2022 Miami Tribe of Oklahoma General Council Meeting - June 25

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Myaamia Publications

Vol. 16, No. 3

Spring 2022

Section A

Noošonke Siipionki Myaamionki

1972 - 2022

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma

& Miami University

Celebrating 50 Years of neepwaantiinki

“Learning from each other.” Article on page 1B

IN THIS EDITION

Section A

Chief’s Report 3A

New First Americans Museum

CREO Relocated 5A

New Campground 6A

New Meat Processing Facility

Art Show 8A

Removal Blog 9A

Section B

50th Anniversary 1B

Commemorating Removal at MU

French Ambassador 3B

Boarding Schools 4B

Artist Highlight 7B

Section C

Myaamia Center 1C

Births 3C

Deaths 4C

Education/Scholarships

Miami Tribe of

Oklahoma Chief

Forest Olds, left,

and Miami University President Phillip Shriver. Photo

taken at Miami

University during

Chief Olds second

visit to campus in

1974.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

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,

Bobbe Burke

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.

50th Anniversary of Relationship

Between the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma

and Miami University Kara Strass Page 1B

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

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MYAAMIA CITIZENS STAY

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www.miamination.com

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AATOTANKIKI MYAAMIAKI-Miami Nation News

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

aacimwita akima: The Chief Reports

Aya, aya ceeki eeweemakiki. I hope this message finds you well and

safe. Here in Noošonke Siipionki Myaamionki, spring has arrived, and

the voices of the thunder and the peepers have returned to bring an end

to storytelling and signaled the return of lacrosse season. While we

are all looking forward to getting our sticks out to play, we are most

excited for the week of community events we have planned as part

of our annual Myaamia National Gathering Week. Events begin on

Tuesday, June 21, and end with our Pow Wow on the evening of June

25. The agenda for the week is included in this edition, and I hope

many of you can travel home to enjoy this important gathering time.

Before I begin this report on our Nation, I want to reflect on our

year of commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the forced removal

of the Miami Nation from our homeland. We have learned so much

from the writings about the removal posted to our community blog

by our Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Diane Hunter, and other

Cultural Resources Office and Myaamia Center contributors. Reading

the posts is a difficult journey back through time. And, as you read,

feelings of sadness, anger, and a deeper understanding of immeasurable

community loss are undeniable. To understand the story of removal is

very important in developing an understanding of our continuation as a

sovereign nation. I encourage all Myaamia citizens to take the time to

read, or listen to, the blog entries. The knowledge waiting for you will

affect you, as it has me, in numerous ways.

As we left commemorating the removal anniversary, we

began a new year of celebration marking the 50th anniversary of our

relationship with Miami University. It was 1972 when Chief Forest

Olds made an unannounced visit to the beautiful campus he had been

reading about in Oxford, OH. That visit, and another in 1974, planted

a seed that has grown into the unique relationship we refer to today as

neepwaantiinki, partners in learning. We will celebrate the anniversary

during the National Gathering Week with a presentation on the history

of the relationship.

By Chief Douglas Lankford, eecipoonkwia

Akima Eecipoonkwia - Chief Douglas Lankford.

Photo by Scott Kissell.

The funding received was calculated on the number of enrolled citizens,

employees, and owned land base. Tribes submitting information to the

Department of Treasury received differing amounts based on certification information submitted. In addition, the Tribes received strict,

narrow guidance on the use of the funds. As reported, the Business

Committee appointed a CARES Act Fund Team (“CAFT”) and retained

the services of an expert consultant to provide recommendations and

guidance for fund expenditures. Tribal Leadership worked closely with

the CAFT to ensure expenses met Department of Treasury CARES Act

The annual meeting is a vital part of our constitutional

Fund requirements to ensure no required repayment of CARES Act

responsibility as the sovereign Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. It was

Funds for non-compliant expenditures.

heartening to see the Citizens who were able to make the trip in 2021.

Among the unique projects made possible by the CARES Act

I so needed those fist bumps, smiles, and hugs. That meeting was

is the installation of tiny houses for the quarantine needs of the local

planned as an outdoor event to provide social distancing safety during

community during the pandemic. The homes are in the camping &

the pandemic. However, due to rising numbers, it had to be held indoors

RV park on the Tribe’s western facilities campus located on East 65

at the Council House. To allow for social distancing, only Tribal

Road in Miami, Oklahoma. The funding also provided much-needed

citizens were allowed into the meeting. Again, we are looking forward

remodeling of the Ethel Miller Moore Cultural Education Center

to our General Council meeting on June 25, 2022, and are confident we

(longhouse) for virtual/distance learning programs in Myaamia history,

will be back to full meeting capacity inside the Council House.

culture, and language. With these projects, another stand-out addition

Growth seems to be a constant for our Nation. We now

is a new meat processing plant located on the Chief David Geboe

number over 6,000 enrolled citizens, manage over 2,100 acres of

allotment in the north-central portion of the Myaamia Reservation in

land and employ over 100 people in Tribal programs and projects.

Oklahoma.

We also employ over 5,000 people in our Tribal businesses operated

Additionally, the Business Committee was concerned about

by Miami Nation Enterprises. It seems we are in constant growth,

Miami citizens financially impacted by COVID-19. Because a general

and our Leadership works hard to address the community, space, and

disbursement was not allowable with CARES Act funds, Leadership

employment challenges that come with growth and expansion.

was able to authorize the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma General Welfare

To address some office space needs, we have relocated several

Ordinance and structure grants for tribal members to apply for

offices from the old headquarters building on the east side of Miami

assistance for needs as a direct result of COVID-19. Through the Public

to our new Tribal headquarters located on P. Street in the Myaamia

Health Emergency Family Assistance Program members impacted

Reservation area. The CCDF Program, Social Services Office, and

by COVID-19 were able to request a grant to offset COVID-related

Tribal Tag Office are now inside Tribal Headquarters. In addition,

expenses.

we have converted the old activity center to the new Mildred Walker

As you will recall, on March 11, 2021, President Biden signed

Cultural Resources Center. This location houses the Cultural Resources

the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which provides for the distriOfficer, Assistant Cultural Resources Officer, Cultural Education

bution of federal fiscal recovery funding to states, tribal governments,

Director, and Section 106 Data Management Clerk. It is also the

metropolitan cities, counties, and local governments. Use of this fundtemporary office location for our Environmental Quality Department.

ing is governed by and must comply with federal guidelines, which are

An existing building will soon be renovated to meet their office and

extensive and require that funds be obligated by 2023 and expended

laboratory needs.

by 2026. Leadership and the Tribe’s ARPA Team have worked hard to

In government and business concerns, the drop in the pandemic

identify the COVID-related needs of the Tribe and its citizens and have

numbers, and challenges from the struggling economy bring positive

initiated to date the following projects or expenditures: Grant funds to

and negative concerns to be addressed. In the months since I supplied

enrolled tribal citizens who submit the appropriate Miami Tribe apa report in our last newspaper, I, along with our elected Tribal leaders,

plication for assistance; Myaamia Center Grant to Mahkihkiwa – Myhave committed significant time to the accounting and accurate applicaaamia Ethnobotanical Database Development Project and the Pilwisi

tion of federal funding received as pandemic relief for the Tribe.

neepewaanki “Learn from Afar” Myaamia Web Portal Project; funding

As we reported in the previous edition, in May and June of 2020,

to augment ICDBG funds for the construction of a Cultural Center/

the Tribe received Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act

Archive; strategic plan funding; Title VI supplement funds; PPP, clean(“CARES Act”) Funds from the Department of Treasury in response to

ing and rapid test supplies; software licenses to enhance working from

the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the Tribe and its members.

Continued on page 4A

Please watch the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Facebook page and website for updates on National Gathering Week events. On Facebook at MYAAMIAKI Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and via website at miamination.com.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

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

home and distance learning; additional staffing positions for education, City Officials have been so supportive. The collaboration between the

social services, and accounting; Indiana property purchase for food

tribes, County, and city to address the McGirt problems is truly unique

sustainability program; a grant to Ottawa County for County jail renonot only to Oklahoma but across Indian Country. To date, there have

vations. This funding is essential as we, and all Tribes, work to recover been several very productive meetings resulting in the Miami Tribe crefrom the pandemic and its far-reaching impacts. Because these funds

ating a grant to provide ARPA revenues to the County for much-needed

must serve the tribes’ needs through 2026, we are closely monitoring

jail renovations.

tribal needs and plans for expenditures.

The Tribes, County, and City are working on getting crossThrough ARPA funding, a new gathering and activity space for

deputization agreements in place and SLEC certification for non-tribal

elders has been constructed as an addition to the existing Myaamia

police to have police authority on Indian lands. In addition, the County

Community Center, which houses the Tribe’s Title VI Elder Food

provides its courthouse facility to tribes to run tribal dockets weekly

Program. The activity room will provide computers for internet acwith a tribal judge on the bench and tribal prosecutors and public decess, arts and crafts supplies, a small library, games, and visiting space fenders in place.

for elders. This new building

We are so proud of our

takes the place of the old activCounty and City counterity center.

parts joining the Tribes to

As an ARPA-funded

solve these very compliproject, the Tribe purchased a

cated jurisdictional is45-acre farm in Allen County,

sues and work together to

IN, for cultural and community

ensure crime is addressed

needs as provided for in the

responsibly and in fairfunding guidelines. The guideness. Further, to ensure

line-approved projects for that

that the City of Miami,

property will address commuOttawa County, and the

nity concerns of the pandemic

Tribes’ reservation lands

through food production, soare safer for all.

cially distanced outdoor health

Related to working

and wellness activities, and

through these jurisdictioncultural education programs

al issues, two producers

transmitted through distance

from California contacted

Akima and President Crawford playing a game of mahkisina.

learning.

the Tribe with interest

Photo by: Karen Baldwin

As you will recall,

in creating an unscripted

I have reported in the past

video about the McGirt

about the United States Supreme Court decision in the landmark case

issues and the law’s impact on Indian Country here in Miami and OtMcGirt v. Oklahoma issued in July 2020. This Supreme Court decision tawa County. The producers will highlight the collaboration of the

holds that reservation lands of the Five Civilized Tribes were never

Tribes, the County, and the City and follow live with cameras as our

disestablished by Congress. Because the reservation was found never

police do their essential work to make Miami and Ottawa County a

to have been dismantled by acts of Congress, jurisdiction to prosecute

safer community. The producers are working with a production commajor crimes by a Native American on the reservation then lies with

pany interested in making this project happen and are reaching out to

the federal government or the Tribe and not the State of Oklahoma,

networks interested in airing a series. This project could initiate as

which has been wrongly prosecuting these cases since 1907. As a result soon as this fall.

of this ruling, state courts across Oklahoma received a flurry of filings

In addition to local concerns impacted by the McGirt ruling,

for post-conviction relief filed by Native defendants who were senthe Tribe is active in important legislation in Washington, D.C. I’ve

tenced by the State for crimes that occurred on tribal reservation lands. participated in online meetings with our congressional representatives

The Miami Tribe’s reservation has been upheld in several cases, which in efforts to see movement with the Tribe’s Illinois land claim bill.

are now pending appeal by the State in the Oklahoma Criminal Court

Also, in legislative work, the Tribe has worked with congressional

of Appeals. Other McGirt-like cases have been referred to the United

representatives to introduce Native American Graves Protection

States Supreme Court on a petition for certiorari to review whether the Reparation Act (NAGPRA) legislation that calls for moving the

state possesses criminal jurisdiction over crimes committed by nonNational NAGPRA office from the National Park Service Department

Indians against Indians within Indian reservations concurrent with the

of Fish and Wildlife to the Department of Interior. Further, the

federal government’s power.

legislation includes higher penalties for NAGPRA violations.

McGirt upholds tribal sovereignty. The McGirt holding brings

Other comments the Tribe is developing pertain to consultation

a potential onslaught of criminal cases for the Miami Tribe District

with the Bureau of Justice Administration. We seek to identify

Court. It opens 80 square miles of Miami Reservation lands for the

funding needs and programs to best support tribal communities with

Miami Nation Police Department to patrol and respond to crimes

comprehensive justice systems planning; tribal justice facilities; court

within its borders. The Tribe takes this expanded jurisdiction very

system enhancements; alcohol and substance abuse programs; civil

seriously to police our reservation lands to ensure the Tribe’s citizens,

and criminal legal assistance; alternatives to incarceration; addressing

and the community remains safe. There is an immediate need for

violent crime in tribal communities and other priorities.

enhanced policing; intergovernmental cooperation among the Tribe’s

Lastly, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

police, other tribal police, the BIA police, City police, and County

(HUD) is in the process of updating its floodplain management and

authorities. In addition, there is a need for additional courthouse space, wetlands protection regulations. Per HUD’s Tribal Consultation Policy,

court staffing – Judges, prosecutors (tribal and federal), defenders,

HUD is reaching out to Tribal leaders to solicit feedback and comments

and especially detention facilities. At this time, the tribes have only

regarding the draft revisions to its floodplain management and wetlands

the Ottawa County jail available to hold criminal defendants and those

protection regulations. We submitted comments on this in October of

sentenced to time served, and the prison is not only overpopulated but

2021.

in dire need of renovation to provide a safe, healthy space for inmates

We have so much going on with so many outstanding

and employees.

contributions to our community. I hope you will make plans to visit the

In early summer, the Miami Tribe initiated meetings with sevTribal Headquarters upon any occasion you may be traveling through

eral area tribes to form a consortium to approach the McGirt issues.

our Oklahoma homeland or coming home for a community event.

The Wyandotte, Eastern Shawnee, Ottawa, Shawnee Tribe and Seneca- In closing, I extend our elected Leadership’s best wishes for health,

Cayuga joined with us to formally sign a Statement of Shared Interests safety, and prosperity now and always.

outlining tribal needs in the wake of McGirt. This document, along

with a briefing, was submitted to the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs nipwaahkaako,

Bryan Newland requesting immediate funding to address these needs.

Akima Eecipoonkwia

The Miami Tribe then requested a meeting with the three Ottawa Coun- Chief Douglas Lankford

ty Commissioners and City Officials to invite them to join the tribes

in their work to solve McGirt issues. The County Commissioners and

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

First Americans Museum Opens in Oklahoma City Megan Mooney

The First Americans Museum had its grand

opening in Oklahoma City, OK on the weekend of Sept. 18 and 19. The museum itself is

a monument to the 39 federally-recognized

tribes that currently reside within Oklahoma.

What makes this museum experience different

than all the others is that this museum has been

developed almost solely by natives.

The façade is an impressive rendering of what a Wichita grass lodge might be

if it were comprised of metal and glass. This

shining building wraps around and seamlessly

melds with a mound formation that circles

around the back of the property.

The mound envelopes a circular area

that will be used in the future for celebrations,

powwows, lacrosse and handball games, and

many other events.

Approaching the main building, a

sculpture called Touch to Above can be seen

which resembles an open-palmed hand to symbolize welcoming and a cross within to indicate the four cardinal directions.

The main stone entrance looms over

its visitors with rocks enough to be equivalent

to the number of indigenous people that were

removed across the Mississippi River.

Inside visitors will find a virtual introduction

table that will espouse information of each

tribe including language and artifacts that can

be found within the museum.

Moving past the introduction table is

a massive recreation of a Caddo pot designed

by Caddo Artist Jeri Redcorn that holds the

‘Origins Theatre’. It will host four different

creation stories including the Caddo, Uchee,

Pawnee, and Otoe origin stories. These were

selected to represent the various types of creation stories including peoples who came from

the earth, from the stars, underground, and

from the water like the Myaamia.

The museum doesn’t seek to simply

separate the tribes into their own areas, but

demonstrate what they all have in common.

Curator Welana Queton said, “It’s all told collectively. I think people come here and think

Cherokee stuff, Caddo stuff—sections, but

we want people to know that it’s a collective

story.”

The main floor will host the Tribal Nations Gallery, a timeline of events from ancient

times to now, a games section, and an area that

commemorates and explains the importance of

native warriors, past and present.

Upstairs is the Winiko: Life of an

Object section that will showcase artifacts on

loan from the Smithsonian Institution and explain their significance not only as a physical

object, but as Queton said, “It’s life cycle, and

also the life we put into it and the life it gives

us, too.”

This area is arranged to flow from

“creation” to “continuum”, or from when the

objects were made to now and how they will

affect us in the future. The museum’s Associate Director for Institutional Advancement,

Leon Natker said, “One of the best things

about the curation of all of this, is that this

museum is not about dead objects. It’s about

living cultures, and where they’re going.”

There will be three Myaamia artifacts

on exhibit: a silk shirt, a hair bow, and an elm

bark basket that had belonged to Kiilhsoohkwa.

Queton hopes native peoples will come

and experience their tribe being celebrated for

what they are and not just as a historical entity,

“We’re living. We’re right here. This is our

story.”

Myaamia woman’s blouse and hair bow on display at the new First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City, OK.

Myaamia Cultural Resources Extension Office Relocated

By Doug Peconge, Community Programming Manager, CREO

In 2019, tribal leaders decided to sell the

ten-acre property on Trentman Rd near Fort

Wayne. They recognized that the Myaamia

community had quickly maximized the use

of that space, and there was a need to expand

with the community’s interest in cultural

knowledge and gathering.

Before selling the property, Chief

Lankford held a meeting with community

members informing them of the intent to sell

the property and reaffirming tribal leadership’s

commitment to tribal citizens in the Lower

Great Lakes region.

