after 16 years in the
Tribal code
Ask Donna
What actually matters in this document.
Text
SCHOOL’S OUT
Della Wolfe retires
after 16 years in the
UKB’s Education
Deparment.
EDUCATION, 6
LOOK FOR US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
AND AT WWW.UKB-NSN.GOV.
GIDUWA CHEROKEE NEWS
ᎩᏚᏩ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎪᏪᎵ Official News Publication of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma June 2022
UKB to submit trust land application
The request for the 2.63-acre Tahlequah tract
will be submitted this summer, officials say.
BY BRITTNEY BENNETT
Editor
DENVER – The United Keetoowah
Band will be allowed to submit a new
land in trust application for its 2.63-acre
parcel in Tahlequah for tribal gaming
purposes after the 10th Circuit Court of
Appeals on May 6 vacated a lower court’s
ruling denying the action as the original
lawsuit became “moot.”
The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma
and Cherokee Nation Entertainment, LLC
originally filed a lawsuit against the U.S.
Department of the Interior in 2012 after
its Assistant Secretary agreed to take a
2.03-acre parcel of land in Tahlequah
into trust for the UKB for tribal gaming
purposes.
The Assistant Secretary’s decision at
that time was based upon the determination that the “former reservation” of the
Cherokee Nation was also the “former
reservation” of the UKB and thus, met
the provisions of the Indian Gaming
Regulatory Act.
CNO sued following the decision and
the case was moved into the U.S. Northern District of Oklahoma Court in Tulsa,
where Judge Gregory Frizzell ruled on
March 24, 2020, that the DOI could not
take the parcel into trust.
Frizzell’s opinion stated he believed the
Assistant Secretary “properly exercised
his authority to define the term ‘former
reservation’ to implement IGRA, but
“contorted the applicable law when he
determined that the UKB tribe once had
a reservation.”
The DOI disagreed and appealed the
ruling to the 10th Circuit.
It was during this process that changes
in Oklahoma law occurred due to 2020’s
McGirt v. Oklahoma ruling, which stated
that much of eastern Oklahoma was still
reservation lands that had never been
dissolved by Congress.
According to the 10th Circuit’s May 6
ruling, Assistant Secretary Bryan Newland’s recent judicial opinion is that the
SEE LAND, PAGE 2
Election Board
readies for 2nd
cycle together
The UKB Tribal Council
elections will take place Nov. 7.
BY BRITTNEY BENNETT
Editor
TAHLEQUAH – The 2022 UKB
Election Board is putting plans in
place for its second election cycle as
a group while working to welcome
Keetoowahs to the polls this November.
Brenda Smith
“Myself and the board, we are obligated to listen to our voters because
it’s their election,” said Chairwoman
Brenda Smith. “This cycle we’ve
updated the Election Ordinance and
we’re looking for better voting sites,
sites that are easier for people in that
district. We will be changing a lot
of these sites since the districts now
have their own community buildMarcella Foreman
ings.”
The 2022 UKB Tribal Council election will see all nine district representative seats up for election. The four
officer positions will not be up for
re-election until 2024.
Smith was previously sworn in on
June 9, 2020, and helped conduct
that year’s election alongside fellow
Vice-Chairwoman Marcella Foreman, Tanisa Foreman
Secretary Tanisa Foreman and Board
Members Albert Shade and Wyanetta
Springwater.
The UKB Election Board is an
independent and autonomous agency
of the United Keetoowah Band. It is
comprised of five Keetoowah tribal
members that are selected to uphold
the integrity of the tribe and assure
Albert Shade
that candidates adhere to the 2022
UKB Election Ordinance.
The UKB Tribal Council, by resolution, approves three individuals
to serve on the Election Board. The
three approved members must then
submit for Council approval the
names of at least two additional individuals to serve alongside them.
The UKB Election Board is fundWyanetta
ed by the UKB Tribal Council each
election year in an amount sufficient Springwater
to fulfill its duties. It must conduct
all elections in compliance with the 2022 Election
Ordinance and in accordance with the constitution and
by-laws of the UKB.
SEE BOARD, PAGE 4
COMING TOGETHER
Leaders from the three federally recognized Cherokee tribes are shown with the royalty from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians at the annual Kituwah Celebration at Kituwah in North Carolina on May 21. From left are Cherokee Nation
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., Miss Cherokee Tyra Maney, Teen Miss Cherokee Tsini McCoy, EBCI Vice Chief Alan B.
Ensley, former EBCI Principal Chief Joyce Dugan, Little Miss Cherokee Trinnity Jack-son, Junior Miss Cherokee Makaula
Lambert, United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians Principal Chief Joe Bunch and EBCI Principal Chief Richard G.
Sneed. PHOTOS BY SCOTT MCKIE B.P./CHEROKEE ONE FEATHER
The three Cherokee tribes gather to celebrate Kituwah.
BY SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
Cherokee One Feather
KITUWAH - The sounds of people laughing, games
being played, songs being sung, and the Cherokee
language being spoken filled the valley at Kituwah on
Saturday, May 21 as the three federally recognized
Cherokee Tribes – the Eastern Band of Cherokee
Indians (EBCI), the Cherokee Nation, and the United
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians of Oklahoma
(UKB) – came together to celebrate the Mother Town
being back under Cherokee control.
Kituwah, the Mother Town of the Cherokee, lo-
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians Principal
Chief Joe Bunch makes remarks at the Kituwah Mound
dedication ceremony on May 21 near Bryson City, North
Carolina.
cated just outside of Cherokee near Bryson City, was
placed into trust for the EBCI by the Bureau of Indian
Affairs (BIA), U.S. Dept. of the Interior last fall. The
property was purchased by the EBCI in 1996, and
according to the Public Notice to Acquire Land into
Trust, the site totals 307.03 acres.
Former EBCI Principal Chief Joyce Dugan was
instrumental in getting Kituwah back for the Cherokee people. In 1996, she took a resolution to Tribal
Council asking that they purchase the property, then
known to most as Ferguson Fields, for $2.1 million.
SEE MOUND, PAGE 3
Shown is the ancient Kituwah Mound, the Cherokee Mothertown of all three federally recognized Cherokee tribes.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians bought the land in
1996 and in 2020 it was placed into trust for the EBCI.
Election Ordinance amended ahead of Nov. 7 elections
BY BRITTNEY BENNETT
Editor
TAHLEQUAH – For the first time in
over a decade, the UKB Election Ordinance has been updated to reflect several
changes for both voters and candidates
alike ahead of this November’s UKB Tribal Council General Election.
The changes were presented by the
UKB Election Board during the UKB Tribal Council’s regular monthly meeting on
April 2, where Councilors voted unanimously to approve the suggested changes
to its 2012 Election Ordinance.
The ordinance will now be known as
the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee
Indians in Oklahoma Election Ordinance
of 2022.
UKB Election Board Chairwoman Brenda Smith said the changes were “long
overdue.”
“The ordinance needed to be updated
and it was long overdue. It’s been a decade,” she said. “The last election was the
first time for all of us on this board and
since the ordinance wasn’t updated, we
ran into a lot of challenges. It was con-
fusing. So these changes are not something we just did this year. It’s something
we talked about, we thought about, since
the last election.”
Voters have new requirements, including being required to reside within the
territory known as the Old Cherokee
Nation for their district for a period of
six months prior to the election. This
changes the previous language, which
only required members to have lived in
their district three months prior to the
election.
In the event an eligible voter moves to
an address in a different district during
the six months prior to the election, that
voter shall not be entitled to vote in the
new district until the next election.
Voters who need to provide corrections
to their personal information such as
their name, address or district affiliation
must now do so to the tribal secretary by
June 15 of the election year. The previous language required the changes to be
made by July 15.
The secretary is also required to proSEE ORDINANCE, PAGE 3
2
JUNE 2022
Assistant Chief
Jeff Wacoche
jwacoche@
ukb-nsn.gov
Secretary
Joyce
Fourkiller
jfourkiller@
ukb-nsn.gov
Treasurer
Sonja Gourd
sgourd@
ukb-nsn.gov
Canadian Dist.
Eddie Sacks
918-822-1957
Coeweescoowee
Dist.
Clifford
Wofford
918-822-1953
Delaware Dist.
Caleb
GrimmettSmith
918-791-8107
Flint Dist.
Frankie Still
918-507-1822
COUNCIL•ᏗᏂᎳᏫᎩ
ᎩᏚᏩ ᏣᎳᎩ
Exercising the UKB’s sovereignty
Chief’s
Corner
JOE BUNCH
Principal Chief
jbunch@ukb-nsn.gov
I congratulate all the area graduates
for their accomplishments and moving
forward.
This past month we celebrated 14 years
of serving hot meals to our elders. Our
efforts all started when UKB received a
grant from Title VI Part A, Nutrition, by
the Older Americans Act.
