THE NOVEMBER 1, 2018 | “EHOLE” FROST MONTH. 1, 2018 WEB.pdf · p.o box 8 okmulgee, ok 74447...

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PAGE 1TUCCÊNEN THE MVSKOKE NEWSW I N N ER O F T H E O K SP J , C A RT ER B R A D LE Y F I R S T A M EN D M EN T & T H E N A J A , EL I A S B O U D I N OT F R EE P R E S S A W A R DS

NOVEMBER 1, 2018 | “EHOLE” FROST MONTH | VOL. 4 8, ISSUE 21THE

THE INDEPENDENT TRIBAL NEWSPAPER OF THE MUSCOGEE (CREEK) NATION • PRODUCED BY

OKMULGEE CELEBRATES INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY VENDORS, SINGING AND SAGEby DARREN DELAUNEREPORTER

Counsel for Muscogee (Creek) Nation Principal Chief James Floyd filed a motion Oct. 5 to dismiss the case against him brought forth by the Muscogee Creek Indian Freedmen Band Inc. (Shutterstock Image)

FLOYD FILES MOTION FOR DISMISSAL OF FREEDMEN SUIT DEFENSE CITES FOUR MAIN REASONS by JASON SALSMANMULTIMEDIA PRODUCER

OKMULGEE, Oklahoma — On Oct. 8, the City of Okmulgee followed other communities in recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day, although there was no formal replacement.

Okmulgee Mayor Stephen Baldridge addressed the capital of Muscogee (Creek) Nation taking this long to recognize the holiday.

“Should have done it a long time ago,” he said. “I don’t know why we didn’t but I am glad that we did.”

Baldridge read a resolution declaring the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

“Reaffirming the city’s commit-ment to promote the well-being and growth of Okmulgeeans, American Indians and indigenous communi-ties,” he said.

Both MCN National Council Okmulgee District Reps. Del Beaver and James Jennings were at the Coun-cil House to speak to the crowd.

“It is a long time coming,” Beaver said. “Everyday is an Indigenous Day. There hasn’t been a day where I hav-en’t claimed Indigenous Day.”

Organizer for the event Muscogee

(Creek) citizen Brenda Golden said she felt it needed to be recognized in the MCN capital.

Golden said she hoped more MCN officials were at the event. However, many attended the Tulsa ceremony.

“I felt that by our tribal officials going to Tulsa, they made this one a backseat,” she said.

According to an email from MCN Public Relations, MCN Prin-cipal Chief James Floyd was invited to the Tulsa event after the inaugural one last year and confirmed his atten-dance in July.

‘Chief Floyd was the parade mar-shal that started at 11:30 a.m., then placed on the agenda at 1 p.m.,’ the email stated.

The email stated MCN was confi-dent the presence of the Council rep-resentatives was adequate.

Golden feels that City of Okmul-gee has recently made advances in working with MCN.

“They are collaborating with some community projects and we have representation on the city coun-cil,” she said.

Rounding out the program were vendors, hymnal singing, speeches and poetry reading.

TULSA, Oklahoma — Jovial cries rang out after a resolution from City of Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum proclaimed every second Monday in October to be Native American Day.

“Thirteen months ago, we made a commitment that the City of Tulsa would celebrate and rec-ognize our Native American his-tory heritage and traditions,” Chief Resilience Officer DeVon Douglas read on behalf of Bynum, who was unable to attend the event.

The resolution recognized the ‘invaluable contributions to our community through shared knowl-edge, stewardship of the lands,

labor, science, technology, philos-ophy, arts and deep cultural influ-ence.’

In its second year, the event held Oct. 8 at the Guthrie Green had representation from various tribal nations including Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

During the ceremony tribal leaders, including MCN Principal Chief James Floyd, were presented with the publicly adopted Tulsa flag as a gift from the city.

Floyd said he had observed this year’s gathering as much larger than the inaugural event last year.

“It’s a great gesture of recogni-tion,” he said.

When asked about the rap-port MCN has with the city, he dis-cussed the tribe’s growing influ-

ence.“The interest within the tribes

is growing. The interest in our history and our culture is also increasing,” Floyd said. “I think it’s an opportunity for us.”

Recently, the Tulsa Public Schools system renamed Lee Ele-mentary School to Council Oak Elementary School and Floyd said he thinks the interest is also there to incorporate Muscogee (Creek) history and culture into TPS coursework.

He said River Spirit Casino and Resort has also allowed the tribe’s presence to grow.

“It recognizes our ability to bring the issues to the table…and be a part of the discussions early on,” Floyd said.

According to the resolu-tion, IPD was first proposed in 1977 during the International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas, sponsored by the United Nations.

BEAVER, Arkansas — A viral video posted Oct. 13 on Face-book features a Muscogee (Creek) Nation Transit Department bus crossing what the video’s poster

WASHINGTON — Counsel for Muscogee (Creek) Nation Prin-cipal Chief James Floyd has filed a motion to dismiss the case against him brought forth by the Muscogee Creek Indian Freedmen Band Inc.

The motion filed Oct. 5 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, asks the court to dis-miss with prejudice the suit based

on four main deficiencies.The motion states that the dis-

trict court lacks personal juris-diction over Floyd, the District of Columbia is an improper venue, the court does not have subject matter jurisdiction over the claims and that the plaintiffs have failed to exhaust their tribal administrative and judi-cial remedies prior to bringing the suit.

Regarding personal jurisdiction, the defense argues that the plaintiffs

fail to allege that Floyd has any con-tacts with the court.

The motion states that Floyd’s presence in D.C. has been limited to governmental meetings, Con-gressional testimony, conferences and cultural heritage events and not ‘transacted business.’

It states that the plaintiffs have not alleged that any of Floyd’s con-tacts with the district are related to the passage of the 1979 MCN Con-stitution, any of its amendments or the process of citizenship with the tribe.

The motion also states that the District of Columbia is an improper venue ‘because all defendants do

The City of Okmulgee held its inaugural Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration Oct. 8.(Darren DeLaune/Reporter)

SECOND ANNUAL NATIVE AMERICAN DAY CELEBRATED IN TULSACHIEF DISCUSSES GROWING INFLUENCE IN CITYby LIZ GRAYREPORTER

TRANSIT BUS CROSSES BRIDGE UNDER QUESTIONABLE SPECIFICATIONS VIRAL VIDEO RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT CROSSINGby DARREN DELAUNEREPORTER

The City of Tulsa celebrated its second annual Native American Day Oct. 8 at Guthrie Green. (Gary Fife/Radio Specialist)

FLOYD FILES MOTION– 2

TRANSIT VIDEO – 2

identifies as Beaver Bridge in Beaver, Arkansas under question-able weight specifications.

The post did not identify the bus and the resolution made it unclear, but stated it was the second to cross the single-lane suspension bridge as it appeared

to sag under what Arkansas Department of Transportation Public Information Officer Danny Straessle said was a 10-ton capac-ity limit.

“That’s about a 35-ton bus, you see crossing a bridge that has a 10-ton weight limit on it,” he said.

Mvskoke Media identified the busses in front of the MCN Transit building as Motor Coach Indus-tries J4500.

According to specifications available on the company site, the bus weighs approximately 25.5 A Muscogee (Creek) Nation Transit bus was featured in a viral Facebook video crossing a

bridge that was reportedly rated for a weight capacity notably under that of the vehicle. (MN File Photo)


PAGE 2 HOKKÔLENTHE MVSKOKE NEWS

THE MVSKOKE NEWS

Sterling Cosper, Manager | [email protected]

Darren DeLaune, Reporter | [email protected]

Liz Gray, Reporter | [email protected]

Angel Ellis, Reporter | [email protected]

Kevin Barnett, Reporter | [email protected]

Gary Fife, Contributor | [email protected]

Jason Salsman, Contributor | [email protected]

Chelsie Rich, Advertising & Sales | [email protected]

Breanna Dawson, Advertising & Sales | [email protected]

Mark Hill, Layout & Design | [email protected]

The Mvskoke News is the official publication of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Its purpose is to meet the needs of the tribe and its citizens through the dissemination of information. Reprint permission is granted with credit to The Mvskoke News unless other copyrights are shown.

