A Wyandotte Nation Publication

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The Turtle Speaks

Gyah'-Wish

Atak-ia

A Wyandotte Nation Publication

Volume 25, Issue 3

www.wyandotte-nation.org

August 2021

View

from

Above

Aerial photos show the various properties of the

Wyandotte Nation. (From the top) The new administration

building sits next to the Cultural Center & Museum while

also being next door neighbors to Bearskin Healthcare &

Wellness Center. Just down the hill is the Long Building

(Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma -- home of economic

development). And at the bottom is the Turtle Stop in

Wyandotte. We have more photos to share later.

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) 678-2944

Inside:

•

Tribal citizens make the news, p4-5

Bearskin Healthcare named Business of the Year, p8

New Feature: Language Notes, p15

Page 2

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

Board of Directors

Chief........................................Billy Friend

Second Chief.....Norman Hildebrand, Jr.

Councilperson.................... Ramona Reid

Councilperson........................ Vivian Fink

Councilperson......... Juanita McQuistion

Councilperson.......................Eric Lofland

Content

Public Notice: Annual Meeting............ 3

FEATURE: Tribal Citizen News....... 4-5

31st Annual Pow-Wow Flyer............ 6-7

Bearskin Healthcare receives award..... 8

Tribal Department Reports............. 9-15

Important Numbers............................. 16

CALENDAR.......................................... 16

Editor/Design: William Swaim

Cover Photo:

A unique view

of the various

Tribe properties. Watch for

more later.

Photo by Melanie Dawn Photography

Have News?

Share it

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

Phone: (918) 810-0089

From the Chief

www.twitter.com/WyandotteNation

www.instagram.com/wyandottenation

www.youtube.com/WyandotteNation

Billy Friend

Facing the challenge

On July 4th this year we celebrated

the 245th anniversary of the American

Declaration of Independence.

As Wyandottes and Americans, we

celebrate what it means to us, and

to all Americans. At the same time,

we celebrate our Wyandotte Nation

sovereignty and the many Wyandotte

contributions to the evolving story of

the United States.

We have a great challenge before

us. This challenge is to pass on the

Wyandotte legacy to present and

future generations. This challenge can

be achieved by making wise decisions,

to advance the progress of the Wyandotte Nation and to encourage each of

our citizens to earn a quality of life for

themselves, their families, communities and Nation.

Wyandottes, and citizens of many

other tribal nations, had a significant

impact on the outcome of the American Revolutionary War. The tribes

were recognized by both the Americans and British as powerful and

skillful military powers. The young

inexperienced nation realized the

importance of strong alliances with the

tribes, and the Wyandotte Nation and

its sister tribes were rightly recognized

in the commerce clause of the U.S.

Constitution as sovereign nations.

As I began to reflect on our Wyandotte legacy, which we have been

entrusted, I realized that a legacy is a

gift from our ancestors. Our legacy is

that we are a people who face adversity and survive, adapt, prosper, and

excel. The decision to accept this

legacy and its responsibility is not

difficult. What greater honor, what

greater opportunity can we have than

to provide something meaningful and

enriching to our children and grandchildren? History and our children

will judge us on the decisions we make

and the actions we take today.

Of course, our history is of a tribe of

longstanding with a fully functioning

government. Our tribal government

is the foundation upon which our

sovereignty rests.

It is important that we understand

how we exist as a sovereign nation

within the United States. We take

much pride in being citizens of both

the U.S. and the Wyandotte Nation.

Despite the many hardships and challenges over the generations, we are

loyal citizens of both sovereigns. Our

history is unique and to be celebrated

and honored.

Indian people have been among the

most patriotic and giving American

citizens. Indian men and women have

From the Second Chief

www.facebook.com/WyandotteNation

August 2021

served, and continue to serve, in the

U.S. military at much higher levels

than the American population overall.

Indian citizens, since the country’s

establishment, have compiled a consistent record of service and sacrifice

to guarantee our precious American

freedoms. The Wyandotte Nation has

always held it’s veterans in the highest regard.

At the same time, we love, honor

and revere our tribe. Our Wyandotte

culture and traditions have been

preserved throughout the centuries

of disproportionate Indian policy. Our

tribal government has endured many

challenges to continually function

for hundreds, and likely thousands,

of years. Most importantly, we have

relied on each other. We have maintained the strength of the Wyandotte

Nation through the strength of our

Wyandotte families, friends and fellow

citizens.

Today we appreciate and value our

citizenship in the Wyandotte Nation,

and in the United States of America

and celebrate our freedom and are

grateful for those who made sacrifices

for it.

May God continue to bless you and

your family and may God continue to

bless the Wyandotte Nation.

Norman Hildebrand, Jr.

Fighting misinformation

Kweh

Hello my fellow Wyandotte Citizens,

I hope everyone is staying safe and

sanitized during this pandemic that

has been a part of our lives this past

year and a half. As far as the pandemic here in Northeast Oklahoma

everything was looking good until a

couple of months ago when we started

to get a spike in infections. Evidently

the Delta Variant has made it to this

area and according to experts in all

fifty states as well. So far it is much

worse than Covid-19 the variant is

affecting young children and adults of

all ages. The way it stands right now

over 99% of the infections and deaths

is affecting the unvaccinated populace.

I cannot stress enough how important

it is to get vaccinated it could mean

the difference between spending a

day or two in the hospital or months

on a ventilator with possible lasting

complications. There is a lot of misinformation out on social media about

the vaccine, if you are unsure about it

consult your physician and then decide

on the right choice for you. We don’t

want to lose any more Wyandotte Citizens to this terrible disease if it can be

prevented.

The new

Secretary

of the Interior Deb Haaland stated in

June during the National Congress of

American Indians Mid-Year Conference that an investigation will be done

concerning possible deaths at Boarding Schools here in the United States.

I am hoping no mass graves will be

found here like there was in Canada,

but this investigation is something

See 2nd Chief, Page 3

August 2021

www.wyandotte-nation.org

2nd Chief

Continued from Page 2

that has been needed to happen for a

long time.

Now for some history, to keep with

the theme I seem to have started let’s

delve into the death of Miss Jane McCrea in 1777. I think you will find this

very interesting. It has been said, history is written by the victors. Because

of this the histories of the Border

Wars largely ignore the white man’s

cruelties and mistakes. One such story

is the killing of Miss Jane McCrea.

Actually, there are many stories that

tell of Jane’s death and most are so

flamboyant, and as far from the truth,

as nightmarish fairy tales. In spite of

an apparent knowledge of truth that

existed at the time, the outlandish

stories were allowed to purposefully

instill fear and disdain in the Colonial

Americans toward both the British

and their allies, the allied tribes of

the Ohio Country – in particular the

Wyandot.

The one account relevant to this

story that is most often ignored is

the one told by the accused who was

present when Jane died, one of very

few eyewitnesses. Let’s look at two

of the more prominent versions of

Jane’s death. Why is Jane’s death so

important, after all, she is but one of

thousands to die during the American

Revolution at the hands of the Indians. This is the problem; Jane did not

die at the hands of the Indians, yet

still, the Wyandot were blamed for her

death.

It is known Jane’s fiancé was a tory

officer by the name of David Jones.

