Cherokee Phoenix Feb. 15, 2019

CYCLING FOR HEALTH Simeon Gipson logs thousands of miles a year cycling when he is not competing in games at state, national and worldwide levels. HEALTH, 6

CHEROKEE CHEROKEEPHOENIX.ORG

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

PHOENIX 191 YEARS OF JOURNALISM

36 file for CN govt. offices Four file for principal chief, while three file for the deputy chief seat and 29 for eight open council spots.

BY CHAD HUNTER Reporter

COURTESY An artist’s rendering shows what eight homes in Hulbert will look like as part of the new Shade Addition. The homes will be built through the Rental Properties program of the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation.

TINY HOMES FOR ELDERS Applications for the new rental homes are expected to open in March.

BY D. SEAN ROWLEY Senior Reporter

H

ULBERT – Cherokee Nation and city officials during a brief ceremony on Jan. 24 broke ground on the new Shade Addition, which will be the site of eight energy efficient homes for tribal elders.

The homes will be built through the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation’s Rental Properties program. Each unit will be about 660 square feet with a living area, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. The addition is named after former Deputy Chief Hastings Shade, and some of his family members attended the groundbreaking.

“Cherokees have always believed our elders are the foundation of our families and our communities,” said Principal Chief Bill John Baker. “It is humbling to know that through the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation, we will soon be able to provide even more homes for Cherokee elders. What better way to honor them than by ensuring they have safe homes,

which are a key to good health.”

Qualifications are similar to other CN rental programs. Minimum resident age is 62 and there are income guidelines. Applications are tentatively set to open in March and rent will be income-based.

Preference will be given to eligible residents living in the HACN’s Proctor Heights rental properties in Hulbert.

“The good thing is that we used national median income for our guidelines, so the thresholds will be a little bit higher than locally,” HACN Executive Director Gary Cooper said. “We will put out a notice when we open applications.”

Additional plans call for 17 more efficient homes to be built in CN communities in an effort to replace some of the tribe’s oldest rental properties. Currently, the HACN oversees 944 apartment-style rental properties throughout the tribe’s 14 counties.

“The reason we are doing this is because we had an old project from 1968,” Cooper said. “It wasn’t even

SEE HOMES, 2

“We maintain them, but these are not apartments. They’re individual units.”

Gary Cooper, HACN executive director

TAHLEQUAH – The Cherokee Nation general election is June 1, and 36 candidates have filed to run for leadership positions up for grabs in the tribe’s executive and legislative branches.

Open this year are the top two spots, principal chief and deputy principal chief, in which the current seatholders have reached their two-term limits. CN citizens from all districts and at-large are eligible to cast votes for those positions.

Following the four-day filing period, four men and women filed to replace the outgoing chief, Bill John Baker. They include former Secretary of State Charles “Chuck” Hoskin Jr., who resigned from his post on Feb. 6 to file; Dist. 3 Tribal Councilor David Walkingstick; Cherokee Freedmen descendant Rhonda BrownFleming; and Dist. 12 Tribal Councilor Dick Lay. The council terms of Walkingstick and Lay will reach their limits this year.

According to the CN Constitution, principal chief and deputy chief candidates are required to live within the Nation’s jurisdiction.

“That is one of the special requirements,” Elections Director Connie Parnell said.

The deputy chief seat attracted three candidates — Dist. 6 Tribal Councilor Bryan Warner, Linda Sacks and former Tribal Councilor Meredith Frailey. The winner will replace S. Joe Crittenden.

Tribal Council seats open this year are districts 1, 3, 6, 8, 12, 13, 14 and one at-large. As some councilors term out, previous councilors are hoping to return.

“We have three that were termed out in 2015 that are now running this time,” Parnell said.

In Dist. 1, incumbent Rex Jordan filed along with Ryan Sierra and Randy Dirteater.

Dist. 3’s crowded field consists of Larry Pritchett, R.J. Robbins, Wes Nofire, Billy Flint, Brandon Girty, Jim Cosby and Debra Proctor.

Filing for the Dist. 6 seat were Ron Goff, Daryl Legg and Gary Trad Lattimore.

Dist. 8 incumbent Shawn Crittenden filed along with former Tribal Councilors Jodie Fishinghawk and Ralph F. Keen II.

SEE FILED, 2

Nation, Vinita schools strike historic land deal

BY CHAD HUNTER Reporter

VINITA – In what tribal leaders and educators labeled a historic moment in Oklahoma, a notable Vinita school building and surrounding property have been donated to the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation for development.

Five lots, including the 100-year-old Attucks School, also once called Southeast Elementary and later Attucks Alternative Academy, were officially transferred to the HACN on Jan. 25.

“It’s the first donation of its kind under a state law that was passed and went into effect in November,” HACN Executive Director Gary Cooper said. “That allows schools to transfer property to a housing authority for housing or other related projects.”

The legislation, House Bill 1334, states that school boards are allowed to transfer surplus land to tribal

SCAN housing authorities. Former Sen. CODE John Sparks, of Norman, and former TO SEE state Rep. Chuck Hoskin, the tribe’s VIDEO current chief of staff, authored the legislation.

ROGER GRAHAM According to those involved, housing is planned on the property located in the southeast corner of Vinita, in addition to “some type of community project” for the shuttered two-story Attucks building on 4th Street.

“It has been a very important building in the lives of a lot of Vinita citizens throughout history,” Hoskin, who attended the school as a child, said. “We’re going to redo the gymnasium. We’re going to have youth events there, possibly even Boys & Girls Clubs there. So, it will be a positive thing for this town.”

The school was constructed in 1916-17. In 1939, a SEE DONATION, 3

CHAD HUNTER/CHEROKEE PHOENIX A land-donation agreement with Vinita Public Schools is signed Jan. 25 by Principal Chief Bill John Baker, left, and Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation Executive Director Gary Cooper at Will Rogers Elementary School.

Tribe endures federal shutdown, prepares for more

BY CHAD HUNTER Reporter

CHAD HUNTER/CHEROKEE PHOENIX Tribal Councilor Harley Buzzard on Jan. 14 talks about the partial U.S. government shutdown during a Health Committee meeting.

TAHLEQUAH – Following the longest U.S. government shutdown in history, the Cherokee Nation is “trying to extract as much cash” as possible from federal agencies before a temporary funding measure expires Feb. 15.

“We survived the 35-day government shutdown without a hiccup, without any issues with payroll, with employment, with service-level reductions,” Treasurer Lacey Horn told Tribal Councilors Jan. 31. “I’m very grateful to say that we weathered that storm flawlessly.”

Approximately 68 percent of the CN’s fiscal year 2019 operating budget comes from federal funds, CN officials said.

“We are furiously – while the government is open right now – processing draw-down requests of our federal agencies trying to extract as much cash as we’re

owed as possible,” Horn said, adding that the tribe is “in a fortunate situation where we were just trying to make sure that our citizens were getting taken care of at every level.”

The partial government shutdown lasted from Dec. 22 to Jan. 25. U.S. leaders have until Feb. 15 to strike a deal for government funding or face another shutdown.

“The tribe hopes that the president and Congress will continue to work together to ensure the government remains open,” Principal Chief Bill John Baker stated in a news release. “I also want to express gratitude to the federally-paid health care workers in the Cherokee Nation health system for continuing to serve the patients of our facilities during this time, even when not being paid.”

In the CN’s eight health centers and W.W. Hastings

SEE SHUTDOWN, 3

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CHEROKEE PHOENIX • FEBRUARY 15, 2019

News • ᏗᏕᏃᏣᎸᏍᎩ

ᏣᎳᎩ ᏧᎴᎯᏌᎤᎯ • ᎥᏍᎩᏱ 15, 2019

CN in contact with GRDA on white water park near Watts Natural Resources Secretary Sara Hill expects environmental issues to be assessed and addressed.

BY D. SEAN ROWLEY Senior Reporter

COURTESY Canaan Duncan, accompanied by his wife, Keeli, signs the oath of office on Jan. 16 in the Tribal Council Chambers to assume the Tribal Council’s Dist. 7 seat.

Duncan sworn in to Dist.

7 Tribal Council seat The newest Tribal Councilor attends meetings on Jan. 31.

BY D. SEAN ROWLEY Senior Reporter

PARK HILL – After certification of the Jan. 5 special election results, Canaan Duncan was sworn into office as the Dist. 7 tribal councilor during a brief ceremony.

Duncan, 28, took his oath on Jan. 16 inside the Tribal Council Chambers at the W.W. Keeler Complex.

“It feels great, and this is the moment I’ve been looking forward to,” Duncan said. “I’m ready to get to work, and of course the calls have already started coming in before this swearing in, but this just further solidifies things.”

According to the Cherokee Nation’s Election Commission, Duncan won the vacated seat with nearly 66 percent of the vote over candidates Robert Eagle and Frankie Lee Duncan.

The seat became vacant when Frankie Hargis, a councilor since 2011, was appointed as the Nation’s registrar in November to replace the retiring Linda O’Leary. The term for the Dist. 7 seat expires in August 2021. The district consists of most of western Adair County.

“There has been tremendous job growth within the Cherokee Nation, and I would like to see some more of that in Adair County,” said Duncan, a Stilwell native. “Other than that, I just want to ensure that the Nation continues to go in a positive direction.”

Duncan said he is eager to begin work with his fellow councilors. He attended his first Rules, Executive & Finance and Culture committee meetings on Jan. 31.

“I plan on being on all of the committees,” Duncan said. “I’ve been dreaming of this day since I was a kid, and it has happened sooner than I thought it would in life, but I’m glad for that. I think I can bring some youth to the council that is needed.”

A former CN Government Relations employee, Duncan said sitting on the legislative body mingled his greatest

interest and his identity.

“Even as a kid, I’ve always had an interest in politics in general. My grandmother probably instilled that in me. My dad is a fluent Cherokee speaker.

I grew up in a Cherokee-speaking home.

So being Cherokee has always been a big part of my life. Merging those two things is probably the best thing that could happen.”

Duncan is the youngest tribal councilor, and tribal officials report that he is the second-youngest person to be seated in the modern era.

Prior to winning the special election, Duncan withstood a legal challenge to his eligibility.

Plaintiffs argued that Duncan should have been disqualified because he campaigned while still a secretary of state office employee.

According to CN law, tribal employees and employees of any entity with majority tribal ownership must quit before filing for office. Duncan resigned his position the day before he filed, his attorney Curtis Bruehl said.

Those filing the petition, CN citizens Robin Mayes and Tim Houseberg, claimed Duncan was a candidate before resigning because he met the $1,000 fundraising minimum that qualifies a person a candidate, according to a 2016 amendment to the tribe’s election law.

The EC indicated it found no constitutional provision or legislative enactment prohibiting a CN employee from becoming a candidate and campaigning while an employee beyond the provision of an employee resigning before filing. The CN Supreme Court upheld the commission’s ruling.

Duncan is married and has a 4-yearold daughter. In 2014, Duncan was part of the annual iON Oklahoma 30/30 Next Gen class that recognized Oklahoman residents under 30 years old “who demonstrate talent, drive and service to their communities.”

WATTS – There are still some hurdles to jump, but the Illinois River may soon have a white water park near the Oklahoma-Arkansas border, and interests have been in touch with the Cherokee Nation to discuss the project’s environmental impacts on water quality.

The public Grand River Dam Authority and the private Walton Family Foundation want to develop the park adjacent to the river on the former Lake Frances site at an expected cost of $15 million. The park would be near an old spillway north of Watts, and would include construction of a white water course north of the main channel.

“Our department has talked with GRDA,” CN Natural Resources Secretary Sara Hill said. “They still have to submit plans for construction and how they will protect water quality and the environment. But the area has needed investment for a while. The Lake Frances dam broke many years ago, so it has been in need of updating.”

The CN has no financial stake in the park, and oversight would be the GRDA Division of Scenic River’s responsibility. The authority’s vice president of Scenic Rivers and Water Quality is CN citizen Ed Fite, who assumed directorship of the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission in 1983 and continued his duties when the OSRC folded into the GRDA in 2016.

He has also been an Oklahoma Water Resources Board member since 2005.

“My staff has toured the site, and we are keeping in touch with GRDA,” Hill said. “The GRDA will operate the park, and Ed Fite is all over it. If Ed Fite is on the case, I have a lot of confidence they will be protecting the river.”

Once completed, the park is expected

to span 25-30 acres with trails, parking and a beach area. The white water course will be about 1,000 feet long and 50 feet wide.

What remains of Lake Frances has been a problem for local planners ever since flooding sheared off an 8-foot section of the dam in 1990. The dam was funded by Tulsan James W. Sloan, and was a tourist attraction until World War II. The lake was a water source for Watts, West Siloam Springs and Siloam Springs, Arkansas, but silt buildup led to pollutants accumulating.

“This is going to clean up what many folks have known as an eyesore and environmental issue, and if it comes off as we envision, it would not only correct the deficiencies but lend itself to adding to a robust economy in Adair and Delaware counties,” Fite told the Tulsa World.

Before construction can begin, the federal Environmental Protection Agency must approve a Clean Water Act permit, and a review process must be completed. Application for the permit was filed in July. Fite told the Tulsa World construction could take two to three years.

“Right now we are really doing our due diligence in the planning and permitting phase,” Fite said. “We’ve got to wait until we get that permit, and then we will be ready to move ahead.”

The GRDA said the park could bring 85,000 visitors and $900,000 to the area each year. There will be a similar park in proximity. The city of Siloam Springs runs a white water park 8 miles upstream from the Lake Frances site.

“We’re happy that the GRDA and Walton Foundation are reaching out to us and partnering with us to ensure everything is being followed responsibly,” Hill said. “We are happy to work with them until the project is complete.”

CNB CEO gives Ark. casino update

BY CHAD HUNTER Reporter TAHLEQUAH – Cherokee Nation Businesses CEO Shawn Slaton on Jan. 14 updated the Tribal Council about Pope County, Arkansas, where a casino could be considered following an amendment to that state’s constitution.

In November, Arkansas voters legalized casinos in four counties. Two will be given to existing electronic gaming facilities and tracks in West Memphis and Hot Springs. Following an application and selection process by local leaders, the other two licenses will be awarded to casinos for construction in Jefferson and Pope counties. The Jefferson County location has drawn interest from the Quapaw Tribe.

In December, a Mississippi-based company announced plans to build a three-phase, $250-million resort casino in Pope County.

According to the Associated Press, the judge, along with former Russellville

Mayor Randy Horton, sent letters of support in the days before their terms ended Jan. 1.

“The whole town of Russellville erupted and accused them of going around the process,” Slaton said. “The outgoing judge, the outgoing mayor really took it on the chin from the community. So did the casino operator that basically tried to backdoor the process.”

Pope County casino opponents sued to invalidate the letters of support.

“As it stands now, the racing commission adopted Rule No. 2, which said that before an application can be considered for a license, you had to have a current letter of support from the current judge and the current mayor,” Slaton said. “Based upon the reaction and the furor over how that was done, I believe that might be hard to get for them.”

The amendment passed statewide with 56 percent of the vote, but was opposed in Pope County by 60 percent.

HOMES: Construction on the elder homes is expected to be done in summer from front page

new when it was built. It used old Army barracks. We got approval from the government to demolish those and rebuild someplace else. This is one of the sites for those units. They are new, full-rental units. We maintain them, but these are not apartments. They’re individual units. The (residents) aren’t going to share walls. This is a really exciting opportunity for us.”

Cooper said parks, the post office and the senior citizens center are short walks from the site.

“The Shade Addition elder homes represent the first of their kind for our tribe,” he said. “These energy efficient homes may be smaller in size, but the interiors are designed with full-sized features, including washers and dryers and accessible bathrooms. This is a special program and we’re proud to see work beginning.”

Construction is expected to be complete this summer.

“It’s a blessing to know the Cherokee Nation can provide quality housing to our Cherokee elders,” Tribal Councilor Rex Jordan said. “The Shade Addition is within walking distance to the senior center, to the community post office, to a wonderful park and to other necessities for our elders.

I’m proud of this project and the opportunities it will provide for years to come, and I am proud the Hulbert community was selected among the first to be a site for new homes for the elderly.”

The HACN also

FILED: The field consists of 3 former

legislators running for their old seats from front page The open seat for Dist. 12 attracted Phyllis Lay, Todd Branstetter, Dora Smith Patzkowski and Don Scott.

Dist. 13’s contestants are Joe Deere and incumbent Buel Anglen.

In Dist. 14, incumbent Keith Austin and former Tribal Councilor Cara Cowan Watts filed.

In another crowded field for the atlarge position, filers consisted of Johnny Jack Kidwell, former Tribal Councilor Julia Coates, Steve Adair, Pamela Fox and incumbent Wanda Hatfield.

Other candidates or CN citizens registered to vote can contest a

candidate’s eligibility through Feb. 14, EC officials said.

Election candidates cannot be employed by the CN or any of its entities, according to tribal law. Two candidates, Hoskin and Proctor, were employed by the Nation prior to filing.

“We have a copy of their resignation letters,” Parnell said. “They meet the requirements of resigning.”

Non-refundable costs to file were $2,500 for principal chief, $2,000 for deputy chief and $500 for council seats.

Any runoff elections will be held July 27. Winners will be sworn in Aug. 14.