The purpose of the program is to serve
one hot meal per day to UKB elders 55
and older, provide nutritional information, screen blood pressure and blood
sugar and provide useful information for
aging elders. The program also has a caregiver program (as funds are available) for
those who need assistance caring for a
family member or themselves.
Assistant Chief Archie Mouse initiated
this program serving meals from the So-
cial Program Building and then in 2008,
we dedicated the Jim Proctor Elder and
Nutrition Center.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic these
past two years, we are proud to have
continued to provide over 100 hot meals
a day to elders via curb side service.
Thank you, Rebecca, Archie, Sue, Ronald and Roman for your service.
The Council also traveled to Cherokee,
North Carolina, to visit with the Eastern
Band and attend the dedication of the
Keetoowah Mounds.
On my way, I was reminded of the
Northern District Court Judge ruling in
our 2.03-acre casino property case, where
he ruled that the United Keetoowah Band
had no former reservation.
When I read the 1828 Western Cherokee, or Old Settlers, treaty, it states
the Old Settlers, known as the Western
Cherokees and today the Keetoowahs,
exchanged land in Arkansas for 7 million
acres of land in present day Oklahoma.
The treaty guaranteed that we would
be free of intruders and the land would be
ours forever.
Then, the 1835 treaty Ridge Party
came, followed by those forced on the
Trail of Tears in 1838-39.
The Federal Judge erred in making his
ruling, stating we had no “former reservation.’ On May 6, 2022, his decision was
rightfully dismissed.
We are practicing our sovereignty by
applying for land in trust for the United
Keetoowah Band for the purposes of tribal
gaming.
I guess the treaty of 1846 doesn’t mean
anything. This land is for all Cherokees.
Under the Treaty of 1866 article, the President of the United States can place other
tribes in the Historic Cherokee Nation.
It is unfortunate just to say the land is
in dispute due to a jurisdiction issue. It’s
not. There is no treaty that says “exclusive
jurisdiction.”
One can misstate and mislead tribal
history when no one else speaks up for
sovereignty. The Courts are now correcting them.
Justice is slow, but our time is coming.
We are very grateful for these decisions.
We have an open-door policy. If you
have any questions, call me or your tribal
representative or any officers.
Wado, Nigada!
Until we see each other again.
Bennett bids farewell as GCN editor
Editor’s
Address
BRITTNEY BENNETT
Editor
bbennett@ukb-nsn.gov
Siyo to all our readers!
By the time you have this newspaper in
your hands, I will sadly no longer be the
editor of the Giduwa Cherokee News.
You’re probably asking yourself, “didn’t
she just come back?”
The answer is yes, and believe me, the
decision to leave was not easy.
I gave it my best effort to make things
work under the circumstances. It was just
logistics. I currently live in Tulsa and my
hour-long commute to and from the tribe
is no longer as feasible as it once was only
six months ago.
It’s simply a case of the right job, wrong
time.
For those who don’t know, this is actually my second stint as the tribe’s media
specialist. I originally ran the department
from July 2018 to October 2020 and
began my second round working with the
tribe in December 2021.
For the majority of my time with the
tribe, I have kept the department, and the
tribe’s communication outlets, going as a
one-woman show.
The decision to leave now is especially
bittersweet, as I’m just starting to see my
vision of growth for the department take
place.
But I am encouraged to know that
growth is finally happening.
It’s such an exciting time in the UKB
Media Department. This year we were
allotted a generous budget from the UKB
Tribal Council, making it possible to do a
variety of things that I had only dreamed
of doing my first time in this position.
Since bringing the newspaper back to
life, we now have three new staff members to help keep it going.
We’ve re-established our day-to-day
communications with tribal members and
helped secure better livestreaming equipment for our monthly Council meetings.
We’re starting to look at advertising and
how we can bring in our own revenue.
The department’s equipment has been
updated to capture better photos and
video. New newspaper racks have been
purchased to help elevate the awareness
of our tribal newspaper and the tribe as a
whole.
While this is not the ending I wanted, I
do think I have put in the work and laid
a great foundation for the next media
specialist. I am encouraged by where the
department is going and hope it will continue to grow as it transitions under new
leadership.
To the readers, I just want to relay how
thankful I am that I was allowed to do
this not only once, but twice. I’ve enjoyed
serving the Keetoowah people, my people.
I’ve enjoyed hearing and sharing your
stories, listening to our elders speak the
language while out on assignment and
capturing your photos for our tribal history.
Please continue to share yourselves,
your talents and your accomplishments
with the newspaper.
After all, I’ll be depending on the next
issue of the Giduwa Cherokee News to
keep me informed and connected.
Donadagohvi.
LAND: The UKB seeks trust status for 2.63 acres.
FROM PAGE 1
Goingsnake Dist.
Willie Christie
918-822-3803
Illinois Dist.
Peggy Girty
918-457-7067
Saline Dist.
Charles Smoke
918-457-7071
case “changed the legal landscape of
Oklahoma lands” and “undermine[d] the
Department of the Interior’s . . . decision
regarding ‘former reservation’ status for
these lands.”
This change in the law prompted the
DOI to withdraw its appeal, as the “former
reservation” language no longer applies to
the UKB’s land in trust application.
While the DOI’s withdrawal made the
appeal “moot”, CNO nevertheless asked
the 10th Circuit to uphold the U.S. Northern District of Oklahoma Court’s 2012
decision to deny land in trust for the UKB.
The 10th Circuit did not rule in CNO’s
favor, instead writing its ruling also “vacates the district court’s judgment” and
thus, opens the door for UKB to submit a
new land in trust application as advised
by the DOI.
The new application will ask the DOI to
take 2.63-acres into trust for the UKB for
the purposes of tribal gaming in Tahlequah, updating the size of the location
from 2.03-acres after building usage
changes on the property.
That application will be forthcoming
sometime this summer, according to UKB
Attorney General Klint Cowan.
“We have the ability to make a new land
The Keetoowah Cherokee Casino began operations on Feb. 14, 1986, on a 2.03-acre parcel in
Tahlequah. The casino closed in August 2013 after the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma sued over
the property. The UKB will submit a new land in trust application for the parcel with the hopes of
making it eligible for tribal gaming once again. BRITTNEY BENNETT/GIDUWA CHEROKEE NEWS
in trust application for our casino parcel
based on the current reservation test, not
the former reservation test, since there is
no ‘former’ reservation,” said Cowan. “We
hope to have the application submitted in
the next couple of months. We also hope
that the DOI will review it on an expedited basis, because it has been at least 15
years since we first submitted this parcel
on a trust application. The only outstanding issue we see now is whether we can
game on it, which we feel confident about
since we’ve already met requirements for
GIDUWA CHEROKEE NEWS
Sequoyah Dist.
Junior Catron
918-315-0970
Tahlequah Dist.
Alvin Hicks
918-931-1462
Editor: Brittney Bennett
P.O. Box 746
Tahlequah, OK 74465
The Giduwa Cherokee News is mailed free to
Keetoowah registered voters, governments, other
offices and upon request, to other citizens.
Mail subscription requests and address changes to
Giduwa Cherokee News, P.O. Box 746, Tahlequah,
OK 74465.
EDITOR
Brittney Bennett
REPORTER
Lani Hansen
GRAPHICS DESIGNER
Travis Snell
ADVERTISING SALES SPECIALIST
Bronwyn Siefers
trust land before when we were granted
our 76 acres by the 10th Circuit in 2019.”
UKB Chief Joe Bunch said the tribe is
reviewing all options tied to the decision
and looks forward to the future.
“It is important to note that this decision hampers the Cherokee Nation of
Oklahoma’s attempt in denying the United
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians
sovereignty and the ability to govern
ourselves.We thank the Lord for the many
blessings he has given us and look forward to our future,” he said.
Editorial statements of the Giduwa Cherokee News,
guest columns and letters to the editor reflect the
opinions of the writer and not necessarily those of the
Giduwa Cherokee News editor, staff or tribal administration of the United Keetoowah Band.
All editorials and letters must be 650 words or less and
will become the property of the Giduwa
Cherokee News. Editorials must be signed and
include an address and telephone number. Send all
inquires to: Giduwa Cherokee News, P.O. Box 746,
Tahlequah, OK 74465. The Giduwa Cherokee News is
the only official publication of the United Keetoowah
Band. It operates a Giduwa Cherokee News
Facebook page, as well as the tribe’s YouTube and
Instagram accounts,@UKBMedia. Any other
publications or online pages are not an official source
of news and are not endorsed by the editor, tribe or
tribal administration. For advertising rates and media
inquiries, including permissions to reprint stories within
this publication, email bbennett@ukb-nsn.gov.
ᎩᏚᏩ ᏣᎳᎩ
NEWS•ᏗᏕᏃᏣᎸᏍᎩ
JUNE 2022
3
Council approves land trust app, Health Board
Nominations to the Health Board will be
reviewed by the UKB Corporate Board and final
approval will be given by the Tribal Council.
