Wisconsin’s Natives Tell Their Own Histories [Full Story]

December 30, 2002

Wisconsin’s Natives Tell Their Own Histories By Suzanne Westerly December 30, 2002 Like branches weighed down by a heavy snowfall, the 12 Indian nations of Wisconsin have been burdened with the weight of almost 200 winters of traumatic events. But like branches after a spring thaw, these nations are again standing strong today. Author Patty Loew, Ph.D., an enrolled member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe, has written a powerful and important new book, “Indian Nations of Wisconsin: Histories of Endurance and Renewal.” In her book, Loew weaves together origin stories, ancient songs, art, and symbolism with the historical perspectives of Wisconsin’s first people. She also discusses the critical Native issues of today: the economic and political developments along with the ongoing struggles over the environment, treaty rights, and sovereignty. Lowe has long been frustrated by books about Wisconsin’s Natives based on “white” sources: missionary accounts, traders’ journals, and government documents. When asked to write the text for a large exhibit on Indian nations for Wisconsin’s sesquicentennial, Loew enthusiastically accepted. It was an opportunity to educate the state’s residents about the Natives’ triumphs over centuries of injustice. Loew’s intensive research led to her absorbing “Indian Nations of Wisconsin.” You’ll find yourself reading every word, even the chapter notes in the back, and checking her recommended resources (videotapes, CD-ROMs, Web sites) and further reading. This book should be part of Wisconsin’s the high school curriculum, but it’s valuable for anyone interested in a genuine history of the state. In the preface Loew writes, “I have attempted to use as many Native sources as possible: speeches delivered by chiefs during treaty negotiations, origin stories, songs, legends, cave paintings, Native newspapers, and so on. I have tried to refer to the Native people as they refer to themselves. I use the word Haudenosaunee instead of Iroquois . . . Mesquakie instead of Fox . . . Anishinabe or Ojibwe instead of Chippewa.” In exploring Wisconsin’s rich Native heritage, Loew has created compact yet comprehensive tribal histories. We learn about the uniqueness of each Indian community: the Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Potawatomi, Oneida, Mohican, Brothertown (not federally recognized), and six bands of Ojibwe. Loew mentions their relations with the Dakota, Sauk, Mesquakie, Mascouten, Kickapoo, and other tribes. As Loew explains, with the advent of French and English fur traders, life for Wisconsin’s Natives would never be the same. The traders introduced firearms, debilitating alcohol, and a variety of European goods that Natives became dependent on, to the detriment of their way of life. Soon came devastating waves of European diseases and missionaries, who imposed Christianity on the Natives, often forcefully. To better elucidate history, Loew discusses how Euro-American wars (the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I and II) triggered problems for Wisconsin’s tribes, especially the unrelenting encroachment onto their lands. We learn why Natives chose to fight with or against the French, English, and Americans. Loew exposes the truth about U.S. treaties with Wisconsin’s tribes. For hundreds of years, and still today, Wisconsin’s Natives have determinedly fought for a land base as coercive treaties have taken their homelands. For instance, Loew describes the dilemma of the Brothertown Tribe of Wisconsin. In 1878, Congress acknowledged Brothertown as a tribe but appointed five trustees to oversee the sale of unallotted Brothertown land. Today, the tribe works optimistically to become federally recognized again. Throughout her book Loew illustrates the significant impact the French, English, and American governments have had on Wisconsin’s Natives. Damaging government policies have included the establishment of reservations; allotment and fractionalization; the Browning ruling, which sent children to boarding schools; the Indian Reorganization Act; the New Deal assimilation programs; and termination and relocation. We also learn about the victories of admirable warriors such as war chief Little Turtle (Miami), Tecumseh (Shawnee), Black Hawk (Sauk), and Chief Buffalo (Ojibwe). Bringing us into contemporary times, Loew touches upon modern day warriors: the activists in the pan-Indian and Red Power movements, the American Indian Movement (AIM), and individuals like Dorothy Davids. “They tried to erase us,” said Davids (Mohican) of the boarding schools Indian children were forced to attend. She was the first American Indian woman to graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, going on to earn a master’s degree. Davids acknowledged the positive side of the boarding-school experience: learning to read and write. Eventually, she said, “We were able to stand up and criticize some of the government’s policies.” One conflict started in 1974 when two Ojibwe brothers, Mike and Fred Tribble of Lac Courte Oreilles, were arrested for ice fishing on a lake off their reservation but within territory the Ojibwe claimed for hunting and fishing. In Chapter 5, Loew quotes one of the brothers: “When they said I was doing it illegally,” Mike Tribble recounted, “I took the treaty out of my back pocket and I said, ‘No, I’m doing this under treaty rights.’” When the Ojibwe went spear-fishing the following year, angry protestors tried to stop them with legal action, political pressure, death threats, and violence, including gunshots fired at boats. The Ojibwe and their supporters fought back with nonviolent tactics. By 1991, the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed the right of the Lake Superior Ojibwe to hunt, fish, and gather on lands ceded in Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin. “Indian Nations of Wisconsin” shows repeatedly that, despite tremendous adversity, Native Americans have always had enough resilience to adapt and succeed. Now they’re a growing political power. Wisconsin’s Native nations are experiencing a renaissance, Loew writes. Many are reaping the economic benefits of Indian gaming. They’re funding projects such as roads, health-care services, elder housing, community centers, schools, and Head Start. They’re building an economic infrastructure and seeing entrepreneurship blossom. Casino profits are helping in other ways. Tribes are cleaning up environmental messes and hiring attorneys to fight mining companies and other corporations that have ravaged tribal lands. Loew also notes how Wisconsin’s Natives are returning to their cultural roots rather than leaving the reservations behind. She attributes this in part to the availability of education, jobs, and other advantages non-Natives take for granted. Loew superbly integrates volumes of information, fascinating photographs, and insightful interviews into “Indian Nations of Wisconsin.” She leaves the reader feeling hopeful in her engrossing and enlightening new book. Patty Loew, a recipient of the Outstanding Service Award of the Great Lakes Intertribal Council, is an assistant professor in the Department of Life Sciences Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a producer for WHA-TV (PBS), and co-host of a weekly news and public affairs program on Public Television in Wisconsin. She has produced several award-winning documentaries and written dozens of scholarly and general-interest articles on Native topics. “Indian Nations of Wisconsin: Histories of Endurance and Renewal” is published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press (www.shsw.wisc.edu/publications). Suzanne Westerly can be reached at suzannewesterly@earthlink.net

