neehseehpineenki - “breathing disease” (2020)

neehseehpineenki - “breathing disease”

The Miami Nation and Covid-19 Policy - pg. 3B

Myaamia Publications - Vol. 16, No. 1, Summer 2020 - Section A - Noošonke Siipionki Myaamionki

Featuring:

peepankišaapiikahkia eehkwaatamenki

Myaamia Ribbonwork

PAGE 1C

Oonsaahšinihkwa (Jane Bundy), c. 1877. Photograph courtesy of the Indiana

Historical Society.

Cultural Images: The creation of the Council House Mural...pg. 6A

2A

aatotankiki Myaamiaki

MIAMI NATION NEWS is published by the Sovereign Miami Tribe of Oklahoma for our enrolled citizens. Aatotankiki

Myaamiaki is distributed by mail and made

available for download from the Miami Nation’s website. A single copy is mailed free

of charge to each tribal household. College

students living away from home may request

a copy be mailed to their campus, or off-campus, address.

This publication is printed in Stigler, Oklahoma by Stigler Printing. Publication design

and layout is done in-house by the Miami

Nation Cultural Resources Office staff. Requests for special articles or publication of

community information, including births,

deaths, marriages, family news, anniversaries, etc., are welcomed and encouraged.

Myaamia Publications

Miami Nation

Cultural Resources Office

P.O. Box 1326

Miami, OK 74355

918-541-1300

Email: mtocro@gmail.com

Editorial Staff:

Julie Olds, Scott Willard, Diane Hunter,

Joshua Sutterfield, Doug Peconge,

Meghan Dorey, Joe Leonard

Submission Requirements:

Photos: Photos submitted electronically should

be saved at a resolution of 300 dpi, sized at standard 4x6 or larger, and saved in jpg, tif, or pdf

formats.

Obituaries, Birth Announcements and other

time sensitive submissions will be amended to

show past tense text unless the family submitting the information expressly requests the text

remain unaltered.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

In this edition...

Section A

Chief’s Report 3A

Art Show Results

5A

Council House Mural

6A

Winter Gathering 8A

Section B

Bobbe Burke Retires

1B

Covid-19 2B

Miami Tribe & Miami University 7B

Section C

Ribbonwork Story 1C

NAGPRA Story 5C

Section D

Honoring Community Members 1D

Births 6D

Deaths 6D

Scholarship Info 8D

TRIBAL MEMBER ADDRESS UPDATES:

Contact Tera Hatley at thatley@miamination.com

or by phone 918-541-1300.

REQUEST NEW

CITIZEN ENROLLMENT CARDS

The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma has issued a

new format for its Tribal Citizen/Member

Identification and Enrollment Card. The new

plastic card allows for the inclusion of a photograph of the Enrolled Citizen/Member and

also allows the inclusion of a Myaamia name.

Tribal citizens who wish to obtain the new card

should contact Tera Hatley, Member Services

Manager, at thatley@miamination.com or by

phone at 918-541-1324 .

Advertisements: Enrolled citizens of the Miami

Nation who are business owners, artists or crafts

persons, etc. are eligible to receive free ad space

once per year. Allotted ad size is 5” x 5” and

should be sized at 300 dpi and saved as a jpg, tif

or pdf file. Ad layouts, or links to download such

from your Dropbox or other cloud storage site,

should be emailed to mtocro@gmail.com.

Miami Nation Elected Officials

Chief - Douglas Lankford

Second Chief - Dustin Olds

Sec.-Treas. - Donya Williams

1st Councilperson - Tera Hatley

2nd Councilperson - Scott Willard

MIAMI NATION HEADQUARTERS

Physical/Shipping Address:

3410 P Street NW

Miami, OK 74354

918-541-1300

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 1326

Miami, OK 74355

CARD FRONT

MYAAMIA CITIZENS STAY

CONNECTED VIA INTERNET

MIAMI NATION WEBSITE

www.miamination.com

SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES

Facebook

“MYAAMIAKI Miami Tribe

of Oklahoma”

Facebook “Aatotankiki Myaamiaki”

Facebook - Public Page

Listed as “Miami Nation Events”

Facebook - MHMA Page

Listed as

“Myaamia Heritage Museum & Archive”

CARD BACK

ON FACEBOOK AT

AATOTANKIKI MYAAMIAKI

3A

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

aacimwita akima: The Chief Reports

Aya, aya ceeki eeweemakiki. I write this message to you, my Myaamia relatives, from the

safety of my home, and I pray that you are reading it in health and security wherever you may

be. Like many of you, Gena and I speak daily

about the fears and concerns facing us all as families, employees, business owners, educators,

and those on the frontlines during this incredible pandemic state. In March, a Miami Tribe

employee tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, and I am pleased to say that this employee

has recovered. Yet as I write this, I have been

informed of the passing of a Myaamia citizen

from COVID-19. I am so very, very sorry to receive this news. To the family, and all who are

grieving the loss of a loved one, or who may be

ill at home, or have a loved one battling COVID-19 in the hospital, or who have other illnesses or troubles that are now more difficult to

endure, please know, though these words may

seem of little value during such a trying time,

that we pray for all of our citizens and send best

wishes from our hearts and hope and pray that

soon we will all be safe again. Until then, please

take care. Use a mask when leaving your home,

use pick up services when possible and kisihsinehkiiko – wash your hands, so that we can

keep our elders and family members safe.

For the safety of our employees, and

all Tribal members who come into the various

Tribal Offices for assistance, we closed our offices in late March. Many of our employees

have been working from home so that we could

continue to keep projects moving. The Business Committee continues to work through the

daily issues affecting the Tribe through remote

communications. We have been posting Tribal

announcements about COVID-19 on the miamination.com website and social media pages.

On Facebook at MYAAMIAKI Miami Tribe of

Oklahoma, our private community Facebook

page for members and their families, and on our

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki Miami Tribe of Oklahoma News Facebook page, which is viewable

publicly. If you are a Facebook user and have

not joined our Tribal page, I encourage you to

do so to have immediate access to the news

and information posted there. However, if you

are not a Facebook user, you can see all posts

approved for public view by visiting the Aatotankiki Myaamiaki Miami Tribe of Oklahoma

Facebook page by entering that title into your

search browser. Please note, we only post updates or news approved for public access on

that page and on the Tribe’s website. Tribal

specific information, news, and updates are on

the MYAAMIAKI Miami Tribe of Oklahoma

page. So, again, I encourage you to join that

group page. Just enter that title in your Facebook search and click the “join group” prompt.

If you have any difficulty, please email Donya

Williams or Tera Hatley (page administrators)

at dwilliams@miamination.com or thatley@miamination.com. And finally, regarding the use

of Facebook, please be sure to only post Tribe

specific questions or comments to the closed

group MYAAMIAKI Miami Tribe of Oklahoma so that your questions, and the answers, are

only viewed within our community group. If a

community-specific question is posted on one

of the public pages (Aatotankiki Myaamiaki

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma News or Miami Nation Events), our Facebook administrators will

transfer the post to the closed group before answering.

I know many of you are concerned about

our annual events held in June and July each

year. We plan to hold the General Council Meeting on August 1st, 2020, but there will be no social events held. For the meeting, all CDC recommended safety precautions will be in place.

We will be meeting outdoors, weather permitting, and should we have to move indoors, due

to space constraints, only Tribal members and

necessary staff will be admitted to the meeting.

We are watching the news about the virus

closely, and with Oklahoma’s case numbers rising on a daily basis, we ask that you watch our

social media pages and Tribal website closely

for any necessary changes to the planned General Council meeting date.

Furthermore, because travel is difficult

and social distancing is a necessity at this time,

to keep everyone safe, we have canceled all

By Chief Douglas Lankford, eecipoonkwia

Akima Lankford stands center stage to address the crowd gathered for the dedication of the Nation’s newly remodeled aacimweekaani (council house) located in Miami, OK. The event was

held on Friday, January 24th, 2020, as part of the Tribe’s annual Myaamia Winter Gathering.

Photo by Jonathan Fox, Myaamia Center.

tribal cultural gatherings through the remainder

of the calendar year. These included the Pow

Wow, Family Day, and Cultural Education Day

typically held as part of the National Gathering Week. We have also canceled the early fall

off-site community gatherings held in Kansas

and Indiana each year as well as the fall camp

out in Oklahoma. Our summer youth education

programs moved to a virtual delivery and no

gatherings will occur. We remain hopeful that

the virus will slow and that a safe, effective, and

readily available treatment will become available.

Though the virus has caused incredible

disruption to our businesses and to the work

environment at Tribal Headquarters, there have

been some things we were able to accomplish

before having to step back in safety. In the

months leading up to the Winter Gathering, our

focus project was the completion of the Council

House remodel. Finished just before the Winter Gathering in late January, the building is

more substantial and is simply beautiful on the

inside. From the addition of the stage with its

stone trim work to the finely crafted wood inlay

trim around the doors, to the stunning mural on

the stage wall, our community meeting space is

now a culturally unique Myaamia space. There

are photos of the building in this edition of our

paper, but I know you will enjoy the details

when you see it in person.

On January 24th, 2020, during our Winter Gathering, we took the opportunity to say

mihši-neewe to our dear friend Bobbe Burke

following her retirement from Miami University after decades of work and sincere commitment. Bobbe served both Miami University and

the Miami Tribe in her role as Coordinator of

Miami Tribe Relations. This position put her in

place, in 1991, to work with Dr. Myrtis Powell, Vice President of Student Affairs, who had

begun leading the advancement of relations between the University and the Tribe. It was Vice

President Powell who helped bring the first Miami Tribe students to campus. But I believe it

is because of Bobbe’s years of very personal

commitment, that our Myaamia students now

thrive at Miami University. As Bobbe embraces

her retirement and enjoys more time with her

beautiful children and grandchildren, we hope

she knows she will always be welcome within

our community.

We are excited to announce Tribal Member Kara Strass has stepped into the important

position Bobbe held at Miami University. In

2018 Kara earned her master’s degree at Miami

in Student Affairs in Higher Education (SAHE).

In January 2020, she transitioned into the role

of Director of Miami Tribe Relations and her

hire means the Myaamia Center’s executive

team is now fully composed of members of the

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma.

Regarding tribal business, there are some

updates to share with you. In the previous publication of this paper, we discussed issues surrounding the adoption of General Mad Anthony

Wayne Day in the city of Fort Wayne, IN. We

published correspondence, the Fort Wayne City

Council Resolution that established the event,

and our Tribal Resolution opposing specific

and inaccurate information included in the Fort

Wayne City Council Resolution. Many citizens

of Fort Wayne, of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma,

historians, and business professionals reached

out to the Fort Wayne City Council calling for

a rescinding of the error-plagued resolution, or

the adoption of a new resolution with correct

information intended to supersede the language

of the original resolve. I am pleased to inform

the citizens of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma

that the Fort Wayne City Council did adopt a

new resolution that was more appropriate. That

story, and a history perspective contributed by

Dr. Stephen Warren, are included in this publication.

In 2019 the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma

received a donation of a parcel of land from a

private citizen in Fort Wayne, IN. Mr. Brian

Johnson, philanthropist, and environmentalist,

gifted 22 acres of land on the west bank of the

St. Mary’s River in Fort Wayne to the Tribe.

The property sits within the boundary of the

Richardville Reserve, land given to Chief John

Baptiste Richardville following the 1818 treaty.

Mr. Johnson became aware of the history of the

area and decided to restore ownership to the

Miami Tribe. Plans are underway for natural resources, cultural resources, and environmental

assessments on the property. Mr. Johnson was

a special guest of the Tribe during the Winter

Gathering in January of this year, at which time

he was gifted and publicly thanked for this tremendous gift to the Miami Tribe.

Through 2019 and into this year, the

Tribe has continued its important work on legislative efforts in Washington, D.C. As Chief, I

continue to travel to D.C. several times a year,

including my most recent trip, February 9th

through the 12th, to further the invaluable work

of relationship building with our congressional

and senate representatives. This most recent trip

included meetings regarding the Tribe’s longstanding land claim in Illinois.

As you may recall, for three sessions of

Congress, our Congressman Markwayne Mullin

introduced legislation to address our land claim.

This session, Congressman Mullin introduced

HR 396, a bill that would give the Federal Court

of Claims jurisdiction to consider and decide the

Tribe’s claim for compensation for the taking

of 2.6 million acres of land located in east-central Illinois. During the February trip, two additional congressional members agreed to join

the bill. Congressman Kevin Hern, Oklahoma

Continued on page 4A

4A

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

aacimwita akima: The Chief Reports By Chief Douglas Lankford - Continued from page 3A

1st Congressional District, Republican, joined

the bill along with Congresswoman Betty Louise McCollum, Minnesota, Democrat. Other cosponsors of the legislation include Oklahoma

Congressman Tom Cole, Republican, and Don

Young, Alaska, Republican. With the addition

of Congresswoman McCollum, the bill is now

a bi-partisan bill. We hope to see HR 396 move

through the House as soon as possible admist

the challenges of the virus and the political climate.

Other works through this past fall and

winter include negotiations between the Miami Tribe, along with other Oklahoma Tribes,

with Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and his

staff related to the Tribal-State Class III gaming

compacts. As you may have seen through media

reports, early in August 2019, Governor Stitt

reached out to the Oklahoma Tribes to initiate

renegotiation of the Class III compact, taking

the position early on that the compacts, signed

in 2004, would terminate January 1st, 2020.

The Tribes, however, have insisted for months

that the compact automatically renewed after

the start of the new year.

Since 2004, when voters approved Class

III gaming, tribes have paid $1.28 billion to the

state, money derived from a percentage of electronic gaming revenue, as well as table game

revenue. The Governor, from his position that

the compacts expired, is seeking a higher rate

from the tribes for Class III gaming exclusivity

fees.

On December 31st, 2019, the Cherokee,

Chickasaw, and Choctaw filed a federal suit

against Governor Stitt asking a judge to decide

whether the compact automatically renewed.

An Oklahoma City federal judge has ordered

mediation discussions between the Governor’s

office and participating tribes. I continue to attend the monthly Chiefs meetings to discuss the

issue to protect our interest in Class III gaming.

On April 21st Governor Stitt met with

Comanche Nation leaders in a televised event

wherein both parties signed a Class III compact. One other Oklahoma Tribe is reported to

have signed a compact with the Governor as

well. The Oklahoma tribes are questioning the

Governor’s authority to enter into an agreement

without engaging the Oklahoma Legislature.

The Miami Tribe remains committed to, and in

full support of, Oklahoma gaming tribes who

affirm that we have a valid Class III compact in

place that auto-renewed on January 1st, 2020.

As mentioned earlier in this report, your

Business Committee works daily addressing issues that arise as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The financial impact of the pandemic for

each of you is real, and the impact also affects

this tribal government as we lost revenues from

our casino closures and impacts on our other

businesses. As you may be aware, in late March

the federal government passed the Coronavirus

Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES)

Act, which includes important provisions to

mitigate the sharp economic decline which began unfolding in this country once the virus became known in the United States.

The CARES Act provides critical relief

for Indian Country to address the COVID-19

pandemic, including over $500 million in direct

appropriations to the Bureau of Indian Affairs/

Department of Interior and an unprecedented $8

billion for Tribes. The $8 billion has been allocated to Tribal governments through the Department of the Treasury, in consultation with

the Department of the Interior and Tribal governments. The Miami Tribe submitted its Certification to the Department of Treasury on April

16th and awaits determination of the funding

level and receipt of funds. This funding is sorely needed as our gaming revenues have ceased,

and other Tribal business revenues impacted.

However, the use of CARES Act relief funds is

highly restricted and must meet Department of

Treasury guidelines in order avoid return or repayment of the funds. In order to insure proper

use of these funds, Miami Tribe leadership has

appointed a CARES Act Fund Team consisting

of the Secretary-Treasurer, accounting personnel, compliance, LLC Director and our legal

counsel. Further, we have contracted with a

certified CPA and forensic auditor to ensure that

our expenditure plan is in compliance with the

strict guidelines brought by the Treasury Department. Information on the CARES Act will

be included in the Secretary-Treasurer’s report .

Of other concern related to CARES Act

funding, Indian Country has been made aware

of a possible breach of confidential tribal information submitted by tribal governments through

the Certifications filed with Treasury. It is reported that Treasury provided information to

the Department of Interior to validate numbers

and that the Department of Interior may have

released confidential information. For more information on this please monitor Indianz.com.

Upon learning of a possible breach, the

Miami Tribe immediately took proactive steps

with its banking officers to protect the Tribe’s

account(s). We will remain vigilant and proactive in our efforts to obtain valuable CARES Act

relief funds. On a bright note, the funds once received, will provide an infusion of critical funding to address costs and expenses resulting from

the COVID-19 pandemic.

These are trying times and it seems I

have a never-ending stream of sad and negative

news coming through my devices and television.

Let’s all take care of ourselves and our families

by being careful to step away from the news of

the day to help reduce stress. There are many

Myaamia resources available to us on the internet. We can begin to learn to speak Myaamia,

read about our history, take a virtual tour of the

Myaamia art exhibit at Miami University, and

so much more. Be sure to check out the links

and ideas shared in this edition of our paper and

join us in learning about our great Nation.