For more information, visit www. cherokee.org/elections.aspx.

operates other housing services, including the New Home Construction Program, housing rehabilitation, senior housing, college housing assistance and rental assistance.

For information about programs, visit www.hacn.org.

News • ᏗᏕᏃᏣᎸᏍᎩ

ᎥᏍᎩᏱ 15, 2019 • ᏣᎳᎩ ᏧᎴᎯᏌᎤᎯ

FEBRUARY 15, 2019 • CHEROKEE PHOENIX

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Tribe makes single land purchase in 2018

BY D. SEAN ROWLEY Senior Reporter

TAHLEQUAH – In a typical year, the Cherokee Nation is often busy with land acquisitions, frequently for use as business and housing assets, but the tribe made only one property purchase in 2018.

The CN bought 60.81 acres near the Oaks Indian Mission in Delaware County, closing on the property July 2. Officials said there are no immediate plans to develop the land, and Principal Chief Bill John Baker said preservation is the tribe’s rationale for buying the acreage, which is in proximity to the residential school and adjacent to the historic God’s Acre Cemetery. The land was acquired from Tran Tran LLC, which wanted to use the space for a poultry operation.

“The tribe believes in protecting sites that are historically significant as well as preserving it for the betterment of our tribal citizens and environment,” Baker said after the purchase. “The Cherokee Nation is also stronger for the future when we add land within the jurisdiction of the tribe to our land base.”

There is a historical association between the tribe and lands along Spring Creek because the area is acknowledged as one of the points of arrival for those who survived the Trail of Tears.

There was once a settlement called New Springplace on the creek, about a half mile west of Oaks. It was a Moravian mission and school established in 1842

by Miles Volga, the Rev. John Renatus Schmidt and Herman Ruede. Vogler served as a missionary among the Cherokees in Georgia, and wanted to

MIKE SIMONS/TULSA WORLD Susan Humphrey, president of the Oaks Indian Mission board, and Russ Hays, an employee and alumnus of the Oaks Indian Mission, pass the original spring house foundation on the mission’s property in Oaks. Plans for a larger chicken farm near the historic site were canceled after locals objected. The Cherokee Nation bought the property in July. continue the association after the forced removal. The land was awarded by permission of the Cherokee council and Principal Chief John Ross.

When the Civil War erupted in 1861, the school was shuttered until 1867.

The mission was closed again in 1898 when it lost its property due to the land allotments imposed by the Curtis Act. The Moravian Missions asked the Rev. N.L. Nielson, a Dutch Lutheran minister

Tribe honors 13 military vets, ADA compliance addressed

COURTESY Cherokee Nation citizen Fern Holland smiles for a photo while on assignment in Iraq earlier this century.

Holland was killed in Iraq on March 9, 2004, while working with Iraqi women.

BY CHAD HUNTER Reporter

2019 marks 15th year of Fern Holland’s death

BY STAFF REPORTS

TAHLEQUAH – March 9 marks the 15-year anniversary of the death of Fern Leona Holland, a Cherokee Nation citizen and women’s activist, who was killed in Iraq while helping Iraqi women gain their freedom.

Born in 1970, Holland, 33, grew up in Bluejacket in Craig County and Miami in Ottawa County.

In May 2003, she went to Iraq as part of the Coalition Provisional Authority to document human rights violations and preserve evidence that could be used for possible war crime tribunals.

Published reports state that she was known as an advocate for Iraqi women’s rights and drafted language in the Iraqi constitution for the coalition government that protected women’s rights and guaranteed women a position within that government, which made her a target for Iraqi extremists who opposed such roles for women.

Holland, along with fellow civilian worker Robert J. Zangas, of Pittsburgh, and Iraqi translator Salwa Ourmashi, were stopped at a roadblock in Hillah, near Baghdad, and shot to death.

Reports claim that Polish military later found the vehicle of the six Iraqi men who committed the crimes. Four of

in the nearby community of Moodys, to continue mission work at New Springplace. In 1902, Nielson established a school, around which sprung the community of Oaks.

Since 2008, the CN along with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has financially supported efforts by the Moravian Archives in North Carolina to create a book series translating the Moravian diaries.

The diaries, written in old German, are believed to be the earliest extensive written accounts of Cherokee life and culture.

Oaks has no municipal zoning ordinances, and Tran Tran LLC was clearing space for a Simmons Foods poultry farm with a capacity of 300,000 chickens when residents realized what was happening. They quickly mobilized with the Spring Creek Coalition, created the Facebook group Spring Creek Guardians, obtained legal counsel and contacted Simmons Foods, which agreed to discontinue construction and put the property on the market.

The CN announced in September that it was joining with Oklahoma to form the Coordinating Council on Poultry Growth.

The panel meets regularly to discuss poultry industry growth in Oklahoma and its environmental effects. Co-chairs are CN Secretary of Natural Resources Sara Hill and Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Jim Reese.

“Much of that is yet to be worked out, but what has been made apparent to me is this is an issue of great urgency,” Hill told the Tulsa World. “People want to see movement. Getting this done in this time frame was pretty remarkable, getting two governments together. We’re moving at light speed and continuing to move forward quickly.”

Hill said the council would include representation from the CN; the state Department of Food, Forestry and Agriculture; the Oklahoma Water Resources Board; the Grand River Dam Authority; and the Oklahoma Conservation Commission.

them were identified as police officers.

Reports also stated the victims’ bodies were hidden in the vehicle that had been stopped.

Holland and Zangas were the first U.S. civilians to be killed in the occupation authority in Iraq.

In 1992, Holland graduated from the University of Oklahoma with honors.

She then studied at the University of Tulsa College of law and graduated in 1996 with honors. After working at Connor & Winters, a law firm in Tulsa, she pursued her life of public service while working in the Peace Corps.

In Namibia, West Africa, she helped organize legal aid clinics for children and women, as well as provided other legal work, HIV education and training.

Since her murder she has been commemorated in different ways.

She received the 2004 Oklahoman of the Year title by Oklahoma Today magazine. Also, the Tribal Council and former Principal Chief Chad Smith honored her commitments to basic human rights in 2004. There have also been honors and awards named after her, including the Fern Holland Award from Vital Voices, the Fern L. Holland Memorial Scholarship at OU and the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Fern Holland Courageous Lawyer Award.

TAHLEQUAH — The Cherokee Nation’s tradition of honoring veterans during Tribal Council meetings was expanded, at least for one night, to include more than a dozen “Cherokee Warriors” on Jan. 14.

Thirteen veterans were awarded the tribe’s Medal of Patriotism.

“Unless you’re a veteran, you really don’t know what this means,” Navy veteran Jeffrey Conseen, of Pryor, said. “I can’t describe what it means to stand up here. It’s quite an honor.”

Earlier in the day, CN Veterans Affairs Director Barbara Foreman told councilors the catalyst for a larger ceremony was “a backlog, actually, of our veterans to be honored.”

At the Jan. 14 meeting, honored veterans expressed gratitude for the recognition.

“It means a lot,” retired U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Johnny Kidwell, of Broken Arrow, said. “I can’t begin to tell you. I’m just honored that the Cherokee Nation would be doing this. I really, truly appreciate it.”

Vietnam War veteran Everett Sims, of Westville, said he was “just proud to be a Cherokee warrior.”

Fellow veteran Anthony King, of Fort Gibson, accepted his award on behalf of Vietnam veterans.

“I’ve been around a lot of veterans,” he said. “They have told me stories. They have said, ‘You know what, one of the things I was upset about when I came back from Vietnam, I was not accepted. I was not appreciated.’”

Veterans honored on Jan. 14 were: • Clifford Bark, of Spavinaw, who served in the Army from 1971-73, • Raymond Buzzard, of Marble City, who served in the Army from 1969-71, • Jeffrey Conseen, of Pryor, who served in the Navy from 1989-93,

• Weston Henson, of Proctor, who served in the Marine Corps from 2007-12, • Johnny Kidwell, of Broken Arrow, who served in the Coast Guard from 19912011, • Anthony King, of Fort Gibson, who served in the Marine Corps from 1967-69, • Jimmy McGrath, of Gore, who served in the Navy from 1971-79 and the Army from 1982-96 and 2006-09, • Everett Sims, of Westville, who served in the Army from 1969-89, • Russell Smith, of Bartlesville, who served in the Army from 1967-69, • Ruben Talley, of Broken Arrow, who served in the Navy from 1957-63, • Robert Teague, of Tahlequah, who served in the Air Force from 1973-79, • Terry Thompson, of Warner, who served in the Oklahoma National Guard from 1985-95, and • Noah Welch, of Muskogee, who served in the Army from 1967-99.

Councilor Mary Baker Shaw expressed concern over the veterans’ ability to “walk down these stairs that are not ADA compliant” in the Council Chambers.

Councilors were told that updating the room to Americans with Disabilities Act standards would require a complete overhaul. “What we’re going to look at is redo the whole council chamber,” Councilor Joe Byrd said.

The legislators were relocated to the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex in 2013 following the discovery of several mold species in the former Council House.

“We had at one time almost $4 million set aside to build a council house after we moved out of the mold building,” Councilor Dick Lay said. “I don’t know where that money went. But at some point in time, some council, somewhere, somehow, is going to have to regenerate that idea of council standing alone and having its own facility.”

Byrd said those funds were used for health facilities.

DONATION: Schools that donate land can benefit from federal impact aid from front page Works Progress Administration gymnasium was added.

The site was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2009.

According to the Jan. 25 agreement, Attucks School “fundamentally served the black community of Vinita” for more than three decades, providing the only means of secondary education for black students from 192558. Following desegregation, the building was named Southeast Elementary School, then later, Attucks Alternative Academy.

Principal Chief Bill John Baker, Cooper and Vinita Schools Assistant Superintendent Rusty Rankin signed the transfer agreement.

“It’s been vacant for probably close to 12 years now,” Rankin said of the Attucks building. “It was our alternative school for several years. But due to budget cuts, we moved the alternative school to the high school, reduced staff, and it’s been vacant ever since.”

Hoskin said the worst thing for a building is to sit vacant. “The school system, to their credit, has tried to maintain the building, keep it up. Just a few years ago, they went in and renovated. The situation that

schools are in today in the state of Oklahoma, having a building that’s not in use, but yet they still have to pay costs for, is not a good thing for them. So this is helpful to the school system. In the long run, it’s helpful to this community.”

School systems that donate land can benefit from federal impact aid, according to the House bill. The districts receive $2,800 per year for every tribal student living in a CN-built home, CN officials said.

“When we’re able to construct homes, the school also reaps some benefits by the children living in the homes and attending their school,” Cooper said.

SHUTDOWN: The USDA plans to fund its nutrition programs in February from front page

Hospital, 177 Indian Health Service employees continued to work despite not receiving part of their paychecks during the shutdown.

Shutdowns in late 1995 and early 1996 were “of great concern” to Native American leaders at the time, according to news accounts in the Cherokee Advocate.

“Back in ’95, we shut down for 21 days,” Tribal Councilor Joe Byrd said. “But back then we didn’t have the revenue we have today.”

Then-Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin Jr. noted that, “Even though this is the longest government shutdown in history, this isn’t the first government shutdown.”

“At least in the last eight years, we have been very careful, even about hiring, because of the ongoing threat of government shutdowns,” he said. “And of course there’s been many.”

The CN was initially worried that its federally funded Food Distribution Program would cease at the end of January. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced presidential-backed plans to fully fund its

nutrition programs in February.

CN Commerce Director Anna Knight said the shutdown caused funding delays related to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development program. Sequoyah Schools Superintendent Leroy Qualls told leaders, “We’re doing OK where we’re at.”

“Our school funding is not affected because it’s kind of like public school,” he said. “You get the majority of it up front.”

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CHEROKEE PHOENIX • FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Cherokee Phoenix FEBRUARY 15, 2019 Volume 43, No. 4

The Cherokee Phoenix is published monthly by the Cherokee Nation, PO Box 948, Tahlequah, OK 74465.

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Editorial Staff

OPINION • ᏃᎵᏍᎬ

ᏣᎳᎩ ᏧᎴᎯᏌᎤᎯ • ᎥᏍᎩᏱ 15, 2019

Talking Circles

Bring back the genealogy

I want to thank you for the issues that have been sent to me.

I am thankful for being recognized as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. My dad was born in Westville, Oklahoma, and his dad was born in Addilee, Oklahoma. My great-grandfather was a full-blood.

In back issues of the newspaper, there used to be the genealogy page. I was always excited to see it because I searched long and hard to find any of the Watt line. I am sorry that it seems to have been discontinued. I wish it could appear again. I am sure that there are others who would like to find their roots too, and possibly know of their ancestors and more of their heritage. I hope that someday soon it can be included.

When I come to Oklahoma, and when I leave, I always feel like I am leaving the land of my fathers.

Jean Hohman Chino Valley, Arizona

Editor’s Note: From the October 2017 issue to the May 2018 issue, the Cherokee Phoenix and Cherokee Family Research Center at the Cherokee Heritage Center teamed up to create a series on Cherokee genealogy. Thanks to CFRC genealogists Gene Norris and Ashley Vann, we were able to show readers the genealogies of the Cherokee Phoenix staff. Because the genealogy process is so time-consuming, we only asked Gene and Ashley to research the Cherokee Phoenix staff ’s genealogies.

However, we are glad you enjoyed the series.

The Cherokee Phoenix reserves the right to exercise editorial discretion on all content appearing on the Web site or in the newspaper, including columns and letters to the editor. Opinions expressed by citizens, Tribal Councilors or officials do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editorial staff or Editorial Board of the Cherokee Phoenix.

The deadline for submissions is the 15th of the month prior to the month of publication. Letters shall not exceed 350 words in length. Letters intended for publication must be addressed to Talking Circles or identified as a letter to the editor.

Submissions from Cherokee citizens will be given preference. Submissions from non-citizens will be published only as space permits and must be Cherokee related.

Anonymous letters will not be published.

Brandon Scott

Executive Editor brandon-scott@cherokee.org 918-453-5000 ext 7258

Travis Snell

Assistant Editor travis-snell@cherokee.org 918-453-5358

Will Chavez

Assistant Editor will-chavez@cherokee.org 918-207-3961

Mark Dreadfulwater

Multimedia Editor mark-dreadfulwater@cherokee.org 918-453-5087

Reporters D. Sean Rowley

Senior Reporter david-rowley@cherokee.org 918-453-5560

Lindsey Bark

Reporter lindsey-bark@cherokee.org 918-453-5000 ext 4223

Chad Hunter

Reporter chad-hunter@cherokee.org 918-453-5000 ext 7256

Grant Neugin

Reporter grant-neugin@cherokee.org 918-453-5000 ext 7365

Multimedia Staff Roger Graham

Multimedia Producer roger-graham@cherokee.org 918-207-3969

Administrative Staff Dena Tucker

Administrative Officer dena-tucker@cherokee.org 918-453-5324

Joy Rollice

Administrative Assistant joy-rollice@cherokee.org 918-453-5269

Samantha Cochran

Advertising Specialist samantha-cochran@cherokee.org 918-207-3825

Terris Howard

Advertising Representative terris-howard@cherokee.org 918-453-5743

Justin Smith

Distribution Specialist justin-smith@cherokee.org 918-207-4975

Editorial Board Lauren Jones Cusick Kendra McGeady Maxie Thompson Brenda Thompson Ceciley Thomason-Murphy Cherokee Phoenix P.O. Box 948 Tahlequah, OK 74465 (918) 453-5269 FAX: (918) 207-0049 1-800-256-0671 www.cherokeephoenix.org

New Cherokee Nation Film Office to promote region

BY Bill John Baker Principal Chief Telling the Cherokee story – our history, our heritage – is a skill that our people have passed down from one generation to the next. Storytelling is a cornerstone of our culture. That’s why I am so proud we have launched the Cherokee Nation Film Office. It will promote northeastern Oklahoma while cultivating Native filmmaking. The office will provide much-needed cultural and historical consultation on film projects, ensuring our stories are told with cultural sensitivity and accuracy.

And it will serve as a way to develop a database of Cherokee Nation locations for film shoots, resources and talent.

It’s a bold new endeavor to enhance an ancient tradition.

Our home state, especially in our northeast quadrant, has unlimited potential when it comes to American Indian filmmaking, including the authors, actors and technicians to build successful filmmakers, as well as its natural beauty, history and character. Cherokee Nation and other tribes in Oklahoma have already begun producing high-quality videos, television shows and movies. There is great potential to promote Oklahoma as a destination for aspiring and experienced filmmakers.

This is where the Cherokee Nation Film Office, a division of the Cherokee Nation Businesses Communications Department, will come into play,

growing the burgeoning state film industry by promoting northeast Oklahoma and a new generation of talented artisans. The Emmy Awardwinning TV program “Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People” has proven highly successful, laying the groundwork for this new venture’s launch. To kick things off, we will be creating our first feature-length documentary.

Additionally, we have a goal to help other filmmakers.

That means Native people telling Native stories. Cherokees telling Cherokee stories. At Cherokee Nation, we routinely work with individuals who fundamentally misunderstand Native Americans – who we are, our culture, our history and our modern identity.

We know from these interactions that Native stories are best told by Native voices. As a result, five years ago we launched the production of “Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People,” and we discovered in the process that there are many Cherokees with a natural aptitude for filmmaking and storytelling, either behind the camera or in front of it.

