Teaching Native American studies by doing

 

Students from Highland Hall Waldorf School visit Ute Mountain Tribal Park in Towaoc, Colorado at the end of their studies. (Image courtesy UteMountainUte.com)Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/02/09/teaching-native-american-studies-doing-147320
Students from Highland Hall Waldorf School visit Ute Mountain Tribal Park in Towaoc, Colorado at the end of their studies. (Image courtesy UteMountainUte.com)

Indian Country Today Media Network Staff

The school’s website says it’s a place “where education is a journey” and Noah Williams, who teaches history at Highland Hall Waldorf School in Northridge, California takes that seriously.

When he teaches his students about Native American history, they don’t just read out of books, they listen to the oral histories of the Inuit, Ute Mountain, Cheyenne and Pomo and end their studies with a trip to Ute Mountain Tribal Park in Towaoc, Colorado.

“Reading the myths and legends of the Pomos and Cheyennes isn’t just about introducing literature; these are stories handed down through an oral tradition. They were told and heard. So retelling them is really a lesson in listening,” Williams explains in a press release. “I ask the students to put down their pens, be present, and live in the words.”

After various lectures the students travel 15 hours by train and bus for a 3-and-a-half-day camping trip in a remote canyon where they go without electricity and running water. The students gather wood, make fires, learn cooking skills and experience a star-filled night sky surrounded by silence.

“The experience that made the deepest impression on me was when we visited one of many ancient cliff-dwelling ruins,” says Highland Hall 10th grader Casey Gardner. “First we hiked a steep path up the side of [the] canyon. The weather was hot, the rocks were unstable, and we all carried weighted backpacks filled with our belongings. Finally, we reached the ruin. It sat strong and resolute on a thin ledge overlooking the abyss. After lunch, our Ute Indian guide Rick encouraged us to have a moment of silence and take in the astounding view. To me, the silence became a living thing; one could hear and indeed even feel the silence. It made me think of an ancient Native American, probably sitting in the same spot, marveling at the same sight that I was taking in. We usually associate silence with aloneness, but being with my class, people I’ve known for most of my life, made the quiet a shared experience.”

 

Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/02/09/teaching-native-american-studies-doing-147320

Paine Field terminal will go ahead, exec says on Facebook

County exec announces plans for passenger facility on Facebook page

By Rikki King, Herald Writer

EVERETT — Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, who has opposed commercial flights at Paine Field, on Friday announced to his friends and followers on social media that he is pushing ahead with plans to build a passenger terminal.

Reardon shared the news on his Facebook page, and through his personal Twitter feed.

Federal law requires the county, which runs the airport, to build the terminal.

“However the county’s elected officials personally feel about the decision of the FAA to allow passenger service at Paine Field, it is essential that Snohomish County ensure all requirements under federal law are met,” he wrote.

The social media announcements came a day after Alaska Airlines proposed, over the next several years, to provide service from Everett to destinations including Honolulu, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Allegiant Air also has asked to operate flights to Las Vegas and, eventually, other cities.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently approved passenger flights at the airport after a three-year environmental study.

The topic has been debated in the county for years. In general, the county’s business community, from whom Reardon draws strong support, approves of regular commercial service to and from Paine Field. The cities of Mukilteo and Edmonds, and community groups located near the airport, recently filed a federal lawsuit challenging the decision to allow regular commercial flights.

Gunshot deaths in Snohomish County

When 20 children died in the Sandy Hook shooting in Connecticut in December, many people rushed to the Internet to argue about guns. As so often happens, emotions took over. It’s almost an American tradition, debating gun laws. People on both sides toss out stats.

Let’s fact-check one of the big ones: Is it true that more people die from traffic accidents than gun violence?

Not here. As the tables below and the accompanying graphics show, more people in Snohomish County die from gunshot wounds, according to data kept by the county Medical Examiner’s Office.

Four out of five gun deaths reported here since 2007 were ruled suicides and, for a number of reasons, rarely resulted in news reports.

Conversely, nearly every fatal car accident that occurs around here gets some mention. Roughly 30 to 40 people die in the county each year in traffic accidents. On average, about 45 people die from gunshot wounds.

Guns are a significant factor in homicides here. Snohomish County reported 18 homicides in 2012. Of those, 10 involved firearms.

About 4,500 people die in the county every year, the great majority of them from natural causes or accidents. For technical reasons, almost all firearm deaths are classified as homicides or suicides, including fatal accidental shootings.

The most common causes of accidental deaths are falls and fractures and drug and alcohol overdoses, followed by car accidents.

About 100 people fatally overdose here every year. Some of those deaths are suicides, but many are accidents. It’s not always possible to say for sure.