Our hearts are with you.

Nipwaahkaako – stay safe and well.

Eeweentiiciki - Myaamia relatives gathered on the grounds of Siipiihkwa Awiiki (the Drake House) on Thursday, June 23, 2019 for the annual

Family Day games, lunch and evening dance. Photo by Karen L. Baldwin.

Madison Cavender was elected to serve her

Myaamia community as Junior Miami Nation Princess during the 2019 Council Meeting. She lives in Colorado with her parents

and sister. Her mother, Melissa (Sanderson)

Cavender served as Miami Nation Princess

1989 to 1991, and her great-grandmother, the

esteemed late elder Nadiene Mayfield, served

as Miami Nation Pow Wow Elder Princess.

The Miami Tribe’s summer youth cultural education programs are central to the Tribe’s Eemamwiciki revitalization work. Since the establishment of the original Eewansaapita program in the

summer of 2008, serving youth ages 10 - 16, the Tribe has advanced youth education programming to include youth of all ages and offers these programs in Oklahoma and Indiana. Served

through the Cultural Resources Office, with content development led by the Myaamia Center at

Miami University, the summer programs are unique, week-long investments in language learning, cultural education and fun activities that are highly rewarding to students and staff alike.

- Photo from the 2019 Saakaciweeta Program in Fort Wayne, IN. Photo by Karen L. Baldwin.

5A

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

Aapooši

peekitahankiki Again They Play

Lacrosse

Staff Article

On Friday, June 28, 2019, in noošonke siipionki

Myaamionki, something happened for the first

time in almost 200 years. Over 60 Myaamia

citizens and community members took up traditional Myaamia pakitahaakana (lacrosse sticks),

handmade by Myaamia citizen Doug Peconge,

to play a community game. And it was for the

very first time, ever, that such a game had been

played in this homeland.

Myaamiaki eemamwiciki - the Miami

Awakening - is the name given to the Myaamia

cultural revitalization work. And on that particular day, in front of over fifty tribal members On June 28, 2019, for the first time in nearly 200 years, Myaamia people played peekitahaminki

and guests, the sound of Myaamia language and using only handmade Myaamia pakitahaakana. The memory of how it felt, sounded and looked

the clash of sticks confirmed that awakening.

will never fade. Photo by Doug Peconge.

Eugene Brown Memorial Art Show Held

By Meghan Dorey, MHMA Manager

The Myaamia Heritage Museum & Archive

hosted the Eugene Brown Memorial Art Show

during the National Gathering Week, June 2429, 2019. The diversity of myaamia people and

their art was on display, with participation in

each of eight categories in both youth and adult

divisions. Forty artists, aged two to eighty-two,

submitted works. Over eighty works in total

comprised the show.

Events kicked off on Monday night with

a preview event for the artists. Artists were

able to gather together, see their own works

and others, enjoy refreshments inspired by traditional ingredients, and hear from the guest

judges. Judges were Christina Burke-Curator

of Non-Western Art at the Philbrook Museum,

renowned artist Ruthe Blalock-Jones (Shawnee/

Peoria), and textile artist Kenny Glass (Cherokee/Wyandotte). After encouraging words from

each judge, two special awards were announced.

The first was a special award judged by staff of

the Cultural Resources Office, given to the entry

that best reflected the annual cultural theme of

‘Living on the Land.’ This award went to Doug

Peconge, for his photograph ‘Foot Prints on the

Land.’ The next announcement was for Best in

Show. The top prize went to Kara Strass, who

handmade a full set of ribbonwork moccasin

game pads for the show.

The exhibit officially opened with an

evening reception on June 25. We were happy

to host many visitors to see this inaugural art

event. Guests enjoyed a spread of hors’derves

and drinks, saw all the entries, visited with the

artists, and even purchased some of the entries.

Neewe for all those who were able to attend!

For those who were unable to attend the

show in person, photos of the entries were posted on Facebook, with the opportunity to vote for

a ‘People’s Choice’ award. This award went to

our Tribal Princess, Tabitha Watson, who used

her developing wood-working skills to create an

inlaid box to store the Miami Princess crown.

The box has a hinged top with an incised carv-

ing of the Miami Nation seal. Mayaawi teepi,

Tabby!

At the conclusion of the show, two artworks were purchased by the museum to add to

the permanent collection of the MHMA. The

first of these is a sweetgrass basket sculpture by

Dani Tippmann, titled ‘Together We are More.’

Dani’s sculpture includes five individual small

sweetgrass baskets, each unique and woven

with a different color thread. Each basket sits

atop a sweetgrass tray. The second entry added

to the MHMA collection is a painting by Catherine Nagy Mowry, titled ‘How Life Began on

Turtle’s Back.’ This colorful gouache painting

includes several aspects of the creation story.

Overall, the First Eugene Brown Memorial Art Show was a resounding success! We

thank all who participated and came to view the

show this summer. Don’t forget to keep creating myaamia art--plans for the Second Eugene

Brown Memorial Art Show are already under

way!

Myaamia elder Twila Coger displayed her art

at the Eugene Brown Memorial Art Show.

Photo by Karen L. Baldwin.

Kara Strass, center, won “Best of Show” with her hand-stitched mahkisina game pads. Kara is

pictured with, l to r, Kenny Glass (judge), Meghan Dorey (MHMA Mgr. and event organizer),

Ruthe Blalock Jones (judge), and Christina Burke (judge). Photo by Karen L. Baldwin.

The Eugene Brown Memorial Art Show, held during the 2019 Myaamia National Gathering Week, was a tremendous success. Tribal members,

and their spouses and children, participated as artists and shared their skills with the community. Some of the winners are pictured above with

their work. Left to right: Jean Richardville, Tabitha Watson, Hagen Lankford, and Hazel Malinski-Shoemaker. Photos by Karen L. Baldwin.

6A

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

Council House Renovation and Dedication

In 2017 the Miami Tribe was awarded an Indian Community Development Block Grant to

structurally expand the Nation’s Council House

to provide more space to the ever-growing governmental and cultural needs of the Myaamiaki.

Working with cultural advisors and tribal artisans, the Tribal Realty Department and Cultural

Resources Office worked to create an interior

decor that would convey, in cultural imagery,

the impact generations of decision-makers have

made on our efforts to remain together.

The focal point of the space is the large, threedimensional mural installation on the back wall

of the stage where the Myaamia coming-out

story is depicted in words and figures. The blue

wall, overlaid with the story text, written in myaamiataweenki, plays background to the story

figures. Made of metal and overlaid with burled

wood veneer, the tree limb, waves of water and

human figures swimming up to take hold of the

branches visually convey our emergence story.

The mural design echoes the beautiful

presentation of the emergence story by nationally acclaimed Myaamia artist Katrina Mitten,

as found on her original handmade beaded vest

in the collection of the Myaamia Heritage Museum & Archive. Her vision for depicting the

female as with-child perfectly embodies the

perpetuation of the Myaamiaki, physically and

culturally. For the mural, Katrina added a fullybeaded surface to a unique “swirling” sculptural piece, located at the female’s mid-section and

representing the child as our future.

The representative “swirl” is highlighted

by a piece of Indiana limestone harvested from

the heartland of Myaamionki at Aašipehkwa

Waawaalici (Seven Pillars) by tribal member

Doug Peconge. The stone represents not only

our homeland, but all lands known to us as

Myaamionki and was shaped by hand by tribal

member and master silversmith Royce Carter.

The mural figures were surfaced and put in

place by tribal member and master woodworker

Jody Gamble. Jody also built and installed the

beautiful woodwork in the building, made by

hand with knowledge and skill developed when

he served our late elder and master woodworker

Bill Watson as an apprentice.

In our community symbol, set on both

sides of the stage, the shape of a turtle represents the land, the head and neck of the crane

and the human face represent the Myaamia people.

The images on the north wall carry us forward

from our emergence and long life in the homeland. The treaty signatures, Mihšihkinaahkwa’s

from the Greenville Treaty of 1795 on the east

and that of Chichicatalo from the Great Peace

of 1701 on the west, remind us of the challenging decisions leaders have made throughout our

Staff Article

The Miami Tribe Cultural Resources Office worked with cultural leaders, historians and artists

to design, create and install a three dimensional mural above the stage in the newly renovated

accimweekaani in Miami, OK. Photo by Doug Peconge.

history in their determination to keep us together as a people.

The text, located high above the north

entry door, is a quote from our late elder Mildred Watson Walker, “pilwiši peempaaliyankwi, ileeši eehkwa maamawi eepiyankwi, We’ve

traveled far, but we are still together.” Above

this timeless message fly three cecaahkwaki

(sandhill cranes) representing the three homelands of the Myaamiaki. Their flight represents

us and our movement through place and time,

ever continuing as Myaamiaki.

Embedded in the images described is our

story of continuation. Our ability to better understand and articulate this story is an outcome

of eemamwiciki, our revitalization work. The

thread of who we are began at saakiiweeyonki

and has been carried through time by leaders,

storytellers, warriors and community members

to this day. We continue to hold that thread taut

and embrace the responsibility to pass it, hand

to hand and heart to heart, to our children and

grandchildren - for all time.

-----------eehkwi kati ašiihkiwi pinaamihkihsinki, alenia

eehkwi mihtohseeniwici, kati nintaayaacimekooki noohsemaki, nintaayaalhsoohkaalikooki.

As long as earth endures, and as long as man is

alive, my grandchildren will talk about me, and

tell stories about me.

Wiihsakacaakwa - Myaamia-Peoria cultural

hero.

----------The Miami Tribe hosted an open house

and dedication event for the mural on January

24, 2020. At the event, Chief Douglas Lankford spoke to the crowd about the cultural importance of the mural and other design elements

selected for the building. The following was

taken from his speech.

“We chose these images to represent our

continuation as a people. While many difficult

decisions have been made through time so that

we can remain together, one that stands out to

me is the decision made by our Nation’s leaders, following our removal from Kansas to this

Indian Territory, not to agree to the planned

confederation with the Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma. Had our leaders made the decision to confederate, we would not be standing here today

as Myaamia. Your citizenship cards would not

say Miami Tribe - they would say Peoria Tribe

and our gathering place would be across town

with those relatives.

Today, in our hearts, may we all dedicate this building to all our leaders and community members who have made the decision,

and taken the necessary actions, to allow us to

continue as Myaamia. And may we all seek to

continue to hold tight to the thread of our identity as the sovereign Miami Nation and embrace

the responsibility to see it passed from hand to

hand and heart to heart for all time.

We hope our effort to create something

truly special for the Myaamia Community has

been a success. Welcome home to your new

aacimweekaani!”

The Miami Tribe will hold the annual

meeting of the Myaamia General Council on

Saturday, August, 1, 2020. Though the meeting will be held outdoors, weather permitting,

to allow for safe social distancing during the

ongoing concerns of the Covid-19 pandemic,

arrangements are being made for members

and guests in attendance to be allowed into the

building by family to see the mural and other

improvements to their Myaamia Aacimweekaani.

The Miami Tribe Cultural Resources Office worked with Myaamia artisans, linguists and cultural leaders to design a unique mural depicting

the Myaamia emergence story. Installed on the wall above the stage in the Nation’s newly renovated aacimwaakaani (council house), the mural

measures approximately 23’ wide by 9’ in height and includes the story written in the Myaamia language, highlighted by 9’ long characters

depicting the story. AM Staff Photos.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

Award winning Myaamia artist Katrina Mitten

of Huntington, IN, provided the inspiration

for the new mural in the Myaamia Aacimweekaani in Miami, OK.

7A

Myaamia artist Jody Gamble contributed his craftsmanship skills to the creation of the new

Myaamia Aacimweekaani mural. Gamble, a professional woodworker who trained under late

Myaamia elder Bill Watson, adhered the wood veneer to the mural characters and did the installation work for the entire mural and the unique stage sidelights. AM staff photo.

Myaamia History and the Council

House Dedication

By Diane Hunter, Miami THPO

On January 24, 2020, the Miami Tribe of

Oklahoma hosted an Open House and Dedication Ceremony for the Tribe’s newly renovated

Aacimweekaani (Council House). As part of

that event, the following history was presented

by Diane Hunter, Miami Tribal Historic Preservation Officer.

Handmade vest depicting the Myaamia emergence story, designed and crafted by Myaamia

Artist Katrina Mitten of Huntington, IN. Photo by Doug Peconge.

Detail of the unique representational piece

added to the emergence mural showing the

handmade beadwork overlay and limestone

center point. AM Staff photo.

Myaamia elder and expert silversmith, Royce

Carter shaped the limestone piece for the

Council House mural at his studio in Grove,

OK. AM Staff photo.

aya, tipeewe neeyolakakoki oowaaha noonki

kaahkiihkwe. cecaahkohkwa weenswiaani. niila

mihtohseenia myaamiihkwia, seekaahkweeta

neehi palaanswa ilaapiikasiaani.

Hello, it’s good to see all of you here today. I’m Diane Hunter and I am the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Miami Tribe.

I descend from the Myaamia family of Seekaahkweeta and Palaanswa, also known as the Godfroys.

I welcome you my Myaamia relatives to

this place today. We are here because of the

decisions made since time immemorial by our

ancestors and their leaders. This thread of decisions has created a line of continuity from our

beginnings, as told in the Coming Out Story, to

our presence here today.

You just heard a beautiful reading of the

Coming Out Story, depicted on the wall behind

me. This weekend we will have our annual storytelling. Most of those stories are aalhsoohkaana, Winter Stories, that, as we know, can

only be told in the wintertime. The Coming Out

Story, however, is not an aalhsoohkaana. It is

an aacimooni, an historical narrative. It tells

of a real event in time at a real place, which

you can see on the map behind me. The Coming

Out Story tells of our beginnings as Myaamiaki, Miami people. We don’t know where we

came from before the time of the Coming Out

Story, but wherever we came from, whomever

we came from, we would still be them and not

Myaamiaki, if our ancestors had not chosen to

come by water to Saakiiweeyonki and become

a new people who came to call ourselves Myaamiaki.

Over time we moved out of Saakiiweeyonki into many villages. This map shows

some of the villages that are best known today.

Each village had its own leadership but shared

a common language and culture. We were geographically separated, but we were still Myaamiaki. We were there for each other when

needed. Villages supported each other in times

of war and other times of need.

As the French and later the British came

into Myaamionki, the land of the Miami, we

traded with them and sometimes married them,

which is why we see so many French names

among Miami people. But we were still Myaamiaki in Myaamionki, Miami people in Miami

land. After the 1783 Treaty of Paris Americans

came in droves onto Myaamionki and settled on

our land.

We had to decide what to do about them.

Our leaders decided first to try to drive them

out. When the United States sent the U.S. army,

our leaders led us in fighting the army. Eventually we realized that if we continued to fight the

U.S. Army, we would lose so many people, that

we will no longer exist. We chose to be still Myaamiaki, and our leaders signed the Treaty of

Greenville, in which we gave up most of what

is now the state of Ohio and small parcels of

current-day Indiana. This treaty was to bring

peace and enable us to be good neighbors with

the Americans. They had their land. We had

ours. Unfortunately, they kept coming further

into Myaamionki. We signed more and more

treaties to give up more and more land to keep

the peace and stay still Myaamiaki.

Following the 1830 Indian Removal Act,

most of the tribes around us were removed. Our

leaders believed that we could resist removal

by exempting individual families in the treaties.

We could all live on privately owned land and

stay together as Myaamiaki on Myaamionki, a

smaller Myaamionki to be sure, but still Miami land. In the Treaty of 1840, our leadership

agreed to removal, still believing they could

get more Myaamiaki exempted, so we could all

avoid removal. This plan was thwarted by a loss

of our leaders. Five elder Council members died

in 1840-41, including Principle Chief J.B. Richardville and Second Chief Francois Godfroy,

and the new leadership was unable to gain additional exemptions. In the 1846 forced removal,

though some individuals were exempted, the

Tribe went west. The Miami Nation continued.

We were still Myaamiaki.

We had been in Kansas only a few

months, when we elected a new chief to replace

Chief LaFontaine who had just left to return

east. We were still Myaamiaki. Twenty years

later the United States wanted us to remove a

second time to Indian Territory, and our leadership under Chief Thomas Miller and Second

Chief David Geboe had to choose: to stay in

Continued on page 6B

The 2020 Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Annual General

Council Meeting is set for Saturday, August 1 in Miami, OK. Please watch the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma

Facebook page and website for updates on the meeting. On Facebook at MYAAMIAKI Miami Tribe of

Oklahoma and via website at miamination.com.

8A

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

Myaamia 2020 Winter Gathering Events

The 2020 Myaamia Winter Gathering was held in the

newly renovated aacimweekaani (council house) in

Miami, OK, on January 24th and 25th. The gathering

was highlighted by the dedication of the new mural in

the building, storytelling and dancing.