Tories were American colonists who

supported the British efforts during

the American Revolution. David was

attached to the army of British Lieu-

tenant General John Burgoyne. It is

said in one version of the story on July

27, 1777 Jane’s fiancé commissioned

two Indian scouts, Wyandot nonetheless, to escort Jane to their appointed

wedding near Fort Edward. It was also

said while in route Jane was brutally

killed by one of the scouts named Le

Loup. Supposedly, a disagreement

occurred between the two Wyandots

over a keg of rum paid them for their

services. In the ensuing argument

Le Loup, for no apparent reason,

decided to tomahawk and scalp Jane.

Afterwards Le Loup is said to have

proudly displayed his trophy for all to

see while confessing to her murder. Le

Loup supposedly made his confession

in the presence of General Fraser who

was cousin to another captive also

reportedly taken by Le Loup. Mrs.

McNeil was returned to her people

alive, but stripped naked and publicly

shamed. Because of this General

Fraser was convinced Le Loup killed

Miss McCrea.

In a second version of the story Jane

was to be escorted by a detachment of

British soldiers for a getaway excursion on Lake George where David

Jones had intentions of taking Miss

McCrea as his wife. Before the marriage party could leave for the short

trip to Fort Edward the detachment

of British soldiers were distracted due

to the unexpected presence of American soldiers in the general vicinity.

While the British soldiers were absent

from their protective care of Jane,

and chasing rebel soldiers, Indians

took her and her friend Mrs. McNeil

captive. The two unfortunate young

women were dragged from their hiding

place in the cellar of Mrs. McNeil’s

home where Jane had been staying.

In flight they were pursued by a few of

the Americans who upon firing at the

fleeing Wyandots mistakenly hit Jane

and instantly killed her. During the

flight Jane had been separated from

the company of Mrs. McNeil.

Lieutenant General Burgoyne was

infuriated and in an ensuing investigation identified Jane’s supposed

captor and murderer as Le Loup. It

was suggested Le Loup viciously tomahawked and scalped Jane in spite of

no wounds on her body to substantiate

such a brutal attack. Le Loup argued

it was the Americans who had shot

and killed Jane as they attempted to

stop his flight. No one at the time was

willing to believe the Wyandot’s version of what he said actually occurred.

After much to do Lieutenant General

Burgoyne eventually failed to punish

Jane’s supposed killer due to pressure

from his superiors to not upset and

antagonize the Indians. If Le Loup had

been wrongly punished for the accusation and Jane had truly been killed by

the Americans, the Indians, especially

the Wyandot who the British desperately needed as allies, would have

revolted and declared war on both the

British and the Americans.

Regardless of what truly happened

the killing of Jane McCrea was a

rallying cry for the recruitment of

Patriot forces against the British.

Many Tories realizing the British

could not protect, nor likely had

any desire or intent to protect them

from the Indians, switched loyalties

and supported the Colonists quest

for independence. The story of Miss

Jane McCrea’s brutal murder at the

hands of the Wyandot warrior spread

throughout the colonies in many fanciful variations. Jane quickly became a

Page 3

“A life spent in making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a

life spent in doing nothing.”

--George Bernard Shaw

martyred legend, which only inflamed

an already blistering hate for the cruel

and savage Wyandot.

Nearly fifty years later in 1826 the

killing of Miss Jane McCrea was still

a big story and legend of folklore. It

was then James Fenimore Cooper first

published his classic novel The Last of

the Mohicans. It is believed the killing

of Jane was inspiration for the killing

of Cora in his literary masterpiece.

Of course it’s clear Mr. Cooper took

many creative liberties with the event,

as his narrative of 1757 was during

the French and Indian War, not the

American Revolution. By the time

all the evidence surrounding Jane’s

death was being compiled in 1853,

David Wilson wrote Jane McCrea’s

biography. Her body was exhumed,

examined, and reburied. The evidence

did not support a brutal tomahawk

attack by Le Loup, but rather her body

did possess the presence of bullet holes

as obtained from musket balls just as

Le Loup first indicated.

As Mr. Wilson began to write he

summarized Jane’s death, “In the

history of the Revolutionary War,

perhaps no single incident is recorded

which, at the time of its occurrence,

created more intense sympathy, or

aroused a spirit of more bitter indignation, than the massacre of Jane

McCrea.” This is certainly a very

interesting Story. Please everyone

stay safe and hopefully we will all be

together soon.

P ublic N otice

Notice of Annual Meeting Sept. 11

On Sept. 11, 2021, the Wyandotte

Nation shall hold their Annual

Meeting at the Bearskin Healthcare

and Wellness Center near Wyandotte, Okla.

The Annual Meeting will start

at 10 a.m. As of the date of this

publication, it has been determined

that there are no contested posts for

elective office within the government

of the Wyandotte Nation.

Therefore, it is not necessary

to hold an election at the Tribe’s

annual meeting on Saturday, Sept.

11, 2021 per the Wyandotte Nation

Constitution.

The 2021 Qualified Wyandotte

Nation Election Candidates:

• Chief: Billy Friend

• Board of Director members:

Ramona Reid, Eric Lofland.

• Grievance Committee

members: Derald Clemons, Darlene

Trimble, Catherine J. Hitchcock.

The term of each position is four

years.

Page 4

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

August 2021

T ribal C itizens N ews

Garrard named Athlete of the Year

Tribal citizen excels

as three sport

athlete at Webb City

Garrard won the long jump with

a leap of 23 feet, 3 1/4 inches to pick

up the first track and field state title

in his prep career. He also placed

second in the triple jump at 45-10,

and he joined William Wolfe, James

Morgan and Pryce Mason on the

Cardinals’ 4x400 relay team that

placed fourth.

“For him to win the long jump

and do as well as he did in his other

events, it was just really special,”

Webb City track and field coach

Dustin Miller said. “I couldn’t be

more proud of the work he put in and

the selflessness he showed to help

the team in any way he could.”

“The thing that just gives me

goosebumps is that there aren’t very

many kids like Mekhi who come out

for three sports anymore,” Roderique

said. “Here’s an example of a kid

who’s shown you can do that and you

can excel in multiple (sports). He’s a

kid who probably could have picked

which sport he wanted to play in

college.”

Garrard will continue his athletic

career with the Missouri Southern

track and field team in the upcoming

school year.

By Jared Porter

Joplin Globe

(Reprinted with Permission)

Adversity wouldn’t stop Mekhi

Garrard from continuing his ascension as a three-sport standout at

Webb City High School.

In the wake of a leg injury (tibia

fracture) he suffered in the summer

of 2020, the senior bounced back in a

big way to aid the Cardinals as a key

contributor in football, basketball

and track and field.

Garrard has been named the

Wendell Redden Boys Athlete of the

Year by the Globe for the 2020-2021

school year.

“The year he had is really a testament to his drive and the type of kid

he is,” Webb City football coach John

Roderique said. “At one point, we

didn’t know what his situation was

or if we’d get him back. … Not very

many kids can go through something

like that and come back and do the

things he did for us.”

Garrard made his return from

injury in Week 4 of Webb City’s football season in mid-September — an

outing that saw the receiver haul in

a 35-yard touchdown pass in a 38-10

win over Kickapoo. He went on to

tally 12 catches on the year with four

touchdowns and 218 reception yards

to aid the Cardinals in a run to the

Class 5 state semifinals.

