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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2012)
Tribe hosts Traditional Foods Conference, stickball game is a highlight By Sharia Robinson, Healthy Traditions Project Coordinator food staff received a well-deserved stand- ing ovation from conference attendees for In late February, the Confederated their hard work and wonderful hosting. Tribes of Siletz Indians hosted a Tradi Healthy Traditions welcomes Tribal tional Foods Conference where Tribal members to its monthly meetings where representatives from across the U.S. we discuss upcoming events and ideas for (see map, below right) came together new projects. We plan events for gather for cultural sharing and discussion on ing, cooking, canning, smoking, garden revitalizing traditional food cultures ing, fishing, hunting and more. within our communities. Carpooling is available from the area The Siletz Tribe joined the traditional offices. Our next meeting will be held foods movement two years ago by start April 10 from 1-2:30 p.m. at the Siletz ing a project called Healthy Traditions. Community Health Clinic. This project seeks to improve the health For more information, please contact of Siletz Tribal members through educa me at 541-444-9627; 800-648-0449, tional activities that promote the use of ext. 1627; or sharlar@ctsi.nsn.us. traditional foods through hunting, gather ing, gardening, cooking, food preserva Traditional games a hit tion and protecting our natural resources. While attending the Traditional Foods The conference was a wonderful Conference, members of the Cherokee opportunity for the Healthy Traditions Nation offered to teach their traditional team to learn more about traditional foods game of Cherokee Stickball. Siletz Tribal programs in other Tribal communities. member Max Hoover designed and built One of the Tribal groups, Tohono an indoor installation for the game. O’odham Community Action from Ari Stickball resembles the modem Euro zona, showed a poster with community pean game of lacrosse. Seven points are Photo by Natasha Kavanaugh goals drafted about 10 years ago. Today, scored when the ball strikes a wooden fish Junior Miss Siletz Clarinda Black races to the ball for the women’s team during the many of these visions have been accom or ball on the top of a pole and two points stickball game. The traditional game of Cherokee Stickball requires the male players plished, such as opening a traditional foods are awarded when the ball strikes the pole. to use a pair of sticks and the female players to use their bare hands. café and serving traditional foods in their Male players use a pair of the sticks and school one day per week. It was inspir female players use their bare hands. ing to see the success of other traditional Traditional Foods Partners across the U.S The Siletz Royalty participated by foods projects that have been years in Nooksack Indian Tribe setting their crowns safely aside so they the making. Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indans, could run and dogpile the ball when nec The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indi O Salisti Kootenai College ■v, _ x Sauit Ste. Mane Tnb^- essary. Little Miss Siletz Jocelyn Hernan ans started a Summer Youth Gardeners Confederated Tobes z> ■ Chippewa Indians ». dez ran laps around everyone. of Siletz Indians Project modeled after the Food Project ° Standing Rock As the game went on, players got S kxjx Tribe in Boston. They worked with volunteers p United Indian more sophisticated in their strategy with and paid youth for eight weeks over the Health Services ; C Santee sneak passes and fake shooting. Sioux Nation summer. They donated half and sold “Everyone had smiles on their faces Indian Hearth Care c Prame Band half of their harvest, which taught youth Eastern Band of Resource Center of Tulsa , Potawatomi Nation ... so even if they weren’t chasing around responsibility and community service. Cher 'Indians the floor, they were getting the health One youth made a short video story about o Ramah Navajo Cherokee Nation Catáwba Cultural School Board benefits through laughter,” said Christy his experience learning to grow food. Preservation Prosee I Tohono O’odham C Hurt, who works in the Tribe's Indian These are the types of projects that Community Action Child Welfare.department. can be started by volunteers. Healthy The teams were neck and neck Traditions would like to support any throughout the game. Selene Rilatos community members excited about doing projects like these. scored the winning point for the girls’ Aleutian Pobtiof The next conference will be held later team. She sent an e-mail the next day islands Association this year, hosted by the Red Lake Band saying, “Thx for the awesome evening > _ ___ _ Southeast Alaska Regional of Chippewa Indians in Minnesota. They ... that was such a fun time! And I got Health Care Consortium said they were so impressed with our outta bed like a champ — just my usual Tribe, our good food and hosting, that gramma style lol.” CT5I is one of 17 tribal groups awarded Traditional Foods grants front die they had already started calling home to About 40 people attended and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) for type 2 Diabetes Prauendon. CTSi was honored to host the trfoes for the Tradition el Foods Conference in February. start planning. Siletz Boosters made a gracious donation Compliments go to Frank Aspria for of free food for the participants. his leadership as the head chef for the After the event, several people sug event and to the hard-working kitchen gested we do more traditional games in volunteers - Miguel Bransford, Lincoln the future and perhaps start doing the Lewelling, Nora Williams, Sharon Mason, traditional Siletz game of shinney, also Verdene McGuire, Adrienne Crookes, known as “koho,” which is similar to Rose Bremner and Cecilia Tolentino. The field hockey. COUNTRY ; of Wisdom 14th Annual Elders Council Meeting April 14 • 1-4 p.m. Chinook Winds Golf Resort For more details, contact Felicia Carmona at 800-922-1399, ext. 1225; 541-444-8225; or feliciac@ctsi.nsn.us ‘ Jribal Elder Bbr DaV F20*2 9 a.m. ook Wi s April 2012 • Siletz News • 9