On August 25th, 2021, tribal leaders

committed to purchasing 45 acres located just

northwest of Fort Wayne. Second Councilperson Scott Willard traveled to Fort Wayne to

represent the Tribe at the real estate closing.

The seller, Eugene Parker, was presented with

a blanket from the Tribe to thank this elder for

his contributions to the property.

The property was purchased using

ARPA funding and projects and programs for

community wellness and food sustainability

will be made available to the Myaamia community. Second Councilperson Willard commented that when Leadership first looked at

the property, they knew that the Tribe needed

to make it the new home for the Cultural Resources Extension Office.

The nearly quarter-mile driveway adds

a breathtaking view of the trees lining both

sides. The home is a cobblestone facade situated squarely in the middle of the property.

The south portion of the property has 13 acres

of woods with trails throughout and a beautiful 5-acre pond stocked with bluegill, bass, and

catfish. There are a variety of plants and trees

on the property including milkweed, ironweed, hickory, oak, black walnut, and silver

maples. The wildlife on the property includes

deer and wild turkeys.

Second Councilperson, Scott Willard, and the

former property owner at the sale.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

Longhouse Remodel Staff Article

The Ethel Miller Moore Cultural Education Center (EMMCEC) has

undergone a complete remodel to provide for improved facilities for

distance learning and cultural arts education.

The Cultural Education Center was constructed in 1978 and was

the first tribally-owned building since the Myaamia removal to Indian

Territory over a century earlier. It was originally used as a community

meeting center, or longhouse, but has since been used as a meeting

place for educational classes and family gatherings.

The interior of the structure will boast a new kitchen to allow

for in-house cooking classes that can be streamed and recorded for our

community members living in diaspora. The electrical has been improved to provide greater accessibility to appliances and tools during

workshops and the lighting as well to assist in paying closer attention to

detail on projects.

The bathrooms have been expanded and updated to follow ADA

guidelines. New lighting and electric access improve the facilities use

for cultural education classes. Cultural Education Director Joshua Sutterfield hopes the updates will “create a feeling of belonging and pride

for one of the Tribe’s oldest cultural centers” as well as “a safe space

for learning and perpetuating our language and culture”.

The EMMCEC will also be home to the grant-funded Makerspace cultural arts project beginning in the early summer of 2022. (See

the article on page 7A.)

Four Wings Camp Ground

Construction Complete Staff Article

The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma has officially opened the new Four

Wings Camp Ground located adjacent to the Tribe’s Pow Wow Grounds

on 65 Road in Miami, OK.

The Camp Ground offers 10 sleeping cabins featuring heat/air,

full bath, kitchenette and full sized bed. The 10 paved RV spots include

electric, water and sewer.

Tribal citizens stay free during annual Tribal gathering events

and there is a “first come - first served” booking policy. A rental

charge will be in place for camping outside of annual gatherings. Contact Tera Hatley, Member Services Manager, with questions.

Interior renovation is complete at the Ethel Miller Moore Cultural

Education Center/Longhouse. The renovated space will continue to

be used for cultural gatherings and will be home to the Tribe’s new

‘Makerspace’ cultural arts project . Staff photo.

Multi-purpose Room Addition

to Leonard Learning Center

Megan Mooney

A new multipurpose room has been added to the Miami Tribe’s

Leonard Learning Center (LLC) in Miami, OK. Construction of the

6,000-square-foot project was complete in the fall of 2021.

The LLC provides daycare to over 90 community childen.

“We’ve outgrown our center,” said Tracy Beckwith, Childcare Services

Manager, “The space just was no longer conducive to the kids’ activities.”

With the multi-purpose room, the facility has new classrooms,

offices, and a large indoor activity space that can be used for a variety

of activities. The bathrooms have been enclosed with a protective layer

to make them storm safe.

“This addition provides classrooms for the school-age children.

It provides an indoor space for them to run, to play if the weather is bad

outside. Not only can they use it, but when they’re at school the other

age groups can come over and utilize it as well,” said Beckwith.

The new room will is accessible only through the main center by gates

that connect the two buildings. The project itself will is surrounded by

fencing, so though it is a new facility it will still be a part of the main

campus.

The project is was undertaken with funds applied for in 2019 under the Childcare Development Fund so no change to their regular rates

is required and as all costs are covered by the fund.

The LLC is currently at capacity, but they do have a waiting list

for any parents hoping to sign up for daycare. They can accommodate

One of the 10 cabins in Four Wings Camp Ground located adjacent to

children from ages 6 weeks to 13 years.

the Miami Tribe’s Pow Wow Grounds on 65 Road in Miami, OK.

Four Wings Camp Ground is now complete and available to Tribal citizens.

COMING SOON - The Miami Tribe is set to expand the Myaamia Wellness

Center in Miami, OK. The expansion will begin in the fall of 2022. Joining the

existing therapy/exercise pool, the new space is designed to provide exercise

equipment, self-guided exercise, trainer guided workouts, and healthy eating

and nutrition education.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

Miami Meat Processing Plant Under Construction Megan Mooney

A new meat processing plant is currently under

construction on East 30 Road near the Tribal

Cemetery. The project will be completed with

CARES Act funding in late summer 2022.

The project was conceived when local

farmers and tribal members in Ottawa County

began experiencing increasing wait times for

meat processing at all local facilities. The

problem became so rampant, unborn calves

were being signed up several years in advance

merely to ensure a slot.

“Not only would the Tribe be faced

with longer wait times,” said Natural Resource

Officer and Second Chief Dustin Olds, “but,

our people wouldn’t have a way to get their

animals processed in a timely manner.” He said

the situation is a matter of basic food security;

families who produce their own meat animals

would have fewer opportunities to put food

on their own tables, and farmers who direct

market would be short of products to sell.

He did note, due to the pandemic large

concentrated packing facilities had problems

keeping supply at normal levels, more consumers are looking to buy local and support smaller local farmers.

Olds hopes to provide a processing

service that will be useful to tribal members

in the region and see to their processing needs

without any incredulous wait periods. “We just

want to protect our little corner of the world,”

he said.

A key feature of the operation is a

portable slaughter unit that can be towed to a

tribal member’s property within a yet-to-bedetermined radius from Miami to provide an

easy option for processing and a less stressful

option for the animal, which Olds noted will

lead to higher quality meats. Carcasses will

be halved and chilled in the trailer and taken

into the processing building for aging, cut-up,

packaging, and freezing.

There will be a smoker in the facility

to make value-added products possible such

as summer sausage, beef sticks, bratwurst,

ham, bacon, and many other fine products.

The facility will have the capability to process

beef, swine, lamb, goat, and venison.

In the future, Olds would like to use

these resources to provide high quality meats

and meat products to tribal households across

the country at prices competitive with or lower

The new facility under construction.

than the supermarkets.

Once the facility is up and running next

year, tribal members will be able to call the

facility to set up an appointment. Because the

facility was funded by the CARES Act, the

purpose is to mitigate the negative impacts of

the coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, we are

solving the problem of inadequate supply of

meat processing capabilities in the local community. The goal is for our Tribal community

to have confidence that their finished animals

will be processed when they need processed,

and for our community to have the highest

degree of food security that we can provide.

Miami Tribe Cultural Resources Offices Relocated

Julie Olds, Cultural Resources Officer

The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Cultural

Resources Office team has moved to new

offices inside the old Activity Center on 65

Road. The building provides office space

for the Cultural Resources Officer, Assistant

Cultural Resources Officer, Cultural Education

Director, Section 106 Data Management Clerk,

and the Environmental Quality Department

employees.

The new location, named the Mildred

Walker Cultural Resources Center, honors the

memory and cultural contributions of esteemed

elder Mildred Watson Walker. Mildred, who

passed on in 2012, contributed significant

Myaamia knowledge, the wisdom of age, and

a great love for the Miami Tribe to the revitalization work of the Cultural Resources Office.

She was an active participant in the language

revitalization work, and her knowledge of

The Mildred Walker Cultural Resource Center.

Myaamia plants and foods deepened cultural

understanding in immeasurable ways. Her

influence can be seen and felt to this day and

will, without doubt, live on within the Myaamia community.

The Miami Tribe held an open house for

the new Center during the 2022 Myaamia Winter Gathering. A second open house will be

held on Friday, June 24 and Sat. June 25, 2022

during the Myaamia National Gathering Week

events.

Construction UnderMeghan Dorey, MHMA Manager

way on New Myaamia

The Miami Nation was recently awarded a

new technology to the community and explore

National Archives

grant from the Institute of Museum and Library new ways of representing myaamia culture.

Miami Tribe Receives “Makerspace Grant”

Services to create a ‘Cultural Makerspace.’

A makerspace is a place where community

members can gather to create, share, and learn

about different creative technologies and

techniques.

The cultural makerspace is housed

inside the newly renovated Ethel Miller Moore

Cultural Education Center (Longhouse.) The

grant provides funding for equipment and

the hire of the new Makerspace Coordinator.

Madalyn Richardson was hired to the position

in early 2022 and brings her degree in art, with

tremendous energy and enthusiasm to this new

effort.

Meghan Dorey, Manager at the

Myaamia Heritage Museum & Archive,

wrote the grant proposal after recognizing

the need for continued support of workshop

participants, where a community member

might learn a new skill, but then not have the

resources to continue honing that skill. It also

gives the Nation the opportunity to introduce

The cultural Makerspace focuses on

interpersonal learning, where tribal members

can help each other maintain and improve

skills in any of the arts they are interested in.

The new space will have a reference library,

supplies for heritage arts like beadwork,

ribbonwork, and weaving, space for painting

and drawing, a teaching kitchen, a kiln, and

woodworking tools. There will also be a

3d printer, laser engraver, vinyl cutter, and

telescope.

Even the smallest makers will have

something for them at the Makerspace:

building blocks, model sets, puzzles, crayons,

and markers will be available. Once the

space is completed, the Cultural Resources

Office will begin holding regular events

and arts workshops for the community. It is

a space where everyone, regardless of age,

will be welcome to learn, practice, and share

knowledge with others.

Staff Article

Construction is underway on a new 2,400

square foot cultural heritage facility that will

serve as the Myaamia National Archives.

The project is funded by a Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG)

and is projected to be complete in late November 2022.

The building will provide storm-proof,

archival storage for the Nation’s governmental

and cultural heritage documents and objects.

Workers level the slab as construction begins

on the new Myaamia National Archives

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

2021 Annual General Council Meeting Held

The annual meeting of the Miami Tribe of

Oklahoma General Council was held on Saturday, June 26, in the Nation’s Council House in

the Miami Reservation in Miami, OK. Originally planned to be held outdoors, the meeting

was moved indoors due to inclement weather.

In addition, due to the pandemic, only Tribal

citizens were allowed to attend to provide

ample space for social distancing.

Before the meeting began, the following individuals were honored: Marvin Dow, of

Georgia, received the Elder’s 75 Year blanket;

Nellie Brandt, of Kansas, received a gift for

being the eldest female in attendance; James

Battese, of Oklahoma, received a gift for being

the eldest male in attendance; Isabella May

Downs, four-month-old daughter of Gary and

Carrie Downs of Oklahoma, received a blanket for being the youngest baby in attendance.

Secretary-Treasurer Donya Williams and First

Councilperson Tera Hatley also gifted all Veterans in attendance.

Chief Douglas Lankford offered an

Staff Article

invocation and, following special presentations

for elders and veterans, called the meeting to

order at 8 a.m., with 107 voting-age citizens

counted in attendance.

The first order of business on the agenda was the annual State of the Nation address

given by Chief Lankford. Secretary-Treasurer

Donya Williams followed with the financial

report. Next, Miami Nation Enterprises CEO

Peter Murphy delivered financial and business

development information for the Tribe’s businesses.

Elections were conducted according

to the Tribal constitution, with nominations

made from the floor. There were two positions

up for the Tribal Business Committee. Dustin

Olds was re-elected to a three-year term as

Second Chief, and Tera Hatley was re-elected

to a three-year term as First Councilperson.

Elections for seats on the Tribal Grievance

Committee followed. Chuck North was reelected to a three-year term, while Kolby

Lankford was elected to a three-year term.

Tribal citizen Morgan Brown, with her husband Stephen and daughters at the 2021 General Council Meeting. Photo Credit: Karen

Baldwin

The elected Leadership of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. Pictured from left to right: Tera

Hatley, First Councilperson; Donya Williams, Secretary-Treasurer; Douglas Lankford, Chief;

Dustin Olds, Second Chief; Scott Willard, Second Councilperson. Photo by Karen Baldwin.

New Elder Activity Center Added to

Myaamia Community Center Staff Article

A new addition to the Title VI building is now

complete. The space is the new Elder Activity

Center.

Earlier this year, the previous Elder

Activity Center was converted to a series of

offices for the Cultural Resource Office and

the Department of Environmental Quality. This

was all done in line with the tribe’s vision to

unify their offices onto two central campuses

by Tribal Headquarters and the Council House.

The new space will boast an additional

1400 square feet in space and have a capacity

of approximately 40-50 people. It will have

an arts and crafts area as well as room for

materials that were used at the previous

Elder Activity Center such as a small library,

exercises equipment, and computer access.

The space will be attached directly

to the current Title VI building on the East

side and will be accessible through the dining

area. As large communal events like Winter

Gathering have grown bigger each year, the

space will also be ideal for hosting additional

guests of these events for meals in between

activities.

The exterior work is complete, and the interior is near completion (see photo below), for the new

Elder Activity Center wing of the Miami Tribe’s Myaamia Community Center & Title VI Dining

Hall. Staff photo.

Chief Douglas Lankford administers the oath

of office to elected officials. L to R; Second

Chief Dustin Olds, First Councilperson Tera

Hatley, and Grievance Committee members

Chuck North and Kolby Lankford. Photo

Credit: Karen Baldwin

Tribal citizen Marvin Dow was the only citizen in attendance at the 2021 General Council

meeting to receive the Elder Blanket gifted to

citizens aged 75 and older. Marvin is pictured

with Secretary-Treasurer Donya Williams

(left) and First Councilperson Tera Hatley.

Photo Credit: Karen Baldwin

The 2022 meeting of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma General Council will be held at 9 a.m. on

Saturday, June 25th, in the Nation’s Council House in Miami, OK.

8A Myaamiaki, Vol.Aatotankiki

Aatotankiki

16, No. 3, 2022

Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2021

Nally, Dorey Win Honors at Eugene Brown Art Show

Megan Mooney

The Myaamia Heritage Museum & Archive

is proud to announce the winners of the 2021

Eugene Brown Memorial Art Show. This year

there were seventy-five entries from eleven

artists in the youth division and twenty-three

artists in the adult division. Artists competed

in eight categories.

The theme for this year’s show was

“Meehkweelintamankwi Aanchsahaaciki:

Remembering Our Forced Removal.” In

line with the year-long commemoration

of the 175th anniversary of the Miami

Forced Removal from the homelands, artists

were encouraged to submit artwork that

reflected their interpretation of an aspect of

removal. Seventeen pieces were submitted

for consideration, and the theme award went

to Josiah Dorey for his mixed media entry

“Taanaaha Kiilhswa.” The piece incorporates

two photographs of the full moon, taken on

the same night, from Oklahoma and Indiana.

Josiah then wove the photographs together,

representing the permanent connection

between the two places and the Myaamiaki

who live there.

This year’s Best In Show went to Jared

Nally for his twined panel bag. The judges

appreciated the precision and skill shown

in Jared’s work in revitalizing this art form.

Jared is awarded with a handmade award

ribbon including a silver brooch, and a prize

check of $500. Newly added for this show,

the judges also awarded a Best In Show for the

youth division. The judges chose ‘mihtekia

ahkihkwa’—a handmade, painted hand drum

by Josiah Dorey. Josiah is eight years old

and the son of tribal member Matthew Dorey,

and proud member of the Geboe Family. In

addition to a special award ribbon, Josiah will

receive $100 in prize money.

After the show opened, visitors were

given the opportunity to vote for their favorite

entries, in person or on Facebook. The winner

of the People’s Choice Award goes to Gracie

Williams for her pencil drawing of a cottontail

rabbit. Though the show closed September

25, we recognize that many were not able to

visit in person. The photographs of each entry

are still available to view at the Myaamia

Heritage Museum & Archive Facebook page.

Additionally, Jonathan Fox from the Myaamia

Center assisted in putting together a video

walkthrough, which is available on the new

Eemamwiciki YouTube channel.

Congratulations to all the artists! Your

hard work brought color and joy in celebrating

myaamia culture back to the MHMA after

being closed for a year due to the COVID19

pandemic. We look forward to bringing you

the next Eugene Brown Memorial Art Show

during the summer of 2023!

