Archived News Item

by Tim Hudson

A recent compact between Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker and the state of Oklahoma should have Delaware tribal sportsmen very happy.

The agreement, which takes effect January 1, will expand hunting and fishing rights for the Cherokee Nation, and in turn, Delawares with dual membership, to all 77 Oklahoma counties.

“By creating and signing this compact, we have reaffirmed our tribal sovereignty,” Cherokee Principal Chief Baker said. “I am proud the Cherokee Nation is the first tribe to compact with the state in proper recognition of our long-held treaty rights to hunt and fish the lands within not only our jurisdictional boundaries, but all 77 counties in Oklahoma. No Cherokee will ever be fearful of arrest or prosecution for exercising their inherent rights to hunt and fish.”

“It’s a great thing that they are doing this,” Delaware Tribe of Indians Chief Chet Brooks said.

Overlapping state and tribal jurisdiction are often confusing when it comes to native citizens’ rights to fish and hunt the land without facing unnecessary and unlawful prosecution from state wildlife enforcement officers. According to the Cherokee, under the new compact, citizens will “now be able to freely exercise their treaty rights across the state and without fear of arrest or prosecution off tribal land. The compact is the result of several months of careful negotiation to ensure Cherokee Nation citizens’ rights were not only preserved, but strengthened.”

Delaware Tribe of Indians Council Member Nate Young says the compact is a reflection of tribal sovereignty.

“To have the ability to enter into this type of compact is all about tribal sovereignty,” he said.

“And it’s safer for both the Delaware citizen and for everybody else to not have to worry about being apprehended and having to go through the court system.”

He calls the agreement “win-win.”

“It was the smart and safe thing to do, it’s good for the state and it’s good for us,” he said.

According to Cherokee Nation Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin Jr., Delaware tribal citizens with dual membership over the age of 16 will receive a hunting and fishing license annually and free of charge, along with one deer tag and one turkey tag. Two dollars from each license issued will go to the state in obtaining federal grants to help preserve the state’s wildlife and natural habitats.
“The license will be issued to all of our Delaware that have dual citizenship, whether they request it or not” he said.

“The only thing that will hold that back is a bad address, so everyone needs to make sure that their information is kept up to date.”

Press Release
June 2nd, 2015
by Tim Hudson

Delaware Child Development Center will be breaking ground on their new Child Development Center June 2nd, 2015 at 2 P.M. The building will be located on Lenape Addition on the Delaware complex at 5110 Tuxedo Blvd, Bartlesville, OK. Delaware Tribal Council Members, Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce, team members, friends, and family will be in attendance for this highly anticipated event. The Child Development Center will be a larger facility than what is currently located on the property. In 1999, the Delaware Child Development Program built their first child care center in Bartlesville with four small classrooms. They quickly outgrew the facility.

The new Delaware Child Development Center will be constructed across the parking lot from the current building and adjacent to the Delaware Child Development Resource and Education Center. The current DCD building will be re-purposed for other needs within the Tribe, including expansion of the elder nutrition program.

The new center will be able to serve 90 children, ages birth through five years, and almost DOUBLE the capacity of the present child care center, which has 47 enrolled and 151 children on the waiting list. The new and improved center will have adequate space to create gardens and other natural outdoor play environments recommended as best practice for early childhood programs. The added outdoor space will allow for an infant playground that will be designed to specifically meet the needs of infants and provide them with a safe outside play environment to explore their surroundings.

“We are looking forward to finally opening a new space for children in Bartlesville that will meet more of the growing need for quality programs for young children. Our teachers are very excited to have added indoor space and to be able to add natural outdoor environments that are so beneficial to children.”
–Sherry Rackliff

DCD Centers use a developmentally appropriate curriculum that provides a structure for teachers to observe children and document their progression of developmental growth and structure classroom experiences that will enable every child in the class to grow and develop to her fullest potential. Observations of the children by the teachers include experiences that encompass the full range of a child’s growth from developing language skills, early literacy, mastering fine motor techniques, exercising gross motor activities, social skills, cognitive development, art, music, and more.

The proposed regulations complement the revised Guidelines for State Courts and Agencies in Indian Child Custody Proceedings released this February.

Delaware Tribal Council Secretary, Dr. Nicky Michael attended the hearings in Tulsa. She gave testimony that we are in support of these guidelines and are asking for further assistance to implement them. We need our own ICWA program. She also testified about Veronica’s impact on our own community and children.

Please log onto the comments section and tell them that you approve and support these new guidelines.