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Members of the Native American Journalists Association

Native American Journalist Association

not reside here and a substan-tial part of the events giving rise to Plaintiffs’ claims did not occur here.’

The defense argues the court does not have subject matter juris-diction over the claims, citing that the Ex Parte Young U.S. Supreme Court case precedent does not apply.

According to the Federal Judi-cial Center, the case centered on the court ‘holding that when a state offi-cial attempted to enforce an uncon-stitutional statute, that official was deemed to be acting in their per-sonal, rather than official capacity and was therefore not protected by the Eleventh Amendment’s grant to the states of sovereign immunity.’

The argument is that obtaining relief against Floyd would be point-less because he has no authority over citizenship determinations.

Finally, the motion alleges the plaintiffs have failed to show any facts to support their claims that they have been denied enrollment in the Nation, stating the plaintiffs fail to prove in their claims that they have even applied for citizenship.

The defense argues that the plaintiffs simply make the conclu-sion that applying for citizenship would be futile because two alleged Freedmen were denied citizenship a decade ago.

The argument of exhausting tribal remedies is paramount to the dismissal according to the defense.

The motion states, ‘Tribal self-governance goes to the heart of the dispute here: there is perhaps nothing more important to a tribe’s exercise of self-government than determining its own membership.’

The defense goes on to men-tion in its argument that ‘Courts have consistently held that a tribe’s authority to determine its own membership is a fundamental exercise of self-government and is essential to its continuing existence as an independent sovereign entity.’

The defense has requested for an oral hearing on the motion. The plaintiffs’ response was due Oct. 19 and Mvskoke Media will continue following the case.

FLOYD FILES MOTIONContinued from Page 1

TRANSIT VIDEOContinued from Page 1

EMVPANYV: ONE WHOTELLS THE STORY NCAI ISSUES, WARREN AGAIN, TRUCK DRIVING CHAMP, NATIVE DAYby GARY FIFERADIO SPECIALIST

OKMULGEE, Oklahoma — The lawsuit that determines the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s level of control over a big chunk of Oklahoma will be going before the U.S. Supreme Court for oral arguments Nov. 27.

It’s all a fight over whether or not a murder case should have been tried in state court contin-gent on if the crime occurred on tribal land. The defense attorney argues that Congress never dis-solved the Creek ‘reservation,’ so the State of Oklahoma had no jurisdiction.

It goes on and on from there. Now, to the high court, which has just had a new Justice seated that may have anti-tribal feel-ings, according to his record of decisions.

Now, while this is going on….Looks like the top Native

American lobbying group, the National Congress of Ameri-can Indians (NCAI) gets its turn in dealing with accusations of sexual harassment and problems with management.

‘Indian Country Today’ and other news agencies reports the

top lawyer, John Dossett had been let go as the attorney for the organization.

Now, its Executive Direc-tor, Jacqueline Pata has been put on administrative leave for the way the problem has been han-dled and a perceived ‘keep it quiet’ attitude. Some current and former NCAI staff charged Dos-sett with sexual harassment and creation of a hostile work place.

NCAI has had its problems in the past and has actually removed executive management before. That includes another Alaska Native man and a 2014 holder of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

I’ve worked for NCAI in years past and watched the highly charged political atmo-sphere that Natives have to work in. Both staff and visiting tribal people have to ‘dance’ very care-fully where a single mistake could be very costly.

Too many times, elected leadership has had to sacri-fice time and energy working for their own tribes in favor of working for the organization and its battles on Capitol Hill. Tough choice on how to spend your time.

Now is probably a real bad time for NCAI to have to deal

with this internal conflict.Is she or is she not?Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Eliz-

abeth Warren has taken a DNA test that shows she does have some Native American ancestry; something she has mentioned in the past. However, there’s nothing specific regarding how much. That has been the basis for the red-haired current occu-pant of the White House’s mock-ery of her with the epithet ‘Poc-ohantas.’

What’s more, that guy declared he would give million dollars to a charity if Warren took a test and it showed she did have a Native ancestor. After the test, the guy welched and denied he said that, even with TV news coverage showing us he did.

Locally, the news media has reported that the Chero-kee Nation ‘blasted’ Warren for claiming possible Cherokee her-itage. No such animal.

The tribe did say that a DNA test did not prove citizenship and never did.

How about a bit of happy news?

Oklahoma Cherokee Actor Wes Studi has received a Life-time Achievement Award by the National Indian Gaming Asso-ciation according to the White Wolf Pack website.

“I accept this award, but I wonder what is in my future by accepting this lifetime achieve-ment award,” joked Studi as he spoke about the importance of more American Indians becom-ing involved in the acting pro-fession.

He said movie making should be a means for economic devel-opment. Makes sense to me, after all, Hollywood has been making millions off Indians for years.

Way to go Wes!Speaking of awards, a Navajo

woman is now ‘Grand Cham-pion’ of this year’s New Mexico Truck Driving Championship for the Twin-Trailer Division and the Overall Grand Cham-pion says an article in ‘Indian Country Today.’

Mercy Sakes Alive! Loretta

Bruyere was actually rejected in many previous tries to get a job truck driving, but she kept at it.

“I wanted to show young women, and particularly Native American women, that no job was too big or challenging that it couldn’t be done by a woman,” she said.

She added that one of her favorite things is when she steps out of her semi-truck and sees the, “surprised looks from other drivers at a petite woman oper-ating one of the largest vehicles on the road.”

Bruyere is currently gear jam-ming on a 28-foot twin trailer with an 80,000 pound capacity.

Wow, that makes me feel like my little GMC pick-up is a roller skate in comparison.

Hope you had a great ‘Indig-enous Peoples Day’ or ‘Native American Day’ or whatever you want to call it.

In Creek Country, there was a celebration in Tulsa, one here in Okmulgee and numerous other cities around the U.S.

The Tulsa mayor didn’t make the one there, but the Okmulgee mayor was there in Okmulgee.

At least they had one, although there wasn’t much talk of replacing ‘Columbus Day’ or creating another day off work.

It looks like they had a great one in Los Angeles. It was a day of activities and musical con-certs, including the Black Eyed Peas, whose member ‘Taboo’ has Shoshone and Hopi ancestry.

An appearance by the Native band Redbone rounded out the day. I’m sure that included the newly again popular tune, ‘Come and Get Your Love.’

OK, once again girls….all together now….“ooo, My Song!”

We’re all looking ahead to the Thanksgiving holiday. Should we? Or should we work on that name, too? Perceptions of that holiday are changing as we learn more about “Who’s Coming to Dinner.”

Anyway, enjoy, eat lots of Penwv - turkey.

Hvtvm Cehecares (I’ll see you again).

tons empty and at a max payload of approximately 7.45 tons, would weigh just under 33 tons.

A photo posted in the com-ment section of the post shows what appears to be a sign in front of the crossing with the reported weight limit.

Straessle said the bridge on State Highway 187 was con-structed in 1949.

He said ADOT saw the video and a maintenance crew was sent out to inspect it for damage Oct. 15.

“There were none,” Straessle said.

He said a team would be sent out the same day for a more thor-ough analysis. Straessle said they have been doing maintenance work on the bridge since Oct. 1.

“Our bridge maintenance crew happened to be in the right place at the right time,” he said.

He said crews had been replac-ing the wooden planks that made up the bridge deck.

MCN Acting Secretary of Inte-

rior Affairs Jesse Allen stated by email Oct. 15 that he was informed of the video.

‘The Nation is aware of the matter and is reviewing the sit-uation,’ he stated. ‘The safety of our passengers are of the upmost importance. Appropriate action will be taken upon the conclusion of the investigation.’

