# A Wyandotte Nation Publication

> Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more.

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Awyandotte%3A0ca01c10c4dd4e18

## Record

- **Collection:** Tribal code
- **Document type:** Tribal code

## Text

The Turtle Speaks

Gyah'-Wish
Atak-ia

A Wyandotte Nation Publication

Volume 29, Issue 2

www.wyandotte-nation.org

May 2025

Annual Easter Egg Hunt

A Hoppin'
Good Time
Page 5

Gyah'-wish Atak-ia is published quarterly for Tribal
Citizens by the Wyandotte Nation at its headquarters in
Wyandotte, Okla.
The Wyandotte Nation
8 Turtle Drive
Wyandotte, OK 74370

(918) 678-2297
(800) 256-2539
Fax (918) 676-7022

Inside:
•
•
•

Education Center expands to meet growing needs
Notice of Annual Meeting & Election
Tribe named 'Large Business of the Year'

(C) Copyright 2025. All information, photographs, and other materials are copyrighted, and may not be reproduced without prior written consent of the Wyandotte Nation.

Page 2

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

Board of Directors
Chief........................................Billy Friend
Second Chief.....Norman Hildebrand, Jr.
Councilperson......................... Keith Gray
Councilperson........................ Vivian Fink
Councilperson..................... Rob Nesvold
Councilperson.......................Eric Lofland

Content
May Movie Night.................................... 4
Education Expansion............................. 5
Tribe named 'Business of the Year'....... 5
Easter Egg Hunt Pictures....................... 5
News & Notes.......................................... 6
Tribal Department Reports............. 7-16
Editor/Design: William Swaim
Cover Photo:

Posing with the
Easter Bunny
during annual
Easter Egg Hunt
near River Bend
Casino.

Photo: Joshua Garcia

Contact Us
Have News?
We want to hear from you! Send us
news or stories you may have or suggest
features for us to work on.

Email: wswaim@wyandotte-nation.org

www.facebook.com/WyandotteNation

From the Chief

Threads
www.instagram.com/wyandottenation
@wyandottenation@threads

www.youtube.com/WyandotteNation

Billy Friend

Summer Youth Internship, Town
Halls have become vital programs
Kweh, I hope this quarter’s newsletter finds you well and enjoying
the arrival of a new season.
I want to begin by expressing my
sincere gratitude to all of our Tribal
Citizens in the Southeastern United
States who joined us for our recent
Town Hall Meeting in Macon,
Georgia. It was a true honor to meet
so many of you and your families,
many for the very first time.
For over a decade now—12 years,
to be exact—we’ve made it a priority to take our annual meeting,
traditionally held in Oklahoma, to
communities across the country.
With more than 7,000 enrolled Wyandotte citizens and only 400–500
typically able to attend in Oklahoma, these Town Hall Meetings
have become a vital part of how we
stay connected. They’re one of the
most meaningful steps we’ve taken
as a Nation—strengthening our
bonds and ensuring every Wyandotte citizen feels seen, heard, and
proud of their identity.
Another initiative I’m incredibly
proud of is our Summer Youth Internship Program. Each summer,
20–25 Wyandotte youth between
the ages of 16 and 22 join us to
gain hands-on work experience
and, just as importantly, learn
more about their heritage and their

'As we move forward, I
challenge each of us to
keep the values of honor,
respect, and civility alive
in our homes, families,
and communities.'
role within our Nation. In a world
filled with digital noise—phones,
computers, social media—this
program offers space for reflection,
growth, and connection.
Throughout their time with us,
we focus on instilling three essential values that lie at the heart of
our community: honor, respect, and
civility.
• Honor is more than an
outward appearance; it’s the quiet
commitment to doing what’s right,
even when no one is watching. It’s
about preparation, thoughtfulness,
and integrity.
• Respect goes deeper than
simple politeness. It’s about listening with intention, helping others,
and working together. As Dave
Chief wisely said, “Respect means

From the Second Chief
www.x.com/WyandotteNation

May 2025

owning our own negativity and
not being a 'Blame Shifter.'” True
respect opens the door to harmony
and understanding.
• Civility—common courtesy—is something we don’t see
enough of today. Yet it’s essential
for meaningful communication and
healthy relationships. When we
engage with one another respectfully, even difficult conversations
can lead to positive outcomes.
It’s inspiring to see our young
people showing genuine respect for
our elders. Our elders, grounded in
a time of fewer distractions, carry
stories and wisdom that can guide
us all. We encourage our youth to
pause, listen, and connect—because in doing so, they’ll uncover
powerful lessons.
As we move forward, I challenge
each of us to keep the values of
honor, respect, and civility alive in
our homes, families, and communities. These time-honored principles
will serve you well—not only in
your personal life, but in every interaction you have. In today’s fastmoving world, it’s easy to lose sight
of what really matters. But staying
grounded in these values—that, I
believe, is the Wyandotte way.
Tizameh,
Chief Friend

Norman Hildebrand, Jr.

Town Hall in Georgia a success; Projects
taking shape after weather delays
Kweh Omateru
Hello my friends and fellow
Wyandotte Citizens, I hope everyone is fine and experiencing some
beautiful spring weather. We had a
great town hall meeting in Macon,
Ga. last month, we finally found a
place in the east where we can get
enough tribal citizens to make the

trip feasible.
Here on the Wyandotte Reservation everything is finally moving
along after some nasty weather
delays. The domestic violence
building that is going up is taking
shape, it will be a nice addition to
the Wyandotte Nation. We will be
starting a couple of road projects

east and west
of the Turtle Hill duplex addition.
The Pow-Wow grounds renovation
is moving along even though the
completion date will not be until
June.
See SECOND CHIEF, Page 3

May 2025

www.wyandotte-nation.org

P ublic N otice of A nnual M eeting & E lection

On September 13, 2025, the
Wyandotte Nation shall hold their
Annual Meeting and Election
at the Bearskin Healthcare and
Wellness Center near Wyandotte,
Oklahoma. The Election will begin
at 9:00 a.m.
The purpose of the election is to
elect the following positions:
• Chief
• 3 Board of Director Members
• 3 Grievance Committee
Members
The term of each position is four
years. Current members shall hold
their office until successors are duly
elected and given their oath of office.
The opening date to file for
candidacy is May 16, 2025 with
the closing date June 15, 2025 at

4:30 p.m. All qualified members of
the Wyandotte Nation who desire
his or her name to be placed on the
ballot as a candidate for Elective
Office must file a “Declaration of
Candidacy” in person with the
Election Board Secretary or a
designated representative at the
Wyandotte Nation Administration
Building located at 8 Turtle Drive,
Wyandotte, Oklahoma. No person
shall be a candidate for more than
one office at any one time. All such
filings of Declaration of Candidacy
must be filed no sooner than May
16, 2025 and no later than June
15, 2025. No later than three days
following the close of the filing
period, the Election Board Secretary shall cause to be posted at
the Tribal Complex a complete list

of all candidates along with their
respective office of candidacy.
A filing fee of fifty dollars
($50.00) shall be assessed for each
candidate filing for Chief and
Board of Directors. Ten dollars
($10.00) will be assessed for Grievance Committee candidates. Each
candidate for Elective Office shall
be assessed these fees payable to
the Wyandotte Nation by Certified
Check, Cashier’s Check, Personal
Check or Money Order. These fees
shall be used for election purposes.
The filing fee shall be paid on the
same date the prospective candidate submits his or her Declaration
of Candidacy. Said filing fee is
non-refundable.
POLLING PLACE: The official
polling place for all Tribal Elec-

