Nemîshâtênemo êhthâkîwiyâni (2021)

SAC and FOX NEWS

Nemîshâtênemo êhthâkîwiyâni

Phone: 918-968-3526 • 920963 S. Hwy. 99, Bldg. A • Stroud, OK 74079 • Vol. 43 • No. 4 • April 2021

Lina Ortega Serving as Project Lead for $200,000

Grant to Preserve Native American Oral Histories

The University of Oklahoma

(OU) Libraries’ Western History Collections (WHC) has received a $200,000 award to preserve, digitize and make more

accessible the Native American

oral histories that were recorded by OU students in the 1960s

and 1970s. The funding comes

from the Doris Duke Charitable

Foundation, whose namesake financed the collection of original

recordings.

OU is one of seven universities participating in the Doris

Duke Native American Oral

History Revitalization Project

that aims to preserve the recordings through digitization,

improve culturally appropriate access to the recordings,

provide the originating Native

communities with digital copies

of all materials collected, ensure

proper care of the original materials and promote their use. Additionally, in consultation with

Native communities in Oklahoma, the project will develop

As Associate Curator for the OU Libraries’ Western History Collections

plans to update and expand the

collection of oral histories to include contemporary voices.

“The importance of this gift

cannot be overestimated,” said

OU Libraries Interim Dean

Karen Rupp-Serrano. “These

collections have been at risk in

all the participating institutions

because of the original format in

which they were recorded. The

DDCF grant preserves these irreplaceable collections, leverages their value by creating a

shared website where users can

search all seven collections simultaneously, and ensures that

terms of access are respectful of

the Native communities represented. We are honored to be involved in this important effort.”

Doris Duke funded a project

at seven universities across the

country, including OU, aimed

at collecting oral histories from

Native Americans. Duke award-

ed grants to the universities to

collect a robust collection of

oral histories from Native leaders and culture bearers around

the country and to return these

stories to the tribes and communities that provided them.

Each university identified faculty, graduate students and/or

researchers to interview Native

leaders and community members. Those interviewed were

asked to reflect on their experiences living on reservations and

attending Native schools, and

for their knowledge of Native

traditions.

From 1967 to 1972, OU students and staff interviewed

more than 600 Native elders

across Oklahoma. The resulting Doris Duke American Indian Oral History Collection

has since been archived in the

OU Libraries’ Western History

Collections. The new project

enables the preservation of this

unique and valuable oral history

collection through digitization

and will extend the partnership

with the Native American communities who are represented in

(Continued on Page 7)

Elders Committee Members Meet in New Facility

‘The Journey From Littlechief to McGirt’

Carter Presents Development of

Indian Country Law, Jurisdiction

(Editor’s Note: The following

was written by Sac and Fox Nation tribal leader Truman Carter, who is the founder and owner of the Indian Country Law

Center in Shawnee, Okla.. He

has prosecuted Indian country

crimes for 35 years.)

THE JOURNEY FROM Littlechief TO McGirt: A CONCISE EXAMINATION OF

THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF INDIAN COUNTRY CRIMINAL LAW AND

JURISDICTION IN OKLAHOMA.

The U.S. Supreme Court decisions in McGirt v. Oklahoma

and Murphy v. Royal overturned

state convictions and have generated renewed interest in the

investigation and prosecution

of crimes in Indian country in

Oklahoma. These decisions

were the federal confirmation

and recognition of the continued existence of the 11-county

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Indian reservation boundaries established by Congress in 1866. This

decision also provides clarity

and guidance for those federal,

tribal, and state officers charged

with the shared responsibility to

provide law and order on Indian

lands.

The Supreme Court decisions

are the latest of court cases successfully challenging Oklahoma’s overreaching exercise of

jurisdiction over crimes committed by or against Indians in

the federal Indian country. The

Acts of Congress and federal courts have established the

framework for applying and enforcing federal, tribal and state

laws in the Indian country, as

defined by Congress.

Beginning in 1834, Congress

enacted laws describing and defining Indian lands as “Indian

country”. This is the territory

within which federal, tribal and

state laws relating to Indians

and non-Indians are generally

applicable.

In 1948, Congress amended

the federal criminal code and

enacted a comprehensive definition of Indian country, at 18

U.S.C.§ 1151, providing that Indian country “means (a) all land

within the limits of any Indian

reservation…(b) all dependent

Indian communities…..and (c)

all Indian allotments”….

The result is a system where

the authority is shared between

the federal, tribal, and state governments. The status of the offense, and the offender and the

victim (Indian or non-Indian),

will determine which jurisdiction will prosecute. All three

types of Indian country are

now recognized to be present in

Oklahoma.

In 1953, Congress established

the authority for states, including Oklahoma, to assume jurisdiction over any Indian country

within a state. P.L. 83-280; 67

Stat. 588; 18 U.S.C. §1162; 25

U.S.C. §1324.

In 1977, Caddo County authorities prosecuted an Indian

for the murder of his father, also

a Kiowa Indian, on a Kiowa Indian allotment. The defendant

challenged Oklahoma’s authority.

The federal court ruled that,

under of Public Law 83-280,

Oklahoma could have unilaterally assumed jurisdiction over

any “Indian country” within its

borders at any time between

1953 and 1968 had the Oklahoma Constitution been amended

as required. After the enactment

of Title IV in 1968 Oklahoma

had to amend its constitution

and the affected tribes had to

consent to the State’s assumption of jurisdiction over them

before the State could acquire

jurisdiction over “Indian country.” United States of America

v. Brock Kenyon Littlechief,

No. CR-76-207-9, November 7,

1977.

The state appellate court

found that the lands upon which

the homicide occurred as Indian land, and the state was

without jurisdiction to prosecute the defendant. The state

case was dismissed. The land

was Indian country pursuant to

18U.S.C.§1151 (c). State v. Littlechief, 573 P.2d 263(1978).

In 1979, Kay County officials charged an Indian juvenile,

C.M.G., for the killing of anoth(Continued on Page 14)

Chairman Stella Nullake, Vice Chair Melissa Denny and other members of the Sac and Fox

Elders Committee held their first business meeting in the new Transportation, Elders and

Veterans Complex in Stroud on March 10. Construction was completed several months ago.

However, due to the pandemic, a formal opening date of the facility is yet to be determined.

The building remains closed to the public, and recommended safety protocol is being followed. Other members of the Elders Committee include: Treasurer Elizabeth Wolftongue,

Renee Buckley, Pat Ward, Francis Grant, Mable Walton and Laveta Ashley. (Photo by Mike Brown)

Transportation

Projects

Discussed

Sac and Fox Nation Transportation Dept. Specialist

Randle Carter, right, discusses current transportation projects with Business

Committee Member Robert

Williamson, left, and Second

Chief Don Abney, center, in

the new Transportation facility in Stroud. Projects include: Chandler 15th Street;

Stroud Salt Creek Bridge;

and, the Black Hawk Health

Center parking lot and road

project. (Photo by Mike Brown)

You are Vaccinated Against COVID-19, Now What?

Covid-19 vaccination rates

are on the rise across Oklahoma

and the nation, leaving many

curious whether they can relax

pandemic precautions.

With new guidance from the

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, experts at

the Oklahoma Medical Research

Foundation answer questions

about post-vaccination life.

