Gyah'-Wish Atak-Ia
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GYGYAH’-WISHAH’-WISH AATTAK-IAAK-IA Presorted Standard POSTAGE PAID THETHE TURTURTLETLE SPEAKSSPEAKS PERMIT NO. 4 Wyandotte, OK 74370 © VOLUME 9, ISSUE 4 P.O. BOX 250, WYANDOTTE, OK 74370 November 2005 Chief Re-Elected !! Wyandotte Nation’s Gyah’-wish Atak-ia Wyandotte Nation Honored Person of Board of Directors Leaford Bearskin the Year Chief Earlene Roskob Second Chief Ramona Reid Councilperson Vivian Fink Councilperson Norman Hildebrand Councilperson Juanita McQuistion Each year the Wyandotte Nation honors Councilperson a person for their contribution to the Gyah’-wish Atak-ia is published nation. This year’s honoree is Mr. Ron quarterly for tribal members by the Kaiser, Director of Planning and Wyandotte Nation at its headquarters in Development for the nation. Wyandotte, Oklahoma. Inquiries may be Ron, originally from Long Island, New addressed to: York, came onboard with the nation in The Wyandotte Nation P.O. Box 250 1991 and immediately began the process Wyandotte, OK 74370 of developing a plan for the nation to (918) 678-2297 or follow to become a progressive and well (800) 256-2539 organized tribal government. He was an Chief Leaford Bearskin beat opponent fax (918) 678-2944 integral part of the nation becoming a (C) Copyright 2005. All information, Kenneth Estes on September 10, 2005 self-governance tribe and continues to photographs, and other materials are for the position of Chief of the work in the negotiation process each copyrighted, and may not be reproduced Wyandotte Nation. Chief Bearskin has year with the Federal Government on without prior written consent of the held the position since 1983. annual funding agreements. Wyandotte Nation. Through his grant writing abilities the Contents..... nation has been able to continue adding Letters from the Chiefs ......... 2 additional services and programs. Roll #2369 Editorial ................................. 2 During his tenure with the nation, Ron Culture/History....................... 3-4 has been responsible both directly and Each edition of the tribal Member News........................ 5 indirectly for bringing in over forty million dollars in both government newsletter will include a Roll Getting to Know .................... 6 contracts and grant awards. Tribal Department Reports .... 7-14 Number. The lucky tribal Because of his accomplishments and member will receive a tribal Economic Development dedication to improving the quality of Reports ..................... 15 -17 life for all tribal members, Ron Kaiser t-shirt mailed to them. Contact 2005 Pow Wow .....................18- 19 has been honored as the Wyandotte Kim García at 918-678-2297 Calendar of Events ............... 20 Nation Person of the Year. ext. 217 to claim your prize. Page 2 Gyah’-wish Atakia NOVEMBER 2005 The Chief Says...... This Chief’s Prayer head will tell me that each must carry his Oh Great Spirit, I am in need of your own. eyes, your voice, your heart, and your Oh, Great Spirit, teach me to push wisdom. without breaking their spirit. Teach me My people have chosen me to lead persuasion with fairness. Show me how them. Show me the way, Great One, so to earn respect, not fear. Teach me to that I may lead properly and wisely. treat all men equal, just as you do. My heart says to me to be friends to all, I ask more, Great Spirit: Watch over yet my head says to me that my greatest my people; protect them; keep them need is their respect and loyalty. unharmed in spirit as well as in body. I know that sometimes they may not Help me to regard each life as highly as like the ground I walk or the air I my own. breathe. I know that some will feel that And I say to you lastly - I ask not that I am unfair or unreasonable. I know that my pathway be made smooth. I pray at times they will grow tired and I must that at the end of the path, when we push them on. I know sometimes that meet, that I can walk to you proud and their weaknesses must be punished or tall - with pride and dignity. penalized. If so, my heart will tell me Oh, Great Spirit, If I measure up, grant help carry the load that is imposed. My Chief Leaford Bearskin me these things. From Earlene Roskob - Second Chief Kweh Everyone, has been the plan of Chief Bearskin, forward to the Holidays with family and I was happy to see so many of you in myself, and the Board for many years. friends, and wish the best to you and September at our Day of Dance, the As the Federal Government continues to yours. Annual Meeting, the Election and Pow cut its budget regarding Tribal Grants, Till next time. Wow. I am pleased to report Chief Wyandotte Nation must continue