# A Wyandotte Nation Publication

> Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more.

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Awyandotte%3Ae0ec0aed02d86cf8

## Record

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

## Text

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

(C) Copyright 2021. All information, photographs, and other materials are copyrighted, and may not be reproduced without prior written consent of the Wyandotte Nation.

Page 2

Wyandotte Nation | Gyah'-wish Atak-ia

Board of Directors
Chief........................................Billy Friend
Second Chief.....Norman Hildebrand, Jr.
Councilperson.................... 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

Contact Us
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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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
Tags
Tiffany Garner (918) 678-6353
tgarner@wyandotte-nation.org
Family Violence Prevention Program
Lisa Arnold, (918) 678-6324
fvpp@wyandotte-nation.org
Indian Child Welfare
Tara Gragg (918) 678-6355
tgragg@wyandotte-nation.org
Carmalita Ward, (918) 678-6485
cward@wyandotte-nation.org
Human Resources
Deana Howard (918) 678-6320
dhoward@wyandotte-nation.org
Nutrition & Caregiver Services
Brenda House (918) 678-6327
bhouse@wyandotte-nation.org
Education / Library / Child Care
Cristi Hudson (918) 678-6334
chudson@wyandotte-nation.org
Tribal Heritage
Sherri Clemons (918) 678-6344
sclemons@wyandotte-nation.org
Environmental / Planning / Development
Christen Lee (918) 678-6341
clee@wyandotte-nation.org
Housing
Kathy DeWeese (918) 678-6339
kdeweese@wyandotte-nation.org
Bearskin Healthcare &
Wellness Center
Kelly Friend (918) 678-3259
kfriend@wyandotte-nation.org
Clinic Appointments
Dee Dee Clapp (918) 678-3228
dclapp@wyandotte-nation.org
Dental / Vision
Ashley Crawford, (918) 678-3222
acrawford@wyandotte-nation.org
Pharmacy (call-in only)
(918) 678-3244
Fitness Center
Sharon Bartley (918) 678-3231
sbartley@wyandotte-nation.org
Contract Health
Bridget Hart (918) 678-3227
bhart@wyandotte-nation.org
Diabetes Clinic
Donna Spaulding (918) 678-3258
dspaulding@wyandotte-nation.org

August 2021

2021
Gathering

Sept.
7-10

31st Annual Pow-Wow

Sept.
10 - 12

Annual Meeting

Sept.
11

Town Hall Meetings

TBD

Scarecrow 5K

National Night Out

Oct.
5

Oct.
23

Shop With a Cop

Dec.
5

Childrens Christmas Party

Dec.
11

NOTE: There will
be a Chili Feed Fundraiser Oct. 4 for
Shop With a Cop

All events in Wyandotte, Okla. unless otherwise noted. ALL EVENTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE!

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/tribal%3Awyandotte%3Ae0ec0aed02d86cf8. Public record. Not legal advice.