BC cattle foreman right Preschool carnival Sisters star for at home on range EDUCATION v 2B Immokalee softball COMMUNITY v 6A SPORTS v 1C Volume XLIII • Number 4 April 30, 2019 Miss Florida Seminole Cheyenne Kippenberger wins Miss Indian World BY DAMON SCOTT represent my people and all Indigenous of Native Americans in general. They are Staff Reporter People honorably.” expected to show poise, pride and positivity, Family members and friends were in and work to keep the diverse cultures of the audience as was Wanda Bowers, who Native Peoples alive and thriving. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — There oversees the Tribe’s princess program and To qualify in the first place, contestants were nerves and anticipation for days. And has been alongside Kippenberger every step must be of Native or Indigenous American in the end, the final result reverberated of the way. descent, be single with no kids, and have across Indian Country. “After all these years that I’ve been never been married. For the first time in history, Miss Indian bringing my Tribal princess to compete in The Miss Indian World pageant has a World is a member of the Seminole Tribe of the Miss Indian World, it was all worth the reputation for crowning winners who have a Florida – Miss Florida Seminole Cheyenne wait,” Bowers said. “She is an awesome deep understanding of their tribe’s traditions, Kippenberger. Miss Florida Seminole and now she will be history, ancestors and culture. Kippenberger earned the prestigious a phenomenal Miss Indian World who will Kippenberger did not disappoint in any title after months and months of preparation represent her people near and far with a big of those expectations. and four days of intense (and friendly) heart and tremendous pride.” Throughout the four-day competition, competition among 17 contestants. Kippenberger, from the Hollywood contestants accumulate points based on how The 23-year-old was crowned Miss Reservation, is now the 36th Miss Indian they do in the categories of public speaking, Indian World April 27 at the Gathering World. She is the daughter of Joe and Susan traditional talent, personal interview, written of Nations Powwow at Tingley Coliseum Kippenberger and a graduate of Keiser essay and dance. Kippenberger garnered the in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The University in Fort Lauderdale. most cumulative points of all the contestants. announcement came in front of a sellout The Miss Indian World pageant – held In addition to the title, contestants crowd of more than 10,000 people and 3,600 since 1984 – takes place each year at the qualify for individual awards based on their registered dancers from hundreds of Tribal Gathering of Nations, the world’s largest scores. Kippenberger not only won the Nations. Native American powwow. overall title, but also took the top award for Kippenberger had plenty of Seminole From its beginnings, young Native best personal interview and traditional talent supporters in Albuquerque, too, including American women between the ages of 18 – a demonstration of a traditional Seminole members of Tribal Council and a group of and 25 travel from around the U.S. and hairstyling. seniors from the Big Cypress Reservation, Canada to represent their tribes and compete The first runner-up was Cordelia Falls among others. for the coveted crown. Down of the Crow and United Keetowah “I’m feeling extremely overwhelmed The purpose of the journey to the title Band Tribes, Crow Agency, Montana. Other with happiness and love,” Kippenberger is to give the young women a chance to contestants hailed from across the country said. “I’m so proud to be Seminole and to showcase the culture and traditions of their and Canada. Gathering of Nations have my community behind me in support. tribes. The contestants serve as cultural Miss Florida Seminole Cheyenne Kippenberger has plenty of reasons to smile after being named Miss I promise to hold this title proudly and ambassadors of their respective tribes and F See MISS INDIAN WORLD on page 11A Indian World on April 27 at Gathering of Nations in New Mexico. Hard Rock Big Cypress celebrates Mabel T. Frank remains in Ohio gaming residential community groundbreaking BY BEVERLY BIDNEY scene with Staff Reporter Cincinnati BIG CYPRESS — Tribal Council and Board members joined members of the casino Big Cypress community April 11 for the long-awaited groundbreaking of the Mabel T. Frank residential project, the first large partnership development on the reservation. The 71-acre community will be BY DAMON SCOTT comprised of 33 rental homes on quarter- acre lots and 17 1.5 acre home sites. Each Staff Reporter of the two neighborhoods will have its own entrance off Josie Billie Highway across Hard Rock International has recently from the old bingo hall. added to its gaming presence – this time in The development is named for Mabel T. Ohio. Frank since