Mvskoke Media followed up Oct. 25 with Muscogee (Creek) Nation regarding their stated investigation into the matter and received the following statement from Allen:

‘Due to an incident on October 13 involving two of the Nation’s charter buses the Muscogee (Creek) Nation has looked into the incident and is reviewing pol-icies and implementing additional training for all transportation staff to ensure the greatest care for our passengers.

‘The Arkansas Department of Transportation issued an infor-mation release on October 18 stat-ing State Highway 187 Bridge at Beaver is open after the comple-tion of scheduled maintenance and inspection.’

LIGHTHORSE ASSIST ON FATALITY ACCIDENTTEXAS MAN PRONOUNCED DEAD

by ANGEL ELLISREPORTER

OKEMAH, Oklahoma — Okla-homa Highway Patrol has released the identities of the six people who were involved in a fatal traffic acci-dent Oct. 5, when a passenger van struck a dump truck.

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Tribal Lighthorse Police officers responded to assist in the crash, directing traffic off westbound U.S. I-40.

Lighthorse Chief Robert Haw-kins, said LTPD was dispatched to the scene to assist with the accident.

“We sent units to help OHP with traffic and whatever they needed with this accident,” Hawkins said.

Reports indicate the accident occurred when the 2013 Chevy Express van driven by Sean Connell, 34, of Amarillo, Texas struck a dump truck driven by Daniel Forbus, 61, of Conroe, Texas, that slowed down to turn across the center median.

The vehicle driven by Connell was occupying the inside lane.

Also in the vehicle was Kristo-pher Youngberg, 41, of Amarillo, Texas who died at the hospital in Okemah.

Three other passengers of the van, Kevin Coffman, 42, Amarillo, Texas

Christopher Waldrop, 39, Miami, Texas, William Overshiner, 39, Miami, Texas, where listed in critical condition.

Forbus who was uninjured in the crash helped pull passengers from the van, which began to catch fire after the impact.

According to the reports released by OHP, Westbound traffic was routed off of I-40 for several hours. Travelers were directed off I-40 onto N3830 Rd. Traffic had to take US-62 through Okemah before returning to I-40.

OHP reports indicated all five occupants of the van were U.S. Department of Energy employees.

“It’s unfortunate, and we pray for the families but I am proud of how my guys performed,” Hawkins said.

Mvskoke Media encountered the accident en route to an assignment.


PAGE 3TUCCÊNEN THE MVSKOKE NEWS

OKMULGEE, Oklahoma — Congressman Markwayne Mullin visited the College of the Mus-cogee Nation in Okmulgee Oct. 11 to present and have a Q&A session with the human relations and ori-entation classes.

Mullin represents Oklahoma’s Second District in the U.S. House of Representatives and as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, is one of only two Native American mem-bers of Congress, along with Chick-asaw Nation citizen Tom Cole.

The congressman spoke with

OKMULGEE, Oklahoma — A health systems update was pre-sented to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation National Council Health, Education and Welfare commit-tee by MCN Secretary of Health Shawn Terry and Chief Oper-ating Officer Rhonda Beaver Oct. 8 at the Mound Building in Okmulgee.

Terry said flu vaccinations for employees began Sept. 21 and were made available to patients at MCN clinics and hos-pitals Sept. 24.

He said the public health nurses began their annual mobile flu clinics and the first sites on the schedule dispersed 234 vaccinations.

The Eufaula Indian Health

students about coming from meager beginnings growing up in Stilwell and overcoming a learn-ing disability and a speech imped-iment to eventually become a col-legiate wrestler, professional fighter and owner of Mullin Plumbing.

At the conclusion of his presen-tation, Mullin opened up the floor for a Q&A session with the stu-dents and responded on different topics.

One student asked what made Mullin want to pursue politics.

“In 2011, I had a run-in with a federal agency, and they were pun-ishing me for being successful, is what I felt like,” Mullin said.

He said government regula-tion put a strain on his business at

Center hired Bret Hayes as the new health administrator.

Terry said an audit was com-pleted for the Informed Con-sent in Ambulatory Clinics with findings on renewing gen-eral consent annually using only approved document in Policy Manager.

According to the American Medical Association, Informed Consent is the patient’s right to receive information and ask questions about recommended treatments so that they can make well-considered decisions about care.

Successful communication in the patient-physician relation-ship fosters trust and supports shared decision-making.

He said employees have the ability to state where to find latest approved consent forms. He said corrective action plans are in process.

Terry said the MCN Medical Center is currently in the pro-cess of corrective action plans from the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments cer-tification for MCNDH labs.

MCNMC Lab Supervisor and Lab Medical Director have col-laborated with Quality to revise necessary policies to address deficiencies.

According to the report pro-vided to Mvskoke Media, the Inpatient Interdisciplinary Falls Prevention Committee meets monthly to continue efforts to raise awareness of the need to prevent falls that could result in injury.

The report stated Quality and Pharmacy are working to complete the Healthcare Qual-ity Association on Accreditation application to move forward with pharmacy accreditation.

A $5,420,821 total in collec-tions occurred during Septem-ber.

Beaver presented a legislative update to the committee.

Beaver said MCNDH filed a contract support claim against Indian Health Service.

a time of economic turmoil. “I thought ‘if my biggest threat

to our company is the federal gov-ernment, then that’s where I’m going,’ ” he said.

A student asked him what his thoughts were on Indigenous Peo-ples’ Day celebrations around the country and the state replacing Columbus Day.

“It doesn’t make me any differ-ence, and I know it sounds bad on this. I’m not a big holiday person anyways. I’m not the right person to speak about that, because I’m not really big into celebrations and stuff,” Mullin said. “I would just rather have a whole new day, but it’s just not a big deal it’s not some-thing that I focus on.”

He was also asked about the Carpenter v. Murphy case, regard-ing whether or not Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s jurisdiction is res-ervation.

“The Murphy case, we’re going to have to take that up as legisla-tors. The Pandora’s Box to which that could open is huge,” Mullin said. “As far as looking at desig-nated reservations, that’s going to be difficult the way that Oklahoma is set up.”

He said it is hard for him to speculate further on the case’s out-come.

“So I don’t even know what that would look like, and I don’t have a clue where that would go. Without knowing what it would look like, it would be very difficult for me to comment on,” he said.

Mullin said he and his congres-sional colleagues are hearing that it will fall back to legislators to clar-ify the issue.

“What we asserted is that IHS did not fully fund our indirect and direct costs that were trans-ferred from IHS and that caused us to have a shortfall,” she said.

Beaver said the amount they are asserting from IHS is $95 million plus interest and any costs that would support the Nation’s program.

“The government did file a motion to dismiss. They are now open to discussing a settlement amount,” she said.

Beaver said a videoconfer-ence would be held in relation to the settlement.

She said MCN asked the court to a motion to hold so that both parties may exchange doc-uments in hopes of settling.

Beaver said in regards to the opioid lawsuit MCN filed, the pharmacies, manufacturers, dis-tributors and retailers filed a motion to dismiss with MCN responding by filing an opposi-tion.

She said they are waiting for a reply and expect it within the next few weeks.

“Hundreds of tribes have wrote letters in support of what we’re doing,” Beaver said.

She said MCN is still assess-ing the extent of the damages imposed on the Nation.

Beaver said settlement funds would be used to help develop a treatment center in Okmulgee.

She said a tribal sponsorship pilot program is being developed and expected to begin Nov. 1 to help selected Muscogee (Creek) patients obtain insurance.

“We have a set of guidelines and we’re going to use Creek dollars and we’re going to spon-sor 15-30 Creek citizens,” Beaver said.

She said selected citizens would be referred to as ‘needy patients.’

Beaver said they have already identified the needy patients and are working out the logistics of personnel.

A recording of the report is available at: www.mcnnc.com.