On Friday morning, January 24th, a crowd of

tribal community members and guests gathered for

the aacimweekaani open house and dedication of the

new mural. Chief Lankford, in his opening remarks,

stated “I am so honored to stand before you today

with our elected Business Committee and Myaamia

citizens in this beautiful building. We call this place

aacimweekaani our council house. Here sovereignty

lives and moves. Here our political sovereignty is

exercised, identified by our language and culture,

and exemplified in the actions of our annual General

Council meeting and the duties of our elected leaders.

Here our cultural sovereignty lives and permeates all

things - from political action to community revitalization. This building has been, and will continue to

be, for all things Myaamia. Today we stand in this

newly remodeled space - the outcome of an Indian

Community Development Block Grant. And, thanks

to this project, our aacimweekaani is now visually

Myaamia.”

Chief Lankford then introduced Myaamia

citizens Katrina Mitten and George Ironstrack who

presented the Myaamia coming out story, George

speaking in Myaamiataweenki and Katrina giving the

English translation.

Katrina, an internationally acclaimed artist

whose artwork inspired the mural design, then spoke

to the crowd of her inspiration for representing the

story on the handmade vest held in the collection of

the Myaamia Heritage Museum and Archive .

Following Katrina’s comments, George Ironstrack, Jarrid Baldwin and Haley Shea sang a song in

Myaamia to honor the event.

Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Diane

Hunter spoke to the crowd of the Tribe’s history of

removals, resilience and perseverance to remain as a

sovereign Nation.

Following lunch, Tribal Leadership and the

tribal community honored three special guests. Bobbe

Burke, who had recently retired from her position as

Coordinator of Miami Tribe Relations at Miami Uni-

Staff Article

versity, Dr. Myrtis Powell, retired Vice President of

Student Affairs at Miami University, and Fort Wayne,

IN citizen and philanthropist Brian Johnson.

On Friday afternoon, Kara Strass, Myaamia

citizen and new Director of Miami Tribe Relations at

Miami University, gave a presentation on the ribbonwork exhibit on display at the Miami University Art

Museum. Strass provided images and spoke of the

historical and cultural importance of the exhibit. (See

page 1C.)

Following Strass, Joshua Sutterfield, Myaamia

citizen and Cultural Education Director in the Tribe’s

Cultural Resources Office, gave a presentation on the

topic of Myaamia identity.

Shawnee Tribe Chief Ben Barnes presented

“Stomp & Social Dance 101,” a discussion and demonstration designed to help guests better understand

and enjoy the dances held during the winter event.

George Ironstrack, Myaamia citizen and Assistant Director of the Myaamia Center, presented

“Myaamia Stories 101.” George organizes the storytelling each year for the Cultural Resources Office

and provides this presentation annually to help guests

better understand and enjoy the storytelling event.

Following the presentations, tribal citizens

and guests enjoyed mahkisina game time followed by

dinner and an evening of story telling.

On Saturday morning, January 25th, the Myaamia Heritage Museum & Archive hosted a storytelling workshop with acclaimed Choctaw storyteller and

author Tim Tingle. The public event was held in the

aacimweekaani and was provided through a Institute

for Museum and Library Services grant.

Saturday afternoon kicked off the 24th annual

Myaamia winter dance. Held inside the aacimweekaani, the event began with gourd dancing at 3 p.m..

Steve Kinder, a Wea and Peoria from Gladstone, MO,

served as Emcee. Head singer was Aaron Adson,

Pawnee, Comanche, Diné from Pawnee, OK. Head

Gourd Dancer was Warren Queton, Cherokee, Kiowa,

Seminole, from Norman, OK. Arena Director was

Jeff ‘Dude’ Blalock, Peoria, Shawnee from Miami,

OK.

The evening included a chili dinner followed

by a second round of gourd dances and stomp and

social dances.

Cultural Resources Officer Julie Olds, center, spoke during a presentation honoring Bobbe Burke and

Dr. Myrtis Powell for their contributions in the development of the Myaamia Center at Miami University.

Pictured from left to right; Miami Tribe Secretary-Treasurer Donya Williams, Chief Douglas Lankford,

Second Chief Dustin Olds, Julie Olds, Dr. Myrtis Powell and Bobbe Burke. Photo by Karen L. Baldwin.

Held this year on the evening of January 24th, 2020, Myaamia storytelling during the annual Winter

Gathering is a favorite with the tribal community. Hosted by the Cultural Resources Office at the newly

renovated Aacimweekaani in Miami, OK, the event included ten Myaamia storytellers. Pictured from left

to right; Brad Kasberg, Kara Strass, Chris Bowyer, Jarrid Baldwin, Scott Shoemaker, George Ironstrack,

Twila Coger, Doug Peconge, Haley Shea and Jim Richardville. Photo by Jonathan Fox, Myaamia Center.

Myaamia storytellers share winter

stories and narratives with unique

animation, eliciting laughter or

careful reflection from their relatives based on the stories content.

Some of this year’s participants are

pictured, from top to bottom: Haley Shea, Scott Shoemaker, George

Ironstrack and Doug Peconge.

Photos of Shea and Shoemaker by

Karen L. Baldwin; Ironstrack by

Jonathan Fox, Myaamia Center;

Peconge by Karen L. Baldwin.

Myaamia Publications - Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020 - Section B - Noošonke Siipionki Myaamionki

Myaamia Center Sees Change in Leadership

By Julia Arwine, News Editor, Miami Student, Miami University - Published on February 4th, 2020. Reprinted with permission.

Chief Douglas Lankford of the Miami Tribe of

Oklahoma took the stage of the tribe’s newly

renovated Council House and called for two

people to join him: Myrtis Powell and Bobbe

Burke.

The two women have long had a relationship with the tribe, and on Friday, Jan. 24,

they were thanked for their roles in connecting

the tribe and Miami University, which had long

gone unassociated until 1972, when the tribe’s

chief at the time visited Miami unexpectedly.

The thank you was especially heartfelt

for Burke, who retired from her position as Coordinator of Miami Tribe Relations at the Myaamia Center — the heart of Miami’s relationship with the tribe.

Though neither woman was born into

the tribe, Burke and Powell were instrumental

in growing the presence of Myaamia students

at the university and in instituting the Myaamia

Project in 2001, which would become the Myaamia Center twelve years later.

Burke was working in the Office of Student Affairs in 1991 when Powell, the Vice

President of Student Affairs at the time, began

leading advances in university-tribe relations

by bringing the first Myaamia students to campus.

In the years following, Burke coordinated projects about the tribe and for the students,

which led to her learning about the history and

culture of the Myaamia and other Native American peoples, an interest that deepened the more

she worked with the tribe.

Powell retired in 2002, and Burke continued to grow more invested in the university

and tribe’s relationship. In 1994, she became

the Coordinator of Miami Tribe Relations, the

title she held until her retirement at the beginning of 2020.

“It’s been a wonderful educational trip

for me,” Burke said. “I don’t think I could have

told you one significant thing that happened to

American Indians when I first started this.”

Burke has witnessed firsthand how the

Myaamia Center has grown and strengthened,

especially in bringing Myaamia students together. They don’t just show up to their Myaamia classes; they socialize and form friendships, and many come to the Winter Gathering,

an event that brings members of the tribe together in Miami, Oklahoma each January.

After working closely with tribe members at the Myaamia Center like Daryl Baldwin

and George Ironstrack and attending the Winter Gathering many times, Burke formed close

friendships with many in the tribe. In 2005, she

was even made an honorary member. Burke

said she’s grounded by the students and hopes

to maintain connections with them in the future.

“I hope and feel that I will always be

welcome here,” she said.

Kara Strass, the former Miami Tribe

assistant at the Myaamia Center, is replacing

Burke with a slightly amended title: Director of Miami Tribe Relations. This means the

Myaamia Center’s executive team is now fully

composed of members of the Miami Tribe.

Strass grew up near Fort Wayne, Indiana,

where many myaamiaki, Myaamia people, live.

The capital of the Myaamia Nation before removal, it is the second-largest population center

of the tribe besides Miami, Oklahoma, the current capital. Her family has always been deeply

involved with the tribe, and she has worked at

the Myaamia Center since 2015, while studying

as a graduate student at the university.

To Strass, some of the Myaamia students

she works with are family — literally.

“I’m related to students,” she said. “That

[relationship] is unique.”

Being a part of the tribe gives Strass an

entirely different perspective on her position.

She puts a greater focus on the cultural aspects

of the tribe and can relate to the Myaamia students differently than Burke.

Burke helped establish relationships between the tribe and the university in areas like

student affairs and athletics. Strass hopes to extend those relationships until every student who

Continued on page 6B

Bobbe Burke (left), former Coordinator of Miami Tribe Relations, has retired after decades

working with the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. Myaamia citizen Kara Strass (right) is her successor, making the Tribe’s Myaamia Center executive team all Myaamia. Photos by Scott Kissell,

Miami University.

Former Richardville Reserve

Lands Donated to Miami Tribe

By Robin Lash

On October 17, 2019, historic Richardville

Reserve lands located in Fort Wayne, Indiana,

came into the possession of the Miami Tribe of

Oklahoma through a generous and thoughtful

donation of the land by Brian Johnson, a resident of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Brian Johnson purchased the two tracts

of land, located in the flood plain on the West

Bank of the Saint Mary’s River, at a tax sale

in 2014. Mr. Johnson, a philanthropist and environmentalist, aspired to maintain the lands

in a natural state through a conservation plan

with the United States Department of Agriculture. After learning of the historic connection

of the land and the Tribe, he graciously offered

to donate the land to the Tribe with the stipulation that it not be commercially developed, but

remain in a natural state, only authorizing construction of a tribal cultural center should the

Tribe so wish to construct one there.

The history of the land unfolds as follows. In 1818, this land was part of a land grant

by the United States to John B. Richardville.

Following the initial conveyance, the land was

subdivided for Archangel Godfroy. In 1894 the

land was recorded as owned by John Godfroy

and Mary Ella Hanna. At some point thereafter,

the land left the possession of this Miami family.

Historic aerial photographs of land indicate it was forested beginning in the 1930’s.

After World War II, commercial development

began in this area, but parcels of the land located in a floodplain were excluded from commercial development and used instead for grazing livestock. The two tracts of land purchased

by Brian Johnson and donated to the Tribe are

tracts of this historic land comprising approximately 22 acres.

“The donation to the Tribe of original

Richardville Land by Mr. Johnson is extremely generous and meaningful to the Tribe,” said

Chief Doug Lankford. “The Tribe would like

to collaborate with Miami University to bring

students to inventory the native species on this

land and identify any invasive species not beneficial to the land.”

The Tribe would also like to recognize

the generosity of Daniel Heiges with Renaissance Title in Fort Wayne, who donated his time

to assist with the initial title research. “It’s truly

Pictured at right - Miami Tribe Second Councilperson Scott Willard and Secretary-Treasurer Donya Williams present gifts to Brian Johnson in appreciation for his Fort Wayne area

land donation to the Tribe. Photo by Karen L.

Baldwin.

amazing how good people are, said Chief Lankford. “When Mr. Heiges heard of the generous

donation of this historic land, he donated his

time and expertise to assist with the title work

to complete the return of this land to tribal ownership.”

This is the second property to come into

tribal ownership in historic Miami homelands.

In 2014 the Tribe purchased 10 acres of land

south of Ft. Wayne to operate its Cultural Resources Extension Office to facilitate cultural

activities and education for Miami tribal members in Indiana.

Brian Johnson was invited as the Tribe’s

honored guest to attend the Miami Tribe Winter

Gathering the last weekend in January in Miami, Oklahoma and was gifted, in front of tribal

members and the community, with a beautiful

Pendelton blanket during the Friday evening

winter story telling event.

2B

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

Thoughts on COVID Neehseehpineenki

‘COVID-19’ and Past Epidemics

By Cameron Shriver, Research Associate at the Myaamia Center at Miami University

Epidemic contagion is a cornerstone of how we

think about the period of Native American encounters with European and African newcomers, roughly 1500-1850. As we live through a

global pandemic, we are once again faced with

life-changing, or life-taking, circumstances.

The request for the new word neehseehpineenki

‘COVID-19’ begs the question: How important

was disease in Myaamia history?

Myaamiaki and their neighbors experienced many recorded, and surely some unrecorded, instances of epidemics. Smallpox (or

another pestilence) traveled to them in 151924 and 1639, each before any Myaamia person

had met a European. Measles hit in 1633-34,

decades before the first supposed meeting between European explorers and Miamis. The

vectors are unknown–were Myaamia traders

traveling to distant Atlantic ports? Probably.

Did Native merchants pass ideas, trade items,

and germs “down the line” to Myaamia towns?

Almost definitely. European traders, soldiers,

and missionaries also carried contagion.

Survivors could be blinded or heavily scarred, such as Henri, a Kaskaskia man,

around 1703. The local missionary noted: “He

was attacked by smallpox, with all his family:

this disease snatched from him at once his wife

and some of his children; it rendered the others

blind or extremely disfigured.”[1] At about this

time, an unnamed (perhaps the same) plague

attacked the Kickapoo, Mascouten, and Wea

towns at Waayaahtanonki. It “desolated their

Village, killing ‘many’ every day.”[2] Measles

hit Waayaahtanonki in 1715; a severe bout of

smallpox struck the Miami-speaking villages in

1732-33. Families fled their towns to avoid it.

Kiteepihkwanonki was nearly obliterated; seven

men survived.[3] At the beginning of the Seven

Years’ War, smallpox appeared at Kiihkayonki

and its satellite villages on the upper Tippecanoe and Eel Rivers, before spreading to Detroit

and Wyandot villages near Lake Erie. And at

the end of the Seven Years’ War, as smallpox

spread among Miami-Illinois speakers and their

neighbors, a Wea akima told a British traveler:

“We assure you we are Rendered very miserable at Present on Account of a Severe Sickness

that has seiz’d almost all our People, many of

which have died lately, and many more likely to

Die.”[4]

In 1796, the famed doctor Benjamin

Rush administered smallpox inoculation to

Mihšihkinaahkwa in Philadelphia.[5] Inoculation—actually variolation, which was rendered

obsolete by vaccination—insured that the patient would not contract the pox in the future,

but required inserting a smallpox scab or (in

European practice) fluid from an infected individual underneath the skin of the patient, who

would acquire smallpox in a controlled environment, sometimes under quarantine, and,

with proper care of inoculated caregivers, survive it.[6] This practice was new in the British world, having been developed in Asia and

passed to British medical practitioners both by

West African slaves in New England and more

recently to Great Britain’s medical literature via

Turkish sources.[7] Mihšihkinaahkwa or one of

his party carried the live pox culture back to

Kiihkayonki to administer it to others to allow

them to acquire immunity.[8]

At least five Miami children died during

the removal to Kansas in 1846, and the community suffered from continual illness, despite an

attendant physician.[9]

These too-brief sources help demonstrate some truths about past epidemics in Myaamionki—viruses impacted some communities

more than others; we see waves of illness over

generations; and Myaamia people sought to

curb a plague’s effects with the knowledge that

they had at the time.

In many ways, then, the current COVID-19 pandemic echoes past contagions, but

I want to focus on the first truth—viruses and

other contagious diseases hit some communities harder than others. This truth is significant

in Myaamia history, because many of us have

the general idea that European diseases swept

the American continents, ravaging populations

Mahkoonsihkwa, Kara Strass, wears a neehseehpineenki mask as she works in the Miami University Art Museum’s exhibit, peepankišaapiikahkia eehkwaatamenki “Myaamia Ribbonwork.”

Photo by Jonathan Fox, Myaamia Center. Article on page 4C.

who had no exposure to smallpox, measles, influenza, and other communicable pathogens.

It is difficult to say with any degree of

certainty how epidemics such as measles and

smallpox impacted Myaamia demographics.

For example, we do not know how many Myaamia people were alive in 1550 or 1650, and

so it makes any post-contact trajectory difficult to determine. Yet, in the period 1750-1850,

the Myaamia population dropped from perhaps 3,000 (including Weas and Piankeshaws)

to about 500–a century that also included a

forced removal, bloody wars, and in the nineteenth century, dependency on U.S. aid. Like

some Native nations, perhaps the early years

of European encounter actually coincided with

population growth; we don’t currently know.

But in the grand narratives of American history,

many would attribute declining Native populations to germs. Most of my students at Miami

University come to class “knowing” that epidemics basically wiped out a continent. They

included a range of pathogens and symptoms

in English variously called poxes, plagues, fevers, or fluxes,[10] or in Myaamia neehpikilokiinki ‘red skin’ (measles), neehpikaahkitiinki

‘bloody rear’ (dysentery), or meemahkilookiinki ‘bumpy skin’ (smallpox). In this version of

American history, disease cleared a continent

for European settlement.