BY BRITTNEY BENNETT
Editor
TAHLEQUAH – The United Keetoowah
Band Tribal Council approved the submission of a new land in trust application
for its 2.63-acre parcel, approved the
creation of a Health Board and lifted
its mandatory mask requirement in all
buildings during its regular monthly
meeting on May 7.
Council unanimously voted to allow
for the submission of a new land in trust
application for its 2.63-acre parcel in
Tahlequah for tribal gaming purposes.
The item comes after the 10th Circuit
Court of Appeals on May 6 vacated a
lower court’s ruling that denied the U.S.
Department of the Interior from approving the application and taking the land
into trust for the UKB.
Instead, the DOI has now instructed
the UKB to submit a new application,
which will also update the size of the location, up from 2.03-acres after building
usage changes on the property.
The submission of the application will
come later this summer, according to
Attorney General Klint Cowan.
Council also voted for the creation of a
UKB Health Board to regulate the tribe’s
behavioral health services and allow
the programs to apply for more grant
funding.
“The point of this board is our health
services are becoming so large, that as
we start growing… it’s almost required
that there’s a regulatory body for those
services to make sure that we’re in com-
pliance with all laws,” said Caleb Grimmett, Delaware District representative.
“To me, this is very vital that we have
this in place, so if anything goes wrong in
general, we have our Health Board there
to handle things properly and correctly.”
UKB Attorney Victoria Holland clarified that the board would be a “subsidiary” of the UKB Cor-porate Board. She
also clarified that anyone could make a
of how will it benefit our people directly,”
he said. “Unfortunately, there wouldn’t
be a direct service to our people as far as
a free membership or a membership being reduced to the YMCA. The idea was
possibly getting into a partnership with
the YMCA to expand into our district in
Delaware, in Jay.”
Chief Joe Bunch also announced
during the meeting that the tribe’s chartering partner school, Bacone College,
would be receiving 10 education grants
and an additional $490,000 from the
U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement an agricultural class on campus.
The UKB Enrollment Department also
“This is very vital that we have this in place, so if
anything goes wrong in general, we have our Health
Board there to handle things properly and correctly.”
Caleb Grimmett, Delaware District representative
nomination, but the nominations must be
selected by the Corporate Board and final
approval must be given by Council.
Councilors also lifted the tribe’s
COVID-19 mandatory mask requirement
in UKB buildings, instead making masks
optional, but still asking visitors to have
their temperatures checked upon arrival.
Also during the meeting, Council voted
to approve an undisclosed monetary
donation to the Grand Lake Family YMCA
in Grove to establish a partnership with
the organization.
Grimmett made the request after discussing the action with his constituents
and setting a longterm goal of one day
getting a wellness center established in in
the Jay area.
“Some of them were for it, some of
them were against it because of the idea
announced new membership cards are
now available for Keetoowahs.
The cards will be laminated and have
an impression of the UKB seal, as well as
an expiration date. This will allow Keetoowahs to pick up pharmacy prescriptions in Oklahoma with their tribal cards,
according to UKB Administration.
Keetoowahs who bring in their old
membership cards can receive the new
card for free. Those who have lost their
card and need a replacement will be
charged $5 for a new card.
In other news, Council:
• Accepted the UKB Enrollment Report
from Secretary Hawk with one tribal
relinquishment;
• Approved the UKB Tax Commission
report, with $24,592.32 in revenue from
the Kee-toowah Tag Agency from April 1
to April 30. Of that amount, 10 percent
is allotted to the UKB Education Department under the Motor Fuels agreement;
• Secretary Sonja Gourd announced
that the tribe’s fiscal year 2021 audit
would be begin-ning and covering the
time period of March 2021 to March
2022. She also announced that a General
Fund report was not available due to the
tribe still expending from the account for
“travel for the Kituwah Mound trip” and
due to the discretionary funds for district
representatives;
• Tabled the UKB Corporate Board Report until the June 2022 regular monthly
council meet-ing;
• Approved a 41-acre land purchase
west of the UKB Community Services
Building;
• Announced it would not be completing a purchase of the Red Oak Apartments in Oaks;
• Approved and accepted eight new
judicial codes for the UKB Tribal Court;
• Approved the Human Resources
director to have the authority to investigate and make decisions regarding any
employee grievances against the tribal
administrator;
• Approved the UKB Media Department to open a bank account to begin
collecting advertising revenue for the
newspaper;
• and struck two items from the UKB
Environmental Services Department at
the request of the department director
concerning partnerships with the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge and
with U.S. Fish & Wildlife.
To view the meeting in its entirety, the
public can visit the UKB Facebook Page
and see the “Videos” tab.
The next regularly scheduled Tribal
Council meeting is set for June 4 at 10
a.m. at the UKB Judicial Center.
MOUND: The mound and its land was put into trust in 2020.
FROM PAGE 1
Council passed the legislation unanimously.
“I think, looking back, it created a cultural renaissance because people began
to learn about their culture,” she told
the crowd on Saturday. “If anything, the
legacy that I left and the Tribal Council
at that time left, was a renaissance of our
culture, of our language, our customs
for future generations. And, for the first
time, our people began to say, ‘our culture and our traditions are important’.”
Chief Dugan went on to say, “Enjoy
your day. Love each other. And think
about what all went on down here on
this piece of land. And listen to the
sounds of those children, those mommas
and daddies who lived here. I’ve been
told that if you’re real quiet down here in
the evenings you can hear them. I don’t
doubt that.”
EBCI Principal Chief Richard G. Sneed
said getting Kituwah put into trust status
was a priority of his since taking office.
“It is an historic day. As I mentioned
earlier, we would not be here today if it
were not for the vision and the leadership of Chief Dugan…Great leaders like
Chief Dugan have several things in common and one is they have vision. If you’re
going to be in leadership, you’re going to
have to have vision for the generations of
Cherokees that are coming after us.”
He spoke of the importance of the
Cherokee people getting Kituwah back
and said it is time to look towards the
future. “We have to stop thinking about
just the ‘right now’ and instead the seven generations that are coming after us.
That can’t be empty rhetoric. It has to
be how we think. It has to be how we
believe. And, it has to be how we act.”
Don Bradley, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, jumps for a ball during an
exhibition stickball game at the annual Kituwah Celebration held at Kituwah on, May 21. All
three federally recognized Cherokee tribes came together to celebrate the land being put into
trust by the federal government recently.
Chief Sneed added, “We are here today
as one people. We are today as Cherokees…it is our time, and it is our responsibility now to do what is right for future
generations of Cherokees.”
EBCI Vice Chief Alan B. Ensley was in
his first term as a Tribal Council representative when the property was purchased in 1996. “We were at the very
beginning stages of becoming a gaming
Tribe back then, and $2 million seemed
like $100 million at that time.”
He also praised Dugan for her vision
and action. “Chief Dugan invigorated
our culture at that time. We didn’t know
that much about our culture…I knew
very little about our Cherokee history.”
Saying it was a great day to be a Cher-
okee, Vice Chief Ensley noted, “When
Chief Dugan brought this in, it reinvigorated our culture here in Cherokee, and
it brought our culture, our language,
and everything just catapulted once we
bought the homeland back.”
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck
Hoskin Jr. said, “This is a special day for
all Cherokee people. I want to express
my deep appreciation on behalf of the
Cherokee Nation for the work of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. We all
celebrate this as our Mother Town. We all
celebrate this area as our homeland. But
the burdens, the opportunities to seize to
preserve this, of course, falls squarely on
the Eastern Band. It’s just remarkable to
see what the Eastern Band has done in
the area of historic preservation securing
this land.”
He said when he thinks about Kituwah
having existed from “time immemorial”,
it helps him put things into perspective.
“When we think about this site, it makes
all the challenges that we might have in
our governments or back home or in our
economy or in our politics, it makes those
seem much tamer as we think about
how long this place has stood the test of
time. When we think about how long this
space has endured, it makes us realize
that the tragedies that we have en-dured
are not as great as all of our triumphs because so much of our triumphs are really
embodied in this space.”
UKB Principal Chief Joe Bunch commented, “Coming here to the mountains
is coming home. To our tribe, the Keetoowahs, it’s coming home and that’s
good medicine for each and every one
of us. It’s where we started, certainly
not where we ended. But, with all the
successes that we’ve had throughout, and
some of the small defeats and so on, we
are still here. We are still here.”
He read a proclamation from the UKB
which designated May 21, 2022 as “Kituwah Mound Day”. The proclamation
states, in part, “The Eastern Band, the
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indi-ans, and the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma together celebrate the return of
our symbolic mother town and the union
of our forefathers who gave the ultimate
sacrifices in protecting the families and
land and life as we knew it back then.”
