TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS
Gathering of Nations is an Inspiring Experience
by Waleeska Riding In
Attending the Gathering of Nations
Pow-Wow was a very rewarding
experience. I enjoyed being with
wonderful people. We had the chance
to do a lot of good things and it was a
lot of fun!
Watching the Miss Indian World
Pageant was both encouraging and
inspirational. It’s nice to see so many
young women who are focused on what
they want and achieving their goals.
They took the opportunity to share who
they are and the tribes they represent.
I enjoyed watching the pageant
because I learned many things that I
may have never known and I also was
able to see things from a different
perspective. It has also helped me to
realize the steps that are necessary for
achieving some of my own personal
goals, as well as helping others to see
theirs, too.
The added bonus was watching one
of my cousins, Michelle Rice of the
Pawnee Nation, compete. She won best
dancer in the Miss Indian World
Pageant. Christiane Pinkham (Navajo)
and Clarissa Cawston (Colville), both
contestants in the Miss NCAI pageant
last November, also were contestants.
Clarissa won first runner-up for Miss
Indian World.
The pow-wow itself was big. It was
truly something to be in a building with
so many Native people from nations all
over the country. I am honored to have
been able to dance with them. We
watched Ke Aloha Mae Cody Alo, the
outgoing Miss Indian World, dance in
her traditional ways. She is Hawaiian
and White Mountain Apache. The new
Pow-Wow Jobs Available
Miss Indian World, Tia Smith (Six
Nations Cayuga), danced the smoke
dance. Watching the traditional dance
style of other tribes was amazing. It was
a very enjoyable experience.
We also spent some time at the
Pueblo Culture Center. The Culture
Center Museum was great and we were
able to meet incredible people. We even
had the opportunity to see different
styles of dance, not only at the pow
wow, but also at the Culture Center.
My favorite part of the whole
experience was getting to know and
spending more time with very special
people. While we met wonderful people
who have accomplished great things,
like Johnny Mike and Verdell Primeaux
(Grammy award winners for Bless The
People), I still think that spending time
with our mothers and grandmothers is
something really special. I appreciate
you ladies very much.
Maxine is such wonderful
company; it’s so inspiring how she has
so much energy! I’m glad that we had
Marlene to manage our duties and be
our media staff. (We took some pretty
good pictures, huh girls?)
LaRita did an excellent job of
getting us where we needed to be and
just looking out for us. I am also glad
that my mom gave birth to me in
Albuquerque, N.M., and for living there
for four years, so that she could be our
travel guide.
I had a good time getting to know
Tiffany and Leslie better. The Gathering
of Nations was a great place for us
to come to, not only to see old friends
and make new ones, but also for us
to gain better wisdom, knowledge,
and understanding.
Thank you, everyone, for making
this possible and for all of your support.
God bless you.
The Siletz Pow-Wow Committee is now accepting applications for
temporary jobs during the 2002 Nesika Illahee Pow-Wow.
Available jobs include:
Wages for these pow-wow jobs:
Security/Maintenance Kitchen
Camping Registration Sales
Shift Supervisors - $8/hour
Shift Workers - $6.50/hour
Pick up applications at the Siletz administration building or call Craig
Whitehead at 1-800-922-1399, ext. 230, or 541-444-8230.
Tipi Drawing
Name:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phone:._________________________________________________________
Roll #:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Siletz Tribal members to use during the Nesika Illahee Pow-Wow
on Aug. 9-11, 2002. One entry per household, please. Deadline for entries
is July 26, 2002. Names will be drawn soon after the deadline. Return this
form to:
Siletz Pow-Wow
Attn: Tipi
P.O. Box 549
Siletz, OR 97380
Royalty Applications Now
Available
The Siletz Tribal Pow-Wow Committee is now taking applications for
this year’s royalty contestants. The age categories are as follows:
Little Miss Siletz - 7-12 years old
Jr. Miss Siletz - 13-17 years old
Miss Siletz - 18-24 years old
Contestants will be judged on their knowledge of tribal and family history,
poise and personality, speaking abilities, dance abilities in both the Feather
Dance and Intertribal styles, and raffle ticket sales.
Each contestant will receive a commission on the number of raffle tickets
that she sells for the 2002 Nesika Illahee Pow-Wow raffle. Commission rates
are as follows: 200 to 500 at 20 percent, 501 to 1,000 at 25 percent, and 1,001
or more at 30 percent.
This year’s royalty will be sponsored to attend the Gathering of Nations
Pow-Wow and Miss Siletz also will be sponsored to attend the NCAI competition.
The royalty pageant is scheduled for Aug. 8, 2002, and the winners will
be crowned on Aug. 9 before the first grand entry of the pow-wow.
The deadline to get applications to the Pow-Wow Committee is July 5,
2002. Any applications turned in from July 6 to July 15 will be accepted only
with the approval of the Pow-Wow Committee. Any applications turned in
after July 15 will not be accepted for this year.
Young women interested in running for one of these categories should
contact Craig Whitehead at 1-800-922-1399, ext. 230, or 541-444-8230 for
an application.
June 2002
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Siletz News
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