The Turtle Speaks Gyah’-Wish Atak-iaA Wyandotte Nation Publication Volume 25, Issue 1 www.wyandotte-nation.org February 2021 Drive Thru Christmas Page 5 Gyah’-wish Atak-ia is published quarterly for Tribal Citizens by the Wyandotte Nation at its Inside: headquarters in Wyandotte, Okla. • Donations add a bit of history to museum The Wyandotte Nation (918) 678-2297 • Holiday in Pictures 64700 E Hwy 60 (800) 256-2539 • New Tribal Citizen Enrollment Wyandotte, OK 74370 Fax (918) 678-2944 (C) Copyright 2021. 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 February 2021 Board of Directors From the Chief Billy Friend Chief .......................................Billy Friend Second Chief ....Norman Hildebrand, Jr. Councilperson ................... Ramona Reid Councilperson ....................... Vivian Fink Hope in a New Year Councilperson ........ Juanita McQuistion Councilperson ......................Eric Lofland “Isaiah 43:18 Remember ye not the the needs within our tribal community. I hope this letter finds all doing former things, neither consider the We have a great team of employees well and that you enjoyed a wonderful who never cease to amaze me when it Holiday season. I would like to wish things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a comes to caring for and helping others. each of you a happy and prosperous new thing; now it shall spring forth; In spite of all the events of 2020, we Content New Year. shall ye not know it? I will even make have continued to make great progress We have reached the beginning of a way in the wilderness, [and] rivers on our new casino project (Crosswinds Tribal Citizen Enrollment .................... 3 the New Year. This New Year, unlike in the desert.” Casino) in Park City, Kansas. We look so many others, follows a year full of to be on target for our phase 1 opening FEATURE: Donations ...................... 4-5 trials, change and tragedy. We are in mid to late February. The first phase Holiday in Pictures ................................ 5 thankful 2021 looks to be our year for to major shifts. As methods and strate- will consist of approximately 460 class Calendar ................................................. 5 renewal, optimism and appreciation. gies change, our health care workers 2 slot machines, dining facility and bar. Tribal Department Reports ............ 6-12 Throughout the last year, we worked are asked to quickly adapt to new Our economic development team has Important Numbers ............................11 together to care for our relatives, operational structure. We want them done an outstanding job keeping this Shop With A Cop ................................12 friends and neighbors. The Wyandotte to know we recognize and appreciate project on track and we are very excited Nation continues to be a Tribe that what they are doing for all of us. about this addition to our economic places our principal value on the health While we know we have not yet de- portfolio. The revenue generated by of our citizens, and all those who live feated this stubborn and deadly virus, this project will continue to help and in our communities. Our healthcare there is hope we can turn the tide support our tribal mission of “improving Editor/Design: William Swaim employees at Bearskin Clinic have gone permanently. We are now receiving the life of every tribal citizen.” above and beyond the call of duty to FDA approved vaccines and as of now All these efforts, and more, point to Cover Photo: fulfill their responsibilities in the midst we have vaccinated over 400 patients. a much happier and healthier 2021. Drive Thru Chil- of an international pandemic. We are working hard to access this We ask you to please remain mindful drens Christmas The COVID-19 virus has increased important resource for our patients as and exercise the basics of preventing Party our mindfulness of the gifts, work quickly as possible. the further spread of the virus. We are Photo by ethic and flexibility of our entire tribal I also want to commend all of our confident we will prevail in our efforts, William Swaim health care team. Our physicians and Wyandotte Nation employees across and your help is critically important. staff have been out front in this fight every department for going above and My wish, as always, is for good against the virus. Almost all the ele- beyond their normal job responsibili- health and many new years ahead for ments of health care have been subject ties this past year to make sure we met you and your family. Contact Us From the Second Chief Norman Hildebrand, Jr. Submit a story idea or your latest news and photos. To submit, email William Swaim at [email protected] or call (918) 932-4778. Navigating the pandemic