E Coosh EEWA: The way it is Letters to the editor Lincoln’s Powwow This last year has been a challenging time for us all as positive cases of the virus have touched all of us across the world. Many gath- erings and powwows in In- dian Country have been can- celled to help keep our people safe. We, too, are concerned about the safety of all our precious people and with that in mind, our committee has decided to cancel the 2021 Lincoln’s Powwow in Simnasho. We hope to see better times in the near future and to see you all soon on the powwow trail. With a brighter future we aim to be back on track with our powwow in 2022. Thank you. Lincoln’s Powwow Committee. Birth Joseph Frank Mitchell Jr. Joseph Mitchell and Lia Orozco of Warm Springs are pleased to announce the birth of their son Joseph Frank Mitchell Jr., born on December 16, 2020. Joseph joins brothers Aidan, 11, Jeff, 8, and Gerardo, 3; and sisters Esmerelda, 16, Carmen, 14, and Juniper, 9. Grandparents on the father’s side are the late Jeff Mitchell of Warm Springs; and Suk Cha Kim-Mitchell of Seoul, South Korea. Grandparents on the mother’s side are Randy and Rhoda Smith of War m Springs; and Sabino Orozco of Madras. Bible man Chief Joseph believed in the Book of Heaven, the Bible. Look for your free Bible lesson in your mail. Why is there so much pain and suffering? Does God see and care? Our free offer will give you answers. Contact us at The Bible Man. Phone 541-546-6339. Text 541-306-1784. MHS letter (from page 2) Materials for the third quarter, coming up in Feb- ruary, will be distributed by teachers when they return to school. Do students need parking passes this year? No, Parking passes will not be issued. Parking is first- come first-serve in the back parking lot only. Are lockers going to be assigned? No, Lockers will not be issued this quarter. For questions about stu- dents’ schedules, Who do we contact at Madras High School? Students with last names A-L contact counselor Jess Swagger at jswagger.509j.net Students with last names M-Z contact counselor Stacy Bruce at sbruce@509j.net For questions about Ma- dras High School Covid-19 protocols, sanitation and safety, Who do we contact? Contact the district nurse Kris Hohulin at khohulin@509j.net For questions about Powerschool, Who do we contact at the high school? Contact registrar Cassie Piercy at cpiercy@509j.net For questions about ath- letics at the high school, Who do we contact? Mark Stewart at mstewart@509j.net Zuleyma Canales at zcanales@509j.net As soon as your Madras High School administration has more information about our in-person return, our families will be notified. At the high school we could not be happier than to welcome you back to in-per- son learning in the coming weeks. And remember, There are those who say the White Buffalo is a sign of hope and an indication of good times to come. Madras High School principals Brian Crook and Mark Stewart SMART goals The team at War m Springs Holistic Health wishes everyone in the com- munity a year full of joy, wellness and personal growth. We encourage you to aim high this year, focus- ing your time and strengths towards the most meaning- ful aspects of your life. The first step in making power- ful changes is being inten- tional and setting ‘smart’ goals. Smart: Specific: Define your goal. What is it? How much or how long? The clearer your goal, the easier it will be to stay accountable. Ex- ample: Joe makes a goal to walk for 15 minutes total per day, five days per week. Measurable: Determine a way to measure your progress and success. How will you know when you have completed your goal? Achievable: Goals should be challenging but not over- whelming. Consider your Spilyay Tymoo (Coyote News, Est. 1976) Publisher Emeritus in Memorium: Sid Miller Editor: Dave McMechan Spilyay Tymoo is published bi-weekly by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Our of- fices are located at 4174 Highway 3 in Warm Springs. Any written materials submitted to Spilyay Tymoo should be addressed to: Spilyay Tymoo, P.O. Box 489, Warm Springs, OR 97761. Phone: 541-553-2210 or 541-771-7521 E-Mail: david.mcmechan@wstribes.org. Annual Subscription rates: Within U.S.: $20.00 Page 4 Spilyay Tymoo January 13, 2021 Riders make Junior World Finals Rodeo Courtesy Paleena Spino Siddalee Spino-Suppah (above left) and Isaiah Florendo (left) in December made it to the Junior World Rodeo Finals. The 2020 Finals were held in Texas, as the usual Las Vegas venue was not available due to virus precautions. Competing 2,000 miles from home, Sidda and Isaiah both had great and memorable experiences. Siddalee received an invite to The Longest Runway: Legacy of The West Gala. She was the guest of Bronc Riding Nation’s Lori Lee O’Harver. Sidda got to meet and mingle with some big names in the rodeo world, such as Wade Sundell, the 2019 World Champion Saddle Bronc rider. She also ran into the legendary Billy Etbauer, five-time World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider. ing an infection, may not even last very long. Accord- ing to the Centers for Dis- ease Control and Preven- tion, natural immunity also varies from person to per- son and there is real poten- tial for re-infection. Vaccination is the best tool we have to help us end the Covid-19 pandemic in Oregon and across the globe. The mRNA vaccines de- veloped by Moderna and Pfizer give our cells instruc- tions for how to make a har mless protein that is unique to the virus. Our bodies recognize that the protein should not be there and build T- lymphocytes and B-lym- phocytes that will remem- ber how