1. What is “full vaccination,”

and how long does it take?

Being fully vaccinated means

your body has formed a maximal immune response to a

vaccine. Whether you received

a two-dose Covid-19 vaccine

(Moderna or Pfizer) or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson

jab, the timetable after the final

— or only — shot is the same:

two weeks.

“Trial data shows this is the

optimal amount of time for your

body to build a full immune response and the vaccine to reach

peak performance,” said OMRF

immunologist Eliza Chakravarty, M.D. “Vaccines are not

like pain medication; they take

a little while to kick in. Your immune system has a lot of work

to do.”

2. Can I be indoors with unmasked people?

Small groups of fully vaccinated people can gather indoors,

unmasked with other fully vaccinated people. And, the CDC

says, fully vaccinated people

can gather unmasked, indoors

with unvaccinated people from

one other household, as long

as none of those people are at

high risk for severe illness from

Covid-19.

“It’s a much lower risk,” said

OMRF physician-scientist Hal

Scofield, M.D. “The Covid-19

vaccines are among the most effective ever produced. If you’re

tired of masks, get a vaccine as

soon as you can.”

3. Can I see my unvaccinated

family, like children who can’t

be vaccinated yet?

“Grandparents are particularly concerned with this question,”

said Scofield. “The answer is

yes, as long as you keep it to one

household, and no one is at high

risk for severe Covid-19.”

For family gatherings of more

than one household at a time,

Scofield says, it is best to keep

the festivities outside, practice

distancing and wear masks.

4. Do I still need to wear a

mask in public?

“Yes, but probably not for

(Continued on Page15)

Page 2 - Sac and Fox News - April 2021

Sac and Fox News

The Sac & Fox News is the monthly

publication of the Sac & Fox Nation,

located on SH 99, six miles south of

Stroud, OK.

Mailing address:

Sac and Fox Nation

Administration Building

920963 S Hwy 99 Bldg A

Stroud, OK 74079

Phone: 918-968-3526

Fax: 918-968-4837

The Sac & Fox News is the official

publication of the Sac and Fox

Nation. Our mission is to meet all

tribal members information needs

concerning the Nation.

The Sac & Fox News is mailed free,

one per address, to enrolled Sac and

Fox tribal members. Paid subscriptions

are available for $12.00 annually.

Editorial statements, guest columns,

and letters to the editor published in

this newspaper contain the opinions

of the writers. These opinions do not

necessarily reflect the opinions of

the Sac and Fox News staff or any

elected official or department of tribal

government or administration.

The Sac and Fox News reserves the

right to refuse publication of letters to

the editor. All editorials and letters to

the editor become the property of the

Sac and Fox News.

Submissions for publication must

be signed by the author and include

an address and contact phone number.

They are limited to 300 words. The

staff will not edit editorials or letters

to the editor to fit the 300-word limit.

Deadline for the May issue is:

Tuesday, April 20 at 4:30 p.m.

Reprint permission is granted, with

proper credit to the Sac and Fox News,

unless other copyrights are shown.

Articles and letters may be submitted

to the newspaper either by mail or Fax

to the address provided above, - or by

e-mail:newspaper@sacandfoxnationnsn.gov.

Address corrections & changes are

accepted by The Business Committee

at the address listed below.

Managing Editor

Mike Brown

For information:

918-968-3526 x1060

newspaper@sacandfoxnation-nsn.gov

Publisher: Sac and Fox Nation

Member of

Native American Journalists

Assn - Since 1988

Member OPA

~~~~~~~

Tribal Officers:

918-968-3526 or 800-259-3970

Principal Chief:

Justin Freeland Wood

Telephone (918) 968-3526

Ext. 1004

chief@sacandfoxnation-nsn.gov

Second Chief:

Don Abney

Telephone (918) 968-3526

Ext. 1008

secondchief@sacandfoxnation-nsn.gov

Secretary:

Jacklyn K. King

Telephone (918) 968-3526

Ext. 1007

secretary@sacandfoxnation-nsn.gov

Treasurer:

Jared King

Telephone (918) 968-3526

Ext. 1006

treasurer@sacandfoxnation-nsn.gov

Committee Member:

Robert Williamson

Telephone (918) 968-3526

Ext. 1005

cmember@sacandfoxnation-nsn.gov

Business Committee

Mailing Address:

Sac and Fox Nation

Administration Building

920963 S Hwy 99 Bldg A

Stroud, OK 74079

Visit us on the webb @

sacandfoxnation.com

click news

Obituaries

Patricia Ann Wakolee

Patricia Ann Wakolee, “Pi ya atcha sa

kwe” entered this world April 22, 1964

and departed Dec. 27, 2020 at Lawrence

Memorial Hospital, Lawrence, Kan. She

was the daughter of the late C. L. Wakolee, “Wap ish ka” and Marilyn Hale-Wakolee, “Num weh,” whom preceded her

in death.

Patricia was a Sac and Fox Nation tribal member, a descendant of the Prairie

Band Potawatomie and Kansas Kickapoo. She left behind two children, Melissa Shinogee and Tanner J. “Wap ish ka”

Marroquin; sisters, Pamela Brewer-Pahmahmie (Richard), Deanna “Tiny” Brewer, Sandra Quintana and Angela Wakolee; brothers Marcus Tuckwin and Tony

Royal; nieces Richelle, Tamara, Valerie,

OSU to Study

Management of

Cross Timbers

Forest Region

by Donald Stotts

Oklahoma State University

Agricultural Communications Services

A researcher with Oklahoma State

University’s Division of Agricultural

Sciences and Natural Resources has been

awarded a $499,317 National Institute

of Food and Agriculture grant involving

the economics of forest management in

the Cross Timbers region of the southern

Great Plains.

In Oklahoma, the region is significant:

all of Seminole, Pottawatomie and Okfuskee counties; large parts of Osage,

Lincoln, Creek, Oklahoma, Cleveland,

Pontotoc, Hughes, McIntosh and Okmulgee counties; and smaller parts of Logan,

Garvin, Murray, Pawnee, Tulsa, Wagoner

and Washington counties.

“Despite its ecological significance

and importance to people living within

the Cross Timbers, there is little information about the dynamics of the mostly

privately owned forested areas and the

social factors that motivate individual

owners for their management,” said Omkar Joshi, an assistant professor of forest economics in the OSU Department

of Natural Resource Ecology and Management. “Basically, the region starts in

southeastern Kansas and cuts through

Oklahoma down to the Dallas-Fort Worth

metroplex in Texas.”

Joshi is Oklahoma’s principal investigator for the NIFA grant. Co-lead investigators are Andres Susaeta of the

University of Florida’s School of Forest

Resources and Jose Soto of the University of Arizona’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment.

The Cross Timbers region is home to

many wildlife and migratory bird species

identified as needing conservation measures. The collective ecosystem is being

affected by factors including climate variability, invasive species and increased urbanization. Typical land use includes oil

extraction, farmland, and rangeland and

pastures for livestock production.

“Our broad goal is to identify preferences and barriers to sustainable management practices that are socially acceptable, economically feasible and have the

potential to enhance the region’s ecosystem,” Joshi said. “As part of the research

project, we will also be studying the impact and efficiency of land-management

practices on water, biodiversity, wildlife

habitats and carbon sequestration.”

The researchers hope that fine-tuning

Extension and other government programs based on the study results will

engage a diverse pool of landowners and

others in enhancing ecosystem management in the region.

One of the management barriers is

that there is no timber market for the

short, stout trees – mainly post oak and

blackjack oak – that grow in the Cross

Timbers. Fire suppression in recent years

has increased forest density in the region

but also allowed the unwanted expansion

of eastern red cedar trees, which tend to

out-compete other plant life for water

and soil nutrients.

“The Cross Timbers region is extremely complex ecologically and can present

significant challenges for landowners and

community planners,” said Keith Owens,

associate vice president of OSU Ag Research. “This project will address the underlying economic and social constraints

in managing the vegetation, water and

wildlife for a large part of Oklahoma.”

Bailee, Daniela and Taylor; nephews Justin, Anthony, Dakota and Cayden.

Patricia graduated from Riverside Indian School in Anadarko, Okla. where

she was in the National Honor society and

Who’s Who in High School, and valedictorian, 1978-1982. She continued her education at Haskell Indian Junior College,

Lawrence, Kan. in 1983-1985 where she

obtain her Associate of Arts degree. She

furthered her education at the University

of Kansas where she was employed for

32 years as an academic advisor while

obtaining her Master’s degree.

Patricia retired from the University of

Kansas, and was employed by Haskell

Indian Nations University at the time of

her death.

Patricia Ann Wakolee

Elaine “Doll” Marie Wolf

Elaine “Doll” Marie Wolf, granddaughter of Myrtle Butler and, daughter

of Amos and Marjorie Lou (Butler) Wolf,

passed from this life on March 11, 2021

in Oklahoma City, Okla. She was born

January 5, 1973 in Lawton, Okla.

Elaine worked for many years as a

dealer and supervisor at Firelake Grand

Casino in Shawnee, Okla. Above all else,

she enjoyed playing games and spending

time with her grandkids.

She is preceded in death by her parents; sister, Iris Bohay; brother, Bill Bohay. She is survived by her son, Vincent

Wolf; daughter Erica Wolf and son-inlaw Anthony Morgan; grandsons, Aizik

Nguyen, Nokose Morgan, and Mekko

Morgan; granddaughters, Alyssa Wolf,

Niomi Morgan, and Jazlyn Morgan;

brothers, Robert Wolf and John Wolf;

and many nieces, nephews, extended

family, and friends.

Services were held at the Sac and Fox

Nation Community Center in Stroud,

Okla. on Monday, March 15, 2021.

Graveside services were held on Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at Sac and Fox Nation Cemetery in Stroud, Okla.

Elaine Marie Wolf

Tribal Emergency Home

Repair (TEHR) Applications are available by request only.

Like Us on Facebook!

Sac and Fox Nation

Sac and Fox Casino

Sac and Fox Language Program

Sac and Fox Dept. of Human Services

Sac and Fox National Public Library

RAP Department

920963 S. Hwy. 99

Stroud, OK 74079

(918) 968-3526 Ext. 2001

sfnrap@sacandfoxnation-nsn.gov

FAX: (918) 968-4207

Happy April Birthday Elders!

Colleen Lisa Decker

Barbara Thomas McIlvaine Smith

Sherry Lynn Teague

Eva Jordan

Jessie Lee Walker

Carol Ann Holmes

Francis Leroy Grant

Ruby Mae Vandever

Lisa Leaellen Longshore

Sheila Ann Huyghe

Elizabeth Ahkeahbo

Gordon Mark Ponkilla

Margaret Lee McIntosh

Sharon Lee Ebbinga

Sheryl Jane Rowe

Donn Whistler

Debra Yvonne Reim

Tina Jean Blackburn

Marvin Warren Thurman

Gregory Wayne Berryhill

Wanda Yvonne Brown

Annabell Wiseman

Joseph Todd Jones

Larry Wayne Grass

William Wayne Sarber

Raymond Lee Harris

Aaron Fryor Wilson

Leva Marlene Ellis

Charles Dewayne Lasley

William Scott McCoy

Earnest L. Hocker

Rose Marie Bean

Shari Lynn Andersen

Terry Kent Raines

Phillip Joseph Manatowa

Vonda Joyce Bryce

Galle Rae Adkins

Carl Wayne Anderson

Edith Lucille Harjo

Michael Harry Deer

Leo Elmer Gokey

Ruby Irene Harris

Pamela Dale Frazier

Patrick Wood Hernandez

Rudy Keo

George Mitchell Marez

Annette Miles

Scott Eugene Harshberger

Wallace H. Allen

David Allan Edmonson

Ronnie Eugene Wano

Jimmy Kent Waller

Beverly Sue Gibson

Ralph Maurice Hamblin

Harriett Oresa Rice

Katherine Margaret Wilson

John Grass

Ramona Nadine Rico

Robin Denise Tiger

Donald Chad Monday

Shelly Ann Barron

Patricia Ann Wakolee

Dorene Katherine Keo

Robert V. Hocker

Rose Marie Thompson

Tommy Ray Moore

Dianna Sue McCaulla

Wallace Buster McClellan

Dean Ray Tartsah

Charles A. Poitras

Deborah Kay Givens

Naomi Denise McCoy-Shognosh

Ricky Wayne Hocker

Alma Faye Northrup

Page 3 - Sac and Fox News - April 2021

Police Chief Selfridge: An Active Storm Season Approaches