Among the season highlights for

Garrard was the district championship game against Carthage when he

tallied two catches for 50 yards and

one touchdown in a 42-21 Webb City

triumph.

“I really think, athletically, he just

got better and better,” Roderique

said. “He’s an athlete whose best

days are still ahead of him. … He

has God-given ability and he has

the type of drive to keep improving.

We saw that throughout the football

season and continued to see it in the

winter and then the spring.”

Courtesy Photo

Wyandotte tribal citizen Mekhi Garrard was named Athlete of the Year by the

Joplin Globe in Missouri after recently winning a state title in track and field

this past Spring. Garrard also excelled at football and basketball.

In the winter, Garrard was a

key contributor for the Cardinals’

basketball team that went 18-9 and

made a run to the Class 5 District

12 championship game. The 6-foot

guard posted per-game averages of

10 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists

and 2.1 steals while shooting 45

percent from the floor.

“He’s the type of player who will

do whatever you need him to do to

win a basketball game,” Webb City

basketball coach Jason Horn said.

“He could score it, rebound, defend

— just anything. He showed a lot of

maturity, too. I’m really proud of the

way he developed as a player and a

person.”

Perhaps Garrard’s best showing

of the year came in the spring track

and field season. He picked up one

individual state title and two other

podium finishes to aid the Webb City

boys to a team championship at the

Class 4 state meet at Adkins Stadium in Jefferson City.

Joplin Globe File Photo

Garrard was also a standout basketball player.

August 2021

www.wyandotte-nation.org

Page 5

T ribal C itizens N ews

Graham named Scholar in national competition

National Cyber Scholarship

Foundation recognizes

tribal citizen for

outstanding achievement

Caleb Graham, an incoming senior

at Carl Junction High School, has

been named a Scholar in the National Cyber Scholarship Competition

(NCSC), a rigorous 48-hour online

competition sponsored by The National Cyber Scholarship Foundation

(NCSF). In recognition of his achievement, Graham earned an invitation

to participate in the Cyber Foundations Academy – a multi-week online

program based on the nationally-recognized SANS Foundations training

course and certification – valued at

more than $3,000 and a $2,500 college

Calling all

Artisans!

We will be hosting an exhibit

for all Wyandotte artisans! The

annual Tribal Artisan Showcase's

opening reception and award

ceremony will be held Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 7 pm during the

Gathering.

Check out the rules, categories,

entry information and forms on

our website, www.wyandottenation.org/tribal-news/wyandottetribal-artisan-showcase, or on

Facebook, www.facebook.com/

wyandottenation.

Entries for the Tribal Artisan

Showcase are due Sept. 2 at noon.

Courtesy Photo

Graham was named a scholar in a nation cyber scholarship competition.

scholarship to the school of his choice.

Graham competed against 5,000

high school students in a cybersecurity

competition designed to challenge its

participants to solve computer security

problems and/or capture and defend

computer systems. In total, 50,000

students nationwide sought to qualify

for the NCSC; with just 10% meeting

the requirements.

“I am very happy to be awarded

the National Cyber Scholar status,”

said Graham. “The scholarship will

help with college and I look forward

to learning more through the Cyber

Foundations course.”

“The National Cyber Scholarship

Competition recognizes high school

students who have demonstrated

exceptional cybersecurity prowess

and who wish to pursue a career in a

growing field in critical need of their

talent,” noted David Brown, executive

director, National Cyber Scholarship

Foundation. “The NCSF mission is to

identify and develop the next generation of cyber professionals. Each and

every student who participated in

this competition has the potential to

develop their skills and build a successful career in cybersecurity.”

There are several qualification pathways for the National Cyber Scholarship Competition including CyberStart

America, a free online program that

helps students discover their interest

in cybersecurity and develop their

talent and skills. The NCSC offers 600

college scholarships to top-ranking

competitors. Additionally, National

Cyber Scholars, along with competition 1,000 finalists, are invited to

participate in the Cyber Foundations

Academy. To learn more visit: National Cyber Scholarship Foundation.

Miles nabs scholarship in health studies

Emily Miles, a tribal citizen and

student at Florida Southern College, shared her success in earning

a scholarship after seeing it posted

on the Wyandotte Nation Facebook

page.

Miles was one of three recipients

of a scholarship from Medtronic,

aimed at helping American Indian

students studying in the fields of

healthcare and STEM.

“I wanted to personally thank you

for sharing that opportunity and

providing me a chance to gain more

financial support. I am so honored to

represent not only Florida Southern

College in receiving this scholarship,

but also the Wyandotte Nation,”

Miles said.

We frequently post scholarships

and other opportunities on our

Facebook page, www.facebook.com/

wyandottenation, so ‘follow’ us and

look out for other news and opportunities.

Congratulations to Emily, we wish

her the best, and thanks for sharing!

Courtesy Photo

Miles with her scholarship.

Have News? Share it with us!

We want your news! We love to hear what our Tribal Citizens are up to and their latest accomplishments.

Share your news and photos with us so we can let everyone else know what's going on with their fellow

citizens. Have an idea for a feature story? Pitch it to us.

If you have news, accomplishments or something to share,

please email your news and photos to: wswaim@wyandotte-nation.org.

Page 8

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

August 2021

N ews & N otes

Wyandotte Nation receives

grant for digital archive

The Institute of Museum and Library Services recently announced 26

grants totaling $2,264,639 to support

Indian tribes and organizations that

primarily serve and represent Native

Hawaiians.

Wyandotte Nation was awarded

$78,562 in order to implement the

Wyandot Heritage Digital Archive: The

William E. Connelley Collection project.

The collection includes thousands of

documents about the history of negotiations with the federal government, the

tribe’s removal from Ohio to Kansas,

and the treaty signed to purchase land

in Indian territory. The project team

will catalog, scan, digitize, and upload

8-10,000 documents of Wyandot materials to a digital database created and

utilized by tribal citizens and accessible

to researchers across the nation. The

Miami Chamber of Commerce

recognizes Bearkin Healthcare

project will also include the development of training videos on metadata

and document transcriptions as well

as a community workshop on the use

of digital databases. Project members

will promote activities and discoveries

through various forms of social media to

reach a variety of audiences.

"IMLS’s Native American and Native

Hawaiian grant programs celebrate Native heritage through collections preservation, exhibits, and lifelong learning," said

IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. "The

awarded grants will help strengthen

Native American and Native Hawaiian

organizations through professional and

capacity development, and support the

wellbeing of their communities. Now more

than ever, we are all looking for what we

share, what unites us, and how we can

better promote equity in our world. What

better moment, what better activity, than

the announcement of these funded projects

and the important work they will do."

O bituary

Bruce Leonard Pearson

April 30, 1932 – July 14, 2021

Courtesy Photo

The Miami Regional Chamber of Commerce (Miami, Okla.) named

Bearskin Healthcare & Wellness Center as its Business of the Year

at its recent Awards Gala. Chief Billy Friend, Second Chief Norman

Hildebrand, and Bearskin staff accepted the award.

