Spring 2016 Newsletter
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Xatikrupma Karuk Tribe Spring News 2016 64236 SECOND AVE • HAPPY CAMP, CALIF. • 96039 • (800) 505-2785 20TH ANNUAL KARUK TRIBAL REUNION June 25, 2016 – Karuk Administrative Complex KARUK Please come and join us. 64236 SECOND AVE • HAPPY CAMP, CA AYUKÎI Greetings from your Tribal Council Russell Attebery Robert Super Michael Thom Happy Camp Yreka Happy Camp Chairman Vice-Chairman Secretary/Treasurer TERM: Nov. 2015-Nov. 2019 TERM: Nov. 2014-Nov. 2018 TERM: Nov. 2015-Nov. 2019 Alvis Johnson Elsa Goodwin Josh Saxon Happy Camp District Happy Camp District Orleans District Member at Large Member at Large Member at Large TERM: Nov. 2012-Nov. 2016 TERM: Nov. 2012-Nov. 2016 TERM: Nov. 2013-Nov. 2017 Renee Stauffer Arch Super Sonny Davis Orleans District Yreka District Yreka District Member at Large Member at Large Member at Large Term: Nov. 15-Nov. 19 TERM:Nov. 2013-Nov. 2017 TERM: Nov. 2014-Nov. 2018 Page 2 Karuk Newsletter Winter 2015 yukîi huut kich, A Hope all is well in Indian Country. Things have been very busy with a lot of different projects going on. These are great projects to help provide our Tribal Members a better quality of life. It takes everyone, Council, Managers and Directors, Staff and most of all Tribal Membership to accomplish this goal. We must work together to be stronger. I will give a quick summary of some of our ongoing projects. Please read the newsletter and ask questions about our programs for our Tribal Chairman Attebery at Native American Days in Sacramento Members, Elders and Children. Education and Youth Council The Casino Project More funds are being contributed to Native American I was hoping to tell everyone about our ground breaking Education Programs through the “Cobell Settlement”. We date in this newsletter. The loose ends on financing are will continue to pursue these funds. Be sure to check with being tied together and we will be on our way. Alan Merrill our Education Director about summer youth Please check our web-site for job trainings and programs, college visits or training seminars. You may opportunities. also contact Alan with questions about our Youth Council. The Youth Council consists of two branches, one in Yreka and one representing Happy Camp and Orleans. Parents Housing are encouraged to volunteer as advisor’s or mentor’s to We have started building the new homes in Yreka. These help our youth with program activities or academics. I are three, four and five bedroom homes. Special thanks to also encourage parents to attend your children’s activities, Housing Directors, Managers and Staff for their hard work. it makes a real positive difference in a child’s life. Our The timing could not be better, building new homes and children are our future and only we can help. creating new jobs at the same time. Housing finished the townhouses in Happy Camp and they are occupied. I know we have a long way to go Election but everyone should be real proud of the Housing Board, We have both local and national elections coming up. Director’s and Staff. Please get out and VOTE! The Wellness Center has been in full use, special California today is home to the largest population of thanks to Jeanne Burcell the new Director, she has been Native Americans in the fifty states. The success of Tribal doing a great job and getting a lot of use out of our new businesses and the rise of Tribal Members in all walks of gymnasium. life today stand as testament to the resilience and enduring spirit of our Native Peoples to protect and preserve our culture, our way of life. Elders I know there is a lot more to tell but hopefully you will Our Elders are the wisest and most respected part of our read about it in the newsletter. As always the Council and family. All Elders are welcome to come and enjoy the dinner Staff are always open to listening to questions, suggestions at our Council meetings. Remember to contact our offices or comments. Please call our offices at any time.. for any needs. Please help look after our Elders. Yôotva kura suva nik. Russell “Buster” Attebery, Karuk Chairman Winter 2015 Karuk Newsletter Page 3 Karuk Tribal Council Seeks To Address Public Safety he Karuk Tribe recently Tapplied for an Administration for Native Americans Social and Economic Development Strategies grant for a Safety and Security Project. Karuk Tribal Member, Suzanne Burcell, volunteered her time on this extremely challenging and complex task of putting together a comprehensive serve adults, children, and elders (e.g., from Tribal proposal to address the safety and security needs within Education, Health, Human Services, Housing, Karuk Territory. The issues of community safety and the Indian Child Welfare, Karuk Language, Natural infringing drug epidemic have been at our forefront for Resources and