by A.M. Selfridge, Chief of Police

According to the National Weather

Service, experts are predicting a more

active storm season this year with an uptick in tornadic weather due to La Nina

pattern. They are also predicting above

average number of tornadoes this season

west of interstate 35. This signals a very

active pattern for us here in the traditional reservation boundaries of the Sac and

Fox Nation (SFN).

If you are a longtime Oklahoma resident, the precautions during this time of

year are not foreign to you. Always stay

“We Place the Safety of Employees, Tribal Members,

Guests at Highest Level of Priority”

weather aware, paying attention to forecasts and listening to radio or watching

the news during high risk days. At home,

clean out your shelters or designated

areas in your homes (interior closets,

etc…) in preparation for storm season. It

never hurts to have some supplies handy,

such as bottled water, a radio, flashlight,

etc. My personal motto is that it is better

to have something and not need it than to

need something and not have it.

As for employees of the SFN Tribal

complex, The Nation’s Transportation

Department provided funding for a Mass

notification system that went online last

year. The system is a custom system designed by Federal Signal, and operation

is administered by the police department.

The system is a combination of indoor

and outdoor sirens, that can be activated

automatically or by manual means.

There are two 6 amplifier speaker horn

towers located on the complex that are

capable of voice and siren activation, and

the previous siren was relocated to Veteran’s lake. The indoor systems cover most

of the Nation’s building’s at the complex,

but with the network conversion almost

complete with retrofit from CARES

funding, we look forward to covering

ALL the Nation’s buildings very soon.

The system is a state-of-the-art system

which has multiple fail-safes in place. In

addition to manual activation from the

main panel located at the Sac and Fox

Nation Justice Center, the system can also

be activated from our police radios, the

chief of police’s cell phone, as well as by

any computer with the chief of police’s

login. In addition, after hours, the system receives geo-coded data that when a

tornado warned system comes within 10

miles of the Nation’s Capitol complex, it

will automatically activate when the system detects the tornado warning issued

from the National weather service.

As chief of police, it is my primary

duty to ensure the safety of tribal members and employees, but tracking severe

weather has always been a passion of

mine. As such, In August of 2019, I attended OKFIRST training at the National Weather Service and received certification on advanced level storm tracking

and Doppler radar interpretation. We at

SFNPD want to assure all employees,

tribal members, and guests of the Nation

that your safety during severe weather

comes first and that we place your safety

at the highest level of priority.

Page 4 - Sac and Fox News - April 2021

Sac and Fox Nation Education Department News

Hello Tribal Members!

We have been working diligently and

staying busy in the Education Department due to Every Student Success Act

(ESSA) Consultations that the public

schools are required to conduct. Currently all consultations are being done

by virtual sessions on Zoom. On March

10, 2021, a Zoom meeting was conducted by Deer Creek, Cleveland, Mustang

and Piedmont Public Schools. Time was

allotted for each school district to cover

the requirements set forth by ESSA. The

consultations will help in building relationships between educators and tribes,

so that each school may increase academic success and cultural understanding for our American Indian Students

from Pre-K through 12th grade.

CLEVELAND PUBLIC SCHOOL

Total enrollment of 1,590 students with

264 Title VI students which accounts for

16% of their district. There are 17 different tribes represented with zero Sac and

Fox students attending. The Title VI Program is used for grades 6th through 9th

with a cultural field trip scheduled.

DEER CREEK PUBLIC SCHOOL

The number of American Indian Students in the Deer Creek Public School is

465 with the total student count of 7,005.

Two students are listed as Sac and Fox

Students. School district has five elementary schools K-3, one elementary

school 4th - 5th, one intermediate school,

one middle school, and one high school.

The Title VI funding provided will cover

throughout all grades. Deer Creek school

has an ACT program for 9th through 12th

for American Indian Students to receive

additional help for preparing students to

study for the ACT Test and that is done

through UCO, it is a 6 week course with

a tuition of $540.00 per student. Title VI

Program pays for the tuition cost.

MUSTANG PUBLIC SCHOOL

Mustang School has eight elementary

schools, three middle schools, one alternative school, three intermediate schools,

and one high school. They have 11,975

students attending with 1,491 American

Indian Students, four students listed as

Sac and Fox. The Title VI Program funds

also is implemented towards the ACT

Test for the American Indian Students.

The elementary and middle school students are supplied with books pertaining

to cultural backgrounds.

Mustang School does have an active Indian youth Club for our American Indian

Students.

GUTHRIE PUBLIC SCHOOL

There are 2,776 total students and out

of that total there are 241 American Indian Students with three listed as Sac and

Fox Students. Guthrie has four elementary school Pre-K through 4th grade and

one upper elementary school 5th – 6th

grade, one junior high school 7th - 8th

and one high school 9th – 12th grade.

Guthrie school has not had any closure of

school due to COVID. With the Title VI

funding they offer after school tutoring

of all subjects with no mask requirements

of wearing for students. ACT Test prep

study is currently being offered to high

College Student Spotlight

My name is Maloree Morris and I am

from Tulsa, Okla. I graduated from Jenks

High School last spring, and I am currently attending the University of Arkansas. I am majoring in the broad field of

biological and agricultural engineering,

which focuses on water, food, and energy systems.

I chose biological engineering because

it is a field that impacts everyday life, and

I want to help as many people as possible

with my abilities. I am passionate about

environmental sustainability, and I hope

to work in the field of energy conservation in the future.

I would like to thank the Sac and Fox

Nation education program for providing funding to help offset the costs of

college. The support has relieved some

financial stress and allowed me to do

activities such as participate in the Razorback Marching Band and the concert

band. I am also able to be active in a campus Christian ministry called CRU and

the Society of Women Engineers student

club. I am excited to see what the future

holds as I pursue a career in engineering.

(S) WITH APPLICATION (S). If you

fail to submit clothing/school application

with the mention documents this will be

consider an incomplete application and

we will not be calling you for missing

documents.

ONLY ENROLL SAC AND FOX

STUDENTS PRE-K THROUGH 12TH

GRADE CAN APPLY FOR SCHOOL

CLOTHING/SCHOOL

SUPPLIES.

PROGRAM IS A REVENUE ALLOCATION PLAN (RAP) ONLY FOR SAC

AND FOX CHILDREN.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

1. TRIBAL SCHOOL CLOTHING/

SCHOOL SUPPLY GRANT APPLICATION

2. W-9 (SIGNED BY PARENT/

GUARDIAN)

3. TRIBAL ENROLLMENT CARD

FOR CHILD/CHILDREN

If you should have a question (s) please

let the Education Department know, we

can be reached at: 918 968-3526. Edwina extension 2046 or Liz extension 2043

or you may call 405 328-0402 Edwina

tribal cell number.

Edwina Butler-Wolfe

ATTENTION!

SAC AND FOX COLLEGE STUDENTS

DEADLINE NOTICE

JUNE 30, 2021 IS THE DEADLINE FOR ALL RAP AND DOI HIGHER

EDUCATION APPLICATIONS FOR FALL SEMESTER OF 2021. BOTH APPLICATIONS WILL NEED TO BE COMPLETE WITH ALL DOCUMENTS

SIGNED BY SCHOOL AND SIGNED BY STUDENT.

LIST OF DOCUMENTS THAT NEEDS TO INCLUDED IN RAP AND DOI

APPLICATIONS:

FIRST TIME COLLEGE APPLICANTS:

1. COMPLETE THE APPLICATIONS (RAP AND DOI)

A. SIGN PRIVACY STATEMENT

B. CDIB CARD/PROOF OF SAC AND FOX TRIBAL MEMBERSHIP

C. PERSONAL LETTER STATING COLLEGE MAJOR AND CAREER

GOALS

D. ADMISSION LETTER FROM THE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY

E. COPY OF SEMESTER CLASS SCHEDULE