This brought home to us that there are many talented filmmakers, producers, directors and actors right here in the Cherokee Nation that are being underutilized or not utilized at all. Our vision is to create an environment that nurtures these creative Cherokees.

The Cherokee Nation Film Office will collaborate with the Oklahoma Film + Music Office, the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts and Culture and other local film offices to leverage resources and talent. Areas of cooperation include providing local recommendations for crew and talent, coordinating site visits,

and hosting filmmaking workshops and film festivals. We share the same goals and ambitions to enhance the attractiveness of Oklahoma’s budding film industry.

Cherokee Nation is one of the most beautiful areas of our state. It’s a natural fit as a filmmaking destination.

Although California is still the entertainment capital of the world, other states have established themselves as film destinations. In recent years, major motion pictures and television series have been filmed in regional states like Texas, Georgia and Louisiana. We firmly believe it is now our time.

According to the Motion Picture Association of America, in 2016, Oklahoma’s film and television industry was responsible for 13,273 direct and indirect jobs and more than $220 million in wages. By contrast, Texas’ film and television industry was responsible for 105,525 jobs and $1.81 billion in wages.

Georgia’s impacts were 92,494 jobs and $2.15 billion in wages, while Louisiana’s numbers were 22,707 jobs and nearly $400 million in wages.

Numbers like these tell us there are genuine business and economic development opportunities to be pursued, and we are more than ready to meet the challenge. We have a passionate team committed to making this new industry successful for the Cherokee Nation, while furthering our mission of preserving Cherokee culture. We are excited about the new opportunities the Cherokee Nation Film Office will bring.

For more information about the Cherokee Nation Film Office, visit www.cherokee.film.

Voting, not only a right, but a responsibility

By MARK DREADFULWATER Multimedia Editor It had been 14 years and 81 days since I turned 18 years old. It had been that long since I became eligible to vote. I didn’t believe it mattered. I kept telling people one opinion would not make a difference.

That’s how I started the column I wrote that was published in our December 2008 issue. I had voted in the presidential election in November of that year for the first time in my life. I was 32 years old. Since my inaugural vote was cast more than 10 years ago, I have taken pride in voting and knowing that my voice was heard. I have voted in every tribal, city, state and national election since.

Although I do not follow politics on a daily or even weekly basis, when it comes to election time, I do. I

watch the local and national news, read news websites and newspapers. More importantly, I read as much information about the candidates that are running as I can. I read their mailers, website and social media pages.

It’s my responsibility as an individual to know who and why I’m voting. This is true to local and state questions as well.

Otherwise, my vote is wasted or cast to someone or something I shouldn’t have voted for or against.

This brings me to the upcoming Cherokee Nation chief, deputy chief and tribal council elections. These elections are just like city, state and national races. However, I feel tribal elections are more important because how the tribal

government operates affects how it is able to serve its people.

With the filing period officially over, four candidates filed for principal chief, three candidates for deputy chief and 29 candidates have filed for eight council seats. Council seats up for grabs are from districts 1, 3, 6, 8, 12, 13, 14 and one At-Large. This year, a new principal and deputy chief will be elected and some council candidates are incumbents, some are new and some have previously served on the council.

No matter the candidate, take the time to read and hear as much as you can about them so that you’re well informed.

It is imperative on deciding for whom to vote. It is the right and responsibility of every eligible CN citizen to register to vote. Whether you’re at-large or live within the 14-county jurisdiction, cast your ballot.

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Mail subscriptions and changes of address to the Cherokee Phoenix, P.O. Box 948, Tahlequah, OK 74465, phone 918-207-4975. Please include the words “Change of Address” or “Subscription” on the envelope.

Back Issues may be purchased for $2.50 postage and handling. Please inquire to make sure the issues are in stock by writing to Back Issues, Cherokee Phoenix, P.O. Box 948, Tahlequah, OK 74465; or calling 918-207-4975.

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Copyright 2018: The entire contents of the Cherokee Phoenix are fully protected by copyright unless otherwise noted and may be reproduced if the copyright is noted and credit is given to the Cherokee Phoenix, the writer and the photographer. Requests to reprint should be directed to the editor at the above address. Material provided through membership with Associated Press NewsFinder, identified by (AP), may not be reproduced without permission of the Associated Press.

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ᎥᏍᎩᏱ 15, 2019 • ᏣᎳᎩ ᏧᎴᎯᏌᎤᎯ

Community • ᎾᎥ ᏄᎾᏓᎸ

FEBRUARY 15, 2019 • CHEROKEE PHOENIX

5

Annual Indian Taco Championship accepting contestants

BY WILL CHAVEZ Assistant Editor

PAWHUSKA – Indian Taco Championship organizers are accepting contestants for its next competition, which will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 5.

Organizers said the 2018 Indian Taco Championship held on Oct. 6 was “a big success.” The event attracted 30 contestants and 40 vendors along with visitors from around the region.

“What an amazing turnout this event was, and we are so thankful for all the volunteers and contestants who make this even possible,” Jared Lemmons, National Indian Taco Championship chairman, said. “We had our biggest year yet. This event has been held in Pawhuska and keeps gaining more attraction. We appreciate all of our vendors, contestants and amazing dance competitors.”

As part of the annual event, there’s also a Native American dance competition with prizes awarded.

Lemmons said organizers are accepting contestant entries for both competitions for this year.

“We are accepting sponsorship, vendors and contestants already. We have 11 signed up,” he said.

Competing under the name “Fry Bread Factory,” Cherokee Nation citizen Annette Mankiller and United Keetoowah Band citizen William Luethje, of Stilwell, were among last year’s Indian taco competitors and placed third after winning the competition in 2017.

“Although this was only our second year to enter the competition, we’ve placed both times,” Mankiller said.

The 2018 winners were Francis Soxie (first), Strike Axe (second) and Fry Bread Factory (third). First place receives $1,500, second place $1,000 and third place $500.

Strike Axe also won the “People’s Choice Award,” which included a $1,000 prize.

Mankiller said during the contest competitors are given an assigned number to hide their identity from the judges.

“You are then given around 10 bowls to place your Indian taco in for the first round of judging. From that first round the finalists are chosen to compete in the final round to determine first, second and third place,” she said. “You are given more bowls for the final round of judging and have a short amount of time to get your flight in for judging. It is very exciting. We enjoy what we do and are looking forward to the next competition.”

She said for 2019 she and Luethje plan to focus more on setting up locally as much as possible to sell their Indian tacos and fry bread. For more information or to place an order, call 918507-0089 or search “Fry Bread Factory” on Facebook.

“We will still be setting up for a select few bigger events that we have been asked to come back for,” she said.

For more information, call the Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce at 918287-1208.

ᎠᏂᏩᏌᏏ - ᎠᎾᏛᏅᎢᏍᏗᏍᎩ ᏓᏂᏯᏂ ᎠᎾᏓᎪᎾᏗᏍᎩ ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᏐᎢ ᎠᏓᎪᏅᏙᏗᎢ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏴᏫᏯ ᏔᎪᏍ ᎤᎾᏓᏎᎪᎩᏍᎬᎢ, ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᏚᏂᏃᏗ 5Ꮑ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ 10 ᎠᏟᏱᎵᏒ ᏏᎾᎴ 4 ᎠᏟᏱᎵᏒ ᏒᎯᏰ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ 2018 ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ ᏚᏂᏃᏗ 6Ꮑ ᎤᏂᏍᏆᎸᎡᎸᎩ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏴᏫᏯ ᏔᎪᏍ ᎤᎾᏓᏎᎪᎩᏍᎬᎢ “ᏬᏓᎪᎾᏛ ᎣᏍᏓ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏅᎩ” ᎠᎾᏛᏅᎢᏍᏗᏍᎩ ᏄᏂᏪᏒᎩ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᏧᏂᏍᏆᎸᎡᎸ 30 ᎢᏯᏂ ᎠᎾᏓᎪᎾᏗᏍᎩ ᎠᎴ 40 ᎢᎳᏂ ᎠᏂᎾᏕᏒᎲᏍᎩ ᎤᏂᎷᏟᎩ ᎾᏍᎩᎾᏃ ᏴᏫ ᎤᎾᏠᏯᏍᏔᏅᎩ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᎬᎾᏕᏂᎾ ᏂᏓᏳᎾᏓᎴᏅᎯ. “ᏙᏳ ᎠᏍᏆᏂᎪᎯᏍᏗ ᎢᎦ ᏴᏫ ᎤᏁᎷᏨᎢ ᎯᎠ ᎠᏍᏆᎵᏍᎬᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᏙᏣᎵᎮᎵᏤ ᏂᎦᏓ ᎤᎾᎵᏍᏕᎸᏓ ᎠᎴ ᎠᎾᏓᎪᎾᏗᏍᎩ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎯᎠ ᏱᎬᏩᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᏄᏅᏁᎸᎩ,” Jared Lemmons, ᎠᏰᎵ ᏴᏫᏯ ᏔᎪᏍ ᎤᎾᏓᏎᎪᎩᏍᎬᎢ ᏧᏓᏘᎿᎢ, ᏄᏪᏒᎩ. “ᎯᎠᏃ ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ ᏪᏮᎢ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏅᎩ. ᎠᎭᏂ ᎠᏂᏩᏌᏏ ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᎤᏂᏍᏆᎸᎡᎰᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏟ ᎢᎦᎢ ᏴᏫ ᎠᏂᎷᎦ ᏏᏃ ᎧᏁᏉᏤᎩ. ᏙᏣᎵᎮᎵᏤ ᏂᎦᏓ ᎠᏂᎾᏕᏒᎲᏍᎩ, ᎠᎾᏓᎪᎾᏗᏍᎩ ᎠᎴ ᏙᏳ ᏗᏍᏆᏂᎪᎯᏍᏗ ᎾᎢ ᎠᎾᎵᏍᎩᏍᎩ ᎠᎾᏓᎪᎾᏗᏍᎩ.” ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎾᏕᏘᏴᎯᏒ ᎠᏍᏆᎵᏍᎬᎢ ᎯᎢᎾᎢ ᎤᏠᏯᏍᏗ, ᎾᏍᏉᏃ ᏅᏁᎯᏯ ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ ᎠᎾᎵᏍᎩᏍᎩ ᎠᎾᏓᎪᎾᏗᏍᎩ ᎾᎢ ᎤᏠᏯᏍᏗ ᎠᏥᎸᏉᏔᏅᎩ ᎠᏌᏍᏔᏅᎯ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎯᎠ ᎤᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ ᎠᎾᏛᏅᎢᏍᏗᏍᎩ ᏓᏂᏯᏂ ᎢᏧᎳ ᎠᎾᏓᎪᎾᏗᏍᎩ ᎤᎾᏖᎳᏗᏍᏗᎢ Lemmons ᏄᏪᏒᎩ. “ᎦᏳᎳ ᏙᏥᏯᏂᎭ ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᏂᏜᎲᏍᎩ, ᎠᏂᎾᏕᏒᎲᏍᎩ, ᎠᎴ ᎠᎾᏓᎪᎾᏗᏍᎩ. 11 ᎢᏯᏂᎢ ᏚᎾᏙᎥ ᏧᏃᏪᎳᏅᎯ, ᎠᏍᎦᏯ ᏄᏪᏒᎩ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᏧᎾᏙᎯᏓ ᎠᏓᎪᎾᏗᏍᎩ “ᎬᏣᏝᏅ ᎦᏚ ᎤᏃᏢᏗ,” ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ ᎠᏁᎵ Annette Mankiller ᎠᎴ William Luethje, ᏍᏗᎳᏪᎵ ᏂᏓᏳᏂᎶᏒᎢ, ᎡᏘ ᏥᎨᏒ ᎤᎾᏖᎳᏛ ᏴᏫᏯ ᏔᎪᏍ ᎠᎾᏓᎪᎾᏗᏍᎬᎢ ᎠᎴ ᏦᎢᏁ ᎤᎾᏓᏴᏍᏓᏁᎸ ᎾᏍᎩᏃ 2017 ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏍᏒ ᎠᎾᏓᎪᎾᏔᏅᎩ ᎤᏓᏠᏒᎢ. “ᎠᏎᏍᎩᏂ ᎯᎠ ᏔᎵᏁ ᎠᏕᏘᏱᏍᎬ ᎣᏍᎦᎾᏖᎳᏛᎩ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᎾᏓᎪᎾᏗᏍᎬᎢ, ᎡᏧᎳ ᎢᏳᏩᏔ ᎣᎩᎾᏓᏴᏍᏓᏁᎸᎩ,” Mankiller ᏄᏪᏒᎩ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ 2018 ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ Francis Soxie (ᎠᎬᏱ) ᎤᎾᏓᏠᏒ, Strike Axe (ᏔᎵᏁ) ᎠᎴ ᎬᏣᏝᏅ ᎦᏚ ᎤᏃᏢᏗ, (ᏦᎢᏁ). ᎠᎬᏱ ᎤᏓᏠᏒ $1,500 ᏚᏓᏒᏅᎩ, ᏔᎵᏁ ᎤᏓᏠᏒ $1,000 ᏚᏓᏒᏅᎩ ᎠᎴ ᏦᎢᏁ $500 ᏚᏓᏒᏅᎩ.

Strike Axe ᎾᏍᏉ ᎤᏓᏠᏒ “ᏴᏫ ᎤᎾᏑᏰᏛ ᎠᏥᎸᏉᏔᏅᎩ,” ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏠᏯᏍᏛ $1,000 ᎠᏌᏍᏔᏅᎯ.

Mankiller ᏄᏪᏒᎢ ᎾᎯᏳ ᎠᏓᎪᎾᏙᏗ ᎠᎾᏓᎪᎾᏗᏍᎩ ᏕᎨᏥᏅᏁᎰ ᎠᏎᏍᏗ ᏕᎨᏥᏲᎯᏎᎰ ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎠᏓᏙᏟᏍᏙᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏅᏍᎦᎸᏁᎰ ᏗᎫᎪᏗᏍᎩ.

“10 ᎤᏅᏪᏓ ᏗᏖᎵᏙ ᏓᎾᏓᏁᎰ ᎾᎿ ᏴᏫᏯ ᏔᎪᏍ ᏫᏣᎳᏙᏗ ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᎠᎬᏱ ᎠᏓᎴᏂᏍᎬ SCAN ᏓᏄᎪᏗᏍᎪᎢ.

CODE ᎠᎬᏱ ᏂᏛᏓᎴᏂᏍᎩ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᎬᏱ TO HEAR ᎠᏁᏙᎯ ᎨᎦᏑᏍᎪᎢ ᎤᎾᏓᎪᎾᏙᏗ TRANSLATION ᎾᏍᎩ ᎣᏂᎢ

In Memoriam Betty Ann (Wilkie) Warner, former resident of Westville, OK, Izoro, TX and Lampasas, TX, died Dec. 26, 2018 at Nix Medical Center in San Antonio. A memorial service will be held June 8, 2019 in Westville, Oklahoma during the Wilkie family reunion. Interment will follow at Alberty Cemetery near Westville. Funeral Caring USA in San Antonio has charge of arrangements.

Betty was born June 23, 1944 in Prairie Grove, Arkansas to Clint and Josie May (Crowe) Wilkie. Betty was the ninth of 11 children. She grew up in Westville, Oklahoma. She graduated from high school there and from business school in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She married Willis Dale Warner on April 2, 1966 in Westville, Okla. Betty is survived by her daughter, Annette Moore and husband Jem Ed and grandson Jem Moore of Lometa; her son, Dale Everett Warner and granddaughter Torrie Gutierrez Warner of Izoro; two sisters, Wanda Woods and husband Don, and Joyce Griggs and husband Charles, all of Tulsa; five brothers, Dean Wilkie and wife Joyce of Kansas City, Missouri, Beryl Wilkie and wife Sara of Westville, Okla., Delman Wilkie and wife Frances of Fort Gibson, Okla., Danny Wilkie and wife Glenda, also of Westville, and Norman Wilkie and

WILL CHAVEZ/CHEROKEE PHOENIX Cherokee Nation citizen Annette Mankiller puts out two containers with Indian tacos during the 2018 Cherokee National Holiday. She and United Keetoowah Band citizen William Luethje own and operate Fry Bread Factory, which serves Indian tacos and fry bread that have won at the annual Indian Taco Championship.

