John Echohawk, a member of the Pawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, has served as the Executive Director of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) since 1977.
The first graduate of a special law program for Native Americans at the University of New Mexico, he has become a leading force in Indian Law and policy and has been involved in cases supporting Indian rights all over the country.
As one of the most sought after experts on Indian issues, he is often asked to serve on special commissions that will affect tribes everywhere. He has won numerous awards over the years for his devotion to improving the lives of Indian tribes and individuals.
He is also listed as one of 100 Native Americans Who Shaped American History.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Last living speaker works to keep NorCal tribe's language alive
The Arizona Daily Star - Tucson, AR
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. (AP) — As a child in the 1950s, Loretta Kelsey grew up hearing the sounds of Elem Pomo, an 8,000-year-old dialect spoken by early peoples of Northern California along the shores of Clear Lake in Lake County.
Since then, as an older generation passed away, the language they spoke went with them. According to scholars, 59-year-old Kelsey is the last fluent speaker of Elem Pomo alive today.
But Kelsey is not content to let her native language die with her. Instead, she has teamed up with a prominent University of California linguist to teach and document Elem Pomo to keep its words — and the culture they represent — alive in the 21st century.
"Our language is really right here. It's in our ceremonies, our lives, our people, our ways," Kelsey said, gesturing to her reservation along the lake's southern edge. "You keep the language alive, you help keep all of this alive."
When Kelsey was growing up, her mother spoke no English, only Elem Pomo. At the time, many members of the 250-person tribe were fluent. The past decades have seen members die off, join new churches or leave the reservation for jobs.
The complete article is here: http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/203904
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. (AP) — As a child in the 1950s, Loretta Kelsey grew up hearing the sounds of Elem Pomo, an 8,000-year-old dialect spoken by early peoples of Northern California along the shores of Clear Lake in Lake County.
Since then, as an older generation passed away, the language they spoke went with them. According to scholars, 59-year-old Kelsey is the last fluent speaker of Elem Pomo alive today.
But Kelsey is not content to let her native language die with her. Instead, she has teamed up with a prominent University of California linguist to teach and document Elem Pomo to keep its words — and the culture they represent — alive in the 21st century.
"Our language is really right here. It's in our ceremonies, our lives, our people, our ways," Kelsey said, gesturing to her reservation along the lake's southern edge. "You keep the language alive, you help keep all of this alive."
When Kelsey was growing up, her mother spoke no English, only Elem Pomo. At the time, many members of the 250-person tribe were fluent. The past decades have seen members die off, join new churches or leave the reservation for jobs.
The complete article is here: http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/203904
The Heyteyneytah Project
Star Tribune - Casper, Wyoming
Horses helped heal the spirit of Stanford Addison after a truck accident paralyzed him 28 years ago. Now, Addison uses horses to help heal at-risk youth. He calls it the Heyteyneytah Project, a nonprofit program incorporating his gentle horse training techniques. In Arapaho, Addison's native tribe, heyteyneytah means respect.
While many of the youth who find their way to the Addison Ranch are from around the Wind River Indian Reservation, kids from Colorado, California, Iowa and Illinois have lived with Addison and learned his techniques. Addison supports these kids largely out of his own pocket.But he's looking to expand his program.
For the past year, he's been working with the Wind River Development Fund, a nonprofit community development corporation. With its help, he is developing a small business plan that will make his ranch more financially viable, said Lisa Wagner, executive director.
"What he does is very much a community service in terms of working with youth," she said.
Besides his work with kids, Addison also hosts several horse-training clinics a year. In those, participants learn to connect with a horse, saddle-break it and ride it all in one day. People come from around the world for these clinics.
To learn more about the Heyteyneytah Project or to help, contact the Wind River Development Fund at (307) 335-7330 or call Addison at (307) 349-8669.
On the net:
*See a video of Addison using his training techniques on an Arabian filly at casperstartribune.net and click on this story.
* www.wrdf.org
* www.stanaddison.com
Horses helped heal the spirit of Stanford Addison after a truck accident paralyzed him 28 years ago. Now, Addison uses horses to help heal at-risk youth. He calls it the Heyteyneytah Project, a nonprofit program incorporating his gentle horse training techniques. In Arapaho, Addison's native tribe, heyteyneytah means respect.
While many of the youth who find their way to the Addison Ranch are from around the Wind River Indian Reservation, kids from Colorado, California, Iowa and Illinois have lived with Addison and learned his techniques. Addison supports these kids largely out of his own pocket.But he's looking to expand his program.
For the past year, he's been working with the Wind River Development Fund, a nonprofit community development corporation. With its help, he is developing a small business plan that will make his ranch more financially viable, said Lisa Wagner, executive director.
"What he does is very much a community service in terms of working with youth," she said.
Besides his work with kids, Addison also hosts several horse-training clinics a year. In those, participants learn to connect with a horse, saddle-break it and ride it all in one day. People come from around the world for these clinics.
To learn more about the Heyteyneytah Project or to help, contact the Wind River Development Fund at (307) 335-7330 or call Addison at (307) 349-8669.
On the net:
*See a video of Addison using his training techniques on an Arabian filly at casperstartribune.net and click on this story.
* www.wrdf.org
* www.stanaddison.com
Taste of the Plains
By: Jonnie Taté Finn
KYLE - Entrepreneurs on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation hope a four-inch energy bar that mimics a traditional Lakota recipe will provide a boost to both people's health and the area's lagging economy.
Health professionals and tribal members say the Tanka Bar, made of dried buffalo meat and berries, is an innovative way to improve people's health and their pocketbooks in a place where diabetes and poverty are major issues.
"It was pretty good," Lori Whirlwind Horse said after sampling the product, which makes its official debut during the 21st annual He Sapa Wacipi na Oskate (Black Hills Pow Wow) in Rapid City Oct. 5.
Whirlwind Horse said the recipe is comparable to the one her mother uses to make wasna for traditional ceremonies, such as sun dances or peyote meetings.
"I think it's a good idea" to market a traditional food. "It's how we used to live a long time ago. It's healthy. But I think (non-Natives) will have to acquire a taste for it, since everything these days is fast food, and this doesn't taste like fast food.
"That was the point, said Karlene Hunter, chief executive officer and co-founder of Native American Natural Foods, the company behind the Tanka Bar.
Read more here: http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070928/NEWS/709280329/1001
KYLE - Entrepreneurs on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation hope a four-inch energy bar that mimics a traditional Lakota recipe will provide a boost to both people's health and the area's lagging economy.
Health professionals and tribal members say the Tanka Bar, made of dried buffalo meat and berries, is an innovative way to improve people's health and their pocketbooks in a place where diabetes and poverty are major issues.
"It was pretty good," Lori Whirlwind Horse said after sampling the product, which makes its official debut during the 21st annual He Sapa Wacipi na Oskate (Black Hills Pow Wow) in Rapid City Oct. 5.
Whirlwind Horse said the recipe is comparable to the one her mother uses to make wasna for traditional ceremonies, such as sun dances or peyote meetings.
"I think it's a good idea" to market a traditional food. "It's how we used to live a long time ago. It's healthy. But I think (non-Natives) will have to acquire a taste for it, since everything these days is fast food, and this doesn't taste like fast food.
"That was the point, said Karlene Hunter, chief executive officer and co-founder of Native American Natural Foods, the company behind the Tanka Bar.
Read more here: http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070928/NEWS/709280329/1001
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