F. COPY OF OFFICIAL HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE TRANSCRIPT

G. COMPLETED “VERIFICATION OF ACADEMIC ENROLLMENT

FORM”, MUST BE SIGNED BY COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.

H. RELEASE OF INFORMATION FORM

I. W-9 FORM

J. FINANCIAL NEEDS ANALYSIS FORM (FAFSA) IF APPLYING FOR

DOI FUNDING. FORM WILL NEED TO BE SIGNED AND COMPLETED BY COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY

CONTINUING COLLEGE STUDENTS

Maloree Morris

College Student Spotlight

Timothy Rogers

I started my undergrad with the possibility of law school in the back of my

mind. In high school, I did not excel in

science and I could not do math to save

my life. However, my English teachers

insisted that I was gifted at writing and

reading comprehension. I knew that lawyers read and wrote, so I wanted to learn

as much as I could in college about the

law. This lead me to major in economics

with an option in pre-law.

My eventual decision to start the process of applying to law school was the

result of a progression of realizations.

In one of my first law-related courses at

Oklahoma State, employment law, I had

a great professor that exposed me to procedures and practices that actual attorneys take part in.

I then started to research and talk to

people within the legal field to see what

type of a person it takes to complete law

school and eventually work in the industry. I learned that one must be analytical, extremely thorough, and have a

passion for advocacy. I thought that I fit

this description so I started studying for

my LSAT. I loved the LSAT and ended

up getting a good enough score to get

a great scholarship at the University of

Baltimore School of Law of which I am

planning on attending next fall.

I would not be in the position I am in

if it were not for my mother, Wendy, and

school students.

As the school year of 2020 – 2021 is

coming to an end, the Sac and Fox Education Department would like to mention

that we have graduation stoles for Kindergarten, Senior and College graduates.

The application is located online under

the Education tab on our Tribal website.

Please review the link

https://www.sacandfoxnation-nsn.gov/

departments/education/

We would also like to mention that

clothing and school supply receipts are

due April 1 of each year. If you do not

have your required receipts supplied for

your child/children clothing/school supplies, you will not be able to submit a

clothing application for funds this year.

We will start accepting RAP clothing/school supply applications on June

1, 2021. First come first served with

complete application you must have the

school sign off on RAP clothing/school

supply application. You must submit a

W-9 with parent or guardian signature,

do not fill out W-9 with child name.

PLEASE ATTACH CHILD/CHILDREN TRIBAL ENROLLMENT CARD

by Edwina Butler-Wolfe

my stepfather, Dave. From the beginning, they taught me how to go through

life with integrity while showing compassion. Through every trial and setback

in my life, I knew that I could go to them

and they would support me without fail,

and I owe them everything. I’m extremely excited to start this new chapter in Baltimore, but always remember, Go Pokes!

Timothy Rogers

IS THE SAME AS ABOVE EXCEPT STUDENT WILL NOT NEED TO DO

PERSONAL LETTER, W-9 FORM, CDIB CARD. EVERYTHING LISTED IS

REQUIRED TO BE A COMPLETED APPLICATION.

ALL DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED FOR EACH SEMESTER!!

Page 5 - Sac and Fox News - April 2021

Sac and Fox Nation 2021 Election Dates to Remember

HELP WANTED!

SAC & FOX NATION

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The following is a list of job vacancies with

the Sac & Fox Nation:

Maintenance Technician

Health Information Manager

Chief Financial Officer

Resident Advisor (Juvenile Detention Center)

Landscaper/Laborer

Environmental Technician

Enrollment Assistant

Capitol Security Officer (Part-time)

Grant Writer/Planner

Surveillance Observer - Gaming

Policy Analyst

Applicants must successfully pass an OSBI/National background check and

drug screen. Preference in hiring is given to qualified Native Americans.

Applicants claiming Indian Preference must provide a copy of their CDIB. For

more information and to learn how to apply please visit our website at:

www.sacandfoxnation.com

or contact Human Resources, Sac and Fox Nation, 920963 S. Hwy. 99,

Bldg. A Stroud, OK 74079 or by phone (918) 968-3526

Page 6 - Sac and Fox News - April 2021

SAUK LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT

PHILOSOPHY

Indians are born speaking our languages. For some of us,

they lie dormant within our bodies. They are looking for a

way out. God gave us these beautiful languages. All of us

hold them in a sacred manner within. There is no such thing

as an Indian person who cannot speak Indian.

Our language programs find these languages within our

bodies. They bring them out through our mouths and deliver

them to their rightful resting places within our hearts.

Sauk Language

Department

April Comic

Page 7 - Sac and Fox News - April 2021

‘Shoofly’ Detour

Open at Salt Creek

Bridge Construction

Work continues on the $2.5 million

state-tribal project to replace the

Salt Creek Bridge on Hwy. 99 in

Stroud. A ‘shoofly’ detour is now

complete and open to traffic on

the west of the old bridge, built in

1933. The Sac and Fox Nation is

providing 33% of the costs through

a grant-in-aid to the Oklahoma

Dept. of Transportation. The new

bridge will include two 12 ft traffic lanes and 8 ft. improved shoulders. (Photo by Mike Brown)

Native American Oral Histories

(Continued From Page 1)

the recordings to determine respectful

terms of access for both the general public and scholarly researchers.

“The Native oral history collection

housed at OU represents a rich repository of the diverse lived experiences and

cultural traditions of Native peoples in

the region told in their own voices,” said

Lola Adedokun, program director for

child well-being at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. “I credit the leadership

at the University and the Western History

Collections in the OU Libraries, and their

tribal partners who have taken great care

of the collection since the 1960s, and we

are honored to be able to partner with

them as they refresh and digitize the collection for active use in the future. We are

thrilled to fund this effort to preserve and

amplify the reach of these stories.”

The Association of Tribal Archives,

Libraries, & Museums (ATALM) will

coordinate the seven universities participating in the project.

“We are grateful to the Oklahoma

Western History Collections for the stewardship it has shown the collections and

appreciative of its dedicated work to revitalize them,” said Susan Feller, president of ATALM. “We will work with the

seven universities to develop an online

portal that will house the collections and

make them searchable across collections.

The 150 Native communities represented

in the collections will have an opportunity to review the materials for cultural

sensitivities, determine access and add

new content.”

Lina Ortega, Sac and Fox Nation tribal

member, associate curator for the Western

History Collections and subject librarian

for the Native American Studies department in the College of Arts and Sciences,

will serve as the project lead, ensuring

a supportive relationship between those

entities, as well as OU’s Native Nations

Center and OU Libraries. Ortega noted

that OU intends to involve the state’s Native communities in the decision-making

processes during the upcoming project.

“Since individuals from almost all of

the Native nations in Oklahoma shared

their life experiences and knowledge to

create this oral history collection,” said

Ortega. “It is vital for the Western History

Collections and the university to partner

with those tribal nations and descendants

of the original participants. The work of

those partnerships will be to determine

respectful access to the oral history collection and to ensure that all tribal communities represented have digital copies

of the audio recordings and transcripts.

We will also ask Native communities to

help improve descriptions of the oral histories and to develop context about the

information in them.”

Ultimately, it is hoped that through

shared perspectives, OU and the Native

nations in Oklahoma can generate creative projects for using these oral histories to educate Native youth and all