This easy-to-digest narrative began with

early modern colonization–albeit in that version, colonizers believed that God was clearing the landscape. This belief even found its

way into the English charter for New England:

“There hath, by God’s Visitation, reigned a

wonderfull Plague… amongst the savages there

Heertofore inhabiting, in a manner to the utter

Destruction, Devastation, and depopulacion of

that whole Territorye, so as there is not left …

any that doe claime or challenge any Kind of

Interest therein.”[11]

Since the 1970s, the explanation for why

Native bodies seemed to succumb to diseases

that their settler counterparts survived or avoided altogether has sought to apply scientific rather than spiritual causes. Alfred Crosby coined

the term “virgin soil epidemics” to describe invasive microbes that came from Eurasia along

with people, plants, animals, ideas, and technologies. Because Myaamia bodies (like all indigenous Americans) did not have previous experience with European, African, or Asian diseases,

Myaamia people were “therefore immunologically almost defenseless.”[12] In this telling,

Myaamionki was a “virgin soil” because Myaamiaki did not have experience with Eurasian

pathogens; at least not at first contact. They had

not acquired immunity. Crosby’s work in the environmental history of European expansion was

revolutionary. But his ideas reached a popular

audience in a streamlined and problematic way,

in the form of Jared Diamond’s book, Guns,

Germs, and Steel, which sought to explain why

Europeans had conquered the globe (you can

guess Diamond’s answer!). The question itself

is deterministic, but the theory has become fact

in the minds of many and has found new life in

the work of Charles Mann’s books, 1491 and

1493. Diamond stripped Crosby’s argument of

its nuance when he wrote that “The main killers were Old World germs to which Indians had

never been exposed, and against which they

therefore had neither immune nor genetic resistance…Their destruction was accomplished

largely by germs alone.”[13] In practice, this

has translated to my students often coming to

history class “knowing” that Native people had

“no immunity” to diseases, and frequently assuming that no contagious diseases even existed in the Americas. Both are wrong; American

Indians were and are born with similar antibodies to their human counterparts elsewhere,

and tuberculosis, typhoid, streptococcus, and

chickenpox, in addition to parasitic diseases,

all preceded Europeans. The flawed notion that

Europeans had “genetic resistance” to diseases

too often translates to a kind of race-based superiority. In essence, the notion of “virgin soil

epidemics” suggests that Europeans were naturally selected to survive, and Indians selected

by nature to die. Of course, that ignores any human role in history.

In reality, health and society interact.

Consider COVID-19: people living in poorer

zip codes are acquiring and dying at higher

rates than wealthier communities. Indigenous

communities like Navajo Nation, or black and

brown neighborhoods in Los Angeles and New

York, are experiencing this pandemic more

acutely than their neighbors.

What we are witnessing now supports

revisions to “virgin soil” theory and, in turn,

re-frames how we might understand disease in

Myaamia history. Research in the last two decades, informed both by historians and medical professionals, has refined both the historical

and biological forces at play. Here is the newer story: like smallpox or measles (two pernicious viruses in the colonial era), bodies who

have survived COVID-19 (may be) prepared

to combat future instances—that is, immune

systems can fight the pathogen. That was the

case for a person in 1720 Paris or London or

Cairo or Kiihkayonki, no matter their “race.”

Eighty to ninety percent of Europeans had survived smallpox, meaning that each body developed immunity, usually as a young child. On

the other hand, on first contact and for generations thereafter, smallpox was not endemic in

the Myaamia community. That meant that, if

Myaamiaki and their neighbors experienced

smallpox every thirty years, anyone under thirty

years old had not survived smallpox and thus

did not have immunity. The same was true for

settlers born in the colonies—smallpox was not

endemic in America, and so Miami people had

similar immunity to smallpox as British colonists at the time of the American Revolution.

Biological “race” or genetics did not

propel epidemics into Myaamionki. Social

conditions did. Neither smallpox[14] nor COVID-19—despite some early assertions—were

(are) equalizers. Instead, despite the basic similarities among human bodies, the disease is

striking poor and disenfranchised communities

Continued on page 6B

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

3B

The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and

the Corona Virus Pandemic

Article by Robin Lash

In December 2019, a new coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) was first detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China, causing outbreaks of the coronavirus that began spreading

globally. The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency on January 31, 2020, under section 319

of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d), in response to COVID-19. On March 13th, as COVID cases began appearing with frequency

in the United States, President Trump declared the Covid-19 pandemic a

national emergency. This was the first time such a declaration had been

issued by a President over an infectious disease outbreak since the H1N1

influenza pandemic of 2009.

During this time, the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Business Committee had been closely monitoring national and local news related to the

spread of the coronavirus. As multiple COVID-19 cases were identified

in Oklahoma, on March 16th, the Business Committee in its role to protect the health, well-being,

and general welfare of the Tribe, its members and employees, through

Resolution 20-12 declared a State of Emergency to address the ongoing

COVID-19 threat to all who live, work on, and do business within the

Tribe’s territory.

On March 17th the Tribe closed its government buildings to the

public. This announcement was made through an Official Memorandum

to tribal members posted on the Tribe’s webpage, and two social media

sites on Facebook. A separate Memorandum was sent to employees and

was posted on all tribal administration building doors. The Memorandum

directed tribal members and the public to contact departments by telephone or email should services or assistance be needed, and the contacts

were listed in the document.

Recognizing the significant threat of the virus to employees, tribal

members, and the community, on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, through

a Media Release, Chief Douglas Lankford informed of the temporary

closure of the Tribe’s two casinos, Prairie Sun Casino and Prairie Moon

Casino, scheduled to close to the public at 11:59 PM on March 20th and

to remain closed through March 31st. Six casino employees remained

on the payroll to perform cleaning duties. Other casino employees were

advised to file for unemployment. To help the Tribe’s valued casino employees during the pandemic, the Tribe offered COBRA insurance to casino employees filing for unemployment and MNE assumed the financial

cost to maintain the COBRA coverage during the temporary closure.

On Monday, March 23rd, through an Official Notification again

posted on the cites listed above, the Business Committee announced, effective that day, the government buildings were officially closed – with

the exception of its Title VI elders lunch program which would provide

lunch delivery and meal pick up as long as it was able to function. Miami

employees who were able to perform job functions from home were asked

to do so and a list of contracts for Miami tribal departments remained on

the Tribe’s webpage. Tribal members and employees were urged to follow Center for Disease Control guidance during the critical time.

With the government administration buildings closed, the Business Committee continued its duties and responsibilities meeting with

the use of Microsoft Teams, a video conferencing software. The Business Committee continued its communication with department such as

accounting, human resources, compliance, grant writing and legal. It was

business as usual, just in a different fashion.

On Wednesday, March 25th, the Tribe sent notification to pertinent parties that sadly, one of the Tribe’s employees tested positive for

COVID-19. The Tribe reported the information to the appropriate federal

authorities as required and again urged everyone to follow CDC guidance and CDC precautions.

On Monday, March 30th, an Official Update Notification was

posted advising that the Tribe’s buildings would remain closed until further notice. The notification included information that the Title VI lunch

program would continue pickup and delivery services and tribal employees would remain working from home.

On March 31st, as shelter-in-place orders were initiated across the

country and in a continued effort again to stop the spread of the virus the

Tribe made the decision to keep its casinos closed. No date at that time

was contemplated for re-opening the casinos.

On April 1st, with the 719th case of COVID-19 confirmed in

Oklahoma, Governor J. Kevin Stitt issued Executive Order 2020-07 declaring an emergency to the people of the State and the public’s peace,

health and safety caused by COVID-19. The Executive Order, among

other things, placed a moratorium on out-of-state travel for state agencies and allowed for state employees to work remote from home. The

Order also included shelter-in-home requirements, required that elective

surgeries be postponed, limited social gatherings to 10 people or less,

required non-essential businesses to close, and instituted quarantine requirements for some individuals entering the state.

On April 13, 2020 the Tribe provided another update to tribal

members and employees advising that the government buildings and casinos would remain closed. The Business Committee advised that no date

had been set to re-open government offices and that Leadership would

re-evaluate the situation on May 15th. The Business Committee also informed that the Tribe’s Annual Meeting, scheduled for June 27, 2020

would likely be postponed. Leadership advised that the Tribe’s language

camps, scheduled for June, would take place on the dates set, however

plans were underway to create a virtual language camp using electronic

remote education methods. More information would be announced when

Leadership met on the 15th

On April 16, 2020, in response to Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and

Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) funds announced by the Department of Treasury to be released to tribal governments, the Miami Tribe

submitted its official certification of requested tribal data to the Depart-

ment of Treasury.

On April 22, 2020

an update was posted

related to the pandemic

neehseehpineenki

and safety measures recommended by the CDC.

“breathing disease”

With social distancing

Pronunciation found online

requirements in place to

myaamiadictionary.org

stop the spread of the viOr in the dictionary app

rus, and with Oklahoma

Myaamiaatawaakani.

projecting mid-June as a

possible peak before COVID cases begin to trend down, the Business Committee gave notice that

it was cancelling the Miami Nation Pow Wow held the last weekend in

June and announced the Annual Meeting would be postponed to a date to

be announced. Leadership advised that once a date for the Annual Meeting was set the Tribe would mail notice to each household, as well as,

post information on its website and Facebook pages. Because travel was

restricted by some states and social distancing precluded large gatherings

the Tribe announced that it was canceling cultural and education events

through the remainder of the calendar year and would re-evaluate events

on a case-by-case basis if conditions appeared to improve dramatically.

On May 18, 2020, the Business Committee appointed a CARES

Act Fund Team to make recommendations for CARES Act Fund expenditures and to ensure that all expenditures fit within the very narrow

guidelines for use of CARES Act funds. The Tribe is retaining the services of a CARES Act expert consultant to work with the Team who will

make recommendations to the Business Committee and will ensure that

all documentation is in place for audit purposes and that expenditures

meet federal guideline requirements.

On May 19, 2020 an update was posted informing that in compliance with the White House Opening Up America plan, the Tribe was

considering steps to implement to return to some form of a new normal in

compliance with National, State and Center for Disease Control (CDC)

recommendations and guidance. The Tribe announced it had developed

policies and procedures to allow for the safest work environment possible and anticipated return to work in June for some employees who

were unable to perform all work duties from home and who are not at

a higher risk for severe illness. The Tribe announced it would adhere to

CDC guidelines to include staggered workforce, social distancing and

providing personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff. The Tribe announced it would maintain a closed work environment allowing only employees to access administrative buildings and requested tribal members

and the public to continue to contact departments by phone, email and

U.S. Mail.

On May 26, 2020 the Tribe provided an update announcing that

the Tribe would begin the process of returning to work in administration

buildings with a staggered workforce beginning Monday, June 1, 2020.

Employees at higher risk for severe illness were to remain working from

home. In an attempt to mitigate the spread of COVID the Tribe continued

to maintain a closed work environment with only employees having access to office buildings.

On June 4, 2020 the Tribe re-opened Prairie Moon and Prairie

Sun Casinos with safety measures in place including personal protective

equipment (PPE) and social distancing.

On June 10, 2020 the Business Committee posted an update announcing the preliminary date for the Annual Meeting set for Saturday,

August 1, 2020. The Tribe reminded that the country remains in a pandemic and that a spike in COVID-19 cases or federal action may impact

the projected date. Details about the Annual Meeting may be viewed in

the June 10th post on the Tribe’s webpage. With this notification the

Tribe provided information that the Tribe had implemented measures to

ensure that expenditures of the restrictive Department of Treasury

CARES Act stimulus funds met federal guidelines. The Tribe informed

that adhering to the guidelines is vital to ensure that funds are not spent

in violation of guideline requirements requiring a return of funding. The

Tribe appointed a CARES Act Fund Team (CAFT) consisting of the Secretary-Treasurer, accounting personnel, compliance, LLC director and

legal. The Department of Treasury and DOI have submitted payment to

the Tribe in late May and mid-June. The Tribe and the CAFT has consulted with a certified CPA and forensic auditor to ensure that needs identified for funding comply with the strict and complicated Department of

Treasury guidelines.

Many members have asked whether the Tribe was going to issue

per cap payments to tribal members with these funds, however, the June

24, 2020 Department of Treasury guidance specifically disallows this

providing the following:

Frequently Asked Question: Must a State, local, or tribal government

require applications to be submitted by businesses or individuals before

providing assistance using payments from the Fund?

Department of Treasury Response: Governments have discretion

to determine how to tailor assistance programs they establish in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. However, such a

program should be structured in such a manner as will ensure that

such assistance is determined to be necessary in response to the COVID- 19 public health emergency and otherwise satisfies the requirements of the CARES Act and other applicable law. For example, a

per capita payment to residents of a particular jurisdiction without

an assessment of individual need would not be an appropriate use of

payments from the Fund.

Continued on page 4D.

4B

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

History Versus Thinking Like A Historian

By Dr. Stephen Warren, Associate Professor of History and American Studies, University of Iowa.

In 2007, Jay Leno, the late night talk show host,

created a comedy routine he called “Jaywalking,” in which he walked the streets of Los Angeles, stopped passersby, and asked them random questions from the U.S. citizenship test.

Most were native-born citizens, and all of them

struggled with simple questions such as naming the country fought by the Americans in the

Revolutionary War, or naming the author of the

Declaration of Independence. The joke came

from their ignorance of history, screened, for all

the world to see, on national television.

Leno made comedy out of history. Those

interviewed had either forgotten, or failed to

memorize, the basics of American history. Another prominent radio personality, Rush Limbaugh, echoed Leno’s basic premise. Limbaugh

once asked, “Ya know what history is?” He

then quickly deadpanned, “It’s what happened.”

Leno and Limbaugh presented history as a series of names and dates. Historians, in their

view, simply know more names and dates than

the average person. Both men misunderstand

history and, as a result, professional historians

find little to laugh about in their characterization of the methodology.

Americans’ general ignorance of American history is certainly embarrassing. However,

simple definitions of history as a straightforward record are far more problematic. That’s

because professional historians, people with advanced degrees in the discipline who are working in history-related fields, understand history

as both a discipline and a way of thinking about

the world and its peoples. We understand that

the methodology is both rigorous and humbling.

Carlo Ginzburg, one of the greatest historians

of the twentieth century, acknowledged the distance between historians and the general public’s understanding when he wrote that “the historian’s task is just the opposite of what most

of us were taught to believe.” To think like a

historian, Ginzburg expected these individuals

to “destroy [their] false sense of proximity to

people of the past because they come from societies very different from our own.”

On the first day of classes, as wide-eyed,

bleary-eyed, and indifferent first-year students

get to know more about me and my class, I often ask them to imagine what Thomas Jefferson

would think if he were to magically walk into

our classroom. Even the best students struggle

to articulate how and why our classroom would

be jarring to the author of the Declaration of

Independence. The presence of women and people of color, not to mention their casual attire

or the omnipresent technology would certainly

come as a shock to him. Anyone can add to the

list. So begins my initial introduction into what

it means to think like a historian. I want to teach

students how to time travel. To achieve this end,

I ask them to check their contemporary beliefs

and values at the door of my classroom. Our

very human tendency to be presentist, to think

anachronistically, haunts every first-year student. We humans have a tendency to impose our

beliefs and values on past actors. Our natural

tendency to see our own culture and values as

universal, from the present to the past, is the

foremost sin for practicing historians.

Acknowledging the vast differences between then and now is critical to the discipline

of history. How, then, does one come to understand past worlds, on terms past actors might

recognize? Context-driven analysis is the key to

unlocking different times, peoples, and places.

Newcomers to history typically underestimate

the amount of knowledge required to eventually

trust one’s understanding of the past. Asking,

and answering, who, what, when, where, and

why questions about people and sources seems

rather straightforward. But consider what a historian has to know to recover the context of the

Grand Village of the Kaskaskia, along the Upper Illinois River, in 1680. Beyond the MiamiIllinois language, one would have to know about

the environment of the region, the ambitions of

the French empire, and the mourning wars of

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), to name a few.

To time-travel to Grand Village in the seventeenth century, the historian has to ask, and find

answers for a series of questions that become

more complex as their research progresses. Reconstructing Grand Village, in ways that the

village-dwellers themselves might recognize, is

no easy task. Leopold van Ranke, the German

founder of modern historical methods explains

that the aim of history “is merely to show how

things actually were.”

An easy way to distinguish between professional historians and novices is to identify

their loyalties. Professional historians are loyal

to the past. Natalie Zemon Davis, one of the

foremost historians of France, writes that “I let

[the past] speak and I show that things don’t

have to be the way they are now.” Zemon Davis

strives to explain past actors on their terms rather than our own. In contrast, television and social media pundits often invoke history to prove

a contemporary point. Their loyalty is to the

present-day, the here and now. Historical facts,

robbed of their complexity, are put to the service of promoting, say, universal health care or

a person’s second amendment rights. Loyalty to

the past, or to the present, provides one test of

the distinction between historical thinkers and

those who see history as the simple memorization of names and dates.

Loyalty is one litmus test, and a willingness to engage in contradictory evidence is another. John Adams, once stated that “facts are

stubborn things.” He made this statement while

defending the British soldiers responsible for

the Boston Massacre. Adams was an ardent patriot. But he was also a lawyer hired to defend

his clients, and he knew that he could not ignore

the evidence exonerating the soldiers of wrongdoing in this seminal event of the American

Revolution. Thanks to his commitment to evidence, all of the men were acquitted of murder.

