A Wyandotte Nation Publication (2024)

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The Turtle Speaks

Gyah'-Wish

Atak-ia

A Wyandotte Nation Publication

Volume 28, Issue 2

www.wyandotte-nation.org

May 2024

Chief Leaford Bearskin Memorial

Preschool

Pow-Wow

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:

•

EPA awards grant to expand, improve Recycling Center

Tribe helps feed local families in community

Wyandotte Nation Easter Egg Hunt

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

Notice of Annual Meeting..................... 3

Grant awarded for Recycling Center... 4

Food Distribution Event.................... 4-5

Preschool Pow-Wow in Pictures.......... 5

Easter Egg Hunt in Pictures.................. 6

Tribal Department Reports............. 7-16

Important Numbers............................. 13

Editor/Design: William Swaim

Cover Photo:

Head Man

Joshua Garcia leads the

preschoolers

during Grand

Entry.

Photo: William Swaim

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

www.twitter.com/WyandotteNation

Threads

www.instagram.com/wyandottenation

@wyandottenation@threads

www.youtube.com/WyandotteNation

From the Chief

May 2024

Billy Friend

A great day on the

Wyandotte Reservation

Kweh, I hope this quarters Turtle

Talk finds all of our Wyandotte

people doing well and enjoying the

Spring season. While for us here in

Oklahoma it is usually ushered in by

the threat and many times the reality of tornadoes and severe weather

it is also a time of growth, vibrant

colors and life. The land around us

begins to awaken and everywhere

plants and trees are in bloom. It is

also a time of renewal that comes

into people’s lives as winter makes

its exit and the warm weather

invites us to enjoy nature. Spring is

an exciting time of year as we open

our minds to the many possibilities

before us, and to the blessings we

have received.

We received some very exciting

news on March 7, concerning the affirmation of our Reservation. I have

attached the press release below

with the details.

Celebrating Affirmation

of the Wyandotte Nation’s

Homelands

Today, we celebrate affirmation

of the continued existence of the

Wyandotte Reservation. A Tribal

Nation’s jurisdictional authority over

its lands is a bedrock principle of

our inherent sovereignty. Through

affirmation of the Wyandotte

Reservation, the Wyandotte Nation

is empowered to exercise its territo-

rial jurisdiction over its lands and

people.

On March 7, 2024, the Oklahoma

Court of Criminal Appeals in Oklahoma v. Fuller, Case No. S-2023409, affirmed what we already

knew to be true: the Wyandotte

Reservation—the seat of our government and the land on which our

Ancestors sought refuge and created

a home—continues to exist. The

Court described its decision as “binding and precedential on all parties

as to the existence of the Wyandotte

Reservation.”

The Wyandotte Reservation was

established through the Treaty

of 1867. It was the last in a long

line of treaties through which the

United States promised to set aside

a homeland where we could continue

to exist as a Tribal community and

government. In exchange for this

promised homeland, we were forced

to relocate farther and farther from

our aboriginal lands to make way for

settlers.

Despite the United States’

promise, when Oklahoma became

a state, many operated under the

wrongful assumption that reservations throughout Oklahoma had

been disestablished. This harmful

position was corrected by the U.S.

Supreme Court in 2020 in McGirt v.

Oklahoma. Since that time, various

reservations in Oklahoma have been

reaffirmed. While the Wyandotte

Nation knew the Wyandotte Reser-

From the Second Chief

vation was not disestablished, we

are glad to see the Oklahoma Court

of Criminal Appeals affirm this

truth.

The affirmation of reservation

boundaries is meaningful. Under

United States law, Tribal Nations

are recognized to have jurisdiction

within the boundaries of our reservations. Any government’s ability to

keep its community safe is premised

on its authority to exercise jurisdiction within its territorial limits.

Reservation status also brings law

enforcement services and funding

from the United States in furtherance of its trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations and Native

people.

We look forward to working

alongside the federal government

and the State of Oklahoma to ensure

criminal law enforcement on the Wyandotte Reservation is coordinated

and robust.

Though subject to many attempts

to disestablish and assimilate the

Wyandotte Nation and its people,

and many broken treaty promises,

we have survived and thrived. Now,

the Wyandotte Reservation will be

recognized by all as our jurisdictional and governmental homeland.

We know our Ancestors smile down

on us today.

It is a great day on the Wyandotte Reservation and a great

day to be Wyandotte!

Norman Hildebrand, Jr.

Traveling exhibit showcases

a bit of history

Kweh Omateru

Hello my friends, Spring is upon

us here in Oklahoma and so are

the winds. It seems like every day

is one of those hang onto your wig

kind of days. When it is windy

and everything is blooming the

pollen count is also very high. I’ve

had people tell me they never had

trouble with allergies until they

moved to Oklahoma, I tell them

“welcome to Oklahoma.”

We are officially a Reservation

now after a recent court ruling that

See 2nd Chief, Page 3

May 2024

www.wyandotte-nation.org

Page 3

P ublic N otice

Notice of Annual Meeting

On September 14, 2024, the Wyandotte

Nation shall hold their Annual Meeting at the

Bearskin Fitness Center Gymnasium in Wyandotte, Oklahoma. Registration will begin at

9:00 a.m. and the Annual Meeting will start at

10:00 a.m. Please note that citizens will be

2nd Chief

Continued from Page 2

reaffirmed that our Reservation

was never disestablished Hooray

for Us, we have been waiting for

this ruling for months. So with

that said here on the Rez our various projects are moving along very

well. Duplexes are being built and

finished, construction has started

on the preschool addition, and the

expansion of Town of Wyandotte’s

waste water treatment plant that

we are providing the funds for

is progressing very nicely. We

are growing so much here on the

Wyandotte Reservation that we

are doubling the size of the Waste

Water Treatment Plant to handle

all of our future growth.

Before COVID I was contacted by

the Ball State University Department of Anthropology to be a

Humanities Scholar for a traveling

museum project for The Battle of

The Wabash. I started scratching

my head and wondering why I

have never heard of this battle that

our ancestors fought in, well with

good old Google I researched it and

realized it was actually St. Clair’s

Defeat that they were referencing.

