National Indian
Education Association Releases Honors List
Washington, DC: The National Indian Education Association has
honored three schools and eight Native individuals for their
impacts to the world of education.
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Cultural
Freedom Awards
Chief Leschi School (Puyallup, WA)
Nixyáawii Community School (Pendleton, Oregon)
Rough Rock Community School, Rough Rock, AZ
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2008 NIEA
Lifetime Achievement Award
Henrietta Mann, Cheyenne and Arapaho of
Tribes of Oklahoma
Gerald Gipp, Hunkpapa Lakota, Alexandria, VA
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2008 NIEA
Elder of the Year Award
Lillian Williams, Skidi
Pawnee/Chickasaw/Cherokee,
Tulsa, OK
John Emhoolah, Kiowa Nation, Northglenn, CO |
2008
Educator of the Year Award
Dr. David Kekaulike Singm, Native Hawaiian,
Hilo, HI |
2008 NIEA
Community Service Award
N. Kathryn Brigham, Confederated Tribes of
Umatilla, Pendleton, OR |
2008 NIEA
Teacher of the Year Award
Roxanne Small Not Afraid, Apsaalooke Nation,
Hardin, MT |
2008 NIEA
Parent of the Year
Vivian Peters Delarosa, Yakama
Nation,Toppenish, WA |
“These people and organizations are strong and courageous
advocates for the education of our Native youth," said Dr.
Willard Sakiestewa Gilbert, NIEA President. "These great
individuals and schools have worked hard to preserve our Native
languages and our cultures, and make sure that every Native
child has a chance to get a great education. They have shown
that it is possible, and we honor their personal commitment.”
National Indian Education Association
ACLU Sues School
District For Punishing Kindergarten Student Because Of Family's
Religious Beliefs
 Texas:
The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against
Needville Independent Schools for punishing a five-year-old
American Indian kindergarten student. Since Sept 3, Needville
Schools have isolated the boy in an in-school suspension for not
stuffing his long hair down the back of his shirt. The student,
who wore his hair long in violation of school rules, was
practicing his family's traditional religious beliefs. "[The
student's] parents have raised him to practice and be proud of
his religion and culture as an American Indian, which includes
wearing his uncut hair in two long braids," said Lisa Graybill
from the ACLU of Texas. "NIS recognized that [his] religious
beliefs exempt him from having short hair, but the alternate
policy they adopted for him is still unlawful." The five-year-old's
hair has never been cut. The family believes that one's hair
should only be cut for life-changing occasions, such as the
death of a loved one. They believe their long hair is a sacred
symbol of their own lives.
Read a copy of the lawsuit:
www.aclu.org/religion/schools/37019lgl20081001.html
photo: media.houstonpress.com
http://www.aclu.org/religion/schools/37022prs20081002.html?s_src=RSS
Its Native Tongue
Facing Extinction, Arapaho Tribe Teaches the Young
Wind River Reservation, Wyoming: "Only 200 Arapaho speakers are
still alive, and tribal leaders fear their language may not
survive. In a growing effort to save the Arapaho language, the
Northern Arapaho tribe opened Hinono’ Eitiino’ Oowu’ (Arapaho
Language Lodge), a new school where students will be taught in
Arapaho. About 22 PreK-1 children have begun their classes in
the rectangular one-story structure. Elders and educators hope
it will create a new generation of native speakers. “ I want my
son to talk nothing but Arapaho to me and my grandparents,” said
Kayla Howling Buffalo, who enrolled her 4-year-old son in Hinono
Eitiino Oowu. Ms. Howling Buffalo, 25, has taken her own Arapaho
classes because her grandmother has no one to speak with. She's
also afraid of losing her first language. Similar sentiments
began growing when 96-year-old Helen Cedar Tree, the tribe's
oldest living member, made an impassioned plea to the council of
elders five years ago. “She said: ‘Look at all of you guys
talking English, and you know your own language. It’s like the
white man has conquered us,’ ” said Gerald Redman Sr., council
of elders chairman. “It was a wake-up call.”
Watch the
Grand Opening of Hinono’ Eitiino’ Oowu’ school:
http://www.northernarapaho.com/
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/us/17arapaho.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Real Girl of the Year
awarded to Madison Bella King
 Indiana:
Madison Bella King is among three winners of the 2008 Real Girl
of the Year Award sponsored by American Girl. Bella, who is 9,
was born on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana. When her
family moved to the Midwest, Bella began dancing and competing
at area powwows. She started as a traditional dancer but was
drawn to the bright colors and sparkling beadwork on the regalia
worn in Fancy Shawl, a fast and athletic dance. One night
driving home from a powwow, she and her friends decided to start
a youth group for Native girls. “We said to each other, how come
we only get together for powwows?" her friend Jennifer King
remembered. "We talked among ourselves … OK, let’s start a
youth group. We took it to our parents and they took care of the
legal stuff. The kids came to us with a list of things they
wanted to do.” That youth group is now the non-profit group,
Soaring Eagles Native American Youth and Family Council.
