June 2008 Newsletter
Youth Ride Across the Homeland 2008
What an amazing two weeks on the reservation. It was very gratifying to see that ONE Spirit is certainly well known among the Lakota. They talk about many of you by name and think of you as a friend. Be assured that the people of ONE Spirit are unique and especially appreciated. We spoke on Kili Radio about the Youth Ride and as soon as we mentioned ONE Spirit, all lines to the switchboard suddenly lit up.
Also unique are the Lakota Youth. The young people on the Ride Across the Homeland demonstrated the characteristics that have long sustained the Lakota people. The weather during this ride was brutal - for five days they rode through rain, sleet, icy cold, and an intensely windy snow storm that cut visibility to almost zero. (I don't know if the weather service called that May 10th snow storm a blizzard but it certainly had all the characteristics of one.) Finally on the last day, May 11th, the sun shone beautifully and the riders majestically and triumphantly rode into an area where a well deserved celebration awaited. ONE Spirit was the primary supporter of this event.
A European journalist and photographer were there for the ride and their article and photos will shortly be available to us. We will post a link to that site and also let you know when they are on our web site.
In addition to the ride, I have thought a lot about how to describe this experience on the reservation - how do I provide a sense of what it was like to have so many people present their ideas for how to promote and protect the Lakota culture and how to develop an economic independence.
Most of the ideas are sound and will serve the people well if they can be fully developed. For example:
• A horse sanctuary where the youth can learn about horses and how to care for them. Many of the men plan to teach the youth how to make bridles and halters for their horses, others will teach proper care of the horse. The adults want to have a breeding program that will provide horses to the people on the
reservations and also to others. Of course, a goal is also to keep young healthy horses from being slaughtered. The primary goal is to help the youth. So many of them could not go on the youth ride even though they love horses. They did not previously have access to horses to enable them to learn to ride.
• The development of the buffalo herd to reach numbers where buffalo can be
harvested for food. The Lakota would like to use traditional and humane ways of harvesting buffalo and need to get the approval of government agencies for this procedure - of course a government agency that often has little patience for Native Ways. However, they persevere and hope to one day soon distribute buffalo meat through Project SHARE.
• Environmental and recycling programs that will allow them to be leaders in the environmental fields.
• Programs for youth that need a building where the young folks can learn from mentors who know reservation life and the culture and can help them when life at home becomes difficult. These programs for youth - i.e. sports, art, computer knowledge, library and reading room, homework mentors - provide much needed support and encouragement.
With me on this trip to the reservation were Jean Louis and Catherine DuClos from France. In addition to the youth ride and listening to people who proposed projects, we talked to people who are involved in the other programs we support.
• The elders who participate in Project SHARE and also received one of the heaters we sent to the reservation this winter. It was very humbling to stand with these elders and hear how very much the food and heat means to them. They also spoke of what it means to them to have a sponsor who sends little things to make life brighter. Many of the elders live in small houses reachable only by deeply rutted (and I do mean deep) dirt roads that often become almost impassable in the winter months. Rosalie Janis, director of VAIC, took us to visit some of her clients and from them we heard the same stories of the importance of Project SHARE and the
heaters.
• Eli and Carolyn Tail met with us in a building in Porcupine where they are building a center for youth. They now have a small library and a small computer room which get a lot of use by the kids. They also have water coming into the building
whenever it rains and poor insulation that makes it difficult and expensive to heat the building.
• Joe Pulliam, a highly respected Lakota Artist who is eager to help with the Youth Art Program. Also, Dennis McDonald has been making posters from Joe's art and selling the posters on Ebay to support the programs.
• John DuBray, who manages the Allen Wood project, works with SHARE to get food to the elders, and was instrumental in starting the Art Projects on the reservation.
Wherever we went, we heard praise for the Heater Program. Although a few of the heaters had problems, these were replaced and people told us the same thing we had been hearing as we evaluate the program - that the electric bill had increased only minimally. They also advised that the amount of propane that had previously only lasted for a few days was now lasting for up to 2 months as they used it mostly for cooking and hot water. We have 600 of these heaters reserved for next year -
assuming we will be able to raise the funds needed for their purchase.
My special thanks to all of you - like the Lakota Youth, you also have reason to be proud. You make a huge difference in the lives of the Lakota people.
Finding Heating Solutions - Winter 2007/2008
As winter approached in the fall of 2007, we at ONE Spirit worried along with the Lakota people about how to find resources to help heat the homes on Pine Ridge and Cheyenne River Reservations. While the wood program (see the following story) would provide heat to many of the homes that used wood for heating, the many families that relied on propane would be caught up in the shortage of funds for fuel due to the spiraling cost of propane.
As winter came on in full force, the funds allocated for propane by the federal government and other organizations begin to run out quickly. Propane was over $2 a gallon and in the bitter cold, $120 worth of propane (the minimum delivery) lasted only 7-10 days. We at ONE Spirit researched various options and decided to help by suppling electric heaters. We searched for and found a heater that was top rated by Consumer Reports for heating effectiveness, energy efficiency, and safety. This heater was a large room heater very similar to those used in many of the older homes in Europe that do not have central heat.