I had never heard it called Battle

of The Wabash, so I accepted their

invitation. Here is an overview of

the battle that took place along the

Wabash River in Ohio, but first the

traveling exhibit will be in Miami,

Okla., at the American Indian Center for Excellence on the campus of

NEO A&M College from Monday,

May 20 through Monday, Dec. 2.

After several years of failed treaties and conflicts between the Native

Americans and the Euro-American

settlers and military, a Native

American alliance was formed

between the Wyandots, Seneca,

Cherokee, Ojibwe, Ottawa, Potawatomi, Shawnee, Delaware, and Miami. On November 3, 1791, General

required to present their Wyandotte Nation

membership/citizenship card to register for

the meeting.

The Election Committee of the Wyandotte Nation has determined that there are no contested

posts for elective office within the government of

the Wyandotte Nation for 2024. Therefore, it is

not necessary to hold an election at the tribe’s

annual meeting on Saturday, September 14,

2024 per the Wyandotte Nation Constitution.

Zach Shockey, Chairman

Election Committee

“The past is a source of knowledge, and the future is a source of

hope. Love of the past implies faith in the future.”

--Stephen Ambrose

St. Clair’s U.S. Army numbering

1,200 to 1,400 soldiers and 200 to

250 civilians arrived on the banks of

the Wabash River. St. Clair ordered

the Kentucky militia to set up camp

west across the river. The infantry

camped in six outposts between

the river and tributary Buck Run.

The riflemen and dragoons were

on the north and south sides of the

main camp with civilians camped

within. At the same time, the Native

American alliance was finalizing a

battle strategy based upon St. Clair’s

position. Led by Mishikinakwa and

Weyapiersenkwa, Native Americans

from nine tribes were organizing for

a morning surprise attack to surround the entire U.S. Army from the

north and south. Most of the night

was spent establishing the Native

American’s positions. Information

received during the night from

volunteer militia scouts regarding

Indians “skulking about” the area

was not relayed to St. Clair.

At dawn on November 4, the

Miami, Shawnee, and Delaware attacked the Kentucky militia camped

northwest of St. Clair’s main camp.

Caught completely unaware, the

militia rushed back across the

Wabash River causing utter chaos

and confusion. Simultaneously,

the tribes on the left and right of

the crescent surrounded St. Clair’s

camp in less than 15 minutes. The

ensuing battle lasted three hours,

an overwhelming victory for the

American Indian tribes.

The U.S. casualties were enormous. Over 650 U.S. soldiers were

killed including 31 commissioned

officers. Nearly all of St. Clair’s

several hundred camp followers

were killed or taken prisoner. His-

torical accounts show that between

20 to 35 American Indians were

killed. This well planned and calculated victory is often called the

greatest defeat of the U.S. Army.

After the battle St. Clair was the

subject of the first congressional

investigation and the entire battle

was investigated by a group of the

President’s trusted advisors. St.

Clair was not found to be completely at fault for the crushing defeat

but was still relieved of his duties.

Anthony Wayne, Revolutionary

War hero, was chosen by President

Washington to replace him.

I am going to stop there, but I

hope a lot of you will see the exhibit and read about more details

of the battle that I just wrote about

especially about the tactics that the

Native Americans used to defeat

the American Army and the weapons used by both combatants, it is

interesting to read about and view

the details of this great victory for

the Native American Tribes.

Page 4

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

May 2024

Lost Creek Recycling Center

EPA awards grant to expand, improve center

Photo: William Swaim | Wyandotte Nation

Representatives from the EPA tour the Lost Creek Recycling Center with Planning & Natural Resources staff. The EPA awarded a grant to help improve and

expand the Recycling Center.

With the help of a nearly $1 million grant, the Wyandotte Nation

will expand and improve its Lost

Creek Recycling Center.

“The Planning and Natural

Resources Department is excited to

receive this funding to help increase our recycling capacity at the

Lost Creek Recycling Center,” said

Christen Lee, Planning & Natural

Resources Director for the Tribe.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a

total of $947,266 in a Solid Waste

Infrastructure for Recycling

(SWIFR) grant to expand the

center’s recycling infrastructure.

Wyandotte Nation’s SWIFR project

encompasses several features

that expand and improve the

Lost Creek Recycling Center by

planning and constructing major

renovations and permanent improvement to the facility, purchasing collection bins for recyclables,

purchasing recycling equipment

and other items for post-consumer

materials management recovery,

and hiring a full-time recycling

technician to assist in recycling the

increase in solid waste materials.

Once implemented, the proposed

project will help reduce solid waste

generated in the tribal community

by enhancing, improving, and

maintaining the recycle program.

“We feel the center has been a

positive resource for the Tribe and

the surrounding community,” Lee

said of the Tribe’s recycling efforts.

The goals and objectives addressed from the EPA’s FY

2022-2026 Strategic Plan include:

Ensure clean and safe water for all

communities along with protecting and restoring waterbodies and

watersheds.

In addition, goals and objectives

include: Safeguarding and revitalizing communities and reducing

waste and preventing environmental contamination.

Tribe helps feed 350 families in community

Thanks to grant funds from the

USDA, the Wyandotte Nation was

able to distribute free, local food to

nearly 350 families in our community (Native and non-Native) during our March distribution event.

The Saturday, March 23 event

marked the third food distribution

to the local community. The first

distribution event was held at the

new Artie Nesvold Elders Center

and the second at Wyandotte Nation Administration Building as

was the third.

Local families who took part

in the more recent opportunity

received food that included beef,

bison, sourdough cinnamon rolls,

pecans, apples, carrots, almonds,

chocolate pecans, jerky sticks,

dried mushrooms, goat cheese,

bread, lettuce, honey, ketchup, bbq

sauce, microgreens, salad dressing

and sourdough hot cross buns.

Wyandotte Nation received grant

funds from USDA’s Local Food

See COMMUNITY, Page 5

Photos: Courtesy (Left) & William Swaim (Right) | Wyandotte Nation

(PICTURED ABOVE LEFT) In addition to the USDA grant, the local food distribution events were made possible by partnering with local food growers like Avery Acres Farm. (PICTURED ABOVE RIGHT) Volunteers help distribute food to

the community Saturday, March 23, during the Wyandotte Nation's Food Distribution Event.

