Spilyay Tymoo
Warm Springs, Oregon
June 3, 1988 PAGE 7
Poets present work June 5
Two of the Northwest'! finest
poets w ill present readings of their
work in Madras at 2 p.m. Sunday,
June 5 in the Madras High School
library.
Presenting (heir work in Madras
will be Oregon poet William Staf
ford and Washington poet Joan
Swift. Admission is $2.
William Stafford, a world class
poet and teacher, is known wher
ever American poetry is well known.
He has published 15 books of poe
try and prose. A conscientious objec
tor in World War II. Stafford's
smooth, simple poets often deal
with moral and political decisions.
"To me. he says, "poetry is talk
that is enhanced a little bit."
Stafford, who has published 15
books, is a retired Lewis and Clark
College professor of English. He
lives in l ake Oswego. Oregon, and
travels frequently presenting writ
ing workshops and readings of his
poems.
Washington poem Joan Swift is
the author of three books of poe
try. Her stunning, powerful poems
rcasonate with association and a
Responsible.
Adult
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subdued musicalily. Nature, friends,
and family ancestors often are the
objects of Swift's close observations.
Particularly impressive are her
poems that trace an ethnic back
ground in the snowy coal country
of the American Northeast. A serious
poet. Swift writes bravely, never
whining, about tough times grow
ing up in a coal-mining country.
Death, divorce, and lack of money
often arc her concerns, and they
become the audience's concerns,
with listening to or reading her.
works.
Swift writes the kinds of poems
that make one ache, poems that
soothe with their lyrical freshness.
At times. Swift mixes the lovely
with the horrible; the results are
terrifying and beautiful.
This literacy performance is
brought to Madras through the
"Across the River" Oregon Wa
shington Reader's Exchange, a joint
program of the Oregon Arts Com
mission and the Washington State
Arts Commission, designed to pro
vide high-quality literary events in
rural communities throughout both
states.
The read i ngs also are co-sponsored
by the Regional Arts Council of
Central Oregon and the American
Association of University Women.
A reception will follow the read
ing. The poets will be available for
signing books.
$ a mmm
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Teachers at Madras Jr. High selected four students for the month of April who represented excellence in
behavior and academic achievement. They are: (left to right) Susie Marston, daughter of A lex and Kathleen
Marston, Madras; Jamie Sites, son of Ed and Karen Sites, Madras; Scott Moses, son of Gary and Lilly Walker,
Warm springs; and (not pictured) Heather Clowers, daughter of Paul and Caryn Clowers, Madras.
Teen leadership workshop scheduled
I he lirst Annual Teen Leader
ship Institute is scheduled for June
26 to July I in Canby. Oregon.
Sponsored by Oregon Student
Safety on the Move(OSSOM), the
workshop stresses the overall goal
of reducing the use of alcohol and
other drugs among young people
of this state.
The Institute believes the devel
opment of strong prevention cttons
and investment of young people as
leaders will help reduce the high
level use of alcohol and drugs.
The six-day camp will allow youth
to return to communities with new
ideas in prevention efforts. Stu
dents will be involved in informa
tional workshops, experiential
opportunities, caring and sharing
groups and recreational events.
Teams of students arc invited.
Registration per team is $750 ($ 1 25
per team member).
For more information contact
OSSOM, Department of Health.
Oregon State University. Waldo
Hall 316. Corvallis. Oregon 9733 1 -6406
or call 754-2387.
Chemawa hold 102-year commencement
Chrmawa Indian School, the old-
Special Curriculum
Students at Warm Springs Elementary are provided with specific curricu
lum about sexual abuse. The basic program includes films, discussion
and activities. The school counselor and the school nurse also speak to
clauses revardinp the nrnhtem. Children are enrnuraped in talk In nennle
in authority whom they trust if they feel there is a need. .. school's auditorium. The speaker! Corey along with being one of her
-"in .nuoui wm oc rauicr junri nasuan, wic '
only Catholic priest who is also a
Chemawa Indian School, the old
est off-reservation Indian boarding
school in the country, will hold its
102 year commencement exercises
on June 3 on the school's track and
field, weather permitting.
