FALL HOLIDAY ISSUE 1983
PAGE 3
Big Sister/
CHEMAWA AMERICAN
Little Sister
We Have Strength In Unity
By LaVelle Walker
*
Out of concern for the
younger and new female
students who are often lonely
and homesick a Big Sister/Lit-
tle
Sister
Program
was
launched.
The program grew out of a
strong concern older girls were
expressing about their younger
classmates, explained program
director Lori BigHom.
Kindship ties have always
been strong among Indian peo
ple. Extending these bonds to
make the girls see that as In
dian women they are indeed sis
ters interdependent upon each
other was the driving force
behind the establishment of the
program.
September 14 was the official
kick off of the program.
Each girl was assigned a big
sister—a student who was a re
turning student. Each girl then
not only had a new adopted sis
ter, but was “adopted” by a
group leader which was a
female staff member who want
ed to be an extra support and
friend to the girls.
Prior to meeting the members
of their group, several Indian
women gave presentations on
the traditional
values
of
womanhood. They were Tuluah
Pinkham, Yakima; Jill Hagen,
Senecca; Cathy Gree, Lagun-
a/Pueblo; and Germaine Kun-
uah, Sioux. Vieta Helmsley, dir
ector of the Salem Womens’
Crisis Center also addressed the
girls.
TULUAH PINKHAM
In addressing the 250 girls
Mrs. Tuluah Pinkham, Yakima,
and mother of seven children,
stressed the importance of tak
ing care of each other, in having
sisters all over the world, attd
treating each other with re
spect.
“The fUture builders of every
tribe are the Indian Women.
You are not to be mistreated -
not by yourself by using al
cohol, sex, drugs, or by others.
Put out your habd to ’your
neighbors of small and large
tribes. W e are all going to need
our sisters in the future.’*
She complimented the girls
by saying she had nevèr seen so
many beautiful faces in such a
long time. “Don’t use too much
make-up -- you are already so
beautiful!”
Mrs. Pinkham applauded the
girls for taking time to think
about themselves and their role
as developing Indian Women.
Big Sister/ shows her little sister how to act cool and study at the
“ I address you today as In
dian women because you all
have biologically started that
process. That means you have
responsibilities not only to
bring up children with love, but
to make changes.’*
;
“Your body is a sacred gift.
Never misuse it. Keep yourself
physically and spiritually clean.
Do things that are mature and
respectful, things that make
you feel like a woman. Don’t
fall in love or think you are in
love. Right now you need all
the time, help, and energy to
help you grow now,” explained
Pinkham.
In cautioning girls to take
care of themselves in their rela
tionships with toys, Pinkham
stressed that girls must have
and demonstrate self control.
Teenage pregnancies are not
only physically dangerous, but
constitute a high death rate for
newborn with a low birth
weight and fetal alcohol.
“Í am your mother. I expect
you to learn from me and other
teachers. I know you will take
care of each other. You are go
ing to need one another. Don’t
be jealous of each other because
you come from different tribes.
When I went to Chemawa we
didn’t see each other as coming
from various tribes. It was like
Chemawa was our tribe-where
, we all came from.
“Be proud of Chemawa. Be
willing to reach out to your In
dian sisters across the world.
It’s a great feeling to know your
sisters can reach out for help
and find it, especially when you
áre in a strange place.”’ |
Mrs. Pinkham graduated
from Chemawa in 1954 and
went on to “extending my kind-
ships and friendships at Has
kell.”
While a student at Chemawa
Pinkham served as student
council president, excelled in
sports and maintained an over
all 38 G.RA.
KATHY GREEN
Kathy Green, Laguna/Pueb-
lo, current administrator assis-
tant for the Oregon Commis
sion on Indian Services, shared
her experiences growing lip at
St. Catherine’s Indian boarding
school and how they became a
close family of sisters. Being
with Indian women, explained
Ms. Green, gave her a growing
sense of who she was as an In
dian woman.
“You have a unique oppor
tunity here to begin the grow
ing up process by being a Big-
/Little Sister. You can learn
from each other, share different
lifestyles, learn how to listen,
leam how to be a friend and
how to get along with each
other and gain new ideas that
you will use later.”
By caring and sharing for
each other, students can have
the best of both worlds: educa
tion and contribute to each
other which are strong traits
not only in our traditional cul
tures, but in women’s cultures.
By nurturing each other In
dian women become strong and
confident. She develops dreams
and sets goals to achieve those
dreams. This, said Green, car
ries on the traditional role of
building confidence and self-re
spect.
“What Indian women do
today is what they have learned
from other Indian women.
Strive to be the best -'- do it
well. Realize, too, that anyth
ing you choose to do is equally
important to all things.
“ In all your choice of events^
that enhance you - these deci
sions affirm Creator and affirm
Monte and Jesus ask, “Would you
like seconds?”
the possibilities of yourself.
“ I challenge you to set goals,
to be women of vision. Toether
you determine your future and
the future of the Indian peo
ple.”
Pinkham Shares Traditional Values
same time.
KATHY GREEN
TULUAH PINKHAM
VIETA HEMSLEY
Mrs. Hemsley reaffirmed the
other speechers’ statements and
added that Big/Sister programs
help each other by building
networks. These lead to gaining
power to make changes for all
women.
“Women traditionally have
been kept apart, except Indian
women. Strengthen those ties
with each other so you will be
in a position to get what you
want as a strong united group.”
Corrine ChiefStick and Carrie Whitford show Chemawa they have strength in unity.
In summarizing the events of
the afternoon Lori Bighorn and
Jill Hagen encouraged the girls
to reach outside of themselves
and become aware of the pains
and hurts of each other.
“We are our sisters’ keeper,
we belong to each other. If I am
lonely or isolated or unloved
then all my sisters are in pain.
“We have a right not only to
live, but to be respected, accept
ed and loved. Don’t allow boys
to divide you through petty
jealousy. If you can’t trust
them, if everytime they leave
your sight you’re afraid they’ll
leave you, then maybe they
aren’t worth it. Treat yourself
and each other with dignity.
“We have strength in unity!”
summarized Bighorn.