By Richard B. Williams

Many years ago I started a personal research project on what it meant to “Think Indian” or more specifically “Think Lakota or Cheyenne.” I was working with learning-challenged students at the University of Colorado-Boulder in the University Learning Center. I was also working with American Indian students at various academic levels and saw the unique cognitive challenges they were having in mainstream academia. All of these students were very intelligent and scored high enough on the ACT to be admitted to the University of Colorado, but were challenged by the academic methodology and pedagogy.  Full story at: http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/living/education/63873117.html

28th ANNUAL NORTHWEST INTER-TRIBAL GATHERING & ELDERS DINNER

The Northern California Indian Development Council is pleased to host the 28th annual Elders Dinner to be held from starting at noon on November 14, 2009 at Redwood Acres in Eureka, CA.  The event also features an Inter-Tribal Gathering with California Tribal dances performances throughout the day. There is no charge for entrance to the Gathering. The dinner is free to all Elders (Age 55 & Over).  Community support is being sought this year to ensure the success of this gathering. Volunteers are needed to help serve and prepare approximately 1500 meals and to provide assistance in set up, hosting and clean up before and after the Gathering.  We are looking to collaborate with existing groups/clubs. Working with pre-established groups better enables proper communication and fun for all. Individuals are always welcome! For more information, to donate or volunteer, please contact Lou Moerner lou@ncidc.org (707) 445-8451 ext. 27, or visit www.ncidc.org

A Karuk Story

Ikxaréeyav were the spirit people who in the very beginning created the world. First they made the fishes in the ocean; then they made the animals on land; and last of all they made man. They had, however, given all the animals the same amount of power and rank.

So they went to the man they had created and said: "Make as many bows and arrows as there are animals. I am going to call all the animals together, and you are to give the longest bow and arrow to the one that should have the most power, and the shortest to the one that should have the least.

So the man set to working making bows and arrows, and at the end of nine days he had turned out enough for all the animals created by Ikxaréeyav. Then Ikxaréeyav called them all together and told them that the man would come to them the next day with the bows, and the one to whom they gave the longest bow would have the most power.

Each animal wanted to be the one with the longest bow. Coyote schemed to outwit the others by staying awake all night. He thought that if he was the first to meet the man in the morning, he could get the longest bow for himself. So when the animals went to sleep, Coyote lay down and only pretended to sleep. About midnight, however, he began to feel genuinely sleepy. He got up and walked around, scratching his eyes to keep them open. As time passed, he grew sleepier. He resorted to skipping and jumping to keep himself awake, but the noise waked some of the other animals, so he had to stop.

About the time the morning star came up, Coyote was so sleepy that he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. So he took two little sticks and sharpened them at the ends, and with these he propped his eyelids open. Then he felt it was safe to sleep, since his eyes could watch the morning star rising. He planned to get up before the star was completely up, for by then all the other animals would be stirring. In a few minutes, however, Coyote was fast asleep. The sharp sticks pierced right through his eyelids, and instead of keeping them open, they pinned them shut. When the rest of the animals got up. Coyote lay in a deep sleep.

The animals went to meet the man and receive their bows. Cougar was given the longest, Bear the next-longest, and so on until the next-to-last bow was given to Frog.

The shortest bow was still left, however.

"What animal have I missed? the man cried.

The animals began to look about, and soon spied Coyote lying fast asleep. They all laughed heartily and danced around him. Then they led him to the man, for Coyote's eyes were pinned together by the sticks and he could not see. The man pulled the sticks out of Coyote's eyes and gave him the shortest bow. The animals laughed so hard that the man began to pity Coyote, who would be the weakest of them all. So he prayed to Ikxaréeyav about Coyote, and Ikxaréeyav responded by giving Coyote more cunning than any other animal. And that's how Coyote got his cunning.

Kishan Lara, PhD in education First in her tribe to earn a doctorate.  Having grown up in a Native American community where “research” was a dirty word, Kishan Lara had seen the plundering of her ancestors’ burial sites and the insensitive probing by researchers, archaeologists and university students. She was the last person who expected to study her own people, the Hupa/Yurok tribes of northern California.

Full Story At: http://asunews.asu.edu/20090515_Profile_Lara

This is provided for informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for evaluation and treatment by a healthcare professional. This self-assessment information does not capture identifiable information in any manner.  It is flu seasons and we all here about people contracting H1N1.  Basic precautions remain the same:  WASH HANDS FREQUENTLY, COVER SNEEZES AND COUGHS, GET THE VACCINE (both seasonal flu and swine flu), AVOID TOUCHING NOSE, MOUTH & EYES, AVOID CONTACT WITH SICK INDIVIDUALS and GO HOME IF YOU EXHIBIT SYMPTOMS.  for more info: http://www.flu.gov

Brief History on the Creation of a National American Indian Heritage Month 

Many Indian and non-Indian Americans have urged that a special day be set aside to honor American Indians. Legislation has been proposed in the Congress that would “designate the fourth Friday in September of every year as American Indian Day.” There has also been legislation proposing to establish a “Native American Awareness Week” during the fourth week in September. Now, the President signs a proclamation designating the month of November as “National American Indian Heritage Month.  Complete article at: http://www.doi.gov/bia/na-month.pdf

For additional information please see:

 Celebrating Tribal Nations: http://www.loc.gov/topics/nativeamericans/

 National Native American Heritage Month Posters:http://www.usgs.gov/indian/posters/index.html

Celebrate History & Heritage: http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/heritage_month/aihm/index.html

National Museum of the American Indian: http://americanindian.si.edu/heritagemonth/

http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/feature/indian/

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/aihm1.html