Archived News Item

SPECIAL COMMUNITY MEETING FOR DELAWARE TRIBAL MEMBERS

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2014 1:00pm – 3:00pm

DELAWARE COMMUNITY CENTER – FORSYTHE HALL

Consultation with Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian
For the exhibit “NATIVE NEW YORK: WHERE NATIONS RISE”
(opening October 2016 at NMAI in New York City)

Public comments regarding Lenape (Delaware Indian) history, culture, and identity will be solicited by museum staff historians.

TRUST BOARD WORKSHOP

To review and plan format for Trust Board investment portfolio

Public meeting, open to all tribal members

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Wednesday, February 19, 2014
6:00 PM

Forsyth Hall, Delaware Community Center
5100 Tuxedo Blvd, Bartlesville, OK

OKLAHOMA CITY – Chief Ron Sparkman, The Shawnee Tribe, Barry Switzer, Entrepreneur and Former Head Coach, University of Oklahoma and Bob Burke have all accepted appointments to serve as members of the Board of Directors of the Native American Cultural and Educational Authority (NACEA), a state agency established to develop The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum (The Center) located on the Oklahoma River, east of downtown Oklahoma City. Speaker T .W. Shannon, appointed Chief Sparkman to fill one of the seven American Indian seats. Governor Mary Fallin appointed Coach Switzer and Bob Burke to fill two of the seven business community seats on the 17-member Board of Directors.

“I am pleased and grateful to Chief Sparkman for his willingness to serve on this board. All Oklahoma citizens benefit when The American Indian Nations in Oklahoma and State leaders work together to create an economically prosperous and culturally enriched state.”

Chief Sparkman has served as Chief of the Shawnee Tribe for 13 years. He served in the Oklahoma 45th Division from 1955 to 1961 and was honorably discharged with a rank of Sargent E-5. He was a supervisor for Crane Manufacturing Company for ten years and then continued his career as the Executive Director of Community Action for Ottawa, Craig and Delaware Counties in Northeast Oklahoma in 1964. He served as the Executive Director of the Picher Housing Authority until 1974. Since 1974, he has been the Motor License Agent for the Oklahoma Tax Commission in Ottawa County Oklahoma. He is the President of the Inter-Tribal Council, which is comprised of American Indian Tribes in NE Oklahoma (Shawnee Tribe, the Eastern Shawnee Tribe, Miami Tribe, Modoc Tribe, Ottawa Tribe, the Peoria Tribe of Indians, the Quapaw Tribe, the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe and the Wyandotte Nation). Sparkman was born in central Ottawa county on his families original allotment land. Chief Sparkman says, “I look forward to serving on the Native American Cultural and Education Authority board. I feel this is a very ambitious project for Oklahoma City, as well as the State of Oklahoma. This facility will greatly enhance the public’s knowledge of the thirty nine Tribes that occupy Oklahoma.”

“I am appreciative to both Coach Switzer and Dr. Burke for their enthusiasm to serve on the board. Each is an exceptional individual committed to ensuring the world is aware of our remarkable Oklahoma accomplishments and the state’s unique history, ” says Governor Mary Fallin.

Switzer is the former head coach of the University of Oklahoma and the Dallas Cowboys where he was one of only two coaches to win National Championships in both the NCAA and NFL. Mr. Switzer is an accomplished businessman and author who has been involved with many civic and charitable affairs including serving as Honorary Head Coach of the Oklahoma Special Olympics for the past thirty years. Switzer says, “ I can’t think of a more worthwhile project than this cultural center for the people of Oklahoma and our visitors.”

Burke is founder of Bob Burke Law. Dr. Burke has written more historical non-fiction books than anyone else in history, including 117 titles about Oklahoma. In 2011 as part of Governor Fallin’s reform, he re-wrote the entire workers’ compensation law (Title 85) in Oklahoma that resulted in passage of SB 878. Dr. Burke offers his expertise in workers compensation law by speaking at more than 100 Continuing Legal Education seminars. Dr. Burke served as Secretary of Commerce under the administration of Oklahoma Governor David Boren and served on the board for the Oklahoma Historical Society as well as many other professional associations and memberships. Burke offers, “This project is long overdue and will be a great addition to help share Oklahoma’s interesting history.”

