Cherokee Heritage Center plans expansion - Cherokee Phoenix

Researchers find female 

seminary “footprints” 

while planning the 

Cherokee Heritage 

Center’s growth. 

BY WILL CHAVEZ 

Reporter 

New Vinita clinic 

Tribal Councilors approve a $24 

million financing measure at their 

meeting for it. COUNCIL, 8 

cherokeephoenix.org • Celebrating 182 Years of Native American Journalism • June 2010 

PARK HILL, Okla. – As plans move 

forward to improve and add to the 

Cherokee Heritage Center, an effort is 

being made to look at the history of where 

the center was built. 

This past winter it was discovered the 

museum sits on part of the Cherokee 

National Female Seminary that burned 

in 1887. People who have visited the CHC 

have seen the iconic brick columns in 

front of the museum. The three columns 

are seminary remnants. 

Dr. Jace Weaver, director and professor 

of the University of Georgia’s Institute 

of Native American Studies, led a team 

of researchers looking for underground 

seminary remains. Using ground 

penetrating radar, the team found the 

basement and some walls. 

“The basement is intact down there 

still,” said CHC Executive Director Carey 

Tilley. “We could actually draw it out on 

the GPR work. It also identified the walls.” 

The team also discovered that the 

museum’s west side was mistakenly built 

on part of the seminary. “We clipped a 

wing (of the seminary). They didn’t know 

the wing was there when they built it,” 

Tilley said. 

Tilley said the GPR was used to 

determine where the seminary remnants 

were and to create a “no-build zone” in 

those areas for the master plan of the CHC 

campus. The campus is an archeological 

site and on the National Register of 

Historic Places. 

“We had just assumed that it had all been 

destroyed and bulldozed and just didn’t 

exist anymore except for the columns, but 

Officials say the 

three-phase project is 

expected to cost about 

$1 million. 


Reporter 

PARK HILL, Okla. – The current 

master plan for a revised Cherokee 

Heritage Center includes a new and 

expanded Ancient Village. 

CHC Executive Director Carey Tilley 

said Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism 

is putting up $250,000 for the first of 

three phases for the new village. He said 

funds must be raised for the second 

and third phases. Overall, the project is 

estimated at $1 million. Construction 

has started, and he said he hopes all 

phases are done by spring 2011. 

The new village will have 13 stations 

for demonstrations such as basket 

Shop smart 

Millions of people clip coupons 

because of the economy’s downturn. 

MONEY, 9 

Community....... 10 

Council............... 8 

Culture.............. 13 

Education......... 15 

Plants used by 

Cherokees for food, 

medicines and materials 

are included in the 

works. 


Reporter 

INSIDE UWnd< 

Health............... 17 

Money.................9 

Opinion.............. 6 

Sports............... 11 

Duke Energy: Time short for alternate location 

The company says other 

sites proposed for its electric 

substation are not feasible. 


Reporter 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Duke Energy officials said 

time is running short to find a suitable alternative site 

for its proposed substation to be built near the historic 

Kituwah mound, a site sacred to many Cherokee people. 

In a May 10 response, Duke attorneys asked the North 

Carolina Utilities Commission to dismiss a complaint 

by Citizens to Protect Kituwah Valley calling for the 

company to stop building the station near the mound. 

The complaint states the substation’s visual and 

physical encroachment “is a desecration of the sacred 

Kituwah Valley,” which is considered by the Cherokee 

tribes as a “spiritual and cultural center” and that Duke 

did not get the proper permits before starting the $52 

million project. 

Duke representatives said the station would tie in 

higher-capacity electric lines from a power plant to 

meet growing energy needs. Company officials also said 

they would work with those affected by the proposed 

plan to consider building the Hyatt Creek Tie Station 

in another location. The proposed station location that 

See Kituwah, 2 

University of Arkansas 

More Cherokee students 

are discovering the school. 

EDUCATION, 15 

Ani-Kituwah dancers perform in front of the historic Kituwah mound in June 2009. Cherokee people use the North Carolina 

site for ceremonies. The site is also on the National Register of Historic Sites. PHOTO BY WILL CHAVEZ 

Cherokee Heritage Center plans expansion 

An artist’s rendering of the proposed Ancient Village at the Cherokee 

Heritage Center in Park Hill, Okla. COURTESY PHOTO 

weaving and canoe making. Eight 

pairs of winter and summer homes, 

winter and summer council houses, 

an orchard, ball field, gardens and a recirculating 

stream are other features. 

Plants and trees native to the Southeast 

and Oklahoma that are important to 

Cherokees will also be planted. 

The new village will be historically 

accurate with larger winter homes and 

a plaza, he said. The current council 

house will remain, but the small, dome 

winter homes called osies in the current 

village were inaccurate and demolished. 

“They were substantial buildings,” 

Tilley said of historical osies. “Several 

families could have lived in them 

during the winter. They’re not little, 

sweat lodge-looking things.” 

He said another difference, which is 

not in the current village yet essential in 

Cherokee life, is a plaza. 

“Archeologically, they show up 

Cherokee National Prison 

The restoration officially began May 

6 with a groundbreaking ceremony. 

CULTURE, 14 

PARK HILL, Okla. – The loss of land for 

Cherokee people when forced to Indian 

Territory in 1838-39 also meant a loss 

of plant life they depended on for food, 

medicines and materials. 

The new Ancient Village’s construction 

at the Cherokee Heritage Center will 

showcase some of those plants and trees 

for visitors at 13 different stations. Wild 

plants used by Cherokees in the Southeast 

before removal will be planted throughout 

the village, as well as domesticated plants 

such as corn. 

“This will be a place to learn about 

Cherokee plant life as you walk through 

the village,” CHC Executive Director 

Carey Tilley said. 

Professor Alfred Vick of University 

of Georgia’s College of Environmental 

and Design is a consultant for the village 

expansion because of his knowledge in 

ethno-botany and plants of the southern 

Appalachians. 

In 2009, Vick brought his graduate 

students to the CHC to study the village 

and Cherokee culture. 

One of the challenges faced was creating 

a plant structure more common in the 

Southeast, 1,000 miles away in the former 

Cherokee homelands. 

“This is the southern Appalachians and 

so one of our big challenges is how can we 

bring this landscape here,” he said. “During 

the removal, folks are moved 1,000 miles 

away to a completely different landscape, 

a different eco region, on the western 

edge of the Ozarks getting into the Great 

Plains.” 

Descriptions of Cherokee villages by 

See Seminary, 3 See Village, 3 See Plants, 3 

Cherokee Rangers 

The Bureau of Indian Affairs 

seasonally employs nine of the 10 

crew members. NEWS, 2

The Bureau of Indian 

Affairs seasonally 

employs nine of the 10 

crew members. 

BY JAMI CUSTER 

Reporter 

2 Cherokee Phoenix • June 2010 Ewf #>hAmh • [UMI 2010 

Cherokee Rangers crew chief wants more help 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – With dry and 

windy conditions come greater risks of 

wildfires, and it’s up to the Cherokee Rangers 

to protect Cherokee Nation lands from those 

wildfire risks. 

However, Cherokee Rangers crew 

coordinator David Comingdeer said it’s hard 

to keep a steady crew when he is the only 

Ranger employed full time. The nine other 

Rangers are seasonal employees paid by the 

Bureau of Indian Affairs. 

Comingdeer said his crew, which 

operates out of the tribe’s Natural Resources 

Department, deserves to be hired full time 

by the tribe because of its knowledge about 

wildfires and its dedication to protecting 

CN lands. 

The first Rangers crew formed on Feb. 8, 

2008, when eight Cherokee men graduated 

from the Wildland Fire Basic Training in 

Ada, Okla. Since that time, the team has 

suppressed more than 1,000 wildfires, with 

407 located within the tribe’s jurisdiction. 

“Seventy-five percent of those (fires) 

were on Cherokee tribal lands, with the 

remaining 25 percent being a direct threat 

to tribal lands,” Comingdeer said of the 

jurisdictional fires. 

He said in 2009 the Rangers helped 

suppress more than 50 wildfires in other 

tribal jurisdictions in Oklahoma, as well as 

nine other states. 

He added that he would like to see the 

tribe hire the other Rangers because he runs 

the risk of losing them to full-time jobs 

elsewhere, which would result in having to 

train a new crew. 

“It’s very difficult because when you train 

men like this through federal classes and 

get them federally qualified as a wild land 

firefighter, it’s not something you want to go 

through ever year 

with a big turnover 

rate because the guys 

lose interest,” he said. 

Comingdeer said 

in 2009 the seasonal 

Rangers found it 

hard to make a living 

with the cool, wet fire season. He said, “to 

make ends meet, the Rangers worked the 

last several months off and on” through the 

tribe’s Day Work Program spending much 

of the time working at 

the Cherokee Heritage 

Center. 

However, that program 

closed on April 1 due to 

a lack of funding. Tribal 

officials have said that it 

may return, but not until 

late May or early June. 

“Our job, we’re busy 

throughout the winter 

and spring, but this year 

it’s been a slow season. We were on the Day 

Work Program probably about two or three 

days out of the week, and you know it’s a pay 

cut,” said Ranger Isaac Merchant. “We have to 

do what we got to, to feed our families. We’re 

all proud citizens of the Cherokee Nation, 

and we’ll do our job no matter what we have 

to do.” 

Comingdeer said he also wants to see the 

Rangers hired because they work extended 

hours, don’t pay into Social Security or 

receive benefits. On fire danger days, the 

Rangers are on call and are paid in case a fire 

erupts. But on days when they aren’t, they are 

considered unemployed. 

“…If they’re sick they have to work or they 

Kituwah 

from front page 

“If the weather doesn’t 

permit us to have 

wildfire, then they 

don’t work.” 

– David Comingdeer, 

Cherokee Rangers crew 

coordinator 

is drawing ire is about a half mile from the 

mound. 

However, Duke attorneys Robert Kaylor 

and Brian Franklin wrote that “if a suitable 

alternative to the proposed Hyatt Creek 

Tie Station is not quickly identified and 

confirmed,” the company would have to 

build at Hyatt Creek “to be able to satisfy 

the undisputed need for additional capacity 

to serve its customers without serious 

consequences.” 

Alternative sites proposed by the Eastern 

Band of Cherokee Indians are still not 

feasible, Duke officials said. 

At one site a landowner refused to sell the 

property. Other suitable sites have not been 

reviewed further because they are closer to 

Kituwah than the proposed Hyatt Creek 

site. Also, other sites suggested by Swain 

County officials or the EBCI are not feasible 

don’t get paid. If the weather doesn’t permit 

us to have wildfire, then they don’t work. 

They don’t get paid,” he said. 

Comingdeer also said crew members many 

times have had to wait eight to 10 weeks to 

receive a check from the BIA, and even then 

many times it’s two and three checks at once. 

“…the rest of us we get a paycheck every 

two weeks no matter if we show up or not 

cause we can turn in leave and things like 

that,” he said. “…these men are all anxious to 

have gainful employment here through the 

Cherokee Nation and enjoy the same benefits 

that everyone else has because these guys are 

here for the long haul and they have stuck it 

out two years.” 

Natural Resources Director Pat Gwin said 

the difficulty with hiring more Rangers is 

that there isn’t enough money to do so. 

“At the present time, unfortunately, the 

funds do not even cover the salary of one 

person. Those funds come down from a 

federal agency, and we don’t really have input 

on that. It’s based on funding availability,” 

Gwin said. “We are responsible for 

maintaining a preparedness/pre-suppression 

program to the level that they (BIA) fund it.” 

He said in the future, Natural Resources 

officials hope to change the program from 

pre-suppression to a prevention program 

that will potentially offer more funding. 

jami-custer@cherokee.org • (918) 453-5560 

ᏓᎵᏆ, ᎣᎦᎵᎰᎻ. – ᏧᎧᏲᏛ ᎠᎴ 

ᏗᎦᏃᎴᏍᎩ ᏃᏊ ᏥᎩ ᎤᎪᏛ ᏃᏊ ᎦᎾᏰ 

Ꭼ ᏧᎴᏃᏍᏗ,ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᎾᏟᎢᎶᎮ 

ᏗᏅᏝᏗᏍᎩ ᎤᎾᎦᏎᏍᏗᏕᎦ ᎾᏍᎩ 

ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ ᎦᏓ ᏓᎮ ᏧᎾᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ 

ᏕᎦᎵᎬᎢ. 

ᎠᏎᏍᎩᏂ, ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ ᎦᏓ ᏓᎲ 

ᏧᎾᎦᏎᏍᏗ ᎤᎾᏓᏡᎬ ᏗᏘᏁᎦ ᏕᏫ 

ᎠᏫᏓᏯᎢ ᎤᏛᏅ ᏍᏓᏱ ᏂᎦᏓ ᏂᎪᎯᎸ 

ᏧᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎬᎩᏍᏕᎵᏍᎩ ᎾᏍᎩ 

ᎤᏩᏌ ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᎠᏥᎾᏢᎢ. ᏐᏁᎳ ᎢᏯᏂ 

ᎠᏂᏐᎢ Ꮭ ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᏱᏗᎨᏥᎾᏝᎣᎢ 

ᏴᏓᎭ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏱᏗᎦᎵᎦ ᎠᎴ ᎨᎦᏈᏴᎡᎲ 

ᎾᎿ ᏩᏥᏂ ᏧᎾᎦᏎᏍᏗ ᎤᏂᏴᏍᏗ 

ᏗᏓᎴᎲᏍᎪᎢ. 

ᎠᏫᏓᏱᎢ ᏚᏬᏎᎸ ᏓᏘᏁᎲᎢ, ᎾᎿ 

ᏗᏓᎴᎲᏍᎪ ᎠᏂᎳᏍᏓᏢ ᏄᏍᏛᏊ ᎤᏂᏲᎯ 

ᎤᎾᏙᏢᏒ, ᏙᎯᏳ ᎤᏚᎵᏓ ᏗᎨᏥᎾᏢᏗ 

ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᎾᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᏂᎦᎥ ᎤᎾᏅᏛ 

ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗ ᏱᏗᎦᎵᎦ ᎠᎴ ᎢᎦ ᎠᏂᎦᏟᏯ 

ᎨᏒᎢ ᎤᎾᎵᏏᏅᏙᏗ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ ᎦᏓ 

ᏚᎲᎢ. 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᎬᏱ ᎤᎾᏙᏢᏅ ᎯᎠ 

ᎤᎾᎦᏎᏍᏗ ᎧᎦᎵ ᏧᏁᎵᏁ, ᏔᎵ ᏯᎦᏴᎵ 

ᎤᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ, ᎾᎿ ᏧᏁᎳ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ 

ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ ᏚᏂᏍᏆᏛ ᏓᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᎬ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎦᎵᎬ ᏗᏅᏝᏗᏍᎩ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ 

ᎨᏥᏏᎾᎲᏍᏔᏅ ᎾᎿ Ada, ᎣᎸᎵᎰᎻ. 

ᎾᎯᏳᏃ ᏂᏓᎬᏩᎴᏅᏓ, ᎯᎠ ᎣᎦᎵᎪᏒ 

ᏚᏅᏝᏗ ᏯᏛᎾ ᏌᏊ ᎢᏯᎦᏴᎵ ᏕᎦᎵᎬ, 

ᎾᎿ ᏅᎩᏧᏈ ᎦᎵᏉᎩ 

ᏧᏓᎴᏅᏓ ᏚᏙᏢᏒ ᎾᎿ 

ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ ᏓᏍᏗᏅᏅ 

ᎭᏫᏓᏗᏝ. 

“ᎦᎵᏆᏍᎪ ᎯᏍᎩ 

percent ᎯᎠ ᏕᎦᎵᎬ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᏣᎳᎩ 

ᏩᏥᏂ ᏚᎲ ᎦᏙ ᎨᏒ, 

ᎾᏍᎩᏍᏊ ᎯᏍᎩᏦᏁ 

percent ᎾᏍᎩ ᎾᎥ ᎾᎿ 

ᎪᏂᎳᏍᏓᏢ ᏓᏍᏗᏅᏅ 

ᎨᏒ,” ᎠᏫᏓᏯᎢ 

ᎤᏛᏅᎢ. 

ᎤᏛᏅᏃ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏔᎵ ᏯᎦᏴᎵ ᏐᏁᎳ 

ᎤᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ ᎦᎵᎬ ᏗᎾᏟᎯ ᎤᎾᎵᏍᏕᎸᎲ 

ᏓᏅᏝᏗᏍᎬ ᎯᎦᏍᎪ ᎢᎦ ᎢᎾᎨ ᏕᎦᎵᎬ 

ᎤᏣᏘᏂ ᎠᏂᎳᏍᏓᏢ ᏚᏂᎲ ᎭᏫᎾᏗᏢ 

ᏗᏍᏗᏅᏅ ᎾᎿ ᎣᎦᎵᎰᎻ, ᎾᏍᎩᏁᏍᏊ 

ᏐᏁᎳ ᏗᏐᎢ ᏗᏍᎦᏚᎩ. 

ᎯᎢᏃ ᏭᏝᏅ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏚᎵᏍᎬ ᎤᎪᏩᏛᏗ 

Ꮎ ᎠᏂᎳᏍᏓᏢ ᏧᎾᏢᏗ ᎯᎠ ᎠᏂᏐᎢ ᏐᏁᎳ 

ᎢᏯᏂ ᏗᎾᏟᎯ ᏕᎦᎵᎬᎢ ᎾᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗ 

Ꮭ ᏳᏚᎵᏍᎪ ᏧᏲᎱᏎᏗ ᎤᏣᏘᏂ ᎢᎸᏢ 

ᎤᏂᏩᏛᏗ ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᏗᎬᏩᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ 

ᎨᏒᎢ ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᏱᏄᎵᏍᏔᏂ ᎠᏎ ᎠᏂᏤ 

ᏂᎦᏓ ᏚᏏᎾᎲᏍᏙᏗ ᏱᎩ. 

“ᎡᎵᏃ ᏍᏓᏱ ᏂᎬᏂᏏᏍᎬ ᎾᎿ 

ᏱᏓᏏᎾᎲᏍᏔ ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏩᏥᏂ 

ᎤᏬᏢᏒ ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ 

ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᎨᎪᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᏱᏄᎵᏍᏔᏂ 

due to terrain limitations or because the 

property is not large enough. 

In its response, Duke wrote that a present 

transmission line is no longer adequate to 

supply power to its customers, including the 

EBCI and its expanding Harrah’s Casino. 

Kaylor and Franklin 

said more power is 

needed “primarily 

due to a major $600 

million expansion” at 

the casino and hotel 

along with expected 

residential growth. 

“The company 

must take action. A 

loss of a transformer 

under the current 

configuration, and 

without the upgrade, could result in an 

outage lasting several days, or at a minimum, 

rotating blackouts,” the attorneys wrote. 

EBCI citizen Natalie Smith, who is 

leading the citizens group, said the group is 

“A loss of a transformer 

under the current 

configuration, and without 

the upgrade, could result 

in an outage lasting several 

days, or at a minimum, 

rotating blackouts.” 

– Duke Energy attorneys 

Cherokee Rangers Isaac Merchant, front, and Tommy Green sharpen chainsaws prior to 

leaving the Cherokee Nation Tribal Complex in Tahlequah, Okla., to protect tribal lands 

from wildfire. PHOTO BY JAMI CUSTER 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᏗᏅᏢᏗᏍᎩ, ᎾᏍᎩᎾ Ꮭ 

ᏙᎯᏳ ᏳᏚᎵᏙ ᏂᏓᏕᏘᏴᎯᏒ ᏄᎾᏓᎴ 

ᏗᏏᎾᎲᏍᏙᏗᎢ ᎾᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᏭᏂᏓᏆᏍᎪᎢ 

ᏭᏂᏲᏎᏲ ᎤᎵᏍᎨᏗ ᎨᏒᎢ,” ᎤᏛᏅᎢ. 

ᎠᏫᏓᏯᎢ ᎤᏛᏅ ᎾᎿ ᏔᎵ ᏯᎦᏴᎵ 

ᏐᏁᎳ ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏆᏗᏒ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎯᎠ ᎢᏴᏓᎭ 

ᏧᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎯ ᎤᏩᏛᎲ ᏍᏓᏱᏳ 

ᎨᏒ ᎾᏍᎩᏊ ᎢᎦ ᎤᎾᎵᏍᏕᎸᏙᏗ 

ᎤᏴᏟ, ᎤᏬᏕᏫᏛᎢ. ᎤᏛᏅ, “ᎧᎵ 

ᎬᏩᎾᎵᏍᏕᎸᏙᏗ ᏏᏓᏁᎸ, ᎾᎿ ᏗᏅᏝᏗᏍᎩ 

ᏚᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎸ ᏝᎦ ᏃᏊ Ꮩ ᎠᏁᏙᎰ” 

ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎯᎠ ᎠᏂᎳᏍᏓᏢ ᎤᏙᏢᏅ 

ᏗᎬᏩᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎨᏒ Ꮎ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ 

ᏂᏧᎵᏍᏔᏅᏍᏔᏅ ᎠᏰᏟ. 

ᎠᏎᏍᎩᏂ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏂᏍᏚᎢᏒ 

ᏗᎦᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎤᏂᏍᏚᏅ ᎧᏬᏂ 

ᎢᎬᏱ ᎠᏕᎳ ᏚᎾᏨᏁᎴ. ᎠᏂᎳᏍᏓᏢ 

ᎠᎾᏓᏅᏖᎵᏙ ᎤᎾᏛᏅ ᎡᎵᏊ ᏯᏓᎴᎾ, 

ᎠᏎᏍᎩᏂ ᎤᎵᏍᏆᏛᏊ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎠᏂᏍᎬᏘ 

ᎠᎴ ᎢᎬᏱ ᏕᎭᎷᏱ. 

“ᎢᎩᎲ ᏗᎦᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ, ᏂᎪᎯᎸ 

ᏕᎩᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎰ ᎪᎳ ᎨᏒ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ ᎠᎴ ᎪᎨᏯ 

ᎢᏍᏓ, ᎠᏎᏍᎩᏂ ᎯᎠ ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏌᏓ ᎢᎦ ᏙᎢ. 

ᎾᏍᎩᏃ Ꮎ ᏏᎦ ᏗᎦᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᏧᎵᏍᏚᎢᏒ 

ᎾᎿ ᎨᎦᏈᏴᎡᎰ ᏔᎵ ᎠᎴ ᏦᎢ ᎢᎦ 

ᏒᎾᏙᏓᏆᏍᏗ ᎨᏒᎢ, ᏝᏃ ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᏱᎨᏐ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎨᎦᏈᏴᎡᏗ ᎧᎵ ᏱᏚᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎯ,” 

ᎠᏗᏍᎬ ᏗᎬᏝᏗᏍᎩ Isaac Merchant. “ 

ᎠᏎᏃ ᏃᏣᏛᏁᎰ ᎣᎩᎲ ᎣᏨᏗᏍᎪ, ᏙᏤᏠᎰ 

ᏙᎦᏓᏘᎾᎥᎢ. ᏂᎦᏓ ᎣᏣᎵᎮᎵᎪ ᎣᏤᎸ 

ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ, ᎠᎴ ᏙᏓᏲᎩᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎵ 

ᎾᏍᎩᏊ ᎢᏲᎦᏛᏁᏗ ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏓ.” 

ᎠᏫᏓᏯᎢ ᎤᏛᏅ ᎤᏚᎵᏍᎬ ᎤᎪᏩᏛᏗ 

ᏗᏅᏝᏗᏍᎩ ᏗᎨᏥᏁᏢᏗ ᏅᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗ 

ᎪᎯᏓ ᏚᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎰ, ᎠᎴ Ꮭ ᎤᏣᏘᏂ 

ᏱᎾᎾᎵᏍᏗᏍᎪ ᎠᏕᎳ ᎣᏂ ᎬᏩᏂᏙᏗ 

ᎨᏒᎢ. ᏃᏊᏃ ᎢᎾᎨ ᏕᎦᎵᎬ ᏳᏟᎢᎶᏝ, 

ᏗᏅᏝᏗᏍᎩ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᎤᎾᏛᏓᏍᏓ 

ᏧᎾᏟᏃᎮᏗ ᎢᎸᏢ ᏯᎴᎾ ᎢᎾᎨ ᎦᎵᎬᎢ. ᎠᏎᏃ 

not against progress and realizes the need 

for electricity, but they do not want one of 

the mountains overlooking the Kituwah 

site desecrated. She said she resents Duke 

claiming the station is for the tribe and its 

growing casino. 