MULLIN VISITS COLLEGE OF THE MUSCOGEE NATION CONGRESSMAN ANSWERS QUESTIONS FROM STUDENTSby JASON SALSMANMULTIMEDIA PRODUCER

TERRY GIVES OCTOBER HEALTH SYSTEMS UPDATE UPDATES ON OPIOID, IHS SUITS PROVIDED BY BEAVER

by LIZ GRAYREPORTER

Congressman Markwayne Mullin visits with students from the College of the Muscogee Nation human relations and orientation classes Oct. 11 at CMN. (Jason Salsman/Miultimedia Producer)

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Secretary of Health Shawn Terry and Chief Operating Officer Rhonda Beaver updated the Nation-al Council Health, Education and Welfare Committee regarding the MCN Department of Health Oct. 8 at the Mound Building in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. (Shutterstock Image)

$2.79 MILLION ARBITRATION PAYMENT ADDRESSED IN COUNCIL EMERGENCY SESSION 40 UNDER 40, TRIBAL FILM FEST DONATIONS ADDRESSED IN EXTRAORDINARY SESSIONby KEVIN BARNETTREPORTER

OKMULGEE, Oklahoma — The Muscogee (Creek) Nation National Council held an emer-gency session followed by an extraordinary session Oct. 16 at the Mound Building in Okmulgee.

The Council addressed the fol-lowing legislation, the interpreta-tion of which is attributed to lan-guage in the bills:

EMERGENCY SESSION

NCA 18-155 Authorizing the expenditure of $787,187 awarded from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Sub-stance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to the MCN Department of Health. Rep. James Jennings sponsored the amendment, which passed 12-0.

The amendment allows for the use of SAMHSA grant funds for the development of an MCN opioid program.

NCA 18-156 Authorizing a $3,000 special appropriation to Okfuskee Baptist Church. Rep. Darrell Proctor sponsored the amendment, which failed 10-2 (it required a two-thirds vote of the full Council). Reps. Joyce Deere and Johnnie Greene voted against it.

The amendment allows for a special appropriation to assist with expenses associated with a gospel singing the church has scheduled for Nov. 17.

NCA 18-157 Authorizing a $2,000 donation to God’s Help-ing Hands. Proctor sponsored the amendment, which passed 7-6 with Reps. Pete Beaver, David Hill, Rufus Scott, Travis Scott, Jennings and Deere voting against it.

The amendment allows for a donation to the Eufaula char-ity to assist with expenses associ-ated with the organization’s 5K run fundraiser set for Nov. 10.

NCA 18-159 Authorizing a $2,792,718.81 appropriation to pay an arbitration award granted by a commercial arbitration tribunal. Rep. Patrick Freeman sponsored the amendment, which passed 12-0.

The bill states the appropria-tion is to pay a final award from a Commercial Arbitration Tribunal against MCN to Engstrom, Lip-scomb & Lack, Gregory A. Yates, P.C., Girardi & Keese, and Mario Gonzalez Law.

Mvskoke Media located com-mercial arbitration documents involving the same parties.

In these documents, MCN incorporated the legal services of the parties named in the legislation

to handle a trust land case against the U.S.

As part of this arrangement, the counsel named in this legislation was to receive a percentage of any awards to the MCN from this case.

The case reached a point of negotiations with the U.S., which extended a settlement offer.

At a certain point after this, relations broke down between MCN and their counsel resulting in the hiring of new representation.

The initial counsel sought com-pensation for what they claim was their part in the eventual settle-ment with the U.S.

EXTRAORDINARY SESSION

NCA 18-160 Authorizing a $10,000 donation to sponsor the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) Native American 40 Under 40 10-year anniversary cele-bration. Rep. David Hill sponsored the amendment, which passed 7-5 with Reps. Randall Hicks, Mark Randolph, Travis Scott, Freeman and Deere voting against it.

The amendment allows for the monetary sponsorship of NCAIED’s 40 Under 40 anniver-sary celebration set for Oct. 29-30 at the River Spirit Hotel and Resort.

NCA 18-161 Authorizing a $2,000 donation to sponsor the Tribal Film Festival. Rep. Lucian Tiger sponsored the amendment, which passed 7-5 with Reps. Rufus Scott, Travis Scott, Pete Beaver, Freeman and Deere voting against it.

The Tribal Film Festival show-cases history and narratives through programs that portray global issues and cultures.

TFF is asking for a donation to sponsor its events throughout the year.

NCA 18-162 Authorizing a $27,693 special appropriation for the purchase of a passenger van to Okfuskee Baptist Church. Proctor sponsored the amendment, which passed 12-0.

The amendment allows for the purchase of a vehicle to be used to transport church members to and from church functions.

NCA 18-163 Authorizing a $27,693 special appropriation for the purchase of a passenger van to Morning Star Evangelistic Center Church. Jennings sponsored the amendment, which passed 12-0.

The amendment allows for the purchase of a vehicle to be used to transport church members to and from church functions.

Reps. Robert Hufft, Adam Jones and Thomasene Yahola Osborne were absent.

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation National Council held an emergency session followed by an extraordinary session Oct. 16 at the Mound Building in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. (MN File Photo)

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PAGE 4 ÔSTENTHE MVSKOKE NEWS

MUSCOGEE (CREEK) NATIONENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

RECYCLE CENTER

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH, 2018 | 9AM - 3PMMUSCOGEE (CREEK) NATION RECYCLING CENTER WILL BE COLLECTING:Electronics, cardboard, paper, plastics 1 & 2, bottles, aluminum cans, and tires.

ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED:Glass, refrigerators, small appliances, and car batteries.

GREEN COUNTRY SHREDDING COMPANY WILL BE AT THE MCN RECYCLINGCENTER TO SECURELY SHRED YOUR DOCUMENTS FROM 9AM - 12PM

MUSCOGEE (CREEK) NATION RECYCLING CENTER WILL HAVE HOT DOGS, DOOR PRIZES AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION MATERIALS

FOR MORE INFO, CONTACT:918-549-2580

MCN RECYCLING CENTER • 12675 GUN CLUB RD • OKMULGEE, OK 74447

MUSCOGEE (CREEK) NATION1-800-482-1979 | (918) 756-8700

WWW.MCN-NSN.GOV

OKMULGEE, Oklahoma — ‘Smudging,’ or burning various herbs and plants for cleansing or inviting pos-itive spirits, is a common practice in Native cultures.

However, non-smoking policies have also become a mainstay in con-temporary society, including at colleges and universities.

So how do academic institutions respond to the cultural observances of their tribal students while upholding these health-conscious efforts?

Muscogee (Creek) citizen, Dr. Dwanna McKay (formerly Robertson) has been involved in a formal conver-sation about this issue at Colorado Col-lege, where she is associate professor of indigenous studies.

The private liberal arts college has

been known for an admission rate of students that come from high socio-economic backgrounds.

McKay said the institution has been working for the last five years to increase diversity, including more Native Americans.

With success in this, came their cultural practices including smudging, which ran up against the more recent passing of the campus non-smoking policy.

McKay said she began hearing con-cerns from Native students when she started her position in July 2016 and met with the Native American Student Union.

“And with that came increased like policing of dorm rooms and we are a residential college, so students stay on campus for the first three years and I was hearing reports of students having their ceremonial herbs and their cere-monial things, like either a pipe or the shells or whatever it was to light the sage and light the tobacco, confiscated by residential life,” McKay said.

With enough formal complaints, the dean of students brought in a cul-tural consultant, which resulted in the discovery of more issues, in what McKay attributed to a form of uncon-scious racism and lack of cultural understanding.

“The idea that only religious mate-rials would look like a cross or some kind of Westernized, Christianized-like things that they could recognize,” she said.

McKay said this discovery led to more formal action up chain of com-mand and a committee was formed, including her, to draft a new policy on smudging and smoke-related ceremo-nies.