The Chairman of the NACEA Board, Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby, welcomed all three appointments stating, “The dream is about to become a reality and now more than ever we appreciate the leadership and commitment from tribal and business community leaders to ensure this becomes a place of pride for all Oklahoma Citizens.”

About the NACEA

The Oklahoma Legislature created the Native American Cultural and Educational Authority, (NACEA) to oversee the construction and operations of The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum for the purpose of generating awareness, understanding and appreciation of the history of tribes and their relationship to Oklahoma today. The 150,000-square foot Center on 240 acres at the crossroads of Interstates 35 and 40, two of the busiest highways in the country, will serve as a living and interactive historical and cultural center exploring Oklahoma American Indian cultures and heritage.

During this spring semester the University of Oklahoma will offer Native Peoples of Oklahoma, a free online course on the cultural traditions and current conditions of the Native American tribes who live in Oklahoma.

The course was originally taught in a traditional classroom setting for more than a decade by a since retired professor, now Dr. Daniel Swan and Dr. Joshua Nelson are reviving the course and presenting it online through Janux, OU’s interactive learning community.

“The online course will broaden the ability of those outside of Oklahoma, as well as within the state, to better understand its Native population,” states a release from the university.

For more information, go to https://janux.ou.edu/landing/course.anth1613.html

The Indian Arts and Crafts Board will host a juried art and craft competition for Indian youth at each of its three regional museums in the spring of 2014. The theme of the competitions will be “Where do we come from? Where are we going?”

The competitions will be open to enrolled members of federally recognized Tribes between the ages of 13 and 18. Official written documentation to verify the youth’s enrollment in a federally recognized Tribe and written parental or guardian permission will be required.

The competitions will provide Indian youth with a realistic juried art show experience; encourage the development and expansion of their production and marketing skills; and enhance youth interest in culture, history, and the possibility of an artistic career. All submissions of work will be judged by an independent jury of artists, artisans, and art professionals. Awards will be distributed in the amount of$100 for each first place, $75 for each second place, and $50 for each third place.

The three museums operated by the IACB: the Sioux Indian Museum, Rapid City, SD; the Southern Plains Indian Museum, Anadarko, OK; and the Museum of the Plains Indian, Browning, MT; will serve as venues for the exhibition of a limited selection of submitted works.

In addition, the IACB will feature the selected works in promotional brochures to complement the exhibitions. Each work awarded first place will also be featured on an IACB museum poster, the IACB website, and in IACB promotional and educational materials.

All artwork must be submitted by March 1, 2014. Winners will be announced in April 2014. Exhibitions of selected works will be held at each of the IACB museums from April 15-May 31, 2014.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, INCLUDING OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES AND PROCEDURES, PLEASE CONTACT:

Conor McMahon, Chief Curator, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, 605-394-2381

If you are a veteran and a Delaware tribal member, the Enrollment Department wants to hear from you.

We want to expand our veteran’s services and to let you know what is available. To do so, we need to create a list of all our veterans and get a little basic information.

If you are willing to participate, download and print the form below. If you wish, you can fill it out online and then print it; otherwise just write it your information. You can bring it into the tribal offices or mail it to:

Delaware Tribe of Indians
ATTN:Veterans Services
170 NE Barbara
Bartlesville, OK 74006

Wanishi!

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The Delaware War Mothers would like to extend their gratitude for all the support received from the tribal council, veterans, and tribal members. 2013 has been a rough year for membership but with the determination of its members 2014 should be even more exciting! Currently six different tribes are represented among the 25 members both locally and afar.

Hayden Griffith was elected princess for 2013 and 2014, and has represented the club well this year. She has participated in grand entries at powwows, NCAI in Tulsa, parades, veteran programs, and read to the Dewey first grade in recognition of the Oklahoma birthday celebration dressed in her regalia! This young lady is sure to do wonderful things in her lifetime and the members can’t wait to see her represent the club again in 2014. Thank you Hayden for a job well done!