Duke has stated 

the 90,000-square 

foot station, with 40foot 

towers, would sit 

on 15 acres of the 35 

acres the company 

purchased for $1.5 

million, which left 

tribal and Swain 

County leaders 

concerned about the 

site’s visual impact. 

Duke has provided 

mitigation plans to minimize the negative 

visual impact, including utilizing dark 

metal material, concealing the station by 

planting natural vegetation and realigning 

the station so the transmission lines enter 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᏱᎩ Ꮭ ᏱᏗᎨᏥᎾᏝᎣᎢ. 

“……ᎢᏳᏃ ᏱᏚᎾᏓᏂᎳ ᎠᏎ 

ᏧᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎠᎴ Ꮭ ᏱᎨᎦᏈᏴᎡᎰᎢ. 

ᎢᏳᏃ ᏂᏗᎦᎵᎬᎾ ᏱᎩ ᎢᎾᎨ, Ꮭ 

ᏱᏙᎩᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎰ ᎠᎴ Ꮭ ᏱᎨᎦᏈᏴᎡᎰᎢ,” 

ᎤᏛᏅᎢ. 

ᎠᏫᏓᏯᎢ ᎾᏍᏊ ᎯᎠ ᏄᏪᏒ ᎾᏍᎩ 

ᎬᏩᏍᏕᎵᏍᎩ ᎤᎪᏛ ᎠᏂᎦᏘᏗᏍᎪ 

ᎨᎦᏈᏴᎡᏗ ᏧᏁᎳ ᎠᎴ ᏍᎪᎯ 

ᎢᏳᎾᏙᏓᏆᏍᏗ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ ᎩᎳ ᏩᏥᏂ 

ᏕᎦᏅᏍᎪ ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᏎᎯᏍᏓ, ᎠᎴ ᏴᏓᎭ 

ᏔᎵ ᎠᎴ ᏦᎢ ᎢᎦ ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᏎᎯᏍᏓ 

ᏓᏂᏁᏍᎪ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᎦ ᎣᏂ ᎠᎾᎢᏐᎢ. 

“…… ᏬᎬᎬᏛᏃ ᏙᏥᏁᏍᎬ ᎣᎦᏈᏴᎡᎭ 

ᏔᎵ ᎢᏳᎾᏙᏓᏆᏍᏗ ᎢᏳᏓᎵ ᎣᎨᏙᎸ ᏱᎩ 

ᎠᎴ Ꮭ ᎾᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᏙᏣᏓᏅᏁᎰ ᏗᎪᏪᎳ 

ᎠᏎᎯᎭ ᏄᏍᏛ ᏃᎦᏛᏁᎸᎢ,” ᎤᏛᏅᎢ. 

“…. 

ᎯᎢᎾ ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ ᎤᎾᏚᎵᏍᎪ ᎤᎪᏛ 

ᎠᎴ ᏗᎨᏥᎾᏢᏗ ᎾᎿ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ 

ᎤᎾᎵᎮᎵᏍᏗ ᎤᏠᏯ ᎠᏂᏐᎢ ᎨᎦᏈᏴᎡᎲᎢ 

ᎾᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᎠᏂᎦᏘᏯ ᎠᎴ ᏔᎵ ᎾᏕᏘᏯ 

ᎬᏩᎾᎴᏅᏓ.” 

ᏂᎬᏩᏍᏛ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎢᏳᏅᎾᏕᎦ 

ᏗᎫᎪᏔᏂᏙᎯ Pat Gwin ᎤᏛᏅ 

ᎾᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᏗᎦᎾᏈᏗ ᎯᎠ ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ ᏝᏃ 

ᎠᏕᎳ ᎡᎵ ᏱᏂᎦ ᏯᎭ.. 

“ᏃᏊᏃ ᎨᏒ, ᏙᎯᏳ ᎡᏍᎪᎯ ᎠᏕᎳ ᏓᎲ 

ᏎᎦᏨ ᎨᏐ ᏌᏊ ᏴᏫ ᎠᏈᏴᎡᏙᏗ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ 

ᏩᏥᏂ ᏙᏗᎦᎶᏍᎪ ᎯᎠ ᎠᏕᎳ ᎠᎴ Ꮭ 

ᎠᏯ ᎣᎩᏁᎢᏍᏗ ᏱᎩ. ᎠᎾᎵᏍᎪᎸᏗᏍᎬ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᎾᎦᏎᏍᏗᏍᎪ ᎠᎴ ᎢᎦ ᎨᏒᎢ,” 

ᎠᏗᏍᎬ Gwin. “ᎠᏯᏃ ᎣᎩᎭ ᎢᎦᏘᎭ 

ᏲᎬᏁᎸᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᎾᏙᏗ ᎨᏒ ᏩᏥᏂ 

ᎤᎵᏍᎪᎸᏛᎢ.” 

ᎤᏛᏅᏃ ᎠᏟᎢᎵᏒᎢ, ᎯᎢᎾ ᎤᎾᏙᏢᎯ 

ᎤᏚᎩ ᎤᏅᎭ ᎤᏓᏁᏟᏴᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ 

ᎤᏂᎲ ᏃᏊ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏅᏓᎴ ᏧᏃᏍᏗ ᎤᏣᏘᏂ 

ᎬᏩᏅᏔᏂᏓᏍᏗ ᎨᏒᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎤᎪᏛᎢ. 

the station at a different point. 

Duke also provided computergenerated 

images of the design to EBCI 

and county officials to demonstrate the 

station “will be barely visible from the 

Kituwah mound and from vantage points 

even closer to the station.” 

After Duke cleared the land for the station, 

Swain County commissioners imposed a 

90-day moratorium on substations and 

towers, which will expire June 9. The EBCI, 

Cherokee Nation and United Keetoowah 

Band have formally protested Duke’s plans 

and have urged Duke to find another 

location. 

Duke spokesman Jason Walls said the 

company must make a decision soon to 

meet its schedule to build the station and 

install power lines before mid-2011. Walls 

said the Hyatt Creek site could be the best 

site available. 

will-chavez@cherokee.org 

• (918) 207-3961

Ewf #>hAmh • [UMI 2010 June 2010 • Cherokee Phoenix 3 

Cherokee Heritage Center Executive Director Carey Tilley discusses where the Cherokee Female 

Seminary was located in relation to the museum. Part of the seminary foundation is located in 

front of the museum and may be excavated soon. PHOTO BY WILL CHAVEZ 

Seminary 


we want to make sure,” he said. 

The female seminary burned on Easter Sunday 

in 1887. The male seminary, located at the former 

Markoma Bible School in Tahlequah, burned on 

Palm Sunday in 1910. 

Tilley said the next step is to excavate and 

uncover what is under the museum’s lawn and 

possibly use some of it for a future exhibition. 

He also said an electromagnetic meter used 

to look for the seminary got many readings for 

metal objects, which are thought to be boiler room 

remnants in the seminary basement. Burned debris 

may have been pushed into the basement and 

covered with dirt after the seminary fire, Tilley said. 

Another part of the CHC master plan includes 

a 45,000-square-foot multi-purpose building to 

hold archives and provide exhibition and gathering 

space for the public. The building will be located 

north of the current museum, modeled after the 

female and male seminaries and comparable in 

size to the 47,000-square-foot seminaries. 

Weaver said it was important not to encroach 

on the female seminary’s “footprint” because he 

wanted it preserved. However, he had to find the 

footprint first. 

In 1877 the Cherokee Nation added to both 

seminaries, which were built between 1849 and 

1851. Two wings and a third story at the rear of 

Village 


everywhere. That was the center of 

community activity for most of the year. 

They would have gathered in the council 

house for certain events, but the social life 

was centered around that plaza.” 

The time period for the new village will 

also change from the 1600s to the early 

1700s. The Yamasee War between the 

British colonists and tribes in the Southeast 

erupted in 1715 in 

“This (1710 period) is 

sort of a last glimpse of 

the Cherokees before 

there is a major shift in 

their material culture.” 

– Carey Tilley, Cherokee 

Heritage Center executive 

director 

South Carolina, Tilley 

said. When it was 

over, hardly any tribal 

people remained 

between Charleston, 

S.C., and the Cherokee 

Nation, which led to 

more trade between 

Cherokees and 

colonists. 

During this period, 

Cherokees still made 

traditional baskets 

and practical items and used stone tools, 

although steel tools and utensils were 

available through trade. 

“It changes their world after that Yamasee 

War. So this is sort of a last glimpse of the 

Cherokees before there is a major shift in 

their material culture,” Tilley said. 

both buildings were added. After the additions, 

both buildings had 47,000 square feet and 40 

rooms, Weaver said. 

After searching for both seminaries’ building 

plans, Weaver said he was led to Northeastern 

State University in Tahlequah where he found 

the original plans and the plans for the additional 

wings, which were all hand-drawn and colored. 

“The amount of detail in these are just really 

remarkable,” he said. “You could rebuild it with 

these plans.” 

Weaver is recommending the CN permanently 

mark the female seminary’s underground remains. 

“It could be used for interpretive purposes or 

teaching purposes, and everyone will know that 

this is where the female seminary was and not to 

build on it,” he said. 

He said he submitted a plan to the tribe for 

a minor excavation of where the walls were 

discovered and where the electromagnetic 

meter found metal objects. He said there is even 

a possibility that part of the footprint could be 

exposed and covered with Plexiglas so that people 

could see what remains. He estimates the building’s 

remains are about 10 feet below the surface. 

Ultimately, Weaver said he and his students plan 

to produce a video and book about the seminaries 

that will include the building plans. He said there 

are also plans to create a virtual reconstruction of 

the female seminary using computer software for 

a 2011 exhibition. 


• (918) 207-3961 

An important part of the experience will 

be the people employed as villagers, he 

said. Six year-round employees currently 

work in the village, and six more are hired 

for summer. Tilley said through tribal 

programs, there should be no problems 

hiring villagers once it is finished. 

Another change includes moving the 

marble field near the CHC entrance into 

the village. 

“It will be a component of the village to 

show this is a game that was played in the 

1700s, and it’s still played today,” Tilley said. 

There will also be no palisade surrounding 

the expanded village. 

“We have found that 

Cherokees did not have 

palisaded villages, so 

we’re making an effort to 

be accurate,” Tilley said. 

He also said research 

shows that towns 

had “no-build” zones 

between the fires of the 

winter and summer 

council houses and the 

area leading to water. 

“Obviously they had an intent that you 

not build on that line. Generally, that is a 

southeasterly direction to water,” Tilley said. 

“That’s still important today, going east to 

water from the fire.” 

Professor Alfred Vick at the University 

of Georgia’s College of Environmental and 

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Descendants of Cherokee seminary students hold annual meeting 

CN Youth Leadership Council prepares tomorrow’s leaders 

Education on sexually transmitted diseases vital for prevention 

HPV one of most common sexual infections 

Cherokee Nation to expand health info exchange to Tulsa area 

LIHEAP funds available for summer cooling 

BY CHRISTINA GOOD VOICE 

Cherokee Nation creates program to fight obesity 

Plants 


explorers, missionaries and scholars 

who visited and lived with Cherokees 

provided a good description of the 

plants used for food, medicines and 

materials. 

Vick said though he had knowledge 

of what plants Cherokees grew and used in their old homelands, he 

wasn’t sure how many were found in Oklahoma and if all the plants 

would grow here. For instance, the Black Walnut tree is common here, 

but not the Tulip Poplar, which Vick said can survive in the area. 

Vick’s group created a spreadsheet with 740 plants used by Cherokees 

for medicine, fibers, ceremonies, dyes and food. The spreadsheet lists 

each plant’s characteristics, its common name, the Cherokee name, the 

translation or meaning of the Cherokee name and the plant’s usage. 

He said he discovered about one-third of the plants Cherokees 

and scholars deemed important were not found in Indian Territory 

in 1839 when most Cherokees arrived. 

Determined next was the importance of each of the 740 plants. He 

said most plants had two to four uses, but some had 24 or more. Vick 

said 75 percent of the plants have seven or fewer uses and the top 25 

percent have more than seven uses. 

“The top core plants may have been the more important plants 

and widely used,” he said. 

Vick also shared research showing how Cherokees organized 

plants and their importance. He said most of the Cherokee names 

for plants have meaning or may provide a description of the plant 

and where it usually grows. The more important plants or plants that 

were used more often had proper names, he said. 

“They’re important enough to basically have their own proper 

name, not just a descriptive name.” 

Though Cherokee people did lose plants because of removal, Vick 

said they found substitutes within the same plant species in Indian 

Territory. Another strategy of adaptation Cherokees used was to ask 

tribes living in Indian Territory what plants they used for medicines, 

food and materials. For instance, Cherokees adapted to using Osage 

orange or Bois D‘arc for bow making. 

Tilley said Cherokee elders have also shown Vick plants that 

scholars said did not grow in Oklahoma. 

will-chavez@cherokee.org • (918) 207-3961 

Cherokee Female Seminary students and staff stand in front 

of the seminary in the 1800s before the school burned to the 

ground in 1887. The Cherokee Heritage Center now sits on part of 

the land once occupied by the seminary. 

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHEROKEE HERITAGE CENTER 

Tim Grayson strips bark from wood that’s part of a Cherokee home in the Cherokee 

Heritage Center’s new Ancient Village. PHOTO BY WILL CHAVEZ 

Design, assisted the CHC with its plans. 

He said the current village site was not 

ideal because the topography was not flat, 

especially for a plaza. So land adjacent to it 

and an overflow parking area will be used 

for the new village. The new village will 

encompass about five acres, a fraction of the 

size of a true village from the 1700s. 

The Ancient Village was built in 1967 

and “was ahead of its time” because not a 

lot of people were promoting living history, 

Tilley said. He said its buildings are “beyond 

repair” except for the council house, which 

will be used as an interpretive area. 


• (918) 207-3961


Native ancestors interred 

in D.C. cemetery honored 

Native Americans who 

died in Washington, 

D.C., while representing 

their tribes are honored. 

BY STAFF REPORTS 

WASHINGTON – An unprecedented 

gathering of leaders from Native American 

nations participated in “A Time of 

Rededication and Storytelling” event May 

19 at the Congressional Cemetery. 

The Congressional Cemetery became 

the official burial grounds in 1807 for 

congressman, tradesmen, diplomats, 

domestics, explorers, architects, soldiers 

and musicians. Thirty-six Native 

Americans from the Apache, Cherokee, 

Chippewa, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), 

Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Kiowa, Lakota, 

Nez Perce, Pawnee, Sac and Fox and 

Winnebago tribes are among the more 

than 55,000 individuals and 30,000 burial 

sites in the cemetery. 

Many Native Americans interred at the 

cemetery were representing their people in 

treaty negotiations and government affairs 

and were far from their native lands when 

they died. 

“Native Americans were heavily involved 

in Washington 

and international 

politics more than 

200 years ago, 

which led to their 

interment away 

from their homes,” 

said Principal 

Chief Chad Smith. 

“Several Native 

American nations 

also had treaties 

with foreign 

governments prior 

to the creation of the United States and still 

operate as sovereign governments today.” 

The rededication and storytelling event 

featured interpretive guides’ historical 

accounts of Native American leaders and 

dignitaries interred at the Congressional 

Cemetery, including Cherokee citizens 

Capt. John Rogers Jr., William Shorey 

“Native Americans 

were heavily involved 

in Washington and 

international politics more 

than 200 years ago, which 

led to their interment 

away from their homes.” 

– Principal Chief Chad Smith 

Principal Chief Chad Smith speaks on May 19 during a ceremony marking the 

Congressional Resolution of Apology to Native Peoples in the Congressional 

Cemetery chapel in Washington, D.C. AP PHOTO BY CLIFF OWEN 

Coodey, Judge Richard Fields and a friend 

of the Cherokee Nation William Wirt. 

“Storytelling is a valued tradition in 

Native American heritage and coupled 

with an opportunity to relive Cherokee 

history on these revered grounds was 

a tremendous experience for guests,” 

Smith said. “The Congressional Cemetery 

provided for a unique setting where visitors 

were immersed in 

traditional stories 

and historical 

accounts regarding 

the Native 

American people.” 

In preparation 

for the event, there 

was “A Time of 

Service” gathering 

on May 18 at 

the cemetery to 

allow the public 

to clean, weed and 

help restore some of the Native American 

graves in the cemetery. Professionals 

offering direction in the proper care and 

tending to the neglected burial sites led the 

efforts and supplied the tools. 

Prior to the “A Time of Rededication 

and Storytelling” event, there was an 

official presentation and reading of “The 

Resolution of Apology to Native Peoples” 

by Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., and 

Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., co-hosts 

of the day’s events and co-authors of 

the resolution, which took place in the 

Congressional Cemetery chapel. 

The “Resolution of Apology to Native 

Peoples” cites seven key acknowledgment 

and apology points, including one that 

apologizes on behalf of the people of the 

United States to all Native Peoples for the 

many instances of violence, maltreatment 

and neglect inflicted on Native Peoples by 

citizens of the United States. 

President Obama signed the bill on 

Dec. 19, 2009, in part to acknowledge 

“a long history of official depredations 

and ill-conceived policies” by the federal 

government regarding tribes and offer an 

apology to all Native peoples on behalf of 

the United States. 

“A Time of Rededication and 

Storytelling,” “A Time of Service” gathering 

and “The Resolution of Apology to Native 

Peoples” presentation was sponsored 

by The Faith and Politics Institute 

and National Congress of American 

Indians along with representatives of the 

Cherokee, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), 

Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate and Pawnee 

nations. 

CN to distribute 

clothing vouchers 

in July 


TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – In an effort to cut the 

costs for back-to-school clothing this fall, the 

Cherokee Nation will distribute $100 clothing 

vouchers in July for qualified students. 

The tribe’s School Clothing Voucher 

Program is available to students who are at 

least 5 years old, enrolled in public schools 

in grades kindergarten through 12, live in 

the tribe’s 14-county jurisdictional area, meet 

income guidelines and are CN citizens. 

Participants must present proof of address, 

income verification and a copy of the student’s 

tribal citizenship card. Applications must be 

made by a legal guardian or custodial parent. 

A limited number of clothing vouchers are 

available for each location, and families are 

encouraged to apply at the location nearest to 

their home. Call (918) 772-4144. 

Vouchers will be distributed from 10 a.m. 

to 7 p.m. at the following locations: 

• July 7, at the Will Rogers Health Center, 

1020 Lenape Dr., in Nowata 

• July 8, at the Cherokee Nation Housing 

Services Office, 900 McNelis #31B, in Vinita 

• July 13, at the Sequoyah Schools old gym, 

Hwy 62 south of Tahlequah 

• July 14, at the Three Rivers Health Center, 

Hwy 165 and Chandler Road, in Muskogee 

• July 15, at the Stilwell High School Cafeteria 

on Hwy 100 West. 

• July 20, at the Claremore High School Gym, 

1910 N. Florence, in Claremore 

• July 21, at the Upper Elementary School 

Cafeteria, 410 E. Monroe, in Jay 

• July 22, at the Salina Schools Cafeteria, 909 

N. Saltwell, in Salina 

• July 27, at Sallisaw High School, 2301 N. 

Ruth, in Sallisaw 

• July 28, at Keys High School, just off Hwy 82 

South and Indian Road 

• July 29, at Cherokee Elementary School 

Cafeteria, 6001 N. Peoria Ave., in Turley 

Clothing vouchers will be redeemable 

at participating Stage stores in Bartlesville, 

Broken Arrow, Claremore, Grove, Miami, 

Muskogee, Pryor, Sallisaw, Sand Springs, 

Tahlequah and Siloam Springs, Ark.


Tribe implements sex 

offender registry 

The tribe’s laws are 

unique in that they deal 

with Indians and non- 

Indians. 


Reporter 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Cherokee 

Nation has established a sex offender 

registration system that allows people to 

search online for offenders by name or 

geographical area. 

The tribe’s Sex Offender Registration can 

be accessed at http://cherokee.nsopw.gov. 

Since the 1990s, Congress has enacted sex 

offender registration laws for the states, CN 

Assistant Attorney General Chrissi Nimmo 

said. But in 2006, the federal government 

passed sex offender 

registration laws that 

applied to tribes. 

“The federal 

government said, ‘alright 

tribes, either you have to 

do this yourself, or if you 

choose not to, the state will 

be allowed to come in and 

register, track, arrest and 

charge sex offenders in 

Indian Country,’” Nimmo 

said. 

She said the U.S. government basically 

made the sex offender registration law into 

a sovereignty issue for tribes since tribes 

wanted to retain criminal and administrative 

jurisdiction over sex offenders in their 

respective jurisdictions. 

“The vast majority of tribes across the 

country have chosen to enact their own sex 

offender registration,” she said. “There’s only 

a few that have opted out of it.” 

The CN passed its sex offender registration 

laws in 2008 and are unique in that they apply 

to Indians and non-Indians, Nimmo said. 

“A lot of times, laws within Cherokee 

Nation only apply to Indians. We sometimes 

don’t have jurisdiction over non-Indians,” 

she said. 

According to the CN laws, the duty to 

register applies to any person living, working 

or attending school in Indian Country and 

The Cherokee Nation and 

Muscogee (Creek) Nation 

child welfare programs 

have a significant need in 

common – more foster 

homes. 


Reporter 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Kara Whitworth 

has worked for the Cherokee Nation Indian 

Child Welfare program for 

17 years. As ICW manager, 

she’s seen many changes 

within the program, as well 

as other tribes’ child welfare 

programs. However, one 

thing hasn’t changed and 

that’s the constant need 

for Native foster homes to 

house Native children. 

Whitworth, along with Muscogee (Creek) 

Nation’s ICW Coordinator Steve Wahnee 

and Manager Dawn Yahola, recently 

discussed this issue and others pertaining to 

the state of the Indian Child Welfare Act at 

Northeastern State University’s 38th annual 

Symposium on the American Indian. 

Dr. Virginia Whitekiller, NSU associate 

professor of Social Work, moderated the 

panel and described the challenges faced 

and the advancements made toward the 

protection of children. 

She said prior to 1978, 25 to 35 percent 

of all Indian kids were removed from their 

homes in the United States. 

“About 85 percent of those were placed 

in non-Indian homes and non-Indian 

residential areas,” Whitekiller said. “The 

problems with this were the places where 

the kids were being brought up in had no 

understanding or (had a) misunderstanding 

of Indian culture and Indian traditions.” 

After testimonies by many tribal citizens, 

Congress passed the ICWA in 1978. 

“The congressional intent of this was to 

protect the best interest of Indian children 

and to promote the stability and security 

of Indian tribes and their families,” 

Whitekiller said. 

“We’re asking you 

to contact us if 

you think there’s 

someone that might 

need to register.” 

– Chrissi Nimmo, 

assistant attorney general 

has been convicted of a sex offense. 

Living in Indian Country encompasses 

people who live on restricted or tribally 

owned land. Nimmo said those working in 

Indian Country will be where the tribe deals 

with the largest group of sex offenders. 

“Cherokee Nation only background 

checks people who are in youth-sensitive or 

sometimes financially-sensitive positions,” 

she said. “So we have a lot of employees that 

when they’re hired there’s not a criminal 

background check performed on them.” 

The work inclusion will include anyone 

who works in any capacity for any entity of 

the CN. 

“This is going to include all of our casinos 

and any outlying areas,” Nimmo said. “Just 

the fact that they don’t work on trust or 

restricted land doesn’t keep them out of 

this. If you are an employee in any way of 

Cherokee Nation you will be subject to 

the sex offender registry, 

regardless of where your 

day-to-day, physical office 

is located.” 

The CN laws also consist 

of a three-tier system. The 

tiers are titled 15, 25 and 

Lifetime, which are the 

number of years a person 

has to stay on the registry 

depending on certain 

factors. 

“This will be changing somewhat because 

when we passed this law we did a risk-based 

assessment on tiering someone,” Nimmo 

said. “(We) look at whether they’re likely to 

repeat the crime. The federal law actually 

requires an offense-based tiering system.” 

The federal system states that if an offender 

commits certain offenses the offender is 

automatically a lifetime register regardless of 

what his or her risk of re-offense is, she said. 

Nimmo also said the tribe needs the 

public’s help in identifying sex offenders 

because many people know who they are. 

“Whether it’s a neighbor, coworker or family 

member, people know what’s going on.” 