“Made up of administrative staff, deans and residential life workers and then we also had faculty, students were represented, multiple students were represented on the committee and then something that we really thought was important and asked for were the com-munity elders be involved,” she said.

She said they started by looking at the policies of other institutions and discovered that few had anything offi-cial.

“Of course we are a small liberal arts college and a residential college at that,

so we had to adapt and make it useable and user-friendly for the people that we are dealing with,” McKay said.

McKay said two nuanced concerns they considered were ensuring that vis-itors’ practices were also allowed and that the policy was exclusive to Natives in the interest of preventing cultural appropriation.

She said a main focus of the overall effort was the policy should be focused on bringing the campus in line with the federal American Indian Religious Freedom Act.

“We were able to remind the college that we were federally protected, that this was not about the college allowing ceremonial use,” McKay said.

McKay said the process has been educational for those who are non-Na-tive. This included teaching them that these burnings, including ceremo-nial tobacco, are not related to cigarette smoking.

“I know that when they were talking, they kept talking about fire hazard and fire risk and all this and finally I said, ‘Have you seen that you can’t keep sage lit?’ You can’t keep sweet grass lit,” she said.

McKay believes some students have complained and concerns about aroma may arise.

“We don’t complain about the smell of oil, a particular anointing oil or any-thing so they shouldn’t complain or anything about the aroma of sage but if they do, it’s part of our legal rights,” she said.

McKay said the proposed policy has to be reviewed by the board of trustees and then sent back for com-ment.

College of the Muscogee Nation Dean of Student Affairs Krystal Wind stated by email that current CMN policy instructs students to not burn anything in any of the buildings.

‘However, we are aware of the cul-tural needs of our students and offer the opportunity for smudging ceremo-nies conducted by our faculty and staff members which are open to the entire campus community. We are in the early stages of developing a policy specifically about smudging in student housing.’

CMN offered to follow up with Mvskoke Media and more coverage will be provided accordingly.

NON-SMOKING POLICIES AND SMUDGING ON CAMPUS CITIZEN ADVOCATES FOR CULTURAL OBSERVANCES POLICY by STERLING COSPERMANAGER

Muscogee (Creek) citizen Dr. Dwanna McKay has been involved in an effort to pass a policy to allow smudging for Native Americans at Colorado College, where she is associate professor of indigenous studies. (Shutterstock Image)

OKMULGEE, Oklahoma — Of the more than 80,000 enrolled citizens of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, only about 500 are fluent Mvskoke language speakers. That has been the estimate of the Mvskoke Language Program staff.

Every time an elder passes on, that is another irreplaceable cul-tural resource lost.

MLP is working to counter that loss by offering classes on the lan-guage to interested citizens, tribal employees and children.

“We have three instructors in our program. We try to reach the Head Starts, the daycares and now the adult classes. Rebecca Barnett does the intermediate and on Octo-ber 1st, I’ll be starting the begin-ning,” Mvskoke Language Instruc-tor Gracine Hicks said.

Hicks concentrates on teach-ing the young children of the Head Start program, trying to instill knowledge of the language at a prime learning time when they are most receptive.

“Yes, because they don’t know they’re learning another language; they just know that they are learn-ing something. I love teaching the little ones because you can say a word and they’re going to say it exactly how you say it because they’re watching you,” she said.

Unlike other more formal insti-tutional language offerings empha-sizing things like nouns, verbs and sentence structure, Hicks said she prefers to have students engage in actual speaking of common con-versational phrases.

“I’m going to give mine to more talking instead of writing. I want to be able to get students comfortable in talking to each other, asking each other questions. So, there won’t be that much writing. You can write if you want to,” she said.

Hicks said this method reflects how she was taught.

“To me, I think that talking is better. I remember when I was little, my grandmother didn’t tell me to write this down; she would just talk to me,” she said. “I want my students to be able to talk to each other, ask each other questions in everyday living.”

Hicks said intermediate instructor Barnett has also utilized the same method many times while instructing her classes on a path to writing competency.

“That’s Rebecca’s class. Because we have first person, second person, third person. She wants them to get to the place where they can write,” Hicks said.

In recognition of the need to learn the parts of speech, Hicks said that her colleague uses those language tools.

“She’s teaching them about verbs. She wants them to know the difference in them; what you’ve got to add to change the situation because our language is always a situation environment,” she said said. “It changes. She wants to get across that you can learn this lan-guage, be able to write and tell the difference.”

Novice/beginner language classes are scheduled to begin Oct. 1. Adult intermediate classes con-tinue Oct. 2.

Mondays and Wednesdays are for the novice/beginners. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays are sched-uled for the adult intermediate stu-dents.

All classes begin at 12 p.m. in the Education and Training Build-ing on the MCN Tribal Complex in Okmulgee. Students are welcome to bring their lunch.

MLP may be contacted at: 918-732-7649.

PROGRAM WORKS TO KEEP LANGUAGE ALIVE STAFF PROVIDES LEARNING OPPORTUNITY

by GARY FIFERADIO SPECIALIST

The Mvskoke Language Program pro-vides classes to help teach those of var-ious age groups and proficiency levels. (Mvskoke Language Program Website)

OKMULGEE, Oklahoma — Visual art has been known to be a look but don’t touch expe-rience. Viewers are asked to appreciate with their eyes and not their hands.

The Thomas McKeon Center of Creativity calling for Native artists to participate in ‘Conver-gence: Challenging Anthropo-centrism,’ is also inviting artists to submit work for their ‘Please Touch the Art’ exhibition.

Artists are welcome to enter work for consideration in any medium. The focus is to engage the five senses to provide acces-sibility for visitors who are blind and visually impaired.

“Every year we have many students from the Oklahoma School for the Blind, clients of

NewView Oklahoma come in to experience the exhibition,” Dean for the Center of Creativ-ity Annina Collier said.

Collier said the center encourages works that would stimulate the other senses such as sound even taste.

“We’re really looking to engage all five senses,” she said.

Though the exhibition’s audience focus is on the vision and hearing impaired, Collier said anyone wanting a new way to experience art is welcome to attend.

Collier said the exhibition is possibly one of the most popu-lar initiatives for the Center of Creativity.

The exhibition will run June 7 – July 30, 2019 at the Center for Creativity.

Artists selected for the exhi-bition will be paid a $150 hono-rarium after delivery of the art-work.

Selected artists will also be invited to submit workshop proposals and artwork may be offered for sale with no commis-sion assessed.

Each artist may submit up to three pieces for consider-ation. Artists must provide three images per submitted art-work, the artwork dimensions, medium and a brief written description.

Sketches for new works are also accepted. Submissions are due by Feb. 4, 2019 at 9 p.m. Selected artists will be notified the week of Feb. 11, 2019.

Submissions should be sent via email to: [email protected].

If there are any questions regarding the exhibition con-tact Cindy Armstrong at: 918-595-7339.

For more information visit: www.tulsacc.edu/TouchtheArt.

PLEASE TOUCH THE ARTTULSA COMMUNITY COLLEGE CENTER FOR CREATIVITY CALLS FOR ARTISTS

by LIZ GRAYREPORTER

Tulsa Community College Center for Creativity exhibition seeks to engage all five senses. (Shutterstock Image)


PAGE 5CAHKÊPEN THE MVSKOKE NEWS

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OKMULGEE, Oklahoma — Imagine a circle, in the middle stands a human with the rest of the animal kingdom surrounding them. Grab the circle in your mind and turn it to reveal it is a cone and the human stands on top as the most superior being on this earth.

Now flatten the cone, pluck the man from the center and position him to be a part of the circle equal to all the rest of the living creatures.

The final action is a primitive way to explain what it means to challenge the idea of anthropocentrism, the belief that human beings are the most important entity in the universe.