That’s 100 deaths just from drugs and alcohol — more than double those from bullets.

More online

Firearm deaths vs. traffic fatalities

Year Firearm deaths Traffic accident deaths
2007 38 31
2008 33 29
2009 62 42
2010 50 28
2011 44 38
Total 227 168

Firearm deaths

Year Firearm suicide Firearm homicide All firearm deaths
2007 25 13 38
2008 24 9 33
2009 51 11 62
2010 46 4 50
2011 39 5 44
Total 185 42 227

Accidental deaths

Year Accidental fall Accidental overdose or poisoning Traffic accident All accidental
2007 96 98 31 225
2008 130 110 29 269
2009 123 110 42 275
2010 129 98 28 255
2011 137 149 38 324
Total 615 565 168 1,348

Non-accidental violent deaths

Year Suicide Homicide Total non-accidental violent deaths
2007 72 19 91
2008 61 13 74
2009 94 22 116
2010 103 13 116
2011 95 11 106
Total 425 78 503

Prep girls basketball: Tulalip Heritage 48, Mount Vernon Christian 38

Source: heraldnet.com

MOUNT VERNON — Adiya Jones-Smith scored 21 points and Katia Brown hit several free throws late as Tulalip Heritage overcame some early nerves to knock off Mount Vernon Christian 48-38 in the 1B District 1 Tournament final on Friday.

“The girls started out slow, they were scared and nervous (in the first half),” said Hawks head coach Tina Brown.

Brown credited the play of sophomore guard Justice Vela for keeping the Hawks in the game during the first half.

“I’m very proud of Justice Vela, she stepped up in the first half,” said Brown. “Justice got a couple of steals, made a couple of shots when we could’ve folded.”

With Vela’s help, the Hawks (17-2) held a two-point lead at the half before getting their offense into gear in the third quarter by ratcheting up the defense. Tulalip Heritage held the Hurricanes (15-8) to just four points in the period, while scoring 15. According to Tina Brown, Jones-Smith was able to score off layins created from Tulalip Heritage steals.

Jacqueline Case led the Hurricanes with 15 points and Mount Vernon Christian finally solved the Hawks defense in the fourth, scoring 19 points, which equaled its output from the first three periods. But Katia Brown made 9 of 10 from the line in the last two minutes to ice the game. Brown’s dead-eye free throw shooting shouldn’t be a surprise, she’s the granddaughter of former Seattle SuperSonics great “Downtown Freddie” Brown.

The win earns the Hawks the district title and the No. 1 seed to next week’s tri-district tournament. The Hawks will host the winner of Grace Academy-Evergreen Lutheran. Mount Vernon Christian will enter as the No. 2 seed and play the Lopez-Shoreline Christian winner. Both games are scheduled for Feb. 12.

At Mount Vernon Christian H.S.

Mount Vernon Christian 10 5 4 19 — 38

Tulalip Heritage 10 7 15 16 — 48

Mount Vernon Christian–Natalie Sakuma 6, Kimber-Lynn Anderson 0, Amanda Lervick 4, Molli Kaptein 0, Jacqueline Case 15, Melyssa Whitener 0, Grace Kuipers 7, Kennedy Lucas 2, Carla Van Rooyen 4, Lindsay Noste 0, Ottey Weidenbach 0, Jenna Withers 0. Tulalip Heritage–Katia Brown 13, Kanoa Enick 7, Cassandra Jimicum 2, Adiya Jones-Smith 21, Justice Vela 5, Michelle Iukes 0, Wendy Jimicum 0. 3-point goals–Case 3, Vela, Enick. Records– Mount Vernon Christian 15-8 overall. Tulalip Heritage 17-2.

Robbery suspect allegedly bragged about Monroe bank heist

Herald staff, heraldnet.com

MONROE — Police on Friday arrested an Idaho man, 53, suspected of robbing a Monroe bank last week and using some of the loot to buy drugs and sex.

A day after the Feb. 1 heist at the Union Bank, police received a tip from a woman about a possible suspect. She told investigators she met a man at the Tulalip Casino and later spent the evening with him.

During their time together, the man allegedly admitted he robbed a bank in Monroe. He reportedly showed the woman the note he used to demand money from a teller. She also said the man gave her money to buy methamphetamine and to pay her for sex, police said.

The woman gave investigators the man’s cellphone number. Detectives later learned the man’s name and driver’s license number from the hotel registration card. Police compared video footage from the bank with surveillance from the hotel. The suspect was seen entering the casino and hotel wearing the same clothes he had on during the heist.

Detectives called the man on Friday and asked him to come to the police station. They learned he was at his mother’s Monroe house. The man was arrested and booked into the Snohomish County Jail.

