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Health Information Community
Smoke Signals June 1990
Measles Alert
Since January 1, 1990, 153 cases of measles have been
reported in Oregon. Cases of measles have been
reported in 14 counties, including Baker, Clackamas,
Deschutes, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Marion, Morrow,
Multnomah, Umatilla, Union, Wasco, Washington and
Yamhill.
Most cases have ocurred in high school and college
aged persons in Lane and Washington Counties. Thirty
one cases have been reported in pre-school aged
children, including 12 in children younger than IS
months to 5 years and 19 in children aged IS months to
5 years. Most of these latter 19 children had not been
vaccinated.
In areas which have had measles since January 1, 1990,
the more stringent two dose standards should be fol
lowed. Only individuals in the following catagories can
be considered immune to measles and do not need to be
revaccinated:
1. Born before 1957, plus a documented measles vacci
nation. 2. Had a physician diagnosed case of measles.
3. Have documented immunity to measles by serologic
assay.
4. Have had two vaccines to measles, the first being after
the first birthday and the second being no less than one
month after the fist.
If you have any questions please call your local Health
Department and inquire about the guidelines that they
arc following regarding measles vaccination. Chemawa
Indian Clinic is also available to answer your questions.
Agents release peyote to
Native American Church
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Federal drug agents found
themselves in the unusual position of delivering more
than 300 pounds of peyote, May 4, to Indians who had
the hallucinogen seized from them a day earlier on the
U.S. - Mexican border.
The Drug Enforcement Agency had to return the drug
because the Indians are members of the Native Ameri
can Church of Kansas and have a legal right in the state
to possess peyote, which is a sacrament of the church.
The church members one a Kickapoo and the other a
Potawatomi had traveled to Mexico to obtain the
peyote, a cactus button containing the hallucinogen
mescaline, according to Steve Cadue, a member of the
Kickapoo Nation Tribal Council in Brown County.
"They are officials of the church," he said. "They have
been doing this for year and years."
The peyote was discovered when the church members'
car was stopped at a U.S. Border Patrol check point
near Falfurrias in south Texas, said Marc Riggsbce,
public information officer for the DEA's Houston
division. The Border Patrol then notified the DEA
office in Corpus Christi.
"This is just a snafu between federal and state authori
ties," Cadue said. "I'm alarmed other Native American
people - people of other Tribes - are going to ask that a
policy be written that this not happen to any other
Native American Church members."
There are three Kansas chapters of the Native Ameri
can Church, in Brown and Jackson counties. The
church, which is chartered throughout the state, has
more than 60 members.
Peyote use in the church was made legal by the Kansas
Legislature in 1981.
- Courtesy of the Yakima Nation Review
What Our Children
Face Today
In the past parenting focused on helping children
prepare for adulthood, but the world that they faced was
much different than today's. Then the child needed to
be part of the group and learn the ways of the hunter,
warrior, gatherer, caretaker, and decision maker. The
environment required that they learn the lessons well or
they and the group would not survive. Today the adult
roles differ to some extent, and the dangers and chal
lenges of the world are definitely different. Today our
children must face life in two cultures. A cash economy
has replaced a subsistence lifestyle. Education has
become formal, and the expectations for children are
much less clear. Many of the old ways have been lost,
but it is clear that the values about children are as valid
today as they were 200 years ago.
Children must cope today with how to fit into the world
and how to deal with racism and prejudice. They must
balance the teachings of their elders with the messages
of the materialistic culture that reaches into their lives
via television and formal education. Our children must
overcome negative stereotypes of Indians in the media, .
serious economic problems on their reservations,
alcoholism as a community problem, and an educational
system that often does not match their cultural values.
As adults they will face a world in which they will have
to always work to prevent the loss of the culture, land,
and sovereignty. They must have strong hearts and good
skills if they are to be the new warriors whose weapons
are the pen, the law book, and the spoken and written
word. Not all will be warriors. Some will be gatherers,
not of roots and berries, but of information about
health, economic development, and education. Some
will be storytellers, helpers, healers, and preservers of
the traditions. To be these things our children need the
help of their parents, and just as long ago they need
strength, good judgement, social skills, self control and
something to believe in.
In each community Indian children will face different
challenges to growing up strong. Peer groups may
encourage negative behavior, few positive role models
may exist, there may be breakdowns in extended family,
and there may be such economic problems that there
seem to be no positive choices. As parents begin to look
at what their children face, they can begin to get a better
idea of what kind of parent they want to be. To have
strong children parents must find their own strength.
One place to find that strength is in our heritage.
Tribal Members Make
Oregon Regionals
On the weekend of April 7th & 8th, Shonn, Dustin
Leno, and Jake McKnight participated in the Oregon
State kids freestyle and Greco championships in New
berg. All three qualified for the Western Regionals
Tournament in Boise, Idaho in mid June. All three will
be wrestling both styles. The tournament consists of the
Western States along with Hawaii and Alaska. Shonn
will be using this tournament as part of his training
preparing for the National High School Championships
in mid July at Iowa.
Walking On:
Michael Robertson
Michael Anthony Robertson, 27 of Willamina, was
found dead May 13 of injuries sustained in a February
traffic accident.
He was born Feb. 22, 1963 in McMinnville. He married
Dcbra Ann Darnell April 16, 1985.
He enjoyed his children, fishing, driving, trading and
telling jokes.
Survivors include his wife, a son, Matthew, and a
daughter, Amber Marie, all of Ontario; mother, Ida May
Patterson of Willamina; father, Jesse Robertson Sr. of
Grand Ronde; stepfather, Pat Patterson of Willamina;
brothers, Jesse Robertson Jr. of Sheridan, Ken
Robertson and Lynn Robertson of Willamina, Brandon
Robertson of Grand Ronde and Lincoln Elliott of Elk
City, sisters, Diana Robertson of Grand Ronde, Angela
Bcdortha of Willamina, Debra Childers of Sheridan and
Michel Childers of Salem.
Wc would like to thank everyone for the support and
help that everyone gave us in our time of sorrow for the
loss of our loved one. We, would like to thank Gerald,
Wesley, Kenny and Wayne Lafferty for being the
Bearers. May the Great Spirit be with each and every
one. Thanks, from the bottom of our hearts. '
Juanita, LcRoy and Jimmic
Heart Felt Thanks!
We, the Bell family, would like to take this opportunity
to express our gratitude to so many wonderful people
that have helped us in the recent loss of our two Beloved
Sons, Grandsons, Brothers, Nephews and Great Neph
ews; Arthur Lincoln and Joseph Mclvin McKnight.
The grief and loss of our Dear Loved Ones was
touched by an out-pouring of love, kindness and prayers.
Special thanks to Tony Whitehead, Steve Rife and
Kenny Thompson, Teeny Coxcn, Clarence Mabe, Glenn
Smithhousc, and Ron Hcrvcy, Siletz and Toledo Search
and Rescue, Siletz and Toledo Fire Department and the
Childrens Services.
Special thanks to Wilma Strong, Maxine Rilalos, Nancy
Simmons and Mothers of the Head Start Program. Also
Mona Fisher and staff, and Siletz and Logsden Mer
chants, Mikes Pharmacy, Our Tribal Offices, Georgia
Pacific Strikers, and The Red Cross.
A Very Special Thanks to our Dear Cousins: Elouise
Case, the Tom family, the Ben family, Everett Butler
and all of you that stayed close to us offering love and
prayers.
If we have forgotten to mention anyone please know
that your efforts were greatly appreciated.
GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU!
Arthur & Bctli McKnight and the Bell family
In Memory of Debbie Lee