An upcoming exhibition ‘Con-vergence: Challenging Anthropo-centrism,’ at the Thomas K. McKeon Center for Creativity called for artists who submitted work to explore man’s connection as a product of and equal participants in this world through

expressions of various mediums.Daniel Musgrave (Osage) and

Yatika Starr Fields (Cherokee/Creek/Osage) are the curators for the exhi-bition.

Musgrave formed the concept of the show, inspired by his grand-mother and mother who built his rela-tionship with the natural world while growing up in Kansas.

Musgrave said his other inspira-tion was his time before he became a writer. He had previously conducted cognitive research with great apes for seven years.

Musgrave said his observations of the apes’ lives, family and intelligence instilled a desire to push the boundar-ies limited by the mainstream scien-tific world that commonly acknowl-edged two different worlds; humans and everything else.

“I felt that this view limited our ability to understand the other and learn,” he said.

Musgrave said this type of think-ing has also caused atrocities between human populations, including the genocide of Native American people.

“It’s a Western idea that is artificial, and it hurts us and the earth,” he said.

Musgrave approached Starr Fields to contribute to the visual arts compo-nent of the exhibition.

“I envision artists stepping in and kind of reading the information that we give them through the process of submitting work,” Starr Fields said. “They’re creating a dialogue for this exhibition.”

He said he wanted the artists to use their work to speak to the general public, the majority of which may not be aware of the subject.

“We live in a time where nature is kind of in the background often times and we’re trying to bring it forth,” Starr Fields said.

Starr Fields said he saw an oppor-tunity for Native artists to look at their culture and its relation to nature for exploration of the subject.

“A lot of tribes have their creation stories, ceremonies and everything derived around the earth. You can really elaborate long and far with just that information right there,” he said.

The exhibition will run Jan. 2-29, 2019 at The Center for Creativity.

A PART NOT APART TCC EXHIBIT EXPLORES HUMANITY’S PERCEPTION OF RELATIONSHIP WITH WORLD by LIZ GRAYREPORTER

The Tulsa Community College Metro Cam-pus Thomas K. McKeon Center for Creativity called for artists submitting to an upcoming exhibition to showcase the human-nature relationship. (Shutterstock Image)

HENRYETTA, Oklahoma — Muscogee (Creek) citizen Sammijo Gryder has always wanted to be a teacher.

“I actually wanted to be a high school history teacher,” she said. “I worked in a Head Start and I fell in love with the youth and how quick they learn.”

From 2007, she said she has worked off an on at different Head Start and child care facilities.

“I would also volunteer at the

schools,” Gryder said.Gryder and her husband, after

his retirement from being a pipeliner, wanted to follow her dreams of open-ing up a daycare facility.

“That is how Shining Stars Child Care LLC came to be,” Gryder said.

SSCC is a two-star facility through the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. It is also licensed for 22 chil-dren. She is hoping to become a three-star facility within the next couple of years.

“The rating or the level of quality determines your star rating,” Gryder said. “Most facilities in Oklahoma are only two-star ratings, which is the highest in being recognized by the

state. To be a three-star the facilities have to be nationally recognized.”

She said she enjoys helping chil-dren learn at a young age.

Gryder said they are not currently officially licensed to care for children with disabilities but could help chil-dren that have autism or attention defi-cit hyperactive disorder.

“Depending on the degree of dis-ability,” she said. “We are more than happy and willing to work with par-ents and try to give them aid in taking care of their children.”

Gryder was very happy and appreciative of the assistance that she received from the Mvskoke Loan Fund.

“I took their classes to help with my business plan,” she said.

She said they also helped her with a loan for her facility.

MLF Compliance and Lend-ing Officer Robby Deere said they are happy to see someone’s dream come true through their help.

“It feels pretty awesome to help our citizens,” he said. “I came in late so I was around towards the end of the process for their facility, but seeing this develop to what it is now is pretty amazing.”

Gryder said the Oklahoma Department of Human Services does have a requirement of teacher-to-stu-dent ratios. She is making sure that her classes will be below the requirement.

“That way the children will get more one-on-one,” she said. “We do not want it overwhelming for the kids and the teachers.”

For more information on what SSCC has to offer, call: Sammijo Gryder at: 918-652-0494 or 918-652-1274.

The facility is located at 102 E. Bollinger St. in Henryetta.

MUSCOGEE (CREEK) CITIZEN’S DREAM OF TEACHING BECOMES REALITY DAYCARE FACILITY OPENS THROUGH HELP MVSKOKE LOAN FUNDby DARREN DELAUNEREPORTER

New daycare facility, Shining Stars Child Care LLC opened Oct. 1 in Henryetta, Oklahoma. (Darren DeLaune/Reporter)

BIXBY, Oklahoma — Rex’s Chicken celebrated the first anniversary for the opening of the Bixby location Sept. 15.

Muscogee Nation Business Enter-prise CEO Woody Anderson and Mar-keting Coordinator for Muscogee Busi-ness Services, Elizabeth Kaler sat down to reflect on the restaurant’s success.

“To go through a year, to see our brand, to see the store, to be so well received in Bixby has been a great expe-rience for us,” Anderson said.

The brand has local roots dating back to the 1950s, even origins in Okmulgee.

“Vernon McFarland had a donut shop in downtown Okmulgee,” Kaler said.

She went on to describe how teens who worked in the shop making donuts and pastries were the inspiration for branching out into battered fried chicken.

“It was a huge hit and took off like wildfire,” she said.

According to the Rex’s Chicken website, Vernon McFarland opened 55 locations with the first opening in McA-lester.

In 2007, Rex’s Chicken Franchise

System LLC was founded with the pur-pose of carrying on the tradition.

Anderson said their idea to incorpo-rate the brand started with using a well-known brand in the tribal travel plazas to produce additional revenue.

A year later, he said things are look-ing good.

“On the one-year anniversary, we saw a great turn out with the die-hard Rex fans,” Kaler said.

One of the more popular aspects of Rex’s Chicken menu aside from its orig-inal crowd-pleaser has been some of the limited time menu items.

With these items, the public gets to try new flavors and management can gauge what’s most popular.

“People even came up and asked when we were going to come to Broken Arrow because they like it so much,” Anderson said.

The brand even offers some catering and fundraisers as a way to give back to the community.

Ball teams, church groups, school bands, and other groups are invited to communicate with the general manag-ers at Rex’s Chickens and learn about those opportunities.

“We hope to see this success of the first year continue to grow,” Anderson said.

ONE-YEAR MILESTONE REACHED FOR REX’S CHICKEN MNBE REFLECTS ON OPENING AND OPERATIONSby ANGEL ELLISREPORTER

Rex’s Chicken in Bixby, Oklahoma enjoys their one-year anniversary. (Submission)


PAGE 6 EPÂKENTHE MVSKOKE NEWS

DEL CITY, Oklahoma — A Mus-cogee (Creek) soldier was among the three killed in the line of duty service-men honored Oct., 5, with the ded-ication of a new Del City fire station that has been under construction for a year.

Capt. Michael C. Hope, recipient of the Silver Star Medal with Oak Leaf

Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart, two Air medals with “V”, and a native to Del City was one of the three men whose legacy was remembered as officials dedicated the new facilities.

At the ceremony, a plaque bear-ing Hope’s likeness and accomplish-ments was unveiled at the new station located at SE 28 and Epperly Drive.

The 17,412-square-foot facility includes a four-story training tower, state of the art training facilities and equipment as well as large apparatus bays is now known as the Micheal C. Hope Memorial Building.

Hope grew up visiting a fire sta-tion near his home in Del City. Hope was a civilian employee at Tinker Air Force Base for seven years before he enlisted in 1965. He would later grow up to be a fixed-wing aviator in the U.S. Army, and one the most deco-rated soldiers from Del City to serve in Vietnam, according to Mayor Brian E. Linley.

“He was only 29-years-old, and only 18 days away from completing his third and final tour in Vietnam when he was shot down and killed in action on June 7, 1970. Mike was a single father of two children and is buried at Sunnylane cemetery here in Del City, what a hometown hero,” Linley said.