Speakers are James Thomas and
Yonnie Evening.
Thomas, a member of the Tlingit
Tribe of Alaska, and a nationally
recognized consultant on Indian
leadership development, will be the
main speaker.
Evening, senior class speaker, is
a member of the Shoshone-Bannock
Tribe of Idaho, class and dorm
officer, and part of the Drug Abuse
Prevention and Treatment Program
through the school's drug counsel
ing department.
Validictorian is Martin Smith,,
Tlingit-Tsimpsian from Alaska, and
salutatorian is Susan Johnston, Ara
paho from Wyoming.
Baccalaureate services will be
held on June 2 at 7 p.m. in the
ferson, Crow; Ronald Jim, Colville.
Susan Johnston, Arapho; Cheri
Kicking Woman, Blackfcct; Levi
Lupe, Nez Perce; Betty Jo Mat
thews, Ankara; Nekita Melovidov,
Aleut; Charles Mendalook, Eskimo;
Nathan Metcalf, Siletz; William
Miller, Sioux; Theresa Nappo, Sho
Ban; Alane Reevis, Blackfeet: Tra-
cey Rider, Assiniboine; Mark Smith,
Gro-Ventre Shoshone; Michelle
Stcrnbeck, Yakima; Coy Tindall,
Shoshone; Glen Trosper, Arapa
hoe; George Trout, Haida; Hattie
Wahsise, Yakima; Mike Walla, Gros
Ventre; Jackie Walluk, Eskimo.
Rex Ward, Quileute; Stephanie
Waters, Colville; Laurie Watt, Col
ville; Francis Weeks, Sioux; Joen
White, Crow; Claudine Williams;
Juanite Fogarty, Sioux Assiniboine;
Alex Little, Colville; Darrell Little
light, Crow; Clint Malutin, Alas
kan Native; Veronica Martin,
Northern Ute; Leo Shotridge, Athabascan.
Students ready for new challenges
by Saphronia Coochise
18 year-old Corey L. Clements
of Warm Springs is the daughter of
Mike and Maxine Clements. Corey
is of Wasco descent. Her grand
parents are Allen and Louise Lan
gley of Warm Springs. She has one
brother, Ron, who is 22 years-old.
Rodeo is a special interest to
Warm Springs Elementary calendar
June 3 June birthday lunch join your child at the "special birthday
table during their regular lunch period.
June 4 Graduation Madras Senior High 3:00 p.m.
June 7 Title IV-A meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the WSE Media Center
June 8 June Award's Assembly 9:00 a.m. announcing outstanding
citizens for the month of June.
June 9 Last Day of School
June 9 Mini Powwow WSE 1:15 p.m. 3:15 p.m. Comeand help
the students and staff celebrate the ending of another special
school year at WSF.
MJH schedule of events
June 3 6th grade visit to MJH
June 7 Third Annual Academic Awards Program, 7,-OOp.m.
June 9 Last day of school
medicine man. The invocation and
benedication will be given by mem
bers of the school's Spiritual Cul
tural team.
The public is invited to both
graduation and baccalaureate pro
grams. The following is a list of Chem
awa graduating seniors, Class of
1988:
Bette Benson, Yakima; Vernon
Bogar, Nez Perce; Jeff Brisbois,
Warm Springs; Christine Brown,
Athabascan; Grace Byrd, Nisquali:
Lisa Chavez, Northern Cheyenne ,
and Northern Arapaho; Leigh Cof
fee, Eskimo; Michelle Crowe, Yaki
ma; Vaughn Eaglebear, Colville;
Yonnie Evening, Sho-Ban; Ed Fen
ton, Flathead; Marietta Grunlose,
Colville; Geena Guardipee, Black
feet; Kellee Hillaire, Lummi; Vero-,
nica Hudson, Yakima; Jerry Jef-
favorite sports.' Basketball is thd"
other. She participated in basket
ball her freshman year.
She has no particular teacher or
class that is a favorite. She only has
four classes a day and likes them
all. She is involved in work expe
rience the remainder of the day, in
which she is employed at First
Interstate Bank.