Oklahomans on the Native American

experience and how that relates to U.S.

history.

To help realize these goals, an advisory committee will be formed consisting

of OU faculty, staff and students, as well

as Native community members from a

variety of tribes. Students will be an integral part of this committee to help develop a strategy for partnership with Oklahoma tribes. Officials at OU believe that

student involvement, along with that of

their fellow Native American faculty and

staff, will contribute to an atmosphere of

belonging, where Native communities

feel that their unique life experiences are

valued.

The Doris Duke Native American Oral

History Revitalization Project dovetails

with OU’s strategic plan, released last

year. The strategic plan seeks to align

federal, state, tribal and private-sector opportunities for growth in research

scale, scope and impact.

Many Native individuals and tribal

groups in Oklahoma are aware of the Doris Duke collection, but this project will

ensure that all tribal Nations are aware of

the collection and have copies. Because

the tribal elders who were interviewed

for the Doris Duke oral histories spoke

about topics of their choosing, the content

of the collection as a whole covers topics

ranging from schools, religion, tribal histories, land allotment, tribal government

and family life, to name a few.

Many of the interviews were done in

Native languages, which are almost all

endangered now. The collection also contains recordings of events, such as tribal

council meetings or meetings of intertribal organizations. The Doris Duke collection impacts Native communities by

connecting their family members’ voices

to current concerns and providing a resource for tribes’ cultural and language

revitalization initiatives.

Ortega envisions that tribal communities will use these oral histories as educational resources for their members,

especially for children. The knowledge

recorded in these interviews is useful for

language programs or other initiatives,

such as Native food sovereignty that seek

to improve the well-being of Indigenous

people.

“Through this project, the Western

History Collections and University Libraries will gain invaluable experience in

equitably partnering with Native nations

and individuals to steward archival collections,” said Ortega. “This experience

will help us develop or improve relationships with tribes across Oklahoma,

which will impact the stewardship of other WHC collections that were created by

or are about Native Americans.”

OU Libraries and the Western History

Collections will also be working with the

six other institutions funded by the Doris

Duke Native American Oral History Revitalization project to develop a shared

website to make the oral history transcripts and recordings, along with other

items such as photos, publicly available.

The project enables OU to grow capacity

in collaborating with other universities,

partnering with tribal communities and

working with other units on campus.

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT NOTICE

Applications for College - Vocational and Adult Education

are on the Sac and Fox Nation Web site Click on Education for downloads.

April Word Search

Page 8- Sac and Fox News - April 2021

The W-9 FORM CAN BE FOUND IN THIS EDITION

Page 9 - Sac and Fox News - April 2021

April 2021

SAC AND FOX NATION

FOOD DISTRIBUTION

PROGRAM

STROUD WAREHOUSE

918-968-3030 • 1-800-256-3398

SHAWNEE OFFICE

405-395-0063 • 1-886-622-2310

ALL FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS

ARE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY! THANK YOU!!

If at least 1 in your household

has a CDIB, you reside within

our 5 tribe Service Area, & you

meet USDA Income Guidelines…

YOU MAY QUALIFY!!!

CALL TODAY!!! 1-800-256-3398

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Sac and Fox Nation Telephone

Extensions

Main Number: 918-968-3526

For more information, please contact:

Karen Hamilton or Nethia Wallace

Shawnee Multi-Purpose Building

405-275-1262

Chief - 1004 • Second Chief - 1005 • Treasurer - 1006 • Secretary - 1007

Committee Member - 1010 • BC Front Desk - 1009 • Tax - 1043-1045

Accounting - 1030-1036 • Property and Procurement - 1020-1039-1022

Maintenance - 2063 • BHHC - 918-968-9531 • ICW - 1711 • Court - 2039

Library - 2020-2021 • Language - 1075 • JUVI - 4000

USDA - 2077 (WIC 2079)-2080-2081-2082 (Warehouse USDA 2089)

Education - 2046 • IT - 2041 • Police - 2033 • Self-Governance - 1080

Capitol Security - 1090 • Realty - 1050 • Enrollment - 1040-1041

RAP - 2000 • Social Services - 2010-2011 • OES - 2091-2092-2094

Veterans - 1065 • Newspaper - 1060 • Chief of Staff - 1001

NAGPRA/Historic Preservation - 1070 • Covid Relief - 1819

Page 10 - Sac and Fox News - April 2021

2 0 2 1 P E R C A P I TA PAY M E N T I N F O R M AT I O N

• Individual must be enrolled by September 30, 2021 to be eligible for

the 2021 per capita payment.

• Tribal members will need to submit a W9 to the Finance Department

for the upcoming 2021 Per Capita Payment.

• Once a W-9 form is received, it will be updated into our system and

all payments due will be made at a time of disbursement.

• If an individual is a NEW tribal member, or has had a NAME CHANGE,

a copy of Social Security card is needed for our records.

• There is NO deadline on submitting a W9. All checks will be mailed,

no exceptions.

• The IRS 1099 form will be mailed by January 31, 2022.

NEW MINORS . . . PLEASE SEND COPY OF SOCIAL SECURITY

CARD SO WE CAN GET TRUST ACCOUNTS ESTABLISHED

920963 S. Hwy. 99, Building A • Stroud, OK 74079 • (918) 968-1141 • FAX (918) 968-1142

W-9 Form

It is critical that the W-9 Form be completed correctly and thoroughly

for each individual tribal member. Be sure to fill out your NAME, MAILING ADDRESS, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, and then SIGN and

DATE your form.

Required Legal Documents

If you have had a name change due to marriage, divorce, adoption,

etc., it is important the Finance Department has a copy of your social

security card. All othere legal documents should be sent to the Enrollment Department so their records can be updated. Any guardianship

or Power of Attorney documents need to be on file with the Finance

Department.

Minors

Parents or guardians are responsible for providing a W-9 for minor

children; not doing so could result in the minor’s payment not being

deposited into the minor’s trust fund account in a timely manner.

Sac and Fox Nation

Finance Department

920963 S. Hwy 99, Bldg. A

Stroud, Oklahoma 74079

Direct fax: 918-968-4528

If you have any questions, please contact the Finance Department staff

by phone at 918-968-3526 or 800-259-3970 ext. 1033, 1038 or 1027.

Tax Liability Notification

What are the withholding requirements for distributions that are made

per a Revenue Allocation Plan (RAP)? The first step is to identify the

source of funds used for the distribution. Unless the source of funds

is specifically exempt from taxation, the amounts that make up the

distributions to tribal members are taxable.

Which funds get reported on Form 1099-Misc?

Distributions could be derived from many

sources, including the profits from a tribal business other than a Class II or Class III gaming

operation, interest income on investments, or

rental payments from tribal lands. All these

payments require a tribe to prepare a Form

1099-MISC

When does a person receive a Form 1099-Misc,

Statement for Recipients of Miscellaneous Income? If a person receives $600 or more in

1 calendar year from the same source, that

amount must be reported on a Form 1099, and

that Form 1099-Misc. must be provided to the

individual.

Per capita payments could affect any Tribal,

Federal, State, and/or Local benefits you may

receive or programs in which you participate.

The Sac and Fox Nation encourage you to

check with your tax accountant or benefit specialist.

Can the allotted minor payment be refused in order to

have the entire per capita payment be deposited in trust?

Yes, but in order to do so we must still receive a W-9 for

the same reasons stated above. We would also need a

written statement to that effect to be included with the W-9.

W-9 FORM MUST BE CUT ON DOTTED LINE BEFORE MAILING

X

X

X

SAC AND FOX NATION

920883 S. HIGHWAY 99 BLDG. “A”

STROUD, OKLAHOMA, 74079

It is only the amount distributed from NET

GAMING REVENUE that is subject to withholding. The Internal Revenue Code provides

that “Every person, including an Indian tribe,