Chief Bunch concluded by saying,
“Believe me, it is coming home. It is
good medicine. No doubt about it. It is
wonderful medicine. What a grand day
it is to be Keetoowah.”
ORDINANCE: This year’s General Election is set for Nov. 7.
FROM PAGE 1
duce a preliminary version of the Voter
List no later than June 1 of the election
year, “which shall be open to public inspection during regular business hours.”
If an individual’s name is not on the
list, an application to be added must be
submitted no later than June 15. The
secretary will render a determination on
such applications by June 25. The final
Voter List shall be presented by June 30.
Some of the most major changes to the
ordinance concern the eligibility requirements for officer and district representative positions.
In addition to being required to be a
resident of the Old Cherokee Nation for a
period of no less than 12 months prior to
filing, candidates for chief, assistant chief,
treasurer, secretary and district representatives must also be exclusive UKB
members for a period of not less than five
years prior to filing.
All candidates must not have served
as an elected official of another federally
recognized Indian tribe and must possess
a valid driver’s license, as well as possess
a high school diploma or equivalent.
Treasurer candidates must also possess
a minimum of five years of experience in
the governmental accounting field.
“The only things we really added in
were that candidates have to have a high
school education and that candidates
for treasurer had to have more qualifications,” said Smith. “Those changes,
for me, are motivation for our children.
They’re going to need their education
anyway.”
Other requirements state that candidates must not have a final felony conviction within the past 10 years and any
tribal employee who registers as a candidate must take a leave of absence from
their employment for the campaign’s
duration, except for elected officers.
As always, a Notice of Candidacy must
be filed in person with the UKB Election
Board no earlier than 9 a.m. on the first
business day of August and no later than
6 p.m. on the 10th business day of August in the election year.
Candidates are also not allowed to
campaign on Keetoowah tribal property “excluding private residences” and
“excluding the tribal newspaper.” The
ordinance states this is to prevent any
Keetoowah tribal properties or resources
being used “for campaign purposes.”
Any tribal employee that campaigns
while on the job can be found “punishable by removal of employment” and
“removal from ballots for candidates
and/or fines.”
Poll workers and alternates are also
now allowed to vote on the day of Poll
Worker training, with Lighthorse charged
with keeping “ballots secure and safe
from tampering until the Election Board
counts the Poll Worker ballots on the
night of the election.”
The ordinance now also allows for
referendum elections, both from tribal
members and from the Tribal Council.
Any tribal member may call for a referendum vote by filing a $500 fee with the
Election Board between Feb. 1 and July
30 of the general election year.
Once accepted, the petitioner has
30 days to collect the equivalent of 30
percent of eligible voter signatures from
the last general election. Once those
signatures are verified, the item will be
allowed on the election ballot. If at least
50 percent, plus one vote, vote in favor,
the vote shall become tribal law.
The Tribal Council may also refer any
matter on which it wishes to have a referendum vote to the Election Board. Within
30 days of receiving the referendum resolution from Council, the Election Board
shall schedule an election on the Referendum. Any Referendum passed by at least
50 percent, plus one vote, shall become
the law of the Tribe.
Smith took the time to thank the UKB
Attorney General Klint Cowan for his
work on updating the ordinance.
“Klint has been a big asset to us changing this,” she said. “We didn’t actually
move forward until he would tell us to.
He would say, ‘yeah, you can do that,’ or
‘no, you can’t say that’. I appreciate him
so much, because he’s just been a phone
call away.”
The UKB Tribal Council General Election this year will be held on Nov.7.
4
JUNE 2022
NEWS•ᏗᏕᏃᏣᎸᏍᎩ
ᎩᏚᏩ ᏣᎳᎩ
UKB Media adds new staff, loses media specialist
UKB Media welcomes Travis
Snell, Bronwyn Duncan and
Lani Hansen.
BY STAFF REPORTS
TAHLEQUAH – The United Keetoowah Band Media
Department is proud to announce three new hires to its
staff including a graphics designer, an advertising sales
specialist and a media reporter.
“We have been fortunate this year that our Council
allotted a sizeable departmental budget to make these
hirings possible,” said Brittney Bennett, UKB media
specialist. “This budget has allowed us to seek out new
talent, as well as hire experienced staff, to deliver more
news and information to the Keetoowah people. It also
allows our department the ability to start making its
own revenue, which is an important part of keeping us
operating.”
The staff additions are the first time the department
has been allowed to hire in more than five years.
Travis Snell is a member of the Cherokee Nation and
began working for UKB Media as its graphics designer
in early April 2022.
He has more than two decades of experience in
journalism, having previously spent much of his time
with the Cherokee Phoenix as a reporter and later as
an assistant editor. His résumé also includes time spent
with the Delaware County Journal, Grove Sun Daily and
Oklahoma Gazette.
Travis Snell
Bronwyn Siefers
Lani Hansen
He has also won numerous awards with the Native
American Journalists Association, including the “Best
Design” category in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2020.
In addition to working for UKB Media, he also sits as the
current vice president of the Mvskoke Media Editorial
Board. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mass communications in 1999 from Oklahoma City University.
“I’m extremely excited to be working for the Giduwa
Cherokee News, to be able to bring my 20-plus years
of journalism experience to the news organization and
help improve it any way I can,” said Snell. “I’m ecstatic
that I can focus on design, which I have grown to love
during my years in journalism.”
Bronwyn Siefers is a Keetoowah tribal member and
began working for UKB Media as its advertising sales
specialist in late April 2022.
She has nearly a decade of experience assisting clients
with advertising and budget proposals from her time
with the Tahlequah Daily Press.
She has also worked at Lancaster Publishing as an advertising sales consultant and as a manager for Habitat
for Humanity.
“I am incredibly proud of each individual we have hired to help carry UKB
Media forward and can’t wait to see what they accomplish together.”
Brittney Bennett, UKB Media Specialist
“I’m really happy to be working for my tribe and
I’m so excited to be working for the newspaper,” said
Siefers. “I can see the future for the newspaper really
growing within the next year.”
Lani Hansen is a member of the Cherokee Nation and
began working for UKB Media as its media reporter in
early May 2022.
She earned her associate degree in liberal arts from
Haskell Indian Nations University in Kansas and her
bachelor’s degree in media studies from Northeastern
State University.
She comes to the Giduwa Cherokee News from
Mvskoke Media, where she served as a senior reporter
for the past three years.
“I was working with Muscogee (Creek) Nation before
I came here and although I loved working with them,
I was ready to come back home,” said Hansen. “As a
Cherokee, I have always had this goal in mind to do
something for my community. When I saw the reporter
position open up with the United Keetoowah Band, I got
so excited that I applied immediately.”
Hansen said she is looking forward to meeting with
those both young and old in the Keetoowah communities.
“As a reporter, I am able to meet new people and
hear so many stories. I enjoy sitting in a room listening
to achievement stories from young children to hearing
what the elders have to say,” she said.
While the hiring of new staff marks a period of
growth for UKB Media, there is also a period of transition that will take place in the coming weeks as Keetoowah member and Media Specialist Brittney Bennett
steps down from her position running the department.
“It is bittersweet for me, but I am incredibly proud of
each individual we have hired to help carry UKB Media
forward,” she said. “I can’t wait to see what they accomplish together.”
Still named to 2022 Native 40 Under 40
Dr. Corey Still was to be recognized along with
other recipients at a reception on May 25 at the
Cromwell Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
BY LANI HANSEN
Reporter
TAHLEQUAH – The National Center for
American Indian Enterprise Development
recently announced its Native American
40 Under 40 award recipients for the
class of 2022 and among those to receive
the distinguished honor was United Keetoowah Band member Dr. Corey Still.
“I’m very honored and humbled to be
named as a 2022 cohort member,” said
Still. “I’m not completely sure, but I may
be one of the first Keetoowahs to ever
receive this award.”
According to NCAIED’s press release,
the 40 Under 40 awards represent the
best and brightest emerging Indian Country leaders. There are 40 American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian
leaders under the age of 40 inducted in
recognition of their leadership, initiative
and dedication and for making significant
contributions in their business and/or in
their community.
Winners of the award include leaders
working in numerous fields such as academia, government, non-profits, tourism,
nature conservation and technology.
Still will be traveling to Las Vegas,
Nevada, on May 23 to accept the award,
with the reception taking place on May
25 in Drai’s at the Cromwell Hotel.
“I’m really excited, but I don’t take this
award as recognition of ‘look what I’ve
done,’ but I take it as ‘look what we’ve
done’,” said Still. “The work that I do and
how I approach it is that I’ve never done
anything by myself. I’ve always done it in
relation of community.”
Still is originally from Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and is a high school graduate from
Tahlequah-Sequoyah.
Upon earning the Gates Millennium
Scholarship, he went on to study at the
University of Oklahoma, graduating with
a bachelor’s degree in American Indian studies with an emphasis on Indian
education.
While initially interested in pursuing
a law degree, Still said his focus shifted
towards higher education during his
undergraduate studies.