This year the War Mothers participated in the grand entry at the Operation Eagle Powwow, Delaware Powwow, and Oklahoma Indian Summer. On July 5 the club held a Veterans Recognition program after lunch at the Delaware Community Center. Each veteran was recognized and presented with a keychain. In September the club sponsored a Turtle Toss during Delaware Days for the children and plan on making this a yearly event. A table was provided by the tribe during General Council for a bake sale, silent auction and raffle which brought in some much-needed funds to help the club support our veterans. On November 8 a Veterans Day program was held prior to lunch being served. Each veteran was recognized and presented with a veterans pin. Bucky Buck, veteran, and Bonnie Thaxton, mother of veteran, were the speakers for this year’s program. The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) also participated in the program with a small ceremony for the POW’s and MIA’s.

Our mission is to represent and honor our military relatives, so if you are a grandmother, mother, daughter, granddaughter, sister or aunt of a veteran Native American OR non-native but want to represent an Indian veteran and would be interested in joining, please attend one of our monthly meetings the third Monday of each month at 5:00 pm in the Dining Hall at the Delaware Community Center. You may also contact Bess Marler at 918-440-1955, Tonya Anna at 918-533-8035 or email the club at delawarewarmothers@yahoo.com.

Again, thank you to all who contributed to and supported the Delaware War Mothers over this past year and most of all, thank you to each and every veteran for your service.

Veterans at Veteran’s Day celebration in Delaware Community Center on November 8, 2013	Delaware War Mothers fill Christmas “goodie bags” for our veterans. L-R, Barbara Wallace, Laura Maynor, Tonya Anna, Mary Watters, Pat Donnell, Cy Hughes, Chief Paula Pechonick.

By Sadie Haff

Born and raised in Washington State, I wasn’t very knowledgeable about my Delaware heritage. My parents, John William Haff and Olive Vanscoy Haff, told me what they knew of it, but I always wanted to know more. It wasn’t until the 1990’s and the internet and a couple of family reunions in Oklahoma (the Haff reunion in 2001 and the Haff/Marker reunion in 2003) that I started to learn about my Delaware heritage and met many of my relatives, most descended from Israel and Mary Haff. Two relatives in particular, Gloria Marker Fortney and Helen Woodall Vire, taught me much about Delaware history and, in particular, our family history.

In October of 2005 I was able to travel to Oklahoma and visit with my Aunt Mary and Uncle Matt Haff in Ketchum and many other relatives. I also got to spend several days in Vinita with Gloria and Helen, getting better acquainted and researching family genealogy at the library in Bartlesville. One evening we had an opportunity to attend a potluck dinner at the Delaware Community Center. We had a wonderful meal and had a great time visiting with the tribal members there that night. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming.

One woman I met was Paula Pechonick, who measured my feet for a pair of Delaware moccasins. I would later order a Delaware Tulip purse from her. I cherish both of these items still. A few years later Paula would become the Chief of the Delaware Tribe.

My life drastically changed in 2012, when I found myself at Lourdes Medical Center in Pasco, WA, recovering from surgery. When lab tests showed that I had cancer and would need chemotherapy, I started to think about what I would do when chemo caused my hair to fall out. I decided that I would wear kerchiefs. My doctor had told me that women often chose a theme for their kerchiefs or made some kind of statement with them. I decided that I would like them made from Native American prints to honor my Delaware Indian heritage. My great-grandmother Mary Haff and my grandfather William Haff were part of the removal of the Delaware tribe from the reservation in Kansas to land in Oklahoma following the Civil War.

When I had a difficult time getting mentally prepared for the journey ahead, my brother Stan would tell me that I was a tougher Delaware than that. A cousin in Oklahoma told me that our ancestors weren’t moved from the East Coast to Ohio and then to Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma for me to “wimp out” now. She reminded me of the difficult journey that my great-grandmother and five-year-old grandfather had made from the reservation in Kansas to northeastern Oklahoma.