Environmental Protection, Self- some time now and this was the perfect opportunity to try Governance, TANF, TERO, and Tribal Court) will to make a positive change. The objectives for this grant are be formed to proactively promote, facilitate, and as follows: incentivize community participation in crime • Objective 1 – By the 36th month, a Karuk Tribal prevention activities that include culture-based Police Force comprised of three (3) well-trained, alcohol- and drug-free healthy lifestyles, as well as cross-deputized Officers will be operating in responsible land stewardship and Youth Leadership partnership with an additional fourth Deputy activities. assigned by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and the residents of Orleans. This grant program (ANA SEDS) has become highly • Objective 2 – By the 36th month, an increasing competitive over the years, but we are extremely hopeful number of residents of Orleans will assist and that this greatly needed project will be funded. With that, support Tribal Police, the assigned Deputy Sheriff, we wanted to invite former or current Law Enforcement and the KTHA Security Officer in enhancing public Officers to look for a possible opportunity in August/ safety by participating in monthly information- September of 2016. If we are funded, we will need to hire sharing meetings, Neighborhood Watch, Sheriff’s someone with a great deal of experience in law enforcement Citizens On Patrol (SCOPS), school-based crime as they will be supervising and field training brand new prevention, and/or other Tribal efforts to identify Tribal Police Officers for the community of Orleans. We will public safety needs and implement community- be conducting a preliminary search for an interested Project driven solutions; i.e., from a Year 1 baseline of Director Candidate in July, so we can bring the person on participating residents, the number will triple in staff by October 1, 2016, the start date of the project if Year 3. we are funded. Feel free to send your resume and contact • Objective 3 – By the 36th month, a multidisciplinary information to Dora Bernal at [email protected] regarding team of at least ten (10) Tribal professionals who this potential position so we can contact you to submit a complete application if we are funded. Page 4 Karuk Newsletter Winter 2015 Opioid Addiction pioids are a class of powerful and highly addictive drugs and teaches them to repeat the behavior. This Odrugs that include prescription painkillers such as; happens in the most primitive part of our brain. “That morphine, methadone, Buprenorphine, hydrocodone, felt good. I like it, go get more.” It sounds simple and oxycodone and codeine. Heroin is the most popular illegal somewhat humorous but that is essentially what takes opiate used today and its cheap price and easy availability place. This happens in the part of our brain that controls make it all the more dangerous in todays’ world. our most basic needs like the need for food, the need for Deaths linked to misuse and abuse of prescription water, the need to reproduce, to sleep, and so on. Because opioids climbed to 19,000 in 2014, according to the of the intensity and unnatural amounts of the synthetic Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heroin and substances, it can take a surprising short period of time to opioid painkillers combined caused 28,650 fatal overdoses. become addicted to opioids. The “addiction” becomes a Our bodies produce natural opioids. They send signals fixed need in your primitive brain and silently demands you to the brain which block pain, slow breathing, and have a “Go get more” to maintain a level of opioids in your body. general calming and anti-depressing effect. Prescribed legal In other words it has become as important as all of your opioids as well as illegal opioids like heroin do the same other basic needs like food and water. thing. This is why treatment is so critical in dealing with Our brains are wired to ensure that we repeat life- addiction. There are ways to deal with it in a positive sustaining activities by associating them with pleasure or and direct way. Our community has Treatment Programs reward. Whenever this reward circuit is activated, the brain and resources available that are accessible and culturally notes that something important is happening that needs appropriate. There is also an abundance of information to be remembered. It teaches us to do it again and again, on the internet that can give you a deeper understanding without thinking about it. Because drugs of abuse stimulate of your situation and additional resources that may be the same circuit, we learn to abuse drugs in the same way. available. Recovery is a process that can be life changing. These synthetic legal and illegal opioids flood the You or a loved one can reclaim your life.