to fight the vi- rus that causes Covid-19 if we are infected in the future. By getting vaccinated, wearing masks, washing our hands, staying physi- cally distant and avoiding large indoor gatherings, we can help stop the spread of Covid-19. If enough of us get vaccinated, we can achieve community immunity and the virus will not spread so quickly. Time-bound: Goals should have a starting point and ending point. Decide how long this goal should take you. Sometimes it is easier to manage shorter duration goals over a week or two before pursuing longer term commitments. If you have any ques- tions or would like additional guidance in writing your smart goal, please feel free to reach out to the Physical Therapy team at War m Springs Holistic Health. As Zig Ziglar would say, “A goal properly set is halfway reached.” War m Springs Holistic Health is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Fri- day. Appointments are re- quired. Call 541-777- 2663 to learn more. The center, a program of Managed Care, is located on campus next to the court- house. Alicia Oberholzer, Physical Therapist, W.S. Ho- listic Health. On vaccines What’s the best way to build immunity against Covid-19? Some people may be wondering if getting a Covid-19 vaccine is as ef- fective at building immu- nity as getting infected by the virus. The answer is that the body will build immunity to Covid-19 in a different way with the vaccine than through infection. However, infection has the potential to lead to se- rious symptoms, which may prove to be deadly. Natural immunity, which is gained from hav- baseline and if you have the resources, time, and envi- ronment necessary to sup- port your goal. Are there any barriers that must first be overcome? Relevant: Find a goal that is meaningful to you. De- velop a plan that is motivat- ing, empowering, and im- proves your quality of life. StrongHearts Native Helpline receives 10,000th call StrongHearts Native Helpline—1-844-7NA- TIVE—this month tallied its ten-thousandth call. These calls have been from Native people reaching out to the helpline for safe, confidential support; and resources for domestic, dating and sexual violence. “This is an important mile- stone in our work to support victim-sur vivors seeking healing,” said StrongHearts director Lori Jump, member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Since March 2017, StrongHearts Native Helpline has offered a cultur- ally-appropriate helpline for Native American and Alaska Native victim-sur vivors, their relatives and friends, ser- vice providers and those questioning their own abu- sive behavior. StrongHearts is a collabo- rative effort of the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center. Early in the Covid-19 pan- demic, calls took a slight dip as more people were forced to shelter-in-place with abusive partners: Native victim-survi- vors were more isolated than ever and struggled to have a safe opportunity to reach out for help. In response, StrongHearts added online chat advocacy, adjusting their marketing strategy to reach more Native Americans and Alaska Natives. As a result, calls and chats have increased as more people realize that StrongHearts is here to help. “We honor the bravery that victim-survivors possess for reaching out to StrongHearts during these exceptionally difficult times,” Jump said. Diverse advocates navigate each caller’s situa- tion with safety, compassion and respect. Advocates take calls from anyone who is im- pacted by violence and needs help. Created by and for Na- tive Americans, StrongHearts is uniquely equipped to serve a popula- tion facing some of the high- est rates of domestic vio- lence in the United States. The severity of victims’ experiences is telling: More than seven out of 10 victim-survivor callers reported experiencing more than one type of abuse, in- cluding physical abuse, emo- tional abuse, sexual abuse, fi- nancial abuse, digital abuse, cultural abuse, and other complex situations. Nearly 40 percent expe- riencing violence reported a child being involved in their situation. The top ser vice re- quested by victim-survivors was peer support. Referrals to shelters was the second most requested service. Tribes, even as sovereign nations, face significant ju- risdictional hurdles when ad- dressing domestic violence in their communities. Gaps in culturally-based support- ive services create unique barriers for Native victims seeking help. In 2016, the National In- stitute of Justice released a study indicating more than one in three American Indian and Alaska Native women and men had experienced vio- lence within the past year. Of those who had experienced violence, a third of Native women and one in six Native men were unable to access the supportive services they needed. “More than four in five Native Americans experi- ence violence in their life- time,” said Jump, revealing a critical need for a national resource like StrongHearts for Native American and Alaska Natives, as well as more Native-centered ser- vice providers in Indian Country and Alaska Native communities. “We will continue to be here for all of our relatives who are impacted by these issues,” said Jump. More than four in five Native Americans have ex- perienced violence in their lifetime. More than one in two Native women, and one in three Native men have ex- perienced physical violence by intimate partners in their lifetime. For Native victims of physical intimate partner violence, stalking, and sexual violence, two in five Native women, and one in six Na- tive men were unable to get the services they needed.