SECOND CHIEF
Continued from Page 2
I just returned from a self-governance conference in Arizona, right
now nobody knows what is going to
happen with this administration.
Some of our grants that we apply for
yearly are being done away with, we
don’t know if it will be temporary or
permanent. These are very uncertain times we are living in.
How about some history about
the greatest tribal nation in the
country, the Wyandotte Nation:
The Wyandottes are the one of
the most traveled Native American
tribes in the history of the North
American continent. It is commonly believed and many written
histories have stated that the Wyandotte are Huron. Many people
also assume that the Huron was a
single tribe of people. However, the
Huron was actually a confederacy
of five tribes. It received the name
Huron from early French explorers because of a hairstyle called
the “roach”. Worn by many of the
men, it resembled the thick bristly
hair on the back of wild boars that
roamed Europe. The Wyandotte
are directly related to the Huron
Confederacy through the Attignawantan, one of the five tribes of
the Confederacy.
The Wyandotte are descendants
of the Attignawantan, the Tionon-

“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have
to tell people you are, you aren’t.”
--Margaret Hilda Thatcher
tati (Petun, Tobacco people) and
the Wenrorhonon or the neutrals
as they were sometimes called.
They were all different politically rather than culturally and
lived in close proximity to each
other in Canada. It was natural
for them to unite as one people
in 1649-1650 after the defeat of
the Huron Confederacy by the
Iroquois Cofederacy during the
Beaver Wars. After the dispersal from their homelands, the
Tionontati,Attignawantan and the
Wenro united and called themselves Wandat.
In 1701, Antoine de la Mothe
Cadillac, a Frenchman, invited
the Wyandot to settle near his
new fort – Fort Detroit. Within a
few years, we ventured south and
settled around Upper Sandusky,
Ohio where we grew as a tribe
and reclaimed a position of honor
among other tribes of the Ohio
Valley. Pressure from white settlers ultimately forced the Treaty

of 1843 and our removal to lands
west of the Mississippi River.
Some Wyandot chose to stay in the
Detroit area and did not move west
with the rest of the tribe. They still
live there today. Upper Sandusky
was our last Recognized Reservation. About a dozen Wyandotte
men went overland with the tribes
livestock while the rest of the tribe
boarded two paddlewheel boats
at Cincinnati, Ohio and made the
trek from there to the confluence
of the Missouri and Kansas Rivers. According to the treaty there
was supposed to be land in Kansas
for us, when we arrived there was
no land or planned provisions
available. We were dropped off in
a swampy area, disease quickly
swept through the people. Arrangements were quickly made and land
was purchased from the Delaware.
Our new reservation was located
on highly sought and fought over
land, which lead to the treaty of
1855 and the Wyandot being ter-

Page 3

tions shall be the Bearskin Healthcare and Wellness Center Classroom, Wyandotte, Oklahoma. The
polling shall be opened from 9:00
a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Any voter in
line at the polling place but unable
to cast a ballot before 11:00 a.m.
will be allowed to finish voting.
The polling place shall be staffed
by at least two (2) polling officials
designated by the Election Board.
Each voter will be required to
present a photo ID and Tribal
Membership Card. If the Tribal
Membership Card has a photo on
it, this will satisfy both of these
requirements.
-- Zach Shockey, Chairperson,
Wyandotte Nation Election
Board

minated as a tribe. Our land was
quickly allotted and ultimately sold
to white interests. In 1857, some
Wyandot who were unwilling to
accept U.S. citizenship relocated to
Indian Territory. They returned to
Kansas during the Civil War due
to difficulties inflicted upon them
by rebel Indian forces. As soon as
the war was over, they returned
to Indian Territory and sought
reinstatement as a tribe.
The treaty of 1867 with the United
States reinstated the Wyandotte as
a tribe in Indian Territory (Oklahoma). They created a register of
the whole people, resident in Kansas
and elsewhere. Those not registered
by the deadline or accepted back into
the tribe were called Absentee Wyandot. After the Civil War, approximately 200 Wyandot moved from
Kansas to Oklahoma. Land was
purchased from the Seneca tribe,
upon which we reestablished our
lives in a new land in spite of very
difficult circumstances. Although
we came to Oklahoma in order to
remain Indian, the challenges we
faced and the decisions we made
did not support the growth of our
traditional way of life.
This is a condensed version of
our tribal history, but it tells mainly of how we came to Oklahoma.
I hope everyone has a wonderful
spring and a fun filled summer.

May 2025

www.wyandotte-nation.org

Page 5

Preschool expands to meet growing needs

Photo: William Swaim | Wyandotte Nation
The Wyandotte Nation Child Development Center expanded recently. With the
additional rooms, the Center can accept more children into classes with more
space to work with.

The Wyandotte Nation Preschool
has seen tremendous growth over
the years with a long waiting list
for those wanting to get into the
premier program.
With that growth came the need
for expanded services and space,
and the Tribe recently completed
an expansion of the Wyandotte Nation Child Development Center. It
will create more space and give the
Center the chance to accept more
kids into the program.
“The expansion and new building were extremely important in
allowing us to expand our childcare
services that we were already
offering,” said Workforce Development Director Cristi Hudson,
who oversees education for the
Tribe. “It allowed us to open more
infant and toddler classrooms,
provide larger classrooms for our
preschool classes, added an indoor
playground area for days that the

weather does not allow for outdoor
play, and a larger cafeteria for the
increase in the number of children
we now have.”
The expansion included adding
an infant, one-year old, and toddler
class. The Center now has two infant rooms, two one-year old rooms,
and three toddler rooms -- all in the
old space. The new space has four
preschool classrooms, an indoor
playground, two offices, storage
areas, and a conference room.
“The children and staff are loving
the new expansion,” Hudson said.
“It has allowed us to spread the
children out more throughout the
day, giving us more space to run
around in.”
In addition to the expansion, the
Center hired additional infant and
toddler staff as well as additional
kitchen staff. In 2024, the Center
was recognized and certified as a
5-Star Childcare Facility.

Annual Easter Egg Hunt a hoppin' good time

Wyandotte Nation
named ‘Large
Business of the Year’

Photos: Joshua Garcia | Wyandotte Nation
The Tribe held its 5th Annual Easter Egg Hunt near River Bend Casino & Hotel. The event is hosted annually by Family Services, Education, the Bearskin
Healthcare & Wellness Center, and the Cultural Division.

The Miami Regional Chamber of
Commerce (MRCC) recognized the
Wyandotte Nation as the ‘Large Business of the Year’ at its recent 16th
Annual MRCC Awards Gala. Also up
for nomination were Family Dental
Associates and Newell Coach.
The 2025 MRCC Awards Gala
also recognized several individuals
for their work as well as other businesses, including: New Business of
the Year - Shawnee Skies Training
Center & Shooting Complex; Small
Business of the Year - Johnson
Brothers Grain & Livestock; Medium Business of the Year - NEO
Orthopedics & Rehabilitation.

Page 6

Bryce wins scholarship,
looks to help Wyandotte
youth reconnect to outdoors
(From National Interscholastic Cycling
Association)
To assist with the expenses of returning to
the sport of mountain biking for his sophomore season as a “Trail Hawk,” Caleb Bryce
of the West Virginia Interscholastic Cycling
League applied for and was awarded this
diversity, community service and sport promotion based scholarship.
The Trek Pathfinder Scholarship was
introduced in 2021 by Trek and the National
Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) to
bring greater diversity, equity, and inclusion
to youth mountain biking by providing people
of color with the bikes, gear, and resources
they need to overcome historical barriers to
the sport. Not only does Caleb enjoy the sport
but also his teams commitment to caring for
the outdoor spaces they utilize in-cluding the
beautiful trails shared with nature enthusiasts of all types in his home state of West
Virginia. Caleb's commitment to trail clearing
and clean up as well his promise to promote
the sport within his Tribe set Caleb apart
from other applicants.
It is the desire of Caleb and his family
(Mother, Rebecca Bryce, Long family descendant) to see more Wyandotte youth around the
Country taking part in the sport that reconnects them to outdoor spaces while developing
strong bodies and character.

