Canku Ota

(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

December 27, 2003 - Issue 103

"Tatsgwiik"

The Haida Greeting

 Welcome here is the place of honor for you

Snowbounding by John Seerey-Lester

"nvda gutiha "

Snow Moon

Eastern Cherokee

"Somewhere a good man must rise from the young ones among us."
Crazy Horse's Father to a young Crazy Horse

We Salute
Ron His Horse is Thunder

Shortly after earning a law degree Ron His Horse is Thunder, great-great-great grandson of Sitting Bull, quit his job at a Rapid City law firm and returned home to the Standing Rock Reservation, a stretch of land that covers 2.3 million acres of prairie, in south-central North Dakota and north-central South Dakota. His Horse Is Thunder came home with the goal to improve economic conditions on the Standing Rock Reservation by developing culturally relevant learning experiences for youth. Today he is president of the Sitting Bull College.

"We convinced the Sitting Bull College board of trustees that our mission shouldn’t be just education, but it should also be assisting the tribe with economic development and developing businesses on the reservation," His Horse is Thunder said. As a child living on the reservation he witnessed the hardships of reservation life.

For the last 3 1/2 years, Paul and I have shared "Canku Ota" with you, at no charge.
To date, we've received no funding for our work, either.
But, we now have a dilemma, and we need your help.

Our Featured Artist:

Say What???

Chris Eyre

Chris Eyre's "Edge of America" will premiere as Sundance Film Festival's opening night's film and centerpiece on Friday, Jan. 16.

McDonalds Charity Excludes Native Americans/ Alaska Natives

One of the largest charities in the country specifically offers scholarships to just about every major minority group in the country except Native Americans. In defending the decision, officials at the Ronald McDonald House Charities said they offer assistance to those children who are a priority.

Thunderhawk - Our Featured Story:

Northwestern Wisconsin First Person History:

Thunderhawk
The Curse of the Robin Redbeast - Conclusion
by Geoff Hampton

Thunderhawk is back with the latest installment of Robin Redbeast.

A Little History of My Forest Life - Part 2
submitted by Timm Severud (Ondamitag)

Our friends were surprised when they heard we were moving to the woods. They would ask where we were going, and I would only say, "My husband is going to make a homestead out to Pike Lake."

I did not tell anyone what his intention was in moving out in the woods. It bothered me a little to know how we were going to make a living out there. We did not have much money hardly enough to buy supplies for the winter. We had a good team of horses, a cow, and chickens, and everything necessary for hunting and fishing - guns, traps, nets and hooks.

Preserving Languages

Preserving Languages

Saving dying dialects
Sisseton Wahpeton day care immersed in Dakota language

Linda Obago-Nicolar remembers asking her 4-year-old daughter Felicity to pick up a blue cereal box one day.

"She said, 'the TO box?' "

"To," pronounced like "tow," means blue in Dakota Indian language.

Hopis attempt to save language

It is not an encouraging number: Of those Hopi between the ages of 20 and 39, only 50 percent speak their native language fluently. That was the finding of a survey the Hopi tribe commissioned in 1998, and by its own estimates, that number has only fallen since.

But with the governing board of the Tuba City Unified School District's decision Wednesday to adopt the tribe's Hopilavayi, or Hopi Language, program, the Hopi nation has taken one more step toward saving its language from the extinction fate would condemn it to.

Living Traditions

Living Traditions

Rescuing a language

So few Onondaga Nation members speak the Onondaga language fluently that their leaders won't disclose the number.

But Onondaga leaders admit they are desperately trying to save the language from extinction.

Percy Abrams, an Onondaga who is a graduate student in linguistics, began teaching language classes at the Indian territory four years ago. About 20 adults attend the free classes sponsored each week by the nation's government.

Lakota Language Bowl talk of the tournament

Fast hands and a solid background in Lakota were all it took to power Cheyenne Eagle Butte into the second round of the Lakota Language Bowl on Thursday.

The Language Bowl is among activities that are part of the Lakota Nation Invitational basketball tournament taking place this week at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

Entertainment News

Entertainment News

Navajo teen in spotlight for her Native American music debut win

The wife of a former tribal chairman announced Sunday she will spearhead the drive to form a fan club for a 19-year-old Navajo woman who won the top honor at the Native American Music Association's annual competition this year.

Wanda MacDonald, wife of former Chairman Peter MacDonald, joined her husband at the dinner in the Peterson Zah-Navajo Nation Museum-Library as about 80 relatives and friends honored Marlena Begay for her birthday and being the best of the five finalists in the new artists debut category of the NAMY's, modeled after the Grammys.

Gray leads horses to water and makes 'em act

Richard Gray sits at his table at home near Hot Springs. On the wall hang pieces of western art and a few antique items. His broad porch out front has a few dogs and three well worn chairs. He smoothed a piece of paper on the table. It's the schedule for a day of filming of the movie Seabiscuit at a ranch in Pomona, Calif.

Gray trained horses for the adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand's award-winning nonfiction book, Seabiscuit, which tells of a racehorse that captured America's heart in the years before World War II and the men who helped turn him from a bitter loser into a champion. The movie will be released on video and DVD later this month.

Living Traditions

Living Traditions

Arctic Mission Sets Sail for National Broadcast Premiere on CBC’s The Nature of Things with David Suzuki NFB 5-part series premieres on January 28

The National Film Board of Canada, Glacialis Productions, Gedeon Programmes and CBC Television proudly announce the national broadcast premiere of Arctic Mission, a 5-part documentary series shot in high definition, on The Nature of Things with David Suzuki. The Great Adventure, the first film to launch the series, explores the unforgiving nature of the Arctic landscape and its impact on modern-day explorers.