Bruce Leonard Pearson died at St. Mary's Hospital on the Mayo Clinic

Campus on July 14, 2021. He was born on April 30, 1932, in Indianapolis,

Indiana where he spent most of his childhood and remained a fan of the

Indy 500 races all his life.

Bruce graduated from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana with

a B.A. in 1953. He served alternative service as a conscientious objector

under the auspices of the American Friends Service Committee in Japan,

where he taught English and spent summers working on field projects

and in orphanages. Upon returning to the states, he taught in Shortridge

High School in Indianapolis, pursuing a degree in Linguistics at Indiana

University during the summers. He was awarded an M.A. in 1963. He then

accepted a position at Earlham College as an administrator and faculty member. The college

was developing the Conner Prairie Pioneer Settlement, a living history museum built around

the homestead of William Conner, one of the state's pioneer settlers. Bruce's focus on the settler

was quickly eclipsed by his interest in the Delaware Indians, with whom Conner had grown up.

With his study in languages and the seeds of culture embedded within grammar structures and

vocabulary, Bruce decided to pursue a doctoral degree at the University of California at Berkeley.

While there he began research on the Delaware language. On completing his degree in 1972,

he accepted a faculty position at the University of South Carolina to teach linguistics and other

anthropology courses, retiring in 1997 as professor emeritus. He worked throughout his academic

career on Delaware and Shawnee, both members of the Algonquian language family.

In 1994 while speaking at a conference on the Historic Tribes of Tuscarawas County, Ohio,

Bruce met Jim Bland, then the second chief of the Wyandotte Nation, who asked him to help

the tribe to preserve their own language, a member of the Iroquois language family.

Bruce is survived by his wife of 32 years, Julia; children: Sarah Columbus, Thomas (Tracey)

Pearson, Cresta (Colleen Coulter) Cates, and Kate (Nicholas) Remmes; and grandchildren:

Paul, Alison, and Amy Columbus; Atlee (Miranda) and Tanner Pearson; Solomon and Lyle

Cates, and Liam and Keegan Gabauer; Genevieve and Duncan Remmes; his sister, Susan (Kenneth) Steeves; and the Knox brothers- and sisters-in-law as well as many nieces and nephews.

A special companion and gentle joy for the past seven years has been his beagle, Suki.

August 2021

Human Resources

Submitted by Deana Howard, HR

Director

The Human Resources Department has a new full-time staff member, tribal citizen Haylee Griffin.

Haylee will serve

as the Receptionist

in the lower level

of the new Administration Building.

Haylee received her

Bachelors in General Studies in May

of 2021. Haylee

likes spending time

outdoors fishing,

GRIFFIN

and she enjoys

crafting. Haylee enjoys time with her

nieces and nephews, her dogs and

her fiancé. We are very fortunate to

have Haylee rejoin the Wyandotte

Nation.

The Housing Department has a

new staff member, tribal citizen

Randall Qualls. Randall graduated from MHS. He

worked 24 years

in the healthcare

industry. In his

spare time, Randall

enjoys woodworking. He also enjoys

spending time with

his grandkids. We

are very fortunate

to have Randall

QUALLS

join our team.

The Bearskin Healthcare and

Wellness Center is happy to welcome

tribal citizen Janet Webb as the

new Patient Benefit Coordinator,

and Morgan Reeves as a Pharmacy

Technician.

Janet has worked several years in

the medical field and has previous

experience. In her spare time, she

enjoys reading and jigsaw puzzles.

She also loves spending time with

her 10 grandkids, her husband, and

with her family. We

wish Janet much

success in her new

position.

Morgan graduated from Wyandotte

High School and

from the Pharmacy Technician

Program in 2021,

and worked in the

WEBB

www.wyandotte-nation.org

Page 9

T ribal D epartment R eports

Wyandotte Nation

pharmacy as an intern. In her spare

time, she enjoys

travel baseball and

kids sports. She

also enjoys spending time with her

family and friends.

We are very

REEVES

fortunate to have

Morgan on our team and wish her

much success in her new position.

The Facilities Department welcomes tribal citizen Rory Reid as a

Facilities Technician. Rory has 40

years of experience in construction.

He was born in California and moved

to the Midwest

in 1999 where he

lived and raised his

family in Kansas

City. He is a proud

grandpa. Rory in

his spare time has

played in numerous bands and still

REID

enjoys playing for

fun, likes motorcycle riding and racing. Rory also enjoys spending time

working on his house. We are very

fortunate to have Rory on our team

and wish him much success in his

new position.

The Accounting Department is

happy to welcome Christy Dohrman.

Christy will serve

as the Senior Accounting Manager

for the Wyandotte

Nation. Christy

has her Bachelor’s

Degree with and

emphasis in Accounting and her

Master’s Degree in

Science of AccountDOHRMAN

ing. In her spare

time, she enjoys DIY Projects, painting, drawing and genealogy research.

She loves spending

time with her two

dogs. We are very

fortunate to have

Christy on our

team and wish her

much success in

her new position.

The Housing

Department has a

HOLLINGSHEAD new seasonal staff

Service Awards

William Swaim | Wyandotte Nation

The Wyandotte Nation recognized several employees May 7 for their

years of service to the Tribe. Wyandotte Nation Chief Billy Friend and

Second Chief Norman Hildebrand, Jr. presented gifts and HR staff later

served up cake to the honorees as well as the fellow employees who

came out to support them in the milestone. Employees serving for

five years included Kristi Johnston, Chris Rhodes, Tiffany Garner, and

Twylia Stone. Employees recognized for 10 years of service included

Leeanna Radabaugh and Levi Griffin. Employees reaching the 15-year

milestone included Richard Teeter and Erin Corbit. The ceremony took

place in the conference room of the new Administration Building.

Pictured from left to right: Second Chief Norman Hildebrand, Jr., Kristi

Johnston, Chris Rhodes, Tiffany Garner, Twylia Stone, Levi Griffin,

Richard Teeter, and Chief Billy Friend. Not pictured: Leeanna Radabaugh and Erin Corbit.

member Gage Hollingshead. Gage

just graduated high school and will

be attending William Jewell College

in Liberty, Mo., in the fall. In his

spare time, Gage enjoys hunting,

fishing, and power lifting. He also

enjoys spending time with his family,

girlfriend and being outside helping

his grandma with yardwork, work,

school, and video games. We are very

fortunate to have Gage join us this

year.

Family Services

Submitted by Dana Butterfield,

Family Services Director

In the midst of all the chaos

of 2020 and 2021 we have many

reasons to be thankful. The Family

Services Department has increased

by two employees, we have moved

into beautiful new offices, staff

members are healthy and able to

work in person/office and so far we’ve

had beautiful summer weather with

mild temperatures, just to name a

few of those reasons. We are also

looking forward to seeing our tribal

citizens in September at The Gathering, Annual Meeting and Pow-Wow!

Details regarding these events can

be found elsewhere in the newsletter, but please be sure to follow us

on Facebook and/or visit our website

www.wyandotte-nation.org as we get

closer to the date, as there may need

to be last minute changes.