Obit: Clarice D’Adrian
Clarice D’Adrian, known lovingly as Dee,
passed away at the age of 94, leaving behind
a legacy of love, strength, and devotion to her
family and friends. Born on October 13, 1930,

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

May 2025

in Jay, Oklahoma, she was the proud daughter
of Mike (Adrian Lon) and Minnie Hays. Dee
was the second of six
girls in the Hays family,
spending her early years
in Oklahoma with her
sisters LaWanda, Treva,
and June before moving
to Washington State in
that late 1930’s. It was
here that the family grew
to include twins Joy and
Jean, and they remained
lifelong companions and
best friends.
At the age of 17, Dee
married the love of her life, James Taylor,
on January 1, 1948. Their love was deep and
enduring, lasting for 68 years until Jim's passing in 2016. Together, they raised four children:
Michael, Jim, Jan, and Gary. Their life in the
Navy took them across the United States and
beyond, including California, Hawaii (twice),
and Maryland, before settling on Whidbey
Island, Washington in 1971, where they would
spend the remainder of their years creating
countless memories.
Throughout her life, Dee was a devoted wife
and mother. She worked for Lockheed Martin
in California, cared for her children during
their first time in Hawaii, and later worked at
the Navy Exchange in both Hawaii and Maryland. Upon settling in Whidbey Island, she was
promoted to Supervisor at the Navy Exchange,
where she worked in that role until her retirement. Dee was a treasured employee at the NEX
and was a leader her counterparts looked up to.
Dee’s professional journey was marked by lifelong friendships and a career she was proud of.
Dee was a passionate traveler and cherished
the many memories created with her family, often taking road trips across the country in their
motor home. She loved hosting family holidays,
gardening, and relishing the joys of watching
her family grow, especially her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who adored her.
Her home was always open to others, offering
unwavering support, guidance, love, and plenty
of laughter. Dee’s kindness, wisdom, and joyful
spirit touched the lives of all who knew her. She
was a true matriarch, beloved by her family,
friends, and all who had the privilege of crossing
her path.
Dee is survived by her children, Michael
(Debbie) Taylor, Jim (Mimi) Taylor, Jan (Joe)
Johnson, and Gary Taylor; her grandchildren,
Peggy (Joe) Lupo, Angie (Al) Nall, Susie (Jaime)
Johnson, Jaime (Yo) Fujikawa, Jennifer (Mike)
Whitney, Jason (Melissa) Taylor, Tanya (Heather) Taylor; great-grandchildren, Airika, Airiana,
JB, Ashlyn, Taylor, Addie, Maddie, Cameron,
Ayla, Conner, Kyler, Lil Michael, Morgan, and
Logan; and a great-great-grandchild, Georgia

Dee. She is also survived by her sisters,
LaWanda Burgoyne, Joyce Heffron, and Jean
Fritz, along with numerous extended family
members and friends.
Dee was preceded in death by her loving
husband, Jim, her parents, Mike (Adrian Lon)
and Minnie Hays, her sisters June Austin
and Treva Rogers, and her best friend, Beth
Butler.
A life well-lived, Dee’s legacy will endure
in the hearts of all those who were blessed
to know her. She will be deeply missed but
forever remembered with love.

N ews & N otes

Town Hall Meeting brought
to the SE for the 1st time
In 2013, with the hope of reaching more tribal
citizens outside the tribal reservation area of
Wyandotte, Oklahoma, Wyandotte Nation Chief
Billy Friend established Town Hall Meetings.
The first Town Hall was held in Seattle and
the Tribe made its first trip to the southeast
recently with a visit to Macon, Georgia. Thanks
to all who were able to join us. The Town Halls
are held to help keep tribal citizens informed as
well as provide them better connections to the
Tribe and to other tribal citizens in their area.

Beaty retires: We honored Robyn
Beaty in February on her retirement from Elder
Services after 6+ years. Congratulations Robyn
on your retirement and we wish you the best!

May 2025

Human Resources
Submitted by Deana Howard, HR
Director

They Wyandotte Nation Turtle
Tots Program would like to welcome
Jayden Baron as a new Afterschool
Childcare Assistant. Jayden is currently a sophomore
at Wyandotte
Schools where he
is a member of the
schools’ band team.
Some of his hobbies
include collecting
retro-tech, being
with his friends
and playing in the
band. He enjoys
BARON
spending as much
time as possible with his friends
from school. Fun fact about Jayden,
he has watched every single episode
and movie of the Dragon Ball franchise and he got to meet the voice
actor for little Goku. We are excited
to have Jayden join the Wyandotte
Nation Family in the Education
Department and wish him the best
of luck!
The Wyandotte Nation Turtle
Tots Program would like to welcome
Addison Stovall as
a new After School
Childcare Assistant. She currently
attends Wyandotte
High School. Some
of her hobbies
include fishing and
showing pigs. Addison enjoys spending time with her
STOVALL
family and friends
in her spare time. We are thrilled to
have Addison join our team in the
education department and wish her
all the best!
The Wyandotte Nation Police
Department would like to welcome
Arthur Scribner
as a new Police
Officer. He received
his education from
MSSU in Joplin
and has worked in
Law Enforcement
for the last 3 years.
Some of Arthur’s
hobbies include
hunting, fishing,
SCRIBNER

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports
and video games. In his spare time,
Arthur enjoys spending time with his
girlfriend and her two boys relaxing
and just enjoying life. We are grateful to have Arthur join the Wyandotte Nation Family and we wish
him much success in his career!
The Wyandotte Nation Environmental Department would like
to welcome Curtis
Brodrick as the
new Environmental Recycling Technician. In his spare
time Curtis enjoys
spending time with
his family. We are
excited for Curtis
BRODRICK
to join our team
and wish him great success with the
Wyandotte Nation!
The Wyandotte Nation Bearskin
Clinic would like to welcome Hailey
Streeter to the family as a Pharmacy
Tech Sub. Hailey
is a member of the
Wyandotte Nation. She received
her Pharmacy
Technician training at WTI in
Joplin. Some of her
hobbies include
painting, drawing,
sculpting with
STREETER
clay and other art
activities. In Hailey’s spare time,
she enjoys spending time with her
grandma, playing video games and
watching movies with her fiancé. We
are grateful to have Hailey join the
Wyandotte Nation family and wish
her much success in the Pharmacy!

Family Services
Submitted by Dana Butterfield,
Family Services Director

The first quarter of 2025 has been
busy with many activities and events
such as the Easter Egg Hunt, Winter
Gathering, Town Hall and many
classes hosted by the Cultural Center
and Museum.

The first-ever Town Hall Meeting
to be hosted in the Southeast part of
the country took place on Saturday,
March 29 in Macon, GA, with more
than 60 people in attendance. When
we began planning for this event, we
weren’t sure what to expect as our
citizens are spread out across several
states, but we were extremely pleased
with the attendance. Many participants traveled five hours or more to
be able to attend their first Tribal
event. We look forward to adding this
location to our Town Hall cycle.
On April 12 the Tribe hosted the
5th Annual Easter Egg hunt for the
community and had another wonderful turnout. Children 12 and under
were able to gather up shares of the
over 10,000 eggs. Many of the eggs
included prizes and cash! This has
turned into such a fun event for our
families and we look forward to being
back at the new and improved PowWow grounds next year.
Everyone should have received the
2025 Services Brochure in the mail.
This Brochure includes all tribal
programs and is a great reference tool
when looking for services. Programs
and services can also be found on our
website along with applications. If
you did not receive a Brochure please
let us know and we can get one in the
mail to you. Along this same line, if
you need to update your address, you
can also do this through the website
under the Services/Family Services
tab.
Enrollment:
As a reminder, Enrollment applications must either be hand delivered
or postmarked by August 15 to be
considered for citizenship at the
2025 Annual Meeting. Applications
must be submitted with an original
state certified birth certificate (long
form that includes the parents’ full
name). Many states now offer shortform certificates that don’t list all of
the information necessary to trace
lineage, so be sure to submit applications early in case the birth certificate
you have doesn’t meet this criteria or
if birth certificate has errors. Also,
enrollment applications are updated
each year, to be sure that you’re using
the current application, please contact the Enrollment Officer to verify.
This application is not available on
our website, but one can be mailed or