With your donations, help from our friends in Norway, France, Italy, and England; and the cooperation of a very generous supplier, we were able to send 500 heaters to the reservations. As the snow piled up and the temperatures dropped below zero, the heaters were distributed on the reservations to those in greatest need with priority given to elders and families with small children.
Since then, we have conducted an evaluation of the heater program. Through telephone interviews with the people who received the heaters, we have asked about the effectiveness of the heaters in keeping rooms warm, how safe they are, and how much they are costing to operate. We have interviewed 120 of the people who received heaters. 117 indicated that the heaters did a super job of keeping a room warm - even a large room in very cold weather. Those 117 also indicated that they had used much less propane while using the heaters and that their electric bill increased on average $15-20 per month. This evaluation indicates that the heaters are functioning well beyond our highest hopes.
Heater Praise Stories from the Reservation:
Rose has 14 people living in her home and they have been using two of the heaters. She says everyone was very comfortable with the heat generated by the heaters. Although the electric bill for one month was $234, it was a huge break from the propane bill that is normally $400 and would last a month at most, depending on the severity of the weather. Rose said they had put $400 in propane in the tank 3 months ago for cooking and hot water and they still did not have to order more.
Another family who had just one heater indicated that their electric bill had also been higher but stated, “we were so cozy and warm for the first time in so long that we ran the heater all the time.” They also stated that they had to buy less propane.
A grandmother who is raising four of her grandchildren was highly enthusiastic. She also reported that not only were they warm during the coldest weather and the utility bills were less, but also that people who came to her home often remarked about the heaters and asked where they could get one.
The supplier who worked with us on these heaters currently has 600 more on reserve for us. Since the evaluation indicates that this means of heating is a cost effective and efficient way to provide heat to homes, we now need to raise $25000 to put the heaters in homes before the first winter winds whistle across the plains. Fortunately, 500 homes will already have the heaters.
Sending 600 heaters will not completely wipe out the heating problems on the reservation nor will it eliminate the need for propane. However, the heaters will hopefully provide effective, energy efficient heat that will help to eliminate the yearly crisis when people face the winter knowing that there will be periods of time when there is no heat to relieve the bitter cold. Propane will still be needed for cooking and hot water but the amount needed for heat will decrease.
Providing heaters that keep the room warm and saves money is the first step to improving life on the reservation during the winter months. However, there is still so much that needs to be done. Most of the houses on the reservation need winterization and repair. Many houses, which are beyond repair, need to be replaced. Until that happens, the heaters will help alleviate some of the harshest effects of the South Dakota Winters.
We will need your help and the help of all supporters to reach the goal of $25000 for heaters. We will keep people posted on our progress toward this goal.
The Wood Program - Supplying Heat and So Much More
This past season was one of the worst winters in many years in South Dakota. As stocked wood supplies dwindled, the men went to the woods and used horses to pull logs to an area where they could be split and loaded on a truck for delivery. They
answered emergency calls even at night. One such call was from the tribal police who reported that a family with 6 children were burning clothes to keep warm. Wood was delivered within the hour and the next day a complete load was stacked outside the home.
In the winter of 2006/7, we responded to a request from the Lakota Veterans on Cheyenne River to work with them to supply wood for elders and families with small children for fuel for heat. Through the generosity of our donors and supporters, we were able to supply log splitters, chain saws, and safety equipment to the Veterans
Organization. The Vets gathered, split and delivered wood to over 50 homes that first winter. The program on Cheyenne continued during the Summer and Fall of 2007, with the Vets stockpiling wood for the coming Winter.
Beginning of the Cheyenne River Reservation Wood program..
In the Fall of 2007, another wood program was begun on Pine Ridge Reservation. Again we were able to supply the needed equipment. This time, the men in the community of Allen formed an Association and together they located fallen timbers, split it into firewood logs and hauled it to homes. They delivered 84 loads of wood this winter and it was they who during sub-zero weather used horses to pull timbers, split the logs into firewood and delivered it where it was needed.
The men and the community feel good about what they have been able to do. ONE Spirit provides a small honorarium of $50 per load to the men. The amount is very small but the men are proud of what they are able to do for their community. They have assumed the traditional role for men of providing not just for their nuclear family but also for their people. The enthusiasm among the men has generated plans for other projects. They are now looking to repair homes and begin projects to beautify the community.
The men of Allen are also planning to build a youth/community center that will house programs that engage the support of the community for the young people. Their goal is to change the 70% high school drop out rate to 70% completing high school within 4 years. They also want to stop the tragic loss of life by suicide among the teens. The suicide rate among teenagers on the reservation is 3 ½ times higher than the already high national rate. The horseback “Ride Across the HomeLand” this year was designed to generate the support of adults and elders for the youth.