As always, you must present your

Wyandotte Nation membership or

citizenship card to vote and/or register for the Annual Meeting. This

card will display your enrollment

number, not to be confused with the

Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood,

which is not proof of citizenship with

the Nation. If you are in need of a

replacement card please contact a

member of the Family Service staff

or the application can be found on

Continued on Page 10

Page 10

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

Continued from Page 9

the website under the Community/

Family Services tab.

If you haven’t submitted a COVID

Relief application yet, the deadline

to apply is Aug. 15. Applications for

this program can be found on our

website or one can be emailed by

contacting a member of the Family

Services staff. We encourage everyone who has been affected by the

COVID-19 pandemic to apply for the

funding. Receipts and/or supporting

documentation is not required to be

submitted with the application, but

should be saved in case we need to

request in the future.

If you need to enroll a child with

the Nation please be sure to have

your application to the office by the

Aug. 15 deadline. Each application

must be accompanied by an original

state certified birth certificate. The

birth certificate will be returned

within 10-14 business days of

receipt. Children whose applications

are received by their first birthday

will receive a $100 gift card and a

tribal blanket. New members will be

voted in at the Annual Meeting and

citizenship cards will be mailed to

new members by Nov. 1, 2021.

In this article, I would like to highlight a few of our existing programs

that are only available between July

1 and Sept. 30. A complete list of

programs offered through the Family

Services Department can be found on

the website.

The School Supply Program

started July 1 and is available to all

students nationwide pre-k (must be

at least 3 and enrolled in a qualified

learning program) through grade

12. Each student is eligible for up

to $100 for school supplies, clothing, backpacks, lunch boxes, etc.

Walmart giftcards are available for

tribal citizens who reside in OK, AR,

KS and MO and students nationwide

will be reimbursed for expenses.

Please note that all applications and

receipts must be original so they

will either need to be mailed or hand

delivered. Applications for both the

gift card and the reimbursement

program are available on the website

homepage as well as a one-page

guideline. Please note that each

child must be on a separate application with separate receipts for the

reimbursement program. Applications MUST be postmarked or hand

delivered no later than Sept. 30.

If you have questions, please call

Leeanna at 918-678-6329.

The Senior Energy program began

July 1 and will make one $100

Wyandotte Nation

Family Services Programs

Dates to Remember

Elder’s Assistance: Oct. 1 – Sept. 30

Senior Energy - Winter: Oct. 1 – Feb. 28

Senior Energy - Summer: July 1 – Sept. 30

LIHEAP - (if available) Winter: Dec. 1 – Feb. 28

LIHEAP - (if available) Summer: July 1 – Sept. 30

School Supplies: July 1 – Sept. 30

Children’s Winter Clothing: Nov. 1 – Feb. 28

Extracurricular Activities: Oct. 1 – Sept. 30

Jr./Sr. High School Assistance: Oct. 1 – Sept. 30

Wyandotte Nation Annual Meeting: Sept. 11

Children’s Christmas Party: Dec. 11

Note: All applications must be in our office or post marked on or before the

last day of the program.

payment between July 1 and Sept.

30 directly to your energy provider.

This program does require an application each year and is available

nationwide. Please submit the

application along with a copy of your

current electric bill. Applications

can be found on our website or one

can be mailed/emailed to you. Please

allow up to 30 days for payments

to process. For questions about this

program, please contact Tiffany at

918-678-6353.

The Low Income Heat Energy

Assistance Program (LIHEAP) began

July 1 and will be available on a

first come first serve basis to those

living in the state of Oklahoma and

has an income requirement. Eligible

families have the choice to apply for

LIHEAP either through the state

of Oklahoma or with the Tribe.

Eligible households may only use

LIHEAP from one entity per year

during the winter and again during

the summer. For questions about

this program, please call Tara Gragg

at 918-678-6355.

Other programs available through

the Family Services Department

include: Elder’s Assistance, Extracurricular Expense; High School Jr/

Sr Benefit; Fuel Assistance; Child

Safety Seat Program; Tribal Tag

Program; Supplemental Health

(aka Benny card); Burial Assistance; Indian Child Welfare, Family

Violence Prevention Program and

Winter Clothing. Please note that

all of the Family Service programs

(with the exception of the Supple-

TAG REMINDERS:

• Must be an enrolled citizen of the

Wyandotte Nation, an Oklahoma

resident AND the car must be principally garaged in Oklahoma Indian

country.

• Oklahoma Insurance Verification

must accompany renewals (except

for RV’s and Travel Trailers).

• If you are purchasing a new/used

vehicle, the Tribal citizen’s name

MUST be on the Title at the time of

assignment. Wyandotte Nation Tax

Commission staff CAN NOT add or

delete names.

For questions, please call

(918) 678-6353

August 2021

mental Health Program/Benny card)

end on Sept. 30. No applications for

this fiscal year will be accepted after

that date. Most program guidelines

and applications can be found on the

Tribe’s website http://www.wyandotte-nation.org/community/familyservices/ or by calling the office.

As always, it is a great pleasure

for us to serve the citizens of the

Wyandotte Nation. Please feel free

to reach out to us if you have a need

and we will do our best to assist you.

Family Services Staff:

Director, Dana Butterfield, 918678-6319, dbutterfield@wyandottenation.org

ICW Supervisor, Tara Gragg,

918-678-6355, tgragg@wyandottenation.org

ICW Worker, Carmalita Ward,

918-678-6485, cward@wyandottenation.org

Tag Administrator, Tiffany

Garner, 918-678-6353, tgarner@

wyandotte-nation.org

Family Services Specialist, Leeanna Radabaugh, 918-678-6329,

lradabaugh@wyandotte-nation.org

DV Advocate/Educator Supervisor, Lisa Arnold, 918-678-6324,

lisaarnold@wyandotte-nation.org

DV/SA Advocate, Cesilie Hale,

918-678-3269, chale@wyandottenation.org

DV/Elder Abuse Advocate, Katie

Griffin, 918-678-6486, kgriffin@

wyandotte-nation.org

Family Services email: wnfs@

wyandotte-nation.org.

Family Violence Prevention Program: fvpp@wyandotte-nation.org.

Education

Submitted by Cristi Hudson,

Education Director

Kweh,

The Education Building sustained

major damage in a recent flash flood

causing us to close the Wyandotte

Nation Library until further notice.

If you have access to the internet,

you may create an account and visit

Continued on Page 11

August 2021

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports

Elder Services

Continued from Page 10

our virtual library at www.okvirtuallibrary.overdrive.com, to gain

access to several different eBooks,

audiobooks, magazines, and videos.

Once you are on the virtual library

website, you will need to login by

selecting “login.” Next, select our

library “Wyandotte Nation Historical

Library.” Then, it will ask for a username and password, you will need

to contact the Librarian Madeline

Harnar, mharnar@wyandotte-nation.

org to get your assigned username

and password.

Wyandotte Nation Child Development Center is full for the upcoming preschool year. We are still

accepting applications to be placed

on a waiting list for all age groups:

infants, toddlers, preschool, and afterschool. You may contact Lindsay

Cooper for an application by email,

lcooper@wyandotte-nation.org or by

phone 918-678-3267.

Wyandotte Nation Scholarship

Program will begin processing fall

2021 semester scholarships soon. If

you are currently on the scholarship

program, you will need to email,

mail, or fax our Education Specialist

Evan Hotulke your latest transcript.