She said tribal officials want people to 

contact them at (918) 453-5626 or (918) 

207-3800 if they think there’s someone who 

might need to register. 

christina-goodvoice@cherokee.org 

• (918) 207-3825 

Tribes seek Native foster 

homes for children 

“All of us are always 

actively recruiting 

new foster homes.” 

– Kara Whitworth, 

Cherokee Nation Indian 

Child Welfare manager 

“The numbers really haven’t changed a lot 

(over the years). But I think we have made 

a huge difference in the past 25 to 32 years,” 

she said. 

Whitworth said the percentages of Native 

children removed from their homes now 

hover between 20 to 25 percent, which still 

calls for a great need of Native foster homes. 

“Contact the Cherokee Nation or Creek 

Nation,” Whitworth said. “All of us are always 

actively recruiting new foster homes.” 

Whitworth said the job of tribal social 

workers is to advocate for Native children 

and make sure they stay connected to tribal 

families, even if they are unable to remain in 

their own families. 

“We have to constantly 

educate, but we have made 

progress,” she said. 

The Cherokee Nation 

receives about 950 notices 

monthly of Cherokee 

children in other states 

needing placement, 

Whitworth said. Luckily, 

the tribe is able to step in 

even though the children are outside of the 

tribe’s jurisdictional territory in Oklahoma. 

Whitworth said the tribe has some 

certified families in California. And if there 

aren’t families available, social workers work 

with other agencies so the child doesn’t have 

to be relocated. 

“One success is now that we are getting 

notice,” she said. 

However, the Muscogee Nation isn’t 

able to step in if a case is outside the state, 

Wahnee said. 

The Creeks are unable to work with 

children outside of Oklahoma because 

of tribal law, but Yahola said the tribe is 

working to change that. 

Both tribes are looking for more certified 

foster parents, and tribal citizens are urged 

to contact their respective tribes if they’re 

interested in becoming a foster parent. 

For more information about becoming a 

foster parent for the Cherokee Nation, call 

(918) 453-5000, or the Creek Nation at (918) 

732-7869. Some parents can be certified by 

both tribes. 


• (918) 207-3825

6 Cherokee Phoenix • June 2010 

June 2010 

Bryan Pollard 

Executive Editor 

(Cherokee) 

Travis Snell 

Assistant Editor 


Will Chavez 

Reporter 

(Cherokee/San Felipe Pueblo) 

Christina Good Voice 

Reporter 

(Muscogee/Choctaw/Rosebud Lakota) 

Jami Custer 

Reporter 


Craig Henry 

Multimedia Producer 


Mark Dreadfulwater 

Media Specialist 


Roger Graham 

Media Specialist 


Nicole L. Hill 

Advertising Coordinator 


Dena Tucker 

Administrative Officer 


Joy Rollice 

Secretary 


Adam Brewer 

Distribution 

(Cherokee/Oglala Sioux) 

Anna Huckaby 

Linguist 


Editorial Board 

Dan Agent 

(Cherokee/Choctaw) 

John Shurr 


Jason Terrell 


Robert Thompson III 


Gerald Wofford 


Cherokee Phoenix 

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Tahlequah, OK 74465 

(918) 453-5269 

FAX: (918) 458-6136 

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Member 

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Journalists Association 

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Association 

Politics as usual? 

It is incumbent upon tribal leaders, particularly the chief and the 

council, to act independent of non-Indian activities. That includes 

partisan politics. The Cherokee Nation does not function on a 

party affiliation basis, nor should it. While it is true the Nation’s 

governmental structure significantly mirrors that of the United 

States, there is no tradition in Cherokee politics that mirrors the 

Republican or Democrat parties. 

Nevertheless, it appears this chief and council, as well as our tribal 

businesses, are heavily involved in substantially supporting the 

Democrat Party, the Democrat National Committee, the Democrat 

Senate and House Committees, Democrat PACs and federal and 

state Democrat candidates for office, the majority of which are 

outside of Oklahoma. 

Why is the CN sending dollars to candidates, mostly Democrats, 

running for state offices in Tennessee? Sending money to 

Washington to curry favors from the president or the Congress 

is one thing, albeit way too much when we have too many unmet 

needs here at home, but giving money to state candidates in Ohio 

and Tennessee doesn’t appear to make much sense to me. Exactly 

what can a Tennessee state senator do for me? Very little, I would 

think. It may be that all those folks are Cherokee. I don’t know. If 

they are, if we are going to support every Cherokee in the United 

States who decides to run for office somewhere, we’re going to need 

more money. The CN does not have that kind of money. If we do, 

I’ve been fooled, and beyond that it needs to be spent on someone 

within our jurisdiction. 

Assuming we have the money, there can be no excuse for such 

partisan use of it. I didn’t see anywhere in the last issue of the 

Cherokee Phoenix where any use of the word Republican appeared 

related to giving away money. I’m a registered Democrat, but I am not 

supportive of how the chief, who is obviously a Democrat, supports 

only Democrats with our money. If he wants to give his money only 

to Dems, that’s his prerogative. But I’d think tribal money should be 

more evenly divided. And I question the legality of how the money 

is spent. It is time for the council to take a look at the law(s) and 

policies governing political contributions before the Nation is met 

with a legal challenge that could be both embarrassing and costly 

to defend. 

J.R. Burris 

Muskogee, Okla. 

Editor’s Note: J.R. Burris is a former tribal programs administrator 

for the Cherokee Nation. And for the record, Principal Chief Chad 

Smith is a registered Republican. 

Be thankful for history 

I am proud of our Cherokee history but do have a different point 

of view concerning it than what Staff Writer Will Chavez has. Since 

one of his recent articles concerns “what ifs,” what if the treaty 

for removal had never falsely been signed by these men and for a 

president who certainly wanted our eastern lands? You and I might 

be living in Tennessee or Georgia now instead of Oklahoma. 

We’ll never know, but be thankful that the elected leaders of the 

Cherokee did the best they could with the circumstances they were 

forced into following these traitors signing the treaty for removal. 

Be thankful for the school that was started almost immediately 

by Rev. Jesse Bushyhead after first establishing a church in which 

the Cherokee could worship and give thanks to God at Baptist 

Mission north of Westville. The church stills stands and is doing 

God’s business today. The school that was begun there moved to 

Tahlequah in 1867 to be closer to the center of the Cherokee Nation. 

In 1880 this school began accepting all tribes and then moved 

again in 1885 to Muskogee and is what is now Bacone College – 

all from the beginnings of that school at Baptist Mission. Rev. Jesse 

Bushyhead with missionary Evan Jones is the person that we can 

give acclaim for translating the Bible into Cherokee. 

I’m sure our tribe had many other capable men serving our 

government at the time. I just happen to know about these because 

they are my great grandfather and great, great grandfather. They left 

us a wonderful legacy. 

Concerning the printing beginning again of the Cherokee 

Advocate in 1844, it must have started again after the printing of 

The Cherokee Messenger began in August 1844. This periodical 

(Messenger) had several printings before it ceased. It was printed 

at Baptist Mission. The historical marker placed there by the state 

of Oklahoma states that is was the first periodical in Oklahoma. It 

indicates to me that the Cherokee Advocate began some time later. 

Evelyn Self Brashear 

Westville, Okla. 

Five Tribes Museum is a farce 

The so-called Five Civilized Tribes Museum has become a 

complete farce. Instead of being filled with the incredible artwork 

of citizens of the Five Tribes, they have taken to so many wannabe 

Indians that few legitimate tribal citizens are included. 

The Five Tribes are the Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw 

and Seminole Nations. It is shameful that fakes such as Murv Jacob, 

Terry Whetstone and Robin McBride Scott continue to find an 

audience and legitimacy by association at the Five Tribes Museum. 

The museum takes it upon themselves to make these kinds of folks 

Talking Circles 

Ewf #>hAmh • [UMI 2010 

Indian by claiming their art as Native American art. 

The museum should be disbanded and the real art given back 

to the tribes if the museum is not going to follow the mission of 

serving our tribal communities. The museum has become an 

embarrassment. 

Charley Dry 

Tahlequah, Okla. 

Thanks for the paper 

I would like to thank the Cherokee Phoenix staff. I have been 

deployed as a U.S. Army civilian to Baghdad, Iraq since March and 

I could not get my Cherokee Phoenix via e-mail or the Internet as 

many web sites and e-mails are blocked for security reasons. So I 

contacted the Cherokee Phoenix and have been enjoying my paper 

hardcopy every month. 

I redeploy home in November, but I wanted to say thanks to 

everyone there. I have enjoyed receiving the paper and I have passed 

it on to many who seemed surprised that there really is a Cherokee 

Nation and people still in existence. 

Also, the Cherokee flag presented to me by the 1st Cherokee 

Mounted Rifles flew over the “Victory Over America” Palace on July 

5 and over the Al Faw Palace in Baghdad on Sept. 21. The palace is 

part of the Abu Ghurayb Presidential Grounds that were controlled 

by the Baath Party. It also housed the Republican Guard and the Iraqi 

Military Academy. Saddam Hussein commissioned its construction 

to commemorate the Iraqi forces’ retaking of the Al-Faw Peninsula 

during the Iran-Iraq conflict. 

Because it was not a U.S. flag I had to get special permission. I had 

to report the flag’s historical significance and it was approved. It was 

the first unit flag approved to fly over the palace. 

I read in the Cherokee Phoenix about who Cherokee are and 

who aren’t and whose children should receive education and who 

should not. I do not know the answer but I have friends who are 

Cherokee citizens while I am not. I could be a citizen if I applied as 

my grandfather was, but being Cherokee is more than a card. I put 

together the paperwork several times, but not submitting it does not 

make me any less proud in being Cherokee. I know who I am and I 

know my family. 

If a person wants services that cost money they should be a 

citizen, but to accept something offered by the Cherokee Nation to 

all people is not wrong either. To those who say I do not understand 

because I’m not “a real Cherokee” I say OK if that is how you view 

me. I do not mind because I know that blood is there. Maybe when I 

get home from Iraq I’ll talk to someone about becoming a Cherokee 

citizen and then maybe not. 

Jim L. Langley 

Baghdad, Iraq 

Everyone says they are Cherokee 

While residing within the boundaries of a federally recognized 

Native American reservation here in the state Washington, I am 

occasionally asked what tribe I belong to. I proudly reply that I am a 

Cherokee Nation citizen. “Cherokee?” they say, “Everyone says they 

are Cherokee.” 

Is this particular response due to the fact that our tribe is the 

second-largest tribe in America or has this Freedmen controversy 

redefined the lengthy trail that our ancestors wept upon? 

Brian W. Lawson 

Chimacum, Wash. 

Treaty Party was not traitorous 

After considerable research by my family on our ancestors who 

were part of the “Treaty Party,” we have arrived at some conclusions. 

The signers could see disaster looming for the Cherokees with the 

continued depredations piled on them. Moving to the West was the 

only option they saw to keep the Cherokee Nation intact. 

The detestable act of killing fellow Cherokees by the Chief John 

Ross supporters was to us more about eliminating leaders of an 

opposing faction than the unauthorized selling of tribal land. Many 

believe that since Cherokee law was broken that’s the end of the 

conversation. However, the assassins themselves broke Cherokee 

law. Revenge killings were outlawed by Chief Black Fox, and others, 

in 1810. Unfortunately, there was no Moses to lead the tribe out of 

the wilderness for decades after the murders of its most enlightened 

citizens and the journey of progress slowed. For example, a vital 

communication instrument, The Cherokee Phoenix stopped 

printing with Boudinot’s death and did not resume until several 

years later as the Advocate. 

Education would certainly have been a high priority with Ridge/ 

Boudinot/Watie as they were highly educated for their time and 

valued education strongly by supporting missionary schools. They 

knew the CN would advance with education and only the educated 

are truly free. The introduction of Christian principles to the tribe 

can also be credited to these families by inviting missionaries onto 

tribal lands. 

Economic progress was certainly damaged by the deaths of the 

tribe’s best entrepreneurs. The Treaty Party members were generally 

the most prosperous and had the most to lose, including their lives, 

by signing the treaty, but they believed they were making the right 

decision for the tribe’s future. 

Marshall Wade 

Bella Vista, Ark.


CHIEF’S PERSPECTIVE 

Fiscal responsibility benefits everyone 

BY CHAD SMITH 

Principal Chief 

Every time I open a newspaper, 

I see news of schools laying off 

teachers, the state facing huge 

budget cuts and city and county 

governments struggling. The 

economy all over the country is 

weaker than it was a few years ago, 

and tribal governments are not immune. Some tribes in 

Oklahoma are reporting business revenue drops of 40 

percent, and some tribes have even laid people off. 

At the Cherokee Nation, we’re part of the overall 

economy, and our business revenue is down as well. At 

the last council meeting, we had to cut our General Fund 

budget to reflect the reality that income to our General 

Fund will not be as high as expected this year. The cuts 

did not affect services to our citizens or create a need 

to lay employees off. Since we consider a job the most 

important service we can provide our citizens, employees 

should understand how strongly our administration feels 

about creating and preserving jobs. 

Our history over the past 10 years has shown our 

dedication to sound financial practices. When I took 

office in 1999, the Cherokee Nation’s financials were in a 

GUEST PERSPECTIVE 

The gifts of Wilma Mankiller 

BY DAN AGENT 

Editorial Board Member 

Among my prized possessions are 

some gifts from Wilma Mankiller 

and Charlie Soap. One is a blanket 

they presented to me at Mankiller 

Flats in 1989. 

Another is the Wilma Mankiller 

Sacred Formula of the Cherokees 

knife No. 14, with her engraved signature at the base of 

the blade. It was presented to me when they took me to 

lunch shortly before I left the Cherokee Nation in 1991 

to become a public affairs specialist for the Smithsonian 

Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian 

and editor of the Smithsonian Runner. 

It seems appropriate now when I read what is engraved 

on the other side of the blade: 

“Seven is a sacred number of the Cherokees. It is the 

actual number of the tribal clans, the formulistic number of 

the upper worlds or heavens, and the ceremonial number 

of paragraphs or repetitions in the principal formulas. In 

the prayers for long life the priest raises his client to the 

seventh heaven before the end is accomplished.” – seven 

includes the East, South, West, North, Above, Below and 

here in the Center. (Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees) 

Those are tangible gifts, imbued with the spirits of 

those who gave them. All gifts given the right way always 

carry the spirits of the givers. They remind us of moments 

shared, whether one or many. 

Some are those shared with me are humorous and 

marked by their infectious laughs. Some are inspiring. 

One December evening in 1990, on one of the road trips 

to the communities, Charlie drove me to Kenwood to 

As long as I can remember my dad has 

erected metal buildings for a living, and 

periodically, I worked with him to earn 

money. Toward the end of my summer 

break from college one year, the local 

public schools in northwest Arkansas 

began opening, and on our way home 

from work my dad, two other guys in his 

crew and I would see school buses taking 

kids home. 

My father, unlike me, is identifiably 

Native. He is three-quarters Cherokee and 

his 30-plus years working in the sun has 

only darkened him. The two other fellows 

that rode to and from work with Dad and 

me were also identifiably Native. One has 

the last name Hogshooter, while the other 

was named Raper. Unfortunately, Mr. 

Raper has passed on. Also, by late summer, 

I had a dark tan thanks to more than three 

months in the sun. 

As we headed home one day in my 

dad’s beat-up Toyota Camry, a school bus 

passed and some kids stuck their heads 

out their windows and yelled at us. Before 

I let you know what they yelled, let me add 

Arizona’s heading 

the wrong way 

TRAVIS SNELL 

shambles. There were legal battles that had been touched 

off by simple information requests from the Tribal 

Council and other Cherokee citizens. In the years to 

follow, we worked diligently to update Cherokee Nation’s 

financial systems, processes and accounting standards, 

and I’m proud to report that we have since earned awards 

and recognitions for excellence in financial reporting for 

the past eight years in a row. 

Because transparency and the free flow of information 

from unbiased sources are key elements in a strong, 

independent government, I proposed an initiative in 

2000, the Cherokee Nation Free Press Act, which created 

the Cherokee Phoenix newspaper as an independent 

voice for the Cherokee people. It was followed by a 

tribal Freedom of Information Act in 2001, so that tribal 

information will never be held hostage again. 

Others are now recognizing that the tribe’s financial 

outlook has stabilized and improved in significant ways. 

In 2006 Cherokee Nation became the first Indian tribe 

in Oklahoma to earn an investment bond rating and 

to issue investment grade bonds, which supported the 

construction and expansion of its health centers through 

the sale of $30 million in bonds. Cherokee Nation 

received the rating and stable financial outlook opinion 

from Fitch Ratings, a global rating agency that provides 

credit opinions to worldwide credit markets. 

interview Johnny Chumwalooky for a Cherokee Advocate 

story about the Kenwood Cherokee Community Arts and 

Crafts Co-op. Later Johnny gave me a skinning knife, one 

of the array he made from old saw blades and antlers. It is 

one of those prized gifts from a fine Cherokee craftsman. 

It was a frigid when we left Johnny’s house, having 

enjoyed bowls of pinto beans and cornbread. I thought 

we would be heading back to Tahlequah, but as Charlie 

started the pickup he said, “Dan, before we go back, I want 

to take you to meet someone.” 

Shortly thereafter, we were approaching a small shack, 

a dim light peeking through the cracks in the aging walls 

and a window. 

Charlie knocked. The door opened. As we entered the 

shack, lined with tarpaper and warmed by a potbelly 

stove, Charlie introduced me to Homer Sapp. As he and 

I exchanged greetings, a young man came through the 

doorway of the small bedroom. 

George Sixkiller propelled himself across the floor 

with his hands, stopped on malformed and twisted legs 

to shake my hand. He had a wide smile in the wake of 

the misfortune of an apparent birth defect and offered an 

unintelligible but understood greeting as he gripped my 

hand, seemingly thankful to have visitors. 

As we visited, George moved to the firewood and 

put one of the logs in the potbelly. It was an emotional 

moment for me when we returned to the pickup, and it 

remains so to this day. 

Charlie told me that when he was assistant director and 

Wilma was director of Community Development and she 

had been asked to run for deputy chief to Principal Chief 

Ross Swimmer in the 1983 election, he brought her to 

meet Homer and George to see how they had to live. She 

had tears in her eyes when they drove away and he asked 

OUR VIEWS 

that this was before the Cherokee Nation 

sold car tags. So what these kids saw was 

an old four-door car with an Oklahoma 

tag and four dirty, sweaty guys in it – three 

of the guys being really dark and one 

getting there. 

What the kids yelled was “burrito,” 

“taco” and “enchilada.” They thought we 

were Hispanic. We heard this because our 

windows were down since the car didn’t 

have air conditioning. 

In response, Mr. Raper leaned across my 

father, who was driving, stuck a hand out 

the window and showed the kids a little 

bird, while yelling back some words I can’t 

write. He also informed the kids that we 

were Cherokee, not Hispanic. 

I write of this because of a recent law 

Arizona lawmakers enacted to battle illegal 

immigrants that compels police officers to 

question a person about his or her residence 

status if there is a “reasonable suspicion” 

that person may be in the country illegally. 

The law states that it’s a crime to be an illegal 

immigrant in Arizona, and opponents of it 

say it will lead to racial profiling by police. 

Opponents also say it will turn the state 

into a police state because of the provision 

requiring police to question people about 

their residence status. Immigrants unable 

to produce documents showing they are 

allowed to be in the U.S. could be arrested, 

jailed for up to six months and fined $2,500. 

Supporters of the law say it is necessary to 

protect Arizonans from crimes committed 

by illegal immigrants. Gov. Jan Brewer 

argues Arizona must act because the 

federal government hasn’t stopped illegal 

immigrants and drugs 

from flowing through 

Arizona. President Obama 

called the law “misguided” 

and instructed the Justice 

Department to examine its 

legality. 

However, I wonder how 

this new law will affect 

Native Americans living in Arizona such as 

the Hopi, Navajo, Apache, Pueblo, Tohono 

O’odham and others. 

Will they be subject to police residence 

status checks because officers confuse 

tribal citizens for illegal immigrants much 

like the school kids confused my father, 

Mr. Hogshooter, Mr. Raper and me for 

Hispanics? 

Are tribal citizens going to find it easier 

to have their tribal citizenship or Certificate 

Degree of Indian Blood cards hung around 

their necks so they can show police their 

documents proving they are Native 

Americans instead of illegal immigrants? 

Over the last 10 years, Cherokee Nation has been 

financially conservative. We have created 5,000 new 

jobs while producing the largest service budgets in the 

tribe’s history. We have been conservative with the budget 

because we care about our employees and tribal citizens. 

We have lived within our means, making sure that we not 

only work within our budgets, but cut costs whenever 

possible. For this reason, we have been able to avoid layoffs 

when there have been economic downturns elsewhere. In 

fact, when other governments were laying people off, the 

Cherokee Nation started the Day Work Program, which 

hired people on a short-term basis as they looked for 

permanent jobs. 

A full decade has passed under this administration 

and the Cherokee Nation has changed and grown 

exponentially, making great strides in critical areas of 

jobs, language, community and sovereignty. We’ve created 

thousands of new jobs and are continuously working to 

help Cherokees learn to help themselves more. We’ve 

expanded services, and have opened many new field sites 

to allow our people to access services without having to 

travel to Tahlequah for them. We’ve also greatly reduced 

our dependence on funding from the federal government 

by creating new business endeavors and revenue streams. 

chad-smith@cherokee.org 

• (918) 453-5112 

if she was all right. 

She replied, “I’m going to run for deputy chief. I’m 

going to change Kenwood.” 

“That’s when she decided to run for deputy chief,” 

Charlie said. 

She changed Kenwood, but she proceeded to change 

the Cherokee Nation and its image, not just in the U.S. 

but throughout the world. 

Tangible gifts remind us of the ultimate gifts. We are 

the beneficiaries of her gift – her commitment, courage, 

humor and having a good mind. We are the beneficiaries 

of the lives of Homer Sapp and George Sixkiller. 

At Wilma’s farewell at the Cherokee Cultural Grounds 

on April 10, her daughter Felicia Olaya read a message 

Wilma had written for the services: “I’ve decided to be 

cremated and to have my ashes be part of the land around 

the spring at Mankiller Flats where I grew up, the place I 

love and will always be. I know that many people around 

here believe in burial. But I would like them to bury 

something after today. I would like them to bury any 

unkindness or anger or hurtful things I may have done. 

Bury those with me.” 

I suppose all of us do unkind and hurtful things 

occasionally. I never experienced any from her, nor from 

Charlie. But within that statement is a message that we 

can apply to our respective lives. 

We can celebrate her life by burying our own hurtful, 

unkind acts, anger and polarizing actions and seek 

the common ground for the next seven generations 

and beyond. We can work to ensure the vitality of the 

Cherokee communities and the people. 

I believe that would make her smile and we might 

hear her laughter rising from the around spring at 

Mankiller Flats. 

To me, the law creates a police state 

because if an officer suspects a brown 

person is an illegal immigrant, that officer 

can stop and question him or her about 

his or her residence states. “Are you here 

legally? Show me your papers!” 

What’s next, putting symbols on brown 

people so they can show they are legal? It 

wouldn’t be the first time a society did that. 

Nazi Germany forced different peoples to 

wear symbols to show they were Jewish, a 

gypsy or a homosexual. 

“However, I wonder how this new law 

will affect Native Americans living 

in Arizona such as the Hopi, Navajo, 

Apache, Pueblo, Tohono O’odham 

and others.” 

The law stinks of bigotry because whites, 

Asians and blacks don’t really have to 

worry about it. It only affects brown people. 

If you look like an illegal immigrant in 

Arizona then it will affect you. Better have 

your documents ready to prove you belong 

here. And what’s worse, at least for Natives 

and Hispanics in Oklahoma, is that some 

of our legislators want to draft a bill even 

tougher than what Arizona passed. Is this 

the direction Arizona or any other state 

should be going? I think not. 

travis-snell@cherokee.org 

• (918) 453-5358


Council approves construction of new Vinita clinic 


Reporter 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Tribal Councilors 

unanimously approved a $24 million 

financing measure at their May 10 meeting 

to build a new health clinic in Vinita, which is 

expected to offer services unavailable in the 

tribe’s current clinic there. 

The council voted 16-0 to authorize a 

limited waiver of sovereign immunity so 

the tribe can negotiate a $24 million loan 

with the Bank of Oklahoma. Dist. 2 Tribal 

Councilor Jodie Fishinghawk wasn’t present 

during the vote. 