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The UNITY Organization is please to share a tutorial on “How to get to the White House Tribal Youth Gathering.” In collaboration with UNITY Staff Jared Massey and UNITY Alumni & Indian Country’s own Christian Parrish AKA “SupaMan,” we created a four step guide to help you accomplish this task. We hope this tutorial will help you in being selected to attend the 2015 White House Tribal Youth Gathering in Washington D.C. Good luck everyone!

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LIHEAP cooling assistance will be starting 5/30/2015.

Crisis Assistance is year round.

For further information please contact us at 918-337-6530 or lpuryear@delawaretribe.org

Date: Saturday March 28th at the Delaware Community Center

Time: Dinner will be opened at noon and the auction will begin at 1pm.

The Committee members are looking for ways to raise money for the purchase of a gun safe and a set of military firearms to be used in the formation of our Veterans burial detail. One of the ways that we are going to do this is to have an auction on the 28th of March at the Delaware Community Center in Bartlesville, OK.

Anyone located out of state that wish to donate money for this cause can send donations addressed to John W. Sumpter / Homer Scott at the Delaware Tribal HQ (170 NE Barbara, Bartlesville, OK 74006). Checks or money orders should be made out to the Delaware Tribal Veterans Committee.

Donations for auction items can be given to Homer Scott at 918-332-8020 or John W. Sumpter at 918-766-5592. The committee will start at 12 noon selling indian tacos for lunch and the auction will start at 1:00 pm.

ANY QUESTIONS — CALL SUE CADE VETERANS COMMITTEE SECRETARY 918 532-5428

The Delaware Tribe of Indians is hosting an essay contest for our youth, ages 10-18 years. This will be a four-part contest beginning with the April edition of our Delaware Indian News (DIN).

Part 1. Research and write about the history of the Delaware Powwow. Deadline for submission of articles will be 5:00 pm on March 1, 2015. Winning article will be published in the April edition of the DIN. The winning essayist will receive $100. All other youth who submit articles will receive $25 for their participation.

Part 2. Research and write about the Delaware people’s historical presence in Pennsylvania. Deadline for submission will be June 1, 2015 at 5:00 pm. The winning article will be published in the July edition of the DIN. The winning essayist will receive $100. All other youth who submit articles will receive $25 for their participation

Part 3. Research and write about ANY Chief of the Delaware Tribe of Indians (living or dead). Deadline for submission of articles will be 5:00 pm on September 1, 2015. Winning article will be published in the October edition of the DIN. The winning essayist will receive $100. All other youth who submit articles will receive $25 for their participation.

Part 4. A Grand Prize winner will be selected from the three quarterly winners. Their article will be reprinted in the January 2016 DIN and they will receive a $500 cash prize.

Basic Rules

Participant must be a registered member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, between the ages of 10-18 on the date of each submission. All entries must be typewritten, at least one full page (8 1/2 x 11 inches), single spaced, 12 pt Times Roman font. The deadlines will be strictly adhered to and NO late entries will be accepted. Participants must do their own research, composition and typing. Parental or adult help may only be requested for direction. Research may include personal interviews, websites, books, etc. Participants name and tribal registration number must be on the BACK of the essay.

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INSPIRE Pre-College Program

PROGRAM DATES: July 5 – 25, 2015
APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 1, 2015

The INSPIRE Pre-College Program is a full scholarship open to Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian rising junior and senior high school students, including 2015 anticipated graduates, who want to spend 3-weeks on the George Washington University (GW) campus to learn about intergovernmental relations between tribal governments and the federal government.

The program centers on a full-day, experiential undergraduate course taught by GW faculty, Native Politics and the American Political System, which will offer opportunities for students to meet and interview influential Native advocates who work in Washington, D.C.

As an added bonus, INSPIRE students live on campus and participate in recreational programs with the community of high school students enrolled in GW Pre-College programs.

Click on the link below to view and download the flyer. You may then save and/or print it.

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TULSA COMMUNITY COLLEGE and RED FORK NATIVE AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL POWWOW

Saturday, February 28th

Stephen J. Jatras Student Union
Tulsa Community College – West Campus
7505 West 41st Street, Tulsa Oklahoma

Hosted by TCC Native American Student Alliance and TCC Native American Studies Program

Free Admission – Everyone Welcome

For more information, contact Keetoowah Knight (918) 955-6807 or Steven Woods (918)595-8210

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Annual Delaware calendar produced by Jim Rementer. Copyright Jim Rementer, 2015.

Click on the link below to download the file. You may then save and/or print it.

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