Your transcript will need to include

your spring 2021 grades and your

fall 2021 schedule.

Here are a few Wyandotte Nation

Undergraduate Scholarship reminders:

• 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.

• Deadline for spring submission

is Feb. 15.

• Deadline for fall submission is

May 1.

To obtain an Undergraduate or

Masters Scholarship application that

Wyandotte Nation offers, you can

email your request or any questions

you may have to Evan Hotulke, at

ehotulke@wyandotte-nation.org; or

by calling his office at 918-678-6331.

Wyandotte Nations’ 477 Program

is accepting applications for services.

Services provided under the 477

Plan include job training and work

Page 11

Submitted by Brenda House,

Elder Services Director

We partnered with the Quapaw,

Ottawa, Peoria, Seneca/Cayuga,

and Eastern Shawnee Tribes,

Good Shepherd Hospice, Grand

Gateway Area Agency on Aging,

Quaker Hill Assisted Living,

Amedysis Home Health and the

Senior Companions to hold our

first ever June Jamboree at the

Fairgrounds in Miami, Okla. We

provided breakfast, lunch, a photo

booth, vendor booths, games, a

skit about caring for a loved one,

tons of door prizes and a 50-inch

television as the grand prize. 230

Elders participated. The amazing

Duke Mason provided the music.

Friday night into Saturday

morning on June 25-26 we had

torrential rains that caused flooding in the Elder Services (Title

VI Building), Old Administration

Building and The Education

Building. It is going to be a while

before we are back to normal

operation. The other tribes in the

area are feeding the Elders for

congregate meals and we collaborated with the Eastern Shawnee

Tribe to make our home delivered

meals for us to pick up and take

to our homebound Elders.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone for the Gathering

and Pow Wow in September.

CAREGIVER

Our Caregiver Support Group

experience, educational assistance,

and childcare assistance. Eligibility

requirements:

• Complete, singed, and dated

application

• Member of a federally recognized tribe

• Selective Service Registration

Card

• Proof of residency in Service

Area

Additional required documents

will be needed once you are placed

with a service and assigned to a 477

Specialist. If you are in need of any

meets the first Thursday of each

month at 10:30 am. We have moved

the meetings to the Cafe in Fairland, Okla., until the remodel of our

flooded building is complete. Lunch

provided following the meeting.

This group is for all current and

former caregivers. It is also for

Grandparents raising grandchildren.

It is always a pleasure serving the

Wyandotte Nation Citizens. Please

feel free to call us anytime.

Department Contacts:

Brenda House, Elder Services

Director, (918) 678-6327.

Stephanie Hamilton, Food

Service Team Supervisor, (918)

678-6328, (Office) 6390

Seth Higginbotham, Chris

Rhodes, Robyn Beaty and Ashley Webb, Food Service Team

Members (918) 678-6328

Menu, (918) 678-6326

of these services, you may request

an application to apply for any of our

477 services by emailing wn477@

wyandotte-nation.org or by calling

Kasey Lewis at 918-678-3268.

We are available to assist you with

the application process in any of our

programs and we look forward to

working with you soon.

sbutterfield@wyandotte-nation.org

Lindsay Cooper – Early Childhood Program Coordinator, 918-6783267 or lcooper@wyandotte-nation.

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

Department Contacts:

Cristi Hudson – Education

Director, 918-678-6334 or chudson@

wyandotte-nation.org

Sami Butterfield – Caseworker/

Childcare Specialist, 918-678-6330 or

Page 12

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

August 2021

Planning & Natural

Resources

Submitted by Christen Lee,

Environmental & Planning Director

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 and septic

assessments for private home owners. 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,

tin and aluminum.

Thank you for recycling so many

materials during the winter months!

Usually we see a decrease in recyclable products during late winter

and early spring, but many of you

continue to bring us your metals,

plastics, and papers.

The Lost Creek Recycle Center

has been very busy with our local

recycling pick up routes, the sorting

of outside collection bins, baling of

recyclable products and the shredding of old documents. Tribal citizen

Calvin Hudson, who is a part of the

Summer Youth Program, has been

busy helping us with all the day-today activities and duties.

Amounts collected for the months

of April through June are listed in

the table in this article.

Environmental Department staff

has been staying busy with our

monthly and quarterly sampling

and monitoring of eight sites on

area lakes and streams within the

Wyandotte Nation Historic Jurisdiction. Due to measureable amounts

Courtesy Photos

(Above) Tires collected from the Tire Collection Event. (Top) Cleaning up during assessments. (Above Right) Meet the Department: Janice Wilson runs an

Educational Booth at the Health Fair. (Below Right) View from the Educational

Booth at the Senior Elders Outdoor Senior Prom.

of heavy rains, we’ve had

to adjust our schedule a

little, but the staff has

been working hard to

get all sampling completed per our Water 106

Grant. During the week

of June 21-25, we were

able to perform Habitat

Assessments and Bio Assessments on our regular

sampling sites.

Also during this week

of April 21-25, we held a

Tire Collection Event at

the Lost Creek Recycle

Center. A total of 493 tires were collected during this weeklong event.

On June 4, we were happy to

be able to have an Environmental

Education Booth at the Senior Elders

Outdoor Senior Prom. It was so good

to see all the happy smiling faces of

the elders, as they enjoyed the music

of Duke Mason and all the activities.

In other news, the infrastructure

bid opening for Turtle Hill Estates

occurred June 16, 2021. Kenny

Singer Construction was the low

bidder. Construction will begin

in January of 2022 and should

take approximately 6 months. The

Environmental Department submitted their Performance Partnership

Grant, which requires a work plan

and separate budgets to combine

three other grants, such as the Clean

Water Act 106, General Assistance

Continued on Page 13

August 2021

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports

Housing

Continued from Page 12

Program, and Non-Point Source.

The department assisted or

developed proposals for grant funding opportunities including, but not

limited to, Family Violence Prevention Services, Basic Library Services

grant, Cultural Resources Finance

Assistance grant, Office of Violence

Against Women, Library Enhancement Grant, Office for Victims of

Crime, and IMLS American Rescue

Plan Grant. Wyandotte Nation

should hear an award announcement for these grants no later than

November.

The Planning and Natural Resources Department is also dedicated

to researching and applying for

federal, state, and foundation grants

to benefit the Tribe and tribal community. Projects often serve tribal

citizens within a 50-mile radius of

tribal headquarters; however, some

formula funded grants may serve

citizens within a 100-mile radius.

Ultimately, the department’s desire is to serve and create a positive

impact on all Wyandottes across the

United States.

Feel free to contact our department

if you have a community project idea

for a grant.

Meet the Department

Each newsletter provides you with

names, information, and duties performed by our department. We will

begin highlighting a different staff

member each quarter. This quarter

we are showcasing Janice Wilson.

Janice is our Water Technician

and has been working for Wyandotte

Nation for 30+ years, and 19 of them

have been with our department.

Janice enjoys pow-wows, fishing,

hunting, and outside activities, but

she mostly enjoys spending time

with her kids, grand kids and great

grand kids. Janice has been a valuable employee for our department

and goes above and beyond to keep

updated with Federal, State and

Page 13

Submitted by Kathy DeWeese,

Housing Director

After being displaced for a few

months, the housing offices are back

in the Community Center.

