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January, 1992
Smoke Signals
Dr. Cornel Pewewardy Named 1991 National
Indian Educator of the Year
Omaha, NE - The Board of directors of the National
Indian Education Association named Dr. Cornel
Pewewardy as the 1991 National Indian Educator of the
Year at their 23rd Annual Conference hosted by the
Nebraska Indian Education Association in Omaha,
Nebraska on Oct. 26-30, 1991.
The NIEA presents this annual award to an American
IndianNative Alaskan teacher, administrator or
counselor who, by his or her leadership, vision, creativ
ity, and commitment has contributed substantially to
improving the quality of and opportunities for education
among Native people. This year's conference theme was
"NIEA: Building Educational Excellence Into the 21st
Century."
Dr. Cornel Pewewardy, 39, is the Principal of the newly
established American Indian Magnet School Program
and World Cultures and Languages Magnet School
Program, St. Paul Minnesota Public Schools. Together,
both magnet programs are located in Mounds Park All
Nalions Magnet School. Prior to coming to St. Paul, Dr.
Pewewardy completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the
Center for Research on Minority Education at the
University of Oklahoma. Moreover, he was recently
appointed to the editorial board of the Journal of
American Indian Education, A rizona State University
and is a Founding Member of the National Association
for Multicultural Education. On June 14, 1991 De.
Pewewardy was selected to statewide recognition by the
Minnesota Administrators' Academy to educational
administrators at all levels who exemplify one or more
qualities of Transformational Leadership; those coura
geous leaders who continue to lead Minnesota's educa
tional excellence.
Cornel received his D.Ed. (Doctor of Education)
degree in Educational Administration from the Pennsyl
vania State University in 1989; Ed.S. in Educational
Administration from the University of New Mexico in
19S6; MA. in Educational Management and Develop
ment from New Mexico State University in 1980; M.Ed.
in Guidance and Counseling form Northeastern State
University in 1976. His dissertation consisted of qualita
tive study of American Indian high school students
attending public schools. The spectrum of professional
experiences that Dr. Pewewardy encompasses includes:
kindergarten teacher, supervisory guidance counselor,
elementary principal, department head-vocational
technical institute and instructor for gifted and talented
Indian high school students (weekend program).
Cornel's work in education has been a life-long process,
both on Reservations and in off-Reservation schools.
Dr. Pcwewardy's service to the educational community
is not limited to academia. He has served on tribal
advisory councils, state textbook review committees, and
national special interest groups in multicultural educa
tion. He has been called upon for competent consulta
tion, presentations, workshops, and leadership in Indian
education as well as multicultural education. Cornel
has membership in numerous professional educational
associations, many of which organizations and publica
tions have sought his advise and guidance.
Besides his great interest in the field of education,
Cornel is a performing artist who continues to promote
and perpetuate the songs and dances of the Southern
Plains' tribes. His exposure.to singing and playing the
American Indian flute has grown from small, local
benefit performances and pow wows to large gatherings
in the United States and Canada. Cornel taught Native
American song and dance at the University of New
Mexico and Navajo Community College.
Cornel is a full-blood Comanche-Kiowa from Lawton,
Oklahoma and an enrolled member of the Comanche
Nation of Oklahoma. He is the Kwahida (Antelope)
band of Comanche and a descendent of Chief Wild
Horse.
Native Americans May be
Historical circumstance, and
the resultant evolution of
tribal social structures, place
Native Americans at particu
lar risk for AIDS and other
sexually transmitted diseases'.
This concept was recently
proposed to Linkages by Phil
Tingley, Director of the
American Indian AIDS
Institute in San Francisco.
Prior to white contact,
Tingley explained, Native
American tribes had not
experienced any sexually
transmitted diseases. As a result, Tingley said, there was
no necessity for tribes to develop stringent prohibitions
concerning sexual behavior. "Puritanical views just
weren't necessary."
Most tribes, Tingley said, had sexual attitudes that were
"positive, tolerant and healthy." These attitudes allowed
behavior which the colonial society later labeled, from its
andor representatives of social institutes like clans or
societies."
Two things happened, however, when the Indian and
non-Indian societies came together. First, sexual
disease was introduced. Secondly, Indian social
systems, under attack, began to disintegrate. With this
disintegration, tribal systems did not have a chance to
respond to the introduction of disease.
Tribal sexual attitudes, which had once been appro
priately healthy for their circumstances, could not
handle the onslaught of disease. Tribal social systems,
fighting on many fronts, could not adjust their sexual
codes to meet changing conditions; and the sexual
morality which the conquering culture attempted to
overlay on Native Americans did not fit.
The result, according to Tingley, placed Native
Americans at high-risk for the transmission of sexual
diseases. The rate of syphilis, gonorrhea and other
sexually transmitted diseases is high among Native
Americans. There is concern that Native Americans
may similarly be at high-risk for AIDS.
The American Indian AIDS Institute in San Francisco
is working with the urban Indian community there to
warn Native Americans about sexually transmitted
diseases, particularly AIDS. Recently, the Institute has
developed two pamphlets which are available for $.65
each.
One is entitled "The Choice is Yours." This pam
phlet talks about AIDS as one of a "whole lot of
diseases that were not among us before 1492." It tells
how AIDS is transmitted and speaks of the need for
Native Americans to "protect themselves" focusing
atParticular Risk For AIDS
point of view, "free and
permissive."
In the changing social
environment which accompa
nied the coming together of
the Western and Native
cultures, this labeling of
Native sexual attitudes
sometimes became inter
preted as implying that Native
societies did not have a strong
social structure concerning
sexuality. "This is simply
inaccurate," Tingley said.
"In face, tribes had strong,
well-functioning social systems which provided stable sanc
tions and an environment in which sexuality could be ex
pressed and enjoyed. Sex was considered a healthy act
between two people, it was also considered sacred."