COURTESY Dishes of Indian tacos made by the Fry Bread Factory, of Stilwell, are ready to be judged at the 2018 annual Indian Taco Championship in Pawhuska. The contest is currently accepting contestants. ᎠᎵᏍᏆᏙᎲᏍᎩ ᏗᎫᎪᏙᏗᎢ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᎬᏱ, ᏔᎵᏁ, ᎠᎴ ᏦᎢᏁ ᎤᏂᏴᏍᏔᏅᎩ,” ᎠᎨᏯ ᏄᏪᏒᎩ. “ᎤᏟ ᎢᎦᎢ ᏓᎾᏓᏁᎰ ᎤᏅᏪᏓ ᏗᏕᎵᏙ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎣᏂ ᎠᎵᏍᏆᏙᎲᏍᎬ ᎢᏗᏟ ᏓᏄᎪᏗᏍᎬᎢ ᎠᎴ ᏍᏆᎳᎢᎨᏍᏗ ᎤᏓᎷᎶ ᎠᏍᏆᏗᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᏧᏄᎪᏙᏗᎢ. ᏙᏳ ᎠᎵᎮᎵᏍᏔᏅ ᎨᏐᎢ. ᎣᎩᎸᏉᏓ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᏃᏣᏛᏁᎲᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎢᎬᏱᏗᏢ ᎣᏥᎦᏖᏃᎰ ᏐᎢ ᎠᎾᏓᎪᎾᏗᏍᎬᎢ.” ᎾᏍᎩᎾᎢ 2019 ᎾᎢ ᎠᎨᏯ ᎠᎴ Luethje ᏓᏄᎪᏓ ᎾᎢ ᎤᎾᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ ᎤᏟ ᎢᎦᎢ ᎡᏍᎦᏂᎨᏍᏗ ᎤᏃᏢᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏂᎪᎯᎸᏉ ᏱᏂᎦᎵᏍᏗ ᎤᏂᎾᏗᏅᏗ ᏴᏫᏯ ᏔᎪᏍ ᎠᎴ ᎬᏣᏝᏅ ᎦᏚ. ᎾᏍᎩᎾ

– TRANSLATED BY JOHN ROSS

Community Events Feb. 15 “Cooking with Commodities Cooking Class” Sam Hider Health Center in Jay Call Brittany Ebers at 918-253-1724 11 a.m.

Feb. 18 Neighborhood Association of Chewey Chewey Community Building 7 p.m.

Tribal Council 17675 S. Muskogee Ave., in Tahlequah Visit http://legislative.cherokee.org 6 p.m.

wife Sherrye of Jenks, Okla.; sister-inlaw Getha Wilkie of Neosho, Missouri; sister-in-law Patsy Gail Calhoun and husband Ed of Westville, Okla.; 26 nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren; and many cousins. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Virgil Wilkie, Russell Wilkie and J.C. Wilkie; two sisters-in-law, Wilma Wilkie and Barbara Wilkie; two nephews, Milan Wilkie and Kenton Wilkie; and a niece, Brenda Gail Wilkie.

ᎤᏟ ᎢᎦᎢ ᎧᏃᎮᏢᎥᏍᎩ ᎠᎴ ᎥᏓᏅᏍᏗ, ᏫᎨᎯᏏᎳᏛᏏ 918-507-0089 ᎠᎴ ᎠᏱᏍᏗ “ᎬᏣᏝᏅ ᎦᏚ ᎤᏃᏢᏗ” ᎾᎿᎢ ᎤᎧᏛ ᎪᏪᎳ. “ᏏᏊᏃ ᎣᏍᏓᏛᏅᎢᏍᏗᏍᎨᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᎠᎦᏲᎵᎨ ᏗᏑᏰᏓ ᏧᏔᎾ ᏓᏍᏆᎵᏍᎬ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎣᎩᎾᏛᏛᏅ ᎣᎩᏁᏓᏍᏗᎢ,” ᎠᎨᏯ ᏄᏪᏒᎩ. ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᎤᏟ ᎢᎦᎢ ᎧᏃᎮᏢᎥᏍᎩ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᏫᏏᎳᏛᎦ ᎠᏂᏩᏌᏏ ᎠᏂᎾᏔᏅᎥᏍᎬ ᎤᏂᏴᏍᏗᎢ ᎾᎿᎢ 918287-1208.

Feb. 20 Legislative Day state Capitol in Oklahoma City Call 918-453-5238 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Feb. 21 Tri-County (W.E.B.) Association J.R.’s Country Auction 6 p.m.

Oklahoma Blood Institute Blood Drive Tsa La Gi Community Room in Tahlequah Call 918-453-5000, ext. 5841 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Orchard Road Community Outreach (Stilwell) Turning Point Office

6 p.m.

Feb. 22 Speech/drama/debate event Sequoyah High Schools in Tahlequah Call Amanda Ray at 918-453-5156 3:45 p.m.

Feb. 23 Speech/drama/debate event Sequoyah High Schools in Tahlequah Call Amanda Ray at 918-453-5156 9 a.m.

Cherokee Genealogy 101 Cherokee Heritage Center in Park Hill Call Gene Norris at 918-456-6007 Noon Feb. 25 Christie Call Shelia Rector at 918-778-3423 7 p.m.

Feb. 26 Dry Creek Call Shawna Ballou at 918-457-5023 7 p.m.

To have an event or meeting listed, fax information to 918-458-6136 attention: Community Calendar. The deadline for submissions is the 10th of each month.

6

CHEROKEE PHOENIX • FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Health • ᎠᏰᎸ ᏄᏍᏛ

ᏣᎳᎩ ᏧᎴᎯᏌᎤᎯ • ᎥᏍᎩᏱ 15, 2019

Cherokee Nation Assurance supporting CDC research team TULSA – Cherokee Nation Assurance is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to assist in its mission to prevent illness, disability and death through disease control and immunizations.

The Cherokee Nation Businesses company will officially work with the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Division of Viral Diseases, Viral Gastroenteritis Branch by conducting scientific research and providing administrative support to the agency’s Viral Gastroenteritis Branch.

Throughout the next year, CNA will conduct studies, perform viral gastroenteritis testing, assist in developing new vaccines and help further the scientific community’s understanding of the rotavirus and norovirus. The team will also present research and development data to CDC staff and participate in laboratory research, training and maintenance activities.

The CDC is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Headquartered in Atlanta, the CDC’s mission is to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, the CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.

CNA officials said CNA delivers a broad spectrum of professional management consulting services to its defense, health, environmental and civilian agency clients. To assist clients in achieving their goals, CNA provides a tailored management approach for complex government programs and disciplines, including health information technology, research and science, program management, communications, correspondence and document management, governance and administrative support.

CNA is headquartered in Tulsa.

For more information, visit http:// cherokee-cna.com.

Indian Health Service announces Office of Quality WASHINGTON – The Indian Health Service recently announced its new Office of Quality to strengthen the agency’s ongoing efforts to ensure the delivery of quality health care at federally operated facilities serving American Indian and Alaska Native people.

According to the agency’s press release, the IHS Office of Quality will provide leadership and promote consistency in health care quality across the agency by consolidating and enhancing oversight of these efforts at IHS headquarters.

“The IHS Office of Quality will bring together key functions and responsibilities to maximize our quality improvement efforts and integrate quality in a collaborative and organized manner across the entire IHS,” said Rear Adm. Michael D. Weahkee, IHS principal deputy director.

The plan to create the office was developed in consultation with the tribes served by IHS in response to challenges in delivering quality health care in Indian Country. The Office of Quality will be led by IHS Deputy Director for Quality Health Care Jonathan Merrell.

PHOTOS BY CHAD HUNTER/CHEROKEE PHOENIX ABOVE LEFT: Cherokee elder Simeon Gipson, 73, competes in long-distance bicycling events at state, national and worldwide levels. ABOVE RIGHT: Cyclist and Cherokee Nation citizen Simeon Gipson rides his bike on Jan. 31 in Tahlequah. The 73-year-old logs several thousand miles a year bicycling throughout the Cherokee Nation.

Road-racing Cherokee elder pedals way to better health Simeon Gipson logs thousands of miles a year cycling when he’s not competing in games at state, national and worldwide levels.

BY CHAD HUNTER

Reporter

TAHLEQUAH – Overweight and crippled by diabetes a decade ago, Cherokee elder Simeon Gipson reclaimed his postretirement life with a healthy dose of competition.

The 73-year-old from Tahlequah logs several thousand miles a year bicycling throughout the Cherokee Nation when not competing in games at state, national and worldwide levels.

“I owe a lot to those two wheels,” he said. “That first ride on my junker bike, I went one mile from my house up to the highway and back. I tell you, I thought I was going to die. But the more I rode, the more I liked it. You get out on the road and it empties your mind and you just don’t hear anything except the crunching of gravel under your wheels.”

‘Little Tot’

Gipson was born “way out in the woods” in the Delaware County community of Bull Hollow. His mother was Cherokee, while his father, a heavy-equipment operator for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, was Choctaw.

“My mom and dad both wanted us to speak Cherokee and Choctaw, but as little fellas and girls, we started getting the two languages crossed,” he said. “So, they just kind of said if you’re going to learn it, learn it on your own.”

In general, however, Gipson, his four brothers and five sisters were “pretty much isolated from the Cherokee culture.”

“In later years when you can look back,” he said, “that was one of the things I guess I frowned on, that we were never given the Native culture.”

Gipson said as “a little tot,” he suffered from polio, which impaired his walking. When describing that period in his life, he references the decade’s old Boys Town motto, “He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother.”

“For years I thought that was about me and my brother

because he used to carry me,” Gipson said. “The other times I couldn’t walk, my brothers and sisters, they’d push me in a makeshift buggy. They didn’t treat me any different. They just threw me into the mix. I guess it was sink or swim.”

For more than a decade, Gipson and his “stabilizing family” spent nine months of the year at Oaks Indian Mission Children’s Home, now known as Oaks Indian Mission.

“Both my mom and dad were house parents at one of the cottages,” he said.

As a teenager, he played basketball and football at Oaks High School. Two years into attending thenNortheastern State College in Tahlequah, Gipson’s life took an unanticipated turn after a brother was injured in a motorcycle accident.

“It almost killed him,” Gipson said. “So I stayed with him for a couple of weeks. Initially, the school said they’d let me catch up with my work and everything.

When I went back, it was a different story. So I said, ‘OK, I’ll show you.’ I joined the Navy.”

Military Man His oldest brother, who served on an aircraft carrier, inspired Gipson’s four years in the Navy.

In contrast, Gipson was stationed

under water.

“I’d never thought about submarines,” he said. “But I figured I’d give it a try. It was like a lot of things I do, kind of just a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

Working in the engine room, the “closeness never bothered me,” Gipson said. “I had a job to do. The hard part to me was the monotony, the routine of doing the same thing. You go to bed, wake up, work, and in-between times, eat.”

Even though he served during the Vietnam War, Gipson doesn’t consider himself a Vietnam veteran. “I was safely out at sea.

Mostly we were observers. We laid off the coast of North Korea once or twice, just sat out there in their bay and watched them.”

Ailing Retiree After the Navy, he worked for various tribes’ housing programs and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, but eventually retired after 19 years at W.W. Hastings Indian Hospital.

At 62, he said he weighed 245 pounds with “diabetes out of control.”

“I was on heart meds, highblood-pressure medication,” he said. “I retired so I could enjoy my last years a little bit.”

A pricey bicycle gift from his “biggest supporter” and son, also named Simeon, reintroduced the retiree to cycling, a hobby of years past.

“Out of 10 kids growing up, there was maybe two bikes in the family. None of them were

Simeon Gipson, of Tahlequah, shows off medals he’s earned in state and world senior bicycle competitions. He said he “owes a lot to those two wheels.”

mine,” he said. “I never owned a bike until I got out of the service.

I finally got me an old yardsale bike. I rode that all over Muskogee. I really enjoyed it.”

But returning to the pedals wasn’t easy. He persisted in a cycling circuit that only grew until, at 175-180 pounds, he was a slimmer healthier man in control of his diabetes. But early into his comeback, Gipson sought clearance for knee surgery and was instead told by doctors he needed open-heart surgery.

“They said I had three arteries, one 90 percent plugged, the least 75 percent plugged,” he said.

“Two, maybe three weeks later, I was laying in a hospital. They said easily I could have had a heart attack out riding, dead before I hit the road. But I did it to myself. I can’t blame anybody but me.”

Undeterred, Gipson recuperated before making his way into a 10K cycling contest.

“I couldn’t stay off the bike,” he said. “That bike has become a part of my life. But I come to find out I can’t do well in short races.

Now I do a 20K and 40K.”

Road Racer Gipson competes in the Oklahoma National Games, National Senior Games and global games in the 70-74 age bracket, “probably the most competitive age group,” he said.

“Once I started racing, I don’t know if it’s so much the competitions or riding with other people,” he said. “I may never talk to anybody else, but I just love being there with them.

And we get to wear these funny looking clothes and nobody says anything.”

Despite medalling in statewide games, Gipson isn’t obsessed with success at the national level. “Will I ever medal in the national games? I don’t know.

But I know for a fact that because I’m there I’ll never lose because of what it’s done for me.”

Gipson plans on competing in the 2019 games in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In the meantime, he can be seen racing down roads in Cherokee country. “I’ve got a radius bounded by Muskogee, (West) Siloam (Springs), Locust Grove and Sallisaw. If I need anything in those areas, I know I can be there in two hours or so.

I’ve got the time.”

ᎥᏍᎩᏱ 15, 2019 • ᏣᎳᎩ ᏧᎴᎯᏌᎤᎯ

Education • ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ

FEBRUARY 15, 2019 • CHEROKEE PHOENIX

Study: Students learning Cherokee writing develop ‘idiosyncratic’ style

BY KANSAS UNINVERSITY NEWS SERVICE

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Cherokee is spoken as a first language by fewer than 5,000 people, yet in recent years it has experienced a remarkable revival as a second language.

But what happens when entire generations may have learned to speak the language but not read or write it? Research from the University of Kansas shows children learning to write Cherokee in an Oklahoma immersion school internalized both English and Cherokee to develop an idiosyncratic writing style.

KU researchers Lizette Peter and Tracy Hirata-Edds have worked with Tsalagi Dideloquasdi, the Cherokee Nation’s immersion school in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, for several years to learn more about the revitalization of the language and how students acquire Cherokee. The recent findings are among the first studies to examine writing in the language, and the researchers found the students developed their own styles of writing never seen in the language. Peter and Hirata-Edds argue it is not bad or incorrect, and it gives teachers important information to develop approaches to help learners continue to build their bilingual skills.

“We didn’t know what to expect regarding how proficient their writing would be,” said Peter, associate professor of curriculum & teaching. “Oral language is different because you have an interlocutor, in the schools’ case, a teacher. When writing, the students have to rely on all they know about both Cherokee and English.”

Cherokee uses an orthography known as syllabary in its written form. Developed by Sequoyah in the 1820s, it is unique among American Indian languages. The written form has many differences from English.

For example, it does not use articles such as “a,” “an” or “the” before nouns, and it synthesizes morphemes to a much higher degree than English. However, when analyzing students’ writing samples and comparing them to samples of oral stories

by Cherokee adults, the students often used grammatical conventions characteristic of English, such as creating an article where none was required.

“We found the repurposing of a Cherokee demonstrative adjective peppered throughout their writing before every noun, the way an article is used in English,” Peter said. “Cherokee is a highly synthetic language, so articles are generally fused with the noun. The children clearly felt the need for a separate article, though, the way their English rules tell them it should be.

We’re challenging the notion that they write ‘bad Cherokee.’ Instead, we see them as having a need to convey an idea and they’re doing it in their bilingual way, through translanguaging.”

The findings comprise a chapter in the book “Teaching Writing to Children in Indigenous Languages: Instructional Practices from Global Contexts,” edited by Ari Sherris and Joy Peyton. The chapter was

Lizette Peter

Tracy HirataEdds

PHOTOS BY LIZETTE PETER AND TRACY HIRATA-EDDS/KANSAS UNIVERSITY When analyzing writing samples of students at the Cherokee Immersion Charter School in Tahlequah and comparing them to samples of oral stories

by Cherokee adults, the students often used grammatical conventions characteristic of English, such as creating an article where none was required.

written by Peter; Tracy Hirata-Edds, lecturer in KU’s Applied English Center; and Ryan Mackey of the CN. Most people who speak Cherokee as their first language are of the grandparent generation. Most speakers of younger generations never learned to read or write the language. So today’s students had little prior exposure to written Cherokee. For example, children’s literature in Cherokee was almost nonexistent when the immersion school began, so unlike many children, students did not have access to stories in their written language. Fortunately, there has been a lot of documentation of Cherokee stories. Brad Montgomery-Anderson, who received his doctorate in linguistics from KU in 2008, recorded, transcribed and analyzed oral stories told by expert Cherokee speakers, and the researchers compared those stories with the ones written by the immersion school students.

“We used a lot of different lenses to study the writing,” Peter said. “We couldn’t understand children’s writing without also looking at what was going on in the school and then, examining more broadly their families’ and communities’ experiences with Cherokee language contact, shift and revitalization from a historical perspective.

So, we try to contextualize their writing within the many levels of speakerhood that characterize the Tahlequah, Oklahoma, community.”

The chapter includes pedagogical solutions to assist teachers. They suggest supplementing the immersion approach, in which Cherokee is the only language spoken, with a focus on linguistic forms. As the students are bilingual, teachers can use that to their advantage. It is admittedly a fine balance, the authors write, but an approach comparing and contrasting the languages can help illustrate the rules of writing in both, how they differ and why. That way, instead of just pointing out students’ errors, teachers can help them develop metalinguistic awareness and an understanding of why each

TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State University will host its 47th annual Symposium on the American Indian April 8-13 on the Tahlequah campus.

The theme, “Celebrating Indigenous Women,” will honor both modern and legendary matriarchs, focusing on women who have contributed to the success and growth of Indigenous communities and families.

While not all tribes are defined as matrilineal or matriarchal, the contributions of women are ever present in Indigenous families and communities. Indigenous women serve as guides, teachers, caregivers,

strategists, counselors and cultural preservationists. Not only do they serve as leaders within their families, but also their communities, their tribes and professions.