Winners in the Youth Division

Category 1: Painting & Drawing

Josiah Dorey; 3 States: Same Land

Gracie Williams; Waapanswa:

cottontail rabbit

Avery Scott; Turtle at Sunset

Category 2: Photography & Digital Graphics

Jensen Dorey; šinkwaahkwa

Jensen Dorey; neehpiki-pihcita

eempahwici

Jamison Williams; Still Playing

Category 3: Mixed Media & Diversiﬁed Art

Josiah Dorey; taanaaha kiilhswa

Reagan Estes; RibbonWork

Nally, pictured above, with his twined panel bag at the Myaamia Heritage Museum

Gracie Williams; Cultural Wall Decor

Category 5: Jewelry & Accessories

Josephine Cirullo; nipi keekiihtanki

Aaliyah Ramsey; turtle necklace

Category 6: Traditional Cultural Items

Josiah Dorey; mihtekia ahkihkwa

Jamison Williams; woven mahkisini

meehkintiinki

Jensen Dorey; šimaakani

Category 7: Sculpture

Avery Scott; Box Turtle

Category 8: Performance & Creative Writing

Dylan Estes; American Dream

Winners in the Adult Division

Category 1: Painting & Drawing

Katrina Mitten; kiteehinaana kiliyana

(Our Hearts Bleed)

Donya Williams; Removal Now and

Then

Denise Estes; Flora

Category 2: Photography & Graphics

Doug Peconge; Places of my Father

Kayla Becker; Maamiikaahkia Joins

The Tribe

Rachel Cirullo; meeneehwiki

Category 3: Mixed Media & Diversiﬁed Arts

Tonya Young; Symbols of the People

Sister Edwina Pope; Miami Mat

Category 4: Textiles & Regalia

Jared Nally; Panel bag

Jared Nally; Fingerwoven diamond

sash

Patty Morgan; Miami T-shirt quilt

Category 5: Jewelry & Accessories

Katrina Mitten; aamawia

Scott Shoemaker; beaded cuffs

Katrina Mitten; Pandemics

Category 6: Traditional Cultural Items

Jean Richardville; bark basket

Rebecca Walker; basket adorned with

deer antler

Jean Richardville; hand woven basket

Category 7: Sculpture

Dani Tippmann; from 1846 to present

Donya Williams; cecaahkwa

Category 8: Performance & Creative Writing

Jonathan Fox; pakitahantaawi

Diane Hunter; Motherhood in a Time

of Removal

Miranda Peconge; When Language

Can’t Speak

Susan Fox; Mind Your Mother

Josiah Dorey won the Theme Award for his piece “Tanaaha Kiilhswa” and Best In Show for

the Youth Division for his hand-painted drum (shown above).

About the Tribal Medical Benefit Card

Elders, Disabled Tribal Citizens, Veterans and Active Duty Military tribal

members are eligible to receive a Tribal Medical Benefit Debit Card. To

apply simply submit enrollment information and documentation validating

eligibility status. New applicants contact Tera Hatley, Member Services

Manager, with questions or for assistance. Current card holders also

contact Tera Hatley for updates to your status or enrollment records.

thatley@miamination.com

Ph: 918-541-1324

10A

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

Ciinkwia Minohsaya Symposium Held at Miami University

Megan Mooney

The Myaamia Center recently held a three-day

symposium to discuss the ciinkwia minohsaya

‘Painted Thunderbird Robe’.

The ciinkwia minohsaya is a deer hide

Miami-Illinois piece that dates to around the

1680-1750 period. It is currently held at the

Musée du Quai Branly in Paris, France.

The symposium was the culmination

of a year-long discussion via Zoom that began

with George Ironstrack, Assistant Director of

the Myaamia Center; Cam Shriver, Myaamia

Research Associate; and David Costa, Director

of the Myaamia Center’s Language Research

Office, wanted to review the work of Associate

Professor of History at University of Illinois,

Bob Morrisey.

Morrisey has been researching early

settlement contact between the French and

Inohka, natives of present-day Illinois.

Over time the group added Myaamia

citizen and Curator of the Eiteljorg Museum,

Scott Shoemaker; as well as Peoria citizen and

Assistant Professor of History at New York

University, Liz Ellis.

The group met on Miami’s campus

in mid-August and when they were not in

meetings discussing the robe they were

exploring around Miami’s campus analyzing

its connection to Myaamionki, traditional

Myaamia homelands.

Ironstrack said, “We wanted to make

it a symposium, but not a conference. In

my writing, I’m talking about the context

of stories. Stories are connected to places,

so grounding our discussions in place was

something I really wanted us to do.”

The symposium was funded through

a seed grant from the University of Illinois’

Humanities Without Walls consortium.

The symposium’s attendees have

published posts that can be viewed on the

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma’s community blog at

https://aacimotaatiiyankwi.org.

It is not clear yet whether the group

Diane Hunter Completes Blog Series

on Myaamia Removal

Julie Olds, CRO

As Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for

the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, Diane Hunter

spends her days absorbed in Myaamia history,

state and federal historic preservation laws,

and historic site preservation. It is a work

described in many terms. Clichés quickly come

to mind. “Rewarding, challenging, significant.”

All true. However, for the past year, Diane has

been immersed in a particular history project

that gave emergence to descriptions we often

suppress in our cultural revitalization work.

“Difficult, sobering, heartbreaking.”

The year 2021 marked the 175th anniversary of the brutal, forced removal of the

Miami Nation to foreign lands westward beyond the Mississippi River. To commemorate

this anniversary, Diane was assigned the complex, time-consuming, and often heart-wrenching task of writing a series of blog posts for

the aacimotaatiiyankwi.org community blog.

From her first blog entry on February

5, 2021, to her final post on January 7, 2022,

Diane took Myaamia readers on a history tour

carrying us through the events in the years

leading to our forced removal, guided us in the

removal journey with our ancestors, and took

us through our second removal to Indian Territory. The series includes a total of 39 posts.

Diane was quick to answer when asked

about the emotional effects of researching

and writing the series. “Every time I sat down

to write, especially as I got closer to writing

about October (the removal month), I hesitated

a moment and prepared myself to go forward

with this task that was so painful. And yet I am

so grateful and honored to be able to share our

ancestors’ stories. I hope I have not misjudged

them, not misrepresented them, have in some

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Historic Preservation Officer, Diane Hunter.

way understood who they were and why they

did what they did.”

Myaamia citizens are encouraged to

visit the blog and, beginning with her entry

on February 5, 2021, read the series. There is

much waiting for you in her writings, and I

encourage you to be prepared for a myriad of

emotions to emerge as you take the journey.

Anger, disappointment, confusion, fear, questioning, and grief are almost unavoidable. So

also are the tears that may flow. Keep reading,

though. A proper understanding of this history

requires a commitment to read to the final entry so that you may lift your head and see how

far we have come together.

Ciinkwia Minohsaya robe above. Robe peinte

from Musée du quai Branly N˚ inventaire:

71.1878.32.134.

will meet again to discuss the object or perhaps

others of critical importance to the tribe, but

they do intend to continue their discussion

virtually about other objects of cultural

importance as well which Ironstrack hopes

to make, “very accessible to our Myaamia

community.”

Seenseewinki at

the Pinšiwa Awiiki

Diane Hunter, THPO

The Pinšiwi Awiiki ‘Chief Richardville House,’

home of Myaamia Chief JB Richardville, is a

National Historic Landmark, located in what is

now Fort Wayne, Indiana. The house, currently

owned by the Fort Wayne History Center, is

open to the public on the first Saturday of the

months of May through November. Visitors

can take a guided tour of the house and

observe or participate in a different activity

each month.

On Saturday, August 7, 2021, Miami

citizen Dani Tippmann was one of the

tour guides. From the back porch of the

house, Diane Hunter, Miami Tribal Historic

Preservation Officer, taught visitors to play

seenseewinki ‘the bowl game,’ also known

as the ‘plum stone game.’ The family in this

photo quickly learned how to play and how

to score and had a lot of fun playing this

traditional Myaamia game.

Photo courtesy of the Allen County-Fort

Wayne Historical Society.

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma community members are encouraged to

submit family news to this publication.

Submit News to: jolds@miamination.com

Photos should be supplied as tif, jpg, pdf or psd files

measuring at least 3” in width x 3” in height at a resolution of 300 dpi.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

11A

MHMA

Installs Exhibit

Celebrating

Neepwaantiinki

Julie Olds, CRO

The Myaamia Heritage Museum & Archive

recently installed a special exhibit inside the

Mildred Walker Cultural Resources Center

in Miami, OK. Titled “Keelonteehameekwi:

Tending the Fire,” the display celebrates the

50th anniversary of the relationship between

the Miami Tribe and Miami University.

Included are objects such as the sash gifted

to Chief Lankford by the Dali Lama during a

visit to campus in 2010 and handmade gifts

from students following visits to Miami, OK.

The display also features Miami University

alumni and the role athletics has played in the

relationship over the years.

But the most eye-catching and deeply

moving part of the exhibit is the display of

330 hand-cut strips of fabric hanging from

the ceiling. The fabric strips, representing silk

ribbons, were originally made by the Myaamia

Center to hang from trees on the campus of

Miami University as part of a commemoration

of the 175th anniversary of the Removal of

the Miami Tribe from its homelands in 1846.

Following the event on October 11, 2021, the

strips were retrieved and sent to the Nation.

In the exhibit, the ribbons hang from

a wire bent to represent the shape of the

waterways used to send the Miami Tribe away

from its homeland. From the beginning of the

removal route in Peru, IN, all the way to the

final settlement in Miami, OK, the ribbons

hang in undulating colors chosen to represent

the men (black), women (red), male youth

(blue calico) and female youth (red calico)

who were forced to make that journey in 1846.

The exhibit will remain on display until

February 2023 and will be open for viewing

throughout the National Gathering Week

events in June 2022.

MHMA Manager Meghan Dorey designed, and helped to install, the unique “removal mobile”

representing the waterways followed on the Miami’s forced journey west.

Exhibit celebrating the 50th anniversary of

the Miami Tribe’s relationship with Miami

University.

New Miami - Illinois Language

Publication by Dr. David Costa

Dr. David Costa has been studying the MiamiIllinois language since 1988, and began extensive work with the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma

language revitalization effort following his

dissertation in linguistics at U.C. Berkeley in

1994. As Program Director for the Language

Research Office at the Myaamia Center at Miami University, he is respected internationally

and especially within the Myaamia community

of language users where he is respected for his

role in the revitalization of Myaamiaataweenki.

With his 1994 dissertation, “The

Miami-Illinois Language”, David has authored

over thirty publications on the language.

These writings include papers submitted to

the Algonquian Conference, the International

Journal of American Linguistics, the Society

for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of

the Americas Newsletter, and Anthropological

Linguistics.

Significant contributions to the Myaamia community include his work contributing to the 2005 publication “Myaamia Neehi

Peewaalia Kaloosioni Mahsinaakani: a MiamiPeoria Dictionary”, and the 2010 publication

“Myaamia neehi peewaalia aacimoona neehi

Ribbons in the trees - a special event. See

page 2B. Photo by Scott Kissell - used with

permission.

Julie Olds, CRO

aalhsoohkaana: Myaamia and Peoria Narratives and Winter Stories.”

David’s most recent publication, “As

Long as the Earth Endures,” (University of

Nebraska Press) is an annotated collection

of almost all of the known texts in MiamiIllinois. The texts were gathered from

language speakers from the late 1800’s into

the early twentieth century, and include culture

hero stories, trickster tales, and animal stories

as well as personal and historical narratives.

The texts were collected from seven language

speakers: George Finley, Frank Beaver,

William Peconga, Sarah Wadsworth, Thomas

Richardville, Gabriel Godfroy and Elizabeth

Valley.

Quoting the University of Nebraska

Press, “Representing thirty years of study, almost

all of the stories are published here for the first

time. The texts are presented with their original

transcriptions along with full, corrected modern

transcriptions, translations, and grammatical

analyses. Included with the texts are extensive

annotation on all aspects of their meaning,

pronunciation, and interpretation; a lengthy

glossary explaining and analyzing in detail every

word; and an introduction placing the texts

“As Long as the Earth Endures” is the latest

book on the Myaamia language by linguist

Dr. David Costa.

in their philological, historical, linguistic, and

folkloric context, with a discussion of how the

stories compare to similar texts from neighboring

Great Lakes Algonquian tribes.”

The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma extends

sincere appreciation, gratitude and respect to

David for this tremendous contribution to our

resources for our ongoing language and culture

revitalization effort.

For Tribal citizens interested in this

volume, the Miami Nation Gift Shop will soon

have copies available for order.

12A

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

Eemamwiciki Coloring Book Project

Joshua Sutterfield

The Eemamwicki Coloring Book project is

one of many new projects developed to reach

our community due to the lack of personal

interaction during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our

first series of coloring books will specifically

focus on tribal youth up to 12 years old. These

books will provide a fun new way of learning

about and participating in Myaamia culture.

endless potential. As a pilot book this publication (1000 -1500 copies) has been disseminated as hard copies to select families that have

participated in other programs. A digital format

will be available for other tribal members and

interested parties at the aacimotaatiiyankwi

blog, just search for ‘coloring book’.

A multi-person team made up of members from the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma’s

The Eemamwicki Coloring Book project will continue these efforts by providing a

Cultural Resources Office, with the Cultural

new fun way to incorporate Myaamia culture

Education Director serving as the project

into the everyday lives of our community. The

manager. The team also consisted of staff from

format of coloring books will allow us to focus the Myaamia Center at Miami University, one

on different themes that can reach different age tribal member art major (Miami University)

groups, from children to adults, in a way that is and an artist from Polyrhythm Studio.

familiar to many. This first book, designed for

ages 4-8, is the beginning of a series that has

New Employees Join Cultural Resources

Staff Julie Olds, CRO

The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Cultural Resources Office (CRO) announces the addition

of two new employees. The hires bring much

needed support to the work of the Myaamia

Heritage Museum & Archive.

Morgan Lippert, a transplant from

Wisconsin to Oklahoma, serves a dual position

as the Curator of Exhibitions for the Myaamia

Heritage Museum & Archive, and serves the

CRO as NAGPRA Historian and Records

Coordinator. She began work with the Tribe as

a summer intern working on a NAGPRA Grant

project, and later applied to the new full-time

position when the job was posted in late 2021.

She comes to her work in the CRO

following her graduation in 2021 with a

degree in history and museum studies from

Beloit College, which is located in her home

state of Wisconsin. At Beloit, her focus was

Native American history, specifically that

of Indian boarding schools. As a student

scholar at the Newberry Library in Chicago,

she spent a semester researching Native

language preservation at the Santee Normal

Training School (1870-1936) while interning

at the library’s D’Arcy McNickle Center for

American Indian and Indigenous Studies. Prior

to working for MTO, Morgan worked as a

collections assistant for the Logan Museum of

Anthropology, a curator for the Sauk County

Historical Society, and as the NAGPRA

Assistant for the Milwaukee Public Museum.

Madalyn Richardson joined the CRO

Team in early 2022 as Coordinator of the new

“Makerspace” project funded by the Institute

of Museum & Library Services. As the Makerspace Coordinator Madalyn is responsible

for the space coordinating “maker activities”

revolving around themes in culture, art, science, technology, engineering, math, and more.

The “maker movement” is a concept rooted in

creativity and education.

Madalyn graduated from Missouri

Southern State University (MSSU) in Joplin,

MO with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree

in Design in the Spring of 2021. She also

received a minor in art history and Certificate

in Spanish. Madalyn has also illustrated,

designed, and self-published her own version

of the children’s book The Tortoise and the

Hare and has had other design and illustration

work published in two other books and a

student magazine, Blixt. Passionate for the

arts, organization, and education, Madalyn

is excited to be a part of developing the

Myaamia Makerspace program and becoming

more involved in cultural education and the

Myaamia community.

The first page of the Eemamwiciki Coloring

Book.

Jarrid Baldwin

Returns to Miami

University Megan Mooney

Jarrid Baldwin working on language

development.

Ciinkwia neehi Jarrid Baldwin returned to

working at Miami University last year after

receiving his Master’s Degree in Second

Language Studies at the University of Hawaii

at Mānoa.

Starting in July of 2021 he began his

tenure at Miami University serving as the Myaamia Language Coordinator for the College

of Education and Health Sciences.

His main priority in this position will

be supporting language acquisition in the

community. He is currently working on a

Myaamia language teacher program to help

accomplish that goal.

Madalyn Richardson (left) and Morgan

Lippert are recent additions to the

knowledgeable team in the Miami Tribe’s

Cultural Resources Office. Staff photo.

DOWNLOAD THE EVENTS AGENDA

FOR THE UPCOMING

MYAAMIA NATIONAL GATHERING WEEK

WWW.MIAMINATION.COM

The Myaamia Center is also hard at

work developing new online-based tools that

can be used to educate myaamia people in

diaspora, or just those looking to grow their

knowledge. Currently they have opportunities

under the ‘Education’ tab. Ciinkwia hopes

to create an asynchronous, online language

course that will be made available to members

of the community in this education portal

within the next couple years.

Until then he will be working on the

language teacher program and developing

curriculum for when he is head teacher of

the Tribe class at Miami University next year

when the theme of the year’s learning will be

language.

Myaamia Publications - Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022 - Section B - Noošonke Siipionki Myaamionki

Miami Tribe & Miami University Celebrate 50 Year

Relationship

Kara Strass, Director, Miami Tribe Relations, Myaamia Center, Miami University

This year, the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma

and Miami University are celebrating the

50th anniversary of their relationship. This

relationship began in 1972 when Chief Forest

Olds visited Miami University, but since that

time has grown into the reciprocal relationship

we know today. The year-long anniversary

celebration is taking place both in Miami,

Oklahoma, and Oxford, Ohio, and celebrates

how far the relationship has evolved over the

past five decades and reflects on the many

milestones that have been reached together.