VAWA Bill set for vote on Monday

 
VAWA BILL SET FOR VOTE ON MONDAY
– Grassley Substitute Bill defeated –  
–  Vote No on Coburn Amendment! –  
We still have work to do! 
 
S. 47, the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization, is a strong, bipartisan bill sponsored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Michael Crapo (R-ID). S. 47 is very similar to the bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Leahy and Crapo last Congress and would improve VAWA programs and strengthen protections for all victims of violence.    
 
The bill includes historically important tribal provisions that would enable tribes to address domestic violence in Indian country. Votes on the bill were started yesterday, and are expected to be completed early next week, probably Monday early evening and Tuesday.   
 
In a letter sent to Senators Leahy and Crapo on Thursday morning, the NCAI Taskforce on Violence Against Women expressed strong opposition to any harmful amendments offered to the Senate legislation to reauthorize VAWA. In the letter to the Senate co-authors of the legislation, NCAI expressed unified opposition to amendments to VAWA that would strip tribal jurisdiction provisions or alter the current language in S. 47 in a harmful manner. The letter sent by NCAI Task Force co-chairs Juana Majel Dixon  (Pauma Band of Mission Indians, CA) and Terri Henry (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, NC)  can be downloaded here and you can read NCAI’s full press release here. 
 
As a result of a lot of hard work by VAWA advocates, a harmful substitute bill proposed by Senator Grassley, that would have removed the tribal provisions and a lot of other good provisions, was defeated on Thursday 65-34. 
 
It was an important moment, but there is more work to do to defeat a Coburn amendment that would strip the tribal provisions.
  
In anticipation of the impending votes, we urge you to take action this weekend and first thing MONDAY by contacting your Senators to vote against any further harmful amendments and vote for the overall bill!   
 
  
ACTION ITEM:  EMAIL YOUR SENATOR(s)  
THIS WEEKEND AND CALL ON MONDAY!!! 
 
EMAIL – Find you Senator(s) on this list and contact them by email. Send them a simple message. 
 
“Dear Senator, Monday is an important day, you’ll have a chance to protect all women, including Native women. It’s time to be a hero and pass a comprehensive VAWA – S.47 – including the tribal provisions and I urge you to vote NO on the Coburn Amendment. I urge you to support the Murkowski and Leahy Amendments.”  
 
CALL – On Monday, call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask the operator to connect you to your Senators. When you’re connected to their offices, ask to speak to the staff person who handles VAWA. Tell them the same thing you wrote in your email over the weekend. 
   
” Today is an important day, the Senator has the chance to protect all women, including Native women. It’s time to be a hero and pass a comprehensive VAWA – S.47 – including the tribal provisions and I urge the Senator to vote NO on the Coburn Amendment. I urge you to support the Murkowski and Leahy Amendments.” 
 

Oppose Coburn Amendment   
 
Senator Coburn of Oklahoma has filed an amendment that would strip the tribal provisions from the legislation, and this amendment is scheduled for a vote. This is a critical vote that will show the strength of support for tribes.   
 
As you know, S. 47 contains key provisions that would restore tribal jurisdiction over non-Indians for certain acts of domestic violence and dating violence, as well as for violations of protection orders, in Indian country.  
 
We urge all tribes and advocates to ask their Senators to vote NO on the Coburn Amendment.  This vote will be exclusively about the tribal provisions and it is critical to get as many no votes as possible.    
 
Support Murkowski Amendment: Senator Murkowski has offered an amendment that clarifies Section 905 regarding protective orders.  The language of Section 905 on Alaska was vague, and could be interpreted to generally exclude Alaska tribes from 18 USC 2265.  This is a clarification and it helps Alaska tribes. Although it doesn’t go as far as Alaska tribes would like, it is significantly better than the introduced version.  This amendment is scheduled to receive a vote, and can be found here. 
 
Support Leahy Human Trafficking Amendment:  Senator Leahy is offering a trafficking-related amendment, which is effectively the same as S.1301, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), a positive bill that had broad bipartisan support last year (including from 15 Republicans). For a factsheet on S.1301, click here. For the bill text click here . The National Task Force to End Domestic Violence supports this amendment.  
 
For more information, fact sheets, press coverage, support letters and updates:  www.ncai.org and  www.4vawa.org.
 
 
NCAI Contact Information:Please contact John Dossett,General Counsel  jdossett@ncai.org or Derrick Beetso, Staff Attorney,  dbeetso@ncai.org if you have any questions.