Presentations will tell the stories of past and present women leaders, from the most well known and celebrated to those who are just beginning to be recognized. This will include those who have made significant contributions in the areas of law, literature, anthropology, history, art, language revitalization and more.

Keynote speakers include Tara Houska (Couchiching First Nation), national campaigns director for Honor the Earth; Erin Griffin (Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate), director of Dakota Studies at Sisseton Wahpeton College; and Mary Jo Tippeconnic Fox

2019 NAJAFacebook scholarship applications due April 30

NORMAN – As part of the Native American Journalists Association – Facebook Journalism Project, NAJA will give five onetime awards of $10,000 each to Indigenous students pursuing journalism and media degrees at higher learning institutions.

Applications are due April 30.

To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled juniors, seniors or graduate students at an accredited university in the United States pursuing a degree in digital media/ journalism/communications with a commitment to Indigenous storytelling as demonstrated by completed coursework, clips/ work samples and a letter of recommendation from a professor or internship supervisor familiar with their work and attesting to career commitment.

For more information, visit https://najanewsroom.com and click on the STUDENTS drop-down link. Then click on SCHOLARSHIPS and then 2019 FACEBOOK SCHOLARSHIP.

Applications for AICF Full Circle Scholarship open

Students were shown a picture such as this one and asked to write a description of what they saw using the Cherokee syllabary.

Researchers found the students developed their own styles of writing never seen in the language. language has the rules it does. By helping teachers, researchers can in turn help students who will be the future speakers and writers of the language.

“As applied linguists, we think about oracy and literacy and how they tie together and represent the identity of those speakers, especially as they learn to express themselves in indigenous languages, many of which are threatened,” Peter said. “The idiosyncrasies we see in their writing are a testament to the creativity of the human mind and how language is a key outlet for that creativity.”

– REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION

NSU’s Symposium on the American Indian slated for April 8-13

BY STAFF REPORTS

7

(Comanche/Cherokee), research professor at the University of Arizona.

The committee is still accepting proposals for concurrent sessions.

For more information, visit the Center for Tribal Studies website at cts.nsuok.edu.

The symposium is a community event welcoming individuals from all demographics including kindergarten to 12th grade and college students, educators, professionals and community members.

There is no registration fee and events are open to the public.

Funding has been provided by the Oklahoma Arts Council, Oklahoma Humanities Council and sponsors, including the Chickasaw Nation and River Spirit Casino.

DENVER – As the American Indian College Fund celebrates its 30th year the application for its signature scholarship program – The Full Circle Scholarship – has opened to support Native American college students during the 201920 school year.

Every year, AICF distributes millions of dollars to thousands of Native students seeking degrees in higher education. Students who are citizens or descendants of federally and state-recognized tribes can apply for support until the application deadline of May 31. There are no financial need requirements, and students can learn more about the application guidelines and apply at www. collegefund.org/scholarships.

Record percentage of students earn Oklahoma’s Promise grant OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – A record 73.6 percent of high school graduates who enrolled in the college access program Oklahoma’s Promise in 2018 completed the requirements to earn the scholarship, according to an Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education report.

There were 6,024 scholars who received the college tuition grant in 2018, The Oklahoman reported.

More than 80,000 Oklahoma students have enrolled since 1996.

The scholarship covers tuition at public two- and four-year schools or a portion of tuition at private colleges and universities.

Students can enroll in in the program from eighth to 10th grades. Their family’s income cannot surpass $55,000 when they enroll or $100,000 when the student starts college.

The report shows 85 percent of the scholarship recipients attend college, compared to 44 percent of high school graduates who weren’t in the program.

The program is projected to cost $77.3 million for 2019-20, about $500,000 more than the current fiscal year. It will administer scholarships to 17,100 students.

8

CHEROKEE PHOENIX • FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Services • ᎾᎾᏛᏁᎲ

ᏣᎳᎩ ᏧᎴᎯᏌᎤᎯ • ᎥᏍᎩᏱ 15, 2019

Tribal program helps ex-inmates return to society

BY D. SEAN ROWLEY Senior Reporter

LINDSEY BARK/CHEROKEE PHOENIX The Cherokee Nation’s Seed Bank officials began distributing seeds Feb. 1. The seeds are harvested from the Heirloom Garden and Native Plant Site in Tahlequah.

CN Seed Bank seed packets available

BY LINDSEY BARK Reporter TAHLEQUAH – The Cherokee Nation’s Seed Bank is went live for online orders on Feb. 1.

The Heirloom Garden and Native Plant Site produces enough seeds and plants to disperse over 5,000 items per year, depending on growing conditions.

“Fortuitously, routine improvements in our infrastructure and operations are keeping production rates stable. Our inventory is good and we will be able to provide a significant amount of product to Cherokees this year,” Environmental Resources Senior Director Pat Gwin said. “Our plants prefer a classic cool spring of reasonable duration followed by progressively warming summer temps with ample moisture throughout. The growing season of 2018 unfortunately had typical spring conditions for just a few days (not weeks) followed by an early summer with little rain. Thus, our cool season crops suffered…with recovery only possible via our fall plantings.”

The Seed Bank generally offers around 20 to 30 varieties of seeds per year.

However, in the Seed Bank proper there are more than 100 varieties of plants growing. Gwin said this is because some plants not flowering every year.

He said crops such as corn, tobaccos and gourds are “fairly simple” to grow and are not as weather dependent as some native plant offerings.

“The native plants are just as much, or even a little bit more so, a part of Cherokee culture than are the crops.

The native plants are harder to produce as we have to try and replicate an environmental setting completely different than our Seed Bank location.

Many important cultural Cherokee plants grow in a cool, wetland understory environment. We are located in the middle of a sunbaked field of shallow soil…so it’s pretty tough,” Gwin said.

The Heirloom Garden was started in 2006 and produces native plants and crops important in Cherokee culture. The Cherokee Language Program ensures that the Cherokee names of the plants and crops are not lost.

Most of the plants and crops are found around the CN and North Carolina. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has shared many native plants with the CN. To create an account and order seed packets, visit https://secure.cherokee. org/seedbank. Follow the instructions to order. Seeds are only available to CN, United Keetoowah Band and EBCI citizens. For more information or to submit questions, email seedbank@ cherokee.org or call 918-453-5336.

ᏓᎵᏆ – ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ ᎤᏂᎦᏔ ᏚᏂᏍᏆᏂᎪᏛ ᎬᏂᎨᏒᎢ ᏂᏛᏅᏁᎵ ᎧᎦᎵ.1.

ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎠᏫᏒᏅᎢ ᎠᎴ ᏅᏁᎯᏯ ᏚᏰᎬᎢ ᎤᏙᏢᏒᎢ ᎦᎵᏄᎪᏫᏍᎪᎢ ᏰᎵᎢ ᏱᎦᎢ ᎤᏂᎦᏘ ᎠᎴ ᏗᎦᎪᏗ ᎾᏍᎩᏃ 5,000 ᏱᎦᎢ ᏑᏕᏘᏴᏓ ᏳᏓᎵ ᎠᏂᏯᏙᎢᎰᎢ, ᎣᏏ ᏱᏄᎵᏍᏔᎾ ᎠᏫᏒᏅᎢ. “ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏙᏓᏊ,ᎠᏓᏁᏟᏴᏍᎩ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᏧᏤᎳᏨᎢ ᎣᎦᏙᏢᏒᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎠᎢᏒᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏙᏢᏍᎬᎢ ᏂᎬᏩᏍᏓ. ᎣᎦᏤᎵᎢ ᎠᏎᏢᎢ ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎣᏍᏓ ᏰᎵᎢ ᏱᎦᎢ ᏱᏙᏥᏯᏙᎢᏏ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎯᎠ ᎤᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒᎢ,” ᏙᏱ ᏄᏍᏗᏓᏅᎢ ᏕᎤᎲᎢ ᎤᏓᏂᎳᎨ ᎠᏍᎦᏰᏴᏍᏗ Pat Gwin ᎢᎧᏃᎮᏍᎬᎢ. “ᏦᎦᏤᎵᎢ ᏚᏰᎬᎢ ᎤᏂᎸᏉᏙᎢ ᎤᏁᏌᏴᏟ ᎩᎳ ᎪᎨᏱ ᏱᎩ ᎠᎴ ᏱᎪᎯᏓ ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᏱᎧᏁᏉᎦ ᏓᎦᎾᏬᏍᎬ ᎾᏍᎩᏊ ᎤᏬᏕᏫᏓ ᏱᎩ ᏂᎦᏅᎯᏒᎢ. ᎠᏛᏒᏍᎬᏃ ᎾᎯᏳᎢ 2018 ᏥᎨᏒ ᎡᏍᎦᏭ ᎩᎳ ᎪᎨᏱ ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏔᏅᏍᎬᎢ ᎯᎸᏍᎩᏭ ᎢᎦ (ᎥᏝ ᏒᏂᏙᏓᏆᏍᎩ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ) ᎩᎳᎯ ᎪᎩ ᎤᏟᎠᎶᏞᎢ ᏂᏓᎦᏍᎬᎾ. ᎯᎠᏃ, ᎤᎵᎪᎲᏍᏗᏃ ᏗᏜ ᎠᏛᏍᎩ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᎥᏝ Ꮯ ᏲᏍᏓ ᏱᎨᏎᎢ... ᎤᎵᎪᎲᏍᏗᏃ ᎤᎶᏐᏂᏕᎾ ᎨᏒ ᏚᏤᎳᏨᎢ.” ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎤᏂᎦᏔ ᏓᏍᏆᏂᎪᏛᎢ 20 ᎠᎴ 30 ᎢᏳᎾᏓᎴ ᏱᏛᏩᏔ ᎥᎿ ᏑᏕᏘᏴᏓ ᎢᏳᏓᎵ. Gwin Ꮓ ᏂᎦᏪᏍᎬᎢ ᏂᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗᎭ ᎢᎦᏓ ᏚᏰᎬᎢ ᎥᏝ ᏧᏕᏘᎯᎶ ᏱᏓᏥᎸᏍᎪᎢ. “ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎠᏁᎯᏯᎢ ᏚᏰᎬᎢ ᏰᎵᎢ ᏱᎦᎢ, ᎠᎴᏱᎩ ᏳᏂᎪᏓ, ᎾᏍᎩᏰᏃ ᎤᏂᏠᏱ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎤᏅᏔᏂᏓᏍᏗ ᎤᏠᏱᏊ ᎤᏂᏔᏙᎥᏔᏅᎢ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎠᏁᎯᏯᎢ ᏚᏰᎬᎢ ᎠᏍᏓᏲᎢ ᏗᏛᎯᏍᏙᏗᎢ ᎣᎦᏁᏟᏔᎾ ᎤᏠᏱ ᎣᎦᏛᎯᏍᏙᏗᎢ ᏥᏄᎾᏍᏙᎢ ᎢᎾᎨᎢ ᏙᏳᎢ ᏄᏓᎴᎢ ᏏᏅ ᎣᎦᏤᎵᎢ ᎤᏂᎦᏔ ᎠᏍᏆᏂᎪᏙᏗᎢ. ᎤᏂᎪᏗ Ꮓ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎤᏅᏔᏂᏓᏍᏗ ᏚᏰᎬᎢ ᎤᏁᏌᏴᏢᎢ ᏓᏛᏍᎪᎢ, ᎦᏓᏁᎯᎢ ᎠᎴ ᏝᏴᎯ. ᎠᏯᏃ ᏦᎪᏢᎭ ᎢᎪᏛᎯ ᎠᏰᏟ ᎠᎦᎵᏍᎩ ᎨᏐᎢ ᏂᎪᎯᎸᎢ... ᎦᏁᏄᏟᏃ ᎠᏫᏒᏗᎢ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬᎢ Gwin. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎠᏫᏒᏅᎢ 2006 ᏥᎨᏒᎢ ᎤᎾᎴᏅᎲᎢ ᎠᎴ Ꮓ ᏅᏁᎯᏯᎢ ᏚᏰᎬᎢ ᎠᏛᏍᎪᎢ ᎥᎿ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏛᏒᏅᎢ ᎢᎦᏃ ᎤᎵᏍᎨᏓ ᎠᏣᎳᎩ ᎢᏳᏛᏁᎵᏓᏍᏗᎢ ᎤᏔᏅᏙᏗ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗᎢ ᎤᎾᏙᏢᏒᎢ ᎤᎾᎦᏎᏍᏙᎢ ᎾᏍᎩ Ꮎ ᏣᎳᎩ ᏚᎾᏙᎥᎢ ᏚᏰᎬᎢ ᏧᏅᎨᏫᏍᏗᎢ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ. ᏭᎪᏛᏃ ᏚᏰᎬᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎤᏛᏒᎢ ᏴᏩᏔ ᎥᎿ ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ ᎠᎴ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎤᏪᏘᎢ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᏗᎧᎸᎬᎢ ᏗᏜ ᎠᏁᎯ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ ᎤᎪᏗ ᏚᏂᏯᏙᎮᎵ ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ ᏅᏁᎯᏯᎢ ᏗᎦᎪᏗ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎤᏙᏢᏅᏗᎢ ᎠᏚᏓᎸᏙᏗ ᎠᎴ ᏗᏓᏅᏍᏗᎢ ᎤᏂᎦᏔ, ᎠᎭᏂᏃ http:// secure.cherokee.org/seedbank. ᎠᏍᏓᏩᏛᏍᏗᏃ ᎠᏓᏃᎯᏎᎯ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎥᎿ ᏗᏓᏅᏍᏗᎢ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎤᏅᏒᎯ ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ, ᎠᏂᎩᏚᏩᎩ ᎠᎴ ᏗᎧᎸᎬᎢ ᏗᏜ ᎠᏁᎯ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ ᎠᏁᎳ ᏗᎬᏩᏂᎩᏍᏗ ᎤᏂᎦᏔ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᏲᏚᎵᎭ ᎤᎪᏗ ᎠᏕᎶᎰᎯᏍᏗᎢ ᎠᎴᏱᎩ ᎬᏂᎨᏒᎢ ᏱᎬᏁᏗᎢ ᎠᏛᏛᏗᎢ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ, ᎠᎾᎦᎵᏍᎩ ᎪᏪᎵ ᏱᏮᎦᏅᎠ seedbank@ SCAN cherokee.org CODE ᎠᎴᏱᎩ ᏱᏫᏛᏟᏃᎲᎵ TO 918-453-5336. – HEAR TRANSLATED BY DAVID CRAWLER TRANSLATION

TAHLEQUAH – When people complete prison sentences, they are rarely released into situations of stability and often enter a new phase of their ordeal.

The aim of the Coming Home Reintegration Program offered by Cherokee Nation Career Services is to mitigate the difficulties of transitioning from prison to private life.

“Once these individuals pay their debt to society, they return to their home communities,” Kim Carroll, Career Services grants and compliance director, said. “We want all Cherokee citizens to be successful and selfsufficient, and those released from incarceration have numerous barriers confronting them.”

Those recently released from incarceration often have no driver’s license, car or money and few clothes. Many are in debt due to fines, restitution payments or back child support. Food and shelter may be difficult to secure, and substance abuse or mental health issues can hinder efforts to re-assimilate. Finding employment is also frequently arduous.

“A recent study of one employment program we operate found that 35 percent of the individuals seeking services had a criminal background, and 18 percent of those had felony convictions,” Carroll said.

Coming Home has four “core” counselors with varied backgrounds in relevant training who serve the CN’s jurisdiction.

The program’s manager is Matt Lamont, who previously served more than three years as a job and business development coordinator for Career Services, and held positions during 12 years with Cherokee Nation Businesses.

Program participants are given $250 worth of clothing and hygiene items so they can begin looking for employment.

Lamont said participants are assessed case by case and can qualify for driver’s license reinstatement fees and tests, job search and referral assistance, work tools and safety equipment, housing assistance and referral to CN assistance programs.

“It really helps to operate under the Career Services group because we have access to many programs and expertise,” Lamont said. “We also make sure they are following all the rules and regulations of their release. We assist them when we can, but they have to do the legwork. We offer life skills,

budgeting, résumé (assistance), on the job training and other assistance.”

Lamont said he lived with a strong mother and stepfather who gave him and his siblings a stable home despite his father being incarcerated and reoffending.

“Everyone may not have this kind of support system,” Lamont said. “If we can help the recently released participant succeed and stay out, then the participants, children, mothers, fathers and loved ones don’t have to experience the pain caused by being sent back.”

The program reported 191 participants in 2018, with an average of about 16 participants per month.

Typically, an enrollee has served one to five years in Oklahoma Department of Corrections custody, often for drug violations, but some in the program have served only a few months or more than 20 years.

“We are seeing positive outcomes due to the program,” Lamont said. “We have participants who have been successful in obtaining 15-to-25-dollar-an-hour jobs due both to their self-determination and our assistance.”

CN citizens who have been released from ODOC custody in the past 90 days and live within the tribe’s jurisdiction can apply.

“In working with the re-entry program, I’ve found some of the most dedicated employees come out of it,” Career Services Executive Director Diane Kelley said. “They have a positive attitude, they are disciplined and have an impeccable work ethic. We need more businesses willing to give them a second chance. They will make good employees.”

Those who go through the program and re-offend are not eligible to reenroll, though Lamont said early data from a program review suggested Coming Home is reducing recidivism.