Page 7

emailed to you when requested.
Tags:
The Tag office is open Monday –
Thursday 8 am to 4:30 pm and Friday
8 am to 3:30 pm. However, there may
be times when the office will need to
close. We do our best to give advance
notice of these times, but if you are
traveling a distance to visit the office,
it’s best to call in advance. We also
ask that if you’re registering a vehicle
for the first time that you arrive 20
to 30 minutes before the close of
business as these do take additional
time to process. The Tribe encourages
all Tribal citizens who have their
vehicles registered with the Tribe
and travel on Oklahoma toll roads,
to either obtain a PikePass or utilize
the PlatePay system to pay their tolls.
Currently, the Oklahoma Turnpike
authority does not have access to addresses for our citizens, but we are in
the process of negotiating an agreement with them.
Indian Child Welfare (ICW):
The Indian Child Welfare Act of
1978 is a United States federal law
that governs jurisdiction over the
removal of American Indian children
from their families in custody, foster
care, and adoption cases. The Wyandotte Nation ICW staff work with
families across the country seeking
outcomes that are in the best interest
of the Wyandotte child. If you are
currently involved in a state case, and
are not working with the Tribe’s ICW
workers please, reach out to them.
We are also in need of foster homes!
Especially if you live within 100 miles
of tribal headquarters. If you are
interested in fostering and/or adopting you can contact Tara Gragg and
she can help walk you through the
process of becoming certified.
Victim Services:
Victim Services staff offer a broad
range of services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating
violence, stalking, human trafficking,
child abuse, elder abuse and other
violent crimes. Services are determined on a case-by-case basis to meet
the individual needs of each client.
The service area for this program is
100 miles from the tribal complex.

Continued on Page 8

Page 8

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

May 2025

T ribal D epartment R eports
Education

Submitted by Cristi Hudson,
Workforce Development Director

Wyandotte Nation Library:
Kweh! As we welcome the warmer
days of spring, the Wyandotte Nation
Historical Library is excited to share
what’s blooming in our corner of the
community!
Mark your calendars: Library
Movie Night is back in Bear Park on
Thursday, May 9 at 8 pm! We’ll be
showing a fun, action-packed favorite
chosen by our very own students

from the Wyandotte Nation Child
Development Center’s after-school
program. We loved seeing their
excitement during the vote and can’t
wait to watch this family-friendly
classic together under the stars!
While you’re visiting Bear Park,
don’t forget to check out our Story
Book Walk! We’re currently in the
process of updating our display, and
soon it will feature the story, “Up In
The Garden, Down In The Dirt” by
Kate Messner-a beautiful story that
celebrates the wonders of nature and
the busy world beneath our feet.

(FAMILY SERVICES)
Continued from Page 7
The staff also provide several outreach
and awareness events throughout the
year to help bring attention to not only
the services they provide, but also the
prevalence of these issues within the
community. Some of the upcoming
events they will be participating with
include; the Miami Senior Center open
house on May 2, Honoring women
social dance also on May 2, an MMIP
awareness walk on May 9 at the
Rotary Park in Miami, an MMIP event
in conjunction with the Seneca Indian
School Alumni Annual meeting on
June 6 and a Family Fun Night hosted
by the WNCCM on June 13.
As always, we encourage tribal citizens to attend as many tribal events
and functions as possible. They are
a great opportunity to learn about
your history, culture and language,
as well as meet and build relationships with tribal citizens. Some of
these events include: The Gathering
of Little Turtles, June 20-22, The
Gathering, September 8-12 and the
Pow-Wow, September 12-14. The
Cultural Department and Cultural
Advisory Board spend a great deal of
time and effort into making each of
these events memorable, entertaining
and informative. Also, the Annual
Meeting will be held on Saturday,
September 13. Tribal citizens who
attend the meeting will be required
to show their tribal ID to receive the
meeting stipend. If the tribal ID does
not include a photo, a photo ID will
need to be provided as well. CDIB’s

will not be accepted as proof of citizenship. Additional meeting details
will be announced in the August
newsletter.
As always, it is an honor and a privilege to serve the Wyandotte people.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if
you have questions about any of our
programs.
FAMILY SERVICES STAFF:
Contact email for Family Services:
wnfs@wyandotte-nation.org
Director, Dana Butterfield 918-6786319
ICW/APS Supervisor, Tara Gragg
918-678-6355
ICW Worker, Carmalita Ward, 918678-6485
Tag Administrator, Tiffany Garner, 918-678-6353
Family Services Specialist, Leeanna Radabaugh, 918-678-6329
Enrollment Officer, Haylee Botts,
918-678-6377
Family Services Front Desk,
Kailey Bearskin, 918-678-6321
Contact email for Victim Services: 477vs@wyandotte-nation.org
Toll Free number for FVPP: 877276-0669
Program Manager, Chelsea King,
918-678-3257
Lead Advocate, Gabby Ezell, 918678-6402
Crime Victims’ Advocates: Kristi
Johnston, Becky Maples, Hannah
Rhodes, Alexia King and Lacy Butler
Supervised Visitation Specialist,
Shaela Neal, 918-678-6324

Both Library Movie Night and the
Story Book Walk are made possible
by the generous support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, grant number NAE-254945-OLS.
We are also gearing up for some
exciting new programs launching
this summer! While we’re not ready
to spill all the details just yet, we
promise there are some creative
and engaging opportunities on the
horizon for readers, learners, and
explorers of all ages. Stay tuned, we
can’t wait to share more soon!
As always, we invite you to stop by

the library and explore our growing collection of books, DVDs, and
resources. Don’t forget that we also
offer access to the Oklahoma Virtual
Library, where you can enjoy eBooks,
audiobooks, and more.
Library Hours are Monday Thursday 8 am to 4:30 pm and
Friday 8 am to 3:30 pm.
To register as a library patron or to
learn more about virtual access, visit
us in person or check out our website

Continued on Page 9

May is MMIP
Awareness Month

Missing and Murdered
Indigenous People (MMIP)
Awareness Month is May.
It's a month dedicated to
raising awareness about
the disproportionately high
rates of missing and murdered Indigenous women,
girls, Two-Spirit individuals, and people. Red Dress
Day, a specific day within
this month, is on May 5th
and is a national day of
awareness for MMIP.
For decades, American
Indian and Alaska Native
(AIAN) Communities have
struggled with high rates
of assault, abduction, and
murder of tribal members.
A 2016 Study by the National
Institute of Justice found that
more than four in five or 84.3%
of Native American women
have experienced violence in
their lifetime, including 56.1%
who have experienced sexual
violence as well as rates of
murder, rape and violent crimes
are all higher than the national
averages. When looking at
missing and murdered cases,
data shows that AIAN women
make up a significant portion of
missing and murdered individuals. Statistics also show that

approximately 1,500 AIAN
missing persons have been
entered into the National Crime
Information Center throughout
the US and approximately 2,700
cases of Murder and Non-Negligent Homicide Offenses have
been reported to the Federal
Government’s Uniform Crime
Reporting program. In total, the
BIA estimates there are approximately 4,200 missing and
murdered cases that have gone
unsolved.
Please join Wyandotte Nation
staff as we raise awareness during the month of May for MMIP.