“This is a big step towards bringing better 

health care to Cherokees in the Vinita area, 

and we’re fortunate to be in a position to 

obtain this type of financing in the current 

economic climate,” Dist. 9 Tribal Councilor 

Chuck Hoskin Jr. said. 

According to the bill, the current clinic is 

a satellite clinic of the tribe’s Nowata health 

facility and has limited lab services and no 

pharmacy. It employs less than a dozen people, 

while the new clinic will provide at least 90 

more jobs. The new clinic is also expected 

to provide pharmacy, dental, optometry, 

physical therapy, laboratory, behavioral 

health, community health, radiology and 

nutrition education services. 

Construction of the 75,000-square foot 

facility is estimated to cost about $30 

million and take 22 months. The Cherokee 

Nation will operate it with funding from the 

federal government as part of a joint venture 

agreement, Hoskin said. 

Groundbreaking on the clinic is expected 

to take place this fall in a new location that’s 

undergone recent commercial development, 

he said. 

He added that the clinic should have a vast 

impact on CN citizens in the area. 

“A Cherokee citizen who maybe had to 

travel to another facility to get some testing 

done or some dental work done won’t have to 

travel as far,” Hoskin said. “We hope that there 

will be a shorter waiting list to see a health 

care provider and it’ll have more capacity for 

patient load. It’s going to help some of the 

most vulnerable Cherokees in the Vinita area 

Melissa Davis, a medical assistant at the Cherokee Nation’s Vinita Health Clinic, takes the blood pressure of Terrie Floyd on May 17 at 

the clinic. PHOTO BY TRAVIS SNELL 

get the health care they need.” 

Councilors also unanimously tabled an 

act that would assist low-income citizens to 

repair their driveways and make other homeaccess 

improvements. 

The act, sponsored by Hoskin and Dist. 1 

“This is a big step towards bringing better 

health care to Cherokees in the Vinita area, 

and we’re fortunate to be in a position to 

obtain this type of financing in the current 

economic climate.” 

– Tribal Councilor Chuck Hoskin Jr. 

CNE sees record numbers 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Cherokee 

Nation Entertainment saw its secondhighest 

monthly gaming revenue in the 

company’s history in February, said CNE 

CEO David Stewart at the Tribal Council’s 

May meeting. 

“February was a great month at CNE 

and we did set some records,” he said. 

“Some months aren’t as good as this so I’d 

like to celebrate this.” 

The casinos in Fort Gibson and Sallisaw 

set new records for revenue in February, 

while Tahlequah had its third-best 

revenue month, he said. 

Council approves grant applications 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Tribal 

Councilors unanimously approved grant 

applications to the U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services, Family 

Violence Prevention and Services 

Program and the U.S. Family and Youth 

Services Bureau, Runaway and Homeless 

Youth Program at its May meeting. 

The council authorized an application 

for funding for fiscal years 2010-13 to the 

DHHS Family Violence Prevention and 

Services Program for victims of family 

violence. The $250,000 yearly minimum 

grant will serve as a continuation to 

maintain and expand program services 

in the tribe’s 14-county area to prevent 

family violence and provide immediate 

shelter and related assistance. 

It will further enhance the Emergency 

Youth Shelter and Indian Child Welfare 

Program for such services as crisis 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Cherokee 

Nation Tribal Council unanimously 

approved a resolution that supports the 

continuation of a rural transit program at 

its May meeting. 

Federal legislation established a new 

rural transit program called “Public 

Transportation on Indian Reservations or 

Tribal Councilor Bill John Baker, would have 

tapped the tribe’s existing Self-Help Housing 

funds for low-income Cherokees to repair 

homes, while also lifting a prohibition of 

those funds to repair driveways. 

The act was approved in February but was 

vetoed by Principal Chief Chad Smith. In 

a letter to the council, Smith wrote that he 

vetoed the measure because it had no limits 

on eligibility and the tribe with its limited 

Self-Help Housing funds couldn’t afford it. 

Councilors reworked the act but tabled it at 

the May 10 meeting after Smith said he plans 

to develop a program to assist low-income 

citizens with driveway access projects where 

medical need has been demonstrated. 

“The chief’s plan…was made in good 

faith and is a step in the right direction,” 

said Hoskin. 

Baker said the policy change will help the 

citizens who need it. 

“After visiting with the chief, he’s offered 

an executive order to have policy change so 

that we can accomplish this for our elders, 

disabled and handicapped folks, and I 

consider that a win-win,” Baker said. 

The current Self-Help Housing plan 

assists low-income Cherokees to improve 

access to their homes, such as installing 

wheelchair ramps, but citizens who needed 

improvements on their driveways to make 

their homes safe and accessible were turned 

away, Hoskin said. 

“I had a Cherokee citizen who lives in rural 

Craig County and had a really impassable 

driveway to the county road, particularly 

during certain times of the year when the 

water was high,” Hoskin said. “She’s a person 

who’s low-income. She’s been a foster mother 

Council Briefs 

“Hopefully that’s a sign of the times 

and we’re turning out of the recession,” 

Stewart said. “I’d like to commend those 

employees publicly. They’ve done a great 

job and the management teams there are 

very focused on trying to make money.” 

Construction of the hotel and theater 

at Cherokee Casino West Siloam Springs 

hotel are on schedule, and a swimming 

pool and Starbucks Coffee will open 

within 60 days, Stewart said. 

The new Ramona Casino is slated to 

open in June. 

– CHRISTINA GOOD VOICE 

intervention, shelter, court advocacy, 

parenting education and counseling to 

children and their families as victims of 

family violence. 

Councilors approved an application for 

funding to the Family and Youth Services 

Bureau, Runaway and Homeless Youth 

Program for youth shelter services. The 

CN Department of Children, Youth and 

Family Services is applying for funding 

in the amount of $70,000 to supplement 

the operations of emergency shelter and 

supportive services at the John A. Ketcher 

Youth Services Center. 

The application is for renewing the 

third year of a three-year funding cycle to 

the center. A cash match of $7,000 of the 

$70,000 total project cost was requested 

to meet a 10 percent match requirement. 

Council approves support for rural transit program 

– CGV 

Tribal Transit Program,” and the Federal 

Transit Authority has solicited grant 

proposals from federally recognized 

Indian tribes for planning, start-up and 

enhancement costs associated with 

implementing a rural transit program. 

– CGV 

CNI posts $492K profit 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Cherokee 

Nation Industries Chief Operating 

Officer Bryan Collins told the Tribal 

Council in May that CNI was tracking 

ahead of budget with a $492,000 profit on 

$42 million worth of revenue. 

Collins said CNI’s telecommunications 

revenue is increasing. 

“In the last two months they’ve been over 

$3 million in revenue,” he said. “In the first 

week of May, (they’ve) already exceeded 

more than a $1 million in revenue.” 

Collins said there’s been a recent spike 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Tribal 

Council approved the submission of the 

amended fiscal year 2010 Indian Housing 

Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing 

and Urban Development. 

The CN must submit an IHP to receive 

its FY 2010 housing funding allocation. 

The amended plan includes an 

increase that is to be used for additional 

mortgage assistance and the Native 

American Housing Assistance and Self- 

from time to time and she needed help and 

was denied.” 

Hoskin said Baker also had constituents 

seek assistance. He said one lived in rural 

Cherokee County where a propane truck 

wouldn’t come on the property because it 

would get stuck. 

“It was a crisis situation for some of the 

constituents,” Hoskin said. 

The council also changed the number of 

councilors who sit on the advisory boards of 

CN businesses. 

Dist. 8 Tribal Councilor Brad Cobb said 

the bill updates council’s participation and 

information gathering for Cherokee Nation 

Industries, Cherokee Nation Entertainment 

and Cherokee Nation Businesses because all 

three boards are to be combined under CNB. 

“Currently, we have three advisory board 

members per company,” Cobb said. “What 

this does is (change) that to five advisory 

board members from the council over the 

entire operation.” 

The council will appoint its CNB advisory 

board members at its monthly Rules 

Committee meeting. 


• (918) 207-3825 

in the telecommunications industry. 

“We’re seeing a lot of growth in that 

area,” he said. “(We’re) not quite sure 

what’s triggered that but the whole 

telecommunications industry is really 

moving hard.” 

CNI employees in Stilwell were 

recognized recently with T-shirts and a 

cookout for hitting $3 million in revenue, 

he said. 

“(They’re) doing a great job there,” he said. 

Council passes amended Indian Housing Plan 

District 1 

Bill John Baker 

bill-baker@cherokee.org 

Tina Glory Jordan 

tina-glor-jordan@cherokee.org 

District 2 

S. Joe Crittenden 

joe-crittenden@cherokee.org 

Jodie Fishinghawk 

jodie-fishinghawk@cherokee.org 

District 3 

David Thornton Sr. 

david-thornton@cherokee.org 

Janelle Lattimore Fullbright 

janelle-fullbright@cherokee.org 

District 4 

Don Garvin 

don-garvin@cherokee.org 

District 5 

Harley L. Buzzard 

harley-buzzard@cherokee.org 

Curtis G. Snell 

curtis-snell@cherokee.org 

District 6 

Chris Soap 

chris-soap@cherokee.org 

Meredith A. Frailey 

meredith-frailey@cherokee.org 

– CGV 

Determination Act “Day Work” land 

development. 

Under the IHP, the “New Plan” includes 

the Mortgage Assistance Program, while 

the “Old Plan” included houses built 

for families. Since May 2008, the MAP 

has assisted 496 citizens, while the old 

plan assisted 198 citizens, according to a 

homeowners percentages spreadsheet. 

Cherokee Nation Tribal Council 

(918) 207-3900 or 1-800-995-9465 

District 7 

Cara Cowan-Watts 

cara@caracowan.com 

– CGV 

District 8 

Buel Anglen 

buel-anglen@cherokee.org 

Bradley Cobb 

bradley-cobb@cherokee.org 

District 9 

Chuck Hoskin Jr. 

chuck-hoskin@cherokee.org 

At-Large 

Julia Coates 

julia-coates@cherokee.org 

Jack D. Baker 

jack-baker@cherokee.org


Cherokee woman learns value of coupons 

Lauren Jones says she began using 

the money savers after giving birth 

to her son. 


Reporter 

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. – Cherokee Nation citizen 

Lauren Jones always considered herself a frugal person but 

never really understood the value of coupons until she had 

her own home and family. 

The Broken Arrow resident is now one of the millions 

of people who started clipping coupons because of the 

economy’s downturn. 

“There is a huge coupon craze taking over the people of 

America right now. (With) the combination of the economy, 

unemployment and rising cost of living expenses, more 

people are looking to save money anywhere they can,” Jones 

said. “I started paying more attention to what I was buying 

versus what I had a coupon for and began matching them 

up so I would basically have a coupon for every item in the 

shopping cart.” 

In 2009, Americans increased coupon usage by 27 percent 

compared to 2008, according to the coupon-processing 

company Inmar. Overall, about 3.3 billion coupons were used 

last year. 

Jones said coupons got a bad rap in the past because many 

people thought only cheap or poor people used them. 

“I know people who make well over six figures who use 

coupons. Because why spend the extra money, even if you 

have it, when you don’t have to?” she said. 

She began using coupons after giving birth to her son in 

2008 and realizing how expensive raising a family can be. 

She said she’s saved thousands of dollars since on groceries, 

clothing, entertainment, restaurants, oil changes, home 

repairs and other items. 

Jones even started a coupon club at her job where she and coworkers 

meet once a week to discuss sales and swap coupons. 

“The Coupon Swap Box is also something I started so other 

co-workers could deposit the coupons they weren’t going to 

use and exchange them for coupons they could use,” she said. 

“It’s been a great success at work, and now we have several 

people who instead of just throwing their coupons away, drop 

their Sunday paper coupons in the box for us clippers to enjoy.” 

Jones also utilizes coupon websites, her favorite being 

www.moneysavingqueen.com because it does the price- and 

coupon-matching for shoppers. 

The site was started by Tulsa resident Sarah Roe, who is 

known as the Money Saving Queen. 

Roe, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation citizen, has always used 

coupons, as her father was an avid coupon clipper. She has 

created a full-time business on how to save money and even 

wrote a book about effectively 

finding and using coupons. 

Five years ago, Roe said she and 

her husband couldn’t afford to buy 

groceries after spending nearly $800 a 

month on special foods for their son, 

who has life-threatening food allergies. 

MONEY MATTERS 

Worried about losing your home? 

BY CORA LATHROP 

Cherokee Nation Mortgage Officer 

Although foreclosures are not in 

the headlines everyday anymore, 

many people are still facing 

foreclosure. Many families are 

worried about jobs, keeping their 

homes and making sure they have 

the necessities for every day living, 

but they don’t know where to turn for help. 

The majority of people who lost their homes in 2008- 

09 had sub-prime loans, meaning they had adjustable 

rate mortgages or some other type of high cost loan, 

and the monthly payments increased to an amount the 

homeowner could no longer afford. Other homeowners in 

trouble now have become delinquent because they’ve lost 

their jobs or had other economic setbacks. The majority 

Sarah Roe, left, who’s known as the Money Saving Queen, visits with a Harp’s Food employee on May 19 in Tulsa, Okla., 

during a double-coupon event. PHOTO BY CHRISTINA GOOD VOICE 

“(With) the medical bills, we couldn’t afford to buy our 

own groceries anymore so we had stopped for about three 

weeks and had eaten through everything in the house,” she 

said. “Then, I started Googling coupons online.” 

After extensive research, Roe discovered a book about 

coupon usage, bought it, learned its methods and hit the 

grocery store. During her first shopping trip she bought $150 

worth of groceries for $19 thanks to coupons. 

Roe said after learning how to use coupons and at what 

stores to shop at, she doesn’t see herself ever being able to pay 

full price for an item. 

“After learning that, it’s a part of my life,” she said. “I don’t 

feel like I could ever not use them. No matter how much 

money I have, I can’t stand buying things at full price.” 

Roe, who saves about $400 a month on groceries, teaches 

workshops and sells her book to share her method for getting 

the most savings out of coupons. 

“We teach a strategy. My workshops are about three hours 

long. I have a whole book that teaches you where to use your 

coupons, how to find coupons for products you actually use.” 

She said her coupon methods recently helped her family 

again in a time of need. 

“My own husband was laid off in February, and we were 

able to survive that because I have this amazing method to 

save money,” Roe said. “It was scary, but it didn’t really shake 

us because we really know how to save money and can make 

it just fine.” 

christina-goodvoice@cherokee.org • (918) 207-3825 

of these loans are considered prime loans, which means 

they have a fixed interest rate and the homeowner had 

good income and good credit when the loan was made. 

If you are behind or worried you will fall behind on 

your mortgage payments, contact a credit counselor to 

work with you. There are several places you can turn for 

help to work on a mortgage relief plan, but the longer you 

put off that first phone call or visit, the harder it is to work 

with your lender. 

Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Oklahoma 

is a non-profit agency whose purpose is to help people 

out of financial difficulties. It is supported by and has 

the cooperation of banks, finance companies, merchants, 

credit and professional people. CCCSO offices are located 

in Bartlesville, Broken Arrow, Claremore, McAlester, 

Muskogee, Okmulgee, Owasso, Sapulpa, Skiatook, 

Tahlequah and Tulsa. Call 1-800-324-5611 for an 

Tips for effective coupon usage 

• Call local stores and learn their policies regarding 

coupons. Find out if stores double coupons or if they 

accept manufacturers coupons printed from websites. 

• Don’t stick to specific brands. However, 99 percent of 

the products purchased with coupons are going to be 

brand products. 

• Typically, the high-priced, high-end stores are the ones 

that have the best savings policy, including Walgreens 

and CVS. 

• Shop at stores that have their own “in-store” coupons 

that can be combined with manufacturers coupons. This 

is called “stacking” and is the only time you can use two 

coupons on one item. Stores that commonly do this are 

Target and Walgreens. 

• Combine coupons with an actual sale. So rather than 

clipping a coupon on Sunday, and just hitting the store 

on Monday, wait until the product goes on a rockbottom 

price then use the coupon. 

• Stockpile. When you get the price down on an item 

(canned vegetables for example) stock up within reason. 

The average sale cycle is every eight to 12 weeks. 

• Use www.moneysavingqueen.com for matchups, daily 

deals, user forums, posting deals and posting questions 

that Roe and website helpers answer. 

appointment at an office close to you. 

The Cherokee Nation’s Commerce Department also 

offers counseling services to tribal citizens. We can help 

you contact your lender to work out a mortgage relief 

plan that best fits your situation. Our counselors can help 

you understand the options offered by your lender. Our 

area offices are located in Claremore, Jay, Sallisaw and 

Tahlequah. Call (918) 453-5536 for the contact person in 

your area. 

You have worked hard to have a home, and it is 

important you seek help immediately to keep it. Don’t 

wait until it is too late. At the first sign of trouble 

contact your lender, the CCCSO or the CN Commerce 

Department. These services are free, so do not be taken 

in by some of the advertising you see. Many companies 

advertising mortgage help will charge you high fees and 

not accomplish as much as you could by making a simple 

phone call.


Community Meetings 

June 1 

Tulsa Cherokee Community Organization, 6 p.m. 

Call Jean Vann Breed (918) 808-4142 

Belfonte, 6 p.m. 

Call Glen Qualls (918) 427-1700 or 427-0227 

Rocky Mountain, 6 p.m. 

Call Doris Shell (918) 207-4924 

Brushy, 7 p.m. 

Call Gary Bolin (918) 775-6914 

Muldrow Cherokee Community Organization, 7 

p.m., Call Tim Laney (918) 427-4006 

June 3 

Spavinaw, 6 p.m. 

Call Odes Allen (918) 244-8767 

Lyons, 7 p.m. 

Karen Fourkiller (918) 696-2354 

Greasy, 7 p.m. 

Call Charlie Shell (918) 774-0857 

Washington County Cherokee Association 

7 p.m., Bill Foster (918) 440-9695 

June 7 

Marble City Community Organization, 7 p.m. 

Call Ellen McClendon (918) 775-2158 or 774-0074 

Eucha, 7 p.m. 

Call James Dunham (918) 253-8640 

Four Corners, 7 p.m. 

Call Sue Fine (918) 386-2352 

June 8 

CC Camp Community Organization 

6 p.m., Call Tom Cochran (918) 575-3884 

Collinsville, 7 p.m. 

Community Calendar 

June 3-5 

Summerfest, Blake Park 

Wagoner, Okla., Phone: (918) 485-3414 

June 4-5 

Miami Nation Tribal Powwow, Fairground 

Miami, Okla., Phone: (918) 542-1445 

June 4-5 

Diamond Daze Festival, High School 

Complex 

Sallisaw, Okla., Phone: (918) 775-2558 

June 4-6 

SunFest, Sooner Park 

Bartlesville, Okla., Phone: (918) 331-0456 

June 5-6 

Hook, Line & Sinker Free Fishing Weekend, 

Bernice Nature Center 

Bernice, Okla., Phone: (918) 257-8330 

June 11 

OK Mozart International Festival, Bartlesville 

Community Center 

Bartlesville, Okla., Phone: (918) 336-9900 

June 12 

Tinker Inter-Tribal Council Powwow, Joe 

Barnes Regional Park 

Midwest City, Okla., Phone: (405) 733-3587 

June 17-20 

Country Fever, Catch the Fever Music & 

Festival Grounds 

Pryor, Okla., Phone: 1-866-310-2288 

June 18-19 

Wonderful World of Wood, 6501 S. Garnett 

Broken Arrow, Okla., Phone: (918) 889-1946 

June 18-20 

Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival, 

Cox Convention Center 

Oklahoma City, Phone: (405) 427-5228 

June 19 

Red Earth Run, Regatta Park 

Oklahoma City, Phone: (405) 427-5228 

June 25 

Tonkawa Tribal Powwow, Fort Oakland 

Tonkawa, Okla., Phone: (580) 628-2561 

June 25 

Peoria Powwow, 60610 E. 90 Road 

Miami, Okla., Phone: (918) 540-2535 

June 26 

Okie Flyers Fly-in, Claremore Regional 

Airport 

Call Danny Stanley (918) 798-2402 

Oak Hill/Piney, 7 p.m. 

Call Dude Feather (918) 235-2811 

June 10 

South Coffeyville, 6 p.m. 

Call Vickie Brokeshoulder (918) 822-2893 

June 13 

Rogers County Cherokee Association, 1 p.m. 

Call Lee Keener (918) 346-0078 

June 14 

Brent, 6:30 p.m. 

Call Sam Bush (918) 316-1054 

Marble City Pantry, 7 p.m. 

Call Clifton Pettit (918) 775-5975 

June 15 

Vinita Indian Territory Coalition, 6 p.m. 

Call Lisa Trice-Turtle (918) 453-2988 

Fairfield, 7 p.m. 

Call Bill Collins (918) 696-2961 

Dry Creek, 7 p.m. 

Call Lesley Robbins (918) 720-3537 

June 17 

Tailholt Community, 7 p.m. 

Call Tammy Marshall (918) 458-0142 

Blue Sky Water, 7 p.m. 

Call Sam Bush (918) 316-1054 

June 28 

Christie, 7 p.m. 

Call Shelia Rector at (918) 778-3423 

Claremore, Okla., Phone: (918) 343-0931 

Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 

Marble City Nutrition Center 

711 N. Main, Marble City, Okla. 

Phone: (918) 775-2158 

The Marble City Nutrition Center serves hot 

meals at the Marble City Community Center 

at 11:30 a.m. Meals are free to anyone over 

50, but a small donation is suggested to 

help with the expense of the program. 

Third Tuesday of even numbered 

months 

Mayflower UCC Church 

Oklahoma City 

Phone: (405) 408-0763 

The Central Oklahoma Cherokee Alliance 

meets at 6 p.m. on the third Tuesday 

of every even numbered month at the 

Mayflower Church. 

Year Round 

Will Rogers Memorial Museum 

Claremore, Okla. 

Phone: (918) 341-0719 

Every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission 

by voluntary contributions 

Fourth Thursday of each month 

American Indian Chamber of Commerce 

of Oklahoma – Eastern Chapter monthly 

luncheon at Bacone College 

Muskogee, Okla., Phone: (918) 230-3759 

The lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. at Benjamin 

Wacoche Hall. Please RSVP one week ahead 

of time. 

First Tuesday of each month 

Cherokee Basket Weavers Association at the 

Unitarian Universalist Congregation 

Tahlequah, Okla., Phone: (918) 456-7787 

Monthly meetings are at 6 p.m. the first 

Tuesday, but if it is a holiday it’s on the 

second Tuesday. 

Second Tuesday of each month 

Cherokee Artists Association at 202 E. 5th 

Street, Tahlequah, Okla. 

Phone: (918) 458-0008 

Web site: www.cherokeeartistsassociation.org 

The CAA meets at 6 p.m. the second Tuesday 

of each month. 

To have an event or meeting listed, fax 

information to (918) 458-6136 attention: 

Community Calendar. The deadline for 

submissions is the 10th of each month. 

Classifieds dgCAm 

GENEALOGY 

Cherokee Adairs book. Historical and genealogical accounts of numerous Cherokee families. Large, 

hard bound, well-referenced, with many pictures and documents. $60 plus $6 s/h. Send check or 

money order to: Rt. 2, Box 287, Sallisaw, OK 74955 

George M. Bell’s 1972 book, Genealogy of Old & New Cherokee Indian Families. $50, plus $7 for 

S&H. Send check or money order to: Mr. Watie Bell, 1808 SE Crescent Dr., Bartlesville, OK 74006. 

E-mail: watiebell@sbcglobal.net 

REAL ESTATE 

Commercial Lease – Owasso: C Zoned, office, retail, garages, 2 RM to 3,500 Sq. Ft. – (918)371- 

2316. homesbyfreeman.com 

HOUSE FOR RENT – Brick, 3 BRM, 11630 E. 36th, Tulsa. Fenced back yard, central air, $850. 

(918)371-2316. homesbyfreeman.com 

Verdigris – 2 & 3 BRM, Home/Duplex, 750-1050, (918)371-2316. homesbyfreeman. com 

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Historically speaking… Dr. Brad Agnew, professor of history at Northeastern State University, 

will discuss his new book, Roots from the Cherokees, Promises for Our Future: The Chronicle of 

Northeastern State University at 10:30 a.m. June 10 in the Tribal Council Chambers. This talk is free 

and open to the public. For more information, call Cathy Monholland at (918)453-5389. 

