TRIBAL MEMBER NEWS
Wisdom on the Go with NIEA
New Babies!
by Tiffany (Stuart) Wisdom
Sean Robert Lussier
Kierra Star Hudson
Day'la'ha - Hello iny relatives. I
wanted to share some information and
exciting news with you.
I recently attended the National
Indian Education Association Legisla
tive Summit in Washington, D.C., on
Feb. 12-14, 2007.
During this time, I spoke with BIA
(Bureau of Indian Affairs) Director Jim
Cason; BIE (Bureau of Indian Educa
tion) Director Thomas Dowd; and the
staff representatives of Sens. Hillary
Clinton (NewYork), Harry Reid (Nevada),
and Lamar Alexander (Tennessee), and
Rep. George Miller (California).
This was my first experience lob
bying for Indian education (in D.C.,
they say “lobbying on the hill”). NIEA
staff/representatives gave a presentation
on Legislative 101. This was a great help
for people who have never lobbied on
the hill before.
NIEA scheduled all the meetings
with state representatives for the Leg
islative Summit attendees. It would be
great if our tribe could send repre-
senlative(s) next year. NIEA always is
willing to help tribes that would like to
meet with all their state representatives.
I will make sure for next year's
summit that information is distributed
through Siletz News and to the Tribal
Council. It’s great for the Oregon rep
resentatives in Washington, D.C., to
hear your personal story and meet you
face to face - this is how we are going
to educate them on Indian education
in Oregon.
I have a limited knowledge of In
dian education in Oregon. I plan to
visit with our tribal representatives in
Indian education to gain knowledge to
tell the senators and representatives
their stories. I encourage all to write
your state delegates and tell them your
story on Indian education.
I opened our day in the Senate
House Indian Affairs Committee room
with a blessing. I sang Grandpa Ben's
feather dance song and Grandpa Hoxie
Simmons' song for the delegates.
I started with my introduction and
told the members that 30 years ago my
grandfather, Robert Rilatos, came to
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D.C., the place I am today. Our rea
sons for coming to D.C. are the same
today as in the past - to stand up for
our sovereign nations.
I was on the MC panel as an NIEA
Board of Directors member to introduce
representatives to speak to our summit.
I attended the NASA pre-service
teachers conference in Alexandria, Va.,
just over the bridge from Washington,
D.C., on Feb. 15-17.
Four students from Haskell Indian
Nations University’s School of Educa
tion were chosen for this trip; Woody
Wilson (Choctaw), Darrell Frank (For
est County Potawatomi), Cassie
Kitcheyan (Winnebago/San Carlos
Apache), and myself. We attended use
ful workshops that gave us great tips
and resources to use as future teachers.
I competed in the talent show and
won second place. I told the traditional
Kalapuya story Crow Lady. 1 received
a TI-73 calculator and teacher kit.
I would like to thank NASA for spon
soring our school to attend this conference.
Finally on this trip to D.C., I vis
ited The Smithsonian’s National Mu
seum of the American Indian.
It was moving to be in such a place
that represents who I am and where I'm
going. I encourage you to visit if you
have a chance (www.nmai.si.edu).
It was an honor to represent my
tribe - Confederated Tribes of Siletz.
Indians; my family - Stuart, Rilatos,
Ben, Simmons, Butler; my school -
Haskell Indian Nations University; and
the National Indian Education Associa
tion. I would like to thank God, my
creator, for his blessing on my life.
Hvm’chi
Tiffany (Stuart) Wisdom
(tiffany.wisdom@yahoo.com)
Teacher Candidate, c/o 2008
Haskell Indian Nations University
(www.haskell.edu)
Tribal member of Confederated
Tribes of Siletz. Indians
(www.ctsi.nsn.us)
National Indian Education Associa
tion Board of Directors Member
2006-08( www.niea.org)
April 2007
Kierra was born Sept. 30, 2006.
She weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces and
was 20% inches long.
Her parents are Mike and Krissy
Hudson. She is the granddaughter of
Bill and Karen Hudson, Kathleen and
John Nunez, and Jake and Kathy
Backer. She is the great-granddaughter
of Gladys Bolton and Ruth Lermusiaux.
The Hibdon and Rilatos families would
like you to join us in welcoming our hand
some grandson, Sean Robert Lussier.
Sean was born Feb. 1, 2007, to
Heidi Hibdon and Gilbert Lussier. He
weighed in at 9 pounds, 13 ounces and
was 21% inches long.
Sean is the grandson of Larry and
Valerie Hibdon, Roxanne and Stuart
Desjarlait, and Gilbert Lussier Sr. of Red
Lake, Minn.; and the great-grandson of
Maxine Rilatos and Sally and Albert Hibdon.
Congratulations, Heidi and Gilbert
- he’s beautiful!
Pigsley Wins District Championship
Timmy Pigsley, a sophomore at
McNary High School in Keizer, Ore.,
won the district title in the 145-pound
weight class at the Central Valley Con
ference Tournament.
Timmy entered the competition as a
fifth seed. On his way to the title, he beat
the No. 4 seed 8-0, the No. 1 seed 13-10,
and the No. 2 seed for the title 11-5.
Timmy was the only McNary wres
tler to win a title. As a freshman, he
placed fifth in last year’s competition.
Congratulations, Timmy!
First Dance
I had the privilege of danc
ing with my grandson, Aidan
Healy, at the Chemawa birth
day pow-wow on Feb. 17. It
was fitting that his first dance
was there as our family has a
long history at Chemawa.
We were able to share that day with
lots of family - Aidan's parents, Jenera
and Daniel Healy; Grandpa Carl; Uncle
Jeremy; Great-Aunt Rae; great-grand
parents Donna and Warren Woods;
Great-Great-Aunt Sis; and Great-
Great-Aunt Dorothy.
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