May 2025

Continued from Page 8

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports
(EDUCATION)

residing within our service area to
reach their educational & employment goals. Through these services,
Wyandotte Nation hopes to reduce
joblessness within the communities we serve. Currently there are
21 participants that have received
educational services through the 477
program. Staff has worked diligently
the past couple of months to ensure
students receive their scholarships
for the beginning of the spring
semester as well as attended several
scholarship fairs to promote the
program.

at www.wyandotte-nation.org.
For questions, contact our librarian, Madeline Harnar, at mharnar@
wyandotte-nation.org or call
918-678-6332.
Wyandotte Nation 477 Program:
The 477 Program or Workforce &
Social Services Program is a federally funded program that combines
a variety of services to better meet
the needs of our tribal community for
those who reside within our 100mile service area. To apply for the
program, clients must complete the
initial 477 Application for Services,
provide proof of tribal membership,
proof of residency, and provide their
Selective Service Registration Card
(males only from 18 - 25). Other
documentation may be required to
coincide with the type of service
requested.
Applications and forms can be
found on the Wyandotte Nation
website under the “Services” tab and
clicking “477 Program”. Inquiries
for 477 services can also be made by
calling (918) 678-3268, or by emailing the team at wn477@wyandottenation.org.
The 477 Program provides comprehensive support services, including
education, employment/workforce
and job training, youth services,
childcare subsidy, child welfare,
victim services, family violence assistance, and LIHEAP. Our program
remains dedicated to supporting
families by tailoring services to their
unique needs, fostering safe and
stable family environments, and
boosting the economy through job
creation and employment opportunities. We strive to increase access
to high-quality childcare, ensuring
continuity for parents and families
as they pursue gainful employment,
career advancement, or educational
goals. The 477 Program also offers
community members opportunities
that promote self-sufficiency.
• Childcare Assistance - the
Childcare Assistance or Childcare
Subsidy, is designed to assist low income families in paying for daycare.
Eligible families are those who have
children ages 0 through 12 years old,
meet income criteria, and have provided initial documentation. At this

Page 9

Photo: William Swaim | Wyandotte Nation
(ABOVE) Head Man Joshua Garcia, Head Lady and Wyandotte Nation Princess
Chloe Friend, and Education staff lead the preschoolers during Grand Entry of
the annual Chief Leaford Bearskin Memorial Pow-Wow held at the Wyandotte
High School Gym Thursday, April 17. (BELOW) During a series of songs,
family and friends joined their preschoolers during the Bearskin Memorial
Pow-Wow.

time, subsidy
is providing
services for
approximately
130 children at
various childcare providers
throughout the
service area.
The program
can also provide training
to area childcare providers
to ensure they
are meeting
state standards and
requirements. The program partners
with other tribes in the area to serve
providers in meeting their training needs and also provide family
engagement activities within the
community. Program staff have been
busy recertifying current childcare
subsidy recipients and are now working on this year’s Week of the Young
Child events as well as planning
enrichment activities and training
opportunities for families and childcare providers in the area.
• Education, Employment,
Training - the Education portion of

477 offers scholarships, workforce &
job training assistance, & vocational
training to help fund tribal students

Wyandotte Nation Child Development Center:
The Wyandotte Nation Child
Development Center is working
hard to wrap up another school year.
This year has been filled with lots of
learning and lots of exciting events
from class parties and field trips to
special visitors. January brought
us a visit from Mrs. Chaille Bates,
a local Veterinarian. We welcomed
her and a few furry friends into our
facility so she could talk to us about
caring for animals. In February we
celebrated Valentine’s Day with class
parties and our 100th Day of School
with Field Trips to Ocean Adventure
and SOAR. March brought us lots
of excitement with dress up days for
Read Across America Week in conjunction with Dr. Seuss’ birthday as
well as Spring Break. We also had
a visit from the Wyandotte Nation
Environmental Department to teach
us about the importance of taking
care of the Earth and recycling. We
held our Easter class parties and egg
hunts on April 16. We also worked
very hard with the Wyandotte
Nation Cultural Department to get
ready for our Annual Leaford Bearskin Memorial Preschool Pow-Wow
on Thursday, April 17 (See pictures
in this issue). This event was held at
the Wyandotte Public School Gymnasium.
Our End of Year Program and
Graduation Ceremony is quickly
approaching on Monday, May 12 at
the Bearskin Healthcare & Wellness
Center Gymnasium beginning at
7:00pm. Our last day of school will

Continued on Page 10

Page 10

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

Healthcare &
Wellness

Housing
Submitted by Kathy DeWeese, Housing Director
The Heritage Acres Community Center is available to
rent for weekend events. It
includes a room with tables
and chairs (seating for approximately 70), a kitchen area, and
a game room with pool tables,
ping pong, shuffleboard, air
hockey, and a basketball game.
The dates do fill up quickly, so
please contact the office as soon
as possible to check on dates if
you are interested. There is a
$25 deposit required to reserve
the date, which is returned after
rental if the facility is left clean
and free of damage. The rental
cost is $50 for tribal members
and employees, and $75.00 for
non-tribal members.
The Housing Department
provides rental units and
homeownership units for tribal
families. The Heritage Acres
Housing Addition has family
units consisting of 2-bedroom
duplexes and 3-bedroom homes.
Senior Housing is also provided

May 2025

for tribal families who are 55 and
older. Senior housing consists of
2-bedroom duplexes with a garage
and all appliances. Routine home
maintenance and yard work is taken
care of by the housing maintenance
staff. The family housing units and
senior units are in close proximity
to the park and splash pad, Title VI
(Elder food program), and Bearskin
Health & Wellness Center. Wyandotte Nation was able to purchase
property to the north of the existing
housing addition that will create
additional space for the housing
addition to expand. Plans have been
made to construct (8) additional
family units in the existing housing
addition area, while infrastructure
and (16) additional senior units
will be constructed on the property
expansion. Infrastructure is planned
to begin this spring, while construction on the housing units is expected
to begin this fall. Federal income
guidelines do apply for the housing
programs. If you are interested in
any of these, applications can be
found online at the Wyandotte Nation website, or they can be picked
up at our office location at 14325

Porcupine Road, Wyandotte, OK
74370.
Additional covered picnic
areas are currently being added
to Bear Park for smaller group
sizes. The large pavilion and
smaller picnic areas are available to the public on a first-come,
first-serve basis. Plans are in
the works to expand the splash
pad later in the year to add some
new features and a larger area
for kids to play in. The park
includes a basketball court,
playground equipment, swings, a
small zip line, and also a walking trail that circles the entire
playground area.
DEPARTMENT STAFF:
Kathy DeWeese, Housing
Director
Valari Richards, Assistant
Housing Director
Jocelyn Metcalf, Housing
Specialist
Levi Griffin/Paul Parker,
Project Coordinators
Randy Qualls/Drew Lankford, Residential Maintenance
Technicians

Submitted by Kelly Friend, Health
Services Director
Are you a resident within the Bearskin
Healthcare Service Delivery Area?
With recent changes in priorities
for healthcare through Indian Health
Services, there’s a greater focus on
preventive care. As of October 1, 2024,
you might be eligible for additional
services, including dental that may have
been deferred or denied in the past. To
ensure you are prepared, please note the
following details:
Patients living within the Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) Service
Delivery area
• Wyandotte or Eastern Shawnee
Tribal Citizens who reside in the following counties: Ottawa, Craig, Mayes,
Wagoner, Delaware, Rogers, Okmulgee,
Nowata, Tulsa, Creek, Okfuskee and
Washington
• Patient must be an active patient,
with a visit once every 3 years.
• Patient must complete an Alternate
Resource Form (ARF).
• Patient must have current Oklahoma Driver’s License or Oklahoma
Continued on Page 11