it will be built on the site of her HRI has purchased JACK Cincinnati former cattle pasture. Her great-grandson Casino with New York City-based VICI Sunny Frank remembers playing in those Properties Inc., a real estate investment trust pastures as a young child. (REIT). “I remember riding on horses and Media reports said the property was sold watching the cowboys,” Frank said. “It to HRI and VICI for $745 million – with brings back a lot of good memories.” VICI acquiring the land and real estate for Former cattle foreman Jonah Cypress $558 million, while HRI bought the operating remembers the pasture well. assets of the casino for $187 million. JACK “It was Mabel and her husband Sam Entertainment officials said in a statement that the purchase price was $780 million. HRI is expected to lease the casino from VICI for $43 million a year – eventually rebranding it as the Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati. JACK Entertainment officials said Hard Rock also agreed to purchase the operations and real estate of Turfway Park, located near Cincinnati in Florence, Kentucky. Beverly Bidney HRI previously operated the Hard Rock Tribal officials, Tribal members and other dignitaries turn the dirt April 11 at the groundbreaking for the largest residential development in Big Cypress. Rocksino Northfield Park near Cleveland, but it has since been rebranded as an MGM Frank’s,” he said. “I worked her cows. Even next 15 years or so.” “We want them to be able to come property, now making JACK Cincinnati Mondo [Tiger] was there to help us chase Infrastructure construction will start back home,” said Chairman Marcellus W. Casino the sole HRI presence in Ohio. those cows.” first on the rental home sites. Once the pads Osceola Jr. “This site has room for plenty of “Hard Rock has been the No. 1 operator Like other reservations, BC has a are ready, homes will be built. development over the next 30 years.” in Ohio since opening in the greater Cleveland housing shortage. This will help to alleviate “It will take about a year to get A video of what the Mabel T. Frank market in 2013,” Jim Allen, chairman and it by allowing 50 families to relocate. the infrastructure finished,” said Tribal community will look like was shown on CEO of HRI said in a statement. “And now, “It only took 20 years, but we’re here,” Community Development Director of large screens during the ceremony. we look forward to introducing our unique said Big Cypress Councilman Mondo Tiger. Operations Derrick Smith. “I’d like to “We had a plan for the community and brand of casino entertainment to Cincinnati.” “We have a dire need for housing on this complete the first homes by the time the it’s happening now,” said President Mitchell Allen said JACK Cincinnati Casino, reservation.” infrastructure is completed. We try to work Cypress. “It’s good to be able to take care of which first opened in 2013, employs about BC Board Rep. Joe Frank concurred. efficiently.” some people on the list.” 1,000. There are about 40,000 Hard Rock “The Tribe is suffering from growing BC set aside about 900 acres for Tribal Community Development employees worldwide. pains,” Rep. Frank said. “It’s definitely development that could include residential, Executive Director Derek Koger oversees The facility is located on 22 acres in Beverly Bidney needed and I commend Council for commercial, health and education. The this and other projects tribalwide. The Mabel T. Frank neighborhood will be easy to prioritizing this. A lot of young people are Tribe has a list of approximately 400 Tribal find on the Josie Billie Highway. coming up and will need housing over the members waiting for homes on reservations. F See HARD ROCK on page 4A F See DEVELOPMENT on page 4A Editorial......................2A Health.............................9A Sports............... ............1C @TheSeminoleTribune @SeminoleTribune INSIDE: Community..................3A Education....................1B 2A • The Seminole Tribune • April 30, 2019 Editorial Native students can show Can museums heal history’s wounds? their cultural pride at •Chip Colwell skulls of two Beothuk Indians. England’s and certain kinds of cultural items from Natural History Museum recently sent home American museums and federal agencies. 37 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander This law, although imperfect, has facilitated graduation ancestral remains to Australia. And that’s the return of some 1.7 million grave goods, n the early 1920s, the director of just in the first few months of 2019. 57,000 skeletons and 15,000 sacred and • Bill John Baker traditions, and federal law and policy the Bristol Museum in Britain As a museum curator and scholar of communally owned objects. has recognized the religious significance Ireceived a package containing two the repatriation movement, I am stunned As that law approached passage, we of eagle feathers to Native peoples.