“I’ve always been law driven, but as
soon as I got out there working with
different communities and the students, I
fell in love with education. I wanted to help
other college students
succeed in higher education,” he said.
Still went on to
pursue his master’s
degree in higher
Corey Still
education leadership in education at
Northeastern State University. While
doing so, he also worked as an adjunct
faculty member at Bacone College and as
a graduate assistant at NSU working with
Native students.
“I really focused my master’s thesis research around the experiences of Native
students,” said Still. “My call was to be
able to support my community and help
Native students as they navigate their
journey in higher education.”
After completing his master’s work,
Still had no plans to return to school
until some of his mentors, as he stated,
“voluntold” him to go for his doctorate.
He would go on in 2019 to earn his
doctorate’s degree in adult higher education with an emphasis in student affairs
in higher education administration from
OU, with his research focusing on Indigenous higher education.
“During that time, I was able to work
with some amazing mentors and amazing communities,” he said. “I worked
with local community boards, regional
boards, national boards on affecting and
influencing Native policy, educational
policy and looking at Indigenizing and
reshaping how we work with Native communities.”
After completing his doctorate, Still
accepted an appointment with the American Indian Graduate Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, overseeing programming, research and scholarships as the
director of Scholarships Operations.
Recently he was called back home to
take an appointment at Bacone College
in Muskogee as the new vice-president of
academic affairs.
“My family has a history with Bacone.
I’ve taught here for many years. I see the
importance of the college and I decided
to come back and take on that appointment,” he said.
Through his transition from AIGC to
Bacone College, Still said some colleagues came up with the idea to nominate him for the Native 40 Under 40.
The UKB will pay for Still’s airfare and
hotel expenses for the event. “I’m beyond grateful the tribe is willing to help
me with travel expenses, because what
I do is for my people, the Keetoowahs,”
said Still. “To the administrative officers,
Council, Education Department, staff and
my family, I want to say thank you for the
help and support.”
UKB LIHEAP now taking summer applications
BY BRITTNEY BENNETT
Editor
TAHLEQUAH – The Health and Human Services Department at the United
Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians is
accepting applications for assistance with
summer cooling costs through its Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
LIHEAP is a federal program designed
to assist low-income families with relief
from heating and cooling costs all year.
Summer LIHEAP is open until Sept. 20
and assists households with electric bills
and air conditioning window units.
Winter LIHEAP runs from Oct. 1 to
March 31 and will pay costs towards the
main heating source for a household.
Eligibility is based upon the 2022
Federal Poverty Guidelines and requires
applicants to provide income verification
from each member of the household. Aid
is for the entire household and not separate individuals. Income guidelines are
60 percent of the state median income.
For households exceeding income
guidelines, the tribe has American Relief
Plan Act funds that may assist with costs.
HHS Director Ronny Livers said Summer LIHEAP funds will be used to help
tribal members with electrical bills associated with cooling their homes.
The tribe will pay up to $450 for an
electrical bill in a six-month period for
a household of one to three individuals.
For households of four or more, LIHEAP
funds can assist with up to $500 to-wards
electrical bills in a six-month period.
Tribal members are also required to notify the HHS at a minimum of three days
before any service cutoff or risk a suspension in utilities due to late submission of
the application.
LIHEAP will also assist with providing
a limited amount of air conditioning
units to tribal members, with elders 55
and older served first. Members can get
applications from their district representatives, directly through HHS or by
at ukb-nsn.gov/human-services for a
downloadable “Services Assistance”
application.
Applications can be returned to the
UKB Federal Programs Building, via
email to rlivers@ukb-nsn.gov or fax at
918-414-4030.
BOARD: The board is charged with upholding election integrity.
FROM PAGE 1
For Smith, a member of the Goingsnake District, serving the people
is what keeps her coming back to the
Election board.
“The reason that I decided to do another election cycle is because I believe
strongly in our tribe,” said Smith. “I
see working on the Election Board as a
challenge to do the best for the tribal
members. Council, by extension, are the
voices of our members.”
Smith previously worked at Walmart
in the Traffic Office serving as a proxy for
office annual manager elections.
“I had to do the data entry for tallying
votes and distributing and collecting
forms,” she said. “It gave me an idea
on how to run an election. It gave me a
guideline on what to do and how to do
it.”
When not fulfilling her election duties,
Smith can be found watching softball,
spending time with family and caring for
her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Vice-Chairwoman Marcella Foreman
has lived most of her life in Oaks. She
said she is thankful to be able to continue
serving the tribe after being diagnosed
with liposarcoma.
“It took a toll on me, but I pulled
through,” she said. “As of today, there is
no sign of cancer. God still has me here
for a reason and he knows how much I
love doing for others. It has always been
my passion to be able to help others
in any way, shape or form. I want to
thank everyone for letting me serve as
vice-chairwoman on the Election Board.”
When not working, Marcella spends
her time making traditional crafts.
“It used to be my main way of life with
my late husband Russell Vanbuskirk,
who was chosen as a Tradition Keeper in
2008. Since his passing it has been a long
road of recovery and being able to cope
on my own. But then I realized I wasn’t
alone. I have my family and many good
friends who have helped me along the
way,” she said.
Treasurer Tanisa Foreman said she is
grateful for the opportunity to serve on
the Election Board.
“I would like to thank everyone for
letting me serve on the Election Board,”
she said. “I like working for my tribe and
learning all that I can about our past and
present.”
When not working, Tanisa likes to
spend her time fishing, camping, spending time with family and friends and making crafts like her mother. She was even
named a 2021 UKB Tradition Keeper.
“I was given the honor of being chosen
the 2021 UKB Tradition Keeper for my
baskets, which was taught to me by a
long line of my elders that started from
my great aunt Mary Foreman. She was
also known as a Cherokee Nation of
Oklahoma National Treasure for her bas-
kets,” she said.
Board Member Albert Shade was
raised in Lost City and now resides in
Tahlequah. He is a proud Keetoowah that
has served in many capacities of tribal
government.
“I take great pride in being a part of
something that is working to move the
tribe forward,” he said.
Shade is also a UKB Tradition Keeper
and enjoys teaching the culture to others,
ensuring that Keetoowah cultural practices are carried on to the next generation.
Board Member Wyanetta Springwater
is a full-blood Keetoowah member from
Tahlequah.
“It has been my honor to serve on the
Keetoowah Election Board since 2020,”
she said. “During my time as a board
member, I have been able to step out of
my comfort zone and put my knowledge
and skills to work. I enjoy serving, as it
gives me the opportunity to give back to
the Keetoowah tribe.”
ᎩᏚᏩ ᏣᎳᎩ
COMMUNITY•ᎾᎥ ᏄᎾᏓᎸ
WALKED ON
Denise Darlene Drywater
Feb. 18, 1959 – May 13, 2022
Dorothy Jean (Downing) Ireland
Sept. 14, 1946 – April 7, 2022
Susanna Saez
March 12, 1947 – April 21, 2022
For a free Walked On listing, email
the deceased United Keetoowh Band
member’s name, birth date and death
date to Giduwa Cherokee News
Graphic Designer Travis Snell at
travissnell75@gmail.com.
JUNE 2022
5
UKB Lighthorse Tribal Police
An officer is always on-call if you are ever
in need of emergency assistance or
assistance with a civil or criminal matter.
Call 918-207-9955
Ryan Keith Tiger
Aug. 30, 1971 – April 21, 2022
LUNCH MENU
The United Keetoowah Band’s Title VI Lunch Menu for June 2022 at Jim
Proctor Community Center located at 555 Fake St. in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. For
information, call 918-871-2860.
Currently the dining room is closed to the public and will remain so until further
notice. Park in the drive-thru area for your meal delivery. Meals are free to Keetoowahs 55 and older, as well as their spouses. Members of other tribes and their
spouses must show their CDIB card and contribute to the cost of a meal. Guest
meals are $5, while meals for children 0-17 are $3.If you feel sick, stay home.
Wash your hands and practice social distancing to help avoid the spread of
COVID-19 and its variants. Wado for your understanding.