May 2024

www.wyandotte-nation.org

Photos by William Swaim

Page 5

Chief Leaford

Bearskin Memorial

Pow-Wow

Our Child Development Center’s Annual Leaford Bearskin Memorial

Preschool Pow-Wow took place Thursday evening, April 11, at the Wyandotte High School Gym. The event was kicked off with the Lord's Prayer

by Wyandotte Nation Princess Chloe Friend and Junior Princess Veyda

Marlow which was followed by the Grand Entry. The Wyandotte Nation

Color Guard presented the Colors and the kids performed a Numbers Song

and Tizameh Song before joining friends and family for a Round, Snake,

Buffalo and Intertribal Dances. The Head Staff included Head Man Joshua

Garcia, Head Lady Chloe Friend and Veyda Marlow, Host Drum Medicine

Eagle Singers, and the Emcee Choogie Kingfisher.

Community

Continued from Page 4

Purchase Assistance Cooperative

Agreement Program. Money for this

project allows the Tribe to distribute

locally grown, sourced, and produced

food to our underserved community.

The Wyandotte Nation thanks

our local food producers for

partnering with us:

Avery Acre Farm (www.facebook.com/AveryAcresFarmTulsa)

– Carrots

Hey Sugar (https://heysugarnwa.com) – Sourdough Cinnamon

Rolls

Knight Pecan Farms (www.

knightpecanfarms.com) – Kanza

Pecans

Livesay Orchards (https://livesayorchards.com) -- Apples

Miller Pecan (www.millerpecancompany.com) – Creamy White

Almonds, Milk Chocolate Pecans

Modoc Market (https://modocmarket.com) – Bison Beef Jerky

Sticks

Montana Max BBQ (https://

montanamaxbbq.com) – Ketchup &

BBQ Sauce

Oklahoma Mushroom Company (https://okmushco.com) – Dried

Oyster Mushrooms

Prairie Thyme Farm (www.prairiethymefarm.com) – Goat Cheese

Quapaw Cattle Company

(www.quapawtribe.com/511/

Quapaw-Cattle-Company) – Beef

& Bison

Redings Mill Bread (www.

facebook.com/Redings-MillBread-100057497048161) – Bread

Resilient Growers Farm

(www.facebook.com/resilientgrowers) – Lettuce

Roark Acres Honey Farms

(www.roarkacres.com) – Honey

Robinson Ranch (https://robinsonranchveggies.com) – Pea Shoot

Microgreens & Salad Dressing

Wild Folk Bakery (www.

facebook.com/wildfolkbakery.com)

– Sourdough Hot Cross Buns

We would also like to thank

all the volunteers who helped

with the assembly and distribution of the boxes, bags, and food:

Becki Burleson, Brynlee Wilson,

Caleb Lowery, Casey Ellet, the

Casino & Wyandotte Nation Maintenance Crews, Chief Billy Friend,

Cristi Hudson, Deana Howard,

Debbie Dry, Eric Fonseca, Jennifer

Rosenstiel, Jon Quick, Joseph Lowery, Katie Thompson, Kayla Friend,

Keith Gray, Kristy Fink, Lindsay

Cooper, Mason Lowery, Rhonda

Stork, Ryan Haggard, Samantha

Proctor-Smith, Seth Lowery, Shelby

Desha, Shelly Oakley, Sherri Clemons, Smoke Ezell, Teresa Wilson,

Valari Richards, Veyda Marlow,

and William Swaim.

Page 6

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

Wyandotte Nation's Annual Easter Egg Hunt

May 2024

Photos by William Swaim

May 2024

Human Resources

Submitted by Deana Howard, HR

Director

The Wyandotte Nation Family

Service Department is very happy to

welcome Emily Cox

as our new Supervised Visitation

Specialist, Kade

Calloway as Adult

Protective Services/

Indian Child Welfare Social Worker,

and Lexi King as a

Pandemic Support/

Domestic Violence/

COX

Sexual Assault

Advocate.

Emily graduated

from Quapaw high

School and has

always had a love

for healthcare. She

started her nursing career in 2020

after graduating

from NEO. Emily

CALLOWAY worked at Freeman

on the TCU floor

as an RN and most

recently worked at

Quapaw schools as

a school nurse. She

loves shopping and

spending time with

her family. They

enjoy spending the

day at the zoo or

aquarium. They

KING

also love spending

time outdoors camping or going to

the creek.

Kade graduated high school from

Cliff Schools in Cliff, NM. He then

graduated New Mexico State University with a Bachelor’s degree in

Individualized Studies. He worked

for the state of Oklahoma ARS for

3.5 years. Kade’s hobbies include

snowboarding, and hiking. He also

enjoys taking cruises with family

and friends.

Lexi has a Bachelor’s degree in

criminal justice, an Associate’s degree in law enforcement, along with

a certificate in criminal investigation

and policing. While in college, she

worked with individuals with disabilities. Lexi loves and enjoys hanging

out with her family and friends. In

her free time she enjoys going on

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports

walks and going to the gym. She also

loves to travel.

We are very fortunate to have Emily, Kade, and Lexi on our team and

wish them much success in their new

positions.

The Wyandotte Nation Education Department would like to

welcome Jennifer Rosenstiel as an

Early Childhood Program Specialist,

Tammy Heffren as an Early Childhood Toddler Program Assistant, and

Delayne Hudson and Lora Gibson as

Substitutes.

Jennifer has more than 20 years of

experience working

with children; both

in a public school

and in childcare.

She is currently attending NEO A&M,

pursuing a Certificate of Mastery

and an associate’s

degree in Early

ROSENSTIEL Childhood Education and social

work. Jennifer’s

hobbies include

reading, watching

movies and listening to music. She

has three grown

children and two

grandsons. She

enjoys spending

time with them.

HEFFREN

Sleep-overs at

Grammy’s house

are especially fun!

Tammy has

her Certificate of

Mastery in Child

Development. She

enjoys sewing and

gardening with

her mom. She also

enjoys spending her

time with her famHUDSON

ily and taking her 3

granddaughters on

mini vacations.

Delayne spends

most of her free

time working for

her online boutique

and making all

kinds of graphics.

