E Coosh EEWA: The way it is Letters to the editor JOM assistance for students Johnson O’Malley is offer- ing its supplemental education assistance. The deadline date to submit your application is this Friday, May 19. Funding is available for extra-curricu- lar activities for tribal mem- ber students of the Jefferson County 509-J and Wasco County schools. Assistance for Class of 2023 Graduation packets is also available, to assist with the purchasing of caps, gowns, tassel and sash. For pre-k through fifth-grade can apply for up to $150; sixth- through eighth grades up to $200; and grades 9-12, up to $300. Applicants must complete the Johnson O’Malley enroll- ment application; complete the JOM survey; and com- plete the request for financial assistance form, attaching supporting documents (flyer, roster, schedule and receipts). Submit your application to Carroll Dick, JOM, Secretary of High Education, Confed- erated Tribes of War m Springs. Phone 541-553- 3311. Fax to 541-553-2203. Or email: carroll.dick@wstribes.org You can also contact June Smith at: jtwin2430@gmail.com Academy powwow The Warm Springs End of School K-8 Powwow is coming up on Tuesday, June 13 at the Academy football field. The powwow will be from 1 to 2:30 p.m., featur- ing the Inter-Tribals, Honorings, Social Dance and Round Dance. All dancers and drums are welcome. Bring your lawn chairs. OSU powwow The Forty-Fourth Annual Oregon State University Klatowa Ina Powwow is this Saturday, May 20 at Gill Coli- seum in Corvallis. It is the first time the powwow has taken place since the covid pandemic. The free community event celebrates Indigenous culture and heritage, and is presented by the Native American Stu- dent Association and Kaku- Ixt Mana Ina Haws in col- laboration with the Division of Student Affairs and other university partners. Doors open at noon. Grand entries are at 1 and 6 p.m. Nick Sixkiller is the event’s emcee. Host Drum is Black Lodge, with Star Horse as Honor Drum. Arena director is Anthony Bluehorse. Head woman dancer is Linda Meanus, and head man dancer is Monty Herron. For more information see: dce.oregonstate.edu/44th- pow-wow Tackle football with the MAC Young people are in- vited to sign-up for fifth- and sixth-grade tackle foot- ball with the Madras Aquatic Center Recreation District. The registration closes at noon on July 7. There will be a parent in- for mation meeting this Thursday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the MAC. For more information call the MAC at 541-475- 4253. See the website: macrecdistrict.com Birth Jhett Delford Nadzooee Johnson Rhett Johnson and Michaela Camas of Warm Springs are pleased to an- nounce the birth of their son Jhett Delford Nadzooee Johnson, born on April 15, 2023. Jhett joins brother Ryker, 8, and sister Kasamira, 13. Grandparents on the father’s side are Shana Johnson and Clarence Jefferson; and great grandpar- ents Marita and Delford Johnson. Grandparent on the mother’s side is Eugenia Ca- mas. Camp crew summer jobs Fire Management is hir- ing crew bosses and crew members for the 2023 summer season. Applicants must be 16 years or older. Requirements include two pieces of identifica- tion, such as tribal ID, state ID, birth certificate or valid driver’s license. You may also, if desired, provide a direct deposit slip with bank infor mation. Re- quired training for all crew members: ICS—100: Introduction to the incident command system. IS—700: National Incident Management sys- tem. Courses are free and can be accessed online. Once completed, print the certificate and bring it to class. Drug testing is re- quired. The walk test is one mile under 16 minutes. Camp crew classes are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For infor mation call Fire Management at 541- 553-1146. 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 May 17, 2023 Healing through Our Native Languages spring conference by Rain Circle, Tribal Veterans Service Officer P i s h a a Yoga n o, I t u k d i W igwa and Niix Potchwaii War m Springs! If Coyote didn’t tell you, this spring Warm Springs Culture and Heritage hosted the Healing Through Our Native Lan- guages Conference at the OSU Cascades Campus in Bend. We want to thank all the Tribes from across Indian Country, the educators and researchers from far and wide who came from Duck Valley to Burns-Paiute, Cali- fornia and Warm Springs. We want to thank the War m Springs Community Action Team, the Northwest Indian Language Institute, the people of the Umatilla Tribes, and University of Kansas Linguis- tics professor Phil Duncan. And thank you to Hank Millstein, retired War m Springs Culture and Heritage linguist; the Office of Indian Education and Oregon De- partment of Education staff J. Laboy. Thank you to the Department of Early Learn- ing Care staff Valeria Atanceio; our partner OSU Cascades; Tim Thornes, Boise University, Melinda and Laurie of Jefferson County School District 509- J, the High Desert Museum; and of course our own Con- federated Tribes of Warm Springs Languages, equally represented during the entire conference. The first day of the Heal- ing Through Our Languages Conference began with a morning Washaat led by the Confederated Tribes Culture and Heritage’s very own Dal- las Winishut with help from Warm Springs Drummers. Participants continued to arrive throughout the day as the attendees visited the High Desert Museum Creations of Spirit. This exhibit immerses visi- tors in the Indigenous Plateau Courtesy Rain Circle/CTWS Valerie Switzler, of the Confederated Tribes Education branch, opens the spring Language conference. worldview, reflecting knowl- edge systems of tribes along the Columbia River and its tributaries, featuring people familiar to us: Natalie and Roberta Kirk, Kelli Palmer and Jefferson Greene. At the High Desert Mu- seum in Bend you can still see the By Hand Through