(EDUCATION)
Continued from Page 9
be Tuesday, May 13. Upcoming closures for our facility include May 16
for Employee Appreciation Day, and
May 26 for Memorial Day. The first
day of our Summer Program will
be Wednesday, May 14 for students
enrolled with us.
We are currently accepting enrollment for our 3-4 Year Old Preschool
classrooms as well as our 4-5 Year
Old Pre-K classrooms for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year which
begins on August 12, 2025. To be
eligible for these classrooms students
must be 3 years old on or before
September 1, 2025 and be fully potty
trained. We are accepting applications for our waiting lists for our
Infant/Toddler Classrooms for the
upcoming school year as well. For

information on enrolling your child
or joining our waiting lists please
reach out to Lindsay Cooper by
phone at 918-678-3267 or email at
lcooper@wyandotte-nation.org. You
can also find information about our
program online at https://wyandottenation.org/services/education/turtletots/
Wyandotte Nation Scholarship
Program:
The Wyandotte Nation Education
Department has several scholarship programs for members to apply
for to receive assistance for school
or job training. These scholarships
can be used to help with the costs of
Concurrent, Bachelors, Masters, and
Vocational opportunities. We are currently serving more than 250 mem-

bers in their schooling and training.
The Education Specialist is currently
working through new applications
for the upcoming 2025-2026 school
year in the Wyandotte Nation Undergrad Program. With the May 1st
deadline approaching, do not forget
to apply if you are a new participant
in our scholarship programs. If you
are a participant in our scholarship
program, please remember to register for the spring semester. The Education Department will not submit
any further scholarships without the
proper information submitted first.
In order to do so, you need to submit
a grades report for the completed
term, and your class schedule for
this current term. You may email it
to our Education Specialist, mail in
to the Education Building, or submit

it through the tribal website.
The WN Education Department
now has applications available for
graduation stoles for college students’ receiving their Associates,
Bachelors, and Masters Degrees.
This process can take a few weeks to
mail out so submit all applications
accordingly. This application and list
of required documents is located on
the tribal website under the Education Section.
If you have any questions regarding any of our scholarships
programs, please reach out to our
Education Specialist:
Evan Hotulke
(918) 678-6331
ehotulke@wyandotte-nation.org
8 Turtle Drive Wyandotte, OK
74370

May 2025

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports
(HEALTH)

Continued from Page 10
Identification on file.
• Patient must have Tribal Membership Card on file.
• Patient must have insurance or
Soonercare denial on file, and Affordable
Care Act proof of eligibility.
• Patient must sign a rules agreement
(every 3 years).
• Must meet residency requirements – utility bill in patients name with
physical address – lease agreement, gas,
electric, internet, cable.
o If only one utility bill, the
following documents will be acceptable
as the second document – previous years
taxes (front page verifying state), land
tax statement, recent school records,
mortgage statement
o For individuals that do not
have 2 of the above documents and reside
with other individuals – notarized affidavit verifying residence will be accepted.
•
•
•

•

•
•
•
•

DENTAL
Patient must meet the above
requirements.
Appointment must be authorized
prior to visit (Please allow 2
weeks minimum).
Must use provider within insurance network or contracted with
Bearskin Healthcare
AUDIOLOGY
Appointment must be authorized
prior to visit (Please allow 2
weeks’ minimum)
OPTOMETRY
Must be seen by provider at
Bearskin Healthcare once every
three years to be eligible
Must be authorized prior to visit
Must use provider within insurance network or contracted with
Bearskin Healthcare
$250 for single vision – includes
one exam and one pair or glasses

•

OR contacts
$300 for multi-focal vision –
includes one exam and one pair or
glasses OR contacts

Patients living outside the Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) Service
Delivery area
•
•
•
•

ADULT DENTAL
Must be seen by provider at
Bearskin Healthcare once every
three years to be eligible
Must be authorized prior to visit
up to $750 per year, excludes
orthodontics and whitening
As funding allows

ADULT EMERGENCY DENTAL
• Must be seen by provider at
Bearskin Healthcare once every
three years to be eligible
• Must be authorized prior to visit
• Services must be provided by a
provider within insurance network or by a Bearskin Contracted
provider
• Up to $1000 per year
• Services provided – limited x-ray,
limited exam, extractions, recementing of crowns, partials and/
or dentures, wisdom teeth removal
• As funding allows
•
•
•
•
•
•

OPTOMETRY
Must be seen by provider at
Bearskin Healthcare once every
three years to be eligible
Must be authorized prior to visit
Must use provider within insurance network or contracted with
Bearskin Healthcare
$250 for single vision – includes
one exam and one pair or glasses
OR contacts
$300 for multi-focal vision –
includes one exam and one pair or
glasses OR contacts
As funding allows

Page 11

Page 12

Planning & Natural
Resources
Christen Lee, Environmental &
Planning Director

ENVIRONMENT
January
With the New Year upon us, our
department continues to stay busy
with our day to day work activities.
Our two Water Technicians John Gerhard and Ryan Haggard, continue to
sample 8 local water sites throughout
the month, and perform private well
sampling.
Staff also participates in several
in-person and online meetings with
other tribal, state and federal entities,
to keep informed with environmental
issues.
On January 31, Christen Lee and
Kathy Welch had an information
booth at the “We are Wyandotte”
River Bend Employee event.

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports
environmental
departments.
March
Well, finally
the temperatures are starting to warm
up a bit, but
we still had
a few winter
like days to
contend with.
On March
19, Kathy
gave an education presentation on
recycling to the Community Shelter
Organization. The event took place at

April Events:
April 22: Our department hosted a
Lunch and Learn at the Wyandotte
Nation Cultural Center.
April 21 – 27: We hosted a Spring
Tire Collection event at the Lost
Creek Recycle Center.
Services Provided
• Private Well Drinking Water
Sampling
• Private Home Owners Septic
Asssessments
• Lost Creek Recycle Center
--Submitted by Kathleen Welch,
Environmental Department Manager

the Quapaw Fire Station in Wyandotte.
On March 26, Ryan and John held
an environmental education event at
the Wyandotte Turtle Tots Preschool.
Ryan and John talked to the kids
about the weather changes and the
effects it has on the environment.
February
On February 10 we welcomed a
new employee to our department,
Curtis Brodrick. Curtis has taken
over the duties as our Recycling
Technician for the Lost Creek Recycle
Center.
On February 27, Kathy along with
Kristi Laughlin of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe, gave presentations for the
Sperry-Galligar Audubon Society, at
Pittsburg State University, Kansas.
The presentations had information
about both of the tribes, and the

Other Environmental Duties:
Each month, department staff
performs monitoring and sampling on
8 sites within the Wyandotte Nation
Historic Jurisdictional area streams
and water bodies. During this timeframe, staff also performed quarterly
nutrient sampling on three lost creek
sites, and e-coli sampling on all 8
sites.
Staff has attended several online
and in person meetings and trainings
such as RTOC, NATURE, TECO,
TCTC, TCTCIT, TSMD and others.

