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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 20, 2023)
Howlak Tichum Jermayne ‘Sanuuk’ Tuckta ~ 1988-2023 Born on August 31, 1988, Jermayne was a very curious, attentive, caring individual. His interest in our people, our cul- ture, who we were, was sparked at an early age. He turned that attention to the Ichishkin lan- guage in those early years. He attended the old Warm Springs Elementary School with Culture and Heritage next door, and after school would drop by and spend time visit- ing the elders, one who became his long-time friend, language teacher and valued mentor. From there it blossomed to him spending his following years with as many elders as possible learning the language, the his- tory, our traditions, the stories, and he valued every minute. He shaped many more valu- able friendships and mentors. He spent hours with those el- ders, sitting, sharing stories in the language and learning, he loved learning. Learning, shar- ing, practicing our traditions was his strength as he became a respected Longhouse Leader. He strived to carry on what he learned through the years. He valued our culture and tra- ditions and carried a very strong interest in revitalization of our Ichishkin language. With those interests and his drive for education and learn- ing, he graduated from Port- land State University with a Bachelors in History with mi- nors in Indigenous Studies and Anthropology, then went on to University of Oregon to com- plete a Masters in Language Teaching. Before, college, he was teaching community language classes, some high school classes and enjoyed working with those students. While at PSU, work- ing in the Indigenous Nations Studies program he began teaching an open community/ student class at the university which blossomed into him be- coming an adjunct instructor for PSU. He loved teaching the lan- guage and upon returning home to Warm Springs aspired to continue that teaching. Work- ing with the Language program he was teaching language teach- ers as well as holding community classes. He worked on his off school time at the Museum at Warm Springs, as his interests in history still drove him. He had also been working with the Language pro- gram at Culture and Heritage be- fore, during and after as a lan- guage teacher, and after gradua- tion at U of O he returned to work for both the museum and the Language program. He also continued as an adjunct instructor at PSU in Indigenous Studies, and was often called on by other colleges and universities and organizations to do presenta- tions on language revitalization and indigenous studies. At his passing he was working on his second Mas- ters in Museum Studies. As a student at PSU, Jermayne participated in the Native students Healing Feathers g roup with monthly meetings and cultural ac- tivities. Healing Feathers focuses on healthy lifestyles for Native youth: mental, emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing. Judy BlueHorse Skelton, associate pro- fessor of the PSU Indigenous Na- tions Studies Deptartment, shares the following: “Jermayne shared his cultural practices with students and com- munity. He was a cultural trea- sure and offered a rare opportu- nity for students and community members to learn an Indigenous language. He organized and taught Community notes... The Madras White Buff girls soccer teams hosts Gladstone this Thursday, September 21. Junior varsity will play at 3 p.m. and var- sity at 5. The boys soccer teams play at Gladstone. The volleyball squads have matches at The Dalles. VeggieRx Program partici- pants are reminded to pick up your produce at the Family Resource Center this Thursday afternoon, September 21. If you have any questions about VeggieRx you can visit the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance website: hdffa.org At the site, you can also sign up for their free Food Access newsletter. Elsewhere: Warm Springs Public Safety has noted an increase in dog biting in- cidents on the reservation. Public Safety reminds everyone that the tribes’ Dog Control Or- dinance No. 36 remains in effect. Public Safety is providing the community with infor mation about the ordinance, as necessary steps will be taken by the Warm Springs Police Department, Pros- ecution and Tribal Court in cases involving dog bites. Coordinated efforts are being initiated with the Housing Author- ity, Fire and Safety, Fences for Fido and tribal Sanitation. Some revisions will be made but to the ordinance in the future. Mean- while, provisions of the current ordinance apply to dog biting in- cidents, and enforcement contin- ues. It is vital that you call the Warm Springs Police dispatch for dog bites at 911, and seek emer- gency medical services. Some of the important provi- sions of the tribes’ dog control ordinance include the following: All dogs kept, harbored or main- tained within the boundaries of the reser vation shall be li- censed—the license fee is only $1—as provided by the Tribal Court. Before any dog may be licensed, the owner shall have the animal vaccinated against rabies. Every owner shall provide each dog under his or her con- trol with a collar or harness to which the license and rabies vac- cination tag are attached; and the dog should wear the collar when the dog is at large in the commu- nity. No female dog in heat; no dog of a fierce, dangerous or vicious nature; and no dog which be- comes a nuisance to others when trespassing upon streets, public places, or premises of others shall be permitted to run at large, whether licensed on not. Any person found violating any