She enjoys hanging

out with her family

and friends.

GIBSON

Lora has 24 years in advertising

sales. Her hobbies include cake and

cookie decorating. Lora says her

family are her life. She has 2 sons,

1 daughter, 4 grandsons, and 1

granddaughter. She lives on the lake

and enjoys the lake in the summer.

Lora is a cruise addict. She goes on a

cruise several times a year and she

loves it when the family can join her.

We are happy to have Jennifer,

Tammy, Delayne and Lora join our

team.

The Wyandotte Nation Title VI

Department is very happy to welcome Kelli Snell as a Food Service

Team Member. Kelli has 6 years of

food service experience with Fairland

Public Schools.

She enjoys reading mystery books

and spending time

with her husband

and three children.

They enjoy road

trips in their RV

and going to BranSNELL

son. We are very

fortunate to have Kelli on our team

and wish her the best of luck in her

new position.

The Environmental Department

welcomes Ryan Haggard as an Environmental Technician I. Ryan graduated from McDonald

County High School

and received his

Associates degree

in general studies

at Crowder College.

He received his

Bachelor’s degree in

HAGGARD

Biology at MSSU.

He spent 2.5 years

in an analytical lab as a chemist. Ryan

enjoys most anything outdoors and

hopes to spend more time on local

lakes and rivers. He also enjoys singing and playing the guitar and being

active. Ryan spends most of his time

raising and making memories with

his 2-year-old daughter. We are very

fortunate to have Ryan on our team

and wish him much success in his new

position.

The Bearskin Healthcare and

Wellness Center is very happy to

Page 7

welcome Noemie Dyer as a Pharmacist, Dr. Jequita “Jac” Snyder as a

Physician, tribal citizen Leeah Tunnell as a Community Health Representative, and Stephanie Smith as a

certified Pharmacy Technician.

Noemie’s friends and family call

her Joy. She has been married to

her wonderful husband David, for 25

years. Noemie’s first job after graduating from Pharmacy college was

in a hospital as a staff pharmacist.

She also worked for RiteAid Pharmacy. She moved

to Oklahoma in

December 2013 and

started working for

Walgreens, until

this opportunity

with the Wyandotte

Nation. Noemie’s

hobbies include

gardening, cooking, baking, fishing

DYER

and kayaking. She

spends her time

with her husband

and playing with

Moonpie, her dog.

Dr. Snyder was a

lab tech in the US

Navy Reserve and

was a lab tech for

10 years prior to

medical school. She

SNYDER

attended Seminole Jr College

and OSU Medical

School. Her hobbies include hiking

and camping at

national parks as

well as reading and

quilting. She also

enjoys spending her

spare time with her

family and playing

TUNNELL

Pokémon. She loves

Harry Potter and

Maleficent.

Leeah graduated from Baxter

Springs High

School. She worked

as a dental assistant/oral surgery

assistant for 43

½ years. She also

received her PhleSMITH

botomy certificate

Continued on Page 8

Page 8

Continued from Page 7

from Franklin Tech and Anesthesia

Assisting from UMCK. Leeah’s hobbies include being outside, sitting

on her porch and watching wildlife.

Leeah loves spending time with her

family and going to Wyandotte Bears

basketball games. She is married

and together they have 4 children

and 13 grandchildren. Leeah is

proud of being a Wyandotte Nation

citizen and thanks God each and every day for the life he has given her.

Stephanie’s hobbies include camping, fishing, anything outdoors, and

art. She enjoys spending time with

family and going to church. She is a

triplet momma (identical boys) and

they are her whole world!

We are very fortunate to have Noemie, Dr. Snyder, Leeah, and Stephanie on our team and wish them much

success in their new positions.

The Wyandotte Nation Police

Department is proud to welcome

Christopher Pooler as a Police Officer. Christopher has 2.5 years of law

enforcement experience as well as 3

semesters of law enforcement education

from a Bachelor’s

degree and several

I.T. certificates. He

enjoys gardening

and taking care of

his farm animals

which consist of

POOLER

chickens, turkeys,

ducks, goats and rabbits. Christopher

enjoys spending time with his wife and

5 kids, doing sports and homesteading.

We are very excited to have Christopher in his new position and wish him

much success.

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

Family Services

Submitted by Dana Butterfield,

Family Services Director

In April, I was fortunate to attend

the National Indian Child Welfare

Association Conference. This event

brings together tribal leaders, tribal

social workers, state social workers,

federal employees and others who

have a desire to make sure every

child has a safe and healthy childhood as well as the opportunity to

stay connected to their cultural heritage and identity. The Indian Child

Welfare Act (ICWA) was passed in

1978 to protect the best interests

of Indian children and to promote

the stability and security of Indian

tribes and families. ICWA has been

challenged many times over the past

several years in the court system,

with the most recent Supreme Court

decision, in June 2023, upholding

ICWA, which has been referred to as

the “gold standard” for child welfare.

Wyandotte Nation social workers

are involved with cases across the

country to ensure that states are upholding the Act and providing active

efforts to reunify children with their

parents or other appropriate family

members. If you have an enrolled

Wyandotte child who is involved

with a state child welfare system,

make sure the state is aware the

child is native and that they contact

the Tribe in the appropriate manner.

Also, as many of you have probably

already heard, the Wyandotte Nation’s reservation status was recently

recognized as never being disestablished. Due to this, we anticipate a

greater need for foster homes. If you

have ever considered opening your

home for children in need please

reach out to Tara Gragg, ICW Supervisor, to discuss the process.

We’ve received great feedback

regarding the Programs & Services

Brochure. This an excellent resource

to find all of the programs offered

by the Nation. The plan is for the

brochure to be mailed to all citizens

annually on or near the beginning

of our fiscal year, which is October

1st. Another great source of information is the Tribe’s website, www.

wyandotte-nation.org. Most applications can be found on the website

for either direct apply online or to

download/print. We also understand

that not everyone is tech savvy, so

we’re always happy to mail applications as well. If you see a program

that you have questions about or

need additional information, feel free

to reach out to the Family Services

staff using the contact information

listed at the end of this article.