Department Contacts:
Kathleen Welch (Env. Department Manager) 918-678-6335
Ryan Haggard (Env. Technician
I) 918-678-6345
John Gerhard (Env. Technician
II) 918-678-6396
Curtis Brodrick (Recycling
Tech) 918-678-6352
Jalin Enyart (Jalin Enyart
(Recycling Tech II)
Notice: For private well sampling
appointments, contact Kathleen
Welch, John Gerhard or Ryan Haggard.
Grants Awarded from January thru March 2025
Indian Housing Block Grant

May 2025

PLANNING
The Grants Department has been
busy researching, writing, and submitting applications to not only meet
the Tribe’s mission but the short- and
long-term goals as well. We recently
received several grant awards that
will allow the Tribe and its departments to serve Wyandotte citizens
within our service area and beyond,
when possible.
• The Indian Housing Block Grant
will allow for the construction of 8
new duplexes, totaling 16 new housing units, available to seniors once
completed.
• $228,014 from the Office of
Violence Against Women, to advance
the Wyandotte Nation’s Probation
Enhancement Project. Grant funds
awarded will be used for monitoring
devices, testing kits, software, as well
as training.
• $139,772 from the Institute of
Museum and Library Services, for the
Library Enhancement, will be used to
create a seed library, Tiny Tots Preschool will create and maintain “Tots
Garden”, and outdoor reading and
STEAM play space, AWE after school
Edge Station and Cricut exploration

Continued on Page 13

$3,454,914

Grants Submitted from January thru March 2025
Justice for Families-Office of Violence Against Women
$228,014
Native American Library Services Enhancement Grant-Institute of Museum and
$139,772
Library Services
Native American Library Services Basic Grant-Institute of Museum and Library
$10,000
Services
Legal Services-Office of Violence Against Women
$367,190
Native American Career and Technical Education Program-Department of Education $1,562,144
Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation-Department of Justice
$1,556,662

May 2025

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports

(PLANNING)

Elder Services

Continued from Page 12
opportunity.
• $10,000 from the Institute of
Museum and Library Services-Basic
Library Grant, will provide books and
journals, as well as two conferences.
• 367,190 for Legal Services
through the Office of Violence Against
Women, will provide salaries of
Project Coordinator, a Staff Attorney,
as well as a contracted Supervising
Attorney. Office equipment/ supplies,
and travel have also been budgeted.
• $1,562,144 for Native American
Career and Technical Education
Program through the Department
of Education. This program will
provide funding for key staff as well
as support 25 program participants
per year in obtaining post-secondary
and technical education at Northeast
Tech. This is a 5-year project.
• $1,556,662 from the Department
of Justice for the Coordinated Tribal
Assistance Solicitation. There are
two parts to the application. Purpose
Area 1 will provide a salary for a
Wildlife and Conservation Officer,
overtime, equipment, vehicle, and
training. This officer will enforce
hunting, fishing, trapping and other
related and general laws within
Wyandotte Nation the Reservation.
Purpose Area 3 will provide support
for the only two full-time court staff
members.
Projects:
The ICDBG-21 Pow-Wow Grounds
Project. Work is underway, and expected to be complete in the Summer.
We are working with Create-4-All
Architect/Engineer, on the Bearskin
Gymnasium expansion. This is
funded by HUD, and is an ICDBG-23.
--Submitted by Debbie Dry-Grant
Writer/BIA Self-Governance Coordinator
Department Contacts:
Christen Lee (Planning &
Natural Resources Director) 918678-6341
Debbie Dry (Grant Writer/BIA/
Self Governance Coordinator)
918-678-6315
David Groves (Grant Writer)
918-678-6309

Page 13

Submitted by Brenda House,
Elder Services Director

Greetings all!
The Miami Senior Center will
have an Open House Friday,
May 2 at 10 am. There will be
vendors providing healthcare resources, speakers, incentives and
lunch provided. The center is
located at 2104 Denver Harnar
Drive, Miami, OK.
Mother’s Day Dinner is Thursday, May 8 from 11:30 am to 1
pm. Our menu will be pot roast
and sides.
June 10 is the Ottawa County
Senior Day at Buffalo Run Casino
in Miami, OK from 9 am to 1
pm. There will be vendor booths,
speakers, games and incentives.
The amazing Duke Mason will
provide the music. Lunch and
light breakfast snacks provided.
Father’s Day Dinner is Thursday, June 12 from 11:30 am to
1 pm. Our menu will be brisket
and sides.
We are making plans to go to
Branson, MO in June. The date
has yet to be determined.
CAREGIVER:
Our Caregiver Support Group
is the first Thursday of each
month from 10:30 am - 11:30
am in the conference/safe room.
Lunch provided in the Title VI
dining room following the meeting. This group is for all current
and former caregivers. It is also
for grandparents raising grandchildren.
We are continuing to provide
respite care vouchers for Caregivers to have a much-needed
break.
SENIOR TURTLES GIFT
SHOP:
The Senior Turtles Gift Shop
is open. The hours are 10 am to 2
pm Monday-Friday.
If you would be interested in
joining our Senior Turtles Gift
Shop Group, please contact
Brenda or anyone in the group.

Photo: William Swaim | Wyandotte Nation
Our Artie Nesvold Elders Center hosted its annual Valentine's Day lunch
and gave a few gifts! Our Oldest Valentine at 91 years young was John
Peyton. Our Longest Married (65 years!) -- Ronald and Mary Addison
(Pictured Above). Our Newlyweds (2 years) were Larry and Janice Spoon.
And the one Married the Most Times (and Willing to Admit It!) was Cheryl
McKibben (7 times).

The number
for the gift
shop is 918678-6491.
It is always
a pleasure
serving the
Wyandotte
Nation Citizens. Please
feel free to call
us anytime.
Elder Services Team:
Brenda
House, Elder
Services
Director, (918) 678-6327.
Food Service Team Members
(918) 678-6328: Seth Higginbotham,
Amanda Turner, Kelli Snell, Kayla

Ezell and Susan Skaggs.
Menu: Available on the Wyandotte Nation website.

Page 14

Important
Numbers
Family Services / Enrollment
wnfs@wyandotte-nation.org
Dana Butterfield (918) 678-6319
Leeanna Radabaugh, (918) 678-6329
Haylee Botts, (918) 678-6377
Tags
Tiffany Garner (918) 678-6353
tgarner@wyandotte-nation.org
477 Victim Services
wn477@wyandotte-nation.org
Hotline: 877-276-0669
Chelsea King, (918) 678-3257
Indian Child Welfare
Tara Gragg (918) 678-6355
tgragg@wyandotte-nation.org
Human Resources
Deana Howard (918) 678-6320
dhoward@wyandotte-nation.org
Nutrition & Caregiver Services
Brenda House (918) 678-6327
bhouse@wyandotte-nation.org
Education / Library / Child Care
Cristi Hudson (918) 678-6334
chudson@wyandotte-nation.org
Environmental / Planning / Development
Christen Lee (918) 678-6341
clee@wyandotte-nation.org
Housing
Kathy DeWeese (918) 678-6339
kdeweese@wyandotte-nation.org
Police Department
Ronnie Gilmore (918) 678-6365
rgilmore@wntpd.com
Non-emergency: (918) 678-3100
police@wntpd.com
Cultural Division
Kim Garcia (918) 678-6317
kgarcia@wyandotte-nation.org
Sherri Clemons (918) 678-6344
sclemons@wyandotte-nation.org
Bearskin Healthcare &
Wellness Center
Kelly Friend (918) 678-3259
kfriend@wyandotte-nation.org
Clinic Appointments
Nakia Elsloo (918) 678-3228
nelsloo@wyandotte-nation.org
Dental / Vision
Ashley Snider, (918) 678-3222
asnider@wyandotte-nation.org
Pharmacy (call-in only)
(918) 678-3244
Fitness Center
Sharon Bartley (918) 678-3231
sbartley@wyandotte-nation.org
Contract Health
Janet Webb (918) 678-3227
jwebb@wyandotte-nation.org
Diabetes Clinic
Donna Spaulding (918) 678-3258
dspaulding@wyandotte-nation.org

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

May 2025

Language Notes
Kweh awétiʔ ! (Greetings, all!)
Join us every third Wednesday of the
month at Wandat Wednesdays (online
using ZOOM) to practice together. Our
topics range from body parts to seasonal
activities to learners’ requests. Recent
themes include “Useful Phrases” paired
with vocab from the WNCCM’s cultural
craft week in March that included making baskets, tanning hides, pulling
off bark, beading and sewing, among
others. Past or new monthly themes
feature illustrations by Kari:žeras (Emily
“Ruthy”) Logan (see this issue). These
sessions are a yawahstih (great) way to
build up vocabulary without having to
worry about grammar. Waⁿdat Wednesdays are designed to be “stand-alone”
classes so you can attend when it is
convenient for you.