June 1
Lasagna
Italian Green Beans
Salad, Garlic Toast
Dessert
June 2
Stuffed Peppers
Rice Pilaf
Mixed Veggies, Roll
Dessert
June 3
Biscuits & Gravy
Sausage, Hash Browns
Scrambled Eggs
Fresh Fruit
June 6
Ham/Cheese on Wheat
3-Bean Salad
Potato Salad
Dessert
June 7
Chicken Fried Steak
Mash Potato/Gravy
Green Beans, Hot Roll
Dessert
June 8
BBQ Smokies
Macaroni Tomato
Baked Beans
Toast, Dessert
June 9
Indian Taco w/Fixings
Mexican Corn
Strawberry Shortcake
June 10
Sloppy Joe on Bun
Tater Tots, Coleslaw
Pickle Spear
Fruit Salad
June 13
Tuna on Wheat
Potato Chips
Potato Salad
Fresh Fruit
June 14
Chicken Fajita, Salsa
Spanish Rice
Salad
Dessert
June 15
Hamburger Steak
Mashed Potato/Gray
Carrots
Hot Roll, Dessert
June 16
Philly Cheese Steak
Onion Rings
Salad
Dessert
June 17
Chicken Wings w/Sauce
Carrots/Celry Sticks
Macaroni Salad, Bread
Watermelon
June 20
Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce
Italian Green Beans
Salad, Garlic Twist Bread
Dessert
June 21
Baked Chicken
Potato w/Green Beans
Garden Salad
Bread, Dessert
June 22
Baked Potato w/Fixings
Garden Salad
Garlic Toast
Dessert
June 23
White Beans w/Ham
Fried Potatoes
Spinach
Cornbread, Dessert
June 24
Kitchen Closed
Clean Day
June 27
Veggie-Hamburger Stew
Hominy
Cornbread
Dessert
June 28
Taco Salad w/Fritos
Spanish Rice
Pinto Beans
Pineapple Dessert
June 29
Chicken Strips/Gravy
Steak Fries
Hot Roll
Dessert
June 30
Hamburger w/Fixings
Potato Chips
Birthday Cake
Ice Cream
RECIPES
My Aunt’s Fry Bread
Self-rising flour (good flour)
Buttermilk in warm water.
Enough to mix it together but not runny. Cover and let it set for 30 minutes,
15 minutes at minimum, then knead to
a smooth texture and pinch off about
the size of golf ball, then pat it out and
put it into hot grease. Grease should
be hot enough to fry but not too fast.
Turkey Stew or Minestrone Soup
2 pounds of ground dark turkey meat
3 cloves of crushed and minced garlic
2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning
3 carrots, thinly sliced
1 large chopped onion
1 small head of chopped cabbage
2 14-ounce cans dies tomatoes
1 14-ounce can of kidney beans
1 14-ounce can of great northern
beans
1 32-35 ounce container of chicken
broth
Brown meat in a heavy pot on high
heat, stirring constantly. Add garlic,
To submit a recipe, email it to travissnell75@gmail.com or mail it to Giduwa
Cherokee News, P.O. Box 746, Tahlequah, OK 74465.
Italian seasoning, carrots and onions.
Stir until vegetables start to soften.
Add tomatoes, beans and broth. Bring
to a boil, lower heat and let simmer for
10-15 minutes. Serve.
Grape Dumplings
1/2 gallon unsweetened grape juice
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons shortening, melted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup water
Flour
Bring grape juice to a boil with the sugar. Mix water, shortening and baking
powder.
Add enough flour to make stiff dough.
Roll out thin on a floured board and cut
into pieces.
Drop each of these one at a time into
the boiling juice. Cook over high heat
about 5 minutes.
Then simmer for about 10 minutes
with cover on before serving. May be
served with cream or plain.
6
JUNE 2022
EDUCATION•ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ
ᎩᏚᏩ ᏣᎳᎩ
Wolfe retires after nearly 18-year tribal career
Della Wolfe said she looks forward to
improving her health and spending more time
with her family as she enters retirement.
BY BRITTNEY BENNETT
Editor
TAHLEQUAH – Regardless of whether
her job title was listed as clerk, intake
specialist, receptionist, counselor or
interim director, there has never been
any doubt that Della Wolfe has been the
backbone of the UKB Education Department for nearly 16 years.
But two months shy of her 18-year
anniversary with the tribe, Wolfe is finally saying a fond farewell as she enters
retirement.
“I have really enjoyed being in the Education Department for that many years.
I got to know so many people, students.
I have really, really enjoyed every bit, every moment that I worked under Education,” said Wolfe. “I’ll miss everybody at
work, all my friends. I wish I had gotten
to know the new staff that has come in,
but due to COVID and health reasons I
had to retire.”
Wolfe has worked in education most
of her life, first at Maryetta Schools as
support personnel before moving on
to Locust Grove Schools and teaching
fifth through eighth graders in her own
classroom.
After the unfortunate passing of her
father and husband in 2003, Wolfe
resigned from Locust Grove to pursue opportunities closer to her home in Stilwell.
“I started looking for a job closer to
where I lived and when I was out looking, putting applications in, I was blessed
to get hired by my tribe. I hadn’t even
resigned that long from Locust before I
was working for my tribe. I actually started out working in Indian Child Welfare,”
she said.
It wasn’t until two years later when the
UKB Education Department had an opening that Wolfe saw her opportunity to get
back into the field of academia.
“I got hired in the Education Department in 2005,” she said. “During that
time, I got to meet with students and
work with different staff and was able
to do a little education outreach. I got to
know the students we served very well
and when they came, they knew that I
knew them by name. Serving others has
been my fondest memory.”
Wolfe said she is proud of her work
and how many students she assisted.
“I feel proud knowing that when I was
there, the funding was spent in the best
way for students to get a better education, whether it was $500 or $1,500 or
$2,000. Whatever was available, always
went to the students. Nobody was hardly
ever denied,” she said.
During her time in the department,
Wolfe was also allowed to teach her
language to others and participate in the
Keetoowah Language Consortium.
“I have always enjoyed teaching my
language,” she said. “I love it when
people desire to learn the language that
God had blessed me with. I didn’t know
English until I started school. In kindergarten I began to learn to speak two
languages. At the consortium, I enjoyed
listening to everybody speak and being
able to teach it to whomever wanted to
learn, even little kids. I tried to develop
some material, some booklets. I really
enjoyed that part too.”
Since starting her career in the UKB
Education Department, Wolfe has outlasted five education directors. The sixth, Dr.
Leslie Hannah, will instead be the first to
bid her farewell.
“It makes me sad because I didn’t get
to work with Dr. Hannah, but I enjoy
the new staff coming in,” said Wolfe.
“My heart felt so good to have this new
director that I feel truly belongs there. He
wants to help our UKB students to have a
better education. I know that he’s working hard and will continue to work hard.
He has a good staff and I pray and wish
them all the best in every educational
endeavor that they pursue.”
Wolfe also has high hopes not just
for the department, but for future UKB
students.
“My hope is that there will be more
Della Wolfe has worked in the UKB Education Department since 2005 and is retiring after 16
years in the department. ARCHIVE
Keetoowah students to come in for assistance to have a better education, wanting
to have a better life. I hope they take it
seriously,” she said. “We have choices.
I’ve always wanted our Keetoowahs to
have the best and be able to serve them
and to help them get somewhere.”
Wolfe said she is thankful for several
individuals at the tribe who have helped
or been friends to her throughout her
career.
“I would like to thank Mary Nordwall.
She really was a friend who helped me a
lot. I would also say thanks to Tim Goodvoice. They believed in me. I also appreciated Sonja Gourd, Sara Thompson and
“My hope is that there will be more Keetoowah
students to come in for assistance to have a better
education, wanting to have a better life. I’ve always
wanted our Keetoowahs to have the best and be able to
serve them and to help them get somewhere.”
Della Wolfe
Jennifer Cole-Robinson. Mary Girty and
Georgia Mauldin, I can also call them
good friends.”
As she enters retirement, Wolfe said
she is looking forward to improving her
health and spending more time with her
family.
“I hope to get better and look forward
to playing with my grandkids, teaching
them things and doing things with them.
Maybe if possible, travel to go see my
friends. I want to go visit my aunt more,
my Aunt Liz. She’s 96. I think about her
and pray for her all the time,” she said.
As a tribal member, Wolfe said she will
also continue to pray for the UKB.
“We should keep one another in our
prayers and the tribe, so our tribe can be
strong. The way our world is, it’s really
crazy and we’re going to need each other
a lot more as the years come. Our tribe is
doing their best to help us stand on our
own feet, so we can help someone else
stand on their own, too. I know our tribe
is always willing to help and I hope that
it will always continue.”
UKB Driller’s Night celebrates education, engages students
The UKB Education
Deptartment invites 20
students to enjoy the
game and meet with
Bacone College
recruitment reps.
BY LANI HANSEN
Reporter
TULSA – To celebrate the end of
another successful school year, the UKB
Education Department invited a select
group of students to enjoy an evening of
baseball with the Tulsa Drillers as they
hosted the Frisco Rough Riders on May
13 at ONEOK Field.
The night was the result of several
months of planning and, in addition to
celebrating academic achievements, was
intended to get students thinking about
education long term, according to organizer and UKB Education Director Dr.
Leslie Hannah.
“We wanted to do something for the
students to show our appreciation for
their academic achievements. From there
it developed into a marriage of getting
students together with higher education
people,” Hannah said.
Altogether the UKB Education Department invited 20 students to join in on the
night as its special guests, with 16 students from Bell Schools and four students
from Epic Charter Schools.
