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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 2024)
E Coosh EEWA: The way it is Letters to the editor Academy career day Hello All, We are planning for the Middle School Career Day coming up in March 21. Ca- reer Day this year will focus on careers in the sciences, since it will take place during the week of our middle school Science Fair and Fam- ily Science Night. We are in the process of inviting guest professionals who work in science-based careers to come and speak to students. If you or someone you know might be interested in being a guest speaker to share about your career, and the training related to the role, please let me know and I would be happy to reach out. Thank you, Gena Bennett, assistant principal, War m Springs Academy. gbennett@509j.net Head Start Graduation The Warm Springs Head Start and families are hold- ing a 2024 graduation fundraiser, from now through the spring. Head Start parents are funding rais- ing to cover costs of the 2024 Head Start Graduation in June. The fundraiser is accept- ing bottles and cans with the drop-off location at the Early Childhood Education Center front office. Please pre-bag all donated cans and bottles. Drop-off times are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please, be considerate of the ECE staff and their time. State monies There are many Warm Springs tribal members who may have monies with the state of Oregon. In order to find whether you have some of these funds available, you must go to the internet. Then key in ‘State of Or- egon unclaimed property.’ Then key in your name, and do the search, which should bring up the informa- tion. You must have an email, so the state can email you with any further request for information. Snow removal Tribal Public Utilities is providing free snow removal services from now through April 15. In responding to requests for service, Utilities will follow these priorities: People with medical condi- tions or disabilities; elders, and other tribal members. The Utilities office can be reached at 541-553-3246; or the on-call number is 541- 777-1335. Some background on the service: Utilities has purchased a couple of truck-mounted snow plows for snow removal of private driveways for resi- dences of the reservation. Utilities employees will plow the rural areas in the higher elevations first when the snow level reaches 6 inches or greater, and as needed. Utilities staff must maintain the tribal organization prior- ity. Under severe weather conditions, Utilities will not be plowing due to the high risk to employee safety. Home- owner requirements and re- sponsibilities: Please ensure access: Utili- ties will not open gates to plow. The driveway and turn- around spot must be clear of any obstructions. Utilities employees will only provide a single for vehicle and turn- around, if possible. Please be mindful that Utilities staff must provide and take care of their nor- mal daily duties to ensure operations of the tribal or- ganization. Your patience and understanding are greatly ap- preciated as always. Be safe and stay warm! Chico Holliday, Utilities general manager. Miss Warm Springs Pageant The Miss Warm Springs Pageant committee has re- scheduled the pageant for Friday, March 22. Elders movies The Warm Springs Se- niors program is hosting the Elders Movie Night on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. The Seniors program provides the trans- portation. We will be doing our el- ders movie nights the first and third Tuesday of the month. And the movie we will be watching will depend on what is coming out. So we will work on getting the information out as soon as we have a solid confirma- tion on what movies we will be seeing during that week. Museum closure The Thirtieth Annual Warm Springs Tribal Mem- ber and Youth Exhibit has closed. The museum was planning to keep the exhibit on display through early March. Instead, though, the installation of the heating, ventilation and air condition- ing system is taking a little longer than originally thought. And due to the ongoing HVAC installation process, the museum management decided to close the exhibit and return the artworks to the artists. Page 4 Spilyay Tymoo February 21, 2024 The museum holding the artworks for such an ex- tended period beyond March 6 is too long for any artist. We are grateful to have the agreement for the first-time extension. The museum’s staff is working during the closure so War m Springs Tribal members who need ceremo- nial items from the museum Gift Shop during the public closure will be able to pur- chase them as needed. I am very pleased to re- port that although the instal- lation is not going as quickly as we originally hoped, it is going extremely well. We are looking forward to having a brand new system soon. Major funders of the HVAC system include the U.S. Congress through the National Park Service, the Roundhouse Foundation, the Ford Family Foundation, Portland General Electric Foundation, the Spirit Mountain Community Fund and the Oregon Cultural Trust. Elizabeth Woody, mu- seum executive director. Lifeguarding Lifeguard classes are com- ing up in March at the Ma- dras Aquatic Center. These are ideal for young people who may be looking for a job after school. And the MAC needs lifeguards! The classes are coming up Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 8 p.m.; and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. between the dates of March 5-16. For more information see the website: macrecdistrict.com Community notes... Movin’ Mountains The Movin’ Mountains Slimdown Challenge 2024 registration is coming up this week. Registration will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. this Thursday and Friday, Febru- ar y 22-23 at the War m Springs Community Center. Registration will also be avail- able the same time and dates above; plus from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 24 at the Jefferson County Public Health office, 500 NE A Street, Madras. There is a $25 entry fee per person, pay- ment