As a reminder, Enrollment applications must either be hand

delivered or postmarked by Aug. 15

to be considered for citizenship at the

Annual Meeting. Applications must

be submitted with an original state

certified birth certificate. Hospital

and county Health Department birth

certificates are not acceptable for

enrollment purposes. The Enrollment Committee recently updated

the Enrollment Ordinance to keep

up with the changing times. One of

the changes is a requirement that

birth certificates must list the tribal

parents’ full name before marriage/

maiden name. Many states now offer short-form certificates that don’t

list all of the information necessary

to trace lineage, so be sure to submit

applications early so there is time to

request the correct document and/

May 2024

or amend certificates if required.

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 emailed to you when

requested.

The Tag and Tax office is excited

to announce that beginning May 1,

Veteran license plates will be available for Wyandotte Nation citizens.

There are several requirements to

receive this special plate so please

contact the Tag Administrator, Tiffany Garner, for a full list of details.

Several of the grants housed in

the Family Services Department

have recently been moved into the

Public Law 477 program. Programs

that have been moved into 477

include Title IVB Child Welfare

Services (CWS), Title IVB Promoting

Safe and Stable Families (PSSF),

Low Income Heating Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Office

of Violence Against Women-Grants

to Tribal Governments, and Office

of Victims of Crime-Tribal Victim

Services Set-aside. By combining

these grants into the 477 program,

it will allow for participants to have

access to a broader range of services

to help them gain self-sustainability.

Services will also be available in a

one-stop-shop, meaning all services

available through the program can

be provided by any of the 477 caseworkers. While we are new to the

477 program and still learning all

of the processes, we look forward to

working with our federal and tribal

partners to facilitate services.

Continued on Page 9

Tag Program

Our Tag program is experiencing some new and exciting updates! We are now offering UTV tags and Veteran Tags to our Citizens. In order to receive UTV tags, the vehicle must be street legal and housed in Oklahoma. In addition to the title, you will need

to provide a notarized Domiciled Affidavit and an Affidavit for Street Legal UTV, and if it is a new purchase, you will also need a Bill

of Sale. Please note these forms are available on our website. To receive Veteran tags, the Veteran must be a Citizen of the Wyandotte Nation. Here is a checklist of documentation required to receive Veteran tags.

• DD214

• Notarized Domiciled Affidavit

• Insurance

• Title

• Bill of Sale if new vehicle

• Handicapped form signed by Doctor if applicable

Please contact Tiffany Garner (918)678-6353 with any questions you have.

May 2024

www.wyandotte-nation.org

Page 9

T ribal D epartment R eports

Continued from Page 8

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 21-23,

The Gathering Sept. 9-13, and the

Pow-Wow Sept. 13-15. 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,

Sept. 14. 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. 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

ICW/APS Worker, Kade Calloway

Housing

Submitted by Kathy DeWeese,

Housing Director

The Heritage Acres Housing

Area provides rental units for

elders and families. Family units

consist of three bedroom homes

and two bedroom duplexes. If

you are interested in renting, the

application is on the website or

an application can be picked up at

the office. Federal income guidelines apply and preference is given

to Wyandotte Citizens.

If you are 55 and older, our senior housing may be for you. The

duplexes are all two-bedroom, are

equipped with appliances, and a

garage. All yard work is done for

you. Title VI (Elder food program)

and Bearskin Clinic are close by.

If you are interested, please fill

out an application and return to

918-678-6375

Tag Administrator, Tiffany Garner,

918-678-6353

Family Services Specialist, Leeanna

Radabaugh, 918-678-6329

Enrollment Officer, Haylee Botts,

918-678-6377

Contact email for FVPP:

fvpp@wyandotte-nation.org

Toll Free number for FVPP:

877-276-0669

Program Manager, Chelsea King,

the housing office. Federal income

guidelines apply.

A walking track is in the process

of being constructed in the Heritage

Acre Park. New equipment has also

been added. There are two pavilions

available for use. There is no charge

to use. The Splashpad is scheduled to

open the week of Memorial Day.

Wyandotte Housing Assistance

Fund, which is part of the Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2021, is

available to homeowners affected by

COVID. If you are behind on your

mortgage payments, or are in need

of repairs to your home, and due

to COVID, do not have the funding

to make those repairs, please fill

out and return the application for

assistance which is found on the

Wyandotte Nation website. Income

guidelines do apply. The repairs to

homes can only be made within a

50-mile radius of the Wyandotte

Nation. If you have questions

regarding this process, please call

or email our office.

The Community Center is available to rent, however, the dates are

filling in fast. If you are interested

in renting, please contact the office

as soon as possible. The cost to

rent is $50. There is a $25 deposit to hold the date. This will be

returned if the area is clean and no

damages to property.

918-678-3257

Lead Advocate, Gabby Ezell, 918678-6402

Admin Assistant/Family Services

Front Desk, Hannah Rhodes, 918678-6321

Crime Victims’ Advocates: Kristi

Johnston, Becky Maples and Lacy

Butler

Supervised Visitation Specialist, Emily Cox, 918-678-6324

DV/SA/Pandemic Support Advocate,

Gabby Ezell, 918-678-6374

Education

Enrollment Application & Ordinance

The Enrollment Applications and Ordinance have been updated this year.

Please be sure to have the correct application completed. Applications must

be submitted along with an original state certified birth certificate (long form

that includes the tribal parent’s full name). The deadline to be considered for

Enrollment is Aug. 15. Timing is essential for the Enrollment Application, please

submit applications as soon as possible. This will allow for plenty of time for applications to be sent back to correct any errors and be resubmitted before Aug.

15. We have provided a checklist to help prevent applications from being sent

back to you. Applications received prior to the child’s first birthday will receive

a $100 Walmart gift card, a blanket embroidered with the Tribal Turtle and

thanks to the Cultural Division, either a ribbon skirt or ribbon shirt. Applications can be requested by calling or emailing our Enrollment Officer.

Department Staff:

Kathy DeWeese-Housing Director

Don Graham- Housing Specialist

Paul Parker- Project Coordinator

Levi Griffin- Project Coordinator

Randy Qualls and Drew LankfordResidential Maintenance Technicians

Submitted by Cristi Hudson,

Education Director

Kweh!