making a payment to a member of an Indian

tribe from the net revenues of any Class II or

Class III gaming activity conducted or licensed

by such tribe, shall deduct and withhold from

such payment a tax in an amount equal to such

payment’s proportionate share of the annualized tax.” The amount to withhold is provided

in Withholding Tables found in IRS Publication

15-A, Employer’s Supplemental Tax Guide.

If the Indian tribe anticipates making a distribution of any kind, the Indian tribe needs the

tribal members’ Social Security number before

the distribution is made. If an Indian tribe does

not know a tribal member’s Social Security

number at the time of distribution, the distribution is subject to “backup withholding” (at 28%

in 2009). (Source: Internal Revenue Service

(IRS) Indian Tribal Governments Frequently

Asked Questions, Last Reviewed or Updated:

April 22, 2013)

Why does a W-9 needed to be submitted yearly?

If a tribal member receives income that is taxable, a 1099

must be issued for Tax Purposes. The W-9 also serves as

a yearly address update.

^

Contact information:

NOTICE

X

X

X

^

Contact information - Finance Department

For identity/security purposes, a W-9 form will not be accepted by

e-mail. Completed forms may be hand delivered, mailed, or faxed.

Page 11 - Sac and Fox News - April 2021

RAP Department Application Forms

Page 12 - Sac and Fox News - April 2021

RAP Department Application Forms

Spiro Mounds

Exhibit Opens

At OKC Museum

by Seth Spillman

National Cowboy & Western

Heritage Museum

The Spiro Mounds are one of the United States’ most important ancient Native

American sites, as well as an archaeological find unmatched in modern times.

Yet, despite creating a sophisticated ancient culture, the Spiro people are

nearly forgotten in the pages of history

books. How did these incredible works

of art and other treasures from all over

North America end up hidden for hundreds of years, and why?

Opening February 12, 2021 at the

National Cowboy & Western Heritage

Museum, “Spiro and the Art of the Mississippian World” seeks to answer these

questions and more in the first major

presentation on the Spiro Mounds ever

undertaken by a museum, representing

the first, and possibly last, time these artifacts will be reunited from various collections across the country.

“We are incredibly pleased to announce this unparalleled exhibition,

which will give proper honor and representation to the culture and historical

impact of the Spiro people,” said Natalie

Shirley, The Cowboy president and CEO.

“Our staff has worked for years to create

a world-class, exciting and collaborative

presentation of a people who have been

overlooked for too long.”

This exhibition will share the art,

history and culture of the Spiro people

through approx. 175 objects, as well as

an accompanying publication, website,

public symposium and panel discussion.

It was created in collaboration with representatives from the Caddo and Wichita

Nations, the descendants of the Spiroan

people, and with contributions by 17 humanities scholars from nearly a dozen

universities and museums from across

the United States.

The Spiro Mounds were the location

of one of the largest and longest episodes

of looting at any American archaeological site in history—comparable to that

of Mesa Verde in Colorado and, sadly,

several others across the country. Both

looting and New Deal/Works Progress

Administration (WPA) archaeological

excavations came together in a near-perfect storm at Spiro. In 1935, the public’s

imagination was peaked when the Kansas City Star called the site’s discovery

a “King Tut’s Tomb in the Arkansas

Valley,” and identified it as the greatest

source of Mississippian iconographic

material ever found. Embossed copper

plates, wooden sculptures, thousands

of pearls and beads, large human effigy

pipes and engraved shell gorgets and

cups are just some of the items found at

Spiro. In fact, nearly 90% of all known

engraved shell created during the Mississippian period (900 – 1650 AD) was discovered at this one site. This exhibition

will include the reunification of a range

of items looted and archaeologically excavated at Spiro that have not been together since the early 1930s and 1940s.

“The quality and quantity of material

found in at Spiro is unprecedented,” said

Eric Singleton, Ph.D., Museum Curator

of Ethnology. “We are grateful to have

the support of the Spiroan descendants,

the Caddo Nation and the Wichita and

Affiliated Tribes, as we prepare this exhibition. Without them, this exhibition

would not be possible.”

The Spiroan people, along with other

Mississippian groups across the eastern

half of North America, created a world

equal to that of the Aztec, Maya or Inca,

consisting of trade networks and highly

developed social, political and religious

centers. The exhibition explores the archaeology and history of Spiro and its

relationship to other contemporaneous

Indigenous communities in North and

Central America, highlighting community development, religious and ceremonial

activities, farming and hunting practices

and daily life.

It also illustrates how ecological factors, specifically the occurrence of the

“Little Ice Age” beginning in 1350 AD

and lasting until 1650 AD may have led

to the site’s decline and ultimate abandonment. The exhibition also showcases

contemporary Indigenous art pieces that

explore the ideas of origin and connect

the art and artistry of the Spiro people to

their modern descendants.

Following the exhibition, the online

component and educational materials

will be available on the Museum’s website and in our permanent Native American gallery. In addition, the Museum will

give both the Caddo and Wichita Nations

all interpretative materials to use at their

discretion in their respective tribal museums.

Page 13 - Sac and Fox News - April 2021

RAP Department Application Form

Page 14 - Sac and Fox News - April 2021

Arellano and Howell Recognized

For Indian Child Welfare Service

Social Worker

Appreciation Month

I, Karen Hamilton, Director for Indian Child Welfare with the Sac and

Fox Nation, would like to show appreciation to two special workers in your

Indian Child Welfare (ICW) program:

• Josh Howell is a specialist for the

Sac and Fox Nation’s Indian Child

Welfare. Mr. Howell and his wife became tribal foster parents a few years

ago. While fostering, Mr. Howell

found his path/calling. He never says

never. He never gives up on a family

that is in a crisis/need.

The COVID pandemic, did not

stop or slow him down. While state

workers did more work “virtually”.

As an essential employee, Mr. Howell

worked hard out in the field. He even

got creative on how to serve more

safely. He checked on families, he

talked to the children. They knew he

was there for them. During all this, he

also took all precautionary measures

to keep his family safe at home.

Some days he is on the road all day

to insure families see each other. His

work isn’t at a desk, it is with a family

that is in crisis, listening, caring and

making a plan. Keeping children safe

is his main goal. There are no “work

hours” when a crisis happens as life

happens. He may not be at the desk

at 8 a.m. but he was with the family

in crises until 1 a.m. The passion and

determination Mr. Howell has for Sac

Business Committee Meeting Minutes

and Fox families is undisputed. His

reputation in Indian Country and State

Child Welfare continues to grow.

• Tammy Arellano, has worked in

Indian Child Welfare over 20 years.

She provides so much that insures the

department keeps moving forward.

All of our families, fosters and peers

know her and love her. Without her

ability to work in a crisis many needs

would not be met. She has developed

specific strategies to keep the program

in compliance. She can calm families

that are in a crisis.

There are so many rules, laws and

codes to comply with. Tammy knows

what each entity requires to keep children and families safe. The COVID

pandemic brought out even more creativity. Keeping Sac and Fox Nation

families safe and receiving resources

is her goal.

As an essential department Indian

Child Welfare, we cannot leave crisis

calls unanswered or families in need go

without assistance. I wanted to express

how dedicated they are as they deserve

much more. The COVID pandemic

reached ICW as well. Many district

courts required workers in person not

virtual. Not appearing for that family

was never an option. The department