NAFSA applauds President Obama’s nomination of Sally Jewell for Secretary of the Interior

 

Native American Group Urges Secretary-designate to Protect Government-to-Government Relationship between Tribal Nations and Federal Government

NAFSA
Native American Financial Services Association

http://www.mynafsa.org/

WASHINGTON, DC (February 8, 2013) – Following President Obama’s announcement earlier this week that he would nominate Sally Jewell, President and CEO of REI, to succeed retiring Secretary Ken Salazar at the helm of the Department of Interior, The Native American Financial Services Association (NAFSA) issued the following statement:

“With so many Department of the Interior bureaus and agencies impacting daily life on Native American reservations, Sally Jewell is an outstanding choice to succeed Secretary Salazar,” said Barry Brandon, Executive Director of NAFSA. “She understands the value of our precious wilderness and how important it is to protect our public lands. It is our hope that she will use her new post as Interior Secretary to continually strengthen the unique government-to-government relationship that our tribes share with the federal government. We applaud her nomination and look forward to working with her.”

The Department of the Interior (DOI) is accountable for the administration and preservation of most federal land and natural resources, as well as the management of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. Included within DOI is the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the oldest bureau in the Interior Department.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs provides services to approximately 1.9 million native peoples on reservations across the United States. Additionally, the bureau manages 55 million surface acres and 57 million acres of subsurface minerals held in trust by American Indians, Indian Tribes, and Alaska Natives. If confirmed by the Senate, Jewell will have immense jurisdiction around Native American life.

Jewell, a former oil company official and outdoor enthusiast, won the 2009 Rachel Carson award from the Audubon Society for work furthering environmental efforts. Jewell is vice chairwoman of the National Parks Conservation Association and additionally serves as a board member of the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust; a linked network of green spaces, and historic towns recreational opportunities in Washington State.

About NAFSA
The Native American Financial Services Association (NAFSA) formed in 2012 to advocate for Native American sovereign rights and enable tribes to offer responsible online lending products.  Through the protection of consumer rights and sovereign immunity, NAFSA provides vital services to tribally operated lenders serving the under-banked with better short term financial services, furthering economic development opportunities in Indian Country.

Documentary crew to visit Tulalip

By Rikki King, http://www.heraldnet.com

A French film crew plans to visit the Tulalip Indian Reservation next week to work on a short documentary and conduct interviews regarding the reauthorization efforts there for the Violence Against Women Act.

Tulalip officials last year, including vice chairwoman Deborah Parker, were among those fighting to expand the act to include more tribal provisions. It ultimately didn’t happen. They plan to try again.

Herald columnist Julie Muhlstein wrote a story about Parker’s work last May.

The documentary crew with “Canal+” is expected in town Wednesday, tribal spokeswoman Francesca Hillery said. A private ceremony also is planned on the reservation next week as part of a national day of recognition for efforts to reauthorize the anti-violence law.

“What we will be doing essentially is sending up a prayer for all native women,” Hillery said.

For more information about the law and what’s happening nationally, read this Associated Press story from Tuesday.

Encouraging kids to live healthy and stay active

Zumba instructor Ossha Williams teaches the kids some dance moves.
Zumba instructor Ossha Williams teaches the kids some dance moves.

By Jeannie Briones and Kim Kalliber, Tulalip News staff

Tulalip Tribes Youth Services are working to educate elementary grade kids about the importance of eating healthy and staying active, along with the devastating affects that smoking cigarettes can have on the body.

The Healthy Lungs, Healthy Lifestyle after-school program provides kids with information on tobacco and overall health, along with teaching them that in order to stay active in daily living and to participate in sports, they need to have clean, healthy lungs.

Over a dozen kids danced, exercised and laughed in the Quil Ceda Elementary School Gym during the Healthy Lungs, Healthy Lifestyle gathering on February 6th.

The kids learned basic dance moves with help from the host of the day, Zumba instructor Ossha Williams, of Health Quest Fitness Studio. Once the music started, the electrifying beat filled the gym with contagious energy that made the kids move their bodies to a combination of hip-hop, salsa, soca, and mambo music, while incorporating martial arts and aerobic elements into their workout.

“This program is a great thing because it gives the kids something do and shows them ways to stay healthy. It sends a positive message, because there is a high smoking rate among Native Americans,” said Rachel Steeve, Youth Services Smoking Cessation Specialist.

Kids are also treated to a healthy snack and drink, and can participate in hands-on projects and crafts.

Healthy Lungs, Healthy Lifestyle program will be held every other day in the Quil Ceda and Tulalip Elementary gym after school.  Monday 3:35-5:00 p.m., Wednesday 1:05-3:00 p.m. and Friday from 3:35-5:00 p.m.

To enroll your child in this fun, education program contact Rachel Steeve, Youth Services Smoking Cessation Specialist, at 360-716-4936; email rsteeve@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov, or stop by Youth Services at 3107 Reuben Shelton Dr, Tulalip, WA 98271.