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The Turtle Speaks Gyah’-Wish Atak-iaA Wyandotte Nation Publication Volume 22, Issue 4 www.wyandotte-nation.org November 2018 29TH ANNUAL POW-WOW Rain does nothing to dampen competition PAGES 10-11 Gyah’-wish Atak-ia is published quarterly for Tribal Citizens by the Wyandotte Nation at its Inside: headquarters in Wyandotte, Okla. • 'Gathering' brings Tribe together The Wyandotte Nation (918) 678-2297 • Clinic celebrates 20 years on the hill 64700 E Hwy 60 (800) 256-2539 Wyandotte, OK 74370 Fax (918) 678-2944 • Indigenous People's Day (C) Copyright 2018. All information, photographs, and other materials are copyrighted, and may not be reproduced without prior written consent of the Wyandotte Nation. Page 2 Wyandotte Nation / Gyah'-wish Atak-ia November 2018 Board of Directors From the Chief Billy Friend Chief ....................................Billy Friend Second Chief....... Norman Hildebrand, Jr. Councilperson ....................Ramona Reid Councilperson ....................... Vivian Fink Councilperson ........... Juanita McQuistion Councilperson ...................... Eric Lofland State of the Nation “Two are better than one; NOTE: This is the 'State of the and that of our children-- depends Nation' address delivered at the because they have a good on what we do, how we do it-- and Content 2018 Annual Meeting. why we do it. reward for their labour.” We have had another great year. Annual Meeting & Election ................. 4 We as Wyandotte people have -- Ecclesiastes 4:9 The state of the nation is still Clinic celebrates 20 years ...................... 5 always benefited from the foresight strong. This is because we all pull Annual Health Fair ................................ 5 of our ancestors, we have added tions. I feel grateful and honored together, and we make it happen The Gathering .................................... 6-8 to and built upon that foresight to by that progress. together. We are family. We have a New Police Chief ................................... 8 become the great nation that we Each year we set goals and common bond that connects us, a Indigenous People's Day ....................... 9 are today! objectives which are designed to heritage that binds us and a cul- FEATURE: Annual Pow-Wow ..... 10-11 Without the dedication of our serve the Wyandotte people. The ture that keeps us thriving. Each Community News ...............................12 ancestors to make sure that the key word is "serve." We, whom you citizen, every citizen, of our tribe Tribal Department Reports .......... 13-19 Wyandotte Nation continued to ex- have selected to serve, are honored plays an important role, as does Important Numbers ............................18 ist and to grow, we would likely not to be of service. It is our goal to every tribal employee and all the New Citizen Enrollment .....................20 be meeting here today to review help every Wyandotte in every way people who are committed to the our accomplishments. possible. success of the Wyandotte Nation. It is that spirit of our forefathers Our ancestors put us on the We have many things to celebrate Editor/Design: William Swaim which continues to fire our souls road to being the great nation of today. We also have many things Cover Photo: to this very day. And it is in that people that we are today, so we that keep us striving toward all Tribal Citizen spirit that we continue the tradi- owe them a debt of gratitude. kinds of options, many tasks still Josh Garcia in tions of the past, traditions such Their foresight and desire to make need to be accomplished and many the Men's Grass as this Annual Meeting. the future better have enabled victories are yet to be won! Dance. Each year that we have visited us to grow and to prosper. As we We are a STRONG nation…Let's Photo: William about our progress, it has grown celebrate our remarkable achieve- celebrate that strength today. Swaim increasingly difficult to report to ments, let us also celebrate those God bless the Wyandotte people you how well we have done in such who came before us and made it and God bless the Wyandotte Na- a short report. We simply cannot possible for me to report to you tion! Contact Us acknowledge every one of the Wy- that the state of the Wyandotte Na- It is with your support that these Submit a story idea or your latest andotte Nation's accomplishments tion has never been better! achievements have been possible. news and photos. To submit, email Wil- in the time allotted. Our progress With all of the success and Tizameh to all! in every area continues to excel, progress of our tribe, we must liam Swaim at [email protected] Sincerely, sometimes beyond our expecta- remember that our entire future-- Chief Billy Friend or call (918) 848-0724. Looking for Elders, Veterans for From