Adams’ defense of the soldiers, and his commitment to objectivity in a court of law, infuriated

his cousin, Samuel Adams, who preferred to ignore certain facts so that these soldiers would

pay for the many other instances of British tyranny. Thankfully, John Adams recognized that

the Americans’ cause was strong, and that a

commitment to facts would actually strengthen

the Revolution.

The disagreement between John and

Samuel captures my own sense of the difference

between professional historians and those who

see history as simple; little more than memorization. Television pundits, radio personalities, and social media “influencers” often cite

historical evidence and put it to the service of

the present moment. Their arguments reveal far

more about themselves, and their audiences,

than they do about history.

In contrast, historians are taught that

they cannot leave out facts that really matter.

Inconvenient evidence---facts that might complicate or undermine an argument---must be

included and considered. Historians of Native

America are often castigated and ridiculed because of our commitment to examining all of

the evidence, regardless of where it might lead.

Flashpoints between popular and professional

historians often take place when new evidence

emerges that overturns previous understandings.

For example, in the last two decades historians

have shown that Native Americans are essential

to our understanding of American history. We

have shown that French colonizers depended on

the Miami and Illinois, and that Dutch and English traders largely depended on Haudenosaunee

interlocutors for diplomacy and trade. New archaeological and linguistic evidence, including the path-breaking research of the Myaamia

Center, has granted us a deeper understanding

of the historical trauma brought on by colonization as well as a heightened awareness of the

special relationship between the Miami peoples

and the region in and around modern-day Indiana and Ohio. Satisfying Americans’ hunger for

Native Americans lands was a principal cause

of the American Revolution.

As late as the 1980s, most historians

taught that American history began with Jamestown, in 1607, or Plymouth, in 1620. Students

were taught to believe that Europeans entered a

largely empty land, and the Native Americans

were largely weak and transient peoples who

were more of a nuisance than a threat. Manifest

Destiny, or the belief that Euro-American settlers possessed a God-given right to the continent, was a routine and positive theme of American history curricula.

Dr. Stephen Warren is an Associate Professor

of History and American Studies at the University of Iowa.

We know now that American history is

longer, more complicated, and more violent than

most had assumed. American expansion was

neither foreordained nor easy. Native peoples

held a huge variety of perspectives on colonizers. To be sure, some became allies. But others

resisted to the bitter end. Some joined temperance movements, while others embraced revitalization and Native-led reform movements.

The range and diversity of Indian country requires explanations that defy easy answers.

Most people expect doctors, lawyers,

and dentists to be well-versed in the latest research in their fields. I know many friends and

family who have traveled to the Mayo Clinic,

in Rochester, Minnesota, or to the Cleveland

Clinic, to access expert cancer care. Strangely,

this same passion for well-trained practitioners

armed with the best evidence does not apply to

historians. We are often described as “revisionist” historians for upending long-held views.

But just like any field, new information becomes available all the time, and this improves

our understanding of past worlds.

The disagreement between professional

and popular or casual history was on full display last February 26, when Councilman Jason

Arp persuaded his colleagues on the Fort Wayne

City Council to designate July 16 Gen. “Mad

Anthony” Wayne Day. During his initial city

council meeting, Arp invoked the past, offering

evidence of Wayne’s role in the American Revolution. Wayne---and the United States’----more

complicated role in the Ohio Valley was not addressed. When Miami citizens and historians

challenged Arp’s understanding of the past, Arp

immediately took the argument to the presentday by questioning the patriotism of the resolution’s opponents, saying after the vote that they

“don’t care for America or American history.”

In short, Arp declared his loyalty to the present

rather than to the past.

As a historian whose teaching and writing focuses on this region, Arp’s unwillingness

to seriously consider evidence that contradicted

his argument bothered me. His resolution reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of what

actually happened nearly 225 years ago. The

resolution credits Wayne with defeating “British

led Native Forces at the Battle of Fallen Timbers,” which allowed the establishment of “our

beloved Fort Wayne.” Arguing in favor, Councilman Paul Ensley reasoned that “the right of

conquest has been historically certainly an acceptable form of acquiring land with regard to

the Native Americans.” Ensley described Wayne

as a “merciful” man who sought “a less violent

solution than what the Native Americans had

shown the Americans before that.”

In other words, the Natives were violent

savages and British pawns, while the white men

taking over their lands were paragons of virtue.

Facts truly are stubborn things, and the

evidence is not in Mr. Arp or Mr. Ensley’s favor.

Continued on page 5B

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

5B

Fort Wayne City Council Resolution R-19-11-14

Brings Change

By Diane Hunter, THPO

By a unanimous vote of those present on Tuesday, November 19, 2019, the Fort Wayne, Indiana City Council passed Resolution R-19-11-14

honoring National Native American Heritage

Month and acknowledging that previously

passed Resolution R-19-02-12 “did not provide

a complete telling of certain historical aspects

of the establishment of Fort Wayne.” Approval of this resolution brought to a close a ninemonth controversy regarding the historical information presented in the earlier resolution.

The previous issue of Aatotankiki Myaamiaki: Miami Nation News (volume 15, no.

4) reported extensively on the Miami Tribe’s

response to Fort Wayne City Council Resolution R-19-02-12 establishing “General ‘Mad’

Anthony Wayne Day.” The Tribe’s concern focused on gross inaccuracies in the historical

data in the resolution and in the presentation

of the resolution at the February 26, 2019 City

Council meeting.

Following the Business Committee’s

passage of Tribal Resolution 19-09, SecretaryTreasurer Donya Williams and Second Councilperson Scott Willard traveled to Fort Wayne

on May 23, 2019 to meet with members of the

City Council to discuss the Tribe’s concerns and

share the Tribal Resolution with them. The other Business Committee members were unable to

travel to Fort Wayne due to flooding in Miami,

Oklahoma.

As a result of that meeting, Councilman

Geoff Paddock began drafting a new resolution

to present to the City Council. To ensure that

historical errors were not made in this resolution, Paddock turned to the Fort Wayne History Center and asked Executive Director Todd

Pelfrey to review the draft resolution and vet it

with other experts. As a result of Pelfrey’s efforts, more than 80 entities and individuals were

sent the draft resolution, and 69 responded with

comments, including 20 university professors,

10 tribal nations (including the Miami Tribe),

6 Native American organizations, 14 historical

organizations, 3 historic sites, and 1 independent researcher. All respondents, except for one

individual, agreed that the historical information in the resolution was accurate.

Councilman Paddock introduced the resolution at the City Council meeting on November 12 to be voted on a week later. He invited

Diane Hunter, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Miami Tribe, and Melissa Rinehart,

Ph.D., Native American History Consultant to

the Fort Wayne History Center, to speak to the

resolution at the November 19 meeting. Hunter

noted that the Miami Tribe never intended to

prevent the City of Fort Wayne from recognizing their namesake but only wanted the historical record accurate. She commented that this

resolution presents a more balanced approach,

recognizing that Miami people were, have been

and are still in the Fort Wayne area. She suggested that the process used to create this resolution should set a standard for future actions

involving the history of the area or impacting

Native peoples. Rinehart’s remarks focused on

the lack of reliance on qualified historians in

drafting the first resolution and called voting

against the resolution “not only short-sighted

but also dismissive of our collective past.” She

also encouraged vetting of future resolutions

with experts in the field.

In their remarks regarding the resolution, the Councilmen commented on the impact of their meeting with Business Committee

members Williams and Willard, indicating that

it gave them a new perspective. Councilman

Ensley called it “a very illuminating meeting.”

They expressed appreciation for the opportunity for the meeting and indicated that it helped

them decide to vote for the current resolution.

Although only six of the nine Councilmen attended this meeting, the six indicated approval

Indiana’s very name derives from the Miamis,

Delawares, Shawnees, Wyandots, Potawatomis and other Native Americans who fought in

defense of their homelands at Fallen Timbers.

My family and I recently visited New Buffalo,

Michigan, where we witnessed Pokagon Band

Potawatomi police patrolling the streets. Signs

of Native presence were unavoidable. Similarly, the resolution ignores the perspectives of the

Native Americans who never left the state of Indiana, including the more than 200 citizens of

the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma who continue to

live in and around Fort Wayne, or the Pokagon

Band of Potawatomi Indians.

These people weren’t ignorant savages,

and they haven’t been wiped out, either, despite

the concerted efforts of Wayne and his forces.

Thanks to new evidence, and a desire to

tell the story of the United States as comprehensively as possible, we now know far more

about the Native participants in the Battle of

Fallen Timbers and the subsequent Treaty of

Greenville. As the commanding general at the

Battle of Fallen Timbers on August 20, 1794,

along the Maumee River, south of modern-day

Toledo, Ohio, Wayne led 2,200 regular infantry and 1,500 mounted Kentucky militia against

400 to 500 Native warriors. Representatives of

16 different nations, they were led by the Shawnee Chief, Blue Jacket, the Miami Chief, Little

Turtle, and the Wyandot Chief, Tarhe. Wayne’s

force may have outnumbered the Native Americans, but he proceeded with caution, knowing

that this Native confederacy had recently inflicted two calamitous defeats against American

armies.

Arp’s brief resolution misleads today’s

readers from the actual facts of this battle. For

example, the Native Americans were hardly

pawns of the British, who offered little in the

way of troops or supplies to their confederacy.

Fallen Timbers was a battle between Native

Americans and the United States for control of

Ohio. Second, the Native combatants, including Little Turtle and Blue Jacket, were not savage warriors. They were traders, diplomats, and

leaders who were fluent in a wide range of Euro-

pean and Native languages; people who knew a

great deal about both American Christianity and

the new capitalist order that was remaking the

Midwest. After the American victory, American

soldiers marveled at Blue Jacket’s vast storehouses and account books. One soldier admitted

that, “their gardens produce vegetables equal to

any I have ever seen.” Even Wayne reported

that “he had never beheld such immense fields

of corn.”

Wayne torched their fields anyway, ensuring that “the grand emporium of the hostile

Indians of the West” could no longer sustain

them. And in an 1803 letter to the Governor

of Indiana Territory, William Henry Harrison,

then President Thomas Jefferson justified these

scorched-earth campaigns. “Should any tribe be

fool-hardy enough to take up the hatchet at any

time,” he ordered Harrison to seize “the whole

country of that tribe & driv[e] them across the

Missisipi, as the only condition of peace.”

In contrast to these ongoing scorchedearth campaigns, Little Turtle, Blue Jacket, and

Tarhe attempted to reason with the invading

forces. In 1793, their delegates asked Wayne

for “peaceable possession of a small part of our

once great Country. Look back and view the

lands from whence we have been driven to this

spot . . . we can retreat no further.” Wayne was

unmoved. After the battle, the 1795 Treaty of

Greenville forced Native Americans to cede almost all of Ohio, provoking bloodier conflicts

that would eventually draw the young United

States into the War of 1812.

General Wayne was a man of his time.

His contemporaries, including Harrison and

Jefferson, also believed that American destiny required assimilating Native Americans or

obliterating those who stood against them.

Thanks to the resilience of people such

as Gabriel Godfroy, William Peconga, and, later, Mildred Walker, the Miami people survived

this genocide. They left their own records on

the meaning of these wars, the treaties that followed, and the meaning of the land. As a professional historian, I am obligated to consider

this evidence alongside older evidence, such as

Diane Hunter is a Myaamia citizen and Tribal

Historic Preservation Officer in the Cultural

Resources Office of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. AM staff photo.

of the resolution in a voice vote.

The text of Resolution R-19-11-14 is

available in documents of the November 19,

2019 City Council meeting at https://www.

cityoffortwayne.org/city-council-documents.

html.

The City Council discussion and

vote on Resolution R-19-11-14 can be

viewed

at

https://acpl.viebit.com/player.

php?hash=nNmcKLJUw2fe starting at minute

24:44.

History Versus Thinking Like A Historian By Dr. Stephen Warren, Continued from page 4B

Wayne’s military reports and the treaty council

minutes that followed. This new evidence complicates our understanding of Fort Wayne, and

American history more generally.

In the old days, before Native American

sources and histories were considered valid evidence, it was common practice to tell the story

of the Midwest and its people from a thirdperson, omniscient voice. In these histories,

scholars cast themselves as objective purveyors

of historical truths. Their books and articles offered a single perspective on these subjects.

Today’s historians know better. We try

to write history from multiple perspectives.

We explore uncomfortable evidence, facts that

often challenge long-held traditions and contemporary assumptions. We hope to assemble a

story about the past that would be recognizable

to people that are no longer with us.

These histories should make us a bit uncomfortable. Traveling back in time, to a distant

place, culture, and people, should be a little unnerving. But in the end, doing history the right

way promises far more than the kind of history

peddled by the likes of Councilman Arp.

Thoughtful, contextual history reveals

our common humanity, teaching us to have

empathy, and more than a little humility about

other people. The great historians understand

the limits of their knowledge, and embrace evidence that contradicts those limits. They value

hard questions over straightforward answers.

History asks a lot of its practitioners. Even so,

the discipline offers far more than rote memorization, or the command of facts easily accessible through a quick google search.

Given new discoveries about everything

from Myaamia ethnobotany to astronomy, I

look forward to future research about the Miami people. A new generation of historians will

surely tell stories that are far more sophisticated

than those promoted by Councilman Arp, and

previous generations of historians.

6B

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

Thoughts on COVID Neehseehpineenki

at higher rates. For example, no serious person

argues that different rates of infection for COVID-19 can be explained by the different genetics of, say a Wuhan resident versus a resident

of Bergamo, or New York City. The Navajo Nation is experiencing higher rates of COVID-19

not because they are racially different than their

neighbors, but almost assuredly because of the

social determinants of health, such as underresourced infrastructure.[15]

Recent news about incubation periods,

social and physical distancing, and quarantines

all echo similar ideas in Myaamia history. Myaamia people, like all people before modern

medicine and science, did not know details of

how disease is communicated. If someone acquired smallpox, they could pass the contagion

as they traveled from home to home, or town to

town, for a couple weeks before symptoms presented. Furthermore, like most people globally

before the modern era, Myaamia families lived

in close quarters and as extended families. Eating, sleeping, and chatting in confined spaces

is no way to prevent an outbreak. (Imagine the

intimacy of a sweat lodge, or even a wiikiaami

on a winter’s night.)

So why did Myaamia people die at high

rates from “virgin soil” diseases? Maybe the entire question is wrong-headed. Eighty percent of

Jamestown colonists—saturated with European

disease—died between 1607 and 1625, from a

combination of poverty and malnutrition, contagion and other illnesses, and violence. Smallpox ravaged the Patriot army during the American Revolution.[16] Differential immunity does

not explain these high figures; social and historical conditions do. In other words, diseases

affect populations in context, today and yesterday.

Still, we know that epidemics swept

across Myaamia towns many times in the past.

But the above discussion hopefully clarifies that

Myaamia vulnerability was caused by social

stressors, poverty, malnutrition, lack of access

to medicine or healthcare, migrations, violence,

in-access to clean water, and variations in community or personal exposure.

Put another way, immunity was one part

of a larger picture. Myaamia towns were not

a world apart from our current predicament.

Many were exposed to measles or smallpox or

influenza, but the mortality rate was not 90%

from infection alone, or close to 90% in any one

plague. Rather, the initial shock of smallpox

might have sapped resources. As adults became

ill and unable to move, children and grandparents had to tend to the miincipahka ‘corn

fields,’ to hunt moohsooki ‘White-tailed deer,’

and to carry nipi ‘water.’ (Dehydration is a particularly significant issue in many illnesses.) As

healers tended to the sick, they themselves were

vulnerable to infection and either stopped their

medicine, or accidentally spread the pestilence

from family to family. (High mortality among

healthcare workers, such as miteewaki ‘shamans’ might have influenced the transmission

of their specific knowledge, as well.) Pneumonia, or other diseases that can thrive in compromised bodies, sometimes claimed more lives.

As the proportion of the sick in a community

became larger, available labor for the health

of the community lessened, potentially leading to malnutrition, dehydration, lack of childcare, and a decline in palliative care. And as the

community experienced and recovered from the

crisis, lower fertility rates may have influenced

Myaamia population trends, as well.

Colin Calloway has summed up one effect of epidemiological disaster in our shared

history. Taking the case of just one significant

epidemic–smallpox spread across the continent

1779-1783–he writes: “The Revolution meant a

new nation had its eyes on the West; smallpox

cleared the West for occupation. George Washington crossing the Delaware is a more comfortable image of nation building than smallpox

stalking Indian lodges, but they are two sides of

the same coin in explaining how the West became ‘American.’”[17] Contagious disease is

certainly a significant plotline in Myaamia history, but germs must be situated in community

contexts.

What are the “lessons” we can apply today? I’m not sure. But for me, living through

this present is helping me understand the past a

bit better.

[1] Relation of Gabriel Marest, 1712, in

Thwaites, ed., Jesuit Relations, 66: 247.

[2] Ibid. 239.

[3] Boishébert to Beauharnois, July 24 1733, in

MPHS 34: 109; but see Joseph L. Peyser, “It

Was Not Smallpox: the Miami Deaths of 1732

Reexamined,” Indiana Magazine of History 81,

no. 2 (1985): 159-169. Because variolation resulted in actual infection, mortality was about

1-3%.

