Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (June 12, 2003)
E Coosb EEWA: The wy it is Psge 4 Spilyay Tymoo June 12, 2003 Pi-Ume-Sha just around the corner By Selena Boise Spilyay Tymoo Spring has begun and sum mer is upon us, that means a lot of organized gatherings and out door activities are about to take place. We can look forward to the get together or activities involv ing families and community members. The Rose Fes tival has just ended and Pi-Ume-Sha is right around the corner. The Rose Festival has always been a fun time for families to attend. It is quite a drive for us but there is so much activity there. There is the Starlight Pa rade, the powwow, the Grand Floral Parade, and the children's favorite, the carnival. I was reading the Spilyay from 25 years ago and found that the Warm Springs tribes en tered the Grand Floral Parade twice back then and won a blue ribbon each time. The blue rib bon was in the Civic Organiza tion category. I am wondering why Warm Springs hasn't entered in all these years between then and now. Well I can guess that it takes a lot of work. Getting commu nity members involved in a project such as this takes a lot of time as well. Makes anyone wonder what it takes to become involved, and why there aren't as many get ting involved. There are a lot of youth out there in the commu nity with so much energy, and seems like there must be some way to get them to become in volved. Develop incentives for them. It would be nice if 25 years from now we would have a blue ribbon story in the newspaper to reflect back to. The Pi-Ume-Sha is coming around and there will be candi dates selling raffle tickets to win the title of queen for the pow wow. The queen is to reign over the powwow and represent Pi-Ume-Sha throughout the year at other powwows or gatherings. The Pi-Ume-Sha weekend will have many activities as they do each year. We can look forward to the Indian dancing, stick games, softball, basketball, boxing, the parade, 10k race, endurance race, rodeo, and golf. There will be something for everyone at this annual event. I look forward to the visitors coming to Warm Springs. Some times I will meet up with friends from years back. I get the chance to catch up with them, and find out how they have been since I last saw them. I do like to watch the dance contests held each year because there arc so many talented dancers. I don't know how the judges can choose. These two celebrations give us plenty to look forward to. Then we will look forward to the Fourth of July celebration and the day's activities. The activities for this day are a lot of work and they arc looking for individuals who are willing to volunteer their assis tance. With the summer coming along, there are lots of activi ties wc cant take part in. If you have some free time this summer, take the initiative to volunteer. Your efforts will be appreciated. Spilyay Speaks A thank you Dear Editor, I would like to thank the Warm Springs people who at tended and took part in the ser vices for Gerald "Nic" Nicodemus. The family appre ciated the people who took time out to travel the distance to pay tribute to "Marc." Madeline, Ted, Gerry, Wilford, Wendell, Adeline, Orthelia and Babe, Freda and family, Jody Calica, Toto and Wakash. There were others, I cannot remember everyone. Just know how thankful we are and were comforted by your presence. We appreciated the drums, singing and bundles. We were comforted and felt like we were at home and so proud of the songs and power from the drums and singing. Nic thought of Warm Springs as his second home and shared many memories of the good times with everyone. We will miss him but are content that he didn't have a prolonged illness. Sincerely, Millie Nicodemus and family Apology I, Jose S. Hernandez, would like to apologize to the Warm Springs community for driving under the influence of alcohol. I am changing my life for the better. Ever since my arrest, I have not consumed alcohol. I have been sober for over 35 days and my plans are to con tinue to stay clean and sober. Again, I apologize for driving while under the influence of al cohol in the Warm Springs area, and it will not happen again. Thank you. Jose S. Hernandez Not responsible I will not be responsible for any debts for Norman C. Libby, after May 8, 2003. Thank you. Alberta Comedown Libby Jump for Heart The Warm Springs Elemen tary School held the Annual Jump Rope for Heart on April 16. 1 would like to take this time to thank the following people for their support and donations. They are as follows: Conference helps (Note: This is a brief introduc tory article in a short series on "Wealing the Wounded Spirit." The article is provided by Commu nity Counseling.) The "I lealing our Wounded Spirits III" conference was held in Omak, Wash., hosted by the Colville Tribes on April 6-10, with the theme, "Releasing the Tears." This was the third in a scries of five "I lealing our Wounded Spirits (HOWS)" conferences, to be held in the Northwest. These conferences are believed to be the first to address issues of Native American historical trauma and grief. In May 2001, the first con ference was held and hosted by the Siletz Tribe with the theme, "Peeling Back the Onion." The second conference was held in May 2002, and hosted by the Warm Springs Tribes with the theme, "Facing