Last year, 2021, was the 30th anniversary of the Myaamia Heritage Award, and this

year we graduated our 106th Myaamia students

from Miami University. Myaamia students

who attend Miami are an important part of

this relationship and serve as our best ambassadors for teaching about the Miami Tribe.

The Myaamia Heritage Program is also a great

example of how we tend the fire of this relationship. Miami University provides financial

support for our students to attend Miami, and

the Tribe, primarily through the Myaamia Center, creates a Myaamia community that allows

students to learn about Myaamia history, language, and culture. Additionally, many of the

alumni of the Myaamia Heritage program continue to give back to the Myaamia community

as educators in our summer youth programs,

as cultural practitioners, or simply as engaged

citizens of the Nation.

2021 was also the 20th anniversary of

the Myaamia Center. What started as the My-

aamia Project in 2001 with a single employee

has grown into the Myaamia Center, which

today has 18 full and part-time employees. By

working together with the Cultural Resource

Office, the Myaamia Center provides research

and educational development that is needed by

the Tribe.

Throughout the rest of this year, there

will be a variety of events, programs, and

presentations to celebrate the 50th anniversary. Many of these events will be open to the

public and all Myaamia community members

are welcome to attend. We will continue to

advertise these events on the Myaamia Center

website and social medi. The main event that

will be taking place this fall is the Celebrating

Miami: Tribe and University Week, November

7-13, 2022. During this week, there will be a

variety of activities every day, including academic presentations, student events, exhibits,

athletics events, and more.

We planned to kick off the 50th-anniversary celebrations at the Tribe’s Winter

Gathering in January, however we were not

able to do this due to the pandemic. Now, we

plan for the 2023 Winter Gathering to be the

close-out event for the celebration. Faculty,

staff, and students from Miami University

come to this event each year, but 2023 will

be especially exciting because we will have a

large number of people join us for the event.

In April, we held the ninth biennial Myaamiaki

Conference, which included presentations

about the work that the Myaamia Center has

been focused on for the past couple of years.

If you were not able to attend, these presentations were recorded and you can find them on

the Myaamia Center webpage.

In addition to events that celebrate the

50th anniversary, we also wanted to create

something tangible that would commemorate

the anniversary. Working together with a designer from Miami University and Julie Olds,

we designed a wool blanket that was produced

by Eighth Generation, a Native-owned blanket

company. The blanket features the Myaamia

community symbol as well as the Myaamia

Heritage Logo turtle in a design inspired by

Myaamia wearing blankets. The blanket is

now available for purchase in the Miami Tribe

gift shop.

We hope that all of you will follow

along for the rest of this celebratory year and

even attend some of these events if you are

able. If you have any questions, please contact

Kara Strass at

strasskl@miamioh.edu.

Celebrate the relationship between the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and Miami University with the purchase of a commemorative

blanket! Available through the Miami Nation Gift Shop, the blanket retails for $208 dollars. Tribal citizens receive a

discount with verification of enrollment. Order online at https://myaamiagifts.square.site or phone the Gift Shop at 918544-6049 for shipping or in-store pickup.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

Day of Reflection: Commemorating 175th anniversary

of the Miami Tribe’s removal from their homelands

Article by Jessica Rivinius, Miami University News and Communications, Reprinted with Permission.

More than 400 Miami Tribe citizens and

campus community members gathered on

Miami University’s Oxford campus on Oct.

11 for a Day of Reflection commemorating

the 175th anniversary of the Miami Tribe’s

removal from their homelands.

The solemn program began in the Art

Museum Sculpture Park, where Miami Tribe

of Oklahoma Chief Douglas Lankford spoke

about the effects of the removal, and the hurt

and loss it caused.

“This ground beneath our feet is home,

a place where countless generations of our

ancestors left footprints as they lived their

lives until a fateful period in the history of

this country,” Chief Lankford said. “And

though Myaamia people had lived in this vast

homeland region since time immemorial, the

stroke of (President Andrew Jackson’s) pen

permanently altered our destiny.”

In 1830, President Jackson signed the

Indian Removal Act, which in October 1846,

forced Myaamia men, women, and children

into holding pens, then canal boats, to relocate

them to Kansas and finally Oklahoma.

Chief Lankford described what it must

have been like for his ancestors, ripped from

their lands and clutching hands full of dirt

from the only home they had known, as men

with guns and bayonets barked orders at them.

“We shudder to imagine the scenes, the

tears, and cries,” Chief Lankford said. “Think

of it — Miami University was born before the

Removal Act was signed, and classes were

likely in session when those boats passed by

taking our ancestors away to a foreign land.”

Chief Lankford said the United States

continues to struggle with the history of

removal of and the brutality toward Native

peoples. The forced relocation was more than

just a removal from land. He said it affected

every aspect of identity — from the Tribe’s

sovereignty and culture to its language and

communal traditions.

“We have emerged from that darkness,

surviving to this new day of restored

knowledge, vitality, governmental strength,

and self-determination, made possible by the

reclamation, restoration, and revitalization

of our language and culture,” Chief Lankford

said.

“From removal to this day, our healing journey

has not been without support and allies and

friends. We are so thankful for the incredible

partnership we share with Miami University,”

Chief Lankford said. “Look around and see

that we walk together on a good path ahead

made possible by our commitment to each

other through neepwantiinki — our partnership

in learning.”

The event continued after Chief

Lankford’s talk with a quiet walk through

Miami’s Arts Quad, past the university’s

sundial, to Bonham House, home to the

Myaamia Center, the research arm for the

Tribe. Myaamia students led the procession,

carrying the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma flag

down the center aisle.

Pieces of colored fabric were tied to

trees along the walking route to commemorate

each of the 330 Tribe members who were

removed. Solid black strips represented the

men, red calico for the women, solid blue for

the young men, and blue calico for the young

women.

“We recognize that

removal from this land

resulted not only in the

displacement of nearly

330 individual children,

women, and men, but

resulted in historical

trauma that has contributed

to persistent inequities

and injustices across

generations and today,”

said Cristina Alcalde,

Miami vice president for

institutional diversity

and inclusion. “We are

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Chief Douglas Lankford spoke about the

committed to supporting

effects of the removal of the Tribe during the “Day of Reflection”

event held Oct. 11 at Miami University. The gathering was held

the culture and language

in commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the Tribes forced

revitalization efforts as

removal from their homelands. Photo by Jeff Sabo - used with

permission.

well as other efforts that

come from within the

Heritage Award Program and the first Miami

Miami Tribe and Myaamia Center in our role

Tribe students enrolling at the university 30

as partners who are working to contribute to a

years ago. May 2021 saw the 100th Myaamia

stronger, more inclusive future.”

graduate, and this fall saw the largest incoming

Once the group reassembled and

class of Tribe students.

gathered at Bonham House, Daryl Baldwin

“The Miami Tribe and Miami

read an excerpt from a letter that Myaamia

University are forever connected,” President

Chief Toohpia wrote to President James Polk

Crawford said. “The warmth of our

in 1846 that spoke to heartache and loss

partnership has promoted the advancement and

inflicted by the forced relocation.

development of the Myaamia Tribe and Miami

“They knew their relocation would set

University. Like tending a fire, the university

into motion significant changes in the coming

and the Tribe have a joint responsibility

years,” said Baldwin, executive director of

to continuously maintain this relationship,

the Myaamia Center. “What they probably

respond to challenges that might arise, and

couldn’t comprehend at that time was the level

nurture it for future growth. A future that we

of loss and disconnect the next few generations

will continue to journey together.”

would experience.”

Baldwin said that though the events

occurred a long time ago, the associated

trauma is still felt many generations later:

whole generations of Myaamia people taught

to hide and/or be ashamed of their heritage.

“The forces that led to abandoning

Myaamia language, culture, knowledge of

our history, the very essence of our identity,

created a disconnect — a gap — within future

generations,” Baldwin said. “We call these

generations the lost generations. That is my

generation. I grew up at a time when there

was little knowledge transfer of my heritage,

language, and culture.”

Baldwin said that in the mid-20th

century, things began to change and federal

acts were put into place to recognize the

inherent sovereignty of Indigenous peoples.

“Society as a whole is changing. It is

now incumbent upon us as Myaamia people

today to pick up the tattered threads that were

left for us by our ancestors to begin the process

of weaving a different future for ourselves.”

He said the work requires time,

resources, many hands, a shared vision for the

future, and strong partnerships.

“The history of the Myaamia people is

interwoven with the history of this institution,”

Miami University President Gregory Crawford

said. “Next year, we will celebrate the 50th

anniversary of this important partnership.

A partnership that is very sacred to Miami

University and has shaped us all in exceptional

ways.”

President Crawford highlighted a

few of the milestones in that partnership,

including the establishment of the Myaamia

Outdoor Classroom

at the EMMCEC

Staff Article

An Outdoor Learning Environment (OLE)

is being created on the land surrounding the

Ethel Miller Moore Cultural Education Center

(EMMCEC). The new learning space is projected to be complete this summer.

The OLE will provide an ‘outdoor

classroom’ where community members can

learn about Myaamia ecology, language, and

culture. The project will expand the use of the

exterior of the Cultural Education Center by

adding trails, raised garden beds, and benches

and tables where members can enjoy the outdoors and engage in lessons.

“The Outdoor Classroom will provide

a safe outdoor environment for Tribal youth to

learn about Myaamia culture and the cultur-

ally specific relationship Myaamia people have

with the natural environment,” said Cultural

Education Director Joshua Sutterfield, “The

outdoor learning experience provides opportunities for more than just learning how to build

and maintain gardens; but also highlights the

relationships and awareness of our place in the

environment and the larger community.”

Guided hiking tours of relevant

Myaamia plants and trees and garden to table

cooking classes will be part of the curriculum

of the OLE.

Sutterfield believes the Outdoor Learning Environment will be “a vital teaching tool

for the distribution of tribal knowledge”.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

New Exhibit at

Whitley County

Historical

Museum

Miami Tribe Representatives meet

the French Ambassador

By Diane Hunter, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer

Staff Article

The Whitley County Historical Museum

opened a new exhibit, meehkweelintamankwi

aanchsahaaciki: Remembering Our Forced Removal, on October 6, 2021.

The new exhibit features objects donated from the Eiteljorg museum such as a ribbonwork display and a traditional wiikiaami.

The Museum opened the new exhibit

on the date of Myaamia removal from

Myaamionki. A presentation on the history of

this era, with an interactive timeline, allowed

visitors to view the shrinking of Myaamia

homelands following a timeline of land

cessions.

The Museum’s Director Dani

Tippmann finds the exhibit especially important because, “So much is needed and most

people here don’t even know that we’re here,

let alone of our removal.” The exhibit also

features a memorial to the lives lost during

removal and those that survived during this

difficult time in our history.

Complementing the exhibit’s opening,

a series of six events with the following

speakers and programs were presented:

Diane Hunter – “Myaamiaki ‘Miami People’:

A Living People with a Past”

Diane spoke about the history of Miami people

since time immemorial and about the Miami

Tribe of Oklahoma today.

George Ironstrack – “eempaapiikinamankwi

kinepwaayoneminaani ‘Picking up the Threads

of our Knowledge:’ The Impact of Forced Removal on the Revitalization of Myaamia Language and Culture”.

Katrina Mitten – “Art and Assimilation: The

effect of Removal on Those Allowed to Remain”. Katrina shared the effects of removal

on the Miami People and the art that they

produce.

Todd Pelfry – “Mainsprings of the Wildcat:

The Making of Chief Jean Baptiste de Richardville”.

Dani Tippmann – “Myaamia Plant Traditions”.

Dani spoke about the use of indigenous plants

by Miami people for use as food, medicine and

technology.

ENROLLING

IN THE

MIAMI TRIBE

OKLAHOMA

www.miamination.com

Under the “Services” tab

scroll down to “Enrollment”

and click to enter the

page - at the bottom of the

page, under “Enrollment

Resources” click on the

Enrollment Application.

For assistance, contact

Tera Hatley at thatley@

miamination.com or by

phone at 918-541-1324.

French Ambassador to the United States Philippe Etienne is presented with a blanket by Diane

Hunter, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, outside the Fort

Ouiatenon blockhouse, Friday, May 21, 2021 in West Lafayette, Ind.

Photo Credit: Nikos Frazier/Journal & Courier

For probably the first time in more than 250

years, the Miami and the French met government to government on May 21, 2021 at Fort

Ouiatenon near Lafayette, Indiana. French Ambassador to the United States Philippe Etienne

and French Consul Général Guillaume Lacroix

came to visit the site of the first French Fort in

what is now Indiana. Among the more than 40

people invited to this high-security event were

Diane Hunter, Miami Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, and Rebecca Hawkins, consulting

archaeologist for the Miami Tribe. Ambassador

Etienne gave a brief speech on the long history of the relationship between France and the

United States and his interest in learning more

about the early French history in the area of

Fort Ouiatenon.

After the Ambassador’s talk, Diane and

Rebecca had the opportunity to meet him and

Consul Général Lacroix and, in our Myaamia

tradition, to give them gifts. As a sign of

friendship, they wrapped the Ambassador

in the gift of a blanket, and they gave the

Consul Général a print of the painting of

Myaamia women by Julie Olds. After giving

the Ambassador and the Consul Général

each the Tribe’s gift of a copy of myaamia

neehi peewaalia kaloosioni mahsinaakani: A

Miami-Peoria Dictionary, the Consul Général

immediately looked up how to say, “Thank

you” in Myaamiaataweenki and learned the

word “Neewe.” Both the Ambassador and the

Consul Général commented that they love to

learn languages and will enjoy this opportunity

to learn the Miami language. They also

talked about the historic relationships between

Myaamiaki and the French and noted that due

to early intermarriage with the French, many

Myaamiaki have French surnames.

The afternoon included a tour of the

Ouiatenon Preserve to see the Fort Ouiatenon

site. Across the Waapaahšiki Siipiiwi ‘Wabash

River’ was once the village of Waayaahtanonki, which was founded by people led from Saakiweeyonki ‘the Coming Out Place’ by a man

named Waayaahtanwa. The people came to be

known as Waayaahtanooki, from the name of

their leader, and eventually, they were called

the Wea. Today the Wea are part of the Peoria

Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma.

In the 1600s, due to the Beaver Wars,

Myaamiaki, Waayaahtanooki, and other Miami-Illinois speaking people left our homes

in what is now Indiana and moved westward

into present-day Illinois and Wisconsin. During this time, we began interacting with French

traders and missionaries. After we returned to

our homes in present-day Indiana, the French

wanted the Wea to move closer to Detroit for

easier trading. When the Wea chose to remain

in their village on the Waapaahšiki Siipiiwi,

the French established Fort Ouiatenon across

the river from the village. The name ‘Ouiatenon’ was a French version of the village name

Waayaahtanonki.

The fort no longer exists above ground,

but it has left underground remnants. Over

many decades, archaeological surveys have

revealed the actual location of the fort, as well

as the Kickapoo and Mascouten houses that

surrounded it. The site of Waayaahtanonki,

the Wea village, across the river has not been

archaeologically surveyed.

The eventful day ended with a visit

to a local pub for a brief social time with

the Ambassador and Consul Général before

the Ambassador had to leave for the airport.

Afterward, Colby Bartlett, organizer of the

event, told Diane Hunter that the Ambassador

said he particularly enjoyed meeting

representatives of the Miami Tribe.

CONNECT WITH YOUR MYAAMIA COMMUNITY

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Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

Boarding Schools

By Dr. Cameron Shriver, Reprinted from the Aacimotaatiiyankwi Myaamia Community Blog, posted July 9, 2021

Reprinted from the Miami Tribe’s community blog, found online at

“cultural genocide” when discussing

Aacimotaatiiyankwi.org. Readers please be warned that this post, as

non-fatal policies. These include,

reprinted here and as found in the blog, contains distressing details.

for instance, the forcible transfer of

Recent news coming from Canada, particularly from the grounds children away from their parent’s group,

of Kamloops Indian Residential School, Marieval Indian Residential

intentional limits on reproduction, or

School, St. Eugene’s Mission School and just recently the Kuper Island the extermination of group traditions,

Residential School, has illuminated a sobering truth: for many Indiglanguage, religion, and so forth.

enous children, school was a place of suffering, trauma, and death. U.S. “Boarding school” is the term that is

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has announced a new Federal

in the widest current use, although

Indian Boarding School Initiative to investigate the scope of Native

“indoctrination camp” is applicable and

American deaths and burials at former Indian schools.

helps quickly deliver the gravity of the

Following similar calls to action for non-Native people (like me) topic. I trust I am not breaking news

to make themselves useful, this post is an attempt to create a resource to when I write that Myaamia people have

answer some common questions about residential and boarding schools. experienced these genocidal policies.

Dr. Cameron Shriver

I teach and research on this topic, and I am continually learning more.

I also hope I am not breaking news in

The necessary attention to boarding schools will continue to shine

revealing that Myaamia people survived, and continue to resist and

more light on a distressing aspect of American and Myaamia history.

revitalize.