Memor y exhibit that takes you through journey of our Indigenous Plateau Nations journey from reservation confinement to the 21st cen- tury. Tribal members can visit the exhibit for free. Call the museum and ask for Christina Cid if you are in- terested. “Good morning , Lori, I hope that you were able to get some rest after the conference. “It was an amazing con- ference and one of the best in my experience.” - Emiko Goka -Dubose After the bulk of the 155 participants had arrived—49 of them being our youth ages 12-17—they congre- gated in the stately split-level Brutalist-style auditorium of Ray Hall on the OSU Cas- cades Campus waiting for Valerie Switzler to open the event. She began the opening ceremony with the posting of the colors by Confeder- ated Tribes of Warm Springs Veterans, accompanied by Quartz Creek drum group. They brought the colors of our reservation and the state of Oregon, behind the Na- tional colors as only Native Veterans can. To the pound- ing of Native Drums and ac- companied by Native Voices the flags were carried in and danced into place by Veter- ans from the Vietnam War, and Desert Storm to the present. The registrants were then celebrated with a traditional Welcome Dance featuring a large group of our young dancers, ranging in age from 4 to 14, who were led by Del Ray Johnson and Jackie Zamora, much to the enjoy- ment of the audience. In their regalia, the dance group entered from behind and left of the audience and circled them to show ribbons fly- ing… Eagle feathers in hand with their Native fin- ery. How very happy and appreciative we were that they took the time, braved roads and airports to travel from across the country and the greater Pacific Northwest to be part of this recognition and cel- ebration of our Indigenous Languages. The cheers, clapping and whoops were a wonderful sight and sounds for the chil- dren to see and hear, how appreciative and beautiful was their many hours of dance practice. Conference opening day There was a round of guest speakers, Tribal Coun- cil members, educators and other dignitaries who all spoke of the importance of Native Language. They spoke on the power and im- portance of our words and how our spirituality as Indig- enous people is directly con- nected to our language. White America worked hard to take our words away from us in the residential and boarding schools, and this is a scar that all Native peoples share... The evening meal was a jovial gathering, as everyone became less of strangers, met new people and enjoyed the meal served at the OSU Cas- cades Cafeteria, prepared by their student chefs. “This was such a great ex- perience! The Warm Springs and Umatilla have some great people doing great work with their languages. A high school language teacher mentioned that many of their ninth- graders are coming in with a lot of language already because they begin getting it at an early age, and it doesn’t stop. “We also witnessed the first time ever Sahaptin-only live auction! (Yes, it was cool). We still need some Ichishkiin im- mersion programs/school here. Kwa¬anüusha matash to the organizers and presenters. The inspiration le vel was ver y high!” - Greggory Sutterlict, Regan Anderson. The next day’s events were an ishpchgiuxt (whirlwind) of movement and anticipation. There were over 25 differ- ent classes ranging from top- ics on using technology in the classroom, how to preserve and share languages, how to teach pre-school kids, main- taining archives, what other tribes are doing to teach and preserve languages and why language is considered one of the basic components of heal- ing from trauma. LANGUAGES continues on 5 Always good to rely the wisdom of our ancestors Note: This is the fourth and final article, by Dr. Shilo Tippett and posted by KWSO, r egarding Suicide Prevention. When faced with life prob- lems, it can be overwhelming and daunting when you don’t know what to do. It is always good to con- sult with a wise elder or someone who has been there before and knows what to do. When that is not available to you, meditating to the wise person within you is often very helpful. Find a quiet Community notes... The Warm Springs Acad- emy Kindergarten Wel- come and Sign-Up event is this Wednesday afternoon, May 17 from 4-6 p.m. Fami- lies with children who will be 5 on or before September 1 should plan on attending to register your student for kin- dergarten in the fall. If you have any ques- tions, you can contact the Warm Springs Academy at 541-553-1128. Back to Boards classes for expecting and recently delivered mothers are of- fered in Warm Springs. Fabric and the size 2 boards are provided by the Maternal and Child Health program. You may provide your own board and materi- als if you choose. Upcoming classes are this Thursday and Friday, May 18 and 19; and June 15 and 16, August 17 and 18, October 19 and 20, and December 21 and 22. Please sign up for the class closest to your due date by calling Sheryl Lopez at 541-553-2352. The USDA Census of Agriculture provides com- prehensive, impartial data for every tribe and county in the Northwest. The data informs decisions that help shape the future of Ameri- can agriculture for the next five or six years. Individual data is held strictly confidential by law. There is still time to respond as data collection ends May 31. Please respond online at: agcounts.usda.gov Or call 800 435-5883 for assistance. space and take a deep breath. Breathe in and out and begin to relax your body. Continue doing this until your body feels heavy with relaxation. Imagine a healing light flowing through your body. Now imagine taking a walk down deep into your heart or wise area. When you arrive, you see an ancestor there waiting for you. Continue breathing as you sit with your Ancestor. Find the quiet and calm place in your mind, and listen to what your ancestor has to say.