“Madison Bella’s entry truly exemplified what it means to be a
Real Girl of the Year," said Stephanie Spanos of American Girl.
" [She's] passionate, dedicated, and has an award-winning
attitude. Her commitment to honoring her heritage through powwow
dancing, and starting the Soaring Eagles youth group to teach
native children about their cultures, is a tremendous
accomplishment and a testament to her amazing spirit.” The
grand prize winners were selected from more than 8,000 entries
Soaring Eagles Native American Youth and Family Council:
www.senayfc.org
http://www.bellaking.com/american_more.html
State Adopts Navajo
Textbook
Navajo Nation, New Mexico: New Mexico has adopted a textbook
for learning the Navajo language. The textbook's co-author,
Evangelina Parsons Yazzie, said Navajo is one of eight American
Indian languages taught in New Mexico's public schools. It is
also a one of the most difficult languages in the world to
learn. The text, "Rediscovering the Navajo Language," is aimed
for beginning classes at the high school and college level.
http://www.koat.com/news/17802683/detail.htmlwww.googlecom
School tailored for
O'odham tribe enjoys success
 Arizona:
Studies show that Native students do best in schools adapted to
their cultures. One such school is Tuscon's Ha:san Preparatory &
Leadership School. Ha:san Prep is designed for Tohono O'odham
youth and Native students interested in a college prep
curriculum. Ha:san Prep has about 150 students. 99% are American
Indian, most of whom are members of the Tohono O'odham Nation.
While students take state required coursework, they also learn
traditional native art and tribal songs and grow traditional
crops, such as squash and beans. Teachers --half of whom are
American Indian -- are also required to attend weekly sessions
to learn how to integrate language and culture. 19-year-old
Frances Ortiz attended Ha:san because of it's academic focus.
She also wanted to be surrounded by other Indian students. "I
thought it was important so that I could learn more about my
culture," she said. While Frances still struggles with the
language, she remains committed to learning the O'odham language
so it doesn't disappear.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/127927
Bush costs prompt
exodus to cities
Alaska: Alaska is seeing a mass migration from rural villages to
major cities. The main evidence is the increasing enrollment in
Anchorage schools. Since school began in September, more than
400 new Native students have registered. The relatively high
cost of living in the villages is forcing these students and
family to move:
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In 2008, the
poorest 20% of
rural residents were paying
47% of their income in energy costs.
In 2000, they were
spending 16% on
energy.
But in Anchorage, that group pays just under
9%.
The 60% middle
class in rural Alaska are spending
12% of their money
on energy.
In Anchorage, the number is just over
3%.
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Ancorage School Superintendent Carol Comeau said the transition
from rural to urban schools can be hard. "We're talking about
high schools that are bigger than the communities most of the
students are coming from," she said. Secondary teacher
specialist Barb Dexter works with homeless middle and high
school students. "I've had three students in the last two days
who have come in from rural communities, and they've come in
without adults," she said. One high school senior who moved from
Bethel said, "I can't afford to live there." The migration
has also created a crisis for many rural schools whose
government funding is based on head count. Schools with fewer
than 10 students could even close. "It's a trend that's been
going on for quiet some time. It seems to be accelerating this
year," said Larry LeDoux, state commissioner of education. We
have heard that some districts are reporting a real loss of
students." Comeau and Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich asked
Governor Sarah Palin to create an emergency task force to find
ways to stem the migration. They say Anchorage and the state
"cannot stand by and tolerate the deterioration of rural
Alaska."
http://www.adn.com/rural/story/541188.html
Haskell Indian
Nations University in an uproar as embattled president stands
firm
Kansas: The Haskell University’s Board of Regents wants her
gone. Nearly half of the students signed petitions asking her to
resign. But Linda Sue Warner, president of Haskell Indian
Nations University in Lawrence, is standing firm, and her bosses
in Washington are backing her. Haskell is the only federally
funded four-year college dedicated to American Indians. And,
since Haskell operates under the U.S. Bureau of Indian
Education, Haskell's board is powerless to remove her. When
Warner took office two years ago, she promised reforms and
quickly shook things up. She started a new campus research
center, a new student health program, signed cooperative
agreements with other universities and worked to expand degree
options. She created a new personnel policy, and some faculty
members were reassigned. But several students have criticized
some changes, including a dramatic fee increase. Although
Haskell's 1000+ students do not pay tuition, they do pay a
student fee -- around $215 per semester. Warner wanted to raise
fees to $1,000, far beyond the means for some low-income
students. “Who will we be kicking out? What students will you be
willing to sacrifice?” asked student Abigail Estes . Warner has
since reconsidered. Other complaints are a tough student conduct
code, lax campus security, and cafeteria food options. Warner's
supporters think the backlash is just a reaction to change.