If there is to be a similar “truth and reconciliation” development in the

United States as has progressed in Canada, it will require significant

Did Myaamia children attend boarding schools?

time and immense listening, particularly from non-Native people. If

Yes. At this time, we are aware of well over one hundred Myyou have comments, concerns, questions, or improvements, my email is aamia children, adolescents, and young adults who attended Indian

shrivecm@miamioh.edu, or Twitter dm Camshriver. This post is by no

schools. The total number of Myaamia students who survived assimilameans intended as an

tive schools may be

ending point to the

considerably more.

conversation about

Here is a working

American Indian or

database of Myaamia

Myaamia boarding

attendees in Indian

school experiences.

schools. Please be

Since

in touch with addithis topic can be

tional information so

distressing, this post

that we can update

has been separated

it. I thank Meghan

into several sections

Dorey and George

for readers who

Ironstrack for addwish to jump to the

ing information, and

information on a

Jared Nally for sharparticular topic:

ing archives from the

What were boarding

Indian Leaderwhich

schools?

has been invaluable.

Were boarding

Myaamia stuschools genocide?

dents came from

Did Myaamia

Indiana, from Kansas,

children attend

and from Oklahoma.

boarding schools?

They went to VirginWhen were boarding Image: Jessie White, ‘Waapimaankwa,’ at Haskell Institute, graduating in 1894. Oklahoma

ia, to Pennsylvania,

schools operating?

to Oklahoma, New

Historical Society. Waapimaankwa is top row, third from left. Please note, the OHS mislabels

Did Myaamia people this photograph as Shawnee Indian School.

Mexico, California,

die in boarding

and Kansas. Some

schools?

schools were close to home, such as Seneca Indian School in WyanWere Myaamia children forced to attend boarding schools?

dotte, Oklahoma, where several Miamis attended in the early twentieth

Why boarding schools?

century. Others were far away, such as Hampton Institute in Hampton,

What are some resources? What were boarding schools?

Virginia, where Frank Goodboo went in the 1880s. At the bottom of this

Like Canada’s state-sponsored residential schools, United States post is a working (draft) map of boarding schools attended by Myaamia

boarding schools intended to remake Indigenous communities into

people.

American individuals. They were sponsored and funded by the federal

Some Miami attendees, such as Frank Aveline, went east and

government, often in conjunction with Catholic or Protestant societies.

apparently never came back to their community. Some, such as Jesse

The title of one well-known book on the subject sets the tone: the

White, made careers as teachers in institutions similar to those they

boarding schools implemented “education for extinction.” Between

had attended, traveling from school to school and eventually out of the

the 1870s and 1930s, about 350 boarding schools for Indians operated

community. Some received physical punishments. “The first whipping

in the United States, and in the first decades of the twentieth century,

I received was for talking Indian at school,” Dave Geboe said in a

a majority of Native children enrolled in an Indian school, whether a

1930s interview. Mildred Watson, who wrote an invaluable memoir of

boarding school far from home, or a day school run by U.S. government her experiences at Seneca Indian School where she attended in the late

employees. Indian educational policy assumed that by housing and

1920s, acknowledged poor conditions. The doctor never came; clothing

socializing children away from their parents, institutions could more

was the “poorest material,” discipline was “excessive and demeaning.”

effectively “civilize” or assimilate them to mainstream American

As for the food: “Often weevils floated on top of dried corn, peas, or

culture, including Christianity, English-only language, and “modern”

beans boiling in steam cookers. We skimmed the larvae and hoped most

work habits.

of them were captured.” Some Miamis, such as Mildred’s brother-inlaw Addison Walker (who named his son “Haskell,” presumably after

Were boarding schools genocide?

his alma mater) found real belonging and love from their schools.

It is common and accurate to label boarding schools as

Confronting similar stories, Brenda Child, focusing on Ojibwe students

institutions of “genocide,” and students (who survived) as “survivors.”

in a similar time period, asked: “What do we make today of boarding

These are useful labels. They are specific. Genocide indicates a

school narratives that might be described as happy?” Stories of

deliberate attempt to destroy a people. Given the common linking

trauma, indeed, of terror, sit uncomfortably with some of the pleasant

between genocide and the Jewish Holocaust, sometimes people clarify

experiences that some Myaamia people expressed.

Continued on page 5B.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

Boarding Schools

By Cam Shriver, continued from page 4B

When were boarding schools operating?

despite the protestations of their father who said they already attended

Government boarding schools–military-style institutions that housed

an unnamed day school, perhaps the Miami or Peoria schoolhouse.

and controlled Indian youth–lasted in the United States from 1879 to

“Well, we never got to finish our dinner. They picked us up and took us

the 1930s. In some cases, boarding schools and other Indian schools

off. Now that’s the way it was a long time ago,” Rose said. Her mother,

continued operating into the 1980s. Chilocco, for instance, closed in

Sarah Cass, spoke Myaamia and even provided a story that appears in

1980, although I am unaware of Myaamia attendance past the 1920s.

the Myaamia and Peoria Narratives and Winter Stories volume. As for

Residential Schools, the Canadian version of the same system, operated Rose? “I’ve forgot more than I remember,” the eighty-two year old told

longer, declining in the 1950s and finally closing the last residential

her interviewer in the 1960s.

schools in the 1990s.

Some went willingly. Thomas Peconga and Lucy Pimyotamah

Dozens of Myaamia people attended these institutions in the

sent their teenaged son, Willis, to Carlisle in 1905. He had attended the

period between 1870local Marion grammar

1930. It was an era

school–not an Indian

that coincided with the

school. Willis fled back

privatization and sale of

to Marion, Indiana later

Myaamia tribal lands,

that year. He obviously

widespread travel to

did not like Carlisle,

find work, and a rapid

and his parents were

decline in Myaamiaconvinced that the curspeaking households.

riculum was not apWe should not forget

plicable for their son.

schooling before and

His mother wrote to the

after this “boarding

superintendent, Major

school” period, includWilliam Mercer: “we

ing Protestant and Cathdon’t want him to run

olic mission schools,

off again but we want

as well as reservation

him released Honarbly.”

day schools and vocaThe Pecongas wrote

tional schools. These

to their Congressman,

hewed to the same

who intervened. Willis

general philosophy as

Peconga returned home.

the better-known boardHis skill was papermaking schools, that Native

ing, and he traveled the

American people needed

country in search of

The 1889 graduating class of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, Carlisle, PA. Myaamia

English-language, Chrissteady work.

citizen Esther Miller was a graduate. She is seated third from the left in the second row, to

For many Myaamia

tian, and work-specific

the right (and lower) of the woman in the dark dress.

training to survive in a

country not made for them. I think it is fair to say that boarding schools

affected each Myaamia family. Survivors became parents and grandparents.

Did Myaamia people die in boarding schools?

Yes. I am aware of one Myaamia person buried at boarding schools.

Sadie S. Miles, from the Owl family who was removed to Kansas and

Oklahoma, passed away at Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas, in

1907. She was fourteen. “She was a great favorite with her companions,

many of whom were overcome with grief when they learned of her

death,” the Native-run newsletter reported. At Carlisle Indian Industrial

School, almost 200 Native American youths lie buried in the cemetery,

an average of more than five each year.

That I am aware of one death does not mean that only

families, the boarding

school era was just one type of schooling set in a long trajectory of

voluntary and compulsory education over generations. Take the case of

Josephine Pooler, who attended Haskell in Kansas (and married Osage

tribal citizen Jessie Pappin, who also attended Haskell). Her mother,

Mary Louisa Richardville Pooler, attended the Quapaw Indian Boarding

School. Mary’s father, Thomas F. Richardville, attended Notre Dame in

South Bend, Indiana. Thomas’s father, Pimicinwa ‘Crescent’ apparently

did not attend a Euro-American school. Pimicinwa’s father, Jean Baptiste Richardville, attended a French-language academy in Montreal or

Trois-Rivières. During the boarding school era, many Myaamia families

included two or more generations of boarding school survivors.

Why boarding schools?

If Native American people were doomed to vanish, then radically

one Myaamia person died in a boarding school. (I welcome any

transforming them would save them. At least, that was the basic

information, and you may choose to reach out to a family member or

rationale from the 1870s into the 1930s. One of the architects, Richard

tribal or MHMA or Myaamia Center staff, if you choose.) The record is Henry Pratt, famously said in an 1892 paper “that all the Indian there

not a perfect representation of the past. Boarding school administrators is in the race should be dead. Kill the Indian in him, and save the

promoted their schools. Their records, like all historical records, are

man.” More graphically, he wrote: “I believe in immersing the Indians

subjective and require interpretation. There were motivations to hide

in our civilization and when we get them under, holding them there

unhealthy conditions. In other words, the record includes “silences,” as until they are thoroughly soaked.” Like deportation and removal,

well; topics left under-reported or under-documented. We can access

like privatization and allotment, and like other harmful policies,

records that schools wanted produced, shared, or saved. We cannot

assimilation via schooling was promoted as a benevolent solution

access records destroyed or lost. We cannot access records never

to a persistent problem. President Theodore Roosevelt summed up a

created. We know, from testimony of survivors, that many forms of

typical view in his State of the Union address in 1901. Allotment “is a

abuse proliferated at schools in different times and places, and children mighty pulverizing engine to break up the tribal mass,” he announced

died while at school.

to Congress. “In the schools the education should be elementary and

largely industrial,” he continued, enunciating that Indian education

Were Myaamia children forced to attend boarding schools?

should create an Indian working class. (In the twentieth century, policyYes, in some cases. After 1891, attendance at an assimilation-oriented

makers transitioned from education for equality, to education for

Indian school was mandatory. Thus, some were taken, such as Rose

dependency. Schools focused on preparing Native students for working

Keiser Carver. “We’ve been informed that you’ve got two girls here that class life by increasing the focus on Euro-American trades for boys and

needs to be in school,” the local government agent announced upon arEuro-American domestic skills for girls.)

riving at their home near Miami, Oklahoma. The men needed to collect

their charges and bring them to Quapaw Industrial Boarding School,

This article can be found online at the

Myaamia community blog spot aacimotaatiiyankwi.org

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

Student Experiences in the Heritage Award Program at

Miami University

By Haley Shea and Megan Mooney

Attendance in the Heritage Award Program (HAP) at Miami University

those questions and not second-guess themselves.

(MU) creates opportunities for diverse experiences, and there are also

Many students also take on roles within the community. Some

some commonalities that many myaamia students face. I myself am a

have formal roles like working for the Myaamia Center or engaging in

product of the HAP and could not speak more highly of this opportunity certain projects with the tribal community. Others have informal roles

that I was afforded because of the unique relationship between the

like coordinating social gatherings or mentoring younger students. SeMiami Tribe of Oklahoma and Miami University. Today I work as

nior students talk about finding a role that makes them feel like they are

part of the Nipwaayoni Acquisition and Assessment Team (NAAT) at

part of the community and they are important.

the Myaamia Center, conducting research on the impact that language

Finally, the way senior students talk about their experiences is

and cultural revitalization has on myaamiaki. One subset of my work

now through the lens of the myaamia value system. As one example,

involves examining the experience of students in the Heritage Award

during their senior year, many students want to be able to “give back”

Program. This article will describe some of the general conclusions

to the tribal community as a means of reciprocity. They hope to be able

NAAT has been able to make through interviews with students dating

to find the ways they can contribute to the tribe as they have been given

back to 2012.

many opportunities throughout their lifetime because of membership in

Historically, many of the students who come into the HAP talk

the tribe.

about having a lack of knowledge about the tribe in general and their

Since NAAT began our work with students in the HAP in 2012

own myaamia identity in particular. Some have always known they

(when I was a student at MU myself!), we have seen some changes in

were myaamia but didn’t know what that meant, while others found out the student experience. For example, many students are now beginning

about their heritage shortly before attending MU. This typically comes

to attend the program with extensive experience in tribal programming

with some anxiety about

and general tribal knowltheir lack of knowledge

edge. Previously, there

and also a sense of excitewould only be a student

ment about the opportuhere or there with prior

nity to learn about their

experience/knowledge, we

heritage. This ultimately

now have several in each

means that students are

cohort. This means that

going through many tranmany of those students

sitional states all at the

take on more of a leadersame time.

ship role by sharing their

Many first year students

knowledge with other

in the HAP also have a

students.

difficult transition into

With the addition of

the university space.

several program requireThey experience the

ments, we also see that a

typical transitional issues

bond or sense of cohesion

like homesickness and

in the student group each

increases in academic deyear happens more quickmands that most students The story of the relationship shared between the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and

ly. When I was a student,

Miami

University

Oxford,

OH,

spans

fifty

years

partnership,

reciprocity

and

respect.

face. However, there is

several of us didn’t really

an added layer of comconnect with one another

plexity where some feel “different” from their peers at MU when they

for at least a semester or even a full year because we didn’t have events

arrive. Many MU students come from White, suburban/urban, affluoutside of the classroom setting. However, now that there is pre-semesent families with a long family legacy at MU. As a result, when some

ter programming for first year students, formal and informal mentoring

myaamia students experience additional financial pressures, are the first opportunities, and a retreat at the beginning of the year, students tend to

in their family to go to college at all, and/or have completely different

connect quite quickly. They are also connecting across cohorts; freshexperiences from their peers, the normal transition can become a lot

men are able to connect with sophomores and juniors rather than simply

more difficult.

connecting with other freshmen.

However, despite not knowing much about their heritage and

having a difficult transition to college, one of the primary factors that

connects first year students to their myaamia heritage is a sense of

pride. Family members including parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles,

and cousins often encourage them to be proud of their heritage. For

example, in response to a question about what it means to be myaamia,

one student said “The main thing for me is pride. I definitely was

raised to have a lot of pride in my heritage. That’s a big thing for being

Myaamia. You need to have a big sense of pride in your heritage for

sure.” Generally, this pride seems to be a uniting factor for myaamiaki

across time and has promoted resilience despite traumas and living in

diaspora.

By senior year, the primary experience in the HAP is a sense of

connectedness and belonging. They feel they have created high quality

connections with the other students in the program. At this point, they

have gone through many vulnerable experiences together that promote

connection and have learned the many ways they are historically and

contemporarily connected to one another. Many talk about class feeling

like “family” rather than a traditional academic setting. This also

extends to spaces outside of the classroom as well and leads to positive

changes in many areas of their lives.

Additionally, seniors often feel that they have incorporated the

myaamia knowledge system into their personal identity. They now

know what it means to be a myaamia person and how to communicate

that with others. When faced with uncomfortable situations (like when

people at Miami asked me if I live in a house versus a teepee or why all

Native people go to college for free), they now have tools, knowledge,

and stability in their identity to be able to respond more confidently to

Lastly, it seems like within the broader MU community, there

is greater awareness of the Myaamia Center work and the HAP. The

Myaamia Center has gained national and international attention in the

last several years (NEH grant, Honoring Nations Award, Daryl Baldwin

as McArthur Fellow, etc.), bringing notoriety to the program as a whole.

Many students and faculty across campus have increased awareness

that the Myaamia Center is on campus, and a lot of education about

what that means occurs through relationships between students in the

HAP and other students and faculty/staff they interact with. This comes

with both challenges and opportunities as students are able to connect

many arenas of their life (majors, extracurriculars, etc.) with the HAP

and their myaamia identity. One specific story of these challenges

and opportunities comes from an alumna of the HAP and MU, Megan

Mooney.

When I first arrived at Miami, I was, in a word, overwhelmed.

Oxford may be a small town only a few hours drive from my hometown,

but I’d never actually lived away from home and as Haley described, it

was a bit of an adjustment. I was fortunate enough that my older sister

Jackie was already attending Miami and enrolled in the tribe class, so

I was at least acquainted with the town and the concept of attending

Miami.

However, we had grown up in a family that was largely ignorant

of our heritage. I knew I was Miami, but I certainly couldn’t have told

you I was myaamia—I didn’t know the word even existed. Thanks to

Jackie, my family was able to get a peripheral knowledge of Miami

language and culture. That’s one of the great bonuses of an education

at Miami, it doesn’t just extend to you, but whoever in your family you

can share it with.

Continued on page 6B

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

A Talk With Myaamia Artist Katrina Mitten

Katrina Mitten is an award-winning Myaamia

artist whose work has been exhibited across

the country.

Mitten, who was raised on the Forks of

the Wabash near the home her family lived in

for generations, grew up listening to her grandmother’s stories about their family. “I’ve always known who I am, where my people come

from,” she said, and through her work, she has

expanded her own knowledge of the tribe and

shares that knowledge with others.

Her flair for artistry began in her youth.

Mitten recalled an occurrence in first grade at

a strict Catholic school in which her teacher

threatened to fail her in penmanship if she refused to stop adding flowers and curly-qs.

“So I failed,” she said, laughing,

“Because I was stubborn. I am not gonna stop

putting my flowers-it’s not pretty without the

flowers. And now that’s most of what I bead.”

She has been practicing her traditional style

of beadwork since she was 12 years old by

teaching herself with the aid of some of

her grandmother’s pieces. She studied the

individual stitches and tried to emulate the

work from there.

“I say that my teachers are the

beadworkers of the past because they left

those things behind for me to be able to see,”

said Mitten. Besides her grandmother’s work,

she would find inspiration from pieces at

powwows and museums and try to analyze how

their artists made them.

As Mitten’s work developed she

found that her pieces have a deeper meaning

to convey. “I tell stories with all my work,”

Mitten said, giving examples of a bag that

displays one of her grandmother’s stories of

Kiilsoquah and a framed piece that shows the

Myaamia story of creation.

She hopes the beautiful aesthetic of her

pieces also invites people to study the context

of her work that might otherwise have been

overlooked. “I like to take things that are sad

and horrible and make them beautiful,” Mitten

said.

She has tackled subjects like removal,

missing and murdered indigenous women, and

residential schools.