Protesters march on SRP to save Zuni Salt Lake

10-31-2002
News From Indian Country

Zuni and Hopi runners arrived at Papago Park in Phoenix the morning of Oct.
14 after a 300-mile run which began at Zuni Pueblo Tribal Headquarters.
About 100 supporters from the Zuni Salt Lake Coalition were waiting at the
park to welcome the runners.

The group's goal on this Columbus Day was to deliver a strong message to
William Schrader, president of Arizona's largest power company, Salt River
Project (SRP): Drop SRP's plans for the Fence Lake Coal Mine so Zuni Salt
Lake and other sacred sites will not be harmed.

"We're using our tradition of running to deliver our message to tribes and
others about what SRP is planning to do," said Carlton ...

the rest

Celebrating outstanding achievements by Native performers Celebrating outstanding achievements by Native performers, full story

	Canku Ota
	(Many Paths)
	An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America
	June 15, 2002 - Issue 63
	Celebrating Outstanding Achievements by Native Performers
	by Suzanne Westerly, Photojournalist
	All photos copyright © 2002 of Suzanne Westerly

As the sun melted into the ocean, people began gathering at the ritzy Century City Plaza Hotel in Beverly Hills for the 10 th Annual First Americans in the Arts (FAITA) extravaganza on February 2nd. Beautifully attired women and men greeted old friends and caught up on what had been happening in each other's lives, exchanged business cards and talked about future events. Inside the beautiful room where dinner was served followed by the award show, were three large IMAX screens which allowed everyone unrestricted visibility of the presenters, award winners, the entertainment, and the wonderful film clips that preceded each award winner. Over ten years ago, FAITA Vice Chairperson Dawn Jackson (Saginaw Chippewa), and Chairman Bob Hicks (Creek/Seminole) saw the importance of recognizing "Native performers in the arts; representing theater, stage, film, television and music," explained Dawn. They felt Native performers weren't getting the recognition they deserved. Thus FAITA was born. The evening was hosted by the irrepressibly charming Wes Studi, (Cherokee), who had the audience laughing throughout the night. Later, Charlie Hill (Oneida) who was one of the presenters, had everyone laughing too, as seen in the accompanying photo. Here are just a few of the happenings from the recent evening at the FAITA's. Irene Bedard (Inupiat Eskimo/Cree), received the award for Best Guest Performance by an actress in her role as a CIA agent in the TV show, The Agency. Upon accepting, Irene laughed and said she had fun playing one of the roles many actors hope to play -- a CIA agent. Presenting the award for best actor in a TV series to Mitch Longely for his role in Judging Amy, was actor, Floyd Red Crow Westerman (Dakota Sioux), and actress Kateri Walker (Ojibway/Odawa/Potowatomi), both previous FAITA winners. Among the entertainment of the evening was two-time Grammy winner and musical legend, Rita Coolidge (Cherokee/Scottish). Introducing the song she would sing, Rita said, "I'm going to do just a couple of versus from a song that is considered the Cherokee National anthem, because it was the song most sung on the Trail of Tears." With her beautiful velvety voice, Rita sang Amazing Grace acappella in Cherokee. Later that evening, Rita was honored with FAITA's Lifetime Achievement Award. But prior to her introduction, a wonderful film collage highlighting Rita's 30 years as a singer was shown on the big screens. Introducing Rita, Mary Youngblood (Chugach Aleut/Seminole), Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, Chad Smith, and his wife Bobbi, articulated Rita's many accomplishments. The beautifully elegant Rita Coolidge then walked on stage smiling as the audience applauded. With a laugh, she said, "My gosh, when I look at that footage it makes me feel like I've been around a lot longer than I remembered." Talking with Rita before the FAITA ceremony, she said she would be leaving the next Tuesday to sing at the Opening Ceremony at