Nestled within the heart of our

community, the Wyandotte Nation Historical Library stands as a

beacon of knowledge, preserving our

rich heritage and fostering a love

for learning and reading among all

generations. As the vibrant colors of

spring grace our surroundings, the

library invites tribal and community

members to embrace this season of

renewal and discovery by participating in new activities and opportunities.

Among these exciting offerings

is the Story Book Walk. Located in

beautiful Bear Park, this outdoor

literary adventure features the

captivating tale of “Water Protectors”

by Carole Lindstrom, brought to life

through the enchanting illustrations

of Michaela Goade. The Story Book

Walk not only offers a delightful

experience for readers of all ages,

but also serves as a celebration of

Continued on Page 10

Page 10

Continued from Page 9

indigenous culture and environmental stewardship.

Through the moving storytelling

of “Water Protectors”, readers are

transported into a world where the

sacred bond between humanity and

nature is honored and upheld. It’s

a tale that resonates deeply with

our Tribe’s values, inspiring us to

cherish and protect our natural

resources for future generations. The

Story Book Walk will feature “Water

Protectors” until May 19.

So, gather your loved ones, venture

into the great outdoors, and embark

on an unforgettable literary adventure with the Wyandotte Nation Historical Library’s Story Book Walk.

Together, let us honor our past,

engage with our present, and pave

the way for a brighter future filled

with knowledge, unity, and appreciation for the world around us. This

project was made possible in part by

the Institute of Museum and Library

Services NAE-254945-OLS.

The unveiling of the OLA 2025

Sequoyah Book Award nominees

is another highlight of the season.

These nominees are carefully chosen

by dedicated reading teams, consisting of members of the Oklahoma

Library Association. Once selected,

the nominated books are assigned to

the appropriate Sequoyah Masterlist,

categorized into Children’s, Intermediate, and High School sections.

Each nominated book represents

the pinnacle of literary excellence,

offering readers a diverse range of

narratives to explore.

What sets the Sequoyah Book

Awards apart is its democratic

process. At the end of the year,

students who have read or listened

to at least three selections from their

age appropriate masterlist will cast

their votes, determining the ultimate winner in each category. This

democratic approach not only fosters

a love for reading, but also empowers

our youth to engage actively in the

literary community.

Excitingly, the Sequoyah masterlists are readily accessible on our

Wyandotte Nation Historical Library

website, ensuring that every member

of our Tribe and community can

explore these literary treasures.

Moreover, all of the titles nominated

are available for check out in the

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

library. For more information about

the Sequoyah Book awards, you may

inquire with the librarian via phone

or email.

As we celebrate the joys of spring

and the wonders of literature, let us

seize the opportunity to embrace the

magic of storytelling, community,

and adventure at the Wyandotte

Nation Historical Library. Whether

it’s exploring the pages of a book

from the Sequoyah masterlists or

embarking on a stroll through the

Story Book Walk, there’s something

for everyone to enjoy.

Wyandotte Nation Historical

Library hours are Monday through

Thursday 8:am to 4:30pm and on

Friday 8am to 3:30pm. New books

and DVDs have recently been added

to the shelves. In order to check out

items from the library, you must be

a registered library patron. If you

are not currently a patron at the

library, you may sign up by filling

out the application on the website at

www.wyandotte-nation.org, or you

can sign up in person at the library.

Wyandotte Nation library also offers virtual library access through

Oklahoma Virtual Library. Through

the Oklahoma Virtual Library, you

will have access to many different

eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, and

videos. To access your virtual library

account, visit www.okvirtuallibrary.

overdrive.com. You may also download the “Libby'' app to access the

virtual library. For more information

about the Wyandotte Nation Library

or virtual access, you may contact

the librarian via phone or email.

The 477 Program, also known as

Workforce & Social Services Program, is a federally funded program

that combines a variety of services to better meet the needs of our

tribal community of those who reside

within our 100-mile service area. To

apply for the program, clients must

complete the initial 477 Application

for Services, provide proof of tribal

membership, provide proof of residency, and provide Selective Service

Registration Card (males only from

18 - 25). Other documentation may

be required to coincide with the type

of service requested.

Previously, the 477 Program

offered services assisting with

childcare subsidy, education, scholarships, workforce, & job training.

Recently, additional services have

been added under the 477 umbrella

to include LIHEAP, family violence,

and child welfare. By adding these

programs with the existing 477 programs, Wyandotte Nation hopes to

continue to foster environments for

safe & stable families; create support

of the economy through job creation & employment opportunities;

increase access & availability of high

quality childcare; provide continuity

of childcare while enabling parents &

families to seek gainful employment,

career advancement, or educational

goals; and offer opportunities for

community members that will lead

to self-sufficiency.

Childcare Assistance - the Childcare assistance or 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. Families pay

a monthly copay to their childcare

provider that is based on their

income. At this time, subsidy is

providing services for 125 children

throughout various childcare providers in the service area.

Education, Employment, Training

- the Education portion of 477 offers

scholarships, workforce & job training assistance, & vocational training

to help fund tribal students 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 approximately 15

students that have received educational services through the 477 program.

LIHEAP - The LIHEAP portion

of the 477 program offers utilities

assistance with heating services during the winter months and cooling

services during the summer months.

Clients may also apply once per year

for crisis assistance when there is

immediate danger such as a shut-off

notice for utilities or gas in either

summer or winter, or also empty propane tank during the winter months.

Since LIHEAP has been added to

the 477 Program, 13 clients have

received utility assistance.

With the May 1st deadline for

new applicants fast approaching,

the Wyandotte Nation Scholarship

May 2024

Program is currently processing

all the new applications. If you

are currently on the scholarship

program, please remember to send

in your latest unofficial transcript

that includes spring 2024 grades

and fall 2024 schedule. An official

transcript is required at the end of

each academic year in order for us

to process your next year’s scholarship. To obtain an Undergraduate,

Masters, or Vocational Scholarship

application, they are available on our

website, www.wyandotte-nation.org

or you can email your request or any

questions that you may have to Evan

Hotulke, our Education Specialist at

ehotulke@wyandotte-nation.org; or

by calling his office at 918-678-6331.

If you are new to the scholarship

program, we want to inform you

of some guidelines that you are

required to meet to maintain the

scholarship:

• Undergraduate scholarships are

limited to eight (8) semesters.