provision of the ordinance shall deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be sub- ject to a fine assessed in Tribal Court not to exceed $25; or 10 days imprisonment, or both. the Ichishkiin language for sev- eral terms at PSU in the Native American Student and Commu- nity Center. He will be greatly missed.” In early years of employment he started working at Kah-Nee- Ta and enjoyed the hospitality side of business. It suited his person- ality, as he was friendly, outgoing and caring. He worked there off and on through the summer months and later to help him through college worked at the Portland airport hotels. Outside of work Jermayne loved other cultural activities. The language was very important in our songs, so he enjoyed listening and interpreting songs. Always learning new songs, he could be heard singing to himself while working on his basketweaving. He became an adept wapas weaver and had just started a corn husk basket class and started his first corn husk putlapa. He went out and gathered tules and when he had time made some tule mats. Each year he looked forward to root digging and huckleberry picking, drying his own roots. He canned his own berries and made his own jam. And he had a pas- sion for cooking, as well as snap- ping pictures of beautiful scen- ery he would spot at a moments notice. He loved spending time with family. Family time with his par- ents, his siblings, his nephew and nieces was important to him. Then, he could often be found with family out on bowling trips, and he served as the secretary for the Warm Springs Indian Holiday Bowling Committee. He also enjoyed being a part of the committee that put on the Lincoln’s Powwow for the people, he served as the committee sec- retary and could often be seen hard at work at the table during the powwow. He was very outgoing, and loved being the face of both com- mittees, where he was often seen enticing people with his smile to come over to the fundraising vending booth. Through everything he did, Jermayne mourned the loss of many of those elders, his men- tors and the knowledge they took with them. The knowledge that so few had learned and could be shared with our future genera- tions. To him the language was ever so important as it touches every part of our culture. He understood the importance of it in our songs and our cultural protocols. It is now his unreal- ized dream to help our people revitalize the language in the way he learned it from the elders. He knew there was work to do to get teachers to understand the way he taught, but also that it is up to this Tribe and com- munity to carry on our culture and language. His innovation, determination and motivation is what drove his inspiration, and he hoped to share that inspira- tion. He understood that he learned much from the elders and learned the older ways, but that times are changing. There are ways to bring those together, that was his dream. Sanuuk passed on August 25, 2023. Funeral Services were of- ficiated by JoDe Goudy at Simnasho Longhouse and Sanuuk was laid to rest at the Agency Cemetery on August 30, 2023. Jermayne is survived by his parents Joseph and Margie Tuckta, siblings Kenneth and Tiyanna Tuckta, nephew JaRonn Tuckta, nieces Jordashia and JaLeya Tuckta, nephews KJ Tuckta, Jakoby Tuckta, Robbie Warner, Josh Warner, Jr Wolfe, Charles Wolfe, Tyrin Wolfe, Caden Greene, nieces Tiany Tuckta, Rheianna Wolfe, Tashawna Tuckta numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, grandma Roma David, grandpa Alley David, grandma Nancy Tailfeathers, grandma Kate Jackson, numerous other rela- tives. He was preceded in death by sisters Louisa Tuckta and Serina Wolfe, and all his grand- parents. ‘Some people come into our lives and quickly go. But there are those that move our souls to dance. They awaken us to new under- standing with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints on our hearts and we are never, ever the same.’ Summaries of Tribal Council (from page 4) July 17 The meeting was called to order by Chairman Jonathan W. Smith Sr. Roll call: James ‘Jim’ Manion, Vice Chair man Raymond ‘Captain’ Moody, Rosa Graybael, Carlos Calica, Wilson Wewa Jr., Chief Jo- seph Moses. Minnie Yahtin, Re- corder. · Secretary-Treasurer update with Robert Brunoe. · Enrollments and relinquish- ment with Lucille Suppach- Sampson: Council approves three enroll- ments, and one relingquishment. · Draft resolutions and letter with the S-T. Letter to Mr. Edward Kowalski, United States Environmental Pro- tection Agency, Re: Emergency Ad- ministrative Order, SDWA- 102019-0077. Motion by Captain approving the Chairman to sign this letter, with follow-up. Second by Carlos. Question; Joe/yes, Captain/ yes, Wilson/yes, Rosa/yes, Carlos/ yes, 5/0/0, Chairman not voting. Motion carried. · Integrated Waste Management Plan resolution: Tabled. · Federal and state legislative up- date calls. · Indian Health Service update with Hyllis Dauphinais, IHS clinic general manager. · Health and Human Services update wiht Taw Foltz. · Managed Care update with Michael Collins. Motion by Carlos to adjourn at 3:45 p.m. July 18 The meeting was called to order by Chairman Jonathan W. Smith Sr. Roll call: James ‘Jim’ Manion, Chief Joseph Moses, Vice Chair man Raymond ‘Captain’ Moody, Carlos Calica, Wilson Wewa Jr., Rosa Graybael. Minnie Yahtin, Recorder. War m Springs Power and Water Enterprise Workshop: Power and Water background dsicsussion with attorney Ellen Grover. Enabling governance/history. Generating Trust Revenues. En- ergy timeline. Solar energy and storag e review. Chapter 413 amendment: Summaries continue on 6