A highly decorated Aloft Pilot, Hope flew an O-1 Bird Dog in the Vietnam War which was shot down. He was killed in action while per-forming a reconnaissance mission that is reported to have saved the lives of many friendly ground forces according to his memorial plaque.

Now as these civilian heros at the Del City station answer their call to public safety they will be doing so from a facility dedicated to legacy of men who made the ultimate sac-rifice.

WAR HERO MEMORIALIZED IN FIRE STATION DEDICATION NEW FACILITY NAMED FOR KIA SOLDIERby ANGEL ELLISREPORTER

(L to r) Del City Fire Chief Brandon Pursell, Michael Hope, and Heather Hope displaying an artistic rendering of the Michael C. Hope Memorial Building. The family was on hand at the Oct., 5, dedication ceremony to accept the image. (Submission)

SANTA FE, New Mexico — The Santa Fe Indian Art Market ‘brings Native arts to the world’ each August, and has now for the last 97 years.

But for one Muscogee (Creek) artist, the 2018 version held Aug. 14-19 was a year of firsts.

It was the first time attending the historic event for Maddie Lamb, who now makes her home in Santa Fe after transferring from The Col-lege of the Muscogee Nation to attend her “dream school,” The Institute of American Indian Arts.

“So far it’s been really awesome,” Lamb said. “Everybody out here is really inspiring and really encour-aging. They just want you to do your best out here.”

Lamb hit the ground running, not just taking in the sights and sounds of one of Indian Country’s grandest events, but by actually participating.

She made her first foray into the world of modeling, appearing on the runway and wearing the latest

creations of some of the world’s top Native fashion designers.

“Before coming out to Santa Fe, I had saw a couple things on Ins-tagram, talking about the Indian Art Market and how they needed models,” Lamb said. “I kind of said, ‘well why not? I’m going to bout there at that time, right?’ Might as well try for it.”

She sent word that she would indeed be interested, received an email back, and was quickly booked into three fashion shows for the week.

First, she modeled the ‘I AM ANISHANABE’ collection in the IM:EDGE fashion show on Thurs-day and the Gala fashion show on Saturday.

On Sunday, she modeled for Adrian Standing Elk Pinnecoose during the Art Market’s main show, the Haute Couture Fashion Show.

“It was kind of intimidating, just because I’ve never done any-thing like that and it was such a big event,” Lamb said. “Now I have this experience behind me, and it was exciting.”

Even though Lamb did admit to some nerves being a first-timer

in that big of a show, it’s certainly not the first time the spotlight has found her.

She was recognized by the United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY) organization as a 25 Under 25 award recipient in July and has also recently designed a national poster that will release in the fall for UNITY’s Wellness Warrior project.

“That was a really cool experi-ence. UNITY has just been really supportive upon coming out here,” Lamb said.

Lamb also literally left a mark on Sequoyah High School in Tah-lequah during her time there. She was selected in a national contest to paint a mural with the whole school working on it together. The story was feature in ‘Teen Vogue’ magazine.

“The was the whole point of it too, that it’s still living on past me being there,” Lamb said. “I still get all kinds of questions about it and interest on it.”

Lamb’s main focus of study remains on digital art. She enjoys designing coasters and T-shirts but also likes to bead and paint and explore several other medi-ums. She’s in the perfect place for it at IAIA.

“There’s so many different opportunities. It’s just an awesome school to be able to try out differ-ent things and see what I like,” she said.

Like modeling. And after appearing on such a prestigious stage for her debut, Lamb admits it may not be a one-time occurrence.

“I definitely think I could con-tinue it, especially out here,” she said. “It wasn’t really something I was going to do, but the oppor-tunity came and I honestly really liked it. So we’ll just see.”

MODEL CITIZEN MUSCOGEE ARTIST WALKS RUNWAY FOR FIRST TIME AT SANTA FE INDIAN ART MARKETby JASON SALSMANMULTIMEDIA PRODUCER

Muscogee (Creek) art student Maddie Lamb participated in the 2018 Santa Fe Indian Art Market. (Facebook)

EDMOND, Oklahoma — A fair amount of discussion has been held about the way Native Americans have been represented in movies through-out the years.

However, Carolyn Dunn has been working on a book about how tribal people have been included in another visual performance medium, theater.

‘…on how native theater practices can serve to decolonize American the-ater practices,’ she stated in an email. ‘That is, American theater really hasn’t been a friend to American Indian play-wrights and performers until very recently.’

She said the work of Native theater companies has helped make the craft more accessible to Indian people.

‘We want to get not only more plays written and performed by American Indian and indigenous peoples in the U.S. but get our people out to experi-ence how fun live theater can be,’ Dunn stated.

Dunn is a playwright, director, per-former, poet and musician and her her-itage includes Creek, Cherokee, Semi-nole, Choctaw Freedmen, Tunica Choctaw Biloxi, Cree, Micmaq and Metis.

She presented on Native values and aesthetics, and how tribal people see themselves in theater during an Oct. 8 Indigenous Peoples’ Day presentation at the University of Central Oklahoma where she is artist in residence.

‘Plays by Arigon Starr (Kickapoo/Creek), Mary Kathryn Nagle (Chero-kee) and Delanna Studi (Cherokee), as well as many other Oklahoma Indig-enous writers, are being recognized by theater companies across the U.S.,’ Dunn stated.

Dunn stated there needs to be more playwrights and performers as well as a presentation of Native work to a broader base.

‘Oklahoma also has had good rep-resentation of tribal citizens in Amer-ican theater, with Lynn Riggs (Cher-okee), TeAta (Chickasaw); and later Hanay Geiogamah (Kiowa), but there really hasn’t been native voices in main-stream theater,’ she stated.

She believes theater is naturally inherit in Native customs stating, ‘we ARE American theater!’

‘We’ve been performing not only on stage, but our dances and cere-monies and songs are performances,’ Dunn stated.

Beyond her book and presenta-tion, she has used her time at UCO to develop a base for the future of Native theater by teaching playwriting and storytelling.

Dunn’s own path started through the Indian Teacher and Educational Personnel Program at Humboldt State University in North California, which was one of the first American Indian teacher education programs in the country.

‘ITEPP started in 1969 to recruit and train Indians to become teachers, mostly at the elementary and junior high and high school levels, but I ended up deciding to teach college,’ she stated.

After HSU, Dunn started out working for public television, with experience gathered in radio and TV journalism while in college, but went on to graduate school at the Univer-sity of California Los Angeles to pursue

teaching college. ‘UCLA had and still has a great

program for people in American Indian Studies, and I was able to study with Paula Gunn Allen when she was there. Dr. Gunn Allen was one of the first American Indian literary scholars, and also a poet, so it made sense for me to work with her,’ she stated.

She taught for a while, got mar-ried and started a family, and decided to get her doctorate at the University of Southern California where she mostly studied theater and literature.

Beyond the arts, she also started the consulting firm Diversity Educa-tion Partners with one of her colleagues where they, ‘do training on diversity, inclusion and civil rights in higher edu-cation from a social justice perspective.’

In regards to IPD and it sharing the same date with Columbus Day, Dunn believes this date in October is a new way to come to terms with the ‘Colum-bus legacy.’

‘I grew up in a community that had a very strong Italian American pres-ence, and Christopher Columbus was always seen as a folk hero who created a new world for European settlement,’ she stated. ‘Some indigenous people see it as a celebration of genocide.’

Dunn stated allowing a shift towards viewing the day through an indigenous perspective allows a con-versation about Columbus as well as the survival and resilience of Indian people.

‘…while recognizing that for most Americans, Columbus helped create American culture and values. It gives room for everyone to recognize the day for what it is,’ she stated.

Dunn is from Los Angeles and stated it was one of the largest cities to recognize IPD, and also has a large population of American Indian and indigenous people.