Oaks Volunteer Fire Dept. Annual Car & Bike Show, June 19, 2010. Registration 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., 

Entry Fee $15. For more information, call (918)868-7544 or (918)868-4231. 

3-on-3 Basketball Tournament 6/19/2010 at 8 a.m. at Oaks Fire Dept. Registration $20 per team. 

All proceeds benefit the Oaks Volunteer Fire Dept. Contact (918)868-7425 for more information. 

The SEQUOYAH HIGH SCHOOL is participating in the Summer Food Service Program. Meals will be 

provided to all children without charge. Acceptance and participation requirements for the program 

and all activities are the same for all regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability, 

and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service. Meals will be provided at 

the sites and times as follows: SEQUOYAH HIGH SCHOOL, Operating May 24 to July 16, 2010. 

17091 SOUTH MUSKOGEE, TAHLEQUAH, OK 74464. Breakfast from 7:00-8:00. Lunch from 11:00- 

12:00. Closed: Memorial Day (May 31), Independence Day (July 5), and weekends. For additional 

information concerning the Summer Food Service Program, you may call (918)453-5190. 

The Cherokee Phoenix publishes classified ads in good faith. However, we cannot guarantee the integrity of every 

ad. If you have doubts concerning a product or service, we suggest contacting the Better Business Bureau and 

exercising proper caution. 

Classified ads are a minimum of $5.00 for the first 10 words and 25¢ for each additional word. Ads must be prepaid 

by check or money order to the Cherokee Phoenix, Attn: Classifieds, P.O. Box 948, Tahlequah, OK 74465 

In Memoriam dmcdsdi 

Jerry Funderburk 

Giga Tali, Oct. 25, 1939 – Apr. 8, 2010


Cherokee Nation citizens Jenny Dyer, left, of Collinsville High School, and Jessica 

Hembree of Tahlequah High School race at the Class 5A state track meet on May 17 in 

Tulsa. Dyer won both the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs at the meet, with Hembree taking 

second place in both races. PHOTO BY BEN JOHNSON/TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS 

Cherokees succeed 

in spring sports 

BY WESLEY MAHAN 

Sports Writer 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Several teams 

within the Cherokee Nation’s jurisdictional 

area and athletes who are tribal citizens saw 

success in their respective spring sports this 

year. 

Tressa Brumley 

The Chouteau senior made it back-toback 

state championships by winning the 

Class 2A state golf tournament. Brumley 

fired a +5 for a 76 score in Round 1 to take 

a one-shot lead into the final round. She 

followed that up with a 75 to cruise to a sixstroke 

victory. She will continue her golfing 

career this fall at the University of Central 

Oklahoma in Edmond. 

Taylor Poe 

Poe became the first powerlifter in 

Sequoyah Schools history to bring home a 

gold medal. He bench pressed 360 pounds, 

squatted 540 pounds and deadlifted 500 

pounds for a combined total of 1,400 pounds 

to win a state lifting title. Poe competed 

in the 242-pound division and said it was 

“cool” to win a championship and see all his 

hard work pay off. 

Jeremiah Snell 

The Oaks senior won a gold medal in 

the 300-meter hurdles at the Class 2A state 

track meet. 

Jenny Dyer 

The Collinsville senior took the 5A 

championships in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter 

runs, beating out fellow CN citizen Jessica 

Hembree, a freshman at Tahlequah High 

School, in both races. 

Zach Housley 

Grove’s multi-sport star battled through 

injury to bring home bronze in the Class 5A 

pole vault. 

Tahlequah Softball 

The Lady Tigers’ season ended with a loss 

in the 6A semifinals. Tahlequah grabbed a 

quick 4-0 lead in the first inning. However, 

the game was decided in the bottom of the 

inning when Westmoore exploded for 11 

runs, keyed by four Lady Tiger errors. 

From there Westmoore rolled to a 17-7 

victory over Tahlequah, who finished 32- 

7. The Lady Tigers opened the tournament 

with a resounding 17-5 victory over 

defending state champion Muskogee. 

Sequoyah Softball 

Errors were also the downfall of the Lady 

Indians in a 5-3 loss to Purcell in the Class 

5A semifinals. The score was tied at three 

in the top of the seventh when a misplayed 

fly ball allowed the eventual winning run to 

score. The loss dropped Sequoyah to 24-10 

on the season. The Lady Indians got things 

started with a 4-2 win over Bristow in the 

quarterfinals. 

Fort Gibson Baseball 

It took a no-hitter from Berryhill’s Tyler 

Brown to end the Tigers quest in the 

semifinals. Fort Gibson was equally tough 

only allowing one run in the third on a wild 

pitch in the hard fought 1-0 loss. The Tigers 

easily rolled through quarterfinal opponent 

Lone Grove 10-0 to open the tournament. 

Sequoyah Golf 

The Indians made their first team 

appearance in the 3A state golf tournament. 

The team shot 1,087 over the three rounds, 

which was good enough for 12th place. 

Ryan Mouse recorded a 269, the best score 

individually for Sequoyah. 

wesleymahan@yahoo.com • (479) 427-9101 

Cherokee student-athletes 

score college scholarships 

BY WESLEY MAHAN 

Sports Writer 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The 2009-10 school 

year was a banner year for Cherokee Nation 

student-athletes when it came to earning 

scholarships to continue their careers at the 

collegiate level. Below is a listing of Cherokee 

seniors from high schools around the state 

who received athletic scholarships to play at 

the next level. 

FOOTBALL 

Austin Bradshaw, Hilldale, Bacone College 

Alex Cochran, Broken Arrow, 

Southwestern State 

Dakota Davis, Broken Arrow, Southwestern 

State 

Gage Delozier, Claremore Sequoyah, 

Pittsburg State (Mo.) 

Josh Engert, Nowata, Northeastern A&M 

Ruben Gaines, Muskogee, Central 

Oklahoma 

Courtney Gaston, Fort Gibson, Arkansas 

Zakk Gipson, Pryor, Northwestern State 

Chris Hummingbird, Tahlequah Sequoyah, 

Northeastern A&M 

Ethan James, Gore, Northeastern State 

Drake Keys, Skiatook, Southwestern State 

Justin Lepley, Tahlequah Sequoyah, 

Northeastern A&M 

Tyler Mackey, Afton, Northeastern A&M 

Chase Neumann, Dewey, Southwestern State 

Chris Ramey, Wagoner, Arkansas Tech 

Tye Scott, Salina, Northeastern A&M 

Ryan Smith, Muskogee, Northeastern A&M 

Dylan Taylor, Vian, Northeastern State 

Mike Thompson, Bartlesville, Pittsburg State 

(Mo.) 

Taylor Thurman, Claremore Sequoyah, 

Haskell Indian Nations University (Kan.) 

Corey Todd, Hilldale, Northwestern State 

BASEBALL 

John Davenport, Jay, Northern 

Seth Hudson, Jay, Crowder (Mo.) 

Cayle Shambaugh, Jay, Oklahoma 

GIRLS BASKETBALL 

Brittany Crow, Verdigris, Fort Scott 

Community College (Kan.) 

Lindsey Hammer, Tahlequah Sequoyah, 

Mercer (Ga.) 

Nikki Lewis, Tahlequah Sequoyah, Connors 

State 

Brooke Panther, Kansas, Connors State 

Hannah Ritter, Jay, Fort Hays State (Kan.) 

Paiten Taylor, Hulbert, Central Oklahoma 

GOLF 

Tressa Brumley, Chouteau, Central 

Oklahoma 

Shelby Stavely, Sallisaw, Northeastern State 

BOYS SOCCER 

Ryan Cochran, Owasso, Rogers State 

GIRLS SOCCER 

Jessica Dale, Wagoner, Neosho (Mo.) 

Amanda Franklin, Adair, Central Oklahoma 

Hailey Haynes, Claremore Sequoyah, 

Central Arkansas 

SOFTBALL 

Haylee Beck, Tahlequah Sequoyah, Rogers 

State 

Tiffany Brown, Catoosa, Pittsburg State 

Navada Campos, Pryor, Crowder (Mo.) 

Lacie Cook, Collinsville, Labette (Kan.) 

Caitlin Dry, Tahlequah Sequoyah, 

Northeastern State 

Shelby Foreman, S. Coffeyville, Coffeyville 

(Kan.) 

Jordan Jones, Skiatook, Connors State 

Jessica Wolf, Sperry, Saint Gregory’s 

TRACK AND FIELD/CROSS COUNTRY 

Jenny Dyer, Collinsville, Oklahoma State 

Dewayne Golbek, Claremore, Arkansas 

Corrigan Horsechief, Tahlequah Sequoyah, 

Southwestern Christian 

Robert Ketcher, Tahlequah Sequoyah, 

Hesston (Kan.) 

Traven McCoy, Tahlequah Sequoyah, 

Hesston (Kan.) 

WRESTLING 

Zach Housley, Grove, Central Oklahoma 

CHEERLEADING 

Ryker Salazar, Tahlequah Sequoyah, Eastern 

Oklahoma State 

Symone Ross, Tahlequah Sequoyah, Eastern 


Ellis Todome, Tahlequah Sequoyah, Eastern 


If you know a Cherokee student-athlete 

who is not on our list and has signed to play 

at the collegiate level, contact Sports Writer 

Wesley Mahan at the information below. 

wesleymahan@yahoo.com • (479) 427-9101 

Correction 

In the sports story “OSSAA rule changes could impact Sequoyah” on Page 12 of 

the May 2010 issue, the photo accompanying the story had the wrong caption. The 

correct caption should have read “The Sequoyah Lady Indians lift the gold ball after 

winning their third Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association Class 3A 

state basketball title in 2007. The OSSAA is now considering moving Sequoyah, a 

non-public school, up to 4A because some public school officials have said Sequoyah 

has an unfair advantage when accepting students.” We apologize for the error.


Cherokee Nation citizen Kevi Luper, left, scrambles for a loose ball during the 2009 

Oklahoma Indian All-State girls basketball game in Bartlesville, Okla. ARCHIVE PHOTO 

13 Cherokees named 

Oklahoma Indian All-Staters 


FAIRFAX, Okla. – Thirteen studentathletes 

claiming Cherokee lineage have 

been selected to play in the 15th annual 

Oklahoma Indian All-State Basketball 

games set for June 19 at Oklahoma Wesleyan 

University in Bartlesville. 

Since their inception in 1996, the games 

have hosted more than 700 of Oklahoma’s 

most talented American Indian high school 

seniors as a way of recognizing Native 

American student-athletes with exceptional 

abilities. 

The games are also a final chance for recent 

high school graduates to play for college 

scouts and meet with financial aid specialists 

and college officials to finalize college plans. 

Drs. Joe and Carol Conner initiated the 

games 15 years ago to help Native American 

youth further their educations. 

Cherokees selected to this year’s girls 

first team are Jillian Hobbs of Deer Creek, 

Bayleigh Miller of Stilwell, Kelsey Moreno of 

Sapulpa, Brooke Panther of Kansas, Hannah 

Ritter of Jay, Chelsey Stricklen of Adair, 

Paiten Taylor of Hulbert and Blayne Toney 

of Porum. 

Cherokees selected to the 2010 boys first 

team are Parker Ballard of Pryor, Jimmy 

Doolin of Dale, Johnathan Griggs of 

Tahlequah, TiAndre Nicols of Eufaula and 

Dustin Shade of Hulbert. 

Each year more than 100 nominations 

are received with only 24 boys and 24 girls 

chosen to the two North teams and two 

South teams. The players are selected on the 

basis of their individual basketball, academic 

and extracurricular records. 

Thirty-one additional student-athletes 

were named to the second team this year. 

Second-team selections will be recognized 

in the games’ official program at the games. 

The girls game is set for 6 p.m. with the 

boys game following. 

For more information, call (918) 642-3162 

or e-mail paradox@valornet.com. 

Luper claims 3 Summit League awards 


SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Cherokee Nation 

citizen and Oral Roberts University 

freshman Kevi Luper continues to make a 

splash during her first year playing NCAA 

Division 1 basketball. 

She recently won three of the five major 

women’s basketball awards for the Summit 

League, ORU’s athletic conference – Player 

of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and 

Newcomer of the Year. 

She claimed the three awards after leading 

the Lady Golden Eagles to a 15-3 league 

record and top seed in the Summit League 

Women’s Basketball Championship. 

In league play, the freshman was tops in 

points per game with 24.4 and led in steals 

with 4.9. 

For the season, Luper owned the top spot 

in the nation in steals since the beginning 

of the season and currently averages 4.6 per 

game. Her 25.6 points average for all games 

is currently fourth in Division I. 

The Adair, Okla., native is second in the 

league in minutes played per game (34.5) 

and is shooting 46 percent from the field in 

league contests, 33 percent from behind the 

arc, and 80 percent at the line. 

She also set two Summit League records 

this season. In just her third collegiate game 

on Nov. 20, Luper scored a league record 44 

points in a victory over La Salle, surpassing 

the 43-point mark held by Youngstown 

State’s Brianne Kenneally, set on Nov. 24, 

2000. On Feb. 27, Luper scored her 660th 

point of the season, topping Northern 

Illinois’ E.C. Hill’s record of 659 in 1993- 

94. Luper had 683 points heading into the 

Summit League Tournament. 

She also registered 12 steals in a victory over 

Southern Utah on Dec. 5, to tie a record in 

league games. Additionally, Luper set records 

with four straight Summit League Player of 

the Week awards and seven on the year. 

Luper was also named to the first All- 

Summit League Team, as well as the league’s 

All-Newcomer Team. 

Free golf instruction for Cherokee youth 

CATOOSA, Okla. – For the third 

consecutive year, the Cherokee Hills 

Golf Club is offering Cherokee youth the 

opportunity to learn golf’s basic principles 

and techniques for free through the Native 

Tee Program. 

“This is a program that continues to 

grow in popularity each year, which is 

great because it means golf has a bright 

future and we have many Cherokees 

interested in the sport,” said Jeff Jarrett, 

golf operations manager for Cherokee 

Hills. “All it takes for most juniors is one 

session to get hooked on the game, and 

then they want to continue playing.” 

Cherokee Hills will provide three onehour 

classes from 8:30 .m. to 9:30 a.m. on 

June 9, 16 and 30. Jarrett and Matt Harris, 

the head golf professional at Cherokee 

Hills Golf Club, will lead the sessions. 

Both have been involved in the program 

since its inception in 2005. 

To participate, youth between the 

ages 6 and 17 must provide proof of 

Cherokee Nation citizenship at the time 

of registration for each session. Golf clubs 

are available to those who do not own a 

set, but must be reserved at the time of 

registration. Sessions are limited to 20 

students. Due to the popularity of the 

program participants are asked to sign up 

for only one session, so as many children 

as possible can participate. To reserve a 

time beginning June 1, call the pro shop at 

(918) 384-7600. 

– CN Communications 

Cherokee cowboy part of 

champion roping team 

Cherokee Nation citizen 

Coleman Proctor and his 

team-roping partner win 

this year’s George Strait 

Team Roping Classic. 


TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Coleman Proctor, 

a Cherokee Nation citizen originally from 

Miami, Okla., and his teammate Jake Long 

recently beat 468 other teams to win the 

grand prize at the 28th annual George Strait 

Team Roping Classic in San Antonio. 

Proctor and Long finished with a 14.93 

second combined time and rode away with 

custom-painted GSTRC Championship 

Chevy Silverado Dualies, Strait X-treme 

horse trailers from Bruton Trailers, Twister 

saddles from Tractor Supply, Resitol roping 

bags, jackets from Wrangler and Justin, Gist 

belt buckles and split the $159,630 cash prize. 

Proctor said winning the championship 

has been the team’s dream for many years 

and the two practiced a lot to achieve it. 

“We run that steer thousands of times 

and to come out here and do this in front of 

all these people and for this much money, 

well there just isn’t a better stage for team 

roping,” Proctor said. “Whether you are a 

fan, a part-timer, do it for fun or make a 

living at it, there’s nothing better than this.” 

Proctor, 24, is the team’s heeler, which 

means he ropes the steer’s heels, while Long, 

26, is the header. He ropes the steer’s head. 

In competition, when the header is ready, 

he calls for the steer, which is released and 

breaks out running. The header must then 

rope the steer and then wrap the rope or 

dally it around the horn of the saddle. Once 

the header has made his dally, he will turn 

his horse, usually to the left, and the steer 

will follow, still running. 

The heeler waits until the header has 

turned the steer. When he has a clear 

target, he throws a loop of rope under the 

running steer’s hind legs and ropes them. 

As soon as the heeler also dallies tight, 

the header turns his horse to directly face 

the steer and heeler. Both horses back up 

slightly to stretch out the steer’s hind legs, 

immobilizing the animal. As soon as the 

steer is stretched, an official waves a flag and 

the time is stopped. 

A successful professional-level team takes 

between four and 12 seconds to stretch a 

steer, depending on the length of the arena. 

Proctor and Long have almost perfected 

their team roping skills because they have 

been best friends nearly all their lives. 

“He and I have been best friends since we 

were knee high to a grasshopper, and to do 

this together probably is the most special 

thing that has ever happened to us,” Long 

said of winning the GSTRC.


Fort Smith tour changes CN employees’ perceptions 


Reporter 

FORT SMITH, Ark. – Cherokee Nation 

employees filled a charter bus on April 30 

in Tahlequah, Okla., and traveled to the Fort 

Smith National Historic Site to learn more 

about the site’s ties to Cherokee history. 

Fort Smith is mostly known for Judge Isaac 

Parker, who presided over the federal court 

there from 1875-96 and received a reputation 

of being a “hanging judge.” 

“I actually do defend Judge Parker. He 

gets a horrible reputation as being a hanging 

judge, but it was the law and he had no 

other choice but to carry it out,” said Ashley 

Richards, a Fort Smith National Historic Site 

Park Ranger, to CN employees at the fort’s 

gallows. “A lot of people don’t realize ‘the 

hanging judge’ was against the death penalty.” 

Richards said Parker advocated for 

alternatives to capital punishment, was a 

supporter of Native American rights and 

impartial when it came to justice. Contrary 

to some beliefs, she said records show Parker 

was even-handed in his sentences and did 

not sentence an inordinate number of Native 

people to death. 

While on the bench, Parker tried 13,490 

cases, 344 of which were capital crimes. Of 

the 156 men and four women sentenced to 

death by Parker, 79 were actually hanged. The 

rest died in jail, appealed or were pardoned. 

Several famous lawmen also served 

as deputy marshals for the Parker court, 

including Cherokees Zeke Proctor and Sam 

Sixkiller. About 110 deputy marshals were 

killed in the line of duty during Parker’s time 

on the bench, including Sixkiller. 

Cynthia Cavin, a CN Asset Management 

clerk, said she enjoyed the tour because it 

allowed her to connect Fort Smith’s history 

with Cherokee history. 

“It’s exciting to see where our ancestors 

were, but also it’s sad. It probably 

wasn’t exciting for them or enjoyable.” 

– Lydia Harjo McBroom, 

Cherokee Nation employee 

“It filled in some blanks for me,” she said. 

“One interesting thing was learning more 

about Judge Parker and how he has been 

misrepresented. He really just enforced the 

death penalty, and I didn’t know he never saw 

a hanging himself.” 

Lydia Harjo McBroom, a parenting paraprofessional 

for Indian Child Welfare, said she 

thought the tour was “great” yet sad at times 

because she thought about her ancestors who 

traveled through Fort Smith. 

“It’s exciting to see where our ancestors were, 

but also it’s sad. It probably wasn’t exciting for 

them or enjoyable,” said McBroom, who is 

Muscogee Creek and Choctaw. 

During the removals of the 1830s, most 

of the Five Civilized Tribes stopped in 

Fort Smith for supplies before crossing the 

Arkansas River into Indian Territory. 

Catherine Foreman Gray, an interpretive 

supervisor for CN Cultural Tourism, said 

Cherokee history and Fort Smith history 

are “completely intertwined.” The fort was 

established to protect Old Settler Cherokees 

who moved to eastern Oklahoma and western 

Arkansas voluntarily in the early 1800s from 

the Osage tribe that claimed much of eastern 

Oklahoma. 

“Fort Smith was established to try maintain 

peace in the area,” said Gray, who previously 

worked as a Fort Smith National Historic Site 

Park Ranger. 

The fort was abandoned in 1824, and 

Fort Gibson was established further up 

the Arkansas River, west of Tahlequah, to 

protect Cherokees from the Osage. Gray said 

a federal court continued to operate in Fort 

Smith and had jurisdiction over all of Indian 

Cherokee Nation employees listen to Ashley Richards, a Fort Smith National Historic Site Park Ranger, talk about some of the hangings 

that took place at the gallows for the federal court in Fort Smith, Ark., during the 1800s. PHOTO BY WILL CHAVEZ 

Territory, including the CN. 

Gray also said Cherokee patriots Zeke 

Proctor and Ned Christie, who are profiled 

in the Fort Smith National Historic Site, 

fascinate her. Considered outlaws by 

some, she said both men, in their own way, 

challenged the court’s jurisdiction over 

Cherokee legal matters and believed only the 

CN had authority to hear their cases. 

“It’s a great example of the jurisdictional 

issues and the conflict that was going on 

between Indian Territory and this federal 

court,” she said. “Ned 

Christie is a great example of 

someone who really stood up 

against this court and really 

stood up against the federal 

government.” 

She said Proctor and 

Christie tried to force the 

federal government to keep 

its promise of letting the CN be a sovereign 

nation if it moved west. 

“Ned Christie is probably one of favorite 

characters in all of Cherokee history,” Gray 

said. “I really admire what he stood up for.” 

She added that her interest in outlaw 

history led her to research Fort Smith 

booking records when she worked there. She 

said eventually she found family names. 

“It is interesting how many of our ancestors, 

rightfully or wrongfully, for whatever reason 

they were here, some were just witnesses, 

how many names you run across,” she said. 

“It’s fascinating history.” 

will-chavez@cherokee.org• (918) 207-3961 

ᎤᏪᏘ ᏗᏐᏴ, ᎾᎾᎾ. – ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ 

ᏧᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎯ ᎤᏂᎧᎵᎸ ᎤᏔᎾ ᏗᎦᏚᎴᏂ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎧᏬᏅ ᏦᏍᎪᎯᏁ ᎾᎿ ᏓᎵᏆ, 

ᎣᎦᎵᎰᎻ, ᎠᎴ ᎣᎦᏂᎩᏒ ᎤᏪᏘ ᏗᏐ 

ᎬᎾᏕᎾ ᏂᏧᎵᏍᏔᏅᏍᏔᏅ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏅ 

ᏭᏂᎷᏨ ᎤᎪᏛ ᎤᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᎤᎾᏚᎵᏍᎬ 

ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏅᏅ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎨᏒᎢ. 

ᎤᏪᏘ ᏗᏐᏴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏅᏓᏗᏍᏙᏗ ᎨᏒ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎯᎠ ᏗᎫᎪᏗᏍᎩ ᏤᎲ ᏗᎦᏛᏍᎩ 

Isaac Parker, ᎾᎿ ᏧᏬᏢ ᏩᏥᏂ 

ᏧᎾᏓᏰᎵᏓᏍᏗ ᏂᏓᎬᏩᎴᏅᏓ ᏁᎳᏚ 

ᎢᏍᎪᎯᏧᏐ ᎦᎵᏆᏍᎪ ᎯᏍᎩ ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ 

ᏂᏛᎬᏩᎴᏅᏓ ᎾᎿ ᏁᎳᏚ ᎢᏍᎪᎯᏧᏐ 

ᏐᏁᎳᏍᎪ ᏑᏓᎵ ᎤᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ ᎠᎴ 

ᎠᎦᏅᏓᏗᏍᏙᏗ ᎯᎠ ᎨᏒᎢ “ᏗᏓᏛᏍᎩ 

ᏗᎫᎪᏗᏍᎩ.” 