"If socially unacceptable sexual expression did occur, it could
be swiftly dealt with by the tribal social system which re
sponded effectively through family elders, religious leaders,
particularly on the role that substance abuse plays in
lowering an individual's inhibitions and thus increasing the
rate of risky behavior.
The other pamphlet is entitled "American Indian Women
and AIDS." This pamphlet answers questions which were
formulated by urban Indian women who worked with (he
Institute's staff in identifying the information they felt they
wanted concerning AIDS. These questions include: What
is AIDS? Can American Indian women get AIDS? Will
the pill stop it? What if my partner doesn't want to use
condoms? What about drugs and sex? Are my children at
risk for AIDS? How do you use a condom? What other
diseases are there?
The American Indian AIDS Institute may be contacted at
333 Valencia Street 200, San Francisco, CA. 94103.
Telephone: (415) 626-7639.
The American Indian AIDS Institute offers some statistics
concerning Native American women and AIDS.
Of the Indian women who now have AIDS:
58 were infected by sharing IV drugs;
32 had unprotected sex with infected men;
10 were infected by blood transfusions between 1978-1985.
Ages of those Infected:
10 under five years of age;
5 13-19 yean old;
14 20-29 years old;
51 30-39 years old;
5 40-49 years old;
5 50-59 years old;
10 60 or over.
-Courtesy of The Seminole Tribune
500 YEARS SINCE COLUMBUS
Commemorations on the 500th anniverasary of
Christopher Columbus' arrival to this continent will be
held in the upcoming year. Once looked upon as a
heroic and visionary figure by most people, Columbus
is now being assessed as an opportunist whose actions
marked the beginning of the demise for many of this
continent's indegenous people.
Hero or villain? Discoverer or invader? Explorer or
destroyer? Columbus has still many supporters, while
an increasing number of Americans readily vilify his
exploits.
No other people have been more affected by Colum
bus "encounter" than Native Americans. From the first
European footprints on this country's beaches, Native
Americans have had to respond to the encroachments
of foreign settlers. Still, to simply blame Columbus for
all the woes would be far too simplistic. The impact of
divergent values, language, customs, methods of
governance, agriculture, medicine, science, etc.,
between the European and Native populations, have
created a country that still reels from the impact's
affects. Five hundred years after Columbus' escapades,
only one thing can be certainly said to help commemo
rate the event: this quincentenary in 1992 is as good a
time as any for social introspection.
The Falmouth Institute, a leading training and
technical assistance organization for American Indian
groups, would like to elicit from members within the
Native American communities their views on the
upcoming quincentennial of Columbus' arrival to this
continent.
Falmouth is requesting from American Indian
individuals, from all walks of life, to share their
American Indian ScienceEngineering Societylncrease Interest
The American Indian Science and Engineering
Society (AISES) is a private non-profit organization
founded in 1977 which seeks to increase interest and
the number of American Indian Scientists and
Engineers in the nation and to develop technologically
informed leaders within the Indian community.
AISES maintains a comprehensive communication
network among American Indian tribes and leaders,
schools, colleges, agencies, organizations, and educa
tional professionals: both American Indian and non
American Indian.
Though pre-college preparation, interaction with
American Indian role models in science, engineering
and mathematics related professions and programs
which increase career awareness and enable each
student to develop a stronger identity as an American
Indian learner.
Pre-College objective of AISES:
-Stimulate interest in mathematics, sciences and
engineering both academically and professionally;
-Help the students assess their potential skills and
abilities in the math and science;
-Increase the students knowledge and performance
skills in mathematics and science;
-Enhance the student's confidence in their abilities
and opportunities in mathematics and the sciences,
both in school and in the job market;
-Acquaint students with applications in their abilities
and opportunities in mathematics and the sciences, in
thoughts through an introspective review of what the
last 500 years have meant to the original inhabitants
of this country. A selected group of educators, tribal
administrators, students, attorneys, social workers,
business owners, etc., will all be asked to compose an
individual essay on this issue. A series of selected
essays will be published in The Falmouth Institute's
American Indian Report: one of the most widely read
monthly newsletters on Native American issues.
Copies of these essays, when requested, will be
distributed to schools, organizations, tribal offfices,
etc.
The Falmouth Institute will like your thoughts,
through a short, (not to exceed 500 words) essay
format, on the following topic:
"Once begun, the tide of change, precipitated by
Columbus' arrival, has forever impacted the Native
people of this country." Native American history,
since Columbus, is laden with acts of destruction,
displacement and deprivation, Despite these oppres
sions, American Indian peoples have continued to
endure and are experiencing a social and cultural
resurgence which itself should be celebrated.
Geographically, politically, economically, and
ecologically, this country has continually changed in
the last 500 years. Your thoughts and feelings on the
good and the bad that this clash of cultures has
caused in the last 500 years, would be much appreci
ated. Please send your essay by February 28th 1992, to:
"500 Years Since Columbus"
The Falmouth Institute, Inc.
3918 Prosperity Avenue, Suite 302
Fairfax, VA 22031
the "real" world;
-Prepare students for cultural challenges away from
their traditional environment;
-Encourage parents of the participation students to
support the academic pursuits of their children;
-Influence the indian community toward higher
academic expectations for their young people.
Students and parents interested in having a chaplcr
in this area or more information, please contact
Shawn Hostler at the tribal offices in the Education
Department: 879-5211.
RESOURCES
FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL
HOTLINES
Alcohol or Drug Problems
1-800-621-1646
Food Addiction Hotline
1-800-USA-0088
Child AbuseChild Help USA
1-800-4-A-CHILD
National Runaway Hotline
1-800-231-6946
National AIDS Hotline
1-800-342-AIDS
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