the Second Chief Norman Hildebrand, Jr. Feature Stories We are looking for tribal citiznes to feature in upcoming issues, whether you live in the Oklahoma area or Successful events bring some far off distant land, we want to hear your story; elders and veterans especially. tribal citizens together Have News? Kweh We had an election this year and TIZAMEH to Rob -- you exhibited a The Wyandotte Nation had I want to thank all of our Tribal lot of class. Share it another successful Gathering, Citizens for their support for tak- In an earlier Turtle Talk I men- We want to hear from you! Send us Annual Meeting and Pow-Wow. It ing time out of their busy sched- tioned that I was asked to be a news or stories you may have or suggest was great to see all of our Tribal ules to vote for who they wanted to Humanities Scholar for a travel- features for us to work on. Citizens gather for fellowship and be their Second Chief. I especially ing exhibit on the Battle of the Email: [email protected] learning about our heritage. A big want to thank Robert Nesvold for Wabash. Everything hinged on the TIZAMEH to the Cultural Advisory a clean campaign and his inter- grant that Ball State University Group for a fantastic Gathering, I est in wanting to get involved with had applied for and well, I am want to also thank the Pow-Wow Wyandotte Leadership. Rob called happy to announce that they were Committee, our maintenance staff me the following Monday morning and all the volunteers for another to congratulate me on my win and www.facebook.com/WyandotteNation great pow-wow. we had a nice conversation. A big See SECOND CHIEF, Page 3 November 2018 www.wyandotte-nation.org Page 3 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2018 HALLOWEEN PARTY & CARNIVAL WYANDOTTE NATION CHRISTMAS DINNER (ELDERS) (PRESCHOOL) CHRISTMAS PARTY OCT. DEC. DEC. 31 8 13 9AM 11:30AM 10AM - - 1PM NOON HANKSGIVING INNER LDERS T D (E ) SHOP WITH A COP CHRISTMAS PARTY (PRESCHOOL) NOV. DEC. DEC. 15 9 14 AM 11:30 TBD 9AM - 1PM ALL EVENTS IN WYANDOTTE, OKLA. UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED Second Chief “Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children.” Continued from Page 2 --Chief Sitting Bull buildings to the army. A lot of awarded the grant in August. I will these young Indian children died have input on the design, exhibit of various diseases because they layout and script. This will be a government for the exclusive use ing” force at Carlisle, and the use would not keep the healthy stu- fun project and I look forward to of native children. Its first director of native languages was strictly dents away from the sick, tubercu- working with the rest of the project was Capt. Richard Henry Pratt, an forbidden. Further attempts to losis was the most common cause team. army officer who had experience in break tribal ties included plac- of death. They were buried on Now for some history, a subject running an Indian prisoner-of-war ing children with white families school grounds instead of allow- that has gotten a lot of air time camp in St. Augustine, Fla. Pratt for the summer months, dressing ing them to be taken back to their you might say is Boarding Schools. convinced government officials students in military uniforms, and families. Our Juanita McQuistion’s Carlisle Indian Industrial School and humanitarian reformers that encouraging them to find perma- father was a student at Carlisle in Pennsylvania is probably the education was the solution to the nent employment away from their along with the legendary athlete most infamous, there are close to “Indian Problem.” home reservations. Jim Thorpe. This is indeed a very 200 graves there that the govern- By objective of Carlisle’s curricu- By 1900, Carlisle had over twelve dark part of the history in the ment is trying to identify remains lum was, in Pratt’s words, to “Kill hundred students from seventy- plight of the American Indian. and returning them to their re- the Indian and save the man.” The nine tribes. Nevertheless, rising I am very humbled to have the spective families and tribes. It school set out to teach boys skills costs, resistance from parents, a support of the Wyandotte Na- formally opened in 1879 on the in mechanical and agricultural preference for institutions closer tion to allow me to serve them for site of an abandoned military base arts; girls were trained in sewing, to Indian populations, and World four more years, I will do my very in Pennsylvania, Carlisle was the cooking, laundry, and general War I led to the decision to close best to represent my fellow tribal first non-reservation boarding housework. The English language the school in September 1918. The citizens across Indian Country and school established for the U.S. was considered a strong “civiliz- Indian Office returned the school the United States.