Because of more flooding issues,

some of the summer youth are also

sharing our center. The Wyandotte

Nation always works together to

meet the needs of our people.

If you are in need of a rental

home, please fill out an application

and return to the Housing Office.

Federal income guidelines apply.

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 the housing office.

Nahasda (Native American

Housing and Self-Determination

Act) is the program governed by the

Department of Housing and Urban

Development (HUD). Each year a

Housing Plan must be submitted

and approved by HUD. This plan

provides for the upkeep of Nahasda

units, rental assistance to college

students and down payment assistance, as well as the day-to-day

activities of the Department.

Wyandotte Nation received the

Emergency Rental Assistance,

which is part of the Consolidated

Appropriation Act of 2021. If you

are in need of help with past due

rent, current rent, or utilities,

please fill out and return the application for assistance, which is found

on the Wyandotte Nation website.

Income guidelines do apply. This is

a nationwide program. If you have

questions regarding this process,

please call or email our office. We

will be happy to talk with you.

Local regulations pertaining to both

surface and ground water compliance.

Emergency Rental

Assistance Program

The Consolidated Appropriations

Act of 2021 created the Emergency

Rental Assistance Program and

makes available $25 billion provided

directly to States, U.S. Territories,

local governments, and Indian Tribes.

This program is utilized to administer assistance to renters, landlords

and utility providers that have been

affected by the COVID 19 pandemic

and economic insecurity.

Wyandotte Nation is a participant

in the program and announces to

tribal citizens that have been affected

by this pandemic, the availability of

funding to lessen the burden of rent

and utilities.

What is covered:

• Past due rent

• Past due utilities including,

water, gas, propane and

electric

• Rental assistance up to three

months forward

Who qualifies:

• Tribal members 18 years and

•

older who are renting

Demonstrated risk of

experiencing homelessness

or housing instability

Experienced a reduction in

household income, incurred

significant costs, experienced a financial hardship

due to the COVID-19

pandemic, or have qualified

for unemployment benefits

since March 13, 2020.

Household income at or below 80% of the area median

income, in the county you

reside.

Applications are available on

the Wyandotte Nation website,

www.wyandotte-nation.org.

You may also call 918-6786339, or 918-678-6336, or email

kdeweese@wyandotte-nation.org.

Please contact us for any questions or concerns you may have.

We are here to assist you.

IHS -121 Program

This program is funded through

the Department of Health & Human

Services, to ensure safe drinking

water and proper sanitation facilities

for our tribal families. These services

include drilling wells, installing septic

systems, rural water hook-ups, and

connections to city water and sewer.

There are no income guidelines. Tribal

members must reside in the following

counties: Craig; Creek; Delaware;

Mayes; Nowata; Okfuskee; Okmulgee;

Ottawa; Rogers; Tulsa; Wagoner;

Washington.

Department Contacts:

Director Christen Lee, clee@wyandotte-nation.org

Environmental Program Manager

Kathleen Welch, kwelch@wyandottenation.org

Environmental Technician 1 Janice

Wilson, jwilson@wyandotte-nation.org

Environmental Technician 2 John

Gerhard, jgerhard@wyandotte-nation.org

Recycling Center Coordinator John

Quick, jquick@wyandotte-nation.org

Land Management Technician Robby

Graham, rgraham@wyandotte-nation.org

Water Utilities Operator Braulio,

Ramirez bramirez@wyandotte-nation.org

Grant Writer / BIA Self-Governance

Coordinator Debbie Dry, ddry@

wyandotte-nation.org

Grant Writer 2/ 477 Coordinator

Michael Lowery, mlowery@wyandottenation.org

Department Contacts:

Kathy DeWeese-Housing Director

Don Graham- Housing Specialist

Paul Parker- Project Coordinator

Levi Griffin- Project Coordinator

Randy Qualls- Residential Maintenance Technician

Drew Lankford-Residential Maintenance Technician

Page 14

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

Healthcare

CDC Monitoring Reports of Myocarditis and

Pericarditis

Submitted by Kelly Friend, Health

Services Director

Vaccinations are still available!

Call 918-678-3228 to schedule yours

today!

CDC has received increased reports of myocarditis and pericarditis

in adolescents and young adults after

COVID-19 vaccination. The known

and potential benefits of COVID-19

vaccination outweigh the known and

potential risks, including the possible risk of myocarditis or pericarditis. We continue to recommend

COVID-19 vaccination for anyone 12

years of age and older.

Information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

What You Need to Know

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and

effective.

Millions of people in the United

States have received COVID-19 vaccines under the most intense safety

monitoring in U.S. history.

CDC recommends you get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.

If you are fully vaccinated, you can

resume activities that you did prior

to the pandemic. Learn more about

what you can do when you have been

fully vaccinated.

Long-Term Side Effects

Are Unlikely

Serious side effects that could

cause a long-term health problem

are extremely unlikely following any

vaccination, including COVID-19

vaccination. Vaccine monitoring has

historically shown that side effects

generally happen within six weeks

of receiving a vaccine dose. For this

reason, the FDA required each of

the authorized COVID-19 vaccines

to be studied for at least two months

(eight weeks) after the final dose.

Millions of people have received COVID-19 vaccines, and no long-term

side effects have been detected.

CDC continues to closely monitor

the safety of COVID-19 vaccines. If

scientists find a connection between

a safety issue and a vaccine, FDA

and the vaccine manufacturer will

work toward an appropriate solution

to address the specific safety concern (for example, a problem with a

specific lot, a manufacturing issue, or

the vaccine itself).

Millions of People have

safely received a COVID-19 Vaccine

Over 334 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given in

the U.S. from Dec. 14, 2020, through

July 12, 2021.

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and

effective. COVID-19 vaccines were

evaluated in tens of thousands of

participants in clinical trials. The

vaccines met the Food and Drug

Administration’s (FDA) rigorous

scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality

needed to support emergency use

authorization (EUA).

Millions of people in the United

States have received COVID-19

vaccines since they were authorized

for emergency use by FDA. These

vaccines have undergone and will

continue to undergo the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S.

history. This monitoring includes using both established and new safety

monitoring systems to make sure

that COVID-19 vaccines are safe.

Results are reassuring

Results from vaccine safety moni-

August 2021

toring efforts are reassuring. Some

people have no side effects. Others

have reported common side effects

after COVID-19 vaccination, like:

• swelling, redness, and pain at

injection site

• fever

• headache

• tiredness

• muscle pain

• chills

• nausea

Serious safety problems

are rare

To date, the systems in place to

monitor the safety of these vaccines

have found only two serious types of

health problems after vaccination,

both of which are rare. These are

anaphylaxis and thrombosis with

thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS)

after vaccination with J&J/Janssen

COVID-19 Vaccine.

