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Canku Ota

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(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

 

August 24, 2002 - Issue 68

 
 

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Rez Dog Girls

 
 
Thanks to Jim Adams of Indian Country Today
 
 
credits: Rez Dog Clothing Top Row (Left to Right): Bobbi Dorchester, Rachael Shelley, Michelle Bowman, Angye Tilley, Lateachia Pemma, Meredith Koenig Bottom Row (Left to Right): Adoesha Bennett, Toni Lee Tsatoke, Ampah DeHaas, Teresa Randall, Shan Baldwin, LivA'ndrea Knoki
 

Rez Dog Grls

"These girls are so gorgeous this is going to rival Sports Illustrated," said Mary DeHaas, co-producer of the Rez Dog calendar. "People are going to be pleasantly surprised and impressed."

After a 9-month model search, "Rez Dog Clothing Company," American Indian Apparel, announces its choice of 12 models for their Premiere Edition of "The Girls of Rez Dog Clothing Company 2003" swimsuit calendar sponsored by the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Oklahoma.

"It was so difficult for our panel of judges to choose just 12. We had nearly 100 beautiful Native American women submit their applications," says "Rez Dog’s" Mary DeHaas.

The calendar will be featuring 12 of the hottest women in Indian country attired in various swim wear and Rez Dog apparel. The beautiful and dynamic Indian models represent 12 different Tribes from across the United States. These bright and talented Native American women are our stars of tomorrow.

She said the calendar would be ready to distribute in October. It will be available on the pow wow circuit, in Native American gift shops and through the Rez Dog website http://www.rezdog.com.

The project is an offshoot of Rez Dog Clothing, founded by Mary and Keith DeHaas. Keith, the company’s chief executive officer, is Standing Rock Lakota. According to the company biography, he started selling his own T-shirts in 1996 after finding that pow wow vendors carried only what he called "mystic Indian" designs of "not-quite-right images of Indian braves and maidens with rainbows and eagles."

Instead, his company drew on an image common to most Indian communities, "the scruffy and tough survivor -- the reservation dog."

Like the clothing, which features inside jokes and rez slang, the calendar wants to break solemn stereotypes of Indian life.

"It will represent the modern Native American woman as light-hearted, fun and sexy," said a company statement.

Ms. DeHaas said that the models have impressive records of achievement. Many are honor role college students with plans for advanced degrees. "A lot of them feel this is an excellent stepping stone to further their careers," she said.

They are:

  • Shan Baldwin – a Navajo originally from Monument Valley, Utah makes her home in Tucson, Arizona where she attends Pima College majoring in Broadcast Journalism and minoring in Foreign Languages. Shan recently modeled at the Pre-Grammy’s showcase for the Native American Music Award Category.
  • LivA’ndrea Knoki – a Navajo from Tempe, Arizona is a senior philosophy major at Arizona State University. She aspires to become a corporate attorney.
  • Adoesha Bennett - a Creek from Tahlequah, Oklahoma studies theatre at Haskell Indian Nations University and enjoys touring and performing with Native American productions.
  • Ampah DeHaas – a Standing Rock Lakota Sioux from Bismarck, North Dakota attends United Tribes Technical College working toward her degree in health information.
  • Rachael Shelley – from Lawrence, Kansas is Winnebago and Omaha. She is a flight attendant for Delta Airlines and is pursuing her degree work in Aeronautical Science and her goal to one day be a pilot for a major airline.
  • Bobbi Dorchester – a Ft. McDowell Reservation Yavapi and Navajo, Bobbi resides in Fountain Hills, Arizona. She is graduating from high school at the end of this summer and is looking forward to studying law.
  • Toni Lee Tsatoke – a Kiowa from Carnegie, Oklahoma graduated this year from Haskell Indian Nations University with a degree in Education. Toni also recently modeled at the Pre-Grammy’s showcase for the Native American Music Award Category.
  • Teresa A. Randall – a Lakota Sioux, makes her home in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. She is currently preparing for her Real Estate license.
  • Michelle Bowman – an Akimel O’Odham from Gila River Indian Community in Arizona is a veteran of the US Navy. She is currently pursuing a degree in Business/Marketing at the University of Phoenix and aspires to complete an MBA.
  • Meredith Koenig – a Saginaw Chippewa from Mount Pleasant, Michigan is a veteran of numerous beauty pageants. She is a junior in high school and is looking forward to one day moving to California and pursuing her dreams in the entertainment industry.
  • Angye Tilley – a Creek and Seminole from Bristow, Oklahoma is a junior Business major at the University of Oklahoma. She is Gates scholar, McNair scholar and on the Dean’s Honor Roll. Angye plays basketball for the OU Women’s Basketball team that recently went to the "Sweet 16."
  • Lateachia Pemma – a Potawatomi and Ho Chunk from Wabeno, Wisconsin is a former Miss Potawatomi Nation. She is a recent high school graduate and is looking forward to her Freshman year at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas.

The project was sponsored by the Otoe Missouria Tribe of Oklahoma with additional support from the Tahoe Seasons Resort. Rez Dog Clothing incorporated with the Otoe Missouria in 1998, the first company ever to incorporate with the tribe.

If the calendar sells as well as hoped, Ms. DeHaas has plans to expand in 2004.

American Indian males, start lifting weights – you’re next!

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  Canku Ota is a free Newsletter celebrating Native America, its traditions and accomplishments . We do not provide subscriber or visitor names to anyone. Some articles presented in Canku Ota may contain copyright material. We have received appropriate permissions for republishing any articles. Material appearing here is distributed without profit or monetary gain to those who have expressed an interest. This is in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107.  
     
 

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