She sees high school as being the
best years in her life so far. She is
not really anxious to leave high
school because she will miss eve
ryone, mostly her friends.
Clements has chosen to be a
legal assistant and plans to attend
Portland Community College.
Roy R. Tulee is 1 7 years-old and
is the son of Patricia Tulee of
Warm Springs and Roy Bilagody
of Tuba City, Arizona.
Roy is of Warm Springs, Navajo,
ind Yakima descent. He has one
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Corey Clements
sister, 10-year-old Jaclyn Tulee.
His grandparents are Clifford B.
Tulee of Toppenish, Washington
and Annette and Jesse Bilagody of
Tuba City, Arizona.
Tulee is chairmen of the Native
American Student Union at MHS.
He enjoys riding horses, playing
basketball, and collect things of
interest to him.
Roy states that Forestry with
Bill Wysham and all his classes
with Larry Larson are his favorite.
Honor Awards, Self Achievement,
writing, typing, are numerous awards
Roy has received throughout high
Roy Tulee
school. Reflecting on his years in
high school, Roy states as his out
look of the past says, "It was tough,
but I conquered school and I'm
ready for new challenges." His last
year are pretty great but once the
days until graduation start getting
shorter he felt sad. Friends and
teachers are what he will miss most
about high school. Accounting,
Business or Forestry are the choi
ces he has figured for a career but
has not yet selected a college.
He states about high school,
"This has been one major step in
my life."
Vast contributions have been made by Native Americans
Native American Contributions
The list of contributions are brief and
far from beini a comprehensive list.
Brevity was intentional. Research is always
available to the interested and the scholars.
Complied by: Lloyd Smith, Sr.
Few persons today recognize, or are
appreciative of, the vast contributions
made to contemporary life by the Native
Americans. All aspects of Indian exist
ence: Agriculture, government, religion,
trade, mythology, econonics, and arts
and crafts influenced white men at one
time or another and helped to shape the
destiny of each of the countries of the
Western Hemisphere.
From the moment of Columbus's land
fall in the Bahamas, the Indian made
possible the European's first precarious
footholds in every part of the Americas.
He supplied the newcomer with Indian
foods that were new to him, taught him
to plant, fish, and hunt with Indian
methods, guided him through the wil
derness over Indian trails and in Indian
style watercraft, and introduced him to
Indian implements, utensils, tools, clo
thing, and ways of life that made exist
ence easier and more secure. By friendly
trade he supplied the white man with furs
and other goods that helped revoluntion
ize styles and materials in the Old Worlds;
and his art forms, crafts, and cultural
objects heavily influenced certain aspects
of European artistic and intellectual life.
Indian gold and other treasures built
up the courts, armies, and navies of
European rulers and nations, and finan
cial intrigues, rivalries, and wars among
imperial powers for generations. Finally,
Indian social and political concepts and
structures profoundly influenced settlers
and Old World philosophers alike and
played a significant role in the evolution
of many modem institutions of govern
ment and dialy life.
Among the world's total food supply
today, almost half the crops grown were
first domesticated by Native Americans
and became known to white men only
after 1492. Two of those crops, com and
rotatoes, are now with rice and
v. heat the most important staples in the
v orld. Not far behind them in present
day importance are two other Indian
developed crops manioc, which has
become a staple in parts of Africa, and
the American sweet potato.
In addition to theabove, Indians intro
duced to the white men more than eighty
other domesticated plants.
At least 59 drugs were bequeathed to
modern medicine by the Indians.
It is interesting to note that in the 400
years that European physicians and bot
anists have been examining and analyz
ing the Flora of America, they have not
yet discovered a medicanal herb not
known to the Indians.
Tobacco first seen in use by Colum
bus came from the Indians, Tobacco,
too, carried with it a way of life. The pipe
of peace is an enduring symbol of the
invitation to relaxation and contentment
that makes poor men rich.
Think of the menu of an American
holiday dinner: Turkey, mashed pota
toes, candied sweet potatoes, butter beans,
squash, corn, salad-tomatoes, peppers,
and pumpkin pie, all gifts of the Indian.