• Students will be placed on

probation for failure to complete 12

hours or more with a minimum of a

2.0 GPA.

• Students will be allowed one

probationary semester during the

programs duration.

You may also contact Evan for a

Wyandotte Nation Stole application. Stoles are available to college

graduates that have participated

in the Wyandotte Nation Scholarship Program. The stoles are also

available to Wyandotte Nation

tribal citizens who are graduating

college but did not obtain a scholarship from Wyandotte Nation. You

will be required to fill out the stole

application, located on the website,

and submit all documentation that is

required to get a stole mailed to you.

If you live local, you may pick up a

stole at the Education Department

once your application is approved

and you have been notified.

• We are currently assisting 9

members in the WN Vocational

Program.

• We have 150 participants in

the WN Undergraduate Scholarship

Program.

• We have 25 participants in the

WN Masters Scholarship Program.

Continued on Page 11

May 2024

www.wyandotte-nation.org

Page 11

T ribal D epartment R eports

Planning & Natural

Resources

Christen Lee, Environmental &

Planning Director

Courtesy Photos

The Elder Services Department held its Easter Dinner with a bonnet contest.

Elder Services

Submitted by Brenda House, Elder

Services Director

Happy Spring all!

We headed to Will Rogers Downs

in Claremore, Okla., to watch the

Thoroughbred Races Monday, April

29. Everyone received $5 free play

at the casino. Transportation was

provided. Those who attended, were

able to purchase lunch at one of the

delis in the casino.

Triad Eye Institute will provide a

free Eye Screening Thursday, May 2,

beginning at 10:30 am. in the conference/safe room.

Our Mother’s Day Dinner will

be Thursday, May 9. We will have

brisket and all the sides.

The Northeast Oklahoma Caregiver

Coalition will host a Country Music

Dance featuring the Moccasin Bend

Band and an Ice Cream Social Thursday, May16, from 2-4 pm at the First

Christian Church in Miami, Okla.

Senior Day is at the Buffalo Run

Casino Tuesday, June 11 from 9

am to 2 pm. The theme will be Blue

Hawaii.

Our Father’s Day Dinner will be

Thursday, June 13. We will have pot

roast and all the sides.

We are planning a trip to Branson,

Mo., in July. The date has not been

set yet.

CAREGIVER

Our Caregiver Support Group is

the first Thursday of each month

from 10:30 - 11:30 am in the conference/safe room. Lunch is 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.

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.

Stephanie Hamilton, Food Service Team Supervisor, (Office) 918

678-6390, (Kitchen) (918)-678-6328.

Seth Higginbotham, Robyn

Beaty, Amanda Turner, Cortney

Glass and Kelli Snell, Food Service

Team Members (918) 678-6328.

Elder Services Menu

www.wyandotte-nation.org/elderservices/elder-services-menu

Wyandotte Nation’s mission is,

“To advance the standard of living

of the Tribe…and to promote in any

other way the general welfare of the

Indians of the Wyandotte Nation.”

To carry this mission forward in

our tribal community, the Planning

and Natural Resources Department

provide a variety of services including, but not limited to, private well

drinking water sampling as and

septic assessments for private home

owners. For private well sampling

appointments, contact Kathleen

Welch or John Gerhard.

We also encourage and provide a

place to recycle. Lost Creek Recycling Center is open to the community and surrounding area Monday

through Thursday from 8 am to 4:30

pm and 8 am to 3:30 pm on Friday.

The facility can accept the following

materials: paper, plastic, cardboard,

Continued from Page 10

We have been busy here at the Wyandotte Nation Child Development

Center. We celebrated Easter with

class parties along with egg hunts

and a visit from the Easter Bunny.

We also prepared for our Leaford

Bearskin Memorial Preschool PowWow as well as our End of Year

Preschool Ceremony and Graduation

Program. The Pow-Wow was Thursday, April 11. The students worked

hard with our Cultural Department

representatives, Josh Garcia and

Chris Houk. The students learned

4 different pow-wow dances, a song

in our Wyandotte Language, and

they also learned how to count from

1-10 in the Wyandotte Language.

We are excited that we have had the

opportunity to help keep our culture

alive and instill just a little bit of it

in our precious children here at the

Child Development Center. The End

of Year Preschool Ceremony and

Graduation will be held on Monday,

May 6 at the Bearskin Healthcare

and Wellness Center Gymnasium

starting at 7. We will be celebrating

tin and aluminum.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Submitted by Kathleen Welch, Environmental Department Manager

January

At the start of the year, I had a

question running through my mind,

what changes will 2024 bring?

During the month of January John

Gerhard performed our day to day

activities without much change until

the last of the month. On Jan. 26

was our Water Tech 1 personnel,

Myron Shield’s last day of employment. That added to our already

busy schedule for John, Jon Quick

and myself. During this month, staff

performed two private well sampling tests, and our regular monthly

sampling on eight area creeks and

rivers within the Wyandotte Nation

Reservation.

February

February picked up where the

previous month left off. John and

Continued on Page 12

all of the academic accomplishments

that our students have achieved this

school year. The last day of school

this year will be on Tuesday, May

14 with the first day of our Summer

Program on Wednesday, May 15.

Department Contacts:

Cristi Hudson – Education Director

918-678-6334 or chudson@wyandotte-nation.org

Sami Butterfield – Caseworker/

Childcare Specialist

918-678-6330 or sbutterfield@

wyandotte-nation.org

Lindsay Cooper – Early Childhood

Program Coordinator

918-678-3267 or lcooper@wyandottenation.org

Madeline Harnar – Librarian

918-678-6332 or mharnar@wyandotte-nation.org

Evan Hotulke— Caseworker/Education/Employment Specialist

918-678-6331 or ehotulke@wyandotte-nation.org

Kasey Lewis – Intake Clerk

918-678-3268 or klewis@wyandottenation.org

Page 12

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

Continued from Page 11

I performed our monthly sampling

sites on creeks and rivers, and also

performing our quarterly nutrient

sampling on three Lost Creek sites.