Butchered Buffalo Provides Valuable Lessons

The cook at Santa Fe Indian School witnessed the slaughtering and butchering of a buffalo on Nambé Pueblo and took meat from the animal to the school.

"I want to cook the food (in a way) where it brings people together," said the cook, Gerald Rosetta of Santo Domingo Pueblo on Dec. 4 at the Buffalo Range in Nambé.

Rosetta, students and others from the school joined tribal members from Nambé to take part in a traditional bison butchering.

Some students were exhilarated at having helped cut the buffalo apart -- some used handsaws to cut the animal's hide. Patrick Maestas, 14, and other boys had bloody hands after having touched the buffalo.

A Christmas Story

A Christmas Story

Celebrating the Gift of Sharing

It is difficult not to notice. There is holiday spirit in the air and it is coming from both students and staff members at Tuba City Unified School District.

Maybe it's the vacation coming up, finding presents under the tree or even just the idea of all the holiday food and being able to sleep late in the morning for two solid weeks, but the Christmas spirit in the air is thick. Everyone seems to be feeling a bit brighter and happier and most especially, more hopeful as the year is nearing an end and there is school break that will include spending time with family and friends, both on and off the reservation, which will give everyone time to show their love and caring for members of their immediate and extended family. But there is another aspect of this holiday spirit that is showing as well.

Morongo Tribal Members to Bring Christmas to Cabazon School Children

On Friday, December 19, 271 students at the Cabazon Elementary School received an exciting early Yuletide celebration when Santa Claus and helpers from the Morongo tribe come to call.

Morongo Band of Mission Indian volunteers gave each student a Christmas stockings stuffed with candy and fruit, a backpack brimming with school supplies and a $50 dollar grocery store gift certificate.

Morongo tribal members and volunteers French Miguel, Barbara Calderon, Virginia Lyons, Mary Lopez, Amber Soza, Anita Soza and Lisa Goad also brought Christmas cupcakes and refreshments for the children.

Living Traditions

Tribe Comes Through for 16 Charities

Sixteen area charities appealing to the public for help got the Christmas miracle they were hoping for. On Thursday, the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians gave them each $5,000.

The gift of $80,000 was directed to each of the agencies listed in Thursday's edition of The Sun in connection a story about an 11th-hour plea for donations.

"After reading today's heartfelt story in (The Sun) about the needs of local charitable organizations, we felt compelled to lend a helping hand to assist these organizations during the holiday season," said Christine Hernandez, secretary-treasurer of the tribe.

Wakina Sky students complete War Bonnet

Students of the Wakina Sky Learning Circle & Library officially completed their very own handmade, traditional War Bonnet Thursday afternoon.

"It was hard," said Izain Belgarde, a student at WSLC.

WSLC is an after-school program aimed at enhancing the development of enrolled children's social, emotional and academic skills.

All of 22 WSLC students participated in either beading the design on front or preparing a feather, and some did both, said Pearl McGillis, a cultural coordinator.

Preserving Traditions

Preserving Traditions

Uncovering A Bit Of History

Keira Watson spent two weeks last summer digging in the dirt, looking for her past.

Keira, an Oneida Indian, was part of an archaeological dig run jointly by the Oneida Indian Nation and Colgate University.

Colgate anthropology professor Jordan Kerber, about a dozen Colgate students and several Oneida youths dug and sifted for artifacts from an Oneida village.

The village, just north of present-day Munnsville, was occupied from about 1590 to 1620, Kerber said.

Keira found clay, an old nail, a bead, and a quartz arrow point. But there's one thing she remembers most: "It was hot."

Study reaps knowledge from names

"Richest detail came from people with most experience on the land"

Communities should record and locate traditional place names in Inuktitut because they hold a wealth of information about the environment, culture and history.

An anthropologist from the United States is helping the hamlet of Cape Dorset document this place-name information, with funding from Nunavut's department of culture, language, elders and youth, the Inuit Heritage Foundation and the National Science Foundation.

Health and Wellness

Sports

Walking the Talk Against Diabetes

PGA Pro Notah Begay III, with four PGA Tour wins, captivated the audience at the National Congress of American Indians’ 60th Annual Convention Banquet.

Begay, a graduate of Stanford University, said as a young boy he took the bus to play golf and doors did not swing wide for an American Indian seeking professional success.

"It didn’t want to let me in the door. I had to knock it down," he said of arriving at the PGA championship.

Pine Ridge Sets the Pace in Cross-Country

Invoking a no-nonsense attitude, coach Dale Pine has refused to allow his athletes to fall victim to the obstacles that present daily challenges in Pine Ridge. That's why he believes cross country running is the ideal sport at his South Dakota high school.

"You can't complain to the coach about getting the ball," the 20-year teacher for the Pine Ridge Thorpes said, who also shares the coaching duties with his wife Lyn. "Every time you line up, it's man-versus-man and you can never make an excuse."

About This Issue's Greeting - "Tatsgwiik"

There are numerous people, mostly elders that still actively speak the language and in both Massett and Skidegate.

There are three dialects of the Haida language: Massett, Skidegate and Kaigani (Alaskan).

138 speakers in USA (1990 census); 225 in Canada (1991 M. Dale Kinkade); 363 total, out of 2,000 population total (1977 SIL). Most or all speakers are over 50. There is interest in reviving the language. Bilingual in English.

Haida is considered a linguistic isolate with no proven genetic relationship to any language family.

This Date In History

Recipe: Fondue

Story: Inktomi and the Fawn

What is this: Peacock

Craft Project: New Year's Time Capsule

Opportunities

"OPPORTUNITIES" is gathered from sources distributed nationally and includes scholarships, grants, internships, fellowships, and career opportunities as well as announcements for conferences, workshops and symposia.

Canku Ota is a copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 of Vicki Lockard and Paul Barry.

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