[4] Thomas Hutchins, journal in 1762, quoted in

Charles Hanna, The Wilderness Trail, 2: 366. A

geographic and chronological list of epidemics

in the Great Lakes is in Tanner, Atlas of Great

Lakes Indian History, 169-74.

[5] Paul A. Hutton, “William Wells: Frontier

Scout and Indian Agent” Indiana Magazine of

History 74, no. 3 (1978): 203. Mihšihkinaahkwa

was recovering from smallpox when he, William Wells, and French philosopher Comte de

Volney conversed in Philadelphia. Constantin

François de Chassebœuf, comte de Volney, View

of the Climate and Soil of the United States of

America… (1804): 401.

[6] Elizabeth A. Fenn, Pox Americana: The

Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-82 (New

York: Hill and Wang, 2001). Variolation uses

smallpox, variola, while vaccination uses the

related cowpox, vaccinia.

[7] “The Fight over Inoculation during the

Kansas and become U.S. citizens and no longer

be Myaamiaki citizens, or to move to Oklahoma

and enroll in the Peoria Tribe and no longer be

distinctively Myaamiaki, or to move to Oklahoma as the Miami Tribe and be still Myaamiaki. Individuals made their own choices, some

chose to stay in Kansas, some chose to enroll

Peoria, but our leadership chose to move to

Indian Territory and stay the Miami Tribe. We

were still Myaamiaki. This was a pivotal decision, without which we would not be here today

as Myaamiaki and citizens of the Miami Tribe

of Oklahoma.

Moving forward in time to the 1930s, under the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of 1936,

the Miami Tribe reorganized as a constitutional

democracy, formally recognized by the United

States federal government as the Miami Tribe

of Oklahoma. We were still Myaamiaki.

As we know, the 1990s saw the beginning of our cultural revitalization, Myaamiaki

Eemamwiciki, picking up the thread of our

cultural knowledge. We are again learning our

history and culture and bringing what it means

to be Myaamiaki into the 21st century. We are

growing, learning and developing so that we and

our descendants may continue to be Myaamiaki. This is all possible because of this history

of political decisions by our leaders and other

community servants. As Myaamiaki today, we

too have the opportunity and responsibility to

pick up that thread and contribute to the continuation of the Miami Tribe and Miami people.

We are Miami. A few years ago, one of

our beloved elders Eugene Brown stood up at

our annual meeting and asked us to say together

Niila Myaamia. Following his lead, I ask you

today to do the same and say with me: Niila

Myaamia. Niila Myaamia. Niila Myaamia.

Kiiloona Myaamiaki.

Myaamia History, Council House

Dedication By Diane Hunter - Continued from page 7A.

By Cameron Shriver, - Cont. from page 2B.

1721 Boston Smallpox Epidemic,” Science in

the News Blog, Harvard University. <http://

sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/special-editionon-infectious-disease/2014/the-fight-over-inoculation-during-the-1721-boston-smallpoxepidemic/&gt;; Fenner, et al, Smallpox and its

Eradication (Geneva: World Health Organization, 1988), 256-58; Gulten Dinc and Yesim

Isil Ulman, “The Introduction of Variolation ‘A

La Turca’ to the West by Lady Mary Montagu

and Turkey’s Contribution to This,” Vaccine 25

(2007): 4261-4265.

[8] Colin G. Calloway, The Indian World of

George Washington: The First President, the

First Americans, and the Birth of the Nation

(New York: Oxford University Press, 2018),

461.

[9] Myaamiaki aancihsaaciki: A Cultural Exploration of the Myaamia Removal Route (Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, 2011).

[10] Pox from English, “to have pock-marks or

pocks,” and flux derived from Latin “to flow.”

[11] The Charter of New England, 1620.

<https://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/

mass01.asp&gt;

[12] Alfred Crosby, “Virgin Soil Epidemics as a

Factor in the Aboriginal Depopulation in America,” The William and Mary Quarterly 33, no. 2

(1976): 289.

[13] Diamond, 211-212; 322. The counterpoint

to “virgin soils,” and the primary inspiration for

this post, is David S. Jones, “Virgin Soils Revisited,” The William and Mary Quarterly 60,

no. 4 (2003): 703-742.

[14] I am focusing on smallpox both because

it was a repeat epidemic among the Myaamia,

but also because it is so well known as a “virgin soil” virus. Other epidemics included measles, influenza, typhus, malaria, dysentery, and

whooping cough, only some of which affected

Myaamia bodies differently than non-Myaamia

bodies.

[15] For examples, see the United Nations: “COVID-19 and Indigenous peoples” and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: COVID-19 in Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups.”

[16] Jones, “Virgin Soils Revisited,” 739-740.

[17] Colin G. Calloway, One Vast Winter Count:

The Native American West Before Lewis and

Clark (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press,

2003), 426.

Myaamia Center

Sees Change in

Leadership

By Julia Arwine, Continued from page 1B

comes to Miami knows about the tribe and how

it is connected to the university. From the tribe’s

perspective, Strass hopes to increase opportunities for the Myaamia students to practice their

culture, like ribbonwork and traditional stomp

dancing.

“It’s a job that’s both personally and professionally fulfilling,” she said.

Burke’s breadth of institutional knowledge is something Strass admires about her former boss and hopes to emulate.

Burke worked with Strass for several

years at the Myaamia Center and is happy to

see her take on such an important role, even as

she reflects, nostalgically, about stepping down.

“It’s hard because I’ve always been a

worker,” Burke said, “but I am definitely not

worried … I can’t say enough about how lucky

the Miami Tribe is that [Strass is] interested in

doing this work.”

As Strass helps take the Myaamia Center into the future, she has plans to more fully

weave the relationship with the Miami Tribe

into the fabric of Miami University.

“We’re a small department with big

goals,” Strass said.

@ArwineJulia

arwinejk@miamioh.edu

www.miamination.com

7B

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

Miami University Athletics Partners With Miami

Tribe to “Celebrate Miami”

By Estelle Beerman, Myaamia Student

What do volleyball, basketball, football and

hockey games all have in common? Well, probably more than one thing, but this past fall at

Miami University they were all used to honor

the 48-year relationship between the Miami

Tribe of Oklahoma and Miami University.

In the months leading up to the events,

Tribal students formed multiple planning committees to work closely with the athletics department in preparation for the games.

Each athletic event included educational

material about the tribe, as well as opportunities

for Tribal members and their families to participate in different aspects of the game.

The week kicked off on Wednesday with

a Miami football win (44-3) against Bowling

Green. During the first half, myaamia students

accompanied Chief Lankford, Secretary/Treasurer Donya Williams, and First Councilperson

Tera Hatley, in delivering the game ball, and

the Myaamia Center was presented with the

“Inclusive Excellence Award” from the university, which recognizes members of the Miami

community who work to advance diversity and

inclusion.

Siblings, Logan Patrick, a first-year

student and Addison Patrick, a senior, participated in a lacrosse shoot-out during half-time.

Using traditional Myaamia lacrosse sticks, the

two raced to see who could hit a goal post first

from various distances. Addison took the lead

early on and won the game against his younger

brother.

“It was really cool to introduce people to

our lacrosse sticks and show how much lacrosse

has changed,” said Logan.

After half-time, Myaamia guests were

invited to sit in a suite with Greg Crawford,

President of Miami University, and interact

with other university guests.

On Friday, Miami Hockey took a 3-1

win against the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs but

lost (2-3) to the same team on Saturday. At the

hockey games, the Business Committee members and Myaamia students presented the game

puck and all of the Myaamia guests formed a

fan tunnel for the team

to run through before the

game.

Halfway through

the games, Myaamia

students distributed tshirts to a few lucky fans

during a t-shirt toss. The

t-shirt toss was Gretchen

Spenn, a first-year student’s, favorite activity

of the evening.

“It’s so fun to be

on the other end of it and

see how excited people

get when you’re handing

stuff like that out,” said

Gretchen.

Saturday was an

action-packed day for

tribal members on campus with a Miami basketball win (79-63) against

Alabama A&M University in the morning. Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Chief Douglas Lankford, left, and Miami

This included a “chalk- University President Greg Crawford participated in events hosted by

talk” where students and the University in November 2019 to honor the 48-year relationship

guest coaches of the vol- between the Miami Tribe and the University. Photo by Jeff Sabo, Mileyball and basketball ami University .

games, Donya Williams

and Tera Hatley, listened to an explanation of the game ball delivery by Myaamia Council

Members, Tera Hatley and Donya Williams, acthe inner-workings of the game.

In the afternoon President Crawford and companied by tribal students Avery Boyle, firsthis wife, Dr. Renate Crawford, hosted a recep- year, and Madison Wood, a sophomore.

Being able to participate in events like

tion for Myaamia Business Committee memthis

means

a lot to Myaamia students because it

bers, students, staff, and guests. Athletics staff,

Lindsey Sparks, Assistant Athletic Director of shows us that our community is valued on MiMarketing and Fan Engagement, and Darrell ami’s campus. We are able to feel proud of our

Hallberg, Associate Athletic Director for Sport heritage and bring other non-Myaamia friends

and Facility Services, were gifted blankets by to see different aspects of our culture and comthe Business Committee for their dedication munity. The success of this year’s expansion

and their work on creating a partnership with from the Myaamia hockey series in 2018 leaves

students and staff looking forward to what the

the Myaamia Center.

After the reception many attendees en- future years hold with this budding relationship

joyed watching Miami’s volleyball team win between the Myaamia Center and Miami Ath3-0 against Western Michigan University with letics.

News from the Myaamia Center

Since the 2019 fall semester, Tribal members at

Miami University are seeing a lot of changes.

Bonham House, a historical building on

Miami’s campus, has housed the Myaamia Center for the last decade. Center employees shared

the building with Miami’s Purchasing Department for many of those years, until this summer

when the Purchasing Department moved across

campus.

Bonham House was given a fresh coat of

paint and new furniture, as well as other odds n’

ends repairs. Myaamia Center employees now

have a large conference room for meetings and

guests, an office space for graduate assistants, a

student room and plenty of office spaces for all

the employees.

The students most notably appreciate the

updated student room, complete with bean bag

chairs and couches, which gives them a space to

drop-in, do homework and spend time together

as a community during their day-to-day lives on

campus.

Because community-building is so important to this program at Miami, this year’s

first-year students got acquainted with the staff

and sophomore myaamia students during a presemester program for incoming Tribal students.

This program, hosted by the Myaamia

Center, was created after older students voiced

that moving in early, as well as getting to know

some of the other Tribal students, would make

the transition to Miami easier.

The first-year students were able to move

in to their dorms early, go on tours of the campus, find their classes and learn more about the

Tribe and the school from sophomore students.

The program was successful in helping

form a close bond between the first-year and

sophomore classes, who now spend time together on a regular basis doing tribe-related activities or just hanging out.

Abby Strack, first-year tribe student, felt

that getting acquainted with other Tribal members was helpful.

By Estelle Beerman, Myaamia Student

“I was really happy that we got to know

everybody and make friends right away,” said

Strack.

One of the more prominent tribal activities that students participated in was the Myaamia-themed athletic events that took place in

mid-November.

An extension of the two educational

hockey games last year, this year’s multiple

athletic events including volleyball, basketball,

football and hockey were used to showcase the

nearly 50-year relationship between the tribe

and the university, as well as educate Miami

University students and fans about the Myaamia

tribe.

Josh McCoy, a sophomore tribe student,

worked on a similar event with the hockey team

last year and is happy to see the event branch

out.

“Getting to continue working with the

athletics department and expanding from the

hockey series we did last year to five seperate

events is really cool to see,” said McCoy.

Members of the Business Committee;

Chief Lankford, Tera Hatley and Donya Williams, traveled to Oxford to participate in various aspects of these events, like ball delivery at

the football game, as well as puck delivery and

riding zambonis during the hockey game.

This exciting week began with the football game on Wednesday, November 13 and

concluded with the final hockey game on Saturday, November 16.

Mihši-neewe to all of the staff and students who gave so much of their time and energy to prepare for these games, as well as everyone who made the semester such a successful

one at the Myaamia Center!

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma leaders traveled to Miami University in November 2019 to enjoy

events celebrating the relationship between the Tribe and University. During the visit, the

Myaamia Center received the “Inclusive Excellence Award” given to the Center by Intercollegiate Athletics and the Presidents Office. Myaamia Center Director Daryl Baldwin, center, was

joined by Tribal leaders, Myaamia Center staff and tribal students after receiving the award.

Photo by Jeff Sabo, Miami University.

8B

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

Picking Up Cultural Threads

Few things have been as impactful on my identity as textiles and newspapers. “Jared weenswiaani. niila myaamia.” — words I would not be

able to say today without these two things in my

life. Right now, I’m a Junior in Indigenous and

American Indian Studies at Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU), where I’m the editor

for the oldest Native American student newspaper, the Indian Leader.

HINU has given me so many opportunities to connect with my Myaamia heritage and

the larger identity of what it means to be Native

— the entire student body is made up of over

140 different Native American tribes and Alaska Native villages. My degree in Indigenous

and American Indian Studies requires internship hours related to my degree, and through

the university, I’m given an opportunity to give

back to the tribe and come full circle with what

brought me home to my Myaamia relatives in

the first place.

I grew up in Colby, Kansas disconnected

to Myaamionki, the Myaamia homelands. There,

my Myaamia ancestry was a historic fact not

a cultural practice. The poor education system

made me believe that Native Americans were

wiped out after the Indian Wars and that I was

White — only White. Here is where Aatotankiki

Myaamiaki - Miami Nation News played a big

part in my understanding of the contemporary

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and encouraged me

to attend my first national gathering in summer

2019.

The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma’s newspaper helped connect me to a community I didn’t

grow up in. Each issue I read helped me get to

know other tribal members and eventually got

me to attend the first of a lifetime of future My-

By Jared Nally

aamia events. This is one of the main reasons I

reached out to the tribe, to contribute my university hours to the tribal newspaper so that Julie Olds, Cultural Resources Officer, could help

me build on the background and passion I’ve

developed with the student newspaper. I hope

to inspire other tribal members to become more

involved like the paper did for me.

I will also be contributing hours this

summer doing research on Myaamia textiles,

focusing on panel bags and finger weaving.

What the newspaper did for my Myaamia identity, textiles did for my indigenous identity. To

me, indigenous is a stewardship practice — a

relationship we have to the environments we’re

in. I had stumbled upon weaving as a hobby and

quickly developed a passion for indigenous textiles — that is, processes where you can shape

your environment to make a finished good.

A lot of the things I’ve made have fallen

outside the realm of Myaamia textiles, but my Jared Nally is a Junior in Indigenous and

passion has spurred me on. Revitalization is a American Indian Studies at Haskell Indian

big part of tribal communities today, and revi- Nations University. AM Photo.

talization efforts in Myaamia textiles is something I’ve had a great deal of interest in. This

summer, I’m taking an opportunity to formalize

my independent efforts to do revitalization work

on panel bags and pair with Myaamia Heritage

Museum & Archive Manager Meghan Dorey to

oversee my work and guide my efforts so that

way we can spread knowledge to the Myaamia

community.

Together newspapers and textiles have

given so much to me and helped me to become

who I am. I’m excited that these same passions

will provide opportunities to give back to the

tribe this summer.

Native American Plant/Tree Material Collected for Heritage Purpose

on Indiana State Property

Great Lakes Twined Bag - experimental piece

by Jared Nally.. AM Photo.

By Dani Tippmann

This is the third year that Myaamia tribal member, Dani Tippmann, will hold a license to be

able to harvest wild river rice on Indiana State

owned property. Last year several members of

the tribe participated in the first harvest of wild

river rice in over 100 years. The rice was harvested from canoes, by walking in the shallow

waters and from the shore. Special tools for harvesting the tall rice were adapted from young

sapling trees that made the harvesting easier.

Pulling the rice down and towards the baskets

enabled the harvesters to tap the seed heads, releasing only the ripe rice. The participants collected about 10 pounds of wild rice.

Some of the wild rice seeds were planted

at other sites inside of the state owned property,

so that the wild River Rice will expand its growing area. Some was taken to be processed for a

meal. To prepare it to be eaten, the rice had to

be parched, danced and then winnowed. Everyone enjoyed parching the wild River Rice over

a fire. Traditionally, the rice would have been

“danced” or threshed to loosen and separate the

outer hull from the seed. We simply rubbed the

grain until the husk was loose enough to winnow. Finally we were able to winnow by placing the grain in a winnowing basket and “flipping” the basket so that the grain would go into

the air and the wind would blow through it. The

wind would blow away the husks and the grain

would fall back into the basket.

The process was not easy, but many

hands made the work go faster. Tasting the Wild

River Rice was a treat for everyone. Myaamia

harvesting of Wild River Rice was probably the

first time in nearly 200 years that Wild River

Rice was harvested in Indiana.

This spring, some of the Miami people

got together and made more winnowing baskets, so that winnowing will go faster and more

Dani Tippmann, Emmy Harter and Donya

people will get a chance to participate. HopeWilliams practice using the new harvest tools

fully next year we will be able to make a dugmade from saplings.

out canoe and harvest the Wild River Rice in an

even more traditional way.