A recent work of hers called Exposed,

examined the latter. Using an old-timey box

camera and three of the exposures, she displays

in black-and-white the before and after of

children placed in these schools to show the

Megan Mooney

drastic juxtaposition of their smiling, happy

faces opposite to the despairing ones the

schools produced.

She added beadwork butterflies in flight

to demonstrate the vibrance of language and

culture being leeched from the children’s lives.

The vibrance may have been taken from

those of the past, but Katrina’s colorful work

is only an attestation that the revitalization of

Myaamia culture and language is taking hold.

Traditional practices may have lain broken, but

Mitten seeks to reforge the links in the chain

that were broken for her and those that came

before her.

One of the ways she is doing so is by

teaching her grandchildren about her artistry.

Several years ago she won an award through

Indiana University that allowed her to select

an apprentice. She chose her seven-year-old

granddaughter. Though the university saw it

as a non-traditional choice nothing could have

been more traditional to Mitten.

“We are people of today,” Mitten said,

and no doubt, with her stubborn passion and

family legacy, a people of tomorrow as well.

Nationally acclaimed, award winning Myaamia artist Katrina Mitten.

Student Experiences in the Heritage Award Program at Miami University

Continued from page 6B.

That first semester, I don’t recall how often I interacted in tribe

class, but I imagine it was minimal. My lack of communication was

not a lack of interest, but rather a symptom of my nervousness.

Despite my anxiety I was fortunate enough to be asked to be one of

three students to head to Washington D.C. to help prepare for that

year’s National Breath of Life Conference. We spent a week in the

Smithsonian Archives finding useful, linguistic materials for the

participating tribes.

The trip alone would be an incredible experience, but the best

part for me was the friendships I made. When I got back to class, I felt

more confident knowing that I had a larger support network than before. The importance of community was talked about often in class and

though I understood it as a concept, I don’t think I understood it practically until that trip.

That aspect of community became the most important to me over

my time at Miami. I made more friends within the tribe class and with

the tribe as a whole as I began participating more at tribal events and

being a counselor at Eewaansapita. I’m still learning about my heritage,

language, and culture, and likely will be for the rest of my life. I’m

glad that I get that privilege, but mostly I’m glad for the family I’ve

found in the tribe that I get to share it with.

Myaamia Students playing the mahkisina game at one of their presemester events

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

Cecaahkwa in Stone

“That corner needs something and I just don’t

know what.” I would start every summer with

that statement for the last 9 years. Mulching

had proved futile because when a hard rain

fell that corner would flood and all the mulch

ended up in the storm sewer. A landscape

architect drew up plans but the project never

took off. Without a vision I just floundered in

the land of indecision and I hoped the 3 large

planters of perennial flowers would suggest to

the neighbors that I, at least, was trying.

In a similar way, my journey into the

knowledge of my myaamiaki heritage had

starts and stops. My mother called me her

papoose and said I was born with dark hair

to my shoulders. My aunt told me about

my great-grandmother, at 23, dying of a

broken heart. My father told me the stories

of growing up in Peru, riding through fields

on his horse Prince and jumping from the

top of Seven Pillars into the Mississinewa. I

saw family photos of Native Americans that

I would learn were my relatives: John Bull

Mongosa, the bow maker and renown fiddler,

was my great-great grandfather. When I was

11 there was concern about “proving” we

were Miami because of a payroll allotment

that was sure to make us all rich. Many

dinner conversations centered around how my

father, my brother, and I would spend that vast

amount of money. When that payout actually

occurred, it helped with my grandfather’s

burial expenses; he being the orphaned son of

my heart-broken great grandmother.

My children always chose the Miami as

the tribe to research in their classroom Native American units. I enrolled my children

in MNI. In our youngest son’s senior year of

high school an article in the tribal newsletter

grabbed my attention – it was congratulating a

student for being the recipient of the Heritage

Scholarship at Miami of Ohio. We applied.

Everything changed.

Bobbe Burke guided us in the process

of applying to Miami of Ohio and the Heritage

Scholarship. I became the student and our

son became the teacher as he learned more

through his participation in the Heritage

classes. I learned about my community’s

removal (who knew we had relatives in

Kansas and Oklahoma?), I learned Daryl and

Karen Baldwin taught their kids our language

(and lived in a tent in Montana! And that we

had a language to learn! Forever grateful to

them, George Ironstrack and David Costa).

I met other team members at the Myaamia

Submission by Kathy Carter Young

Center. We joined MTO. My family camped

with akima, ate with his twin sister Julie,

& Dustin Olds niišonaminki akima, met

Donya (beautiful blue eyes) and all the

other dedicated relatives that work at tribal

headquarters in Miami, Oklahoma and Fort

Wayne, Indiana. What an awakening!

This past July I joined the

Eemamwickiki online Neehsapita group. I

had learned much by osmosis when I took my

grandchildren to eewansaapita a few years ago

and was eager to learn more. I loved the theme

of earth and sky, ašiihkiwi neehi kiišikwi. I

accepted the challenge to say what the weather

was in myaamiaataweenki. I got emotional

when I heard ciinkwia tell the story of the

Coming Out Place in our native tongue. I

enjoyed the projects….and from my work table

would look up and see that empty corner -then

one day I had a vision.

The corner needed to have a symbol, a

Above is Shelby Carter, Kathy’s granddaughter,

myaamia symbol in stone that would not wash pictured working on the Cecaahkwa

symbol.

away in the occasional flood waters. I found

the crane. It would fit perfectly in the space.

I’d make sure it was facing Seven Pillars. My

I heard the stories

family enthusiastically embraced the vision

A tragic great-grandmother

and agreed to help. The landscape company

An orphaned grandfather

embraced the vision and helped me pick out

My father as a boy jumping into the

the stone (they asked to feature it on their

Mississinewa

website).

Atop Seven Pillars

I love my corner. The containers of

flowers are still there but they are not the

twigh twee! twigh twee!

centerpiece. People walk by, drive by and

peemitanaahkwahki sakaahkweelo!

stop. When they ask I have the opportunity

niila myaamia

to teach them about the symbol of the crane,

used as a signature on a treaty many years

ago. George Ironstrack wrote that Myaamia

I learn about removal

people would mark the edges of our lands by

About relatives in other lands

blazing the head of cecaahkwa into trees along

That I am part of an extended community

major trails. My corner now bears our mark in

A language that gives breath to my soul

tribute to our myaamia heritage.

niila myaamia!

twigh twee! twigh twee!

Cecaahkwa in Stone

peemitanaahkwahki sakaahkweelo!

niila myaamia

twigh twee! twigh twee!

peemitanaahkwahki sakaahkweelo!

I grab ahold of tree limbs

niila myaamia

That better my understanding

My father told me so

My grandfather’s eyes told me so

My aunt told me so

My son told me so

twigh twee! twigh twee!

peemitanaahkwahki sakaahkweelo!

niila myaamia

Of what makes me who I am

twigh twee! twigh twee!

peemitanaahkwahki sakaahkweelo!

niila myaamia

-waapankihkwa

Kathy Carter Young 2021

About the Myaamia Ethnobotanical

Database mahkihkiwa.org

Named Mahkihkiwa – herb medicines as a reminder of the importance of plants to

living well from a Myaamia point of view. If there is a plant you want to know more

about, you can search its common name in English and then learn its Myaamia

name and scientific name. At the bottom of each entry, there are drop-down menus

for Myaamia Archival Sources and Botanical Sources. In the Myaamia Archival

Sources menu you will find historical records from over 100 years ago as well as

plant information that elders shared in the 1990s. Does your family have plant

related information or stories to add? Let us know in the comments and it just

might end up in Mahkihkiwa.

Myaamia Publications - Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022 - Section C - Noošonke Siipionki Myaamionki

The Journey of the Myaamia Center

The Myaamia Center is now a twenty-year-old

institution for research into myaamia language

and culture that has grown exponentially from

the time it was founded in 2001. It began with

just one worker, but now has sixteen fulland part-time employees, is internationally

recognized, and has played a seminal role in

myaamia language and culture revitalization.

The relationship between the Miami

Tribe of Oklahoma and Miami University,

where the Myaamia Center is located, has seen

the graduation of 100 myaamia students and

the rate of graduation only seems to increase

each year.

These tribe students are given an

opportunity to learn about and grow into their

heritage at Miami by taking a class about the

Miami Tribe and engaging in tribal events.

At many events, a common activity that takes

place is the ‘community web’. What occurs is

that the participants in the activity stand in a

circle and answer “what makes a community?”.

Common answers are singing, dancing, and

games, though there can be any number of

correct answers. As participants give their

answer for what makes a community, they are

passed a ball of string, a piece of which they

hold on to, and as the activity goes on, the

string criss crosses over itself and forms a web.

The activity illustrates that a

community needs people, and not just people,

but people who interact and connect with each

other. Without that, we are nothing.

There have been many reverberations

along the threads of myaamia history, but a

recent and arguably one of the most important

has been cultural and language revitalization.

One of the first to pick up the threads of

revitalization was Daryl Baldwin.

Daryl was that first employee of what

was then called the Myaamia Project, back

when it operated out of what he described as

similar to a closet. Now Executive Director

of the Myaamia Center, which is now housed

in a building called the Bonham House, Daryl

has received many accolades for his work

including a 2016 ‘genius grant’ from the

MacArthur Foundation and most recently his

confirmation to the National Council for the

Humanities.

He is not too fond of the attention it brings

him, but if it helps the Center, he

begrudgingly accepts it. He was only ever

interested in increasing his own cultural

knowledge and sharing it with his community

members, but as the web grew so did his

involvement.

Growing up, Daryl knew about his

myaamia heritage and from his understanding

of myaamia history he knew the small,

northern Ohio town he grew up in was just

next to the site of the Battle of Fallen Timbers,

a devastating loss for the Miamis in the late

18th century. The solemnity of the area did not

deter Daryl from enjoying his childhood, but

enriched his understanding of his people. After

all, he was busy playing tag and hide-and-seek

with the other kids, notably with the girl next

door who would later become his wife.

When he graduated high school, his

father gave him a piece of their past. “One of

the things that happens in myaamia families is

By Megan Mooney

their connection to their

past is oftentimes a box

or a bag of either annual

meeting notes or legal

papers or whatever,”

said Daryl Baldwin,

“and my family was no

different.”

In it were birth

and death certificates,

documents of legal proceedings, and down at

the bottom several pages

of Myaamiaataweenki,

Miami language. “It was

literally the first time I

had ever seen myaamia

language,” said Baldwin

with a hint of awe in his

voice. Those few pages

lit a spark in Daryl, and

his interest in language

began.

They weren’t

fluent by any means, but

Daryl Baldwin interacting with students during Tribe class at Miami

with those pages, Daryl University. Photo courtesy of John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur

and his now wife, Karen, Foundation.

would stick note cards

home.

and pieces of paper all

As his comprehension and passion for

around their home with the names of objects

language grew, all around him sprung up

written out in myaamia.

others doing the same. During the summers in

As they started having children, Daryl

Indiana, Miami language camps were popping

thought as many parents do, of what he might

up that brought together tribal members from

pass on to them. Despite the language laying

both Oklahoma and Indiana. Events such as

dormant at the time, he hoped he would be

these attracted a young linguist by the name of

able to pass on whatever piece of it he could

David Costa who was writing his dissertation

to them. Karen, right by his side, learned and

on Miami language and travelled to Indiana

taught them as well.

looking for speakers. In 1996, the Miami Tribe

They travelled from Southern Ohio

of Oklahoma won a grant funding a week-long

where Daryl got his Associates degree, to

program to instruct Miami tribe members to

Montana where he got his Bachelor’s, they

learn and teach the language themselves. Daryl

taught their children language. His degrees

and David instructed the program, and though

so far had been in the field of Biology and

it didn’t lead to a sudden influx of language

so likewise when he applied for his master’s

speakers, it did reinforce the growing trend

degree it was in the same field.

and desire for learning the language amongst

Fortunately, though, he was rejected.

tribal members and the willingness of tribal

Obviously an incredibly frustrating turn

leadership to support it.

of events, with a wife and two kids and few

Once Daryl had graduated, he and his

prospects, he didn’t know what options he had

young family moved first to Miami, Oklahoma

at that point. He explained his situation to a

for a stint as the Natural Resource Officer

myaamia elder from Indiana. “At the time I

and then to Prophetstown in Indiana, while

was having frequent conversations with Lora

adding a couple more kids along the way.

Siders,” said Baldwin, “and she said, ‘Well,

Neither position felt quite right for them, but

have you ever thought of studying language?’”

fortunately a rather creative Culture Resource

As it turned out, he hadn’t even known it was

Officer had an idea for an opportunity at

an option.

Miami University.

With little time to apply for the next

Julie Olds had visited Miami University

semester, Daryl called on linguistics professor

before, usually to meet with myaamia tribe

Dr. Anthony Mattina, who he had struck up a

students who were participants of the Miami

friendship with due to their mutual interest in

Heritage Program that had begun in 1991. She

indigenous language. Daryl asked if it would

along with Bobbe Burke, the Tribe’s liaison

be possible for him to make the switch to

with Miami University, amongst others were

linguistics for his master’s program. Mattina

able to convince the administration that a

gave his enthusiastic support asking Daryl

stronger connection could be made between

when would he like to start and suddenly Daryl

the tribe and university.

began studying language.

In 2001, the Myaamia Project was born.

“And I absolutely loved it!” said

Daryl, Karen and all four of their children

Daryl, “For some reason that clicked more

settled in the area and Daryl got to work.

than Biology did. I don’t know what it was,

Eventually, the Myaamia Project became

but I dove into it.” At that time, he started to

the Myaamia Center, acquired a few more

make curriculum and he and Karen were able

employees and organized a class that tribe

to work with more complex language in their

Continued on page 2C.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2021

The Journey of the Myaamia Center

students could take during their

tenure on campus so they could be

apprised of the research the Center

was doing. A software called ILDA

that came out of the Myaamia

Center has been used by ten tribes

to organize their language and help

facilitate their revitalization journey

as well.

From humble origins, the Myaamia

Center has become a respected

institution that has helped promote

research and education for myaamia

people and many others. And though

far from where they started, Daryl

and Karen are not so different from

the kids they once were. Daryl

still gets use out of his biology

background when he teaches the

students about myaamia ecology and

Karen with a background in nutrition

will occasionally surprise the students

with meals made from traditional

myaamia ingredients, including a

delicious persimmon pudding.

Despite being an alleged

‘genius’ Daryl’s distaste for attention

isn’t false modesty, but a recognition

of how a myaamia community

functions. When he first picked up

those papers on myaamia language

when he was a young man, he picked

up a thread that binds us together. If

you looked too closely, it may have

appeared he was the only one holding

that thread, but he was never alone.

Many people, members of the tribe

and some not, have been finding

pieces of our community along the

way and as more and more people

connected their strand to the next,

our web of community has grown. As

innocuous as some of the roles people

played, each was necessary to get

the Center to where it is today. And

a young man who once danced and

played upon his history is helping to

forge it.

In 2020, it was announced that Daryl

with his colleagues will review grant

Myaamia Center, had been nominated

of the Endowment’s programming and

Megan Mooney, continued from Page 1C

Lora Siders and Daryl Baldwin at a Language camp in Peru,

Indiana in 1997.

Daryl Baldwin Confirmed

to National Council on the

Humanities Megan Mooney

Baldwin, Executive Director of the

by President Biden to the National

Council on the Humanities. Since then

his nomination has been officially

confirmed in the Senate as of Sept. 30,

2021.

The National Council on

the Humanities is comprised of

26 members that serve staggered

6-year terms and are appointed by

the President of the United States.

Upon confirmation the members of

the Council will advise the Chairman

of the National Endowment for the

Humanities and serve to promote

research and education towards the

humanities.

In November, Baldwin will

travel to Washington D.C. for his

first Council meeting where he along

applications and help set the direction

support. The Council will convene

three to four times per year to undergo

the review process.

As Director of the Myaamia

Center, Baldwin is keenly aware of

the impact the humanities can have

on indigenous knowledge bases. As

he stated in a recent article for Miami

University, “Many of the branches

within the humanities lie at the heart

of our work supporting language and

cultural revitalization. I hope that my

position on the National Council on

the Humanities will increase awareness

of the important role the humanities

play in the preservation and promotion

of Indigenous knowledge, language,

culture, and values.”

Daryl Baldwin teaching myaamia language circa 1997.

Photo credit: Unknown

MYAAMIA

HERITAGE

CEMETERY

Tribal citizens may reserve

burial plots at no cost at the

Myaamia Heritage Cemetery.

Contact Tera Hatley at

thatley@miamination.com

or by phone at 918-541-1324.

The Miami Nation Gift Shop is open for instore shopping, online sales and pick up. We

want to encourage all Myaamia customers to

place orders online for pick up at the Annual

Meeting on June 25, 2022. When shopping

online, be sure to choose the ‘pickup’ option

and make a note at checkout that you will

be at Annual Meeting. We will have a booth

at the meeting and will have your packaged

order ready for pickup.

918-544-6049

http://www.myaamiagifts.square.site

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

peenaalinta “One who is born”

Finn Emory Long

Juniper James Landers

Charlie Lynn Seddelmeyer

Myaamia citizen Jessie Seddelmeyer

and husband Ryan announced the birth of their

second daughter, Charlie Lynn Seddelmeyer.