“Since this lady has been here, my job has improved,” said
student counselor Angelina Tah. Whatever problems there are at
Haskell, she said, “they’re all fixable.
photo: Haskell Indian Nations University
http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/846400.html
2008 RBC aboriginal
scholarship winners
Ontario: The RBC Aboriginal Student Awards program is offered to
students enrolled in full-time post-secondary studies. Winners
receive up to $4,000 a year, up to four years, to help with
education expenses. "RBC is dedicated to helping Canada's
aboriginal students realize their full potential," said
Christianne Paris, a Royal Canadian Bank vice-president. "The
RBC Aboriginal Student Awards program gives us a way to invest
in those who have demonstrated academic excellence and a
capacity for leadership/"
The 2008 RBC Aboriginal Student Award winners:
Kristy-Lee Tremblay, Métis from the
community of Selkirk, Manitoba
Shelby
Lindley, Status (Treaty Indian) from Merritt, British Columbia
Matthew McGregor, Status (Treaty Indian) and member of the
Whitefish River First Nation, Birch Island, Ontario
Aaron Holway, First Nations,
Whitehorse, Yukon Territories
Tyler Duhart, Non-Status Indian, Town of Massey Drive,
Newfoundland
Katrina Whiteduck, First Nation
Algonquin from the community of Kitigan Zibi, Maniwaki,Quebec
Melanie Anderson, Mohawk Nation from Six Nations, Ohsweken,
Ontario
Josée Lépine, Métis, Winnipeg,
Manitoba
RBC has a long-standing relationship with Canada's Aboriginal
Peoples. In addition to the Student Awards program, RBC has
joined the Assembly of First Nation's Corporate Challenge,
supports the Historical Foundation's heritage programs for
Aboriginal students, and donates funds to support the
Aboriginal Youth Writing Challenge.
Learn more about the winners:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2008/23/c8533.html
Blackfeet member
utilizes old technology
Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Montana: Ten years ago, a
Blackfeet tribal elder presented Latrice Tatsey's family with a
gift. Latrice only saw it as a striped stick. Almost two years
ago, her father, Terry, visited Latrice's class at Blackfeet
Community College. He showed the students how the Blackfeet
calendar stick was used for thousands of years to unite the
Blackfeet bands in tribal ceremony. He also explained how its
ancient system relates to the modern calendar. Latrice wanted to
learn more, so she used her family's calendar stick to measure
shadow lengths and wind direction at the same location and at
the time every week. Then she recorded her data based on the
Blackfeet calendar. The National Science Foundation was so
impressed by Tatsey's use of traditional tools to study modern
science that they invited her to present their national meeting.
Latrice has also worked with teachers at Montana State
University and the University of Montana. What she likes best,
though, is visiting students on the Blackfeet Reservation and
helping them make their own calendar sticks to use throughout
the year. "It's really important to me that the younger
generation picks up this tradition," Tatsey said. "If this
knowledge isn't transferred down to the younger generation, it
will be lost." She added that the calendar stick also
encourages students to study science at an earlier age\.
"They'll already have research experience at a young age, before
they get into middle school," she said.
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Facts
about the Blackfoot Calendar Stick:
The
Blackfoot Calendar Stick is 3' 11" long.
It marks the days,
months and years.
Using shadows, it
indicates the time and season, while a feather
indicates wind direction.
A red stripe tops
the stick, illustrating the Blackfeet Tribe's
creation story.
30 black stripes
alternate with 29 yellow ones to mark the days.
The calendar stick
has four small lines to record quarter days once
a year, a slightly different way of working out
leap year.
The traditional
Blackfeet calendar is based on days between full
moons, so the months are shorter and the year
lasts 360 days.
The Blackfeet
calendar begins in the spring, not January.
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View Latrice's online presentation about the Blackfeet Calendar
Stick:
http://stemrc.aihec.org/FALCON/2007%20Conference%20Pack/2-5-Tatsey-Trad-Knowledge---Western-Sci.html
photo:
http://www.charkoosta.com/2008/2008_08_28/SKC_science_camp_2008.html
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080902/NEWS01/809020308/1002
Schulte receives
Emmy Nod
 Alaska:
Dr. Priscilla Schulte, Ph.D. has added an Emmy award to her list
of accomplishments. Shulte is a professor of anthropology and
sociology at the University of Alaska-Ketchikan. Dr. Schulte
received the award as an advisor for an educational series,
"Physical Anthropology: The Evolving Human." A production of
California's Coastline Community College, the series interviews
and films anthropologists working in Africa and Europe. Schulte
also produced a video, "The Bear Stands Up," which aired on
public television and is available at local libraries. Dr.
Schulte began her teaching career at Dine College on the Navajo
Nation. She later moved to Alaska where her teaching interests
included Alaska Native cultures and Native American culture
change. Her most recent research has focused on the totem pole
carvers of the Civilian Conservation Corps era. Schulte is an
adopted member of the Tongass Brown Bear clan of the Tlingit
people.
NAMEListserve
Background:
Robert Kaufman Fabrics:
http://www.robertkaufman.com/
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