the Olympics where Rita, her sister Priscilla, and Priscilla's daughter Laura Satterfield, performed along side Robbie Robertson. Recipient of the award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance was the very exhilarated Marla Bingham (Wampanoag from Mashpee/black), who seemed to float as she came across the stage. Marla is an internationally known dancer and choreographer, and the founder of the Marla Bingham Contemporary Ballet Company. After the show, Kateri had fun posing for photos with N. Bird Runningwater (Cheyenne/Mescalero Apache), who expressed himself "artistically" with his outfit, as you can see in the photo. "I wanted to reflect the surroundings from the world we live in today," he explained. "Floyd told me he liked the outfit, and asked what it meant. I told him, it's sort of a new take on the shades-and-braids look," said Bird laughing. "The term apple (in rhinestones on his shirt) is such an ironic and contradictory term that Indians use against each other. Nobody ever publicly references it; it's a colloquialist term. I wanted to be thought provoking, not to rebel against anything -- I just want to raise individual consciousness." He continued, "I think we are naturally philosophers and thoughtful people, and I want people to think about language." Bird's other persona is as the person who runs the Native American Program at the Sundance Institute, and programmer for Sundance Film Festival in Los Angeles. The band Redbone played at the party following the award presentations. Those who wanted to be able to actually hear each other talk, mingled outside the party room. Reluctant to let the night end, and not wanting to leave friends they rarely get to spend time with, some people stayed up all night and welcomed in the new days sun. Click on the thumbnail image to view a larger image. (Use the back button on your browser to return to this page.) Actor Zahn McClarnon (Hunkpapa Dakota/Irish) Veteran actor Saginaw Grant (Creek), and Tim Sampson (Creek), who is appearing in the Broadway production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo¹s Nest, received a FAITA award for Theater. Comedienne Charlie Hill (Oneida) and actor Floyd Red Crow Westerman (Dakota Sioux) Actress Kateri Walker (Ojibway, Odawa, Potowatomi), past FAITA award winner and a presenter this year with actor, writer, publisher Harrison Lowe (Diné) Actress Kateri Walker (Ojibway, Odawa, Potowatomi) with N. Bird Runningwater (Mescalero Apache, Cheyenne) Apensanahkwat (Menominee Chief), Max¹s date, Steve Reevis (Blackfeet), actor and activist Max Gail, and Macile Reevis What Bird looks likes most days as the chairman of the board for Native Americans in Philanthropy, and advisor to the Sundance Institute's Native Film Program. Actor Miko Hughes (Chickasaw) Stuntman David Alvarado (Karankawa/Tonkawa) Award winner Molly Culver (Choctaw) Stuntman and actor Henry Kingi, Sr. (Cherokee/Black/Anglo) received a FAITA award for Lifetime Achievement in Stunts Melonie Mathews and Miss Indian World, Ke Aloha May Cody Alo (White Mountain Apache/Hawaiian) Choreographer and dancer Marla Bingham (Wampanoag from Mashpee) received the Award for Technical Achievement, with actor Andrew Roa (Shasta and Oaxaca) Actor Steve Reevis, (Blackfeet) Actor Timothy Vahle, (Choctaw) Actor Mitch Longely - FAITA Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a TV Series Michael Horse (Zuni, Yaqui, Mescalero and Apache) FAITA Vice Chair Dawn Jackson (Saginaw Chippewa), Chairman Bob Hicks (Creek and Seminole) and FAITA producer, Jackie Kane (The photos of Rita and Priscilla (bottom) and Laura Satterfield (top) were taken in November at the Native American Music Awards in Albuquerque, NM) Actor Apensanahkwat (Menominee Chief) with actor Michael Greyeyes (Cree) Flutist Mary Youngblood (Chugach Aleut/Seminole) Rita Coolidge (Cherokee) with friend, talking with Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, Chad Smith Actor Floyd Red Crow Westerman, (Dakota Sioux) Actress Sophia Gerodimous, James Main Jr. (GrosVentre), Actor Steve Reevis (Blackfeet) and wife Macile, and friend