Friends and relatives had supplied me with material for kerchiefs and bandanas. I had also purchased Native American print material from a shop in Toppenish, WA that stocked material for the Yakama Indians for ribbon shirts and women’s blouses. One of my friends stayed up late at night to sew kerchiefs for me, while during the day she was packing up her household for a move to Texas. I wore these kerchiefs through the spring and summer of 2012, and they somehow made it easier to deal with the hair situation. They also reminded me of the love and wonderful care I had received from my family, South Hills Church family, and friends. In August the temperature turned to over 100 degrees in the Tri-Cities, and I made the decision to stop wearing them. Because I loved the beautiful material they were made from, I told a friend that I was keeping them and using the material for some craft project in the future. Patti Rogers, a friend from my school days, told me that instead of using the material for crafts, she would make a quilt out of it. With the addition of border material and backing, a beautiful quilt took shape.

The quilt is finished and my hair is back. The quilt will always remind me of the many wonderful health care providers, friends, family, and many other people who helped and supported me and gave me encouragement during my recovery. The quilt also serves as a reminder of my Delaware heritage, and I am proud to be a member of the Delaware tribe.

Tri-Cities Cancer Center
7350 W. Deschutes Avenue
Kennewick, WA
509-783-9894
www.tccancer.org

Sadie Haff proudly holding her quilt which has a tag listing her DTI registration number, the date she finished chemo, and the date the quilt was made.

Sadie Haff and Cindy Miller, a Tri-Cities Cancer Center staff member, showing the entire quilt.

On November 1, 2014 there will be an election for Chief, three Tribal Council seats, and two Associate Judge positions on the Tribal Court. You may vote in person at the official polling sites or obtain an absentee ballot.

If you cannot vote in person, be sure to apply to get an absentee ballot for tribal elections. It’s easy to do so; just fill out the form below and mail it in.

If you voted in the November 2013 election, you are already on the list and do not need to re-register. Likewise, once you have registered for an absentee ballot you will remain on the list until you fail to vote in three consecutive elections, after which you will need to re-register.

PLEASE NOTE: We need one form per voter. You may copy this form if you need multiple copies. There is also a printed copy in the January and April 2014 issues of the Delaware Indian News.

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By Jim Rementer

Two years ago former assistant chief Mike Pace was invited to Germany to tell Lenape stories at the Karl May Festival, At the time he had another commitment that caused him to return to the United States not long after the festival. But he said that sometime he would like to return to Germany for a vacation.

In June of this year Mike and his wife Ella were able to return for that vacation, accompanied by Jim Rementer. He found that once again he became a spokesman for his Delaware Tribe. Fortunately this is what Mike does on an almost daily basis in his job at the Conner Prairie Museum near Indianapolis.

One of the first events he was taken to on this trip was a medieval conference in Wallhalben, Germany, where he participated in a number of events. He was asked to talk a bit about his Delaware Tribe. He did so and also presented some Delaware dollars to the conference leaders. He was joined at the conference by a Cheyenne named Michael Running Wolf, Jr., and his fiancée Caroline Old Coyote, a Crow Indian who is one half German and fluent in the German language. They also gave talks about their tribes.

Toward the end of his vacation Mike was once again called upon to contribute to a documentary being made about Indian people. So, on the day he was leaving in the morning, we were taken to a small rustic area by a stream not too far from Munich where the interview was conducted.

The tribe should be proud of Mike and Ella, whose efforts to spread goodwill and cultural knowledge greatly expand the Tribe’s reputation. Wanishi to both of them, and to a good friend of the tribe, Robert Goetzenberger, for his help in making the trip arrangements!!

Michael and Caroline.	Mike and Robert have a gift exchange.
Mike demonstrates the Delaware Bean Dance.	Mike and Hans Traxel have a gift exchange.
Mike inspects the structure of an old building from the 1500s in Wil, Switzerland.	Michael and Mike.
Suzanne attempting to get good audio for the video.	The filming location.