Charlie was born July 2nd, 2020 at 7lbs and

14oz. She was welcomed with tremendous

excitement by big sister Peemihsaahkwa

(Riley). Charlie is the granddaughter of

Daryl & Karen Baldwin and Sue & Carl

Seddelmeyer.

Proud parents Katy Strass and Brandon

Landers are happy to announce the birth of

their daughter Juniper James Landers, born at

12:48 AM on February 7th, 2022 at Parkview

Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne,

Indiana. Juniper weighed 8 pounds 4oz and

measured 20.5 inches long. Juniper completes

her family joining her sister Arianna and

several cousins.

Juniper is the granddaughter of Tribal

citizen and renowned Myaamia artist Katrina

Mitten, and great-granddaughter of esteemed

elder Sue Strass of Huntington, IN.

Samuel & Journey Jarnagin

Twins, Samuel Preston (left) and Journey

Elizabeth Jarnagin, were born on September

30th, 2021 to Myaamia citizen Justin Jarngin

and Abigail Senne. Journey was born at 1 p.m.

weighing 6 lbs, 8 oz and measuring 18.5”.

Samuel was born at 1:03 p.m. weighing 7 lbs,

7 oz and measuring 20”.

Their paternal grandparents are

Myaamia citizen Yvonne Turner Jarnagin

and the late Michael Jarnagin. Their Great-

grandparents are Myaamia citizen Velma

Madison Turner and Leon Turner. Their

great-great-grandparents are Myaamia citizen

Mildred Fanning Madison and Junior. Their

3rd great-grandmother is Mae Pearl Carver

Fanning Denton. Their 4th great-grandmother

grandmother is Rosetta Kiser Carver.

Maternal grandparents are Ginny and

Anthony Benton.

Finn was born on 09/09/21 at 21

in and 8lbs. 9oz. to Myaamia citizen Dirk

Long and wife, Brittany Long. His Myaamia

grandparents are Phil and Pam Long. His

siblings are Tessa (5) and Barrett. (2)

MIAMI TRIBE

VETERANS BENEFIT

The Miami Nation Veteran’s Benefit was announced during the 2014

Annual General Council Meeting. It is designed to work just like

the Tribe’s existing elders and disability benefit debit cards. Veterans

will receive a debit card,

pre-loaded with $500 to

help with healthcare expenses. If you are an elder and a veteran, you

will receive an additional

$250, a total of $750 on

your card.

Veterans must apply through the Tribe’s

Member Services Office and provide proof

of honorable or medical discharge, or current

service status. The application can be downloaded from the Tribal

website at www.miamination.com. If you have

additional

questions,

please contact Tera Hatley at 918-541-1324.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

waanantakhšinka “Lying quietly”

Ellen Kay (Walker) Walcher, 84,

of Woodward, passed

away January 11,

2022. She was born

June 29, 1937, to

Freeman and Mildred

Walker in Claremore,

OK, and was a member of the Miami Tribe

of Oklahoma. She graduated from Manter High

School in Manter, Kansas, in 1954. She was

always an avid reader, and she graduated with

a Bachelors degree in English from Panhandle

A&M College in 1958.

At Panhandle A&M College, Ellen was

a cheerleader, and she met the love her life,

Ernie Walcher, who was there on a basketball

scholarship. They were married on June 8,

1958. She was a teacher in Griggs, Oklahoma,

from 1958 to 1959, in Carnegie, Oklahoma,

from 1959 to 1964, Durango, Colorado, from

1964 to 1967, and Liberal, Kansas, from 1967

to 1973. She finished her career in Woodward,

where she taught Senior English from 1973

to 1992. She loved her students and subject

matter, and many remember her term paper

assignments and how well she prepared them

for their next steps after high school.

Ellen and Ernie had 2 children, Dana

Lynn (Walcher) Diedrich, and Ernest Raymond

II (Rocky) Walcher. She loved her family more

than anything and was a devoted wife, mother,

grandmother, and great-grandmother. Ellen

was always driven and not ever afraid to try

new things. She travelled on many adventures

with her family, organized Chautauqua events,

and was involved in the building and women’s

committees at the First United Methodist

Church in Woodward.

She is survived by her daughter, Dana

and her husband, Brian Diedrich, of Perryton,

TX; son, Rocky and his wife, Tracy Walcher,

of Oklahoma City, OK; granddaughter

Caroline (Diedrich) Dibble, her husband,

Terry, and daughter, Savannah, of Stillwater,

OK; grandson Adam Diedrich, his wife Kayla,

and sons Hank, Hayes, and Hyde of Edmond,

OK; grandson Ernest Raymond III (Tripp)

Walcher of Oklahoma City, OK; grandson

Conrad Walcher and his wife, Tessa, of

Oklahoma City, OK; sister, Beth (Walker) and

her husband Dr. Darrell Devers, of Beaver,

OK; sister Linda (Walker) and her husband EJ

Donati of Stratford, NJ, and many nieces and

nephews.

She was preceded in death by her

parents, husband, sister and brother-in-law,

Muriel (Walker) and George Tedder, and

brother and sister-in-law, Bud and Nicole

Walker.

Viewing was held Friday, January,

14, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at

Billings Funeral Home in Woodward, OK.

Funeral services took place on Saturday,

January, 15, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at the First

United Methodist Church in Woodward, OK,

with interment immediately following at the

Elmwood Cemetery, in Woodward, OK.

Donations may be made to the First

United Methodist Church in Woodward or the

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma in Ellen’s name

through Billings Funeral Home, 1621 Downs

Avenue, Woodward, OK 73801.

Bruce E. Marks, 63,

of Fort Wayne, passed

away Monday, April 11,

2022 at Parkview Regional Medical Center

in Fort Wayne. Bruce

was born May 27, 1958

in Fort Wayne, Indiana

to John Alva Marks and Della Elaine (Farr)

Marks. He graduated with the class of 1976

from Elmhurst High School. He went on to

honorably serve his country in the United

States Air Force from 1977-1978 after which

he moved back to Fort Wayne. Bruce worked

for many years at Hall’s Restaurants before

moving to Moline, Illinois. Bruce loved reading, baking, the Beatles and adored his grandchildren. He was a member of the Miami Tribe

of Oklahoma as well as the Roanoke Baptist

Church.

He is survived by his children:

Jennipher E. (Aaron) Wagner of Marion,

North Carolina; Stephanie M. (Mitch) Perry

of Blacksburg, Virginia; Heather L. (Steve)

Gass of Huntington; and Stacy N. (Scott)

Mannia of Fort Wayne; and his grandchildren:

Mykenzie, Megan, Madison, Micah, Chance,

Emma, Alyssa, Penny, Madyx, and Audrey.

He is also survived by his mother D. Elaine

Marks; his brothers, Ricky A. (Heidi) Marks

of Fort Wayne; Leonard E. Marks (Donna) of

Tipton, Indiana; and his sisters, Vicki Irons of

Columbia City; and Judy J. (John) Slatton of

Fort Wayne.

He was preceded in death by his father

John A. Marks; brothers, Dennis E. Marks and

Jon A. Marks all of Fort Wayne.

A memorial service was held Thursday,

April 14, 2022 at 2:00 pm at the Roanoke

Baptist Church, 11015 Lafayette Center Road,

Roanoke, Indiana. Memorial donations can be

made to Parkview Hospice.

Jacob Lafayette Brewer, 86, went to

be with his Lord on December 19, 2021

at his residence in Dayton, Texas. He was

born to his parents Ethel Q.V. (McCoy) and

Junior Wallace Brewer on April 24, 1935 in

Louisburg, Kansas. In January of 1999, Jacob,

known to most affectionately as “Jake”, and

Effie tied the knot at First Baptist Church of

North Channel, where they have been members

for 22 years. In his free time, Jake enjoyed

spending time outdoors fishing, as well as

deer and duck hunting. Most of all, Jake loved

spending time with his family, and especially

his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He was a loving husband, father, step-father,

grandfather, and great-grandfather; and he will

be dearly missed by his family and friends.

Jake is preceded in death by his parents; stepsons, Eugene McCarty and Jack McCarty;

brothers, Herbert Brewer and Junior Brewer;

as well as by his sister Barbara Hall. Left to

cherish his memory is his wife, Effie Brewer;

children, Jay Brewer, Diane Brewer and

husband Army Armstrong, Arlene Parrish and

husband Mike, Marie Brewer and husband

Fred Monette; step-children, Gidget Gestring

and husband Jimmy, Teresa Monreal and

husband Tony, Cindy Barnhill and husband

Mike, Bud Yocum and wife Maryann; sisters,

Slina Prothe and husband Leland, and Velma

Wehmeyer; as well as numerous grandchildren,

great-grandchildren, other extended family

members, church family, and many friends.

Gary Alan Parsons was born in Baxter

Springs, Kansas on Wednesday, April 13, 1932,

to Charles F. and Ida Mae (VanDusen) Parsons.

He passed from this life to his eternal home in

heaven on Sunday, December 19, 2021, at the

age of 89 surrounded by his family.

Gary grew up in Baxter Springs,

attending school there and graduated from

Baxter Springs High School in 1950. He met

and fell in love with Helen Eileen Johnson,

and they married on March 1, 1952. They were

happily married for 67 years until Helen’s

passing in 2019.

Gary began a 40-year career with

American Airlines in 1952 and retired from

there as Director of Production Control. He

and Helen were the parents of one son and

one daughter. He was a private pilot that

enjoyed his quiet time flying his Grumman

Tiger airplane. Additionally, he was an avid

hunter and fisherman, and enjoyed coaching

and watching sports. He also played basketball

and was a member of the American Airlines

“Gray Ghosts” softball team. Gary and

Helen were charter members of St. Stephens

United Methodist Church in Broken Arrow.

In his spare time, Gary enjoyed playing golf,

woodcarving, camping, raising cattle, and lake

life. He will be missed by all who knew and

loved him.

Left to cherish his memory are son

Richard Parsons and his wife, Maria, of

Broken Arrow, Daughter DeAnn Duggins

and her husband, Pat, of Broken Arrow , 4

Grandchildren: Eric W. Pearson and his wife,

Leigh Hayden Combe, and her husband, Justin

Patrick Duggins, and his wife, Amber

Paula Amsden, Keith Amsden. Numerous great

grandchildren, other family members and

friends

Those who preceded him in death were

his parents, Charles F. and Ida Mae Parsons

Henderson, his wife, Helen Eileen, stepfather,

Frank. S. Henderson, and two stepbrothers

(John and Jim).

Charles Randall

“Randy” Ashworth ,

age 63 of Stuart, passed

away Monday, August

9, 2021 at the Woltz

Hospice Home in Dobson, NC. He was born

on February 18, 1958

in Oklahoma to the late Joseph Ashworth and

Wanda Pooler Ashworth. Randy had served in

the U.S. Navy.

Surviving is his fiancé, Susan Taylor

of the home; three children, Christopher

Ashworth, Misty Ashworth, Tamara Ashworth;

five grandchildren, Grace, Layla, Brandon,

Donna, Mason; and two brothers, David

Ashworth and John Ashworth.

Paul Christopher Cooper of Tulsa,

OK, passed away on June 17, 2021. He was

born in Tulsa on January 5, 1958, to Fern and

Elizabeth Cooper. Funeral services were held

on Wednesday, June 23, at Butler-Stumpff &

Dyer Memorial Chapel in Tulsa. Interment

follwed at the Myaamia Heritage Cemetery in

Miami, OK.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2022

waanantakhšinka “Lying quietly”

Gavin Nicholas

Kaiser, age 8, of

rural Paola, passed

away June 24,

2021.

Gavin was

born April 17,

2013 at Olathe,

Kansas. He was

the younger of two

children born to

Jamey “Pete” and Dena (Brandt) Kaiser. Gavin

attended school at Cottonwood Elementary in

Paola. He enjoyed his teachers and classmates;

kindergarten with Mrs. Edwards, first grade

with Mrs. Hoskins, and second grade with Mrs.

Smith.

Gavin was all boy, enjoying almost

anything outdoors. He loved baseball, football,

basketball, fishing, farming, camping,

swimming, bicycling, tending to the cows, and

riding his 4 wheeler. Gavin had even made

the All Star Team in baseball this year. His

favorite color was red and his favorite food

was sweets. He was the best of buds with his

canine companion Lizzy, a great pyrenees mix.

Another of his favorite pastimes was hanging

out with his big sister Bailey. They always had

fun together.

Gavin was preceded in death by his

maternal grandfather Robert Brandt, Jr. and

great grandparents.

He is survived by his parents Jamey

“Pete” and Dena; his sister Bailey; his maternal grandmother Delores Brandt; his paternal

grandparents Lester and Karen Kaiser; great

grandparents Kenny and Vera Kaiser and Lawrence Delana; aunts and uncles Lisa Kaiser,

Laurie and Josh Blanco, and Robert III and

Amy Brandt; as well as lots of extended family

including cousins, Miami tribe, friends, and his

sports teammates.

A memorial service was held at 10:30

a.m., Friday, July 2, 2021 in the Trinity Lutheran Church of Block Community, rural Paola

under the direction of Dengel & Son Mortuary,

305 N. Pearl, Paola, KS, 66071. Memorials are

to the TLC Endowment/Gavin Kaiser Memorial.

Honoring

Our Departed

Warriors

Bruce E. Marks - USAF

Charles Ashworth - USN

R. Vance Gustus - USMC

Ronald Downing - USMC

Leslie L. Marks - USMC

Meekaahkiihpanaki

(those who used to be warriors)

kohsetawaataawi

(let’s show respect to them)

Pete (Gilbert Lee) Brown September 7,

1939 – December 29, 2021- Beloved husband,

father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and

friend.

He was born in Chetopa, KS to Gilbert

and Pauline (Verdenia) Leonard Brown. He

grew up in the Hallowell area and graduated

from Columbus Unified High School in 1957.

He was a pipe fitter/welder most of his adult

life and was able to see many parts of the

United States through his job locations.

Pete settled back in the area and became

the husband of Clara McDonald Brown in

2003. He leaves behind his beloved wife,

Clara, as well as his children, Mike Brown,

Kari Brown Casey, Mindy Brown Kasten,

and his bonus sons Rick McDonald, Terry

McDonald, and Michael McDonald and their

spouses. Pete also had many grandchildren and

several great-grandchildren and great-great

grandchildren, who adored him as well. Pete

was preceded in death by both his parents and

one bonus son, Jim Jr.

Pete loved the Lord and was very active

in his local church. After God and his family,

music was what he loved most. He enjoyed

playing and singing as part of the worship

music for his church. When you ask the people

who knew Pete best what they remember most

about him, you will almost always here, “his

wit and sense of humor”. He loved making

people laugh, telling jokes, and being ornery.

Pete’s tenderness and sense of humor

will be greatly missed by all who had the

privilege of knowing him, but his legacy

will live on in the stories he’s shared and

the people he’s witnessed to. Thank you for

joining us to celebrate him today.

Graveside services were held at 1:00

p.m., Saturday, January 8, 2022 in the Lowell

Cemetery. Pastor Audie Tash officiated. In

lieu of flowers memorial contributions may

be made to The House of Prayer, Pete Brown

Memorial Fund. Funeral arrangements were

under the direction of Derfelt Funeral Home

Baxter Chapel.

R. Vance Gustus, 71, of Vilonia passed

away Monday, August 9th, 2021. He was born

to the late Woodrow and Thelma Gustus in

Lyons, Kansas on January 27, 1950. Shortly

after graduating from North Little Rock High

School, Vance joined the United States Marine

Corps and served proudly until 1974. He then

followed in his father’s footsteps and went to

work for the Union Pacific Railroad. Upon

retiring from Union Pacific as an Engineer,

he focused on his love of photography, his

travels, and spending time with his family and

friends. His fondness of photography allowed

him to capture and express his love of nature.

His other passions included disc golf, music,

movies, bowling, scuba diving, and “highly”

thought out road trips.

Vance was preceded in death by his

parents, Woodrow and Thelma Gustus; his

stepfather, Clyde McWilliams; brothers, Gerald Gustus and JD Gustus; nephew, Ty Rodney

Gustus. He is survived by his son, Dylan Gustus (Kristin); two daughters, Shiloh Gustus and

Jessica Abbott (Royce); 6 beautiful grandchildren, Caspin, Elayna, Winston, Lyra, Nolan,

and William; nephew, Troy Gustus (Teresa);

and a host of family and friends.

Phillip C. Strack,

67, of Columbia City,

Indiana, passed away

Saturday, January 15,

2022 at home with

family by his side.

Born October 17, 1954

in Fort Wayne, he

was the son of James

and Mary Ellen (Fox)

Strack.

He graduated from Columbia City Joint

High School with the Class of 1973. Aside

from being a farmer, Phil had worked for Gene

Lopshire Dynamic Power Corporation for over

10 years and worked at Bosch Automotive

in Albion for close to 15 years. He was a

member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

Survivors include his mother, Mary

Ellen Strack; brother and sister-in-law, Tom

and Loretta Strack; sister Cynthia (Jay Miller)

Berghoff; nieces and nephews, Ryan (Kara)

McCammon, Rod (Gina) Strack, Rachelle

Patrick and Jennifer (James Davis) Strack;

and great-nieces and great-nephews, Hunter,

Ethan, Lewis, Eli, Claudia and Reed. He was

preceded in death by his father, James Strack.