continues serving Sac and Fox Nation

tribal families.

Thank you Josh and Tammy for all

you do, daily and, especially during a

national pandemic.

From Littlechief to McGirt

(Continued From Page 1)

er Indian juvenile at the Chilocco Indian

School. The court found that the property was a “dependent Indian community”

under 18 U.S.C. §1151 (b). State charges

were dismissed. C.M.G. v State, 594 P.2d

798 (1979).

In the aftermath of the Littlechief and

the C.M.G. cases, Oklahoma authorities

claimed lawlessness and chaos would ensue if its attempts to exercise unfettered

and unauthorized criminal jurisdiction

over crimes involving Indians in the Indian Country were not overturned by the

Courts or by the Congress. For decades,

the feared consequences of the lack of

state authority never materialized.

From 1907 to 1977, state-wide incursions by the prosecution of Indian defendants on Indian lands went unfettered

and unchallenged. Federal authorities

abdicated their responsibilities and state

officials did not recognize the status of

federal Indian lands in Oklahoma.

After each successful challenge to the

state’s Indian country prosecutions, the

state outcry was alarmist in nature. Unhappy that the courts were ruling that

Oklahoma lacked authority to prosecute

Indians for crimes on Indian lands, baseless claims of law enforcement chaos

and lawlessness were made. After each

court decision, the state asked Congress

to overrule the courts, decrease federal

criminal authority, authorize Oklahoma

to have increased authority over Indians

and to legislatively “fix the Indian problem.” The law has remained the same; it

has only changed in the minds of a few

men.

No Congressional action or legislative

“fix” was necessary.

The McGirt and the Murphy decisions

confirm and recognize the Muscogee

(Creek) reservation boundaries for criminal purposes under 18 U.S.C. §1151 (a).

591 U.S. ___ (2020), 140 S.Ct. 2452

(2020); 591 U.S. ___ (2020).

The McGirt and Murphy Supreme

Court decisions were the latest of a series of Indian reservation cases coming

out of Oklahoma. In the 1990’s the U.S.

Supreme Court decided a trio of cases

where Oklahoma officials attempted to

regulate and control tribal government

activities involving tribal members on

reservation lands. In each case, the Supreme Court unanimously rejected Oklahoma’s attempts. Oklahoma Tax Commission v. Citizen Band Potawatomi

Tribe of Oklahoma, 498 U.S. 505 (1991);

Oklahoma Tax Comm’n v. Sac and Fox

Nation, 508 U.S. 114 (1993); Oklahoma

Tax Comm’n v. Chickasaw Nation, 515

U.S. 450 (1995).

Congress should continue to require

that the Department of Justice adhere to

the federally established rule of law and

the administration of the federal criminal

laws in the Indian country, including reservations (18 U.S.C. § 1151(a)).

Historically, it is clear that the Department of Justice has often abdicated its

Congressional-mandated responsibility

to enforce the federal criminal laws in the

Indian country in Oklahoma.

If the established federal criminal rule

of law is followed, the administration

and the enforcement of the criminal laws

in the Indian country in Oklahoma will

be normalized and applied as it is in the

rest of the country. The awkward “checkerboarded” Indian country lands in the

Creek Reservation will be eliminated.

Justice requires that the federal government investigate these criminal offenses, and prosecute offenders who

commit federal crimes.

Indian tribes possess the inherent right

to exercise criminal jurisdiction over

its members and non-member Indians.

United States v. Wheeler, 435 U.S. 313

(1978); United States v. Lara, 541 U.S.

193 (2004).

Oklahoma retains exclusive criminal

jurisdiction over crimes in the Indian

country that involve non-Indians. United States v. McBratney, 104 U.S. 6215

(1881).

The State of Oklahoma should not be

rewarded in its repeated failed attempts

to oust the federal government of its lawful authority and responsibilities in the

federal Indian country.

State officials should not benefit (by a

future Act of Congress) from their own

wrongdoing (the unauthorized prosecutions of Indians).

Congress has a confirmed Federal trust

responsibility to serve and protect Indians, Tribes and the Indian country, provide law and order, and to prevent unauthorized state incursions into the Indian

country.

After each court decision affecting

Oklahoma, Congress did the right thing

by doing nothing. Federal, state, tribal

and local law authorities serve the entire public best by working more closely

together in their shared responsibilities.

Existing state-tribal law enforcement

agreements are working well in practice. Updated law enforcement training is

available.

Moreover, in 1995, the Sac and Fox

Nation supported and confirmed the exclusive federal criminal authority in Indian country crimes by becoming the first

and only Indian tribe in Oklahoma to optin and sanction the federal death penalty

over federal crimes by or against Indians

in the Sac and Fox Indian country. 18

U.S.C. § 3591-98.

(Continued on Page 15)

OPEN: Position #5 for Housing Authority

Page 15 - Sac and Fox News - April 2021

Business Committee Meeting Minutes

Business Committee Meeting Minutes

(Continued From Page 14)

Business Committee Meeting Minutes

Vaccinated, Now What?

(Continued from Page 1)

much longer,” said Chakravarty, explaining that it is still unknown if fully vaccinated individuals can spread the virus to

unvaccinated people.

“With more contagious variants circulating, we all need to do our part to stop

another surge. My mask stays on until

Dr. Fauci says it’s safe to take it off,”

Chakravarty added.

5. Do I still need to quarantine if I am

exposed to someone with Covid-19?

“No. Because the vaccines appear to

do such a good job at protecting people, fully vaccinated people don’t need

to quarantine or get a test only because

they’ve been exposed,” said Scofield.

However, you should keep an eye on

how you’re feeling and get a test if any

Covid-like symptoms develop. “These

guidelines show we’re in the home

stretch. They will continue to change as

we learn more,” said Scofield. “Let’s just

see it through to the end.”

Website Features Iris Roane as

Bead Work and Illustration Artist

(Editor’s Note: Following is an article featuring Sac and Fox Nation tribal

member Iris Roane. The young bead

work and illustration artist is featured by

the Online website ‘Niniijaanis One of

Ones.’ While Niniijaanis strives to create educational equity in early childhood

(birth-6) for Indigenous children through

culturally-relevant learning materials and

curriculum, One of Ones supports this

vision and more by offering Indigenous

made original and limited-edition items

that are only produced and sold once.)

Iris Roane

Tribal Affiliation:

Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma

Iris is an 19-year-old bead work and

illustration artist living with a chronic

illness in Minnesota. She grew up with

her artist mother. Iris has been drawing

figures since childhood.

She is the granddaughter of a tribal

attorney and Sac and Fox clothing designer, and the great-granddaughter of a

principal chief of the Nation. She began

beading when her grandmother passed

and left Iris a pair of beaded moccasins

and several medallions. Iris’s Sac and

Fox father was disinterested in the culture and traditional ways, but she was

determined to be connected as her grandmother wished.

Iris taught herself how to bead from

looking at the medallions and imagining how they would’ve been constructed. She also studied the Sauk language

and spoke it daily, even if nobody was

available in Minnesota to speak it with

her. Iris is also a visual artist and often

combines her bead work and illustrations

with Sauk words.

Iris gets strength from her Sac and Fox

identity/family history. The Sac and Fox

culture has shown her the way to love

herself and other people.

Iris Roane creates visual artwork and

beaded jewelry as a bold statement. Iris

seeks taking risks in her pieces and considers them works of art. She would like

to inspire people to be authentically who

they are, unabashedly. She believes that

especially as indigenous people, and

women, we should reject any and all suggestions to be small or conform for any-

Iris Roane

one with our art and knowledge. Learn

more about Iris and see more of her collection at https://www.sacandfoxdesigns.

com/

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Page 16 - Sac and Fox News - April 2021