An "Urban Indian" Finds His Culture and His Career, full story

	Canku Ota
	(Many Paths)
	An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America
	March 9, 2002 - Issue 56
	An "Urban Indian" Finds His Culture and His Career
	by Suzanne Westerly Canku Ota Correspondent
	credits: Suzanne Westerly

"My family moved here in the 50's after WWII," said Michael Wise, who grew up in Los Angeles. They didn't talk about their Cherokee culture. He only knew his mom was French and English, and that his dad came from New Mexico after leaving Oklahoma. "Dad's side didn't really pay too much attention to their heritage, possibly because if you did say you were Indian you would be pushed aside or worse. I didn't really know anything until my grandmother came and lived with us and told us that we were Indian. I was about 12. She shared the culture with my two brothers and myself," Michael remembered. "We all sat around and listened to our grandmother tell stories, but she didn't know too much because her family wasn't from the reservation either, she was born in 1890 so everything was pretty messed up around then. Most of my Cherokee heritage was all kind of scattered and broken up, it wasn't like I came off the reservation. The Trail of Tears just sort of blew everybody to the wind, as far as my personal ancestry goes." "I think I knew I was Indian before I even knew I was Indian. I always had an interest in it. I didn't know anything about Cherokee culture, and living out here I didn't have anyone to go to who could really help me get a handle on it. But over the years, it's been a little bit here, a little bit there. I’ve run into a lot of dead ends. Some I can trace way back. Like one of my ancestors was Carolina Crow, she was from Memphis. Well that was all Chickasaw territory so I don't know if she was Chickasaw or if she was Cherokee who just moved over there. One of my uncles said that he was Cato which was that whole Mississippi area, and that is where Cato are now," he said. "My uncle told me things about my dad and his brother, and their father and his father and then it ends. I asked my Uncle, "'how come we can't find anything?' He told me, "'Because back in those days you didn't say anything. You just kind of disappeared, and there weren't any records. So, for us to look for birth records or death records, or anything - it just wasn't written down. Somebody died, you dug a hole, you did the ceremony. So we have a lot of dead ends and no one to go to to find out what happened," Michael said. When Michael went to college, he continued searching. "I went to the University of Arizona in Tucson, so I joined up with the Amerind Club; the American Indian club. We'd head out to the desert on Saturday nights and sing and then we'd get together at a friends house and drum and sing. And there were Pow Wows around Arizona, and I made my own regalia. It was a lot of work. I still do bead work but not like I used to," he said. "I did the Southern Straight Dance. I think Fancy Dance and Grass Dance is more for the younger guys, it's a lot of work," he said with a laugh. Becoming an Actor Michael started acting in grade school and continued through college. Thinking he should study anthropology or geology or something," he did. But acting found him again when someone from Hollywood spotted him in Tucson, and he found himself "cast as an extra out in old Tucson doing the New Maverick with James Garner and Jack Kelly. I thought, so this is what acting is all about, these guys are pros. James Garner, is a wonderful, wonderful man," said Michael adding, "It was a pilot that didn't get picked up." "Then I did Road House, and Next of Kin, two Patrick Swayzee movies; Deathwish 4, with Charles Bronson, and then I started doing a lot of independent productions." Native Americans In Film And Television (NAFATA) As a longtime actor, Michael was a member of the Native American Caucus of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). Their monthly meetings were held at SAG until last year when they were told that SAG didn't have anymore funds for a meeting room for their caucus. Michael felt the Caucus played a vital role for Native actors, and didn't want to see the meetings just fall apart. He had been doing plays over at the Autry Museum of Western Heritage with Native Voices, and remembered that Scott Kratz, the Assistant Director of Education at the Autry had offered a room at one time for Native American meetings or plays. So Michael asked, and Scott said "sure." It's difficult trying to organize alone so the meetings didn't really take