‘Not only does it include the Indian and indigenous perspectives, but it grounds the day in those perspectives and is a way to create space to recog-nize Indian people for our contribu-tions to the American culture, and for the government to recognize its com-plicity in our genocide,’ she stated.

Dunn stated her parents were also born in Los Angeles, with her mother carrying the Creek name Brunner, and their families moved to California from Okemah, Louisiana and Mississippi in the 1930s looking for work.

‘I grew up in California with Cal-ifornia Indians --- Chumash and Tongva, and later spending a lot of time on Yurok tribal lands --- but our family wasn’t involved with many pow wows or Indian church events when I was growing up,’ she stated.

Dunn stated she was always excited to meet other Creeks, Cherokees or Choctaws having not known many in California.

‘I always refer to myself as an Indian from California, but not a Cal-ifornian Indian,’ she stated.

While her encounter with tribal functions may have been limited grow-ing up, Dunn was immersed in part of what would become her career later in life.

‘I grew up in a family of storytellers and artists. Unfortunately the art gene skipped me, so writing became my art! I also love we can use English, a lan-guage that was taught to us to destroy us, can be manipulated in ways to show how natives view the world,’ she stated.

DUNN EXPLORES CONCEPTS OF NATIVE SELF-IMAGES THROUGH THEATER NATIVE INCLUSION IN PERFORMANCE ART DISCUSSED DURING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY EVENTby STERLING COSPERMANAGER

Carolyn Dunn is writing a book on the inclusion of tribal people in theater and gave a presentation on this concept at the University of Central Oklahoma Oct. 8 during an Indigenous Peoples’ Day event. (Facebook)

To view the corresponding video to this story, visit our YouTube channel or visit MvskokeMedia.com

PRODUCED BY

A week-in-review podcast featuring members of our news team discussing the biggest stories of the week and ongoing issues pertaining to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.


PAGE 7KÔLVPÂKEN THE MVSKOKE NEWS

COMMUNITYCALENDARINDIAN ARTS AND

CRAFTS EVENT

The Eufaula Canadian tribal town is hosting an Indian arts and crafts event Nov. 3 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Eufaula Indian Community Center. Concessions, games and booth space will be featured. For more information contact Jon Tiger at: 918-850-3806.

DOMINO TOURNAMENT

A domino tournament is set Nov. 3 at the Eufaula Indian Community Center starting at 11 a.m., sponsored by the EIC Smoke Shop

NATIVE ARTS AND CRAFTS EVENT

A Native arts and crafts event has been set for Dec. 1 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Holdenville Indian Community Center. Doors will open at 7:30 a.m. for set up and there is no charge to ven-dors.

For more information, call Augusta at: 405-379-3485.

DAY OF PRAYER

The Inter-Tribal Prayer Network has set the fifth annual Prayer Day to pray for tribal nations, leaders employ-ees, schools, medical personnel, facil-ities, law enforcement and miliary for 10 a.m., Nov. 3 at Two Rivers Morning Star Church of All Nations in Hector-ville, OK, 221st off Highway 75 south. For more information call: 918-282-9381.

NATIVE BIBLE STUDY OFFERED BY MAIL

Discovery Bible School is offering a free Bible study by and for Natives called Native New Day. They are sent by mail and those who are interested may contact us at P.O. Box 14208, Tulsa, OK 74159.

TCIC BINGO

The Tulsa Creek Indian Com-munity has set a bingo night for Nov. 2 starting with a food sale at 6 p.m. Games are $12 for 10 and two specials and $6 for a half pack. Each additional will cost $1.

VETERANS RECOGNITION

An annual veterans recognition is set for 3 p.m., Nov. 4 at Belvin Bap-tist Church, 320 N. Mission, Okmul-gee, OK 74447 featuring Pastor Jordan Kanuho giving the welcome, Robert Jones as MC and Rev. Don Tiger as speaker.

NOTICE

GRAZING LEASE ON RESTRICTED PROPERTY MUSCOGEE CREEK NATION REALTY TRUST DEPARTMENT Sealed bids will be accepted until 3:00 P.M. on Thursday, November 15, 2018, sealed bids will be opened at that time in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Realty Office, Tribal Complex, Okmulgee, Oklahoma. The Secretary reserves the right to reject any bid and withhold approval of the lease.

The Realty Specialist in charge of leasing shall publicly announce the apparent highest acceptable bid. The successful bidder will be notified by telephone by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 15, 2018.

To obtain more information and to obtain the proper bid forms, please contact the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Realty Office at (918)732-7711, or write P.O. Box 580, Okmulgee, Okla-homa, 74447, attention Realty Services.

Property Available for Sealed Bid on Grazing Lease Legal Description:

The SW/4, LESS the NE/4 NW/4 SW/4, of Section 32, Township 13 North, Range 15 East, Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, containing 150 acres, more or less

WOOD FOR SALE

Order your wood in advance; wood is cut by a high school student. Pick up or delivery available. Call or text Yahav at 918-650-3063 or call Barton William at 918-770-6205

WANT TO SEE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD HERE?

CONTACT US TODAY!Call 918.732.7768 or email

[email protected]

SUBMISSIONSJUSTICE DEPARTMENT

WILL AWARD UP TO $246 MILLION IN GRANTS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY IN AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA

NATIVE COMMUNITIES

MORE THAN $6.2M AWARDED TO SEVEN TRIBES IN THE NORTH-

ERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA

WASHINGTON – United States Attorney Trent Shores joined the Department of Justice today in announcing more than $113 million in grant awards to improve public safety, serve victims of crime, combat violence against women, and support youth pro-grams in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, including the Cherokee Nation, the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, the Osage Nation of Okla-homa, the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma, and the Wyandotte Nation.

“I am proud of the productive partnership forged between my office and tribal nations. Our collabora-tive enforcement model delivers fair, impartial, and effective justice to tribal communities in the Northern District of Oklahoma. These justice focused grants will strengthen priority areas for each of the tribal recipients,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Implementing the programs and services supported by this funding will have a lasting impact in Indian Country. As United States Attorney, I will uphold the fed-eral trust responsibility to the federally recognized tribes in northeastern Okla-homa.”

Nationwide, grants were awarded to 133 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, and other tribal desig-nees through the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, a streamlined application for tribal-specific grant pro-grams. Of the $113 million, just over $53 million comes from the Office of Justice Programs, more than $35 million from the Office on Violence Against Women, and more than $24.7 million from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

In addition, the Department is in the process of allocating up to $133 mil-lion in a first-ever set aside program to serve victims of crime in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. The awards are intended to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims of crime by providing fund-ing, programming and technical assis-tance. Recipients will be announced in the near future.

“With these awards, we are dou-bling the amount of grant funding devoted to public safety programs and serving victims of crime in Native American communities,” said Princi-pal Deputy Associate Attorney Gen-eral Jesse Panuccio, who made the announcement during his remarks at the 26th Annual Four Corners Indian Country Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “There is an unacceptable level of violent crime and domestic abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. This increase in resources, together with our aggres-sive investigation and prosecution of crimes, shows how seriously Attorney General Sessions and the entire Depart-ment of Justice take these issues. We are committed to reducing violent crime and improving public safety.”

The Four Corners Conference is facilitated annually by U.S. Attorneys from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah to provide a forum for discus-sion of justice-related topics with a large number of populous and diverse tribal nations located in the region.

CTAS awards cover nine purpose areas: public safety and community policing; justice systems planning; alco-hol and substance abuse; corrections and correctional alternatives; children’s justice act partnerships; services for vic-tims of crime; violence against women; juvenile justice; and tribal youth pro-grams. CTAS funding helps tribes develop and strengthen their justice sys-tems’ response to crime, while expand-ing services to meet their communities’ public safety needs.

Today’s announcement is part of the Justice Department’s ongoing ini-tiative to increase engagement, coor-dination and action on public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

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