“This job is not the easiest, but the feeling that we as a re-entry staff get when we work with successful participants, who are making these positive changes, makes it worthwhile,” Lamont said. “We have a well-trained staff that is passionate about this subject matter and advocates for their clients. We are learning that most of these folks just want a chance and they will succeed. Many just made mistakes at a young age, but are now taking ownership of their past while looking to improve, move forward and become an asset to their families and communities.”

Nation pursues TANF program for needy families

BY STAFF REPORTS TAHLEQUAH – Cherokee Nation officials are developing the tribe’s own financial aid program aimed at helping needy families become self-sufficient.

Legislation signed on Jan. 18 by Principal Chief Bill John Baker allows for the development of a Tribal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families plan. It will be submitted for approval by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which provides states and tribes with funding to financially aid needy families.

Career Services Executive Director Diane Kelley said the hope is to begin administering the TANF program on April 1. Oklahoma has been administering TANF assistance to eligible Oklahoma citizens, including tribal citizens. Under the CN proposal,

Career Services would be in charge of the tribe’s TANF program. “The emphasis of TANF has shifted to assisting needy families obtain gainful employment, leading to selfsufficiency,” the legislation states.

“Career Services has both the expertise and experience to develop and operate a high quality, successful TANF program.”

The Career Services office has been working with the federal government and Muscogee (Creek) Nation, which administers a TANF plan for its tribal citizens. The MCN program aims to “strengthen American Indian and Alaskan Native families’ ability to attain self-sufficiency by providing financial assistance, work experience opportunities and career coaching in a consultative manner that educates, encourages and promotes self-reliance.”

ᎥᏍᎩᏱ 15, 2019 • ᏣᎳᎩ ᏧᎴᎯᏌᎤᎯ

Money • ᎠᏕᎳ

FEBRUARY 15, 2019 • CHEROKEE PHOENIX

9

Ganulv Gardens enters medicinal marijuana market

BY D. SEAN ROWLEY Senior Reporter

SCAN

PEGGS – Medicinal marijuana is a new economic frontier in Oklahoma, and a startup business near Peggs is carefully moving into the market.

Cherokee Nation citizen Chris Taylor, 44, and RayChelle Wilson, 36, are owners and operators of Ganulv Gardens, dedicated to cultivating medical cannabis. The pair moved quickly to get the business started with licensing in June, opening in August and getting the first flowers in October.

“I have seen the effects of cannabis on several family members,” Taylor said.

“I’ve lost family and friends to cancer. We just want to help. This has always been medicine to me and a lot of others, even when people really didn’t see the benefit.

This seems like a natural transition.”

The transition was from traditional vegetables to marijuana. Taylor and Wilson did not simply rush into the trade. They anticipated the legalization of cannabis as medicine by several years and planned for the eventuality.

“This (building) began as a music room and storage area,” Taylor said.

“When I was doing that, I was preparing in case (State Question) 788 passed. I knew something like it was going to pass sooner or later, and I knew we wouldn’t have the up-front costs. If I hadn’t started the way we did, there is no way we could have done this.”

Wilson called growing plants “a passion” and holds degrees from Northeastern State University in biology and botany. She worked with a local organic grower for 10 years.

“I’ve always had a love for plants ever since I was little,” Wilson said. “Going to

school, I got more focused in it, working with vegetables, and being organic…

When this came along, it’s served as medicine for me. The biggest pleasure I get out of this is I have a friend whose daughter has seizures. This helps with that and helps her live a more normal life.”

Taylor and Wilson expect more regulatory bills when the Oklahoma Legislature begins its four-month session in February, but said they are ready to make adjustments after years of planning.

“I don’t think it will change so much that it will hurt anyone who is trying to do it right, and is prepared for it,” Taylor

said. “We all know the regulations are coming. We have friends in other states who are growers, and we toured their facilities. Throughout those seven years, we would take time off or vacations to go volunteer and work with them to learn. Growing marijuana is completely different from growing any other plant.

People think it is as easy as growing tomatoes. It’s not. If we hadn’t gotten the opportunity to ‘intern’ we would try to schedule our visits during different times of the process. We learned about seeds, nutrients and what the plants like in the environment.”

Ganulv Gardens still has no contracts because the operation remains small and

PEGGS – ᏅᏬᏘ marijuana ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᏤ ᎠᎵᏏᏅᏙᏗ ᎾᎿ ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏔᏅ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᎣᎦᎵᎰᎹ, ᎠᎴ ᏛᏓᎴᏅᎯ ᏗᎦᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎾᎥ Peggs ᎠᎵᏏᏅᏓ ᎠᎾᎢ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏂᎾᏗᏅᏗ ᎢᏗᏢ. ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ ᎨᎳ Chris Taylor, 44 ᎢᏳᏕᏘᏴᏓ, ᎠᎴ RayChelle Wilson, 36 ᎢᏳᏕᏘᏴᏓ, ᎾᎿ ᎤᎾᏤᎵ ᎠᎴ ᏛᎾᏂᎩᏍᏔᏂ ᎦᏄᎸ ᏓᏫᏒᎢ, ᎠᎾᏚᏓᎸᏍᎩ ᏧᏂᎶᎪᏗ ᎤᎾᏛᎯᏍᏙᏗ ᎠᎾᏛᏅᎢᏍᏗ ᎯᎢᏃ ᎤᏟᏍᏗ ᎾᎾᏛᏁᎲ ᎤᎾᎴᏅᏗ ᏧᏂᏁᏍᏗ ᎪᏪᎵ ᎤᎾᎵᏍᎪᎸᏓᏁᎯ ᎾᎿ ᏕᎭᎷᏱ ᎧᎸᎢ, ᎠᎵᏍᏚᎢᏍᎬ ᎾᎿ ᎦᎶᏂ ᎧᎸᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏂᏁᏍᏗ ᎢᎬᏱ ᎤᏥᎸᏒ ᏚᏂᏃᏗ ᎧᎸᎢ. “ᎠᎩᎪᎯᏃ ᏄᎾᎵᏍᏓᏁᎸ ᎾᎿ ᎤᏅᏔᏅ ᎦᏄᎸ ᎢᎸᏍᎩ ᏯᏂᎢ ᏏᏓᏁᎸᎢ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬ Taylor. “ᏓᎩᏲᎱᏎᎵ ᏏᏓᏁᎸ ᎠᎴ ᏗᏆᎵᎢ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏓᏰᏍᎩ ᏄᎾᎵᏍᏓᏁᎲᎢ. ᎣᎩᎾᏚᎵ ᏦᏍᏗᏍᏕᎸᏗᎢ. ᎯᎠ ᎦᏓᏅᏖᏍᎬ ᏄᏬᏘ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏂᎪᏓ ᎠᏂᏎᎢ, ᏃᎴ ᎾᏍᏊ ᎠᏂᏴᏣ ᏙᎯᏳ ᎾᏂᎪᏩᏘᏍᎬᎾ ᎣᏏ ᎨᏒ ᎠᏅᏗᏍᎬᎢ. ᎯᎠ ᏙᎯᏳ ᎤᏠᏯ ᎢᎾᎨ ᎤᏛᏒᎢ.” ᎯᎠ ᏥᏂᏓᏲᏍᏓᏛᏁᎵ ᎾᎿ ᏂᏓᏳᏓᎴᏅ ᎢᏤ ᎠᎴ ᎯᎠ ᎦᏄᎸ ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏔᏅᎢ. Taylor and Wilson Ꮭ ᏙᎯᏳ ᎤᏟᏍᏓᏊ ᏱᏚᏄᎪᏔᏁ ᎯᎠ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗᎢ. ᎪᎯᏓ ᎤᎾᏓᏅᏖᎴ ᏂᎦᏓ ᎧᎵ ᏧᎾᎳᏏᏙᏗ ᎤᏂᏯᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎯᎠ ᎦᏄᎸᎢ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏅᏬᏘ ᎨᏒ ᎢᎸᏍᎩ ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏓ ᎠᎴ ᎣᎩᎾᏓᏅᏖᎸ ᎾᎿ ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏙᏗᎢ. “ᎯᎠ (ᏣᏓᏁᎳ) ᎤᎴᏅᎲ ᏧᏂᏃᎩᏍᏙᏗ ᎧᏅᏑᎸ ᎨᏒ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏍᏆᏂᎪᏔᏅᎲᏍᏗ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬ Taylor. “ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᏥᏂᎦᏛᏁᎲ, ᎦᏛᏅᎢᏍᏗᏍᎬ ᎾᏍᎩᎾ (ᏍᎦᏚᎩ ᎠᏛᏛᎲᏍᎩ) 788 ᎤᎶᎯᏍᏗᎢ. ᎠᏆᏅᏛ ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎨᏒ ᏓᎦᎶᏏᏒᎢ ᎾᏟᎬᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎠᏆᏅᏛ Ꮭ ᎠᏎ ᎢᏴᏯ ᏧᎵᎬᏩᎶᏗ ᏱᎨᏎ ᎠᏓᎴᏂᏍᎬᎢ.ᎢᏳᏃ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎾᏆᏛᏁᎸᎾ ᏱᎨᏎᎢ, ᏝᏃ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏱᏂᎦᏲᎩᎾᏛᏁᎴᎢ.”

Wilson ᎠᏗᏍᎬ ᏕᎪᏍᎬ ᏓᏛᎯᏍᏗᏍᎬ ᎯᎠ “ᎣᏍᏓ “ᎤᏰᎸᏐ” ᎠᎴ ᎤᎾᎢ ᎪᏪᎵ ᎤᎵᏍᎪᎸᏓᏁᎯ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᏳᏛᏗᎢ ᎤᏁᏓ N. S. U.

biology ᎠᎴ botany ᏚᏕᎶᏆᎥᎢ. ᎤᏂᏍᏕᎸᎲᏃ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᏯᏛᏁᎯ ᎾᎥᎢ ᎡᎯ ᎠᏛᎯᏍᎩᏔᏅᏍᎩ ᎾᎿ ᏍᎪᎯ ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏓ. “ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᎠᎩᎸᏉᏓ ᎨᏒ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏗᎦᎪᏗ ᏗᎩᏂᏓᏍᏗ ᏣᏆᏍᏗᏍᎬᎢ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬ Wilson. “ᏕᎦᏕᎶᏆᏍᎬᎢ, ᎤᎪᏛ ᏓᏆᎵᏌᎳᏁᎲᎢ, ᎢᏤ ᏠᎨᏏ ᎠᏛᏍᎩ, ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᏂᏓᏑᏴᎾ...... ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎯᎠ ᎤᎾᏄᎪᏣ, ᎾᎿᏃ ᏄᏬᏘ ᎨᏒ ᎠᏯ ᎠᏋᏙᏗ. ᏭᎪᏛᏃ ᎣᏍᏗ ᎠᏰᎸᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎣᎩᎾᎵ ᎠᎨᏳᏥ ᎤᏪᎧᎲ ᎾᎿ ᎤᎸᏕᎯᎯ. ᎯᎠ ᎤᏍᏕᎸᎲᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎪᎯᏓ ᎤᎴᏂᏓᏍᏗ ᏃᎴ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎨᏒᎢ.”

Taylor ᎠᎴ Wilson ᎤᎾᏅᏔ ᎤᎪᏕᏍᏗ ᏗᏈᏴᎯᏓᏍᏗ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ ᎾᎿ ᎣᎦᎵᎰᎹ ᏗᏂᎳᏫᎦ ᎠᎾᎴᏅᎲ ᎾᎿ ᏅᎩ ᎢᏯᏅᏗ ᏓᏂᎳᏫᎥ ᎾᎿ ᎧᎦᎵ ᎧᎴᏍᏗ, ᎠᏎᏃ ᎤᎾᏛᏅᎢᏍᏓ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎢᏳᏅᏁᎵᏓᏍᏗ ᎠᎾᏛᏅᎢᏍᏗᏍᎬ ᏧᏕᏘᏱᎶᏓ ᎠᎾᏛᏅᎢᏍᏗᏍᎬᎢ. “ᏝᏃ ᏱᎨᎵᎠ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᎦ ᏱᏛᏓᏁᏟᏴᏌ ᎾᎿ ᎩᎶ ᏍᏓᏯ ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎾᎿ ᏚᏳᎪᏛ ᎠᏁᎸᏗᏍᎬ ᎢᏳᏛᏗᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᏛᏅᎢᏍᏔᏅᎢ ᎨᏒᎢ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬᎢ Taylor. “ᏂᎦᏓᏃ ᎣᎦᏅᏔ ᏗᎳᏏᏙᏗ ᏛᏂᏅᎾ. ᏦᎦᎵ ᎾᎿ ᏗᏐᎢ ᏗᏍᎦᏚᎩ ᎾᎿ ᎠᎾᏛᎯᏍᏗᏍᎩ, ᏙᏍᏗᏩᏛᎯᏙᎸ ᏚᏃᏢᏒᎢ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎤᎶᏒ ᎦᎵᏉᎦ ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏓ, ᎾᎿ ᏙᎢ ᎣᏍᏕᏙᎲ ᏦᎩᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎾᎿ ᏬᏍᏕᏙᎲ ᎣᏍᏗᏍᏕᎵᏍᎬ ᎠᎴ ᎣᏍᏓᏕᎶᏆᏍᎬ. ᎠᏛᎯᏍᏙᏗ ᎦᏄᎸᎢ ᎢᎦᏃ ᏄᏓᎴᎢ ᎠᏛᎯᏍᏙᏗ ᏗᏐᎢ ᎠᏛᏒᏍᎦ. ᏴᏫ ᎠᎾᏓᏅᏖᏍᎪ ᎠᎯᏓ ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᏓᎹᏟ ᏥᏛᏛᎯᏍᏗᏍᎪ ᎤᏠᏯ. ᏝᏃ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏱᏄᏍᏓ. ᎢᏳᏃ ᏄᏝᏅᏓᏛᎾ ᏱᎩᏎ ᎾᎿ “ᏦᏍᏓᎵᏍᏕᎵᏍᎬ” ᏲᎩᎾᏚᎸᎮ ᎠᏎᎸ ᏬᎩᏁᏓᏍᏗᎢ ᎾᎿ ᏧᏓᎴᏅᏓ ᎠᏟᎢᎵᏒ ᎠᎾᎢᏒ ᏚᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎲᎢ. ᎣᎩᎾᏕᎶᏆᎥ ᎤᎦᏔ, ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᏓᏂᏍᏚᏟᏍᎬ ᎠᎴ ᎤᎸᏉᏛ ᎦᎪᏗ ᏄᏍᏛ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎤᏟᏰᏗᎢ.” ᎦᏄᎸ ᎠᏫᏒᏗ Ꮟ Ꮭ ᏓᎾᏓᏁᏤᎲ ᎪᏪᎵ ᏱᏓᏂᏢᏍᎦ ᏅᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᎤᎾᏂᎩᏍᏗᏗᏒ ᎤᏍᏗᏊ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏤᎵ ᎤᏚᎵ ᏫᏓᏤᏢ ᏗᎦᎪᏗ ᏧᏙᏗᎢ. ᏙᎯᏳᏃ ᏂᎦᏓ ᎠᏎ ᎤᎾᏙᏢᏒ

ᎤᏂᏯᏙᏍᏗ ᎾᎿ ᎣᎦᎵᎰᎹ ᏗᎾᏟᏃᎮᏍᎪ, ᎤᎾᏚᎵᏍᎬ ᎣᏍᏓᏛᎯᏍᏗᏍᎬᎢ.,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬ Taylor. “ᎠᏎᏃ Ꮭ ᏲᎩᏅᏅᎦ. ᎣᎩᎾᏚᎵ ᏚᏳᎪᏛ ᏲᎩᎾᏛᏗᎢ. ᎤᏂᎪᎵᏰᏗ ᎣᎩᎾᏚᎵ. ᎣᎩᎾᏅᏙ ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎣᏍᏗᎾᏕᎬᎢ Ꮟ ᎢᎸᏢ ᏦᎩᎾᏓᏁᏤᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎣᏍᏓᏚᏓᎸᏁᏗ ᎩᏕᎢ. ᏩᏍᏓᏴᏃ ᏗᎫᎪᏙᏗ ᏙᎯᏳ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏚᏳᎪᏛ ᎢᎬᏩᏛᏗ – ᎠᎴ ᎦᎪᎲ ᏙᎯᏳ ᎤᏰᎸᎯ ᏄᏍᏛ ᏚᏳᎪᏛ ᎧᏃᎮᏍᎬᎢ.” ᎠᏎᏍᎩᏂ, Taylor ᎠᎴ Wilson ᎤᏂᏃᎮᏢ ᎤᏂᏁᏉᏍᏗ ᎾᎿ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎢᏳᏅᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏓᏍᏓᏴᏗ ᎤᏅᏔᏂᏓᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏃᏢᏗ ᎤᏂᏝᏅᏗ ᎠᎵᏍᏓᏴᏗ ᎠᎴ ᏓᏟᏍᏛ ᏅᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᎠᎾᎵᎮᎵᎪ ᎤᏂᏅᏗ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᏄᏓᏑᏴᎾ ᎤᏂᏝᏅᏗᎢ. “ᎾᏍᎩ ᎮᏅ ᏅᏬᏘ ᎨᏐ ᎪᎯᎦ ᏂᏓᎬᏩᏓᎴᏅᏓ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏛᏗ ᎨᏒ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏂ, ᏙᎯ ᏯᎾᏓᏛᏁᎯ ᎠᎴ

D. SEAN ROWLEY/CHEROKEE PHOENIX RayChelle Wilson, who holds degrees in botany and biology, inspects plants at Ganulv Gardens, a business in Peggs dedicated to cultivation of medical cannabis.