Department Contacts:

Kelly Friend, Director 918-678-3259

John Bearden, Compliance Officer

/ Vaccines 918-678-6482

Sheryl Hogan, Business Services

Manager 918-678-3226

Ashley Crawford, Eastern Shawnee

Liaison / Dental, Optometry, Audiology 918-678-3222

Bridget Hart, Purchased/Referred

Care 918-678-3227

Deana Sweatt, Pharmacist 918678-3247

Refills, Automated Pharmacy Refill

Line 918-678-3244

August 2021

www.wyandotte-nation.org

T ribal D epartment R eports

Page 15

Language Notes

Tribal Heritage

Submitted by Kim Garcia,

Cultural Preservation Officer

Kweh ǫmatęruʔ ,

I hope this newsletter finds you

and your family healthy. The current

pandemic has left many sorrows for

all of us. Unfortunately, while we were

planning to host the Gathering of Little

Turtles this summer, another wave of

COVID-19 hit the area and we had to

make the difficult decision to cancel. We

had over 150 people registered this year

(a huge record!). However, we do believe cancelling was the right decision.

Because we did not meet in person, we

made activity kits and made them available for children all over the country. If

your kids didn’t get one, please reach

out and we can mail it out.

This summer we have been focusing

on several projects including making

improvements to the cemetery. We had

a columbarium built that has 48 drawers for cremations. We are looking at

building a covered area that can be used

for services or just as a quiet area. Our

interns have been very diligent this

summer to update the cemetery information that will be imported into the new

cemetery software. We hope that these

efforts will be a service to all Wyandotte

Citizens and community members.

We are looking at submitting a grant

to make improvements to the pow-wow

grounds. We hope to add many necessary

improvements to make our grounds the

best in the area. The improvements include

paving parking lots, adding additional

vendor spaces, improve the electricity and

sound system, and adding restrooms.

Dr. Kopris has developed units for the

Waⁿdat language. We have contracted

with Wyandotte Citizen Mari Hicks to facilitate language classes in the fall. Please

be on the look out for class details.

The Ancestors Project is a study in

Wyandotte genealogy. We have con-

Kweh ǫmatęruʔ ! (Hello, friends!)

Do you know how to introduce yourself in Waⁿdat, our Wyandotte Language?

The pattern begins like this:

[your name here] ižátsih

is called a glottal stop. It signals you to stop

making the last sound before you move on to

the next one just like you do in the middle of

exclaiming “uh-oh”!

Another piece often included in introductions is sharing where you currently live.

Again put the name of the place first because

it is new & important information. We do not

have many place names in Waⁿdat so please

use the English name or even the local native

nation’s name for the land where you live:

[place name] íⁿda:reʔ

Let’s put it all together using me as

an example: Beci ižátsih. Waⁿdat ⁿdiʔ.

Fayetteville íⁿda:re.

Notice that the important information

came first again! Waⁿdat is both the name

of our Nation and our Language. The

little superscript ⁿ before the d means you

barely start to say the “n” sound before

you say the “d.” The last symbol that

looks like an incomplete question mark

We do have a word for Oklahoma so some

of you could say Ayǫmé:ⁿdeh íⁿda:re. The

colon : tells you to stretch out the vowel

sound located before it so it lasts about twice

as long. The little hook under the o lets you

know it’s a nasal vowel and nasal has to do

with the nose. Try using your mouth muscles

to push the sound up towards your nose to

make a sound like the middle of the word

“taunt.”

Last thing to mention is the little accent ́

which tells you where to put the stress (or

emphasis) when you are speaking.

(For audio files of the featured vocabulary, go to www.wandat.org and click on

Turtle Talk. We will also have an opportunity to practice this at The Gathering

in September. Look for more language

offerings at The Gathering and later

this fall. Be sure to send any comments

or suggestions, especially those on your

language & culture wishlist, to: bwright@

wyandotte-nation.org.)

Language support courtesy of our Wyandotte Nation Linguist, Dr. Craig Kopris.

All mistakes are my own. – Beci

tracted with Wyandotte Citizen Sallie

Andrews to work on this project beginning in September. We would love for

you to help us create your family trees.

If you have pictures or information on

your family, please bring to the Gathering or any other time you are able to

make it to Wyandotte.

The Wyandot Heritage Digital

Archives (WHDA) is a project to

digitize historical documents related

to Wyandotte history and heritage. We

have received two grants to add to the

digitizations: the Huron Collection at

the Glenn Black Labs at the University

of Indiana and the Connelly Collection

at Kansas City Public Library. Beci will

have information about this project at

the Gathering this September.

Beci has been the driving force for

an assessment on the museum to know

where improvements need to be made.

We also submitted a grant proposal to

hire a museum technician to develop

policies and procedures as well as work

on museum inventory.

Chris has been working diligently on

the traditional garden. He planted the

Three Sisters Garden – corn, beans, and

squash. He also planted tobacco, sage,

and sweet grass for ceremonial purposes.

This garden has been a great educational

tool for children and adults.

Chris has also been teaching how to

make the traditional pucker toe moccasins to the summer youth and to the

summer interns. The kids have done a

tremendous job!

We are getting ready for events

coming up soon. Please be watching

Facebook and the tribal website for

registration and more details.

• Gathering – Sept. 7 – 10 (Please

note, we’ve added an extra day this

year!)

• Artisan Showcase Entries Due –

Sept. 2 at noon (if additional time is

needed, please let me know)

• Pow-Wow – Sept. 10 – 12

In Waⁿdat the new or important

information comes first so, for example,

Beci ižátsih means Beci is my name

rather than the “My name is Beci” order

you find in English. The z with the little v

on top of it represents the jh sound you’d

find in the middle of a word like “vision.”

We use it a lot when we say thank you:

tižamęh.

To tell someone you are Wyandotte,

you’d say:

Waⁿdat ⁿdiʔ

Ancestors Project Update

• Do you know of any ancestors that attended a residential/boarding school such as Carlisle, Haskell, or Seneca

Indian School?

• Did any of your Wyandotte ancestors serve in a World War?

Please share their names! We will have equipment available at The Gathering and would love to see & scan

any records, photos, letters, or other information you would be willing to bring. If you cannot make it to The

Gathering, we are available to help at the Cultural Center in person, online, or by mail. It is one way all of us can

help “preserve the future of our past.”

We would love to hear you introduce

yourself when visiting us at the Cultural

Center or when you attend events such as

The Gathering. (And we’d be more than

happy to help with your pronunciation,

too!)

Tižamęh! Etsiskwayęʔ (I will see y’all

again)

If you have any questions or concerns,

please do not hesitate to contact any

of us at the Wyandotte Nation Cultural

Center and Museum.

I will see you all soon! Eskwayęʔ !

Tętsiʔtaraʔt

Department Contacts:

Kim Garcia

kgarcia@wyandotte-nation.org

918-678-6317

Sherri Clemons

sclemons@wyandotte-nation.org

918-678-6344

Chris Houk

chouk@wyandotte-nation.org

918-678-6318

Beci Wright

bwright@wyandotte-nation.org

918-678-6480

Teresa Wilson

twilson@wyandotte-nation.org

918-678-6385

Page 16

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

T ribal D epartment R eports

Calendar of Events

Important

Numbers

Police Department

Ronnie Gilmore (918) 678-6365

rgilmore@wntpd.com

Family Services / Enrollment

Dana Butterfield (918) 678-6319

dbutterfield@wyandotte-nation.org

Leeanna Radabaugh, (918) 678-6329

lradabaugh@wyandotte-nation.org