“ᏙᎯᏳᏃ ᏥᏯᎫᏍᏛᏁ ᏗᎫᎪᏗᏍᎩ 

Parker. ᎢᎦᏃ Ꮭ ᎣᏍᏓ ᏯᎦᏓᏅᏕ ᎾᏍᎩ 

ᏗᎦᏛᏍᎩ ᏗᎫᎪᏗᏍᎩ ᎨᏒᎢ, ᎠᏎᏃ 

ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᏗᎧᎾᏩᏛᏍᏗ ᎨᏒ ᏝᏃ ᏄᏓᎴ 

ᎢᎬᏩᏅᏗ ᏱᎨᏎᎢ ᎠᏎ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏗᏍᎬ 

ᎢᏳᏛᏗᎢ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬ Ashley Richards, Ꮎ 

ᎤᏪᏘ ᏗᏐᏴ ᏂᎬᎾᏛ ᏂᏧᎵᏍᏔᏅᏍᏔᏅ 

ᎤᎾᎵᏏᏅᏔᏅ ᏓᏓᏁᎸ ᏴᏫ ᎤᏁᏓᏍᏗ 

ᏗᏘᏂᏙᎯ, ᎾᎿ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ ᏧᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎯ 

ᏧᎾᏓᏛᏗ ᏄᏪᏒᎢ. “ᎤᏂᎪᏛ ᎠᏂᏴᏫ Ꮭ 

ᏳᎾᏅᏓ ‘ᎾᏍᎩ ᏗᏓᏛᏍᎩ ᏗᎫᎪᏗᏍᎩ’ 

Ꮭ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎤᏰᎸᎯ ᏱᎨᏎ ᏓᏂᎯᎲ 

ᎤᏂᏍᎦᏅᏨᎢ.” 

Richards ᎤᏛᏅ Parker ᎦᏂᎳᏗᏍᎩ 

ᏄᏓᎴ ᎢᎬᏩᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᎨᏒ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᏩᎫᏍᏓᎢ 

ᎨᏒ ᎾᎿ ᎠᏁᎯᏯ ᎠᎹᏱᏟ ᎤᏂᎲ 

ᏚᏳᎪᏛ ᎨᏒ ᎠᎴ Ꮭ ᏌᏆᎪᏛ ᏯᎵᎪᏁᎮᎢ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᏗᎫᎪᏔᏂᏓᏍᏗ ᎠᏟᎵᎶᎦ. ᎢᎦᏓᏃ 

Ꮭ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏱᎾᏁᎵᏍᎪ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᏥᏄᏪᏒ 

ᏕᎪᏪᎸ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏄᏍᏓ ᎾᎿ Parker Ꮭ 

ᏌᏆᎫᏗ ᏳᎵᏕᎢ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏕᎫᎪᏗᏍᎬ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏎ 

ᎤᎪᎵᏱᎢᏌᏘ ᎨᏎ ᎾᎿ ᏕᎫᎪᏓᏏ ᎠᏁᎯᏯᎢ 

ᏧᏂᏲᎱᎯᏍᏗᎢ. 

ᏧᏬᏢᏁ ᎾᎿ ᎦᏍᎩᎸ, Parker ᏚᏱᎵᏙᎸ 

ᏦᎦᏚ ᎢᏍᎪᎯᏧᏈ ᏅᎩᏧᏈ ᏐᏁᎳᏍᎪ 

ᎢᏯᎦᏴᎵ ᎢᏯᏂᎢ, ᏦᎢᏧᏈ ᏅᎩᏍᎪᏅᎩ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎯᎠ ᎠᏰᎵ ᎤᏂᏍᎦᏅᏨ 

ᎨᏎ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᏍᎪᎯᏧᏈ ᎯᎦᏍᎪ 

ᏑᏓᎵ ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ ᎠᎴ ᏅᎩ ᎠᏂᎨᏯ 

ᏚᎾᎵᏒᏍᏓᏁᎸ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎯᎠ ᏗᎫᎪᏗᏍᎩ 

Parker ᎠᏯᎥᎢ, ᎦᎵᏆᏍᎪ ᏐᏁᎳ ᎾᏍᎩ 

ᏕᎨᎦᏛᏁ. ᏭᏅᎪᏛᏃ ᏧᎾᏓᏍᏚᏗ ᏚᏂᏲᎱᏎ, 

ᎤᏂᏔᏲᏝ ᎠᎴ ᎨᏥᏙᎵᏤᎢ. 

ᎢᎸᏍᎩ ᏯᏂᎢ ᏧᎾᏓᏃᏣᏟ ᏗᎾᏓᏂᏱᏍᎩ 

ᎤᏁᎳᏗᏙᎴ ᎠᎴ ᏔᎵᏁ ᎠᎾᎴᎲᏍᎩ 

ᏗᎾᏓᏂᏱᏍᎩ ᎨᏎ ᎾᎿ Parker 

ᏧᎾᏓᏱᎵᏓᏍᏗᎢ, ᎤᏠᏯᏍᏗ ᎠᏣᎳᎩ Zeke 

ᏓᎬᏙᏍᎩ ᎠᎴ ᏌᎻ ᏑᏓᎳᏗᎯ. 

ᎤᏛᎾ ᎠᏎ ᏍᎪᎯᏧᏈ ᏍᎪᎯ ᏯᏂᎠ 

ᏔᎵᏁ ᎠᎾᎴᎲᏍᎩ ᏗᎾᏓᏂᏱᏍᎩ 

ᏕᎨᏥᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏚᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎲ ᎾᎿ 

Parker ᏗᎫᎪᏗᏍᎩ ᏧᏬᏢᎢ, ᎤᏠᏯᏍᏔᏁ 

ᏑᏓᎵᏗᎯ. 

Cynthia Cavin, Ꮎ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ 

ᏄᏩᎾᏅ ᎠᏓᏅᏖᎵᏙ ᏗᎪᏪᎵᏍᎩ, ᎤᏛᏅ 

ᎤᎵᎮᎵᏨ ᎤᏪᏅᏒ ᎾᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗᏃ ᎡᎵᏊ 

ᏗᎬᏩᏓᏙᏗ ᎤᏪᏘ ᏗᏐᏴ ᎠᎴ ᏣᎳᎩᎯ. 

“ᎤᎧᎵᏤ ᎾᎿ ᎢᎦᏓ ᏂᎪᎵᎬᎾ ᎨᏒᎢ,” 

ᎤᏛᏁᎢ, “ᏌᏊ ᎢᏳᏓᎴ ᎢᎦ ᎤᏍᏆᏂᎪᏗ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏆᏕᎶᏆᎥ ᎤᎪᏛ ᏄᏍᏛ ᏙᎯᏳ 

ᏗᎫᎪᏗᏍᎩ Parker ᎠᎴ ᏃᏊ ᏄᏍᏛ 

ᎡᏓᏓᏅᏛᎢ. ᏙᎯᏳᏃ ᏗᎧᎾᏩᏛᏍᏗ 

ᏂᎬᏅ ᏧᏂᏲᎱᎯᏍᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎾᏛᏁᎲ, ᎠᎴ Ꮭ 

ᏯᏆᏅᏕ ᎢᎴᎯᏳ ᎤᎪᎲ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᎨᏒ ᏴᏫ 

ᏕᎨᎦᏛᏍᎬᎢ.” 

Lydia Harjo McBroom, ᏧᎾᏓᎦᏴᎵᎨ 

ᎣᏍᏓ ᎠᎦᏔᎯ ᎾᎿ ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ ᏗᏂᏲᏟ 

ᎣᏍᏓ ᎢᏳᏅᏁᎯ, ᎤᏛᏅ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎯᎠ 

ᎤᎦᏖᏃᎵᏙᎸ ᎾᏍᎩ “ᎣᏍᏓ” ᎠᏎᏍᎩᏂ 

ᎤᎯᏐᏗ ᎾᏍᏊ ᎾᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ 

ᏗᏓᏓᏛᏂ ᎤᏂᎶᏒ ᎠᎭᏂ ᎠᎴᏗᏍᏊ 

ᎤᎾᎴᏫᏍᏔᎾ. 

“ᎤᏍᏆᏂᎪᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏗᎩᎦᏴᎵᎨ ᎤᏁᏙᎸ 

ᎢᏕᏙ ᎠᏎᏍᎩᏂ ᎾᏍᏊ ᎤᎯᏐᏗ. Ꮭ ᎠᏎ 

ᎣᏍᏓ ᏱᏚᎾᏓᏅᏕ.” ᎠᏗᏍᎬ McBroom, 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᎫᏌ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏣᏓ. 

ᎾᎯᏳᏃ ᏥᎨᏥᏱᎳᏫᏛᎮ ᎾᎿ ᏁᎳᏚ 

ᎢᏍᎪᎯᏧᏈ ᏦᏍᎪᎯ ᎤᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ, 

ᏂᎦᏓᏊ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎯᏍᎩ ᎤᎾᏓᏅᏘᏌᏅ 

ᎠᏂᎳᏍᏓᏢ ᎤᎾᎴᏫᏍᏔᏁ ᎾᎿ ᎤᏪᏘ 

ᏗᏐᏴ Ꮎ ᎤᏅᏔᏂᏓᏍᏗ Ꮟ ᏂᏚᏂᏐᏨᎾ ᎾᎿ 

ᎾᎾᎾᎾᎾᎾ ᎤᏪᏴ ᏭᏂᏴᏍᏗ ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ 

ᎨᏥᏁᎸ ᎦᏙᎯ. 

Catherine Foreman Gray, ᏗᏁᎸᏓᏁ 

ᏗᏎᎮᎵᏙ ᎾᎿ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ ᏄᎾᏛᏁᎵᏙᎸ 

ᏗᏓᏘᏂᏙ, ᎤᏛᏅ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᏄᎾᏛᏁᎵᏙᎸ 

ᎠᎴ ᎤᏪᏘ ᏗᏐᏴ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏂᏙᎸ 

ᎾᏍᎩ “ᏓᎵᎪᎲᏍᎩ.” ᎾᏃ ᎠᏐᏴ 

ᎤᎾᏁᎳᏁ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᎬᏱ ᎤᏂᎷᏨ 

ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎤᏂᎳᏅᏏᎴ ᎧᎸᎬᏗᏢ 

ᎣᎦᎵᎰᎻ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏕᎵᎬᏗᏢ ᎾᎾᎾᎾᎾᎾ 

ᎠᎾᎵᏓᎵᏍᎪᎸᏗᏍᎬ ᎾᎿ ᎢᎬᏱ ᏁᎳᏚ 

ᎢᏍᎪᎯᏧᏈ ᎤᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ ᏂᏓᏳᏓᎴᏅ 

ᎠᏂᏌᏏ ᎪᏂᎳᏍᏓᏢ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏂᎩᏎ ᎤᎪᏛ 

ᎧᎸᎬᎢᏗᏢ ᎣᎦᎵᎰᎻ. 

“ᎤᏪᏘ ᏗᏐᏴ ᎤᏃᏢᏁ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏙᎯ 

ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᎾᎿ ᎨᏒᎢ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬ Gray, Ꮎ 

ᎾᏝᎬ ᏚᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎸ Ꮎ ᎤᏪᏘ ᏗᏐᏴ ᏂᎬᎾᏛ 

ᏒᎵᏍᏔᏅ ᎤᏙᏢᏒ ᎤᎦᏎᏍᏗᏕᎦ. 

ᎾᎿ ᎠᏐᏴ ᎤᏅᏕᏨ ᏁᎳᏚ ᎢᏍᎪᎯᏧᏈ 

ᏔᎵᏍᎪ ᏅᎩ, ᎠᎴ ᏧᏍᏆᎦᏟ ᎤᏃᏢᏁ ᎾᎿ 

ᎾᎾᎾᎾᎾ ᎤᏪᏴᎢ, ᎤᏕᎵᎬ ᎢᏗᏢ ᏓᏂᏆ, 

ᏓᏂᏍᏕᎵᏍᎬ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎾᎿ ᎠᏂᏌᏏ ᎢᏗᏢ 

ᎨᏒᎢ. Gray ᎤᏛᏅ ᏩᏥᏂ ᏧᎾᏓᏱᎵᏓᏍᏗ 

ᏂᎦᏯᎢᏐᏊ ᎨᏒ ᎾᎿ ᎤᏪᏘ ᏗᏐᏴ ᎠᎴ 

ᎤᎲᎢ ᏧᏭᎪᏔᏂᏓᏍᏗ ᏂᎦᏓ ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ 

ᎨᏥᏁᎸ ᎦᏙ, ᎠᏠᏯᏍᏗ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ. 

Gray ᎾᏍᎩᏍᏊ ᏄᏪᏒ ᎠᏣᎳᎩ 

ᎤᎸᏉᏗ ᎤᎨᏳᎯ ᏄᏍᏗᏓᏅ ᎢᏕᎲ 

ᎠᎴ ᏁᏗ ᏩᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᎨᏥᏃᎮᏗ 

ᎠᎴ ᎨᎦᏅᏓ ᎾᎿ ᎤᏪᏘ ᏗᏐᏴ ᏂᎬᎾᏛ 

ᏂᏧᎵᏍᏔᏅᏍᏔᏅ ᎤᏁᏓᏍᏗ ᎤᏙᏢᏒ, 

ᎤᏍᏆᏂᎪᏗ ᏄᎵᏍᏓᏁᎸᎢ. ᎠᏁᏯᏔᎯ 

ᎨᏒ ᎢᎦᏓ ᎨᏒ, ᎤᏛᏅ ᎢᏧᎳ ᎠᏂᏍᎦᏯ, 

ᎤᏅᏌ ᎨᏒ, ᏓᎾᏟᏴᎡᎲ ᎾᎿ ᏧᎾᏓᏱᎵᏓᏍᏗ 

ᏗᏍᏗᏅᏅ ᎾᎿ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎤᏄᏓᎸᏥᏙᎲ 

ᎠᎴ ᎤᏃᎯᏳᏒ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ ᎤᏩᏌ 

ᎨᏩᎾᏛᎪᏗ ᎨᏒᎢ. 

“ᎤᎪᏗ ᏗᎬᏟᎶᏍᏙᏗ ᎾᎿ ᏓᏟᎶᎥ 

ᏓᏍᏗᏅᏅ ᎠᏂᏰᎵᏙᎲ ᎠᎴ ᏂᏓᏙᎵᎬᎾ ᎨᏒ 

ᎾᎿ ᎠᏟᎢᎵᏙᎲ ᎾᎿ ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ ᎨᏥᏁᎸ ᎦᏙ 

ᎠᎴ ᏩᏥᏂ ᏧᎾᏓᏰᎵᏓᏍᏗᎢ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬᎢ. 

“ᏁᏗ ᏩᏗ ᏗᎬᏟᎶᏍᏙᏗ ᎢᎦ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎨᎶ 

ᏚᏫᏘᏅ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏧᎾᏓᏱᎵᏓᏍᏗ ᎾᎿ ᏩᏥᏂ 

ᎠᏰᎵ ᏗᎧᎾᏩᏛᏍᏗ ᎨᏒᎢ.” 

ᎤᏛᏅ Ꮎ ᏗᎬᏙᏍᎩ ᎠᎴ ᏩᏗ 

ᎤᎾᏁᎸᏔᏁ ᎾᎿ ᏩᏥᏂ ᎠᏰᎵ ᎤᎲ 

ᏗᎧᎾᏩᏛᏍᏗ ᎤᏅᏙᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ 

ᎤᏚᎢᏍᏔᏅ ᎤᎵᏍᎪᎸᏙᏗ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ 

ᎤᏩᏌ ᎤᎴᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏕᎵᎬ ᏱᏄᏛᏔᎾ. 

“ᏁᏗ ᏩᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏎ ᏌᏊ ᏂᎪᎯᎸ 

ᎤᏂᏃᎲᏗ ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᏂᎦᏓ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ 

ᎨᏥᏃᎮᏍᎬᎢ,” ᎤᏛᏅ Gray. ᏥᎸᏩᏍᎪ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎤᏬᎯᏳᏒ ᎠᎴ ᏚᎳᏏᏛᎢ.” 

ᎤᏛᏅᏃ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏍᏆᏂᎪᏗ ᏄᎵᏍᏓᏁᎲ 

ᎾᎿ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᎤᏂᏍᎦᏅᏨ ᎠᏁᏯᏔᎯ 

ᎠᏛᎩᏍᎬ ᏓᎪᎵᏰᏍᎬ ᎤᎪᏛ ᎤᏅᏗ 

ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᎤᏚᎵᏍᎬ ᎤᏪᏘ ᏗᏐᏴ ᎪᏪᎵ 

ᏚᏂᎾᎥ ᏓᎪᎵᏰᏍᎬ ᏚᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎵ ᎠᎭᏂ. Ꮭ 

ᏳᏬᎯᏤ ᏚᏩᏛᎲ ᎤᏩᏌ ᏚᎾᏙᎥ ᏕᎪᏪᎸᎢ. 

“ᎢᎦ ᎤᏍᏆᏂᎪᏗ ᏂᎦᎥ ᎣᎩᏠᏯ, ᎣᏍᏓ 

ᏱᎩ ᎠᎴ Ꮭ ᎣᏍᏓ, ᏝᏃ ᏱᏥᎦᏔᎭ 

ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᏂᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗᏍᎬ ᎠᏁᏙᎲ ᎠᎭᏂ, 

ᎢᎦᏓᏃ ᎠᏂᎦᏔᎯ, ᎢᎦ ᏧᎾᏓᎴᏅᏓ ᏚᎾᏙᎥ 

ᏕᎪᏪᎵ ᎠᎴ ᎢᎦ ᎤᏍᏆᏂᎪᏗᏳ ᎾᏍᎩ 

ᏂᏧᎵᏍᏔᏅᏍᏔᏅᎢ.


Tribe begins restoration of Cherokee National Prison building 


Reporter 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The 

restoration of the Cherokee 

National Prison officially began 

May 6 with a groundbreaking 

ceremony that included tribal and 

city officials. 

Once restored, the building, 

which is listed on the National 

Register of Historical Places, will 

be the second Cherokee Nationowned 

and -operated museum, 

following the recent dedication of 

the Cherokee National Supreme 

Court Museum a block away from 

the prison building. 

Principal Chief Chad Smith 

spoke about the history of the 

prison, located at Choctaw Street 

and Water Avenue, saying it was the 

first penal institution in the area to 

require vocational education and 

the only penitentiary building in 

Indian Territory from 1875 to 1901. 

“When we 

passed our laws 

and had them 

adjudicated at 

our Supreme 

Court building, 

PLANTS & HERBS 

Cherokee artist uses Buffalo Grass for doll-making 

BY SHAWNA CAIN 

Cherokee National Treasure 

While most people begin to mow their lawns and 

cut the grass around their fields and homes this month, 

Cherokee National Treasure Lorene Drywater will look 

for undisturbed grassy hunting grounds. 

She knows that this is the best time to hunt and gather 

Buffalo Grass to make her unique Cherokee Buffalo Grass 

dolls. It is during late May and throughout June that 

Lorene finds her best Buffalo Grass. She scours Cherokee 

County roadsides, fields and grassy areas for this unique 

and interesting plant that is mostly overlooked or viewed 

as a nuisance to those who prefer Bermuda grass and 

well-manicured lawns. 

Buffalo Grass is an indigenous plant that thrives 

mostly in the North American prairies. It is known for its 

resiliency to survive harsh, dry summer climates and cold, 

windy climates in the winter. Interestingly, before contact 

and trade with Europeans, Buffalo Grass was the only true 

indigenous warm season turf. This particular indigenous 

grass most likely received its name due to the fact that it 

once served as the primary food source for the American 

To reach Lorene Drywater, call the Cherokee 

Native Art and Plant Society at (918) 453-0449 or 

e-mail rivercane@gmail.com. 

The Cherokee Phoenix is featuring the 7 Most Sacred 

Plants of the Cherokee. This month we’re featuring 

Mountain Climber, better known as Ginseng. In May, 

we featured Tobacco. Next month will be Golden Seal. 

Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Director Pat Gwin 

gave a presentation on Feb. 25 regarding Cherokee 

ethnobiology and discussed the plants. 

Mountain Climber 

(Ginseng) 

Principal Chief Chad Smith, left, Mayor Ken Purdy, center, and 

Northeastern State University President Don Betz turn dirt on May 

6 to officially begin restoration of the Cherokee National Prison in 

downtown Tahlequah, Okla. PHOTO BY WILL CHAVEZ 

we would enforce them ourselves. 

For those who violated the law, we 

would execute the laws and extract 

punishment for the benefit of the 

people,” Smith said. “But there was 

also understanding that these were 

our people, and they had a chance to 

redeem themselves with vocational 

education and become productive 

It’s used today by modern society in the same way it was used 

prior to European contact as a “pick-me-up.” 

“Ginseng was used by the Cherokees just as we use it today,” 

Gwin said. “Ginseng is in every one of your energy drinks. 

Ginseng is just used as a jump starter for everything else.” 

It was one of the first plants Cherokee elders wanted to see 

grown in the Cherokee Nation because they remember their 

parents picking Ginseng. 

Gwin’s department went to the areas the elders said Ginseng 

grew, but wasn’t able to locate it. 

“I think that what actually was here was brought during the 

removal,” Gwin said. 

The plant doesn’t grow in Oklahoma, but Gwin said it’s important 

to remember the Cherokee had their beginnings in southeastern 

United States. 

members of the community.” 

Molly Jarvis, vice president of 

Cultural and Public Relations for 

Cherokee Nation Entertainment, 

said the project includes restoration 

of the entire prison structure, 

creating interpretive areas inside the 

building and constructing outside 

interpretative areas, including 

Two of Cherokee National Treasure Lorene Drywater’s 

Buffalo Grass dolls COURTESY PHOTO 

buffalo when huge herds used to roam the prairies. Native 

Americans are known to have used fire to enrich prairie 

ecosystems and, as a result, Buffalo Grass has adapted to 

grassland fires and grows better after fire due to the deep 

root system (called stolon buds) of each plant. 

Drywater is well known throughout Cherokee country 

and abroad as a Cherokee artist and plant specialist who 

incorporates her life experiences, knowledge of Cherokee 

plant life and creativity into her art work. A fluent speaker 

of the Cherokee language, she teaches her students about 

what life was like for her growing up Cherokee and living 

gallows and a blacksmith shop 

and garden that were used in the 

rehabilitation process for prisoners. 

An existing adjacent building will 

also be used for a welcome center 

and museum. 

Jarvis said the restoration process 

would include controlling moisture 

problems in the foundation, 

basement and walls in the prison 

building and returning the exterior 

of the structure back to the point 

when the building was significant. 

A later renovation phase will 

emphasize landscaping, fencing 

and parking, among other projects. 

She said she expects the museum to 

open in the fall 

Tribal Councilor Bill John Baker, 

a lifelong Tahlequah resident, said 

he is “excited” about the prison 

restoration project. 

“This has been the county jail, 

the Cherokee Nation, our prison 

system. It’s just an integral part 

of Tahlequah, Okla., and the 

Cherokee Nation, and I think it 

needs to be taken back to what it 

once was,” he said. 

Baker said he recalled when an 

auction was held to sell off some of 

the prison’s equipment and that he 

recently saw an advertisement on 

the Internet for shackles that were 

labeled Cherokee Prison. 

“Maybe we can find some of 

those things and get them back,” 

he said. 

CN officials recently put out a 

call for artifacts to showcase in 

the Cherokee National Prison 

Museum that best represent its 

history and legacy. 

All artifacts donated or provided 

on loan to the museum will be 

cataloged and processed following 

standard museum guidelines. Each 

piece will have the benefactor’s name 

posted near the respective display 

in recognition of the generous 

donation and commitment to the 

preservation efforts of CN history, 

said tribal officials. 

Individuals, families and 

corporations that would like to 

permanently donate or provide 

on loan artifacts can contact 

Catherine Foreman Gray, archival 

and interpretive specialist for CN 

Cultural Tourism, at (918) 384- 

5946 or e-mail her at catherine. 

gray@cnent.com. 


• (918) 207-3961 

with nature to provide for herself and her family. 

Acknowledged in 1995 in “National Geographic” 

magazine as the only Cherokee citizen still making 

traditional Buffalo Grass dolls, she continues this 

tradition and is always happy to talk to anyone interested 

in learning. 

Drywater still shares accounts of her life and traditional 

Cherokee knowledge through telling stories and teaching 

others about this nearly lost art form. She fondly 

remembers her childhood when she first learned to make 

Buffalo Grass dolls, explaining why this tradition is so 

important to her. 

“The dolls were taught to me by my mother. I wanted a 

store bought doll so bad. I started crying. And I was just 

a little bitty thing, just barely old enough to hold a needle. 

But I learned how to sew when I was little. This is upside 

down (Buffalo) grass; the hair is the roots. The sticks at 

the bottom are the broom weeds. I sew all their clothes 

and make them look like a doll like I always wanted from 

the store.” 