Irish potatoes, turkish tobacco, India
rubber, Egyptian cotton what are all
these, but Native American products dis
guised with respectable Old World name.
At least 26 states have Indian names as
do many cities, towns, lakes, rivers, and
mountains.
Both the rubber ball and the game of
Lacrosse were adopted from Indians.
"During his second visit to South Amer
ica," the Encyclopedia Britannica tells
us, "Columbus was astonished to see the
Native Americans amusing themselves
with a black, heavy ball made from a
vegetable gum."
Native Americans practiced different
techniques that are still practiced today:
Food preparations such as smoking and
drying meat, fish, and fruits (they were
eating fruit leather long before 1492).
Since gold was easy to get, the Indian
workmanship of gold amazed Europeans.
Panning for gold was adopted from the
Indians.
Some say the Aztec Calendar was bet
ter than the one we have today. The
Mayans had already developed a calendar
with 365 days.
Native Americans had the knowledge
of the ocean and used currents and pas
sages. They guided early explorers as
they made maps of the American
Continents.
The Incas were making silver crowns
for capping teeth thousand of years ago.
Many woodcraft skills were derived
from Indians, and the International Boy
and Girl Scouts movements were inspired,
in great part, by the lessons of the Indian
life.
Sequoyah: The complexity of creating
in alphabet from scratch is mind-boggling.
It took generations of civilizations to
accomplish this formidable feat. And yet,
for the only recorded time in the history
of man, a single individual achieved what
was considered to an impossibility. In
New Echota, Georgia on February 28,
1828, a four page newspaper called the
"Cherokee Phoenix" hit the village for
the first time. The newspaper was the
culmination of the dreams of one man: a
Cherokee Indian (The Principal People)
called the Lame One by his own tribe; but
called Sequoyah by the white historians.
Unable to read or write the white
man's language, this dedicated, driven
Indian man accomplished the impossib
le.. .he created an alphabet using the
sounds and symbols of the Cherokee lan
guage. It is still used to this day. He
became the first and only man in history
to achieve this task.
Very little is said of this genius in the
history books, and the only solid reminder
of his greatness are the giant redwood
trees of California which have been called
"Sequoias" after him. Perhaps it is pro
phetic. Sequoyah called the first written
pages of his language the "talking leaves.''
"It is ironical that today the conversa
tion movement finds itself turning back
to ancient Indian land ideas, to the
Indian understanding that we are not
outside of nature, but of it," write Secre
tary of the Interior Steward L. L'diU in
his book. The Quiet Crisis, in 1963.
Even the lowly Indian ("Irish") potato
revolutionized European history. First it
banished the fear of hunder from mil
lions of European homes. For firm fam
ily that would starve on tour acres ot
wheat or rye could thrive and multiply on
an acre of potatoes. The introduction of
the white potato resulted in an unprece
dented rise in the standard of living of
Europe and the British Isles, and ulti
mately laid the basis fora great growth in
population density and a vast expansion
of commerce and industry.
The human significance of the material
things that were developed by Indians is
great. For corn as countless Indian genera
tions have known, is not simply a thing.
It is a way of life. Corn, reproducing itself
three hundredfold without benefit of
horse or plow, where plowed fields of
wheat or rye produce only twentyfold or
thirtyfold, is a sturdy friend of freedom.
The frontiersman who would not accept
a burdensome government could take a
sack of seed corn on his shoulders into
the wilderness in the spring and after
three months he might be reasonably
assured against hunger for the rest of his
life. No such path to freedom, no such
check upon the growth of tyranny, was
every open to growers of wheat or rye or
rice.
