Smoke Signals
Tribal Member Runs New York City Marathon
Diane and David Smith did more than touch down on the city's five boroughs.
JANUARY 1, 2003
By Ron Karten
By the time you hit your second and sixth
marathons, respectively, you pretty much have
the routine down. Foot in front of foot for four
hours and fifty one minutes then fists thrown
skyward in victory whether your time is first or
33,000th in the listings. But in New York City
on November 3 this year, Tribal member Diana
Smith and her husband, David, found them
selves in the middle of something much bigger
than just about any other 26 miles on the face
of the earth.
It wasn't the stopover a few mornings later to
say hello to Al Roker from the Today Show and
tell the world they're from Oregon. And it wasn't
ice skating at the world's most famous skating
rink at Rockefeller Center. And it wasn't the
visit to the Smithsonian Museum of the Ameri
can Indian, which was unavailable because it
was traveling to Washington, D.C. that week
end. It was the visit to Ground Zero.
"We were all so choked up with sorrow that we
couldn't talk for about an hour," reported Diane
Smith in a write-up she did for Smoke Signals
about the trip.
Although this was the second marathon for
Smith, through coincidence, the marathon has
already become the symbol of a memorial to her.
For her first one, here in Portland in 2000, she,
David, and three others combined efforts to push
a spirited young boy in a wheelchair - whose
legs had been amputated the 26-mile distance.
"It was one of the most inspirational things I have
ever been a part of," she wrote. "This is where
my love for marathons began and is an on-going
source of inspiration."
But in New York, imagine the neighborhoods,
the fans (2.5 million of them!), the history: "Of
all the five boroughs, I think Brooklyn was the
loudest," wrote Diane. "I will probably get in
trouble for saying that though, because my hus
band & his family are from the Bronx."
Picture the spectators five deep on both sides
of the road. "Children would line up to give the
runners high fives & candy."
And picture the variety of runners, too.
"There were participants from all corners of the
globe, including international entrants from
some 99 countries," wrote Diane.
But when it came to the Bronx, the Smiths
were prepared for another large family cheer
ing them on.
"My husband ran with his cell phone and
therefore we were able to know exactly where
we would see our family. Grandma Adeline,
from the Bronx, Uncle Steve & Aunt Mary Pat
from Valley Cottage, Uncle Gary, Aunt Ro &
cousin Susie from Garden City, and Aunt Ginny,
with cousins Thomas, Karin, Ryan & Ed from
Chappaqua. These destinations are spread
about as far apart as the rez is from Pendleton.
It really makes a difference knowing that some
one is there to see specifically you! When we
saw them, it was like we had just started the
race and I felt a burst of energy!"
And if the reader is thinking that this whole
thing was just some garden party, don't forget
that they're running all this time.
"We saw our family somewhere between the
18-19lh mile and it was around the 23rd mile
where I noticed the miles started getting longer.
When I needed a boost to help me keep going, I
would look down at my shirt, as I had a photo of
my boys pinned to me. To see Stephen & Joshua
smiling inspired me to keep on going."
Education Department Sponsors Story
Teller for Local Schools
Michael Lacapa has turned his life into books and stories that delight and educate.
By Ron Karten
With stories about the many uses of spam and
the culinary delights of fried baloney, Michael
Lacapa turned his life and an appreciation for
education to the benefit of kids in Kindergarten
through high school at local schools on Thurs
day, November 21.
In honor of both National Native American
Month and the local Restoration Celebration for
the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, the
Tribal Education Department brought Lacapa
in from his native Arizona to charm and to teach
and he did a lot of both.
Starring in assemblies at Willamina, Sheridan
and Grand Ronde public schools, Lacapa tailored
his pitch to the various audiences. For example,
he taught illustration and drawing techniques
to the little kids at Willamina and Grand Ronde
Elementary, but told stories and took questions
from older students.
Multi-talented, Lacapa tells and writes stories,
produces illustrations and publishes books on his
own. Well respected across this country and at
international destinations as well, 47-year-old
Lacapa said that not too long ago, he was mak
ing these trips 10-12 times a month until he
"ended up talking about what he does instead
of doing it." Now, he has cut back his travel
schedule to four days a month tops, but here,
he really packed in the presentations.
He has four books coming out this year alone,
as well as a syndicated column called, 'Break
fast Cereal' that reaches kids worldwide. He
works with other writers, including his wife,
Kathy.
His presence in front of the students may well
be explained because he started as a teacher at
the Phoenix Indian High School and the Chap
arral High School, also in Phoenix.
"This is right up my alley," he said before go
ing on.
When he talked about grandma as the one
you run to when you're in trouble, he was set
ting up more than a story. He told his story and
went on to say that "Grandma is a metaphor for
heaven!" Metaphor, mind you. He is in there
pitching away, still teaching.
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Michael Lacapa entertains Grand Ronde Elemen
tary School students with a story.
And his teaching is vocational and cultural
as well.
"Indians," he said, "are the invisible minor
ity. I tell the kids that our job is to let them
know that we're no longer going to be invis
ible." And then, he teaches them how. "You
don't have to come from a city to be a writer.
You don't have to come from New York or San
Francisco to be a successful illustrator. You just
have to be willing to take what you have, find
a vehicle and make it grow."
His brother, Drew Lacata, also has translated
their experiences growing up into an artistic
occupation. Drew is a well-known and re
spected comedian.
Lacata is a Fort Apache Indian with ethnic
roots from the Hopi, Tewa and Apache Tribes.
Kathy, of Irish, English and Mohawk descent,
worked with him on Less than Half, More than
Whole, a story "for all children who come from
multi-cultural backgrounds and struggle with
where they belong," according to a Newspaper
in Education report on the web.
Lacata was no stranger to members of the
Education Department.
"We've all seen him at different places," said
Lisa Leno, Youth Education Supervisor. "He's
excellent with little kids. Very interactive." B
Keith Brown Leads Perrydale High School To
The School's Best Ever Football Season
But St. Paul defeated the Pirates to claim the Class B
state title in an explosive final at West Salem High School.
By Ron Karten
Perrydale quarterback and Tribal member
Keith Brown (see SS, 12102 issue) completed
11 of 23 passes for 227 yards and two touch
downs at the 1A state finals on November 30.
It wasn't enough for the Pirate senior who had
brought his team to state for the first time in
the school's history, but as Audrey Chrisman,
secretary for the school, said, "Hey, we made
history this year. That's how I look at it."
The game, which went to St. Paul, 50-36F,
left Perrydale with a 10-2 season record.
Brown passed for 227 yards and two touch
downs in the championship loss.