Hard Rock Tulsa opens ‘Track 5’ honky tonk saloon

BY WILL CHAVEZ Assistant Editor

CATOOSA – The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa recently celebrated the grand opening of “Track 5,” a honky tonk saloon and live-music dance hall.

“We like to say ‘Track 5’ was inspired

by Oklahoma’s rich honky-tonk roots. It’s a fabulous bar. It’s over 7,000 square feet; two levels with a VIP mezzanine; a 1,200 square-foot dance floor, making it one of the largest dance floors in Tulsa; 36 (beer) taps; and a national stage. We can pretty much have live local stuff to national stuff (acts) you would see over in ‘The Joint,’” Martin Madewell, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa senior director of marketing, said.

“Track 5” replaces a venue that “was successful in its day,” but Madewell said it was determined patrons “deserved something better.” The tent structure had been there since 2003 and was about 35,000 square feet with a small dance floor and stage that hosted local entertainers.

“They deserved a better aesthetic. They deserved a Hard Rock experience, and so we wanted to take what we had and make it better, and that’s how ‘Track 5’ came about on the country end of the casino.

We like to say we’re country meets rock

SCAN ‘n’ roll, so ‘Track 5’ CODE is really the staple TO SEE of the new casino.

VIDEO It’s going to take honky tonk to a new ROGER GRAHAM level in Tulsa,” he said. “Really, country in this market is dominant. If you look at the number of sold-out country shows we’ve had at ‘The Joint’ combined with the success of the former venue, it was really a no brainer… to put in a honky tonk of this caliber.”

Country singer Tanya Tucker opened the new stage on Feb. 1, and the honky tonk opened to the public on Feb. 2.

As for the “Track 5” name, he said marketing looked for something “authentic” and played on Oklahoma’s “honky tonk roots.”

He said the song “Tulsa Time” by Don Williams was the fifth track on his album “Expressions.”

“As we were researching we had a coincidental finding that some legendary country artists – George Strait, Kenny Rogers, Leon Russell, Don Williams, Waylon Jennings – all had a fifth track on their albums that was titled something about Oklahoma or something about Tulsa. So, it was really kind of an eerie finding, and once we saw that we just knew ‘Track 5’ was going to be the name.”

the owners want to CODE grow plants of the TO highest quality.

HEAR “We’ve had literally TRANSLATION every dispensary in Oklahoma contact us, wanting our products,” Taylor said. “But we’re in no rush. We want to do it right.

We want to have our testing done. We want to know the product we’re selling before we go making deals with people and committing to anybody. The hardest part right now is figuring out exactly who to work with – whose in it for the right reasons and doing it right.”

However, Taylor and Wilson have discussed adding a processing lab and kitchen to the facility and creating an entire line of edibles and concentrates because they enjoy the interaction with nature at a basic level.

“It’s been our medicine for centuries and part of our culture, with our healers and medicine men using it way before we were here,” Taylor said. “It’s a really spiritual place to me. When I come in here by myself, this is probably the most spiritual place there is to me. There are times I’ve literally cried because I would come in here and just couldn’t believe it.”

Wilson said she’s able to use her expertise to engineer the best plants, but it isn’t all about the science for her either.

“It’s spiritual for me too,” she said.

“I go to work every day in Tulsa. It’s draining, but soon I’m coming home.

Once we get this to where we are getting paid, I can work here on a 24-hour basis.

We always have energy when we come out here. We want to get this done.”

ᏗᎾᏓᏅᏫᏍᎩ ᎠᏅᏗᏍᎨ Ꮟ ᏂᏕᎲᎾ ᏥᎨᏎᎢ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬ Taylor. “ᎢᎦ ᎦᎸᏉᏗ ᎤᏙᏢᏒᎢ. ᏱᏗᎩᏴᏝ ᎠᏋᏌ, ᎢᎦ ᎦᎸᏉᏓ ᎨᏐ. ᎢᏴᏓᎭ ᏯᎩᏴᏟᏝ ᎦᎧᏠᏱᎰ ᎢᎦ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎠᎴ ᎦᎸᏢᏓ ᎨᏐᎢ ᎠᎴ Ꮭ ᎭᏩ ᏱᏂᎬᏫᏍᏙᏗ.”

Wilson ᎠᏗᏍᎬ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎡᎵᏊ ᎤᏙᏓ ᎨᏐ ᎠᎦᏔᎾᎥᎢ ᎾᎿ ᏦᏍᏓ ᎨᏒ ᏗᎦᎪᏗ, ᎠᏎᏃ Ꮭ ᏂᎦᏓ Science ᏱᎩ. “ᎦᎸᏉᏗ ᎯᎠ, ᎠᏗᏍᎬᎢ. “ᏓᎩᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎴᎪ ᏧᏙᏓᏋᏓ ᎾᎿ ᏔᎳᏏᎢ. ᏧᏍᏓᏰᎯᏍᏗ, ᎠᏎᏃ ᏄᏟᏍᏛ ᏛᎦᏂᎩᏏ. ᏙᎯᏳᏃ ᎣᏍᏓ ᏃᏍᏛᏁᎲ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎣᎩᎾᏈᏴᎡᎮᏍᏗ, ᎡᎵᏊ ᎠᎭᏂ ᏓᎩᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎮᏍᏗ ᏔᎵᏍᎪ ᏅᎩ ᎢᏳᏟᎶᏓ ᏩᏥ ᎤᏪᏅᏍᏗ. ᏦᎩᎾᏝᏂᎩᏗ ᎨᏐ ᎾᎿ ᏲᎩᏁᏙᎵ. ᎣᎩᎾᏚᎵ ᎤᎵᏍᏆᏗᏍᏗᎢ.”

– TRANSLATED BY ANNA SIXKILLER

10

CHEROKEE PHOENIX • FEBRUARY 15, 2019

People • ᏴᏫ

ᏣᎳᎩ ᏧᎴᎯᏌᎤᎯ • ᎥᏍᎩᏱ 15, 2019

Cherokee archer Joe Thornton dies at 102

After serving in the Army in World War II, he was a champion archer.

BY Will Chavez Assistant editor

TAHLEQUAH – Cherokee archer Joe Tindle Thornton died Feb. 4 in Tahlequah at the age of 102.

Funeral services were on Feb. 8 at Park Hill Baptist Church.

Thornton was born in Stilwell on Aug. 2, 1916, to William “Billy” and Ginsie (Tindle) Thornton. He attended grade school at Wauhillau before attending Seneca Indian School in Wyandotte. He later graduated from Chilocco Indian School near Ponca City where he was a boxer. After enlisting in the Army he won the welterweight boxing title while stationed at Fort Sill in Lawton.

He married Geneva Payne in 1938 and they had 23 years together with two children, Ramona Kay and Ken. During World War II, he was a radioman and worked at WWOR in Washington D.C. In 1962, he met his second wife, Helen Marie, when she went to purchase archery supplies. They married the following year. He taught her to shoot, and she won several archery titles of her own. Joe was a world champion archer. In 1972, the Thorntons qualified for the Olympic trials but narrowly missed making the American team.

In Tahlequah, he owned and operated Thornton TV where he sold and repaired televisions and other appliances and sold archery and black powder supplies.

He retired in 1987.

Preceding him in death were his parents; brothers and sisters Ruby, Peggy, Leon and Kenneth; and a grandson Joe Don Thornton.

Joe is survived by his wife Helen of the home; children Ramona Kay Rutherford of Hulbert, Kenneth Joe Thornton and wife Charlene of Tahlequah, Stephen W. Brady of Broken Arrow, and Patricia LaDawn

Vandiver and husband Randy of Muskogee; seven grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; and a brother, Perry A. Thornton and his wife Inge of Denver.

“The Cherokee Nation is deeply saddened today with the passing of Joe Thornton, a treasured Cherokee elder, veteran and world champion archer. Our tribe, the national archery community and, most importantly, his family, have lost an admirable man,” said Principal Chief Bill John Baker. “At 102 years of age, he is the namesake of the tribe’s archery range and served in 2014 as our Cherokee National Holiday parade marshal. He was honored at Tribal Council with a Cherokee Nation Medal of Patriotism Award for his military service during WWII. His passion and revival of archery was an inspiration to countless youth over the years. Joe was a proud and honorable Cherokee, a person our entire tribe could look to with respect. In their time of grief we are keeping the Thornton family in our thoughts and prayers.”

In August 2016, CN officials opened the “Joe Thornton Archery Range” just west of the main Tribal Complex.

During the event, Joe gave the command for the launching of the initial arrows.

“This archery range is a great thing,” the then-100year-old said. “It’s a great thing for the Cherokee people, and I hope to see some of the students who will shoot here become world champions.”

He began his archery career by hunting rabbits in the Wauhillau Community near Stilwell. In February 1997, in an interview with the Cherokee Advocate, he spoke about going to cornstalk shoots as a child in the 1920s in Wauhillau. He recalled men would compete for a turkey or a ham by shooting arrows at stacks of cornstalks.

He said he continued shooting the bow as a student at Chilocco Indian School in 1933 where he did “bear bow” shooting, meaning he didn’t use sights on the

ARCHIVE Cherokee archer Joe Thornton, left, receives a framed photo from Principal Chief Bill John Baker during the April 20, 2016, groundbreaking for the “Joe Thornton Archery Range” in Tahlequah. The range opened in August 2016 and was named in honor of Thornton, who was a world champion archer in the 1960s.

COURTESY Cherokee archer Joe Thornton receives a Key to Tahlequah during “Joe Thornton Day” on Aug. 18, 1961, after winning a gold medal and setting three world records during a world archery championship in Oslo, Norway. bow. However, he didn’t discover the sport of archery until the 1950s. In 1956, he said he learned that archery was an organized sport, so he bought modern archery equipment, including a fiberglass bow with sights and aluminum arrows.

“I have been asked many times if being an Indian made me a better archer,” he said. “That I do not know, but I am sure it gave me a greater desire to excel with the bow and arrow.”

By 1960, Joe was Oklahoma’s state archery champion.

In 1961, he entered trials for the U.S. Archery Team that would soon be competing for the world championship in Oslo, Norway. He finished fourth in the trials, and the team was only taking the top three finishers.

When he returned home, his fellow archers in Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas were so impressed by his high scores during the trials competition that they collected the money needed to send him to Oslo to compete. In Oslo, he won the gold medal and set three world records.

The following year he won the British National Championship. Joe eventually made six trips to Europe to compete in world archery championships. He won an individual second place silver medal in 1963 and helped the U.S. team win first place in Helsinki, Finland.

“I set a lot of records back then, distance records, tournament records, world records – but they were all eventually broken because the equipment and training got better,” he said.

He added that there are a lot of factors when shooting a bow and arrow, including having a good eye, a strong steady arm and a good release hand.

In December 1978, Joe was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame and the Chilocco Indian School Hall of Fame in 1985.

In later years he continued to compete at the Cherokee National Holiday cornstalk shoot and win archery awards in the Senior Olympics.

He said the biggest thrill he experienced as a Cherokee archer was when he competed and won and got to stand “on a victory podium in a foreign land while they raised the American flag and played the National Anthem.”

“We are comforted knowing he had a long and amazing life. He was very proud of the (CN) archery range and enjoyed seeing so many youth taking up archery,” said his granddaughter Lisa Rutherford. “He made an impact on many people.”

Luper has jersey retired, enters ORU Hall of Fame

Cherokee Nation citizen Kevi Luper was a two-time AP All-American player at Oral Roberts University.

BY STAFF REPORTS

TULSA – The Oral Roberts athletic department on Feb. 2 retired women’s basketball All-American Kevi Luper’s jersey as part of the school’s Hall of Fame Weekend festivities.

Luper was inducted into the Hall of Fame that morning with her jersey being retired at halftime of the women’s basketball game later that day.

One of five All-Americans in program history, Luper’s

MARK DREADFULWATER/CHEROKEE PHOENIX In this Jan. 7, 2012, game, then Oral Roberts University junior guard Kevi Luper looks at the shot clock while South Dakota State guard Ashley Eide defends her. Luper, a Cherokee Nation citizen, will have her ORU jersey retired during her induction into the school’s Hall of Fame.

name is all over the ORU women’s basketball record book. During her time wearing the No. 15 jersey, Luper was named a two-time AP All-American, three-time Summit League Player of the Year, led NCAA Division I in scoring and steals during the 2010-11 season and led the Golden Eagles to the 2013 NCAA Tournament in Knoxville, Tennessee. She represented the USA at the 2012 Pan Am games.

“As an athletic program, anytime a former studentathlete’s jersey is retired, it is a momentous occasion,” Athletic Director Mike Carter said. “Kevi is an ORU great and now Hall of Famer and is more than deserving to have her jersey hanging in the Mabee Center for years to come.”

Luper is the first and the only NCAA Division I men’s or women’s basketball player to ever lead the nation in scoring and steals in the same season. During the 201011 season, Luper averaged 23.7 points and 3.7 steals per game. Currently, she holds the all-time ORU scoring record with 2,867 points. She leads the program with

1,052 field goals made, 463 steals and 568 free throws made.

During her career she had 119 double-digit scoring games from 2009-13. She is one of 10 Golden Eagles who tallied 1000-plus points and 500-plus rebounds during her career. Luper is also one of eight student-athletes to have 1000-plus points and 200-plus steals in their career.

During her senior season, Luper was named Southland Conference Tournament MVP, first team All-Southland Conference selection, five-time Southland Conference player of the week and a Senior CLASS Award finalist.

She averaged 22.7 points per game while at ORU along with a 45 percent overall shooting average with an 84.3 free throw average. Luper averaged 3.7 steals per game.

As a sophomore, Luper recorded 806 total points, the most in a season during her four-year career.

Originally from Adair, Luper received her degree in business from Oral Roberts University in the spring of 2013. During her career she participated in 126 games.

COURTESY Cherokee Nation citizen Kevi Luper, center, holds a plaque honoring her Hall of Fame induction at Oral Roberts University on Feb. 2 in Tulsa. ORU also retired the No. 15 jersey of the two-time AP All-American who played from 2009-13.

Culture • ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏁᎵᏓᏍᏗ

ᎥᏍᎩᏱ 15, 2019 • ᏣᎳᎩ ᏧᎴᎯᏌᎤᎯ

FEBRUARY 15, 2019 • CHEROKEE PHOENIX

11

Diligwa Village gets new arbors while site closed

BY WILL CHAVEZ Assistant Editor

PARK HILL – The Diligwa Village has been a popular attraction at the Cherokee Heritage Center for nearly six years. Opened in July 2013, the village is an outdoor living exhibit set in 1710 that provides guests with an enhanced experience of authentic Cherokee life and history. The first two weeks of the year the village was closed to allow workers to work on structures and add new ones.

“Right now we’re closed. We’re always closed the first two weeks of the year,” Diligwa Villager Danny McCarter said.

“Right now we’re putting up arbors.

During those two weeks that we are closed this is the stuff we do, things we can’t do during the spring and summer.”

He said the arbors would shelter staff and visitors from the sun and rain in the village.

“According to Henry Timberlake (a British officer who lived with the Cherokee), there were arbors in front of the buildings, between the buildings.

Traditionally, (Cherokee) houses weren’t built side by side. They were built right across from each other and in between there would be an arbor,” he said.

Cherokee men and women would do their cooking or work on crafts under the arbors, McCarter added.

CHC Special Projects Manager Ken Foster said he helps with “pretty much everything” at the CHC and helped dig holes for the posts holding up the arbors.

He said he and Diligwa Villager Tim Grayson determined the village needed more permanent arbors because the villagers had to build new arbors about every year and a half.

“We’ve been here five years, so we decided to make something that will last a little longer. We’re going to build five arbors, hopefully, and a corncrib,” Foster said.

When people visit Diligwa Village, they see villagers dressed in buckskin and trade clothing from the early 1700s.

Villagers demonstrate how Cherokee people lived by weaving trade cloth, making clay pottery, flint knapping, playing stickball and fashioning and shooting bows and arrows and shooting darts from river cane blowguns.

“It really represents 1708 to 1710. That’s what this village represents,” he said.

Diligwa features 19 wattle and daub structures and 14 interpretive stations.

Visitors can witness daily Cherokee life in 1710 as they are guided through the interpretive stations where Cherokee life ways are explained.

The village includes eight residential sites, each with a Cherokee summerhouse and winter house, a corncrib and a kitchen garden. The public complex consists of the primary council house and summer council pavilion overlooking a large plaza that served as the center of community activity.

Diligwa is a name derivative of Tellico, a village in the East that was once the principal Cherokee town and is now underwater. Tellico was the Cherokee Nation capital and center of commerce before the emergence of Echota in Monroe County, Tennessee.