Bell Schools is located in Adair County and serves mostly Native students in
The UKB Education Department hosts 20 students at ONEOK Field . Here they take a photo
with Hornsby. COURTESY/DR. LESLIE HANNAH
UKB Chief Joe Bunch throws out the first pitch at a Tulsa Drillers game to Hornsby while Miss
Keetoowah Kitana Foreman joins him on the pitcher’s mound on May 13 in Tulsa.
BRITTNEY BENNETT/ GIDUWA CHEROKEE NEWS
K-8th grade, while Epic Charter Schools
are the largest Native-serving high school
in the state and have the highest UKB
student population, said Hannah.
Teachers and representatives from
Bacone College were invited to attend
and meet the students due to the UKB’s
chartering partnership with the historically Native American college.
Hannah and his staff members Jacqueline Watson and Travis Wolfe brain-
stormed the idea of having the students
meet with Bacone at Driller’s Night.
“We wanted to get them in a non-traditional meeting place, like a baseball
game,” Hannah said. “We wanted them
to have a place where the college representative can make small talk and build a
relationship with the student.”
During the sixth inning some of the
students were even allowed to participate
in the “Running with the Bull,” where
VOLUNTEERS @ BACONE COLLEGE
On May 13, some kindhearted
UKB staff volunteered to help
spruce up the grounds of Bacone College before the Spring
2022 commencement ceremonies the next day. Wado to fellow
Keetoowah and Bacone Vice
President of Academic Affairs
Dr. Corey Still for providing lunch
for our group.
UKB Tribal Administrator
Jennifer Cole-Robinson said the
group was happy to help and
thanked all who volunteered.
LEFT PHOTO: In the front
row are UKB Tribal Administrator Jennifer Cole-Robinson,
Realty Director Felicia Russell,
Accounts Payable Amber Dry
and volunteer Tessa Stroud. The
back row contains Corey Still,
volunteer Kendall Scott and Realty Clerk Summer Nofire.
PHOTOS BY LANI HANSEN/
GIDUWA CHEROKEE NEWS
they ran with Hornsby from right field to
left field, which Hannah said he enjoyed.
The night also helped to elevate the
awareness of the tribe to a larger audience in the state.
As part of the pre-game activities, visitors got to witness UKB Chief Joe Bunch
throw out the first pitch before the game
to Hornsby, the Driller’s mascot, while
Miss Keetoowah Kitana Foreman looked
on from the pitcher’s mound.
“It was neat to see chief get out there
and hear them announce ‘now here’s
Chief Joe Bunch of the United Keetoowah Band’. He lined everything up
and then threw the baseball into the dirt
and bounced it up to Hornsby,” Hannah
laughed.
The tickets for the game included a
pre-game buffet for students, Bacone
representatives and a small group of UKB
staff members.
Hannah said he and his UKB Education
Department staff have plans for similar
activities in the future. For a list of upcoming events, call 918-871-2796.
SERVICES•ᎾᎾᏛᏁᎲ
ᎩᏚᏩ ᏣᎳᎩ
JUNE 2022
7
Stilwell Suboffice beneficial to UKB members
BY LANI HANSEN
Reporter
STILWELL – Tribal governments across
the United States were forced to shut
down many of their services in 2019 due
to the COVID-19 pandemic, but by 2020,
COVID-19 federal relief funds actually
began opening several doors of opportunity for tribes.
The United Keetoowah Band was no
exception, with the tribe using some of
its relief funds to open an office in Stilwell to assist its members.
The Stilwell Suboffice first opened
in October 2020 and two years later,
continues to leave its doors open to UKB
members for information and services
amid the ongoing pandemic.
Except for tag services, it provides
information on childcare, transit, human
services, housing, education, enrollment,
burial assistance and other services, as
well as provides members with service
applications.
Part-time Office Coordinator Marlene
Ballard was hired in December 2021 to
help manage the site, which is open 25
hours a week.
“I work 25 hours a week, taking applications for any of the services offered
Office Coordinator Marlene Ballard and Grant
Writer Marquana Fourkiller are the friendly
faces of the Stilwell Suboffice. PHOTOS BY
LANI HANSEN/GIDUWA CHEROKEE NEWS
Office Coordinator Marlene Ballard, right,
helps a woman with a service application
at the UKB Stilwell Suboffice that opened in
October 2020.
at the main Keetoowah offices,” Ballard
said. “I take the applications and send
them to our main offices. As long as
you’re UKB, you can utilize whatever we
have here because it’s for all members.”
The office is convenient to those living
in the Stilwell area and beyond, as they
do not have to travel all the way to Tah-
lequah for information or applications.
Elders in the area especially find the
office more accessible, as they do not
have to be in the heat with masks while
waiting to be assisted.
The location also comes with the
added benefit of Ballard being a fluent
Keetoowah speaker, according to Grant
The Stilwell Suboffice was originally opened
with COVID-19 relief funds and provides service
information and applications to Keetoowahs.
Writer Marquana Fourkiller.
“It’s convenient and personal. Some
people get excited knowing Marlene
speaks Cherokee,” Fourkiller said. “People will now come in with confidence
knowing they can voice their wants and
needs in their language. It’s neat to see
that and a lot of our elders in the Stilwell
area are fluent.”
Ballard and Fourkiller said they hope
to see the doors of the office remain open
in Stilwell, as well as possibly see the
office grow from the small space the tribe
is renting to having their own building in
the future.
Fourkiller credits Tribal Secretary Joyce
Fourkiller on getting the Stilwell Suboffice started and having it authorized by
Council for operations.
“She wanted to utilize that COVID-19
relief fund money to prevent the spread
of COVID as best we could among members,” Fourkiller said of Joyce.
The Stilwell Suboffice is at 471332
HWY 51 Suite A, Stilwell, OK 74960 and
can be reached at 918-871-2814.
Its hours of operation are Monday
through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
and 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., with hours varying occasionally on Fridays.
Title VI Program
celebrates 14year milestone
Despite the pandemic, the Title
VI staff has continued to serve
elders via a drive-thru at the Jim
Proctor and Nutrition Center.
BY BRITTNEY BENNETT
Editor
From left are UKB Delaware District Rep. Caleb Grimmett, Housing Director Nancy McCause, Dustin Black, Amanda Black
and Assistant Housing Director Charles Deason as UKB officials hand over the keys to the Black’s new home. PHOTOS BY
BRITTNEY BENNETT/GIDUWA CHEROKEE NEWS
UKB Housing helps family
from Jay with new home
Amanda and Dustin Black are new homeowners thanks to the
UKB Housing Department’s Lease to Own Purchase Program.
BY LANI HANSEN
Reporter
JAY – After years of waiting for a place to call
“home”, Amanda and Dustin Black’s dreams have
finally come true with the help of United Keetoowah
Band Housing Department’s Lease to Own Purchase
Program.
According to Assistant Housing Director Charles
Deason, the Lease to Own Program assists UKB members with finding safe, sanitary and secure housing.
The department also makes sure the homeowner’s
families and support systems are still close by relocating homeowners in the same area as their previous
dwelling.
To be eligible for the program, applicants must be
low-income, a UKB member, live within the nine districts and must be a first-time homeowner or not have
a house with UKB in the past.
The program operates on a point-based system, with
elders, veterans and the disabled given first preference.
Length of time on the list also earns points.
For the Black family, it was over 12 years ago when
they were first told to fill out paperwork to be placed
on the list for the program.
As the years went by, the couple’s three kids grew up
and moved out. Soon, grandchildren followed. Then
the couple found themselves living in a trailer passed
down after Dustin’s grandmother received her own
Indian home. The COVID-19 pandemic then forced the
couple to stay in the location.
It wasn’t until early May 2022 that the Blacks finally
received the phone call they had been waiting to hear
for more than a decade.
“We met all the criteria and it’s been a long wait, but
we made it,” said Dustin. “For a while I thought it was
just going to be one of them things where it probably
won’t happen, then it happened. We can’t thank Housing enough.”
Dustin gives all the credit to his wife Amanda for
keeping their information updated with the Housing
Department and said it’s the biggest piece of advice he
could give to those still on the list.
Deason said the Housing Department was “proud” to
finally be able to secure a home for the Black family.
“When we called them and notified them of being
next on the list, they were so thankful and excited
we found a home. We had called them and had them
come look at it and immediately they said they would
take it,” he said. “Mrs. Black said it was something
they had been praying for and we were able to help
them reach their goal of owning a home. So, we were
super excited and proud to be a part of that.”
Those interested in being added to the Lease to Own
Purchase Program or with questions can call Housing
Occupancy Specialist Amanda Mink at 918-871-2803.
Nearly the entire UKB Housing Department traveled to
celebrate with the Black family as they received the keys to
their new home on May 9 in Jay, Oklahoma.
The Black’s new home is located in Jay, Oklahoma, and
comes with a stove and refrigerator.