Myaamia hands husking wild rice in preparation for winnowing. Photo by Mary Harter.

Dani Tippmann stirs wild rice during the

parching process. Photo by Bob Tippmann.

Myaamia Publications - Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020 - Section C - Noošonke Siipionki Myaamionki

peepankišaapiikahkia eehkwaatamenki aacimooni

‘A Story of Miami Ribbonwork’

By Scott Shoemaker, George Ironstrack and Karen Baldwin

This article was published in First American Art Magazine, Suitland, Maryland in August of 2005 to create a digital exhibit of some of the

FAAM No. 23, Summer 2019. It is reprinted here with permis- Myaamia objects held by NMAI. Over the course of two days of photography,

Myaamia youth, adults, and elders lovingly held and photographed stunning

sion.

examples of their ancestors artistry, which included many pieces of ribbonDuring a torrential Oklahoma rainstorm in Noošonki Siipionki ‘Miami, work. It had been over ninety years since these items were surrounded by a

Oklahoma’ on June 26, 2015, nearly fifty Myaamiaki ‘Miami people’ community of Myaamia people. Through the workshop, this intergenerational

gathered together to learn about peepankišaapiikahkia eehkwaatamenki team curated their ancestors objects and metaphorically danced them back

– Myaamia ribbonwork. This was perhaps the first time this many My- into the web of Myaamia community that links the diaspora across the United

aamiaki had gathered together in one place to make ribbonwork for well States.

In many Myaamia families, we cherish and continue to hold on to old

over one hundred years. The workshop was filled with stories, laughter,

and reconnecting with one another. It was one of many gatherings of family photographs from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that

show family and community members

Miami people over the past few dedressed in their finest Miami clothing,

cades as part of a larger language and

such as leggings, wrap skirts, and moccultural revitalization effort called

casins with intricate ribbonwork items

Myaamiaki Eemamwiciki - the Miami

handed down as heirlooms for special

Awakening.

occasions. These photographs preserve

Our community has dramatiexamples of a peak in the practice of ribcally transformed through this efbonwork among Myaamiaki and mark

fort, sparked by the reawakening of

a moment of dramatic loss as impoverMyaamiaataweenki - the Miami lanished families sold ribbonwork embelguage. The language entered a state

lished clothing to outside collectors.

of dormancy after the passing of our

The making and wearing of ribbonwork

last fluent speakers in the mid-twenticontinued into at least the late 1800s

eth century. Along with the language,

within the Myaamia communities in Inmany cultural practices went into a

diana and Indian Territory. However, bestate of dormancy. In the early 1990s,

ginning around 1908, Myaamia people

tribal citizen Daryl Baldwin became

began selling large amounts of clothing

interested in the language around the

with ribbonwork adornment to collectors.

same time that Dr. David Costa beLike most Native communities, this was

gan working on his doctoral dissertaalso a time when anthropologists (both

tion on the Miami-Illinois language

trained and amateur) collected much of

at the University of California Berkeour material culture in an attempt to “salley. Through years of research and

Alenia ataahsema. Detail of Miami man’s leggings of wool and

vage” what was left of our “authentic”

hardwork, numerous important docucotton cloth with silk ribbonwork of red, white, black, blue, pale

cultures while our communities and famments spanning three hundred years

yellow and pale blue - colors typically used in Miami ribbonwork.

ilies struggled to survive. This suggests

were reclaimed from archives across

Collected by Mark Raymond Harrington in 1910 from Susanne

that by then, the need to create and wear

North America. Informed and guid‘Pimweeyotama’ Pope in Indiana. National Museum of the Amerclothing with ribbonwork was no longer

ed by the memories and knowledge

ican Indian, Smithsonian Institution. 027953.000. Photo by Karactive on a broad scale within the comof our elders, this extensive archival

en L. Baldwin.

munity. Making ribbonwork was in steep

record was used in a careful manner,

decline during this period, as few pieces

to revitalize Myaamiaataweenki as

are known made after the 1930s. This coa part of daily life. Today, hundreds

incides with the various factors leading

of Myaamiaki use the language on a

to the dormancy of Myaamiaataweenki

daily basis as well as a generation of

later in the twentieth century, among

children whose first words are in Mythem rapid land loss, forced assimilation

aamiaataweenki. This same attitude

and discrimination.

of careful well-supported growth inLike our language, these items became

forms how we approach other areas of

scattered and far removed from us, evenreclamation and revitalization.

tually making their way to the collections

The Myaamia Center (MC) at

of the National Museum of the American

Miami University has been instruIndian. Significant collections of Mymental in this educational effort. The

aamia ribbonwork are also cared for by

MC (called the Myaamia Project from

the American Museum of Natural His2001-2012) emerged out of a relatory, the Cranbrook Institute of Science,

tionship between the Miami Tribe of

the Milwaukee Public Museum, the DeOklahoma and Miami University that

troit Institute of Art, the Wabash County

began in 1972. The MC is an initiative

Mitemhsa

ahkolayi.

A

woman’s

wearing

blanket

worn

by

MahHistorical Association, and several othof the Miami Tribe with the objective

koonsihkwa

(Frances

Slocum).

It

was

likely

made

by

her

and

her

ers. This process of collection removed

of assisting the tribe in further develdaughters

Keehkinehkišwa

and

Oonsaahšinihkwa

around

1830.

most ribbonwork from the Myaamia

oping its language and cultural educaWabash

County

Historical

Museum,

Wabash,

Indiana.

Photo

by

community and temporarily severed our

tion. The MC’s work is innately mulAndrew

J.

Strack.

connection to the artform because we

tidisciplinary and involves a balanced

were largely unaware of the locations of

mix of research, theory, and praxis.

In 2014, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded the MC an Art these collections. It was not until the implementation of the Native American

Works Grant to produce educational materials and programs for “my- Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) that we reconnected with

aamia eehkwaašikonki peepankihšaapiikahkia: Miami Ribbonwork Proj- these items. The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma applied for and received a NAGect”. This three-year project focused on creating the skills and knowl- PRA documentation grant from 2003-2004. This enabled a small number of

edge necessary for tribal members to revitalize the art of ribbonwork. The tribal representatives to visit and document museum collections. Like the vast

goals of the program were successfully met through conducting a series language materials stored in boxes on shelves in numerous archives, these

of workshops, production of an instructional booklet, and the creation items were also lying dormant, waiting for Myaamia people to reawaken the

of videos that remain available online. The initial workshop was held layers of knowledge they hold for us.

during the annual Miami Tribe of Oklahoma National Gathering Week

in 2015, which includes educational programming, social activities, a waawaahsinaakwahkia peepankišaapiikahkia

competition pow wow, and culminates in the nation’s General Council ‘Shimmering Ribbons’

Meeting and elections. For years, tribal cultural leaders have noted that

the reclamation and ongoing revitalization of Myaamiaataweenki and The sun sparkled on the surface of the water of the Nimacihsinwi Siipiwi ‘MisMyaamia culture has led to ever-increasing participation in tribal events. sissinewa River’ as the quickly moving current cut past the waapahsena ‘limeThe revitalization of peepankišaapiikahkia eehkwaatamenki is a promi- stone’ face of Aašipehkwa Waawaalici ‘Seven Pillars.’ The voices and splashnent example of this phenomenon.

ing footfalls of Myaamiaki, young and old, echoed off the eroded and soot

eempaapiikinamankwi kineepwaayoneminaani

‘We Pick Up the Threads of our Knowledge’

The sound of laughter intermingled with the staccato rhythm of typing

and mouse clicks filled the research library of the Cultural Resource Center

of the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). Images of elm bark

baskets, plumstone dice, silver brooches, and numerous examples of intricately sewn ribbonwork from the 1800s flashed on the monitors in the room.

This intergenerational team of Myaamiaki had come to Washington, D.C. and

stained caves of the ancient rock formation as the group crossed through the

ankle deep water and reached the limestone shore below the caves. Myaamia

people have lived near and visited Aašipehkwa Waawaalici for uncounted

generations. The relentless flow of the Nimacihsinwi Siipiwi had eroded the

caves to a mere few feet deep, but community stories preserve memories of

a time when the caves were deep enough for small gatherings. On this day in

the summer of 2009, the small group of Myaamiaki listened as their relative,

a geologist who works at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institute, described the ancient inland sea and the bountiful life that dwelt

there 425 million years ago that together created the layers of limestone that

Continued on page 2C

2C

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

peepankišaapiikahkia eehkwaatamenki aacimooni Continued from page 1B

By Scott Shoemaker, George Ironstrack and Karen Baldwin - Reprinted with permission.

peepankišaapiikahkia eehkwaatamenki – Myaamia ribbonwork workshop in noošonki siipionki (Miami, Oklahoma). Community members coming together to learn the art of ribbonwork. Photo by Andrew J. Strack.

make up Aašipehkwa Waawaalici. As the group examined the thousands of access to ribbons and other goods, like the broadcloth used for clothing. Winfossilized shells visible in rock face, he went on to describe how groundwater ter observed while visiting the cabin of Mahkoonsihkwa at Šiipaakana Minoocontinues to flow through the limestone and create factures across its ancient teeni (Deaf Man’s Village, near Peru, Indiana) in 1839 that hung from the raflayers. This site and others like it along the rivers of myaamionki ‘Miami ters were “Two or three pair of handsome ‘leggins’, with handsome borders,

land’ play significant roles in our aalhsoohkana ‘winter stories’ and aacimoona or ‘wings’, decorated in the primitive colored ribbons - some sewn in diamond

‘historical narratives’. It is this combination of ancient stone and water that forms, others in straight lines. Much expense is devoted to this ornamental

produced the pillars and caverns, and the stories about them, that continue part of the Indian’s costume.” When J.O. Lewis and George Winter arrived in

to draw Myaamiaki to the site. On clear sunny days, the white face of the the 1830s, the Myaamia had already perfected a particular Myaamia style of

waapahsena and dark interior of the

ribbonwork.

caves reflect off the rippling surface

In 1840, the Miami Nation

of the Nimacihsinwi Siipiiwi cresigned its last treaty in Indiana that

ating a mesmerizing display of the

relinquished the last reservation

contrast between earth and sky, creland in the state and called for the

ation and destruction, and the past

removal of the Miami Nation from

and the present.

Indiana to a new reservation in what

would become Kansas. The United

When ribbons first arrived

in Myaamia villages through anStates enacted a forced removal in

cient trade routes connected by the

1846 and fragmented the Myaamia

peoples’ connections to one another

rivers of myaamionki, our ancestors incorporated these objects into

and the land. Those who were forcibly relocated to Kansas suffered

the community and named them

extreme difficulties in adjusting,

peepankišaapiikahki in our language. This term describes the apadapting and rebuilding the nation

in a new and unfamiliar place. A

pearance of ribbons, and can be

literally understood to mean “that

few Myaamia families had treaty

which is a flat cord.” Myaamiihand congressional exemptions from

kwiaki ‘Miami women’ quickly

removal and remained behind on

incorporated these new materials

small family reserves scattered

into their existing art practices and

throughout northern Indiana. We

Waapanaakikaapwa (Gabriel Godfroy) and family, c. 1897 on the porch

designs by cutting and sewing them

know from oral histories, that there

of his home near Peru, Indiana. Ribbonwork pieces are among the many

onto existing materials like hide and

was constant movement back and

heirlooms being held. In 1905, Godfroy lost a long legal battle to retain the

newer materials like wool cloth.

forth between Kansas and Indiana

trust status on his inherited reserve lands. He and his family later sold these

Eehkwaatamenki describes the profollowing the 1846 removal, howitems to collectors in an effort to pay taxes and retain land. Photo courtesy

cess by which ribbons are “sewn”

ever the relocation impacted comof Wabash Carnegie Public Library Archives, Wabash, Indiana.

down. Peepankišaapiikahkia eehkmunity integrity and continuity. It is

waatamenki ‘ribbonwork’ describes

not coincidental that innovation in

the material and the process that creates waawaahsinaakwahki - a shimmering the practice of ribbonwork ceased after this period, and shortly thereafter went

that causes the eye to focus back and forth between contrasting geometric into decline.

The Kansas reservation was allotted beginning in 1854, but thousands

abstractions.

Long before access to ribbons, these abstractions were executed in of acres were intentionally set aside for future generations and future emigraother materials. Very few Myaamia items from this period exist. Painted hides tion of Myaamia who remained behind in Indiana. Myaamiaki in Indiana conassociated with our younger siblings, the Inoka, who are commonly referred to tinued to gather for dances and adoptions through this period and Myaamiaki

collectively as the Illinois, that date to the eighteenth century as well as woven in Kansas gathered with one another and other neighboring tribes like our

bags contain similar geometric abelder brothers the Shawnee for social

stractions of important beings in Midancing. Ribbonwork was still worn

ami cosmology who inhabit various

and created throughout this period,

layers of the waters, earth, and sky.

but increasingly Myaamia people beRibbonwork is also an interacgan to dress in styles that were not too

tion with a metaphorical layering of

different from their American neighpeople, time, and place. By the late

bors.

Following the end of the U.S.

1790s and early 1800s through trade

and diplomacy, mitemhsaki ‘women’

Civil War, all the tribes living in Kansas faced increased pressure to leave

and aleniaki ‘men’ both played crucial roles in obtaining a regular and

the state and remove to Indian Territolarge supply of silk ribbons. Myaamia

ry. Following the Treaty of Washingaleniaki were largely responsible for

ton in 1867, the Miami Nation began

conducting trade and diplomacy, but

the drawn out process of relocating

Mahkisina

(moccasins)

collected

from

the

Peconge

family

by

Milford

mitemhsaki were responsible for exto a new reservation in the northeast

Chandler

in

Wabash

County,

Indiana

in

the

1920s.

These

are

attributed

panding the visual vocabulary of geocorner of Indian Territory (Oklahoma)

metric designs made possible with ac- to Meshingomesia and were likely made by Mihtehkihkwa. Cranbrook that they shared with our younger sibInstitute of Science, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. 2207.

cess to silk ribbons.

lings, the Peewaaliaki ‘the ConfederThe earliest known recording Photo by Andrew J. Strack.

ated Peoria Tribe.’ Once again, forced

of distinctively Myaamia ribbonwork

removal fractured the Miami Nation

comes from the journals and paintings of George Winter and James Otto Lew- as some families remained behind in Kansas and had their tribal citizenship

is. Winter painted many Myaamia and Potawatomi people in the 1830s and stripped from them. The Miami-Peoria Reservation was alloted in 1889 and

wrote that each community used their own “singular forms.” J.O. Lewis paint- within 25 years all of the allotted lands lost their trust protections.

Those Myaamiaki who remained in Indiana also experienced a rapid

ed indigenous people throughout the Great Lakes and further west during the

1820s. During the first three decades of the nineteenth century our ancestors loss of reserve land. By the early twentieth century, the remnants of collecwere forced to cede nearly their entire homeland through a series of treaties. tive Myaamia homelands in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Indiana passed to nonIn exchange for ceding land to the United States, these treaties provided goods Myaamia control. In order to survive Myaamiaki moved all over the United

and annuity payments to Myaamia people. Myaamia people had tremendous

Continued on page 3C

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

3C

peepankišaapiikahkia eehkwaatamenki aacimooni- Continued from page 2C

States in search of work. As our community became scattered, our knowledge,

our language, and our material culture also became scattered.

The vast majority of Myaamia ribbonwork items in museum collections were collected in Indiana and Oklahoma from around 1910 through the

1920s.The provenance of museum collections often have very little information about from whom and where they were collected. Through archival and

photographic research, we have been able to reconnect many of these items

with known families and in some cases with the individuals who wore them.

Yet, the record is silent regarding the specifics of

the artists who made most of the ribbonwork in

these collections. We know few details about the

many myaamiihkwiaki artists from our community

who transformed simple strips of ribbon into complex, intricate, and shimmering works of art. We assume that these pieces were the products of women

who did not work in isolation and are the collective

works of several family and community members

coming together to make clothing for relatives.

maaciihitiinki neemiihkamankwi

‘We Dance the Adoption Dance’

objective of the MHP is to facilitate the creation of a learning community that

mirrors the kinship structure of the broader Myaamia community. Through

this structure of family, students study: Myaamia Language & Culture; Myaamia Ecological Perspectives & History; and Contemporary Issues & Sovereignty. In their final year, seniors work on a two-semester capstone project

designed to facilitate each student finding their own unique way to give back

to the Myaamia community.

Throughout their four years at Miami University, students learn about

the changing visual aesthetics of their people over

time. Many of them learn how to sew ribbonwork

and they proudly wear the t-shirts and other clothing that often has the same geometric patterns printed on it. A few of these students have also begun

to have some of these patterns tattooed onto their

bodies. Most of these Myaamia students leave Miami University with heightened understanding of

the value and importance their community places

on ribbonwork. On graduation day, they all are presented with a unique graduation sash made by tribal

spouse Karen Baldwin. The sashes are made of red

and black wool and include silver brooches and ribbonwork. The sashes are a recognizable testament

to customary clothing and the previous peak of ribbonwork artistry, and at the same time they reflect

the needs and revitalized identity of a twenty-first

century tribal nation striving to educate the next

generation. Much like the gifts given to honor adoptees who accepted the obligations of family, these

sashes are gifted to new graduates to honor their accomplishments, their sacrifices, and remind them of

their ongoing obligations to their people.