Today, Buffalo Grass can be hard to find because access 

to natural environments are difficult to attain. “You know, 

last year, I didn’t have enough Buffalo Grass to make my 

dolls. I sure do hope I can find enough this year,” she said. 

Drywater said she would look for Buffalo Grass 

throughout the summer in hope to gather enough so that 

she will be able to make her dolls, which can be found 

at the Cherokee Heritage Center, Cherokee Nation Gift 

Shop and other Cherokee Nation-operated galleries. 

Studi honored with Circle 

Cinema medallion 

TULSA, Okla. – Family, friends and fans 

of Cherokee actor Wes Studi crowded the 

sidewalk on May 1 in front of the Circle 

Cinema for the unveiling of a granite 

medallion engraved with Studi’s name on 

the cinema’s Walk of Fame. 

Studi, who began his acting career in Tulsa, 

signed autographs and posed for photos with 

fans inside the cinema before going outside 

for the unveiling of his medallion. 

“You can’t really picture Native cinema 

without picturing Wes in your mind,” said 

Seminole-Muscogee Creek film director 

Sterlin Harjo before reading Studi’s 

dedication. “Many words can be used to 

describe Wes Studi, but we are here to 

recognize his talent as an actor and celebrate 

his achievements in the film industry.” 

The biggest impact Studi has made is not 

with the Native roles he has played, Harjo 

said, but the non-Native American roles 

such as a detective in the movie “Heat.” 

“It wasn’t a Native American role; it was 

just a regular person. I think that showed 

all of us that we can really do anything, 

especially as actors. We can go after the roles 

everyone else is getting, and it’s all up to 

your talent not just the color of your skin or 

where you come from,” Harjo said. 

Harjo mentioned some of the memorable 

movies Studi has performed in during 

the past 20 years such as “Dances with 

Wolves,” Last of the Mohicans,” “Geronimo: 

An American Legend,” “Bury My Heart at 

Wounded Knee” and most recently “Avatar.” 

He said Studi has been involved in more 

than 65 film and television productions. 

“Wes, your Oklahoma friends are here to 

honor you with this granite medallion… 

on the Circle Cinema’s Walk of Fame. May 

those who see your medallion know that 

Oklahoma is proud of your accomplishments 

and look forward to seeing your future 

successes,” Harjo said. 

The Walk of Fame honors Oklahomans 

who have enjoyed success in film history. 

Some of the actors and entertainers along 

the walk includes Cherokee actor Will 

Rogers, Brad Pitt, Muscogee Creek actor 

Will Sampson, Cherokee actor Clu Gulager, 

James Garner, Kristen Chenoweth, Gary 

Busey, Gene Autry and Ron Howard. 

“I want to thank Circle theater for this 

honor, for putting me in the same area 

as Tony Randall, Bill Hader and Alfre 

Woodward. There’s a million Oklahomans 

out in L.A. these days. I think we are slowly 

taking over Hollywood,” Studi said jokingly. 

He said more young Native people are 

getting involved in the movie industry 

and that he wishes there were more Native 

filmmakers and actors when he began acting 

in Tulsa in the 1980s. 

“Back in those days if we had the 

opportunity to give it a shot, I think we 

would have gotten started as younger people. 

Myself, I didn’t get involved in filmmaking 

until, I would say, mid-life,” Studi said. “As 

I was going through my mid-life crisis, I 

decided to go and do theater. I feel like at this 

point I have come full circle.” 

Studi gave credit to the Tulsa Indian 

Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, 

which was a treatment center that assisted 

Indian people in urban areas when he was a 

fledgling actor. TICADA provided its clients 

and the public an opportunity to perform in 

a theater, he said, and the American Indian 

Theatre Company developed from the 

group. 

He became a member of the company in 

the early 1980s. 

– Reprinted with permission from Native 

American Times


Cherokee students discovering University of Arkansas 

Cherokee students at the 

university reform the 

Native American Student 

Association to educate 

others about Native 

issues. 


Reporter 

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Many Cherokee 

students may have overlooked it before, 

but more of them in eastern Oklahoma are 

discovering the University of Arkansas. 

Summer Wilkie of Baron, Okla., is attending 

Arkansas on an engineering scholarship and 

is majoring in civil engineering. 

“It’s been a really great experience. I feel like 

it was the right decision for me. Everything 

is taken care of moneywise, and I’ve met a 

lot of cool people, so I definitely feel like it 

was a good fit for me,” Wilkie said. “I had my 

heart set on OU (University of Oklahoma) 

when I was little. When it actually came 

time to apply and go visit schools, Arkansas 

was much more homey, it was a little more 

personal, especially in engineering.” 

She said her drive home to nearby Adair 

County is only 40 miles, which is another plus. 

The junior plans to attend graduate school 

when she finishes her undergraduate degree. 

Her focus is on water sustainability and water 

treatment. 

Wilkie was also instrumental in reforming 

the Native American Student Association on 

campus this school year. The group is small 

with eight to 12 active members and about 25 

students total, but she said the group hopes to 

add more students this fall. 

The group’s mission is to raise awareness 

on campus about Native American issues, 

she said. 

“I feel like, especially with the Arkansas 

kids, I don’t know if they just don’t get it 

in history classes, they are clueless about 

Indians,” she said. “I feel like if we can help 

educate people, that’s a good thing.” 

She said NASA has worked to organize 

events to show other students that Natives 

are on campus. 

“There had been one (NASA organization) 

a few years ago. I saw in the paper a faculty 

member was trying to get it back together 

and so I came to the meeting, ended up 

running for president and got it,” Wilkie said. 

“We won Outstanding New RSO (Registered 

Student Organization) on campus this year, 

so we’ve had a really successful year.” 

Wilkie said she wants Cherokee students 

to know that Arkansas has a lot to offer as far 

as scholarships and that the school is making 

a push to attract more Native students. 

“If they (Cherokees) are worried about 

support, we might be a small group, but 

we’ve got a group and we’re really close knit. 

The group is going to be there if you need 

anything,” she said. 

She said there are approximately 400 

Native American 

students out of a 

student population of 

16,000. 

“It’s not a large 

group, but there’s still 

a presence,” she said. 

Summer Wilkie, left, plays Cherokee stickball with other University of Arkansas students 

during a Native American Student Association gathering. PHOTO BY WILL CHAVEZ 

NASA faculty advisor Dr. Freddie Bowles 

said the university has a policy stating the 

descendants of any federally recognized 

tribe that traveled through Arkansas during 

various Indian removals, pays only in-state 

tuition. A student must have tribal citizenship 

card to qualify. 

“That covers five tribes that we know of 

and maybe more,” Bowles said. “It’s really 

nice that we’re neighbors here with so many 

nations in Oklahoma. We welcome even 

more Native American presence on campus 

that’s for sure.” 

“The education is a key part 

because a lot of people don’t know 

what’s going on today with Native 

Americans and their history.” 

– Sarah Plumb, 

University of Arkansas student 

Bowles said 

the university 

has hired a 

new diversity 

coordinator 

and it’s 

pushing to 

recruit more 

Native and 

m i n o r i t y 

students and find more scholarships for 

them. 

Sarah Plumb, a Cherokee sophomore 

from Tahlequah who is studying childhood 

development, said Arkansas has been good 

to her. 

“I like it. I thought about going to OU for 

a while, but it kind of scared me. I came over 

here, and it’s very similar. It’s still a big school, 

and I get the benefits of a big school, but it 

has the feel of a small town and that’s nice,” 

she said. 

Plumb is NASA’s secretary and said the 

organization has made an impact on campus. 

“It’s kind of opened my eyes. I lived in 

Tahlequah, so I knew a lot of the heritage of 

the Cherokee people, but it (NASA) helped 

with like current issues outside of Oklahoma,” 

she said. 

She said basic education of Native cultures 

is needed on campus, including something 

as basic as helping people understand that 

Cherokees did not live in teepees. 

“The education is a key part because a lot 

of people don’t know what’s going on today 

with Native Americans and their history,” she 

said. 

She said with NASA’s support, Indian 

students maintain ties to their heritage while 

attending school. “I didn’t know it was going 

to be a little bit of struggle to hold on to my 

heritage and also move forward,” she said. 

will-chavez@cherokee.org • (918) 207-3961 

ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᏗᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᎩ ᎢᏴᏓᎭ ᎤᎾᏕᎵᏤᎰ 

ᎠᎴ Ꮭ ᏯᎾᎦᏎᏍᏗᏍᎪ, ᎠᏎᏍᎩ. ᎤᏂᎪᏛ 

ᎠᎾᏕᎶᎰᏍᎩ ᏩᎦᎸᎳᏗᏴ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᎾᎿ 

ᏲᏁᎬ. 

Summer Wilkie ᎾᎿ Baron ᎣᎦᎵᎰᎻ, 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᏓᏕᎶᏆᎠ ᏲᏁᎬ ᎠᏕᎳ ᏧᏕᎶᏆᏍᏩᏙᏗ 

ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᏧᏍᏆᏗᏍᏗ ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏙᏗ 

ᎤᏚᎵ ᏱᏚᏍᏆᏓ ᏓᏕᎶᏆᏍᎬᎢ. “ᎢᎦᏃ 

ᎤᎪᏗ ᎠᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎯᎠ. ᎠᏆᏓᏅᏛ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎣᏍᏓ ᏣᏆᏑᏰᏒ ᎾᏆᎵᏍᏓᏁᎭ. 

ᏂᎦᏓ ᎠᏕᎳ ᎨᏒ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎾᏅᏁᎭ Ꮭ ᎠᏎ 

ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᎠᏆᏓᏅᏖᏗ ᏱᎨᏐ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᏂᎪᏓ 

ᎠᏂᏴᏫ ᎦᎳ ᏙᎦᏙᎵᏥ, ᏙᎯᏳ ᎣᏍᏓ 

ᎠᏆᏓᏅᏓ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏅᎢ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬ 

Wilkie. “ᎠᏆᏓᏅᏛᏃ ᎣᏳ (University 

of Oklahoma) ᎠᏆᏚᎵᏍᎬ ᏗᏆᏕᎶᏆᎥᏍᏗ 

ᎠᏆᏍᏗ ᏥᎨᏒ. ᎤᏟᎢᎶᏟ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏆᏑᏰᏍᏗ 

ᎠᎴ ᏗᎦᏥᏩᏛᎯᏓᏍᏗ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ, ᏲᏁᎬ 

ᎾᏍᏊ ᎤᎪᏛ ᎠᏩᎣᏒᏇ ᎢᏳᏍᏍᏗ 

ᎨᏒ, ᎤᎪᏛᏃ ᎠᏯ ᎨᏒ, ᏙᎯᏳ ᎾᏍᎩ 

ᏕᎦᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗᏍᎬ.” 

ᎤᏛᏅᏃ ᎢᏳᏂᎩᏏ ᎾᎥ ᏲᏁᎬ ᏍᎦᏚᎩ ᎠᎴ 

ᏅᎦᏍᎪ ᎢᏳᏟᎦᏓ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎾᏍᏊ. 

ᎯᎠᏃ ᎤᏛᏅᎢᏍᏗ ᏧᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ 

ᏧᏍᏆᏗᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ ᏱᏚᏍᏆᏓ ᏳᏁᏌ ᎪᏪᎵ. 

ᎯᎠ ᎠᎹ ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏔᏂᏙᎲ ᎠᎴ ᎢᎦᎬᏁᏗ 

ᎨᏒ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎨᏒ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᎦᏎᏍᏗ ᎢᎬᏩᏛᏗ 

ᎨᏒᎢ. 

Wilkie ᎾᏍᎩᏍᏊ ᏂᎪᎯᎸ ᎡᎵᏍᎩ 

ᎢᎤᏢᏂᎪᎯᏍᏙᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏅᏁᎯᏯ ᎠᎹᏰᏟ 

ᏗᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᎩ ᎤᎾᏓᏡᎬ ᎾᎿ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ 

ᎯᎠ ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏌᏓ. ᎯᎠᏃ ᎤᎾᏓᏡᎬ ᎠᏂᎦᏲᏟ 

ᏧᏁᎳ ᎠᎴ ᏔᎳᏚ ᎠᏁᎳ ᎠᎴ ᎯᏍᎩᏦᏁ 

ᎾᏂᎥ ᏗᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᎩ ᏂᎦᏓ, ᎠᏎᏍᎩᏂ ᎯᎠ 

ᎤᎾᏓᏡᎬ ᎤᏃᎯᏳᎭ ᎤᏂᎪᏛ ᏗᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᎩ 

ᎤᏂᎷᎯᏍᏗ ᎯᎠ ᎤᎳᎪᎲᏍᏗ. 

ᎯᎠ ᎤᎾᏓᏡᎦ ᏚᏄᎪᏛ ᏴᏫ 

ᎤᎾᏕᎶᎰᎯᏍᏗ Ꮎ ᎤᎾᏕᏗ ᎠᏁᎯᏯ ᎠᎹᏰᏟ 

ᏄᎾᎵᏍᏓᏁᎵᏙᎲ, ᎠᏗᏍᎬᎢ. 

“ᎠᏆᏓᏅᏛᎢ, ᏙᎯᏳ ᎾᏍᎩ Ꮎ ᏲᏁᎬ 

ᏗᏂᏲᏟ, Ꮭ ᏯᏆᏅᏓ ᎢᏳ ᎾᏃᏟᎬᎾ ᏱᎩ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏂᏙᎸ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗᎢ, Ꮭ 

ᏱᏓᏃᏢᎪ ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ,” ᎤᏛᏅᎢ. “ᎠᏆᏓᏅᏛ 

ᎨᎵᏍᎪ ᏗᎬᏲᏗ ᏗᏂᏲᏟ, ᎾᏗᎩᏃ ᎣᏍᏓ,” 

ᎤᏛᏅ NASA ᏚᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎳ ᎣᏍᏓ 

ᎢᏧᏩᏗ ᎤᎾᏓᏟᏐᏗ ᎠᏂᏐᎢ ᏗᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᎩ 

ᎠᏁᎯᏯ ᎠᏂᏴᏆᏯ ᎾᏍᎩᏍᏊ ᎾᎿ ᎠᏁᎲᎢ. 

“ᏌᏊᏃ ᎾᏍᎩ (NASAᎤᎾᏓᏡᎬᎢ) 

ᎢᎸᏍᎩ ᎾᏕᏘᏯ. ᎠᎩᎪᎲ ᎪᏪᎵᎢ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎨᎳ 

ᎠᏁᎶᏗᏍᎬ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏧᏩᏟᏐᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ 

ᏓᎾᏠᏍᎬ ᎠᎩᎷᏨᎢ, ᎥᎬᏆᏑᏰᏒ ᏗᏆᏓᏘᎾᎢ 

ᎠᏆᏙᎩᏯᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎠᎩᎩᏒᎢ, ᎠᏗᏍᎬ 

Wilkie. “ᎣᎦᏓᏠᏒ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎦᎸᎳᏗ ᎢᏤ RSO 

(Registered Student Organization) ᎯᎠ 

ᎤᎾᏕᏗᎢ ᎯᎠ ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏌᏓ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎠᎴ 

ᎤᏁᏉᏨᎢ ᎠᏕᏘᏯ.” 

Wilkie ᎤᏛᏅ ᎤᏚᎵᏍᎬ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ 

ᏗᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᎩ ᎤᎾᏅᏙᏗ ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ 

ᎾᎾᎾᎾ ᎤᎪᏗ ᎾᎾᏛᏁᎲ ᎾᎿ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏙᏗ 

ᎨᏒ ᎠᎴ ᎤᎪᏗ ᎬᏂᎨᏒ ᏂᏓᏅᏁᎲ ᎠᏁᎯᏯ 

ᏗᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᎩ. 

“ᎢᏳᏃ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎤᏁᎵᎯᏍᎨᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ 

ᎤᎾᎵᏍᏕᎸᏙᏗ, ᎤᏍᏗᎢᏉ ᎣᎦᏓᏡᎬ, 

ᎠᏎᏍᎩᏂ ᎯᎠ ᎣᎦᏓᏡᎬ ᎢᎦ ᎾᎥ ᎠᎴ ᏌᏊ 

ᏙᎩᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᎭ. 

ᎯᎠ ᎤᎾᏓᏡᎩ ᎾᎿ ᏄᎾᏛᏁᏍᏗ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ 

ᏲᏂᎬᎦ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬᎢ. 

ᎤᏛᏅᏃ ᏅᎩᏧᏈ ᏯᏂ ᎠᏁᎯᏯ ᎠᎹᏱᏟ 

ᎠᏁᎯ ᏓᎾᏕᎶᏆᎢ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏓᎳᏚ ᎢᏍᎪᎯᏧᏈ 

ᏓᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᎬᎢ. 

ᏝᏃ ᎤᏂᎪᏓ ᏱᎩ, ᎠᏎᏃ ᎾᏍᎩ,” ᎤᏛᏅᎢ. 

NASA ᎤᎾᏓᏡᎬ ᏗᏎᎮᎵᏙᎯ Dr.Freddie 

Bowles ᎤᏛᏅ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏩᎦᎸᎳᏗᏴ 

ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏗ 

ᎤᏂᎭ ᏧᏂᎧᎾᏩᏛᏍᏙᏗ ᎯᎠ ᏂᎬᎾ 

ᏂᏓᏳᏓᎴᏅ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎯᏍᎩ ᎾᏂᎥ ᏩᏥᎾ 

ᏧᏬᎵᏨ ᎠᏂᏅᏍᏓ ᎨᎳ ᎤᎶᏒ ᎨᏒ ᏲᏁ 

ᎾᎿ ᏧᎾᏓᎴᏅᏓ ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ ᏗᎨᏥᏰᎳᏫᏛᎲ, 

ᎠᏈᏱᏍᎪ ᎾᎿ ᏍᎦᏚᎩ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏙᏗ. 

ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᏗᏕᎶᏆᏍᎩ ᎠᏎ ᎤᏅᏓ ᎨᎸ 

ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎤᎵᏍᎪᎸᏓᏁᎯ. 

“ᎾᏍᎩ ᏂᎦᏓ ᎫᏢᏍᎦ ᎯᏍᎩ ᎾᏂᎳᏍᏓᏢ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᏕᎦᏅᏛ ᎠᎴ ᏳᎪᏓ,” ᎤᏛᏅ 

Bowles. “ᏙᎯᏳ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎾᎿ ᎾᎥ ᏂᏕᎦᏓᎸ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᎪᏓ ᎠᏰᎵ ᏚᎾᏙᏢᏒ ᎾᎿ ᎣᎦᎵᎰᎻ. 

ᏙᏣᎵᎮᎵᎪ ᎠᏁᎯᏯ ᎠᎹᏱᏟ ᎠᏁᎭ 

ᎠᏂᎷᎬᎢ ᏙᎯᏳ ᎾᏍᎩ.” 

Bowles ᎤᏛᏅ Ꮎ ᏩᎦᎸᎳᏗᏴ 

ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᎤᏂᎾᏢᏁ ᏧᎾᏓᎴᏅᏓ 

ᎠᏂᎷᎬ ᎠᏓᏅᏖᎵᏙᎯ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏱᎳ ᎤᏂᎪᏛ 

ᎠᏁᎯᏯ ᎠᎴ ᏄᎾᏓᎴ ᏗᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᎩ ᎤᎪᏛ 

ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏙᏗ ᎤᏂᏩᏛᏗᎢ. 

Sarah Plumb, ᎠᏣᎳᎩ ᏗᏕᎶᏆᏍᎩ 

ᏍᎪᎯᏁ ᏗᎧᏂᏙᎯ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏓᎵᏆ ᏂᏓᏳᎶᏒᎢ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᎦᏎᏍᏗ ᎠᏕᎶᏆᎢ ᏗᏂᏲᏟ 

ᎾᎾᎵᏍᏗᏍᎬ ᏓᎾᏛᏍᎬᎢ, ᎠᏗᏍ ᏲᏁᎬ 

ᎣᏍᏗ ᎨᏒ ᎡᏙᎭ. 

“ᎠᎩᎸᏉᏗ. ᎦᏓᏅᏖᏍᎬ ᎾᎿ ᎠᏇᏅᏍᏗ 

ᎣᏳ ᎠᎴ ᏝᎦ, ᎠᏎᏃ ᎠᎩᏍᎦᏍᏓᏁᎸ. ᎠᎭᏂ 

ᎠᎩᎷᏨ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᏠᏯ ᎨᏒ. ᎠᏎᏍᎩᏂ ᎤᏔᎾ 

ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ, ᎠᎴ ᏥᎩᏍᎪᎢ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏔᎾ 

ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ, ᎠᏎᏍᎩᏂ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏍᏗᏉ 

ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᎤᏠᏯ ᎠᎴ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎡᏓᏍᏗᎢ,” 

ᎤᏛᏅ Plumb Ꮎ NASA ᏗᎪᏪᎵᏍᎩ ᎠᎴ 

ᎤᎾᏙᏢᏒ ᎬᏂᎨᏒ ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏗ ᎣᏍᏓ ᎨᏒᎢ. 

“ᏓᎩᏍᏚᎢᎡᎵ ᏗᏥᎦᏙᎵ. ᏓᎵᏆ ᏥᏁᎳ, 

ᎤᎪᏗᏃ ᎠᏆᏅᏛ ᏂᏧᎵᏍᏓᏅᏍᏔᏅ 

ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏂᏴᏫ, ᎠᏎᏃ (NASA) 

ᎣᎩᏍᏕᎸᏓ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎾᏝᎬ ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏔᏂᏙᎲ 

ᏙᏯᏗᏢ ᎣᎦᎵᎰᎻ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬᎢ. 

ᎤᏛᏅ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᎴᏅᏙᏗ ᏗᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᎾᎿ 

ᎠᏁᎯᏯ ᏄᎾᏛᏁᎸ ᎧᏂᎬᎦ ᎾᎿ ᎤᎾᏕᏗᎢ, 

ᎠᏠᏯᏍᏗ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᎴᏅᏙᏗ 

ᏗᏍᏕᎸᏙᏗ ᎠᏂᏴᏫ ᎤᏃᏟᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ 

ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ Ꮭ ᏗᎪᏍᏓᏯ ᏕᎦᎵᏦᏛ ᏱᏓᏂᏁᎴ. 

“ᎾᏍᎩ ᏗᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᎵᏍᎨᏗ 

ᏅᏗᎦᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᎤᏂᎪᏓ ᎠᏂᏴᏫ Ꮭ ᎢᏳᎾᏅᏓ 

ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏔᏂᏙᎲ ᎪᎯᎢᎦ ᎾᎿ 

ᎠᏁᎯᏯ ᎠᎹᏱᏟ ᎠᏁᎯ ᎠᎴ ᏄᏍᏛ 

ᏧᏂᎶᏒ,” ᎠᏗᏍᎬᎢ. 

ᎤᏛᏅ ᎾᏍᎩ NASA ᎠᏍᏕᎵᏍᎩ, 

ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ ᏗᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᎩ ᏂᎬᎾᎢᏒ ᏄᏍᏛ 

ᏚᎾᏛᏒ ᎾᏃ ᏓᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᎬᎢ. “ᏝᏃ ᏯᏆᏅᏴ 

ᎤᏍᏗᎩᏓ ᎤᏓᏄᎸᏗ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎢᏳᎵᏍᏙᏗ 

ᏫᏗᎦᏂᏴᏗ ᏄᏍᏛ ᏗᎦᎶᏒ ᎠᎴ ᎠᎬᏯᏗᏢ 

ᏚᏳᎪᏛ ᎠᏂᎩᏍᏗᎢ,” ᎤᏛᏅᎢ. 

The Cherokee Phoenix is now on Twitter. Be sure to 

check often for updates on what is going on within the 

Cherokee Nation. 

http://twitter.com/cherokeephoenix. 

The Cherokee Phoenix is mobile. Keep informed on 

your iPhone, iphone.cherokeephoenix.org. 

Become a fan of the Cherokee Phoenix on Facebook. 

Click on the link in the Check it Out section.


Sequoyah Schools perform 

‘The Wizard of Oz’ 

Students work for three 

months on sets, costumes, 

songs and roles for the 

two-night run. 


Reporter 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Munchkins, flying 

monkeys and twisters took over Sequoyah Schools’ 

The Place Where They Play May 13 and 14 as the 

school’s drama department performed “The Wizard 

of Oz” before packed audiences. 