Craig Kopris & Darcy
Allred Selected for
National Breath of Life
Apprenticeship Program
The Waⁿdat Language Program has
exciting news to share! Tribal linguist
Dr. Craig Kopris and WNCCM language
coordinator Yahšęnęhaǫʔ / Darcy Allred
have recently been selected for an amazing language revitalization opportunity.
They are participating in the National
Breath of Life’s Apprenticeship Program
in partnership with the Myaamia Center.
This program is highly selective, with 20
apprenticeship spots available across the
entire nation. Our Waⁿdat learning community was one out of the 20 chosen—
an enormous honor, as well as reward in
earning recognition for the tireless work
our community has poured into reawakening Waⁿdat over the last few years.
The apprenticeship program is an
18–24-month cycle where participants
receive advanced archival training and
support to create a language archive
base tailored to each tribal community’s
particular research and educational
needs. For our Waⁿdat learning community, Darcy is serving as the community archivist, and Craig serves as her
mentor. Our main goals within the next
2 years are to develop:
• a living Waⁿdat dictionary
• a Waⁿdat language archive search
engine created with a software suite
called ILDA (“Indigenous Languages

Digital Archive”)
For more information check out the
National Breath of Life blog at https://
nbolblog.org. We will have updates as
more details emerge. We are so grateful
and eager to take our Waⁿdat language
reclamation efforts to the next level in
this endeavor!
Upcoming events:
• May 21, Waⁿdat Wednesday, at 12
noon & 8 pm central via Zoom, Theme:
Crafts (focus on beading)
• Waⁿdat wayęteʔyeh (summer) sessions start in June (TBD) for those who
have attended online language classes,
while classes are on break until fall
Eskwayęʔ (I will see you all again!)

Interested in learning our
language?
We will begin another beginner class
in October. If you would like to be notified when registration become available,
please add your name to our mailing list
and take a few minutes to tell us your
learning preferences at: https://www.
surveymonkey.com/r/LangInterest –
Tižamęh!
Be sure to send any comments or
suggestions, especially those on your
language & culture wishlist, to: wandatlanguage@wyandotte-nation.org
Language support courtesy of our
Wyandotte Nation Linguist, Dr. Craig
Kopris. All mistakes are our own. – Beci
& Darcy

Directory of Wyandotte Names
Being gifted a traditional name in our Waⁿdat language
connects us with our ancestors and highlights our commitment to
stand up for Wyandotte Nation. Waⁿdat names are the property of
the Nation and in contemporary times are bestowed by our Chief
after a tribal citizen successfully completes the application process,
which has 3 parts:
• Information Form
• References (3+)
• Attendance at a Wyandotte Basics class (offered on ZOOM, 2x
a year).
Following tradition, the recipient hears their name for the first
time during the ceremony at the Pow-Wow Grounds in September.
The application process for 2025 is wrapping up!
While you can start/submit an application at any time of the
year, new applications are reviewed October – May. Summer is reserved for working on finding names for those who have completed
the entire application process by May 31.
NOTE: As this is an intense time-consuming process, meeting
the May 31 deadline does not guarantee a name will be bestowed
that same year. To begin the process for 2026, you can start online
at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WNameApp
If you have been gifted a traditional name in the past, please be
sure to add it to our Directory at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/
WNames so we can ensure it is not used by anyone else during your
lifetime. (Over the years, records have been kept in several places
and we don’t want to accidentally overlook anyone!) Tižamęh!
Please send name questions & inquiries to:
bwright@wyandotte-nation.org.

May 2025

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports
Cultural
Division

Submitted by Kim Garcia (Tętsiʔtaraʔt),
Cultural Preservation Officer
(Inyǫmarihúʔtęʔ Ahęhtastaʔ), Wyandotte Nation Cultural Center and Museum

Kweh!
We celebrated Native American Heritage Month in November. At Wyandotte
Nation Cultural Center and Museum
(WNCCM), we have educational activities planned all month. Staff spent
a week in Monroe, Michigan at River
Raisin National Battlefield Park teaching
local students about Wyandotte culture
and lifeways. Staff also spent several
days teaching the students in Wyandotte,
OK. For the entire month, we posted on
social media different Wyandotte facts
as well as Waⁿdat words with pronunciation. We also hosted various classes and
learning opportunities for the community. In December, Chris held a rattle
demonstration class.
January is our time for Winter Gather-

ing. This year we made it a multi-day
event. We started with a beading class
on Friday night led by Ceci Walker.
Saturday morning began with a hominy
boil with Chris Houk, a creative writing
class led by Lenzy Langford-Herdocia,
and quillwork class led by Angie Morgan, Malinda Walker, and Caleb Garcia.
Soups for lunch were prepared by Brynlee Wilson. Traditional storytelling was
in the afternoon with lots of fun stories.
It’s amazing how many of our younger
Wyandottes have taken the lead on some
of these stories! Our traditional Native
dinner on Saturday was prepared by
local legend Mariah Tyner. We enjoyed
pork and corn, beef and hominy, fry
bread, wild rice, and grape dumplings. It
was all delicious! After dinner, we had a
social dance led by Sahǫtrędutęˀ and we
danced for several hours. It’s encouraging to see the growth in numbers
and experience by everyone at these
traditional social events. On Sunday,
we hosted our first Bear the Cold 5K. It
Continued on Page 16

Page 15

Photos: Joshua
Garcia |
Wyandotte Nation
The 2025
Winter Gathering was a
success! We had
a great turnout
throughout
Winter Gathering and were
able to raise
over $2,000 for
Teresa Wilson
during our
Bear the Cold
5K. We held a
number of different classes,
traditional
storytelling, and
a traditional
dinner.

Page 16

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

May 2025

(CULTURAL)
Continued from Page 15
was single digit weather but we had over
100 people attend! We were also about
to raise over $2,000 for Teresa Wilson
who is battling cancer right now. After
the 5K, we had a traditional foods class,
games class, and a craft/shawl class. Our
lunch consisted of the foods prepared
that day, including the traditional raccoon boiled in maple sap.
We held a tanning/basket-making
workshop in March. In May we will
host a social dance to honor women
and graduates. In June we will have a
community event to honor the men. Also
in June, we will host lacrosse camp,
a lacrosse tournament, and Gathering
of Little Turtles. During the summer
months, we will host a weekly Native
Youth Night for all youth within the
community. Towards the end of summer,
we will take the interns on the annual
trip. September is our Gathering starting
on September 8 with a kayak trip. PowWow will be September 12-14.
All of our events are posted on social
media and on the website. If you’d like
to be involved as a volunteer for any of
the events or would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact us
at WNCCM.

yęrahkeⁿdeh (spring) leading into wayęteʔyeh (summer) Illustration by Emily “Ruthy” Logan

Wyandotte Book Club!
The Cultural Center hosts an online book club
using ZOOM every quarter. We read new and classic works by indigenous authors then discuss how
they inform our lives as Wyandottes.
We encourage anyone who is interested to sign
up and attend our sessions – whether you finished
the book or not! Every selection will be available in
paperback and audiobook and you are invited to

choose which format works best for you.
2025 Selections:
•
May 28 2025: Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian
Manifesto by Vine Deloria, Jr (any edition)
•
August 2025: Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange
•
November 2025: The Sentence, a Novel by
Louise Erdrich
To register for Book Club (if you never have

before), please go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WyandotteBookClub.
If you’d like to suggest future titles, they 1)
must be written by a native author, 2) must be
available in paperback, and 3) must be available as an audiobook. If you are interested in
leading a future session, please let us know at
bwright@wyandotte-nation.org.

---

Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Awyandotte%3A0ca01c10c4dd4e18. Public record. Not legal advice.