the I Iurt." The next conference in 2004 will be held in Pendleton, hosted by the Umatilla Tribes, with the theme being, "Wiping the Tears." In 2005 a fifth confer ence will be hosted by the Kla math Tribes, with the theme being, "Picking Up the Tears." Letters to the Sara Ohman, Gramcracker, Monica Leonard, Lyle and Arlita Rhoan, Edison Yazzie and fam ily, mom, dad and D-bo, George and Natalie Picard, Devon Rhoan, Donna Torres, Raymond Torres, Antone Torres, Joann Moses, Bridget Culpus, Karen Guerin, Jordan and Jestin Leonard, Dennis Th ompson, Sam Starr, Tom Kathrein, Janet Corbett, Redine Kirk, Candra Philbert, Earl and Rita Squiemphen, Herb and Earlynne, Tommy Fuentes, Robin Mitchell, Vesta Johnson, and Warm Springs Composite Products. Once again I would like to thank you all for the support. Jermaine Sampson To Simnasho To the Simnasho people, Thank you for sponsoring me $5 to $10 to Jump Rope for Heart. I thank you, Simnasho community. Katiemae Smith Frazier Fundraiser A big thank you to all who supported the recent fundraiser at the longhouse. Over $1,200 was raised. One-half will go to the Priscilla Yazzie cause, and one-half to thejefferson County Special Olympics. Willy Fuentes, brothers and sisters Time to write I'm writing to the Warm Springs people to let them know my address and location. People have been asking for my address but I've been withholding it for a while. I'll respond to all let ters. I have a lot of time to write back. I've played a lot of b-ball with the Chuck Taylor All Stars, and lots of working out. Still, letters and pictures would be appreciated, just no polaroids allowed. Well, thank you for your time to read this. My address is: Ray Smith Sr. 66926-065. Fed eral Detention Center, P.O. Box 6000, Sheridan, OR 97378- 7000. Sincerely, Ray Smith Sr. Fear not Some duff called me a preacher because I point our people to Jesus. Preachers live lives so clean, they can point out your unclean living, and get "money offerings" to do it. I The staff at the Northwest Indian Prevention and Interven tion Core (NIPIRC) initiated this project through a grant proposal headed by Tom Ball, PhD, Or egon Social Learning Center in Eugene. The purpose of these con ferences is to begin a grass roots movement and process of heal ing and recovery from histori cal trauma and grief. All Indian nations have suffered tremen dous loss, pain, and continue to suffer today from genocide and oppression of colonization. The realization is that each family in dividual tribal community has suffered in its own way, but each community has the strengths for healing rooted in their own tra ditional values and beliefs. As an example, all Indian nations have "prayer and songs" rooted in their religion and cer emony that guide them daily in their lives. These need to be re vived, taught and passed on to our youth and future generations of people. This faith and hope has been the spirit for healing since time immemorial. I tumble asking for blessings from the Creator or God will mend our wounded spirits. never claim to be "holier than thou' (only forgiven) and I don't take up offerings. My Grandma, Gladys Th ompson, used to tell me to pray before a boxing match, and be fore I chased horses down steep hills, only 9 years old, and when she knew something was both ering me. I knew she loved me and would only tell me truth. I also only want to tell you tnith, so you aren't heading for hell. In Numbers 22:28-33, when God's servant Balaam was not obeying God, and going a direc tion that God told him not to, God placed an angel with a sword in his way, and though Balaam couldn't see harm s way, Balaam's donkey did. The don key was wise enough to go a dif ferent way, but Balaam beat him for it. So the Lord caused his don key to speak to him and tell him it was for Balaam's own good for changing direction. He was heading for death and his don key "saved" his life. I know my actions are ques-, tionable at times and water down my words. But, if my grandmas, moms, dads and role models won't tell their kids about God, then I guess this donkey will keep on telling them. Satan hinders my life so I'll shut up, but I never will. Our people are too important for that. So, there are only two fears man really has. Fear of the past called guilt and fear of the fu ture called worry. God says (I John 4:18) "Perfect love casts out all fear." Jesus casts our "guilt" by dying for all your guilty acts so you can approach God in prayer with a clean slate. God casts out all "worry" by promising to never forsake you and He'll be with you always (thick and thin). So pray to Jesus accepting that love, and be saved and born again with the Holy Spirit be gotten in your hearts. Then fear not. Mr. and Mrs. R.T. Thompson Vaccine There is a vaccine to protect people from smallpox. It is made from a virus called vacinia, which is similar to smallpox virus but less harmful. The vaccine does not contain smallpox virus. Most people will be protected from smallpox if they receive the vaccine before exposure. healing wounded There is no easy way to ad dress the topic of historical trauma and Indians. The first conference hosted by the Siletz, "Peeling Back the Onion," was a way to identify the traumas, revealing layer by layer the dif ferent ways the government at tempted to assimilate and de stroy the Indian