in her eighties when I was very young, and I recall her talking in a funny dialect--I suppose that's what I would call it--and the way that she placed her tongue in her mouth and the pronunciation of her words. It wasn't English. It - and I think it was the southern dialect. We people instead of saying Rakiura, [Maori name for Stewart Island], which is an "r", roll the "r". She would say lakiula, lakiula, with an "l" instead of an "r", so I recall that, and that would have been in the fifties. I started school in the fifties, and... the maximum of our exposure to the language would be in the school concerts, learning the waiata or our songs and action songs, and we had a teacher who was actually quite interested in encouraging us to learn our own history, which was unusual for those days. (5) So, probably for me, my initial experience was I was brought up in Maori. My father was a native speaker, and my mother is part Maori as well but was brought up in a Catholic religious background. So she was more Pakeha- fied [Europeanized]. So I guess my initial contact with the Maori language was from a baby, definitely... throughout my childhood we did a lot of marae stuff. (6) When I was younger, I grew up with... my grandparents, and they were fluent Maori speakers. And they thought... that they'd give their grandchildren... Maori. And we learnt Maori off them/ (7) Now, my gran, she's pretty much the whole reason why we're here... . I think when I got to college there was my kura kaupapa, my secondary school then. So I was just doing maybe couple of papers a week. And then when I was in university, I thought "Oh, I'll give this a try," you know, because there were - like they had Bachelor's of Arts in Maori, in te reo Maori. So I tested through that... .In 2000 I graduated with my BA Maori in Education... And I knew once I got my degree I couldn't go anywhere else. I could go t