Visitation was held from 2:30 to 4

pm and 6 to 8 pm, Tuesday, January 18,

2022 at DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home,

600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City

with a Rosary prayer beginning at 2 pm.

Mass of Christian Burial was held at 9 am

Wednesday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church,

12305 Arcola Rd, Arcola with visitation one

hour prior. Father Tad Balinda officiated

his Mass. Burial will take place at Catholic

Cemetery in Fort Wayne. Memorial donations

may be given in memory toward Masses at

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church or St. Jude

Children’s Research Hospital. Visit www.

DeMoneyGrimes.com to send Phil’s family

online condolences.

Ernest Leroy Hale, Sr., 73, of Mishawaka,

entered into eternal rest on April 18, 2022.

He was born on September 15, 1948 in South

Bend, IN to the late Millard and Jessie Hale.

Ernest enjoyed spending time in his garage

and loved having an ice-cold beer. He was

a NASCAR fan and would often talk about

“Little Carl”. Ernest was so proud of his

grandchildren and each of them held a special

place in his heart.

He was preceded in death by his son,

Millard J. Hale; sisters, Frances Pendergrass,

Loretta Goodsell, Mary McClish, Lois Kelvert,

Willadene Miltenberger, Hazel Alkire, Elsie

Hensel, and Jess Hale; and brothers, Clayton

Hale, Raymond Hale, and William Hale.

Ernest is survived by his wife, Charlotte

(Dawson) Hale; children, William “Sam” Hale,

Laura (Joel) Smith, Eric (Lola) Hale, Ernest

(Luna) Hale, Brandon (Kim) Hale, and Amber

(Scott) Hale; grandchildren, Keith Hale,

Koriann Hale, Kaylee (Dale) Craft, Autumn

Hale, Madison Howey, Emmalyn Hale, Dylan

Hale, Sarah Hale, Danica Littler, and Dallas

Hale; and 3 great grandchildren, Keegan Hale,

Karlton Tennant, and Logan Hale.

Visitation was held on Thursday, April

28, 2022 from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM with the

Funeral Service to following at 1:00 PM at

Chapel Hill Funeral Home, 10776 McKinley

Hwy., Osceola, IN 46561.

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 2, 2022

waanantakhšinka “Lying quietly”

Jeffry H. “Oz”

Strack , 63, of Deca-

tur, IN, passed away

on Monday, January

31, 2022, at Parkview

born November

urday, Nov. 20, 2021,

Regional Medical

19, 1950, in Tulsa,

Ron went home to

Center. He was born

OK, to Arlice Ellsbe with his Lord and

on June 28, 1958, in

worth and Alice

Savior. He was 74.

Allen County, IN,

Jewell (Campbell)

Ronald Otho

the 5th of the 11 children of the late Godfrey

Smith. She passed

Downing, of the

“Cap” Strack and Rita (Beckman) Strack. On

away July 15,

Miami Tribe of

September 5, 1987, Jeff married Rebecca D.

2021, in Sperry,

Oklahoma, was born

Gage.

OK.

Sept. 22, 1947, to J.O. and Maxine Downing.

In his youth he attended grade school

Sherrie was an all-around dancer for

Together they spent a short time in Commerce,

at St. Joseph Catholic School – Hessen Cassel.

most of her life, starting at the age of 3 to com- Oklahoma, where they owned and operated a

He then went on to graduate from Wayne

bat Polio, and continued to dance well into the small grocery store, living in the back of the

High School, Class of 1976, where he played

2000’s. Sherrie grew up in the Tulsa area and

store.

trumpet in the marching band. He pursued his

attended Lee Elementary, Horace Mann Junior

Ron moved to Wichita as an infant and

love of music by playing the drums for various

High, and Central High School. In her younger spent the days of his youth there. He attended

local bands including Six Guns, Rampant, and

years, Sherrie enjoyed playing outside, hopWest High School before being drafted in

Night School from 1985 – 1992.

scotch, roller-skating, hula hoops, paper dolls

1966 by the United States Marine Corps to

He worked for L.H. Stamping in

and sticker books. Her mother, Jewell would

serve in Vietnam. He spent 13 long months

Ft. Wayne for 22 years as the Maintenance

make clothes for her dolls. She was a member

there fighting on the front lines with his

Supervisor. He found peace in being outdoors

of the Brookside Baptist Church as a child. She platoon, known as the “Moonlighters.” Ron

and his favorite holiday was the first day of

joined the Regina Ann Smith Dance Studio and was privileged to work alongside villagers and

rabbit season. He also enjoyed the many trips

participating in many dance forms, especially

with the South Vietnamese government before

out west to go prairie dog hunting with his dad

Jazz and Tap. She loved being a part of the

ending his tour and returning home in 1968,

and brothers.

Cheer squad and joining the Daisettes in high

being honorably discharged. His parents were

Oz was a lover of life and didn’t

school was a prized accomplishment. She was

confident that God protected Ron during this

know a stranger. He loved his children

a member of the Happy Hoofers for nearly 20

time.

and had a special place in his heart for his

years. Somewhere around the age of 12, Sherrie

Ron spent many years doing many

2 grandchildren, Wyatt and Annalyn “the

dreamt of performing in the Red Glove Redifferent things. None of which were more

Terminator”. Oz immensely missed his

view and this kept her dancing with the Happy important than him sharing his faith, helping

daughter, Teresa L. Strack who preceded him

Hoofers longer than she anticipated. Sherrie

those less fortunate, spending time with his

in death on September 6, 2018.

said, “she could never break her 12-year-old

family and being outdoors to enjoy all of

He is survived by his wife of 34 years,

self’s heart.” Sherrie and the Happy Hoofers

God’s creation. Anyone who knew Ron knew

Rebecca D. Strack of Decatur; two sons, James

were also proud to be part of the entertainment that those things were the very essence of his

R. Slusher and Patrick O. (Nici) Strack; two

on the cruise ship Queen Elizabeth II or the

existence and something we will all cherish

grandchildren, Wyatt E. Strack and Annalyn

QE2 from London back to the States. Shermoving forward.

M. Strack; mother-in-law, Dorothy Gage; 5

rie loved to go bowling and did so for most

Ron was preceded in death by his

brothers, Greg (Irene) Strack of Hoagland,

of her life; she even continued the tradition

parents, J.O. Downing and Maxine Downing.

Paul (Melanie) Strack of Monroeville, Tim

with her children and one time scored up in to

His survivors include his wife and the love

(Insuk) Strack of New Jersey, Andy (Yvonne)

the high 280’s. Sherrie was a sports fan and

of his life, Shyrlee Downing of Chetopa; five

Strack, Kendallville, and Joe (Shelby) Strack

consummate supporter. She loved Christmas

sons, Chris Downing of Derby, Jon Downing

of Fort Wayne; 5 sisters, Eileen Hoskins of

and especially Santa’s, of which she had over

(Brooke) of Derby, Shane Rusche (Deanna)

Fort Wayne, Carolyn (John) Spenn of Fort

300. Sherrie was a citizen of the Miami Tribe

of Kingman, Arizona, Ryan Rusche (Amber)

Wayne, Margaret Meyer of Fort Wayne, Beth

of Oklahoma, and a member of the Tulsa Pow

of Joplin and Jonathan Farley (Essie) of

(Tim) Sensibaugh of Fort Wayne, and Jane

Wow and Tulsa Indian Club chapters. She was Columbus; a daughter, Melissa Downing (Mike

(Scott) Beerman of Coldwater, MI; numerous

a member of the Mothers of Multiples Club in

Nelson) of Wichita; three grandsons, Trenten,

nieces and nephews.

Tulsa and wrote two articles for their publicaTravis and Gabriel; two granddaughters,

Visitation was held from 3:00 –

tion. Sherrie was also a member of the Tulsa

Clarissa and Sophie; a sister, Debbie Downing7:00 p.m. on Monday, February 7, 2022, at

Camp Fire Girls and the Girls Auxiliary Clubs. Von Feldt (Dwight) of Oklahoma City,

Haggard-Sefton-Hirschy & Zelt Funeral Home,

She is survived by her husband, Roger

Oklahoma; and his dogs, Buddy, Sweet Face,

with a reciting of the Holy Rosary at 2:30 p.m.

Sutterfield; children, Steven Sutterfield and

Anna and Elsa.

A Funeral Liturgy was held at 11:00 a.m. on

husband, Kha, Phillip Sutterfield and wife,

A graveside service with military

Tuesday, February 8, 2022, also at the funeral

Shelly, Jacob Sutterfield and wife, Katrina,

honors was held at Oak Hill Cemetery in

home, with calling 1 hour prior to the service

and Joshua Sutterfield; grandchildren, Kelsie

Chetopa.

from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Father William

and Daniel, Hayden, Mary, Triston and Chyna,

Memorials are suggested to The Miami

Kummer officiated and inurnment was in St.

and Channing and Sam; great-grandchildren,

Tribe of Oklahoma. These may be left at or

Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Decatur at a later

Savannah, and one on the way; brother, David

mailed to the Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral

date.

Smith; and many other relatives and friends.

Home, P.O. Box 346, Chetopa, KS, 67336.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Arlice and Jewell Smith; brothers, Ronnie

and Larry; grandparents, Arthur and Martha

OBITUARY, BIRTH, MARRIAGE, GRADUATION

Campbell and Isadore (Labadie) and Thomas

AND OTHER FAMILY SUBMISSIONS

Smith; and many loving aunts and uncles.

A memorial donation in Sherrie’s name

has been made for the Miami Tribe Youth CulMiami Tribe of Oklahoma citizens and family are encouraged

tural Education Programs. Donations may be

to submit obituaries, birth and marriage announcements,

sent to: Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, Attn: Culgraduation and other achievements to this Myaamia Community

tural Education Director, P.O. Box 1326, Miami,

OK 74355.

publication. Send detailed text and a color, or black and white,

Sherrie

Sutterfield was

Ronald Otho

Downing - On Sat-

photo to the Cultural Resources Office at mtocro@gmail.com

Photo resolution - 300 dpi

Minimum photo size 3” x 3”

Formats: tif, jpg, pdf, psd

Aatotankiki Myaamiaki, Vol. 16, No. 2, 2022

waanantakhšinka “Lying quietly”

Ronald Dean “Bunny” Von Hemel , 85,

Leslie Lee Marks,

75, passed away on

passed away peacefully

Friday, Oct. 22, 2021, at

on Tuesday, February

his daughter’s residence

22, 2022 at the Stanton

near Columbia City.

County Long Term Care

Born in Fort Wayne on

facility in Johnson, KanOct. 11, 1946, he was a

sas. He was born June

son of the late George

4, 1936 to Alta Beatrice

W. and Virginia (Rose)

(Watson) and Augusta Ross Von Hemel in

Marks, Jr. He married

Picher, Oklahoma. Bunny, a nickname that

Sharon Ann Klingel on

was given to him as a child by his father, was

May 24, 1969 in Fort Wayne. He honorably

raised in the Manter, KS area and attended

served his country from 1964 to 1968 in the

school there.

United States Marine Corps during the VietBunny owned and operated a trucking

nam War where he fought in two tours of duty.

company in Lamar, Colorado. He saw millions He was a Purple Heart recipient. He was emof miles of this great country transporting catployed with BAE Systems and was a member

tle. His children have fond memories of Bunny of American Legion Post 241, Fort Wayne. He

teaching them how to drive a semi-truck durwas a patriarch member of the Pimyotahmah

ing their teenage years. When he wasn’t work- Clan and former tribal council of Miami Naing he could be found fishing or hunting elk,

tion of Indiana and current member of the

antelope, deer and even rabbits. Bunny enjoyed Miami Nation of Oklahoma. He volunteered

taking guided hunting trips to Colorado and

for Big Brothers / Big Sisters and MDA camps.

spending time in nature. Each year he invested Les was a good man and a very caring and lovlove in his garden, cultivating wonderful fruits ing husband, father and grandfather. Survivors

and vegetables that he would give to family

include his wife, Sharon Marks of Fort Wayne;

and friends. Bunny also had a love for gamdaughter, Tami (Mike) Langston of Columbia

bling: scratch-off tickets, the horse track, and

City; son, Sean Marks of Blackwood, N.J.; five

trips to Boot Hill Casino or Cripple Creek

grandchildren, Brendon Bowlin, Gage Bowlin,

Colorado. He was proud of his Miami Tribe

Olivia Logan, Adam Marks, and Alice Marks;

roots and felt his Native American heritage

three great-grandchildren, Blair Bowlin, Anran through his veins, (“niila myaamia,” which thony Bowlin and Logan Bowlin; brothers,

translates to, “I am Miami!”) He will be great- Michael (Debby) Marks of Fort Wayne and

ly missed by his family.

George (Suzan) Marks of Fort Wayne; and half

He is survived by his children: Rhonda

siblings, Connie Racette, Lynn Roy, Dewayne

Kay Westeman and Douglas Peppier, both

(Sandra) Roy, and Susan Jarboe. Funeral

of Man ter, KS, Lana Gayle Smith and husband service is noon Friday, Oct. 29, 2021, at St.

David of Manter, KS, and Ronnie Wayne Von

Michael Lutheran Church, 2131 Getz Road,

Hemel of Ulysses, KS; eight grandchildren;

Fort Wayne, with visitation 10 a.m. to noon

twenty-one great grandchildren; two greatand followed by military honors. Pastor Don

great-grandchildren; brothers Don Von Hemel

Sandmann will officiate the service. Following

and Roylynn of Hot Springs, AR, and Ross

the service there will be a funeral dinner held

Von Hemel of Holly, CO; a sister, Carolyn

at the American Legion Post 241 in WayneSpell of Walsh, CO; a brother-in-law. Dewight

Wyatt Glen

Mellecker of Longmont, CO; and numerous

Engle, 18, of rural

nieces and nephews.

North Manchester,

He is preceded in death by his parents

Indiana, died MonAugusta and Alta Von Hemel; a brother,

day, November 15,

Danny Von Hemel; a sister, Judy Mellecker;

2021 in Wabash

and a sister-in-law, Judy Von Hemel.

County, Indiana. He

There will be no public visitation as

was born on August

cremation has taken place. He will be laid to

26, 2003, in Fort

rest on the Miami Tribal Burial Grounds in

Wayne, Indiana, to

Miami, Oklahoma.

Rex A. Engle and Nichole (Fox) Foster.

Memorial contributions can be made

Wyatt was a senior at Whitko High

payable to the Josephine Goodboo Watson

School. He worked at McDonalds in North

Memorial Book Tribal Scholarship in care of

Manchester. He was a member of the Miami

the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma.

Tribe of Oklahoma and Miami Nation of

Bert Eugene Turner, age 58, of

Indians of Indiana. Wyatt enjoyed writing

Commerce, OK passed away on December 15, rap beats, Yu-Gi-Oh cards and playing video

2021. He was preceded in death by his father, games.

Leon Eugene. He is survived by his mother

He is survived by his father and

Velma Turner (Madison) of North Miami, OK; stepmother, Rex A. and Jennifer Engle of

his children Scottie Collier of Joplin, MO and

South Whitley, Indiana, mother, Nichole Foster

Genesis Lingle (William) of Diamond, MO;

of Churubusco, Indiana, sister, Adelynn Engle

his siblings, Dale Turner of Girard, KS, and

of North Manchester, brother, Jesse Engle of

Yvonne Jarnagin of Commerce, OK; and his

South Whitley, grandparents, Glen and Beth

grandchildren, Shiloh and Damyan Lingle.

Engle of North Manchester, Tonyia and Andy

Paul S. Richardville, 66, of Tulsa, OK

passed from this life on December 23, 2021.

Wolf of Columbia City, Indiana, Rick and

Carol Price of Etna Green, Indiana, and greatgrandmother, Elizabeth Engle of Wabash,

Indiana. He was preceded in death by his

brother, Jasper Engle.

A private service was held. Preferred

memorial is Ronald McDonald House.

Evie Jane Hunter, 93, passed away

on February 11, 2022

at her home in Fort

Wayne, IN. She was

born March 2, 1928,

in Peru, IN, as the

fifth child of James

Clarence Hunter and

Swan Irene (Godfroy) Hunter. She was a citizen of the Miami

Tribe of Oklahoma and was the last living

great-grandchild of Miami Chief Palaanswa

(Francois/Francis Godfroy) and grandchild of

Waapanaakikapwa (Gabriel Godfroy.)

She graduated from Peru High School

in 1946. She retired after 32 years of civil service at the Fort Benjamin Harrison Army Finance Center and at Naval Avionics. Evie was

proud to be a 60 year Life Member of the Beta

Sigma Phi Sorority International. She loved to

travel. She made many solo car trips to visit

her friend in Arizona, and she also traveled

throughout Europe. She lived most of her life

in Indianapolis until January 2021 when she

moved to Fort Wayne to live with her niece.

She is survived by a sister-in-law Aileen Glessner Hunter of Peru, IN, 28 nieces

and nephews, and numerous great-nieces and

nephews. She was preceded in death by her

parents, five sisters Gladys Halliburton, Betty

Hartleroad, Helen Kroll, Phyllis Puckett, and

Mary Kasberg, two brothers James H. Hunter

and Kenneth G. Hunter, and one nephew.

A private burial service was held in

Mount Hope Cemetery in Peru, IN.

Lester Eugene

Simmons , 51, Bates City,

Mo, passed away January

31, 2022.

He was born July

25, 1970, in El Dorado

Springs, Mo. Lester

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