TAHLEQUAH – In May the UKB Title VI Elder Nutrition Program celebrated its 14-year anniversary of
operations within the Jim Proctor Elder and Nutrition
Center building.
The Title VI Nutrition Program was originally funded
in April 2002 through the Older Americans Act. It would
begin operating the following month out of the UKB
Community Services building, under the direction of
then Assistant Chief Stephen “Archie” Mouse.
The purpose of the program was to serve one hot
meal a day to tribal members 55 years and older, while
also providing educational materials on proper nutrition.
At the time, the program was feeding an average of
35 eligible participants per day. By November 2022, a
total of 508 meals had been served to an average of 30
participants per day.
As popularity grew, so did the daily participation. Special meals were also added to the program, including
a Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner that fed approximately 100 tribal members at each event.
By May 2008, the program was moved to the newly
built Jim Proctor Elder and Nutrition Center.
In addition to meals, other activities for elders were
added including Music Mondays, weekly Bingo, blood
pressure and blood sugar checks on the first and third
weeks of the month, Fishing Days at the Old River
Bridge, a traditional food day and birthday celebrations.
Dominos also became popular with Keetoowah elders.
The AmeriCorps VISTA program has also helped expand and assist with the program, with workers building a garden, taking elders on field trips and helping
elders construct recipe books.
Holidays have been celebrated in the building as well,
including Valentine’s Day, Mother Day, Father’s Day,
Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The monthly meal count has now grown to include
2,324 meals with an average of 111 daily.
The Title VI program has also expanded beyond elder
nutrition services to also include a Caregiver Program.
A caregiver is anyone who provides physical, emotional or financial assistance for an individual who, for
reasons of illness or frailty, cannot manage independently alone.
Grandparents also raising their grandchildren can receive assistance from the program, as it enables caregivers to hire a respite worker for relief.
Respite can be paid for a 12-week period and is currently contingent upon funding availability.
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 forced the Title VI
program to pivot.
The UKB Tribal Administration shut down the program on March 16, 2020, due to health and safety
concerns for the elders, which were one of the most
vulnerable populations affected by the virus.
Regardless, the program has continued to serve elders
hot meals through its drive thru each day from 11 a.m.
to 12:30 p.m.
When elders are eventually allowed to gather once
more inside the building, they will find the dining hall
equipped with new tables and a dedicated staff ready to
serve including Director Rebecca Dreadfulwater, Kitchen Manager Archie Vance, Assistant Cook Sue Soldier,
Kitchen Assistant Ronald Holden and Clerk Romany Jay
Ridge.
“We have missed all our elders and can’t wait for us to
be open,” said Chief Joe Bunch. “Thank you to Rebecca,
Archie, Sue, Ronald and Roman for your service to our
most vulnerable population.”
For more information, call 918-871-2800 or visit ukbnsn.gov/title-vi.
8
JUNE 2022
CULTURE•ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏁᎵᏓᏍᏗ
ᎩᏚᏩ ᏣᎳᎩ
Keetoowah elder and fluent Cherokee speaker Hominy Littledave is pictured as his friend Ahnee Vangen interviews him for the Preserving lyadvnelidasdi project at the John Hair Cultural
Center and Museum in Tahlequah. PHOTOS BY BRITTNEY BENNETT/GIDUWA CHEROKEE NEWS
Keetoowah elder and fluent Cherokee speaker John Chewey was interviewed for the project
by his brother William Chewey at their home in Jay.
It will utilize Talking Circles events and 12 oral
interviews of Keetoowah
elders to help preservation efforts.
ect will also ask 12 Keetoowah youth
language learners to select an elder, first
language Cherokee speaker from their
family to come together to complete an
oral history interview.
Each interviewer will be trained in
tribal etiquette and receive language
coaching before the interview, which will
be conducted in as much Cherokee as
possible. A project community coordinator fluent in the language will also be
present at each interview to help facilitate the conversation.
“We came up with a list of general
questions to get the speaker started, so
they can tell their own story,” said Berry.
“The future of the tribe depends on
people wanting to learn about these individual people. That’s what makes it so
interesting, is the individual experiences
that you see and hear. We’re also hoping
that this would give the ones who aren’t
fluent a little spark to want to learn the
language.”
Each interview will be video recorded
and transcribed for teaching and JHCCM
purposes.
“The individual members participating
are just so happy to do it. They’re glad
the tribe is asking about them and their
experiences. It’s a win-win for everyone,
especially since we get to preserve their
words in our archive forever,” said Berry.
The lifeways and language project is
important now more than ever amid the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according
to UKB Chief Joe Bunch.
Museum grant seeks to uphold lifeways
BY BRITTNEY BENNETT
Editor
TAHLEQUAH – New efforts are being
made by the John Hair Cultural Center
and Museum to preserve the Keetoowah
language, history and culture amid the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic thanks to
an Administration for Native Americans
grant from by the American Rescue Plan.
“These grants are extremely competitive and it’s a big deal,” said Ernestine
Berry, JHCCM director. “This project is
something I have wanted to do for a
long time, record the oral history of our
elders. I started thinking about this probably 20 years ago, but I couldn’t find the
money to do it back in those days. When
this opportunity came up for this grant,
we had to seize it.”
The grant project is titled Preserving
lyadvnelidasdi (Traditional Lifeways):
Intergenerational Engagement for Documenting and Preserving Keetoowah
Language, History, and Culture.
Its purpose is “dedicated to re-acculturation efforts to inspire, integrate and
strengthen the teaching of Iyadvnelidasdi
long after project funding has ended.”
The first component of the project
involves selecting five Keetoowah culture
bearers, or elders, for an Honored Circle.
These individuals will then act as advisors throughout the project, helping build
strategies and methodologies for identifying, inspiring, and recruiting other Cherokee speaking elders throughout rural
Keetoowah communities to take part.
Elder advisors and several Keetoowah
youth speakers will then come together
for a Talking Circles event, which will
facilitate the sharing of stories within
the group concerning the lifeways of the
Keetoowahs.
Former UKB Chief Jim Henson will
be the main facilitator of each Talking
Circles event.
“He will be talking with the group
about the Keetoowah culture, the history
and the language,” said Berry. “He’ll work
to get them to talk and ask things about
who they are. He’ll also see how much
the participants know and teach them a
few things as well, as there will also be
younger people in that circle.”
A total of five Talking Circles events
will take place in five different communities by the end of the project. A video
recording of one of these events will
take place, allowing the discussion to be
preserved for future generations.
The second component of the proj-
“Due to COVID-19, the Keetoowah heritage and language is now more endangered
than ever be-fore given the loss of our elder, fluent speakers. This grant will enable
the UKB to advance its initi-ative to maintain and preserve our lifeways and
language, which are essential for our tribal identity, prosperity and survival.”
Chief Joe Bunch
“Due to COVID-19, the Keetoowah
heritage and language is now more
endangered than ever before given the
loss of our elder, fluent speakers. Additionally, few Keetoowahs under the age
of 60 speak the language. This grant will
enable the UKB to advance its initiative
to maintain and preserve our lifeways
and language, which are essential for our
tribal identity, prosperity and survival,”
he said.
Berry agrees, noting how delicate the
situation is for Keetoowahs as a whole.
“The colonized culture, they wanted
to do away with the Indian. Now it has
come down to a government that wanted
to do away with our language and our
culture, they're providing money for us
to bring it back. We've gone a full circle,”
said Berry. “But this time, there aren’t
so many to help bring it back. As a kid,
I had Cherokee speakers all around me.
I didn't appreciate it then. I had no idea
that one day it would now be in danger
of being totally gone.”
However, the grant project gives Berry
hope. “With this grant, we just want to
try and infuse into our young people who
they are and pass on what knowledge we
know as elders. Our people have been
so helpful in getting on board with this
project. I’ve also had a lot of help from
our Assistant Director Barbara Foster.
She and her husband Kenneth been very
helpful. This will be documented for our
future generations and I really would like
to keep this going.”
The project described was supported by Grant Number 90XN0059 from
Administration for Native Americans.
Disclaimer: Its contents are solely the
responsibility of the authors (United
Keetoowah Cherokee Council) and do
not necessarily represent the official
views of the Administration for Children
and Families, Administration for Native
Americans, or HHS.
AmeriCorps
VISTA Service Opportunity
UKB members, especially college students, are encouraged to join AmeriCorps VISTA program, providing service
to help strengthen our community. John Hair Cultural Center and Museum VISTA will help develop, implement, and
document a plan for community volunteer recruitment, training, and retention program at the Museum. VISTA will
also help staff plan projects, create meaningful volunteer opportunities for youth and elders, and help develop a
strategic plan to sustain museum programs. To learn more about the benefits of serving, go to: americorps.gov.
To apply for this position visit: My AmeriCorps - Home Page or contact Barbara Foster at 918-871-2794.
Position closes June 20, 2022.
This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.