The students, who were cast in February, worked 

for three months to design and paint the sets, sew 

costumes, learn songs and lines and prepare for the 

two-night run. 

Taylor Poe, who played a flying monkey, Uncle 

Henry and Coroner Munchkin, said working on 

the play was a “creative outlet” and a “chance to be 

somebody else.” 

Poe said performing also prepared him for 

speaking in front of large audiences. 

“I’ve never been much 

of a shy person, but this 

helps,” he said. “I like to 

perform, so the sky’s the 

limit.” 

Haley Gourd, a 

munchkin and Oz citizen, 

said the play refined her 

public speaking skills, too. 

“It’s been really fun, but 

it gets you out of your comfort zone,” she said. “It 

won’t be that stressful when you’re in bigger places.” 

Sequoyah drama teacher Amanda Ray said the 

production was a wonderful experience for her as 

an instructor and director. 

“We spend a lot of time in the classroom 

throughout the school year, and it’s been great to 

get the kids on stage,” Ray said. “It’s a large cast with 

a lot of energy and everyone has worked so hard to 

bring this show together. I’m so proud of the work 

they’ve done.” 

Vanity Debrosse, who played a flying monkey, 

said even though the monkeys didn’t have lead 

roles, they prepared just as hard as everyone else. 

“We’ve worked hard,” she said. “It’s come together 

really good. Monkeys aren’t one of the main roles, 

but we’ve been at every rehearsal also, and even the 

munchkins. We’ve all worked just as hard.” 

Debrosse added that all the hard work was worth it. 

“I think everyone who’s in 

the play has really enjoyed it 

and had so much fun doing 

it.” – Vanity Debrosse, Sequoyah 

student and flying monkey 

“I’ve had a blast the whole time,” she said. “I’ve 

really enjoyed it. I think everyone who’s in the play 

has really enjoyed it and had so much fun doing it. 

It’s been long rehearsals but it’s worth it.” 

Ray said she was glad the students had fun, but 

she also wanted them to grow as people. 

“It’s so encouraging to me to see them singing, 

dancing and having fun,” she said. “It takes a lot of 

courage for a high school student to bounce around 

in a munchkin costume, but the important part is 

that they’re building self-confidence and having fun 

at the same time.” 

Cast members were Nathalie Tomasik as 

Dorothy Gale; Billie Gonzales as Professor Marvel 

and The Wizard of Oz; LeighAnna Evans as the 

Scarecrow; Chris Hummingbird as the Tin Man; 

Audie Todome as the Cowardly Lion; Brittiany 

Swepston as Elmira Gulch and the Wicked Witch 

of the West; Poe as Uncle Henry, flying monkey 

and the Munchkin Coroner; Alia Willie as Auntie 

Em and Oz citizen; Sophie Plumb as Toto; Emily 

Buckner as Glinda the Good Witch; Tiffany Knox, 

Dylan Tiddark and Taylor Yochum as The Lollipop 

Guild; Tiffany Holmes, Jaycee Jackson and Carolyn 

Drywater as The Lullaby League; Cija Chavez as the 

Munchkin Mayor, Haley 

Gourd as a munchkin 

and barrister; Vera 

Rooster, Rachel Buckner, 

Jamekah Rios and Bailey 

Justice as munchkins; 

Debrosse, Tiddark and 

Shelby Botone as the 

flying monkeys; Carolyn 

Drywater and Rooster as 

the scary trees; Rachel Buckner, Jackson, Yochum, 

Knox, Rios, Chavez, Carolyn Drywater and Justice 

as Oz citizens and Symone Ross, Trista Vaughn and 

Kristen Berryhill as the twister. 

Other students involved were Sarah Hughes as 

the stage manager; Stacie Campbell as the sound 

operator; William Cora as the light board operator; 

Starla Tidwell, Shayla Mouse, Shawn Belcher, 

Ashley Belcher and Robbie England as stage hands; 

Jessica Neighbors and Damien Watie on spotlights; 

Bryna Wilson, Emily Turner, Sierra Phillips and 

Salli McLemore as ushers; and Lakin Keener and 

Morgan Bernard on backstage and wardrobe. 

Cherokee artist and storyteller Robert Lewis 

helped students paint the scenes. 


• (918) 207-3825 

Immersion school funding and 

leadership needs addressed 


Reporter 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – In a May 

13 meeting with parents, Principal 

Chief Chad Smith outlined the 

Cherokee Nation Immersion 

School’s plans for the next school 

year and beyond. 

Smith said a principal for the 

school would be hired soon, but that 

he could not reveal the candidate’s 

name because she had not accepted 

the job as of May 13. The position 

was still unfilled as of May 19. 

He said she is a superintendent 

in a K-12 school and taught for 

six years in Tahlequah. She is a 

CN citizen but does not speak 

Cherokee, he said, but as principal 

can bring “administrative stability.” 

“She’s high energy. She can build 

up the school,” Smith said. 

He added that having a principal 

would prevent “bottlenecks” when 

the school needs supplies or other 

items because she could directly 

request what is needed. 

Education Group Leader Melanie 

Knight said at the meeting that 

she expects a principal to provide 

more cohesion among teachers, 

curriculum development staff, 

translation staff and parents. She 

said the curriculum staff would 

be under the principal’s guidance, 

while the translators would remain 

under her supervision. 

Knight said she is making the 

school a priority for the curriculum 

and translation staffs to ensure 

students have the learning materials 

they need. 

“A certification process for 

translation is in the works as well 

because it takes a special set of skills 

for a person to be able to do that,” 

she said. 

Immersion school funding was 

also discussed. The school is part 

of Sequoyah Schools, and without 

providing numbers, Smith said the 

immersion school is expensive to 

operate because the cost per student 

keeps rising. 

He said efforts are underway to 

make Sequoyah a charter school, 

which would mean more money 

for the school because it would be 

eligible for state aid. 

The CN is lobbying to get a state 

bill passed that would allow tribes 

in Oklahoma that operate schools 

to have charter schools. In reality, 

Smith said, the bill would benefit 

only the CN because it is the only 

state tribe that operates a school – 

Sequoyah Schools, which includes a 

high school, middle school and the 

immersion school. 

“I think we got a lot of support 

for that. I think it will pass,” he said. 

However, state money would 

come with some strings attached, 

Smith said, including possibly 

accepting non-Indian students. 

However, Smith added that he 

doesn’t foresee many non-Indian 

parents enrolling their children in 

the immersion school and believes 

a majority of the children enrolled 

would continue to come from 

Cherokee communities. 

“I can’t imagine a non-Indian 

parent wanting their kid to come 

here,” he said. 

Also, with state money, the school 

would have to introduce English 

earlier in the school’s curriculum, 

but the CN would attempt to get a 

waiver for that requirement, he said. 

English is expected to be in the 

school’s curriculum this fall for the 

fifth grade. During the first semester, 

all classes except social studies will 

be conducted in Cherokee. Social 

studies would be conducted in 

English using English textbooks. 

Plans are for immersion students 

to transition into Sequoyah’s 

seventh grade after completing the 

sixth grade at the immersion school. 

“There’s no model out there for us 

(immersion school), which is good. 

We need to find different models 

for different situations. We want 

our model to be a leadership model 

with the primary thinking to be in 

Cherokee,” Smith said. 


• (918) 207-3961


Douglas Eubanks, left, blocks a punch from James Selzer while training on May 11 at 

Old School Mixed Martial Arts in Van Buren, Ark. PHOTO BY JAMI CUSTER 

Cherokee promotes MMA 

training for recovering addicts 


Reporter 

VAN BUREN, Ark. – Cherokee Nation 

citizen Anthony Barrow, the owner of Old 

School Mixed Martial Arts, said he has 

found a purpose for mixed martial arts other 

than just fighting, and that’s reaching out to 

those suffering from extreme and addictive 

behaviors. 

“We have a student here we nicknamed 

Muay Thai. He is a previous drug user. This 

guy has called me on weekends and late at 

night saying, ‘I need to train right now or I 

am going to go out on the street,’” Barrow 

said. “So I’m confident that going out on the 

streets meant he was going to go use drugs.” 

Barrow said after talking with Muay Thai, 

better known as Donald Ireland, he noticed 

that many of his MMA students have 

backgrounds with drugs and other addictive 

behaviors. 

Call Anthony Barrow at (479) 719-9390 

“I’m realizing that they’re just simply 

exchanging an extreme for MMA, which I’m 

sure is an extreme,” he said. “Using drugs is 

an extreme on your mind and on your body. 

If we keep somebody in MMA, I’m realizing 

we are keeping them off the streets.” 

Barrow said he is not licensed to counsel 

drug users or perform any type of counseling, 

but his goal with 

the school is to 

get people who 

are on drugs and 

would like to 

change their lives 

to try MMA. 

He said he 

began by seeking help from the Arkansas 

Parole board. 

“I don’t know that I had their full 

undivided attention, and consequently they 

haven’t called me back, However, the parole 

board did have their lobby completely full of 

what I would guess would be parolees, and 

they swarmed me as I was leaving wanting 

my business card,” he said. “So I know there 

is a demand for this.” 

Barrow said what helps the recovering 

addicts is that with MMA one has to dedicate 

totally to its training because it requires total 

dedication. 

“You can’t be on drugs and do MMA. You 

can’t be a career criminal and do MMA. 

They just don’t mix. It’s one or the other. It’s 

not both,” he said. 

CN citizen Douglas Eubanks, who has 

boxed since age 8 and trained in MMA 

for the past five years, said he speaks from 

personal experience on how the sport can 

change a person’s life. 

“I got mixed up with the 

wrong crowd and got on drugs 

real bad there for a time. And 

there for a long time that’s 

all I was doing,” he said. “When I got back 

involved with fighters, fighting and in the 

gym, you know, it gave me something else to 

look forward to.” 

Eubanks said the sport helped him focus 

on his life, get it together and get clean. He 

said his only concern is that many people 

look at the sport as just fighting. But he said 

that isn’t the case. 

“A lot of people frown upon the sport… 

they don’t realize that this is a true sport. 

It takes a real athlete to do it. It takes real 

dedication, real training,” he said. “So in 

my eyes it would be the best thing to offer 

somebody coming in off the streets.” 


Study: Breastfeeding would 

save lives and money 


Reporter 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – A study in the 

journal “Pediatrics” states the lives of more 

than 900 infants could be saved annually 

if more mothers would breastfeed their 

newborns for the first six months. 

The study also revealed that $13 billion 

could be saved annually if breastfeeding 

rates were increased. 

“If 90 percent of (United States) 

families could comply with medical 

recommendations to breastfeed exclusively 

for six months, the United States would save 

$13 billion per year and prevent an excess 

911 deaths, nearly all of which would be in 

infants,” the study states. 

A Cherokee Nation physician said while 

some mothers choose not to breastfeed, 

others can’t. 

“There are some medical indications as 

to why a woman does not breastfeed, but 

a lot of times they can be overcome. But 

it’s a challenge. It’s not easy,” Dr. Greggory 

Woitte, an obstetrician/gynecologist at W.W. 

Hastings Hospital, said. 

But even mothers who breastfeed for 

the first few months are able to boost their 

babies’ immunity, Woitte said. 

“The longer you breastfeed, the more 

immunity you’re giving your child. I contend 

that even some breastfeeding, preferably for 

those first two months, is really beneficial,” 

he said. 

The study concludes that U.S. breastfeeding 

rates are suboptimal and result in significant 

excess costs and preventable infant deaths. 

Major groups such as the American 

Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention state that 

breast milk alone is sufficient for newborns 

and infants until they are 6 months old. Yet 

a 2009 breastfeeding report card from the 

CDC found that only 73.9 percent of women 

start breastfeeding, only 33 percent were still 

exclusively breastfeeding at three months 

and only 14 percent were still exclusively 

breastfeeding at six months. 

Oklahoma fell to the bottom of the list, 

with only 65 percent of women breastfeeding 

in the beginning, only 30 percent still 

exclusively breastfeeding at three months 

and only 8 percent exclusively breastfeeding 

at six months. 

At CN health facilities, physicians give 

patients pamphlets and information about 

breastfeeding and discuss it with them after 

they deliver. 

“A lot of patients are pretty adamant that 

they’re not going to breastfeed,” Woitte said. 

“I’m not going to push people. Sometimes 

it’s what these articles want. They want you 

to push harder. I think patients have a right 

to make these kinds of decisions.” 

But Woitte said the age demographic of 

women choosing not to breastfeed are the 

teenaged mothers. 

“I’m having a hard enough time struggling 

with the fact that it’s the younger generation 

that doesn’t want to breastfeed,” he said. 

“Your 16-, 17-, 18- and 19-year-olds don’t 

want to breastfeed, while your 34- to 40-yearolds 

recognize the benefits. You’re getting a 

child and they aren’t always prepared with 

all things with having a baby.” 

He said the main thing people can do 

to help encourage women to breastfeed is 

to reduce the number of teenagers having 

kids and offer support to those choosing to 

breastfeed. 

“The biggest thing is continuing to 

support these women and encourage them 

to breastfeed,” he said. “It’s the biggest thing 

we can do.” 


• (918) 207-3825 

Cherokee Challenge urges 

citizens to get healthy 


Reporter 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Cherokee Nation 

citizens are being encouraged to eat healthier 

and exercise by joining Principal Chief Chad 

Smith in the Cherokee Challenge. 

The new community-based campaign 

encourages healthy eating and exercise to 

help Cherokees improve their health and 

enjoy a healthier lifestyle. As part of the 

campaign, CN Healthy Nation will sponsor 

a series of races, fun runs and walks in 

communities during the coming months. 

The final challenge will be to race with Smith 

in the Tulsa Run in October. The event 

kicked off May 8 at the Stilwell Strawberry 

Festival’s annual Run for the Berries 5K. 

A goal for the tribe is for the CN citizens 

to be a healthy and happy people, said Lisa 

Pivec, director of CN Community Health 

Promotion, and the challenge should help 

with that goal. 

“As we were preparing to launch this 

initiative, the chief was invited to be a 

celebrity runner in this year’s Tulsa Run,” 

she said. “We decided it would be a great 

way to launch this campaign, having 

our community members come out and 

participate and run with the chief and walk 

with the first lady (Bobbie Gail Smith.)” 

Chief Smith said accepting the Tulsa Run 

challenge was an honor and a way to help 

the tribe focus on changing our lifestyles. 

He said the Cherokee Challenge should 

raise awareness and create fun incentive for 

people to take a serious problem to heart. 

He added that there are many things in life 

that people can’t do much about, but eating 

healthy and exercising don’t fall into that 

category. 

“The way we live today is basically killing 

us,” he said. “Studies show that this will be the 

first generation whose life expectancy may 

be less than their parents. It’s basically two 

simple things, eating right and exercising.” 

The Cherokee Challenge issues a call to 

individuals and families to become healthy 

and active throughout the year and offers 

activities and training tips for exercise and 

active living. 

“It’s really an opportunity for everybody to 

get involved,” he said. “We really designed it 

so that it’s not just the employees, the entire 

community can get involved.” 

The first lady will also be walking in the 

chosen challenge runs as part of her “Walk 

with the First Lady Challenge.” 

“This is a great opportunity to meet and 

visit with Bobbie Smith,” Pivec said. “Her 

walking groups are open to anyone, not only 

Cherokee citizens. All anyone has to do is 

refer to her group schedule...and they are 

invited to join in the walks. We encourage 

not only our Cherokee citizens, but all of 

our families, our friends and our neighbors 

to participate and help our communities be 

healthy and happy.” 

Bobbie Gail Smith said the challenge is 

important because diabetes, strokes and 

heart disease are all negatively affecting 

Native people. 

“For myself, it is important because 

diabetes exists in my family,” she said. “My 

mother had a massive heart attack at the age 

of 64 years old. I want to live longer than 64 

years. I want to have a positive impact in our 

communities.” 

She said her goal is to eat healthy and 

exercise every day. 

“I hope to set an example for the younger 

generation by exercising and eating healthy,” 

she said. “I want them to do the same.” 


• (918) 207-3825 

Additional events in the 

Cherokee Challenge include: 

• Survivor’s Run – Tahlequah – 

June 12 

• Bell Run – Stilwell – August 7 

• Cherokee National Holiday Run 

– Tahlequah – September 4 

• Indian Summer Run – 

Bartlesville – September 11 

• Bird Walk/Run – Tahlequah – 

September 18 

• Kenwood 5-K – Kenwood – 

October 16 

For more information: 

http://cherokeechallenge.cherokee.org

BY TRACY CANANT 

Registered Dietitian 


Native American bone marrow donors needed 


Reporter 

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Cherokee Nation Medical Director 

Dr. Gloria Grim is urging more Native Americans to register 

with the National Marrow Donor Program because Natives 

make up only 1 percent of the marrow registry and patients 

in need of marrow transplants are more likely to find a donor 

from someone of their race. 

“The readings and graphs that can be found on BeTheMatch. 

org indicate the great need for American Indian/Alaskan 

Natives donors,” Grim said. “The graphs show 81 percent of 

patients does not receive transplants and only 1 percent on 

the donor registry is American Indian/Alaskan Natives.” 

Grim said CN W.W. Hastings Hospital’s Public Health 

Nursing department is working to raise the number of 

American Indian/Alaskan Natives on the registry by working 

with the Oklahoma Blood Institute. The tribe and OBI hosted 

a bone marrow donor registration drive on May 4 at the 

Tribal Complex, registering 14 people with the NMDP. 

Quintrel Burris, OBI marrow drive recruiter, said the OBI 

offers bone marrow registration drives anytime it can find an 

organization to sponsor one. 

“I have been to Tahlequah this year alone three or four 

times,” he said. 

The registration process is as simple as swabbing the inside 

of a mouth. Once registered, a person stays on the registry 

until age 61 unless he or she opts out, which can be done 

anytime. 

“We move on to the next person,” Burris said of opting out. 

“We don’t waste a lot of time focusing on that because we are 

still trying to save a life. We’re just trying to find someone 

who wants to help someone.” 

According to the Be The Match website, thousands of 

people are battling blood cancers and needing bone marrow 

transplants to survive. According to the website, bone marrow 

transplants offer possible cures for cancers and other diseases, 

but only if the patient and donor are genetically compatible. 

Thirty percent of patients with a disease have siblings 

with the similar genetic make-ups who can provide marrow 

transplants, but others need to find someone who is of their 

race to have the best chance at finding a match. 

CN citizen Gus Plumb registered with the NMDP about 

four years ago and re-registered through OBI earlier this year. 

But it was only three months ago when he actually donated 

bone marrow to someone in need. 

Visit BeTheMatch.com for information on registering 

with the National Marrow Donor Program. 

DIETITIAN’S CORNER 

Navigate the grocery story wisely 

I often hear people say that they 

would have eaten something healthy 

but all they had at the house were Little 

Debbie’s. And my immediate response 

is “Why were they in the house?” 

Bottom line, we eat what is available, so 

set yourself up for success not failure. 

So how do you navigate the grocery 

store with all the choices and little time? 

A successful grocery store trip starts 

with planned meals and a shopping list. 

Start by just planning evening meals 

and some lunch and breakfast basics. A 

plan will save you time and money in 

the long run. If you are having problems 

coming up with dinner ideas you can 

refer to pre-done menus found online 

or ask a dietitian. Another way to get 

ideas is to brainstorm meals with your 

family. Now to make a grocery list, make 

columns for either each food group or 

for the different areas of the store such 

as frozen foods, meats, produce, etc. I 

prefer the second method. 

With list in hand, you are ready 

to head to the store. Start with the 

perimeter aisles where you will find the 

healthiest options. Fill up on fresh, inseason 

produce that are high in fiber 

and vitamins and minerals. Buy the 

smaller pieces of fruit and potatoes to 

help with portion control. I find the 

bags of apples and oranges tend to be 

smaller and cheaper than the bulk ones. 

The Yukon gold or red potatoes are 

smaller than the baker potatoes. To save 

money, try to stick to sale or in-season 

fruits and veggies. You can always look 

for season fruits and veggies in their 

cheaper form in the freezer aisle or 

canned sections. 

The next section is usually the meats. 

Look for lean cuts of chicken, beef and 

pork loin and unbreaded fish. To save 

money, buy the family packs. Break 

these down into smaller packages 

when you get home or cook the whole 

package and either use throughout the 

week or repackage and freeze for use 

later. In the dairy section always choose 

low-fat or fat free milk, yogurt and 

cheese. Choose yogurts that have 100 

calories or less per serving. 

The middle aisles start getting a little 

trickier. Avoid the many processed, 

prepackaged, convenience foods. They 

seem tempting but the nutritional 

value is most times not worth the price. 

Marrow Drive recruiter Quintrel Burris, right, from the Oklahoma Blood Institute registers a volunteer with the National 

Marrow Donor Program on May 4 at the Tribal Complex in Tahlequah, Okla. PHOTO BY JAMI CUSTER 

“I was so thankful. The chance to donate is very rare when 

it is a non-family member. It’s not like blood,” he said. “You 

must have a nearly perfect match with your candidate to 

donate, but then again I don’t think it was just a minimal 

chance. To me it was much bigger.” 

Plumb said after learning that he was a potential match, 

the decision to conduct further testing was not a hard one to 

make. 

“The medical process has advanced in recent years so it not 

like the horror stories you hear, and for the most part, it’s no 

big deal,” he said. “I did mine with local anesthesia and was 

out the same day.” 

According to the NMDP, one way to extract bone marrow 

involves a doctor using a needle to withdraw liquid marrow 

from the back of the pelvic bone. Donors receive anesthesia 

and feel no pain during donations, and the marrow replaces 

itself completely within four to six weeks. 

Another method involves the donor receiving injections of 

In the cereal aisle 

look for highfiber 

choices such 

as bran or wheat 

flakes. Look on 

the top shelves. A 

cereal should have 

at least 3 grams 

of dietary fiber 

per serving to be 

considered high fiber. Avoid cereals 

that are pre-sweetened, have dried 

fruit added or nuts. These all raise the 

calories. These guidelines are the same 

we recommend for choosing breads. 

Look for breads that say 100 percent 

whole grain or 100 percent whole 

wheat not just wheat bread. 

Canned meats, fruits and vegetables 

are cheap and easy to store and use, 

but you need to wise in your choosing. 

Canned chicken breast and tuna 

are healthy options. Stay away from 

canned ham, Spam, Vienna sausages, 

etc. Choose canned vegetables that are 

low-sodium or no salt added. When 

choosing canned fruits make sure to 

get no sugar added or in natural juices. 

The snack section can be an area 

that takes up a lot of people’s health 

budget and money budget. They are 

expensive and usually low in nutrients. I 

recommend avoiding as many foods in 

this area as possible and keeping foods 

in the food groups as snacks. Some nottoo-bad 

snacks in the snacks include 

popcorn, graham crackers, pretzels and 

high-fiber crackers. 

The last area I usually head to is the 

freezer section. This way it won’t thaw 

as fast since it is the last in my cart. Just 

as the middle aisles can be tricky with 

high-calorie, high-sodium convenience 

foods, so can the freezer section. But 

there are also many good foods here 

that can be cheaper than their fresh 

counter parts. I always keep a stash of 

frozen veggies and some frozen fruits. 

I buy the generic and find no taste 

difference but lots of money savings. 

Stay away from frozen foods that have 

sauces on them. Watch for sales on the 

healthy frozen meals (Lean Cuisine, 

Healthy Choice, etc) and stock up for 

when you are in a pinch for lunch. 

All this may seem overwhelming so 

start with baby steps. Each shopping 

trip take one section at a time to make 

changes. Read labels and make a master 

list of healthier options. 

a drug called filgrastim for five days leading up to the donation. 

The drug increases the number of blood-forming cells in the 

donor’s bloodstream. The blood is removed through a needle 

in one arm and passed through a machine that separates out 

the blood-forming cells. The remaining blood is returned to 

the donor through the other arm. The donor’s blood-forming 

cells are back to their normal levels within four to six weeks. 

Plumb said the pain of donating the marrow felt similar to 

a pulled muscle and that he doesn’t see why someone would 

not want to take an opportunity to donate. 

“You get to save somebody’s life for a little back pain, 

something we have all had in life from picking up something 

as small as the remote control,” Plumb said. “Getting the 

remote, save a life in need. I’d say leave the remote on the 

ground and do something with your good health…I know I 

would hope someone would think my life was worth a couple 

days of soreness.” 


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20 Cherokee Phoenix • June 2010 Ewf #>hAmh • [UMI 2010

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