way of life. These are a few ways that were used to destroy our Indian ways: Land Removal Act of 1830, used to place us on reservations, not allowing food gathering trips, no access to natural foods. We would be our own farmers and grow our own food on in adequate land, with no water, ir rigation, etc. Establishment of boarding schools (in Warm Springs 1874 1963), not allowed to speak In dian language, learn from En glish language books. If parents or grandparents were in board ing schools, thcjwere reluctant to speak to their own children in their own language, feeling their children might fail in school. Also took children to Christian church. Longhouscs in early years had to go under ground because longhouse lead ers would be exiled from reser Editor Getting the vaccine within three days after exposure can prevent the disease or make it less se vere. In May a volunteer group of health workers from Jefferson and Deschutes counties (includ ing the Warm Springs Health Center) were vaccinated against smallpox. In the event of a case of smallpox in Central Oregon, these workers would locate and vaccinate the people who came in contact with the infected per son. Voluntary vaccinations will be expanded to include all healthcare workers and first re sponded during the second phase of the pre-event planning. The vaccine is not available to the general public at this time. For more information about smallpox, please call public health nursing at the Health and Wellness Center, 553-1196, ext. 4142. Diana Howell, RN, MSN, public health nursing-Path to God Hey, how are you and God doing today? I have had a lot of discussions with folks about religions, the many paths to God idea. All paths leading to the same God are good. I have been looking hard at my own path to God, called Christianity. I look down at the trail I'm on and see other trails coming and going with people scattered about them. For some folks there are questions of di A visit to the Tribal members Ernie Ruiz, Cameron Smith and Illante Smith recently traveled to Salem, where they met with Gov. Ted Kulongoski. Tribal members were at vations or punished for practic ing their own religions. 1950s and 1960s, adoptions off-reservation with non-Indian foster homes. Used to take the Indian out of the Indian. Termination of reservations (1953-1968), a quick fix for In dians to fail in society, forced to survive in a white world or die. Lots of people did not survive. The suicide rate was high. To name a few ways used to assimilate our ancestors, Our people (ancestors) were strong people, who were very resilient survivors. Their inner spirit, the spirituality of our ancestors, could not but be passed onto us - LWj '""v I yu-.. J: Releasing the Tears Gathering Tuesday, June 17,2003 He-He Longhouse 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. 8-8:30 a.m.: Registration, coffee, juice, etc. 8 a.m.: Invo cation. 8:45 a.m.: Mr. Tom Ball, keynote speaker, "Peel ing back the onion to facing the hurt to releasing the tears." 10-10:15 a.m. Break, 10:15 a.m. Clans. 11:45-1:15 p.m. Break, snacks. 2:30 p.m.: Sharing time. 4:30-4:50 p.m.: Washing the tears. 4:50-5 p.m.: Closing prayer. 5 p.m. Time out. 5:30 p.m. 1 (one) seven. 6 p.m.: Dinner Vor further information contact ' Char I lerkshan or Guy W'allulatum, Community Counseling Center, SS)-320S. rection, speed, even if this is the right trail. As for my own path I am reminded from the Bible and my prayers that the differ ence of my path is that my God is with me. My God is in me. My path is not to him, but with him. The trail does not lead me to heaven, because heaven is with me, and also with those who believe God is with them in their lives. So, I still walk the trail of life, but it is a different kind of trail. My God of love is with me, in me, beside me, over me, under me, a part of me on the trail of life. If anyone has an extra coin or two to donate to the Warm Springs Presbyterian Church, we can use the money to buy food for the food bank. For a case of pork and beans, or refried beans the cost is $9. For a case of peanut butter or chili it is $12. Rev. Rick Ribeiro Letters It is the policy of Spilyay Tymoo to print Letters to the Editor from any and all tribal members, Because of space limitations, letters cannot ex ceed 350 words. Letters that are longer than 350 words will be cut starting with the last sentence and progressing up until the text falls within the 350-word limit. This policy is necessary in order to ensure that room ex ists in the newspaper for all of the Letters to the Editor. Photo courtesy of Colleen Roba state capital the state capital to testify in regard to proposed legislation relating to Native American helath care. It was also Na tive American Appreciation Day. spirits as the blood within our veins. The religions of our people, the hope, strength, and faith of our ciders is the wisdom that got us to today. Resiliency and faith is the blessings the CreatorGod gave us to live life. I low do we heal our wounded spirits form historical trauma? I low do we talk about the. un speakable? I low do we forgive the unforgivable? If we realize it or not, today, we carry in our hearts the grief and traumas of our ancestors. Reviving our tra ditions, culture, language, prayer, and songs are ways In dian nations can heal their wounded spirits.