Tellico was often referred to as the “wild rice place” and became synonymous with a native grain that grew in the flat open spaces of east Tennessee. Many believe when the Cherokees first arrived in Indian Territory, the native grasses that grew in the open spaces around the foothills of the Ozarks reminded them of the grassy open areas of Tellico. They called their new home “Di li gwa,” Tah-le-quah or

ROGER GRAHAM/CHEROKEE PHOENIX Diligwa Villager Steve Daugherty finishes the roof of an arbor in the Diligwa Village at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Park Hill. The arbors will be used to shelter staff and visitors from the sun and rain in the village, which is a popular attraction in the spring and summer.

“During those two weeks that we are closed this is the stuff we do, things we can’t do during the spring and summer.”

Diligwa Villager Danny McCarter SCAN CODE TO SEE VIDEO ROGER GRAHAM SCAN CODE TO HEAR TRANSLATION

Teh-li-co, “the open place where the grass grows.”

For more information about the CHC, call 918456-6007 or 1-888-9996007 or email info@ cherokeeheritage.org or visit http://www.

CherokeeHeritage. org.

ᎠᏭᏂᏴᏍᏗ – ᎾᏍᎩ ᏗᎵᏆ ᎦᏚᎲ ᎾᎿ ᏧᏓᏃᏣᏟ ᏴᏫ ᏧᏁᏓᏍᏗ ᎾᎿ ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᏧᎾᏓᎴᏅ ᎠᏰᏟ ᎾᎿ ᏑᏓᎵ ᎾᏕᏘᏯ ᎾᎥᎢ. ᎤᎵᏍᏚᎢᏒ ᎦᏰᏉᏂ ᏔᎵ ᏯᎦᏴᎵ ᏦᎦᏚᎢ, ᎾᎿ ᎦᏚᎲ ᏙᏯ ᎢᏗᏢ ᎠᏁᎲ ᎤᏂᎪᏩᏛᏗ ᏚᏂᏃᏣᎸ ᎤᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ 1710 ᎠᏓᏁᏢᏍᎪ ᎠᏁᏙᎯ ᎤᏂᎪᏩᏛᏗ ᏄᏍᏛ ᎤᎾᏕᏅ ᎪᎯᎦ ᎠᎴ ᏄᎾᏛᏁᎸᎢ. ᎢᎬᏱ ᏔᎵ ᎢᏳᎾᏙᏓᏆᏍᏗ ᎾᎿ ᎤᏕᏘᏴᏌᏍᏒᎢ ᎦᏚᎲ ᎠᏍᏚᎰᎢ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎢᏳᏅᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎢᏤ ᎢᏳᏅᏙᏗᎢ. “ᏃᏊ ᏥᎩ ᎠᏍᏚᎭ. ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᎠᏍᏚᎭ ᎾᎿ ᎢᎬᏱ ᏔᎵ ᎢᏳᎾᏙᏓᏆᏍᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎤᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒᎢ,” ᏗᎵᏆ ᎤᏂᏚᎲ Danny McCarter. “ᏃᏊ ᏥᎩ ᏙᏥᏣᏦᎳᏛᏍᎦ. ᎾᎯᏴ ᎾᎿ ᏔᎵ ᎢᏳᎾᏙᏓᏆᏍᏗ ᎣᎩᏍᏚᎲ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏃᏣᏛᏁᎰᎢ, ᎢᎦᏲᎦᏛᏗ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᎨᏒ ᎾᎿ ᎪᎨᏯ ᎠᎴ ᎪᎦ.” ᎤᏛᏅᏃ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏕᎦᎵᏦᏛ ᎠᎾᎵᏍᏕᎸᏙᏗᏍᎬ ᏧᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎯ ᎠᎴ ᎠᎾᏓᏩᏛᎯᏙ ᎾᎿ ᎠᎦᎵᏍᎬ ᎠᎴ ᎠᎦᏍᎬ ᎾᎿ ᎦᏚᎲᎢ. ᏚᏙᎵᏤᎲ Henry Timberlake (ᎠᏲᏁᎦ ᎠᏂᏲᏍᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ ᏧᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎯ ᎨᏒ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎡᎲ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏁᎲᎢ), ᏕᎦᎵᏦᏛ ᎢᎬᏯᏗᏝ ᏓᏓᏁᎸᎢ, ᎠᎴ ᎠᏰᎵ ᏓᏓᏁᎸᎢ. ᎠᏂᏃᎮᏍᎬᎥ, (ᏣᎳᎩ) ᏚᎾᏓᏁᎸ Ꮭ ᏧᏦᏟ ᏱᎨᏎ. ᎾᏍᎩᏂ ᏧᏦᏟ ᎨᏎ ᎠᏰᏟ ᎤᏝᏅᏓ ᎾᎾᏃ ᎠᏂᎳᏦᏛᏍᎨᎢ, ᎠᏗᏍᎬᎢ. ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏂᎨᏯ ᎾᎿ ᎠᎾᏓᏍᏓᏴᎲᏍᎨ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏂᎦᏍᏯ ᎠᏃᏢᏅᏍᎨ ᎾᎿ ᎦᎵᏦᏛᎢ ᎭᏫᏓᏗᏢ ᎦᎵᏦᏛᎢ, ᎠᏗᏍᎬᎢ McCarter.

CHC ᎤᏓᏤᏟᏓ ᎠᏎᎸᎯ ᎠᏓᏅᏖᎵᏙᎯ Ken Foster ᎠᏗᏍᎬ “ᏂᎦᏓᏊ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎠᎵᏍᏕᎵᏍᎪ” ᎾᎿ CHC ᎠᎴ ᏓᏍᏕᎵᏍᎪ ᏗᏍᎪᏒ ᎦᏙ ᎾᎿ ᏗᎨᏛᏍᏗ ᏧᏔᎾ ᏗᎨᏛᏍᏗ ᎢᏧᏅᏙᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏂᎳᏦᏗᎢ. ᎠᏗᏍᎬᏃ ᎾᎿ ᎠᎴ ᏗᎵᏆ ᎦᏚᎲ ᏧᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎯ Tim Grayson ᎠᏓᏅᏖᏍᎪ ᎾᎿ ᎦᏚᎲ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎤᏂᎬᎬ ᎤᎪᏛ ᏧᏂᎳᏦᏗᎢ ᏅᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗᎲ ᏧᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎯ ᏳᏂᎷᏣ ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᎣᏍᏓ ᏂᏓᏅᏁᎲ ᏕᎦᎵᏦᏛᎢ ᏯᏛᎾ ᏑᏕᏘᏴᏓ ᎢᏳᏓᎵ ᎠᎴ ᏑᏕᏘᏴᏓ ᎠᏰᏟ ᎢᏳᏓᎵ. ᎯᏍᎩ ᎾᏕᏘᏯ ᏂᏙᎩᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎰᎢ, ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎣᎦᏓᏅᏖᎸ ᎣᎪᏢᏗ ᎾᎿ ᎠᎪᎯᎸ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎢᎬᏩᎵᏍᏙᏗ. ᏙᏓᏲᏦᏢᏂ ᎯᏍᎩ ᏕᎦᎵᏦᏛᎢ, ᎤᏚᎩ ᎣᎬᎭ, ᎠᎴ ᏎᎷ ᏗᏗᏍᏗᎢ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬ Foster. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎠᏂᏴᏫ ᎠᏁᏙᎲ ᏗᎵᏆ ᎦᏚᎲ, ᎠᏂᎪᏩᏘᏍᎪ ᏧᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎯ ᎦᎾᏄᏮ ᎾᎿ ᏗᎦᏁᎦ ᎠᎴ ᏓᎾᎵᏱᏗᏍᎨ ᏗᎾᏬ ᏂᏓᏳᏓᎴᏅ ᎢᎬᏱᏊ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ 1700s. ᏧᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎯ ᎬᏂᎨᏒ ᎾᏅᏁᎰ ᏄᏍᏛ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏂᏴᏫ ᏚᎾᏁᎳᏛ ᎾᎿ ᏓᏅᏍᎨ ᎤᎾᎵᏱᏗᏍᏙᏗ ᎠᏄᏬᎢ, ᏓᏃᏢᏍᎨ ᎦᏓᏆᎵ ᏗᎪᏢᏔᏅ ᎦᏓᎫᎦ, ᏓᏫᏍᎦᎵ ᏓᏃᏢᏗᏍᎬ ᎦᏟᏗ ᏗᎦᏏᏟᏗ, ᏓᎾᏁᎶᎲᏍᎬ ᎠᎴ ᎠᎾᏁᏦᏍᎬ ᏃᎴ ᎣᏍᏓ ᏂᏓᏅᏁᎲ ᎠᎴᏗᏍᏊ ᎦᎵᏣᏗ ᎠᎴ ᏗᎦᏟᏗ ᏓᏂᏍᏓᏲᏍᏗᏍᎪ ᏚᏇᏍᏗ ᏓᏂᏍᏓᏲᏗᏍᎪᎢ. ᏙᎯᏳ ᎨᏒ ᏓᏟᎶᏍᏛ 1708 ᎤᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ ᎠᎴᏂᏍᎩ ᎠᎴ 1710 ᏩᏍᏗ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎯᎠ ᎦᏚᎲ ᏓᏟᎶᏍᏗ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬᎢ. ᏗᎵᏆ ᏓᏟᎶᏍᏗᎭ ᏐᏁᎳᏚ ᎠᏓ ᎠᎴ ᏝᏬᏘ ᏗᎪᏢᏔᏅ ᏓᏓᏁᎳ ᎠᎴ ᏂᎦᏚ ᏓᏓᏁᎸ ᏗᎴᏫᏍᏙᏗ ᎧᏃᎮᏍᎩ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎾᎾᏛᏁᎲ ᎾᎿ ᎠᏓᏁᎸᎢ. ᎠᎾᏓᏩᏗᎯᏙ ᎠᏂᎪᏩᏘᏍᎪ ᏂᏓᏙᏓᏈᏒ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎤᎾᎴᏂᏓᏍᏗ ᎾᎿ 1710 ᎤᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒᎢ ᎾᎿ ᎠᏂᎶᏍᎬ ᎧᏃᎮᏍᎩ ᎦᏙᎪᎢ ᎠᎾᎴᏫᏍᏗᏍᎬᎢ ᎾᎿ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎤᎾᎴᏂᏓᏍᏗ ᎠᏂᏃᎮᏍᎪᎢ. ᎾᎿ ᎦᏚᎲ ᏓᏠᏯᏍᏗ ᏧᏁᎳ ᏓᏓᏁᎸ ᏓᏂᏁᎳ, ᏌᏊᎭ ᎾᎿ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎪᎦ ᎤᏅᏙᏗ ᎤᎾᏓᏁᎶ ᎠᎴ ᎪᎳ ᎤᏅᏙᏗ, ᏎᎷ ᏗᏗᏍᏗᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏓᏍᏓᏴᏗ ᎠᏫᏒᏗᎢ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎾᏂᎥ ᎤᏁᏓᏍᏗ ᏓᏓᏁᎸ ᎤᏠᏯᏍᏗ ᏧᏂᎳᏫᏍᏗ ᎠᏓᏁᎸ ᎠᎴ ᎪᎦ ᎨᎡ ᏧᏂᎳᏫᏍᏗᎢ ᎠᏓᏁᎸᎢ ᏩᎪᏩᏛᏗ ᎤᏔᎾ ᎠᏓᏁᎸ ᎾᎿᏃ ᎠᏰᏟ

BY STAFF REPORTS PARK HILL – Area students who visit the Cherokee Heritage Center during its Indian Territory Days on March 28-29 will have the opportunity to interactively learn about the Cherokee arts, language and lifestyles of the 1890s.

The annual educational event features various hands-on learning activities for public, private and home-schooled children grades kindergarten to 12. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., and the event concludes at 2 p.m. each day.

The museum and villages are open for self-directed tours, with demonstrations highlighting the many unique aspects of the time period held throughout the day.

Cultural stations are located throughout the grounds to introduce students to the art of Cherokee pottery making, basket weaving,

ᏍᎦᏚᎩ ᎤᏁᏓᏍᏗᎢ. ᏗᎵᏆ ᏧᏚᏙᎢ ᏂᏓᏳᏓᎴᏅ ᎾᎿ Tellico, ᎦᏚᎲ ᎧᎸᎬ ᎢᏗᏢ ᎪᎯᎦ ᏥᎨᏒ ᏄᎬᏫᏳᏒ ᎦᏚᎮ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏚᎲᎢ ᎠᎴ ᏃᏊ ᏥᎩ ᎠᎹᏱᎭᎢ.

Tellico ᎾᏍᎩ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ ᏧᏂᎳᏫᏍᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏰᏟ ᎨᏒ ᎤᏂᎾᏗᏅᏗᎢ ᏏᏃ ᏂᎦᎷᎬᎾ ᎤᏦᏎᏗ ᎾᎿ ᎢᏦᏗᎢ ᎾᏍᎩ Monroe ᏍᎦᏚᎩ, ᏔᎾᏏᎢ.

Tellico ᎦᏚᎲ ᎢᏴᏓᎭ ᎤᏂᏯᏅᏙᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎯᎠ “ᎢᎾᎨ ᎡᎯ ᏗᎵᏆ ᎤᏙᏢᏒᎢ” ᎠᎴ ᎤᏓᏁᏟᏴᏍᏔᏅ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎡᎯᏯ ᎤᎦᏔ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏛᏍᎪ ᎤᏩᎾᏕᏍᎬ ᎤᏠᏅᏗ ᎧᎸᎬ ᎢᏗᏢ ᏔᎾᏏᎢ. ᎤᏂᎪᏓ ᎤᏃᎯᏳᏐ ᎾᎿ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎢᎬᏱ ᏧᏂᎷᏤ ᎾᎿ ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ ᎤᎾᏕᏗ, ᎡᎯᏯ ᎦᏄᎸ ᎾᎿ ᎠᏛᏍᎬ ᎾᎿ ᎤᏠᏅᏗ ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᎡᎳᏗ ᏭᎵᏍᏛ ᎦᏝᏛ ᎾᎿ ᏓᎵᏆ ᎠᎴ The-li-co, “ᎤᏝᏅᏛ ᎾᎿ ᎦᏄᎸ ᏣᏛᏍᎪᎢ.” ᎤᎪᏛ ᎠᏕᎶᎰᎯᏍᏗ ᏲᏚᎵ ᎾᎿ CHC, call 918-456-6007 or 1—888-999-6007 or email info@cherokeeheritage.org or visit http://www. cherokeeHeritage.org.

CHC accepting Trail of Tears Art Show submissions

CHC to host Indian Territory Days March 28-29 Students are invited to experience Cherokee culture firsthand.

WILL CHAVEZ/CHEROKEE PHOENIX Cherokee Heritage Center Maintenance Supervisor Charles Foster, center, uses a level on a post for a new arbor being built at the Diligwa Village. Diligwa Villager Steve Daugherty, right, Danny McCarter, left, and Tim Grayson, digging a posthole, assisted Foster.

Artist submissions will be accepted until 5 p.m.

Central Standard Time on March 15.

BY STAFF REPORTS

COURTESY Students get a firsthand experience with cultural arts such as basket weaving at the Cherokee Heritage Center during Indian Territory Days. finger weaving and more. Students are also encouraged to try their hand at cultural games such as blowgun shooting, stickball, marbles and chunkey.

Admission is $7 per student and accompanying adults are $2. School personnel accompanying students are free.

Payment can be made to the CHC with cash, check, purchase order or credit card. Preregistration is encouraged.

For more information or to register, call Tonia Weavel at 918-456-6007, ext. 6161, or email tonia-weavel@cherokee.org.

The CHC is the Cherokee Nation’s cultural center for Cherokee tribal history, culture and arts. It is located at 21192 S. Keeler Drive.

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PARK HILL – The Cherokee Heritage Center is accepting submissions until March 15 for the 48th annual Trail of Tears Art Show.

The Trails of Tears Art Show is the longest-running American Indian art show in Oklahoma.

Artists compete for more than $15,000 in the following categories: painting, sculpture, pottery, basketry, graphics, jewelry and miniatures.

Those looking to enter artwork must be a citizen of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or nation and complete submission requirements before 5 p.m. CST on March 15. A $10 fee is charged per entry to help support art show expenses.

A photograph of the completed work, an entry form and the entry fee must be submitted to calliechunestudy@cherokee.org before the deadline. A list of accepted artwork will be posted on www. cherokeeheritage.org on March 21.

An awards reception will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 5 at the CHC to recognize honorees in each category. The reception is open to the public and free to attend.

The Trail of Tears Art Show will be open to the public from April 6 to May 5.

The show began in 1972 with the intent to create a venue where diverse art forms can be used to exhibit American Indian heritage. Initiated before the completion of the museum, the art show was held in the rain shelter of the Tsa-La-Gi Amphitheater. In 1975, it became the first major exhibition in the present museum.

The CHC is the Cherokee Nation’s cultural center for Cherokee tribal history, culture and the arts. It is located at 21192 S. Keeler Drive.

For information on the Trail of Tears Art Show, 2019 season events, operating hours and programs, call 1-888-999-6007 or visit www.cherokeeheritage.org.

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CHEROKEE PHOENIX • FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Culture • ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏁᎵᏓᏍᏗ

ᏣᎳᎩ ᏧᎴᎯᏌᎤᎯ • ᎥᏍᎩᏱ 15, 2019