In medicine, as in the production of
food and textiles, the conventional pic
ture of the Indian an an ignorant savage
is very far from the truth. Until a few
years ago most of American's contribu
tions to medical science were of Indian
origin. Quinine, cocaine, cascara, sagrada,
ipecac, witch hazel, oil of wintergreen,
petroleum jelly, arnica all these and
many other native medicines were known
and developed by the medical profession
in America long before the first white
physician landed on North or South
America shores. In fact each of these
products were denounced by learned
European doctors before it became
accepted into the normal pharmacopo
eia. Coca (for cocaine and novocaine),
curare (a muscla relaxant), cascara sagrada
(a laxative), datura (a pain-reliever), and
ephdra (a nasal remdey). were bequeathed
to modern medicine by the Indians.
It is out of the rich Indian democratic
tradition that the distinctive political
ideals of American life emerged. Univer
sal suffrage for women as well as for men,
the patterns of states within a state that
we call federalism, the habit of treating
chiefs as servants of the people instead of
their masters, the insistence that the
community must respect the diversity of
men and the diversity of their dreams
all these things were part of the Native
American way of life before Columbus
came.
Is it any wonder that the greatest
teachers of American democracy have
gone to school with the Indian?
Were not the first common councils of
the American Colonies, the Council of
Lancaster in 1 744 and the famous Albany
Congress of 1754, councils called for the
purpose of treating with the Iroquiois
Confederacy, whose leaders were unwil
ling to treat separately with the various
quarreling Colonies. It was the great Iro
quois Chief Canasatego who advised the
Colonial governors meeting at Lancaster
in 1744:
Our wise forefathers established Union
and Amity between the Five Nations.
This has made us formidable, this has
given us great Weight and Authority with
our neighboring Nations. We are a pow
erful Confederacy; and by your observ
ing the same Methods, our wise forefath
ers have taken, you will acquire such
strength and power. Therefore whatever
befalls you, never fall out with one another.
The advice of Conasatego was eagerly
taken up by Benjamin Franklin.
It would be a strange thing (Benjamin
Franklin advised the Albany Congress) if
six nations of ignorant savages should be
capable of forming a scheme for such an
union and be able to execute it in such a
manner that it has subsisted ages and
appears indissoluble, and yet that a like
union should be impracticable for ten or
a dozen English colonies, to whom it is
more necessary and must be more advan
tageous, and who cannot be supposed to
want an equal understanding of their
interest.
Not always were the historians of the
conqueror entirely blind to what was
happening among the settlers of the New
World. The contagion of the Indian's
love of freedom, which defeated every
attempt to establish Indian slavery, and
quickly spread to the Indian's white
neighbors, was noted in 1 776 in a popular
account ol America, widely circulated in
England:
The darling passion of the American is
liberty and that in its fullest extent; nor is
it in the original natives only to whom
this passion is confined; our colonists
sent thither seem to have imbibed the
same principles.
Something happened to the English
colonists who had become accustomed to
the voice of authority through centuries
of Tudor, Stuart and plantagenent des
potism, accustomed to taking orders,
backed by force, in the nursery and the
schoolroom in the workshop and the
field, in the choice of dress, mate, occu
pation and creed. And what was happen
ing to these European colonists in the
formative years of our growth as a nation
was happening in a land where whites
were a small minority. It was to Indian
guides that European colonists had to go
to learn how to grow corn and tobacco,
how to stalk or snare American game,
how to travel the Indian trails that laced
the American wilderness. And it was
from these same Indian guides that Euro
pean colonists learned other lessons they
had not dreamed of learning what they
left the Old World.
Concept of Freedom: the white man
saw although they often misinter
pretedIndian ways of life that seemed
Utopian. Descriptions of Indians who
lived in a golden age of virtue and inno
cence began with the writings of Peter
Martyr in the 16th Century. His writings
were widely circulated in Europe and by
the 1 8th century their impact had reached
its height, affecting not only the courts of
Europe which found delight in masques
and balls whose participants played at
being happy, innocent American Indi
ans, but more serious philisophera. The
letter, from Montaigne to Russeau, com
pared what they understood to be the lot
of free Indians with the state of men in
Europe who were living in want undrr
anous forms of tyranny Fverywhere
Rousseau wrote, with is hi eye on the
Indians as white men first discovered
them, "man is bom free, and everywhere
he is in chains." The powder keg the phi
losophers ignited erupted eventually into
revolutions that changed the world.