Have News? Kweh Omateru is almost ready to be moved into, just to social Share it Hello my fellow Wyandotte Citizens, waiting on new furniture to be deliv- distance as We want to hear from you! Send us wow this has been quite a year. The ered. The completion of it has also been much. news or stories you may have or suggest COVID pandemic has pretty much affected by the pandemic with slow Enough taken center stage of everyone’s lives. manufacturing schedules or delivery of that how about some history? Since features for us to work on. It seems everything revolves around drivers testing positive for COVID, but we had an election recently this little Email: [email protected] keeping contact with people to a being a resilient people we will prevail. tidbit has to do with an election that minimum to keep from possibly being The old Administration building will happened in 1859 in the town of exposed to this terrible virus. In some become the Justice Center and will Quindaro that was founded by our instances even that didn’t work, I know house the police department and our ancestors while in Kansas. of people who took all the precautions tribal courts. Quindaro began with 13 Wyandot and still got infected. My heart felt We cancelled a lot of trips this year, Indian Allotments owned by Mathew prayers go out to all those that lost including our Town Hall Meetings. We Brown, Amelia Charloe, John B. Curley- www.youtube.com/WyandotteNation loved ones to this terrible virus. always enjoy seeing our Wyandotte head, Esquire and Eliza Grey Eyes, Abe- The Wyandotte Nation, in spite of Citizens on these trips and sharing lard and Nancy Brown Guthrie, Christo- everything happening around us, keeps with them how the Wyandotte Nation pher Hicks, John and Jane Lewis, Ethan moving ahead with many projects that is progressing. I am sure I shared with A. Long, George Peacock, George and will ensure a bright future. We finally you in the last Turtle Talk that many Mary Spybuck, John Spybuck, Ebenezer finished our waterline project after of the conferences we attend every O. and Rebecca Zane, and James C. four plus years. We managed to prevail year was either cancelled or went to a Zane. In November 1856 the Quindaro through various setbacks on the project virtual format. I don’t like the virtual Town Company was formed by an alli- www.facebook.com/WyandotteNation so with it being finished, we felt like conferences. Hopefully with the COVID ance between these Wyandot and the doing a happy dance. vaccine being administered now it will Our new Administration building be safer to travel and we won’t have See 2nd Chief, Page 3 February 2021 www.wyandotte-nation.org Page 3 Merritt Elizabeth Rasor NEW TRIBAL CITIZEN ENROLLMEnt Daley Renae Reinhardt Kinley Jane Reinhardt 174 New Tribal Citizens Greyson Stanley Doerger Isaac Noboru James Harper Blaire Richardson Jacksyn Lee Douthit Henry Paul Johnson 6,752 Total Tribal Enrollment Gideon Luke Rieck Jonah Dean Douthitt Lillian Rose Johnson Charlie Allen Robitaille Katherine Elizabeth Ducey Stephanie Dawn Johnson Chigoziri Diane Alikor Ethan Frederick Ryan Garrett Robert Egan-Earle Paul Antic Kellogg Jenifer Mariette Sanders Jakob Hayes Allen Tyler Marie Egan-Earle Zackary Nielsen Kite Emmy Brooke Allen Jacqueline Anne Sanders Rhett Wade Ehrhart Madison Joslyn Kriegshauser Talulah Golden Audrey Sante Amy Kay Allen Gage Thomas Ellis Jodie Marie Kunkle Amiyah Leeanne Almarzan Braxtyn Lee Sapp Mason Todd Evans Lumi Aurora Landers Jude Cantrell Sapp Griffyn Oliver Aragon Gunner Kris Ewell Isabella Rayne Diane Lawson Poppy Elise Ballard Emery Lynn Sears Troy Rex Farmer Esther Ellie Laxdal Monroe McCall Sebelius Tate Beckett Barnes Samantha Michelle Farrar Elsie Estelle Lemus Jay Dryden Ragnar Blackwell Rains Alicia Lee Sloan Sidney Ann Farrar Elijah Blake Lindenburger Kayle Noel Sloan Elliett Nadine Blaeske Nora Grace Farrell Finley Rose Long William Duan Boldery Alyvia Kaye Smart Jacob Alan Ferry Parker Reed Long Rivers LaRee Smith Alexandrea Louise Boldery-Murray Lane Ronan First Benjamin Reece Manghum Eliza Cole Boomer Nathaniel Joseph Sontag Grant Reid Forshag Tiffany Leigh Martin Claytin James Sontag Sebastian Paul Boomer Grady Lee Forshag James Bodhi Martin Dylan Christopher Bozarth Persephone Kanna Souders Avery Michael Francis Braxton James Mathis Rhett Wesley Spoon Jordan Alexander Bozarth Sloane Koko Franco Rhaegar Jax Michael McCleary Katie Brianne Bozarth Emma Richel Spoon Shaylyn rianne Gammon Chloe Scout McMullin Miles Ronald Tatum Micah Adrian Brackett Charlotte Vivian Garner Poppy Jay Miller Lincoln Beau Bright Eleanor Alva Thompson Maverick Layne Steven Godfrey Sadie Mae Miller Ellis Blake Thompson Ryker Jay Brown Kallan Ray Gower