off until Duane Humeyestewa (Hopi) started attending. They discussed “creating films, and having workshops; acting workshops, writing workshops, directing workshops,” said Michael. Reenergized, Michael and Duane co-founded Native Americans In Film and Television Alliance NAFATA. Michael Wise (Cherokee) and Duane Humeyestewa (Hopi) are the founding members of NAFATA, Native American Film and Television Alliance, established to serve as a resource outlet for the Native community involved in the film and television industry. They decided to open NAFATA up to actors who werenít in the Screen Actors Guild (SAG)ís Native American Caucus. Today NAFATA has a variety of categories, Michael explained, "the union actors and the non-union actors, writers, directors, producers and behind-the-scenes crew people as well. If somebody is interested in doing set design, or stunts, or wrangling, then what we'll do is we'll have different categories for these things on our web page. So we can get this out to the studios and make the studios aware of this group, our data base and web site so that they will be able to hire more Native Americans." Getting a film made. "It's difficult because there aren't enough resources. That is one of the reasons for developing NAFATA," said Duane. "One tangent of it will be a non-profit where we raise money from all kinds of sources to provide funding for filmmakers, actors, and writers so they can get an education. Help them get through school, provide grants, provide money to get the projects done. Because most of the Native writers and directors know that if they just had a couple thousand dollars to experiment, try a project just to see what would happen; they would love that," he said, with enthusiasm, "and that's the whole notion behind NAFATA. Giving people the opportunity." Seminars and Workshops are available are very reasonable rates. Michael and Duane feel strongly that there is a need for continuing education and so NAFATA members are aware of ongoing changes in the industry. "As the entertainment and information industries have evolved, so has participation in them by Native Americans. Today, more and more Native people work as writers, directors, actors, and technical personnel in film and television, and in new media resources such as the Internet (the Web)." The mission and goals of NAFATA are to promote a stronger presence of Native peoples in all the media, help protect Native artistic rights, and to strengthen skills, abilities and power as artists, through a collective presence and action. They also hope to share Native culture and heritage with the rest of the world through the voices of the dozens of members who comprise the Native American Film and Television Alliance. The above is a synopsis of the NAFATA web site which can be found at www.nafata.org and statements by Michael Wise and Duane Humeyestewa. And to find out about NAFATA to either become a member or to see their movie shorts, go to their website at www.nafata.com. For more information go to www.nafata.com. To find out more about Native Voices and the plays they put on, contact Scott Kratz at the Autry, 323-667-2000.

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Thank You

Celebrating outstanding achievements by Native performers

02-28-2002
News From Indian Country

As the sun melted into the ocean, people began gathering at the ritzy
Century City Plaza Hotel in Beverly Hills for the 10th Annual First
Americans in the Arts (FAITA) extravaganza on February 2nd. Beautifully
attired women and men greeted old friends and caught up on what had been
happening in each other's lives, exchanged business cards and talked about
future events.

In the dining room, where dinner was followed by the award show, were three
large IMAX screens which allowed everyone unrestricted visibility of the
presenters, award winners, the ...

Read all of this article

The sculptures of Allan Houser Haozous at the Olympics

02-28-2002
News From Indian Country

Entering the 2002 Winter Olympics, athletes from all over the world were
welcomed by the larger-than-life bronze sculpture, "Sacred Rain Arrow,"
created by one of the most important American artists of the 20th century,
the internationally respected Master sculptor Allan Houser Haozous.

A Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache, Allan Houser was proud of his heritage,
which he portrayed in "Sacred Rain Arrow," a sculpture of a young Apache
warrior shooting his arrow towards the heavens with the hope of carrying a
prayer for rain to the Spirit World.

Full Story and photos