A warm breeze blew through the open windows of the Miami Indian Village Schoolhouse on

the Meshingomesia Reservation on morning of Friday June 13, 1873. Pakankia, the oldest son of the

Miami band leader Mihšiinkweemiša, sat on a chair

before a group of Mihšimaalhsaki ‘Americans’ who

had been coming to the reservation nearly every

Monday through Friday for the past month. The Secretary of the Interior appointed these men to serve

on a commission to record testimonials from MyMasaanihkiaanki kiinwaapiikahkia ‘We

aamiaki to determine who was eligible to receive an

Make Long Threads’

allotment on the nearly 5,400 acres reserved for his

band in northern Indiana under the treaty of NovemThrough the journey of Myaamiaki Eemamber 28, 1840. Six years earlier, the Band council had

wiciki

‘the Myaamia awakening,’ we strive to conmade the difficult decision to pursue allotment of

tinue to pick up the threads of knowledge from our

the communally held land into individual parcels in

ancestors to inform our present and guide us into the

an effort to retain control over these lands. On June

Oonsaahšinihkwa

(Jane

Bundy),

c.

1877.

future.

We also strive to lengthen those left for us by

1, 1872, Congress approved, “An act to authorize

the Secretary of the Interior to make partition of the Oonsaahšinihkwa exquisitely dressed in a our ancestors. Our continuance hinges on our abilreservation to Me-shin-go-me-sia a Miami Indian.” ribbonwork wrap skirt, wearing blanket, and ity to collectively grasp ahold of the shared strands

The commission determined each petition- moccasins exemplifying the concept con- of the web of our experiences as people over time

ers’ eligibility by ascertaining whether they had kin- veyed by waawaahsinaakwahki. She was the and carefully add to that web in a way that carries us

ship ties to the Miami leader Mihtohseenia, father daughter of Mahkoonsihkwa, also known as into the future.

Ribbonwork began as an innovation incorporatof Mihšiinkweemiša, and were residents of the res- Frances Slocum, and the Miami war leader

Šiipaakana,

also

known

as

Deaf

Man.

She

was

ing

new

materials and became integral to our identiervation at the time of its creation. Pakankia was

called back to discuss the role of adoptions. Adopt- an important and powerful figure within the ties as Myaamiaki - intertwined with our families,

ing someone in place of a deceased relative was an Miami community. She, along with her sister our places, our present, and our future. A visitor to

important practice for both the mourning process of and mother, created the leggings observed by a Myaamia pow wow, stomp dance, or gourd dance

family and ensuring the journey ahead for the re- Winter during his visit in 1839, and also prob- would likely see handmade and machine made ribcently departed relative. Pakankia said, “They must ably created this clothing. Photo courtesy of bonwork now using rayon taffeta instead of silk.

make a suit of clothes just as they want them for Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis, Indi- Yet, as in generations past, this ribbonwork still

shimmers as it moves with the rhythms of the life

the person that they adopt. Then they invite the one ana.

of the community. A visitor

they want to adopt and when

would also note that the conhe comes and sits down and

trasting geometric abstracthey put these clothes on

tions of ribbonwork have

him.”

also spread to t-shirts, comThe making of

munity flags, signs, the covclothing was a healing proers of publications, and onto

cess that brought the womthe human body in the form

en of a family together. The

of tattoos. Once again, but

joint effort of these women

in new and changing ways,

connected the family, the

these designs mark our famdeceased, and the adoptee.

ilies and our places.

The practice of adopting

How will the next genand the making of clotheration of our people utilize

ing for adoptees, family,

the knowledge of ribbonand community members

work that we have reclaimed

continued for at least the

and revitalized over the last

remainder of the nineteenth

twenty years? We do not

century within the Miami

know. All we can do is work

communities scattered in

to pick up enough of the web

Indiana, Kansas, and Indian

that they have something of

Territory. Essential items of

substance to hold in their

clothing such as mahkisina

‘moccasins,’

wiihkweet- Miami University Myaamia graduates in Spring 2018. All Myaamia students are gifted collective hands and hearts.

iona ‘leggings,’ akootema a graduation sash from the Myaamia Center upon graduating from Miami University. We hope that what we pass

‘skirts,’ and waapimo- Each sash includes handsewn ribbonwork, silver buttons and embroidery. These sashes to them will also provide the

taya ‘blankets’ were all are given in honor of their accomplishments, their sacrifices, and to remind them of their opportunity to splice in the

lengths of new cordage that

elaborately decorated with ongoing obligations to their people. Photo by Karen L. Baldwin.

they will need in the future.

peepankišaapiikahkia eehkwaatamenki.

The practices associated with adoption are no longer broadly present Footnotes:

1

within the Myaamia community, however the revitalization of ribbonwork Myaamia is the singular form and Myaamiaki is the plural form.

2

has been followed by a revitalization of the significance of ribbonwork items. Oxford Handbook citation. Daryl Baldwin and David J. Costa,

Ribbonwork embellished clothing and other items serve as significant gifts to “Myaamiaataweenki: Revitalization of a Sleeping Language” in The Oxford Handhonor family and community members. This use of ribbonwork has moved book of Endangered Languages, ed. Kenneth L. Rehg and Lyle Campbell (Oxford

beyond making customary clothing to meeting other community needs in the University Press, 2018), 553-70.

3 In 2001 the Myaamia Center was known as the Myaamia Project. It transitioned to

twenty-first century.

Beginning in 1991, Miami University offered the Miami Heritage a full research center at Miami University in 2013.

4

Award to Miami tribal members who gain acceptance to the University. The Myaamia Center applied for and received a 2014-2016 Art Works grant #14Throughout their time at Miami University, these students participate in the 5500-7032 from the National Endowment for the Arts.The myaamia eehkwaasikonki

Myaamia Heritage Program (MHP), which consists of eight semesters of peepaankisaapiikahkia: Myaamia Ribbonwork Project team consisted of Karen Baldcoursework and considerable amounts of mentoring and advising. The main win, Dr. Alysia Fischer, and Andrew Strack.

4C

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

Peepankišaapiikahkia Eehkwaatamenki

‘Myaamia Ribbonwork Exhibit’

By Kara Strass, Myaamia Center, Director of Miami Tribe Relations

peepankišaapiikahkia eehkwaatamenki ‘Myaamia ribbonwork’ was a museum exhibit open

spring semester at the Miami University Art

Museum. The exhibit was scheduled to be open

through June 13, but the Museum was closed

in March due to the coronavirus. This community-curated exhibit explored the history of the

artform of Myaamia ribbonwork as well as the

process of its revitalization. Through the over

twenty-five year process of going into archives

to look at Myaamia ribbonwork, community

members have been able to learn much about

the artform. We now know what makes Myaamia ribbonwork unique as well as the process

for making it. Just as importantly, we were able

to look at Myaamia aesthetics, a sense of what

makes things beautiful in our culture, more

broadly and start to understand how ribbonwork

is one expression of that aesthetic.

By looking at art that predates ribbonwork, like some pieces that were displayed

in the exhibit, we discovered that a Myaamia

aesthetic includes geometric diamond patterns. Ribbonwork from the first height of the

art form includes specific colors of red, black,

and white as well as some blues and yellows.

This exhibit explored the idea that the Myaamia

aesthetic also includes the idea of waawaahsinaakwahki ‘to shimmer,’ a central visual effect sought out by our ribbonwork artists. Ribbonwork achieves this shimmering by making

your eye shift between the positive and negative

space in the designs. By combining ribbonwork

with silverwork, Myaamia clothing would have

made the wearer shimmer or glow in the light.

The exhibit had several pieces of historic ribbonwork that exemplified the patterns, colors,

and shimmering that are included in Myaamia

ribbonwork.

In addition to the idea of shimmering,

the exhibit explored four other themes: making,

discovery, loss, and family. Through these four

themes, the exhibit looked at how ribbonwork is

produced; what it has meant for us to temporarily lose possession of our artistic cultural heritage; the joy of discovery and reconnecting with

our cultural heritage objects and the techniques

necessary to produce them.

By creating a community-curated exhibit, we wanted to move away from museum exhibits that just bring several historic items and

put them in cases. It was important to have the

historic pieces from archives as we have learned

much from them, but more importantly, we

wanted to tell the story of Myaamia ribbonwork

over time, including today. The exhibit included many pieces of contemporary ribbonwork

and photographs of our community to highlight

that this is an ongoing process of reclamation.

The exhibit was planned to be a highlight during the Myaamiaki Conference at Miami University on April 18th, 2020. However,

the pandemic required the cancellation of the

conference and severely limited opportunities for the community to visit the art museum.

Because of this, the Myaamia Center is working to create a virtual video tour of the exhibit.

When complete, the video will be uploaded to

the Myaamia Center YouTube Channel and that

upload will be announced on the Myaamia Center and Miami Tribe’s social media pages and

websites. The Miami University Art Museum

currently has a very nice blog post about the

exhibit at https://blogs.miamioh.edu/myaamiaribbonwork/.

In addition, we would love for ribbonwork practitioners to share images of their completed or ongoing pieces of ribbonwork with

the community. Please submit photos, with descriptive text and how the artist wishes to be

identified, to Kara Strass at strasskl@miamioh.

edu. We will also be sharing about the exhibit

online with the upload of the virtual tour. Watch

for updates and uploads on the Myaamia Center

Facebook page, and on Tribal social media.

Working as co-curators, the exhibition planning team for the Peepankišaapiikahkia Eehkwaatamenki ‘Myaamia Ribbonwork’ Exhibit at the Miami University Art Museum had a Myaamia

dream job, handling ribbonwork made by Myaamia hands many generations before. The curation team included, left to right, George Ironstrack, Assistant Director of the Myaamia Center,

Kara Strass, Director of Miami Tribe Relations at Miami University, Karen Baldwin, Special

Projects Researcher for the Miami Tribe Cultural Resources Office and Dr. Robert Wicks, Director of the Miami University Art Museum. The exhibit was open until June 13, 2020. Photo

by Scott Kissell, Miami University Communications and Marketing.

mitemhsa ahkolayi ‘woman’s blanket/robe/

shawl.’ Likely made by Oonsaahšinihkwa and

Kiihkinehkiišwa for their mother Mahkoonsihkwa ‘Frances Slocum.’ This could be worn in

a variety of ways: by doubling over the top portion of the material (where the buttons stop)

and draping over the wearer’s shoulders; over

one shoulder and pinned under the armpit; or

wrapped around the waist and folded at the

beltline. The brown ribbons on this shawl were

originally black but have faded. The underlying wool appears as the central line of black

diamonds on the bottom. The silver buttons

forming two different repeating patterns are

not tarnished, but at the time of making would

have glittered in the sunlight. This beautiful

shawl underwent conservation in 2008 and if

you look closely you can see new pre-tarnished

buttons and stitching repair on some ribbons.

Photo by Andrew J. Strack.

ataahsema neehi mahkisina ‘leggings and

moccasins.’ Pictured at left, these were made

by the family of Mihšihkinaahkwa ‘Little Turtle’ and are seen, in the photo above, worn by

his second great-grandson Waapimaankwa

‘Anthony Rivarre’ in the photo. Seated on

the left in this photo is Kiilhsoohkwa, Waapimaankwa’s mother. Kiilhsoohkwa may have

been one of the seamstresses who made these

beautiful works of art. These are a rare surviving example of complementary leggings and

moccasins. They demonstrate how the geometric designs on the moccasin flaps blend with

the designs on the legging flaps and cuffs. It

is not known how these objects left Kiilhsoohkwa’s family, but in 2000 a guest brought them

on the television show Antiques Roadshow.

Shortly after, they were purchased by the Bata

Shoe Museum in Toronto. This exhibit marks

the first time our community has been able to

view these objects in person. Photo by Scott

Kissell, Miami University Communications

and Marketing. Photo at left by Scott Kissell, Miami University Communications and

Marketing. Photo above, courtesy of National

Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian

Institution.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2020

5C

A Made for TV-Style Crime Probe Into the Looting

of Ancestral Remains

By Mary Annette Pember, Indian County Today - Reprinted with permission.

Originally published in Indian Country Today

on Monday, October 28, 2019.

‘If people started looting our pioneer cemeteries, folks would have something to say’

By Mary Annette Pember

indiancountrytoday.com

Officer J.P. Fulton paused suddenly during his

presentation to the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma.

His voice seemed to catch in his throat as he

described finding a criminal’s great stash of

Indigenous remains during the four-year investigation leading up to the State of Ohio’s first

Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act prosecution.

He ran his hand over his face and looked

away, embarrassed over his show of emotion.

Although he often speaks to citizen groups

about his police work, he was unprepared for

the spiritual and emotional epiphany of describing his role in this case before a group of Native

people.

“It was as though my heart was speaking

to their hearts,” Fulton said.

Here, at last, were people who understood the nameless force that drove him, kept

him up at night and wouldn’t quit him until the

ancient ancestral remains were repatriated.

Although his investigation began in

2013 and was prosecuted in 2016, the remains,

considered ancestors by the Miami tribe, were

not placed in the tribe’s hands until the summer

of 2019.

Fulton, special agent for the Norfolk

Southern Railway Police based in Jackson,

Ohio, initiated and conducted the investigation,

pushed for prosecution and waded through another two years of bureaucratic red tape in order

to ensure the ancestors bones were repatriated

to proper tribal authorities. Ohio and Indiana

are the traditional homelands of the Miami tribe

who were relocated to Oklahoma in 1846 during the Indian Removal Act; they are among the

closest federally-recognized tribes to the region.

Fulton conducted the entirety of this

work as a volunteer.

The case gained national recognition

in 2016 when media reported Ohio’s first time

prosecution under the repatriation act. In a 2017

press release, the U.S. Department of Justice

lauded federal investigators for their role in

the case. Although he played a primary part in

the investigation, Fulton’s name was not mentioned.

His mysterious crusade seemed lost to

obscurity.

Over the years, Fulton has remained generous regarding the lack of recognition, mostly

grateful that he has been able to “do something

for the people, [Native people],” in his words.

Earlier this month, however, Miami leaders invited him and his wife, Kristyl to tribal headquarters to share the story of the investigation.

After the presentation, Chief Douglas Lankford

presented Fulton with a medal and a Pendleton

blanket. The medal, according to Lankford, is a

high honor only presented to those who’ve done

special things for the Miami Nation; Fulton is

the 13th person who has received the medal.

“You have served the Miami Nation and the entire Native American community. We show our

respect to you,” Lankford said.

“You are always welcome here,” Lankford said as he embraced Fulton.

“Had it not been for Officer Fulton, this

case never would have gone to court; the remains wouldn’t have been repatriated,” said Julie Olds, Miami Cultural Resources Officer.

“He was put in a place and given the

heart and drive to do this thing; it’s an incredible story,” she said.

“Now, it’s our responsibility to promote

and further this story, ensuring people recognize that sacred places continue to be desecrated; they need our protection,” Olds said.

I first learned about this case and the unknown role played by Fulton in 2016; I wrote

about it in 2017 for the short-lived print magazine published by the Oneida Nation of New

York owned Indian Country Today Media Network, the previous iteration of Indian Country Today. Only available to a handful of print

subscribers, the magazine story seemed to languish. In looking back, I wonder if there were

larger forces at work, waiting for the ancestors

to finish their journey.

Here, at last, is the quixotic story in its

entirety.

If the tiny town of Jackson, Ohio, is

known for anything today, it is for its high unemployment rate and high levels of drug-related

crime. The hills and hollers of this scenic and

remote edge of Appalachia in southeastern Ohio

share the unfortunate economic and social fate

of much of rural America, but barely hidden under its crumbling downtown and surrounding

area is the virtual entirety of human history in

North America, from the end of the Ice Age until today. Evidence of human habitation began

here about 14,000 years ago, when Indigenous

peoples were drawn to this lush land. The rich

archaeological record of the waves of human

change, adaption and decline over that great expanse of time is all here, deposited under the

soil along the river banks and forests of this

prosaic place.

Unfortunately, the precious pieces of the

great spiritual and physical drama that played

out here are largely unprotected by law or local

culture. The remains and artifacts of the ancestors who lived here are viewed in terms of cash

value. Generations of European settlers have

made a hobby and business of digging and pillaging the past, regarding Indigenous remains

as merely part of local fauna, to be consumed at

will.

This story begins with a tough-minded

cop driven, sometimes by a force he can’t explain, to solve a crime hardly considered a crime

in this corner of Appalachia. The other players

in this drama include a few deliciously shady

characters — some feared by their neighbors,

others hapless and almost comical. Officer J.P.

Fulton calls it the most remarkable case of his

law enforcement career, an investigation that

was circuitous and riddled with coincidences

that seemed directed by an unseen hand.

An Unseen Hand

Although six years have passed since

Fulton discovered Mark Beatty

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