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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 1976)
AUGUST 6, 1976 WARM SPRINGS, OREGON PAGE 7 Ny-Mu-Mah Indian Youth Camp n Irti ¿AA m Ì,.! “There’ll be a lot of tearful good-byes when it’s time for everyone to go home,” said Dan Bomberry of the fifty or so campers whose tepees have been pitched near the com munity center for two weeks. Bomberry is the coordinator for the Ny-Mu-Mah Indian Youth Camp that was hosted by Warm Springs and spon sored by the American Indian Lawyers Training Program (AILTP). Kids aged 12-17 from all over the country, including Warm Springs, came together as strangers but will leave their new friends reluctantly. The 12-day camp, the only one like it in the United States, was hastily planned but offered a variety of activities and learning experiences. Richard Trudell, the Executive Director of AILTP, who conceived and organized the camp said he was pleased that three of the four objectives of the camp had been achieved: cultural enrichment and reinforcement of Indian identity, career ex ploration, and recreation. The work component, which would have involved assigned tasks geared toward helping the camp and the community, was not developed as hoped. Kids had ample time to get to know and enjoy each other, while also being involved in a full schedule of activities. A typical day might find kids learning to make skin drums, carving a cedar canoe, fash ioning beaded jewelry, sight aaa ^ m A A M .J « ¿¿A« Ji m W a 1AW¿■.WA seeing and attending a lecture. Tepees and sweathouses were constructed early in the first week and several campers were sweating regularly. Trips were made en masse to Trout Lake, The Dalles, and Timberline and a tour of the reservation highlighted Kah- Nee-Ta and the mill. An impressive array of outside personalties were in vited to speak to, entertain and work with the campers. Thomas Banyacya, a Hopi spiritual leader, showed films about controversial “progress” on a couple of Indian reser vations and he explained the Hopi prophecy to the group. On another evening, recording ar tist Paul Ortega presented a program of Indian music from his native southwest. Other guests included Janet McCloud from Washing ton, who spoke about Indian pride; and various successful Indian professionals such as an engineer, a nurse and a law intern, made the possibility of a career more real to the campers. Perhaps the most famous visitor was Bill Walton of the Portland Trailblazers. Walton offered a two-day basketball clinic for the camp and the public, ; and he drew a large number of participants and spectators. The lanky star was suffering from a slow-mending broken arm but nevertheless inspired kids of all sizes to practice and play hard. ' I 'Irt A 1nA¿ A.TA m B m W wf ¿ V» A The last evening of the camp featured a salmon bake and Indian dancing for the whole community. Dan Bomberry expressed appreciation to the people of Warm Springs “who have gone out of their way to be helpful.” Of those local adults who gave of their time, Ber nice Mitchell, the cook, and Harry Miller, a crafts teacher, seemed to be thoroughly en joying the camp activities. Trudell feels encouraged by this camp. Although funding Patt Is Cast Fantasy Films Hires Locals Fantasy Films has formal- |ly met with the Tribal Council a number of times now in an ■effort to finalize arrangements Iso they can begin shooting ■“The Warriors,” a major mo tion picture. Some locals have already gbeen hired for short speaking marts including Byron Patt and gEdna and Andrew David. The ■Davids will play the role of friends of the grandfather in ■the movie, and Patt will por- ■ray the father of the young toy. Others auditioned and were interviewed for parts Thursday, ■August 5, at the Community ■Center, but it was not known ■at press time who caught the ■producer’s eye. Lizzie Rhoan and Lloyd Smith, Sr. are assis- ting the film producer with the hiring of personnel. Aside from movie roles, ■en locals have been hired as ■construction workers, Cy Ka- atchia is working in an advisory capacity as construction liason, (Susan Moses is language ad visor, and pending an ok from Klint Jacks, Jacob Frank may «work as head wrangler. Only three roles (Indian jparts) have not been cast at ■Warm Springs. They are:, Kiko Soto (Navajo) who will play the ■he young boy; Lois Red Elk ■Sioux) who will play the ^mother; and Charles White Beagle (Apache) will be the fcrandfather. It was felt (diie to ■he difficulty of these three roles) that it was necessary to go with experienced, profes sional actors. At a special Tribal Council Meeting Wednesday, July 28, Keith Merrill (director), Saul Zaentz (producer), Terry Morse Jr. (executive produ cer), and Sy Gomberg (co producer and script writer) were present. They informed the council and Tribal attorney, Dennis Karnopp, that they are inter ested in making a film of high quality that will be as auth entic as possible. Toward this end, they said they would like to hire a cultural liaison to advise and assist them. According to Merrill, they want to make a film that not only will they be proud of, but one that the people of the Warm Springs Reservation can be proud of, too. Since every day spent on location is very expensive, the production company wants to move as expeditiously as poss ible. To assist them in getting started with plans, organiza tion, and arrangements for construction crews, Cy Katchia was appointed by the Council to act as a construction liaison. A major portion of the filming will be done in Sim- nasho which is to be the village where the grandfather lives. Permission has been given to restore the glass in the windows in the old church, and to fix up the house by the church and the one across the road. Shooting will begin in Port land August 16, 17, and 18, then the crews will be on the Warm Springs Reservation from August 19th through Sep- tember 10th. fwAW, ¿ A ^T a ¿ ’ A M A 1 1.’ A A ¿ B. A 1 I from the National Football League came rather late, the camp became a reality through the footwork of many dedica ted people. Kids were selected and chaperoned by a number of individuals contacted by Trudell throughout the nation. Counselor orientation and transportation arrangements have beep identified as areas needing more careful planning. It is hoped that three such camps, each consisting of two 12-day sessions, will be spon sored by AILTP next summer ■ The lunch hours of more than 100 people were bright ened when a summer company of multi-talented performers brought free song, dance and comedy to the campus July 22. The Shoestring Revue was a satirical look at some dis tinctly American traditions presented with great enthus iasm by the touring group from Oregon State University. Among the featured episodes in American history were the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the westward movement, the glory of fifties rock and roll, and the coming dll flirt :erent parts of the coun try. The actual cost of the camp in Warm Springs was well over the $10,000 donated by the NFL. Trudell is looking for additional funding sources to raise the $100,000 that will be needed for an expanded program next year. Judging by the scope and reception of this camp, it would seem worthwhile to make such an experience available to even more Indian teenagers. AILTP has a good idea — and hopes to make it even better. in of automation. Produced by special fund ing from the Oregon Arts Com mission, the American Revol utionary Bicentennial Com mission of Oregon, and OSU, the traveling show stars eight men and women with a variety of musical and dramatic skills. Eva Montee, Youth Pro grams Coordinator, was re sponsible for arranging the ap pearance. Encouraged by the turn-out of people, Ms. Montee hopes to bring more such qual ity entertainment to Warm Springs. ■7* » FANTASY FILMS has asked permission to replace the glass in the windows of the Sim- nasho Church since they would; like to use it in their filming of “The Warriors.” Pending Council approval, the filming will begin this month. Photo by Sandy Rangila