On Feb. 27th, John, Christen Lee

and I held an education event with

the Wyandotte Nation Turtle Tots

Education Program. We visited the

classes from ages 2 – 5-years-old,

and talked to the students about the

environment, and how the changing

of seasons and temperatures affect

the health of plants and water.

In the later part of 2023, we received word that Wyandotte Nation

had been selected as a recipient, of a

$920,709 Solid Waste Infrastructure

for Recycling (SWIFR) Grant, to be

used for an addition, and upgrades to

the Lost Creek Recycle Center. On

Feb. 27, representatives from EPA

visited Wyandotte Nation and held a

check presenting ceremony.

During this month we also held

interviews for the Water Tech 1 position, and we are happy to announce

we hired Ryan Haggard.

March

March started off with a bang

and never let up. On March 6, John

assisted the Eastern Shawnee Tribe

of Oklahoma with a fish sampling

collection event that took place on

the Spring and Neosho Rivers.

On March 12, we hosted a Native American Water Management

Association (NAWMA) training, for

the renewal of Safe Drinking Water

Class “D” Licenses. Employees from

the Utilities, Environmental and

Maintenance Departments participated in the class.

This was also Ryan’s first official

day as a Wyandotte Nation em-

May 2024

and in person meetings and trainings such as RTOC, NATURE,

TECO, TCTC, TCTCIT, TSMD and

others.

Services Provided:

Private Well Drinking Water

Sampling

Private Home Owners Septic Asssessments

Lost Creek Recycle Center

Notice:

For private well sampling appointments, contact Kathleen Welch, John

Gerhard or Ryan Haggard.

PLANNING

Submitted by Debbie Dry, Grant

Writer/BIA Self-Governance Coordinator

Photo: William Swaim | Wyandotte Nation

The US Environmental Protection Agency's Helena Healy presents the

Wyandotte Nation with a large check to expand and improve the Lost Creek

Recycling Center in Wyandotte, Okla. Pictured, from left: Wyandotte Nation

Environmental Program Manager Kathy Welch, Second Chief Norman Hildebrand, EPA Region 6 Land, Chemicals and Redevelopment Division Acting

Director Helena Healy, and Wyandotte Nation Planning & Natural Resources

Director Christen Lee.

ployee.

March 19, myself and Ryan Haggard attended a TECO (Tribal Environmental Coalition of Oklahoma)

meeting in Stroud, Okla.

During this month we also performed two Environmental Inspections for the Housing Department.

The Lost Creek Recycle center

has been busy and the amount of

recyclable products being received

daily has steadily increased with

the warmer temps and spring in the

air. At the center we receive #1 & 2

plastics, cardboard, shredded paper,

newspaper, tin cans and aluminum

cans. Below are our

monthly quarterly totals.

SAVE the DATE:

April 22 – 26th we will be having a

Spring Tire Collection event.

Other Environmental Duties:

Each month, department staff

performs monitoring and sampling

on eight 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

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. Funding

agencies include a variety of federal

partners as well as money from the

U.S. Department of Treasury.

There are currently grants submitted, awaiting approval.

Projects:

There are several projects at this

time.

• The CR 638 Project is ending

soon. The road was paved, and

improvements were made to the

drainage and the culvert at Hwy 60.

• CR 615 at Wyandotte Ridge is

nearing completion on the Planning/

Engineering phase. The project

will go out for bid in May, and will

include paving, widening and drainage work.

• The park at Turtle Hill Estates

is almost finished. When completed,

there will be a walking track, playground, and pickleball courts.

• Construction is underway on

the walking track at Heritage Acres

playground.

Continued on Page 13

May 2024

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports

Continued from Page 12

• The ICDBG-23 will be going

to bid soon. This is the addition of

a new gymnasium to be added next

to the current. The gym will have

a high school regulation basketball

court, two (2) pickleball courts, and

education classroom, and storage

space.

• The ICDBG-21 (Pow-Pow

Grounds Project), is in the Engineering phase. Once everything is in

place, construction will begin. This

Cultural

Division

Submitted by Kim Garcia (Tętsiʔtaraʔt),

Cultural Preservation Officer

(Inyǫmarihúʔtęʔ Ahęhtastaʔ)

Kweh!

If you’ve been following the Wyandotte Nation Cultural Center and

Museum on Facebook or Instagram, you

know that we’ve been very busy and the

upcoming spring and summer are even

busier! On May 4, we are hosting the

“Honoring Women Social Dance”. We

will also be honoring all 2024 graduates

project will add a bathroom, covered

bleachers, spaces in vendor row,

camping spots, lighting, paved parking, etc.

• The Police/Courts building is

adding extra parking.

• The Education Department has

extensive constuction going on. An

additional building will be added, the

old Title VI building will be renovated, and parking on the East side

has been added.

at this dance. That afternoon, we are

hosting a shawl class and a medicine

pouch class. Also in May we will be

hosting Wyandotte Beading on May 14,

Waⁿdat Wednesday on May 15, May 24

is the Pow-Wow Golf Scramble, May 27

we will be honoring Wyandotte Veteran

Glen Weaver at the Wyandotte Nation

Cemetery for Memorial Day, and May

28 is Wyandotte History: Reading the

Wampum with Lloyd Divine.

May 31, we will be leaving from Wyandotte to visit Upper Sandusky, Ohio

to celebrate 200 years since the Mission

Church was built. We will be making

stops at various historic locations along

the way. On Sunday, we will have a

church service, a catered lunch, and a

social dance. If you’d like to meet us in

Ohio, please let us know and we will get

you more information about the trip.

June - In June, we will begin our Native Youth Nights – every Thursday from

4:30 to 6:30. If your youth is interested

in spending time with other Natives and

learning more about our culture, please

make sure they attend. There is no age

limit but we do ask that the youth are

able to be respectful and take care of

themselves (we will not be babysitting).

Continued on Page 14

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: application 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.

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 application process by May 31st.

Note: As this is an intense time-consuming process, meeting the May 31st deadline does

not guarantee a name will be bestowed that same year. To begin the process, 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.

Page 13

Important

Numbers

Family Services Enrollment

wnfs@wyandotte-nation.org

Dana Butterfield (918) 678-6319

Leeanna Radabaugh, (918) 678-6329

Haylee Botts, (918) 678-6377