due at registration. Par- ticipants must be 18 or over to take part in the challenge. For more information call 541-475-4456. Birth Rishaan Evander Thomas Ryan Thomas and Shaylene Craig of Warm Springs are pleased to an- nounce the birth of their son Rishaan Evander Thomas, born on February 4, 2024. Rishaan joins brother Ryan Jr., 1, and Riyah, 14. Grandparents on the father’s side are Everette Windyboy of Warm Springs, and the late Sharold Thomas. Grandparents on the mother’s side are Joel Queahpama Craig of Warm Springs, and Kathy Smith of Madras. LaDonna Squiemphen. Discussion: Is Tribal Council in support of mov- ing forward with updating the Rules of Court? Jim/yes, Joe/yes, Captain/yes, Jay/ yes, Carlos/yes, Rosa/yes, Wilson/yes. · Public Safety update with Nancy Seyler, Dennis White III and Scott Spaulding. With no further discussion the meeting adjourned at 12:51 p.m. Powwow (from page 1) Junior Boys’ Tradi- tional: Chaytun Littleleaf, Aaron Thompson and Daman Danzuka. Teen Girls’ Fancy- Jingle: Kayliani Estimo. Skye Victorino and Jodee Jackson. Teen Girls’ Traditional: Annie Payre, Kahmussa Green and Minnie Yahtin- Cloud. Teen Boys’ Fancy- Grass: Julian Stwyer. Women’s Fancy: Persia Sloan, Jolene Greene and Brittney Craig. Women’s Jingle: Keely Littleleaf, Sarah Dowty and Betty Stephens. Women’s Traditional: Summary of Suzanne Slockish, Katrina Tribal Council Miller and Celeste Nunes. Men’s Grass: Garrison February 6, 2024 Johnson, Cecil Jackson Sr. The meeting was called to and Wilbur Oatman. order at 9:12 a.m. by Chair- Men’s Traditoinal: man Jonathan W. Smith Sr. Owen Danzuka Jr., and Roll call: Lincoln Jay Suppah, Quindon Calica. James ‘Jim’ Manion, Vice Senior Women 55 and Chairman Raymond ‘Cap- up: Audrey Olney, Anna tain’ Moody, Rosa Graybael, Williams and Marge Carlos Calica, Wilson Wewa Kalama. Jr., Chief Joseph Moses. Senior Men 55 and up: Minnie Yahtin, Recorder. Randy Boise Sr. · Warm Springs Housing Authority update with Drums. North Hill of Danielle Wood, Brevin Pendleton. Umatilla Inter- Holliday, Alfred Estimo Jr. tribal, Mission. Vandal Na- and Joel Holliday. tion, Moscow, Idaho. Beaver · Tribal Court update with Creek, Yakama. Quartz Gayleen Adams and Creek, Simnasho. PSU to dramatically increase the diversity of its Ph.D. programs Portland State University is planning to greatly increase the diversity of students in its Ph.D. programs. PSU is one of 10 institu- tions, and the only one in the Pacific Northwest, selected to participate in the Sloan Cen- ters for Systemic Change ini- tiative, providing funding for February 27 - March 26 the program. The goal is to remove bar- riers such as the funding and academic support, which will then lead to overall improved student outcomes, and ulti- mately create educational en- vironments that are more ef- fective and equitable for all. Over the course of the Howlak Tichum ~ Virginia Beavert ~ Tuxámshish Beloved Yakama lin- guist, educator and elder Virginia Beavert has died at age 102. Ms. Beavert, Indian name Tuxámshish, Beavert celebrated her 102nd birthday in No- vember. An author and a World War II veteran, Vir- ginia dedicated her life to the revitalization and pres- ervation of the Yakama language, Ichishkíin, also referred to as Sahaptin. It’s spoken by the Yakama and Warm springs, among the Northwest tribes. Virginia was the co-au- thor with Sharon Hargus, a linguistics professor at the University of Wash- ington, of the Ichishkíin Sínwit Yakama/Yakima Sahaptin Dictionar y , which is the first modern published dictionary of the Sahaptin dialect. In 2022 she attended a gathering in her honor at the Yakama Nation Museum to celebrate her 101st birthday and sign copies of Anakú Iwachá: Yakama Legends and Stories, an expanded collection of foundational Yakama sto- ries she edited with Michelle Jacob and Joana Jansen. It’s the second edition of Anakú Iwachá, The Way It Was, an important educational and cultural resource pub- lished in 1974. Born on November 30, 1921, Beavert grew up in a traditional Indigenous home, next two years, PSU will use a $250,000 seed grant to re- cruit, retain and invest in in- dividual ‘Sloan Scholar’ scholarships for eligible In- digenous and other diversity eligible students to partici- pate in doctoral programs. In addition to diversify- ing programs, PSU hopes the grant will help bring systemic change by working toward equitable representation, sup- porting student success, and working to meet the needs of all students. Leadership believes this could become a model for other minority-serving insti- tutions to follow. learning and speaking tribal dialects and languages, includ- ing Ichishkíin, Nez Perce, Umatilla and Klikatat, ac- cording to her book, The Gift of Knowledge/Ttnúwit Átawish Nch’inch’imamí: Re- flections on Sahaptin Ways. Heritage University in Toppenish, where Beavert was revered, also supports the revitalization of the Ichishkíin language. Faculty member Gregory Sutterlict was a student of Beavert, and teaches Ichishkíin to Heritage stu- dents and community mem- bers alike. He also takes teaches children throughout the Lower Yakima Valley. Her students teach Ichishkíin classes at Heritage, Wapato School District, Toppenish School District, Mt. Adams School District and the University of Or- egon. Ichishkíin is also being shared and taught on social media and YouTube videos, among other modern options for learning and preserv- ing the language. Beavert taught and mentored at the Univer- sity of Oregon’s North- west Indian Language In- stitute. She was the Dis- tinguished Elder Educa- tor in its Sapsik’walá Teacher Education Pro- gram and was the university’s oldest-ever graduate when she earned a doctorate in linguistics from the university at age 90. Ichishkíin is an endan- gered language, with fewer than 150 people speaking it fluently, ac- cording to the University of Oregon, though there are more people who can communicate to some degree. And many people use the language in greet- ings, introductions and more at events and on social media. May Virginia rest in peace.