to Bearskin was re-elected by a landslide. invest and diversify in order to create a Now we can continue with our work on stable and lasting income to provide for behalf of Wyandotte Nation. our future and the futures of our children I recently attended an excellent training and grandchildren. for Tribal Government Management. Talking about our future, I can’t believe The focus was on Economic we are already in Autumn and almost Development for Tribes and how to time for Thanksgiving, then Christmas create a lasting economy. Of course that and the start of a New Year. I look Editorial As you may Accounting Department. I’m a situation is very typical of many have noticed, Wyandotte Tribal Member and very Wyandottes. I am now involved on the tribal proud and privileged to work for our several committees and want to help newsletter, great Tribe. This Tribe has given so much others who feel what I felt. Gyah’-Wish to me throughout the years, I am happy I want to take this opportunity to Atak-Ia - The Turtle Speaks, has taken that I am able to give back a portion. encourage members to get more involved on some subtle changes and you may see Before coming to work for the Nation, I in the Tribe. One way is through our it change more in the future. I have been wasn’t too involved. I would attend newsletter. We would love for you to send given the opportunity to be the new Pow-Wows and that was about it. I didn’t in any family news that you would like to editor. Let me introduce myself. I’m know much about our history, culture or share with other tribal members. Please Kim García, Comptroller for the traditions. I wanted to be more involved contact me for submissions, questions, or Wyandotte Nation. Usually the question and learn more, but I felt lost. I was ideas for future editions at 918-678-2297 that I get immediately after that embarrassed to show up to the Tribe and ext 217 or kgarcia@wyandotte- introduction is, “What is a Comptroller?” ask for help. Since joining the staff over nation.org. Simply, I’m the Department Head for the 2 years ago, I have learned that my NOVEMBER 2005 Gyah’-wish Atakia Page 3 A Day of Dance by Kim García Our first annual A Day of Dance was a Dancers are to follow the leader, making tremendous success! The day’s events for a fun time. started off by Richard Zane Smith After having a lot of laughs and singing a prayer in our own Wyandotte dancing, Paul Barton shared with us language. Then Randy White and Paul some slides nearly 100 years old of Barton, along with a group of family and Wyandottes and Seneca-Cayugas friends, began teaching us some together during ceremonies. The history traditional social dances. All were he shared with us had everybody encouraged to participate. enthralled. Everybody was excited to Top Left: Richard Zane Smith Top The first dance we learned was the see their family in these photographs. Right: Paul Barton speaking about Bean Dance. No pictures are allowed Paul found many of these photographs similarities and shared traditions during this because it is a ceremonial, as and studies on our people at between Wyandottes and Seneca- well as social, dance. The second dance www.civilization.ca. If you are Cayugas. Bottom: Randy White was the Stirrup Dance. Male and female interested in learning more about the singing a Calling Out Song. partners are to hold hands and place one Wyandottes, you can go to this site and foot on top of the partner’s foot and hop. search for keywords such as Although this dance looks like a lot of Wyandottes, Oklahoma, Seneca- fun, it is actually quite difficult and Cayuga, and Barbeau. requires a lot of talent (I personally We then had Chief Bearskin bless our should probably avoid doing this dance). dinner and the Culture Committee We then learned the Alligator Dance. served over 100 people. The Title 6 Partners line up and follow the lead Staff prepared a traditional dinner of partners. The dance slows down, speeds pork and corn, green beans and potatoes, up, then the people are to whip around grape dumplings, and fry bread. It was like an alligator tail. The next dance was absolutely delicious! the Duck Dance (my personal favorite). The day’s activities continued up on the * The men partner up and get in a line. hill behind the Bearskin Wellness Wyandott Lyceum The women partner up and dance Center. Chief Bearskin greeted all who Organized in 1844* From the backward facing the other way in the were in attendance and then the Stomp papers of William Walker - line. In certain times of the song, the Dance began. We danced many of the women are to go forward while the men social dances that we learned earlier in (born 1800) raise their hands.