There is a stirring of hope among the people. It is only a small flicker at this moment but, with support, it can become a burning flame. Can we attribute the increase in optimism and energy to the wood program? NO. But the wood program returned to the community a small sense of self-determination and sufficiency. The Lakota people have generated their own opportunities and determination to make a better life for their people. We continue to help. We believe that within the next few years, this wise and wonderful group of people will give back to our world more than they ever received.
We have requests from both Cheyenne River and Pine Ridge for help to develop more of these programs. As the cost of propane spirals upward, wood is a renewable resource for heat. With your help, this program can be duplicated across both
reservations. The Lakota are working on ways to make this program self-sustaining. Presently, people who receive the wood pay whatever amount they can afford. This money goes into a fund to be saved to sustain the program in future years. Further, they are beginning to contract to provide wood to people outside the community and this money also is put into a fund for future support of the program. Most importantly, meticulous attention is paid to conservation.
My Buffalo Land's Children Art Program
One of the most important aspects of One Spirit's work is to support the continuation of the Lakota cultural traditions while helping youth develop their talents and believe in their hopes and dreams. We support the leaders and youth of Pine Ridge to build programs that will change the 70% high school drop out rate to 70% completion and make teenage suicide something that does not happen on the reservation.
The programs and plans for My Buffalo Land’s Children have been developed by the adults and youth to meet a serious need. They provide learning opportunities, affirm a positive self-concept, and present an exciting vision of the future.
For ONE Spirit, My Buffalo Land’s Children is a unique way of working with the Lakota people that exemplifies our philosophy of supporting their initiatives. Art programs, learning centers, sports, music, horseback rides, mentoring are all part of the community's plan to provide real hope and support for the youth.
This program started with the Allen Art Project and is now spreading to other areas of the reservation.
The Art Project began in a basement space of the Allen CAP Office. The young people, under the supervision of John DuBray, cleaned up the space and decorated the walls with two murals. The space is now a popular spot for many community events. The Allen Youth have made it their specialty to produce native drums. Their work is now being exhibited and sold both here in the US and in Europe.
The youth program has continued with the support of the "Ride Across the Homeland" (See story here) and now with the blooming of the Art Project in other areas of the reservation.
We would like to invite you to join us in One Spirit's Youth program, My Buffalo Land’s Children. We are expanding the art program to include schools on the reservation as well as summer camps.
We need donations of art supplies for all programs. The summer camps are attended by approximately 150 students from four different schools on the reservation including Wolf Creek, Bates land, Rockyford, and Red Shirt. Below is a list of the art supplies currently needed. The youth programs are continuously run.
Supplies needed for the Camps
100 drawing/sketch pads
100 watercolor pads
100 BIC mechanical pencils
100 kneadable erasers
100 sets of watercolors and acrylics
clay
100 sets of pastels
Tempera paint sets
Sinew string for Dreamcatchers
Hoops for Dreamcatchers
Two tanned cow or deer hides
White paper (typing)
Streamers-crepe paper
Plaster of Paris
Card stock paper
Glue
Construction paper (enough for 4 activities for 33 kids)
Decoupage
Paints and brushes
Paint pans
Crayons
Charcoal
Charcoal paper
Art Supplies Needed for the youth programs
Acrylic paint: white, red, black, yellow, light blue,
dark blue, brown, purple, orange, green
Paint brushes: Extra fine, Fine, Medium, Large (1/4 inch), Extra large (1/2 inch)
Containers/trays
Small sealable bowls – 3 inch diameter with lids
Plastic trays with small circular compartments for paint
Clear acrylic spray – dull not shiny
Brush keepers (Plastic canisters with lids to preserve the brushes)
Paper to practice
Pencils for drawing
Packs of colored markers
To donate art supplies or to get more information about the program, contact:
Shelly Shipman at sshipman@nativeprogress.org or
Kim Jones at kjones@nativeprogress.org
To make a donation to My Buffalo Land’s Children: through paypal - onespirit@one1.org - or by check to ONE Spirit, P.O. Box 2595, Chesterfield, VA 23832
News from the UK
The first thing to let you know is that we have made a slight change to our name. Friends of Native Nations Network (FoNNN) has dropped the word 'Network' and is now simply Friends of Native Nations (FoNN).The reason for the change was to avoid confusion, particularly for our American friends, between our UK group and the US online community Native Nations Network (NNN). The new name also has the advantage of being slightly shorter and easier to say!
The other piece of news is that Jon Elliott, who joined our group last year, is to take over responsibility for fundraising for One Spirit in the UK. Jon raised money for One Spirit walking across Dartmoor and Exmoor last year (see Tim Beckerley's interview with him in the August 2007 newsletter), and he plans to tackle the West Highland Way, which runs from Glasgow to Fort William, later this month. He is also planning more walks for other people to take part in, and possibly a cycle ride, in different locations through the year. A few of us on the committee have volunteered to walk part of the Chiltern Way in the South East of England this summer, the date to be decided.
Recently, we discussed the idea of focusing on specific projects to make our fundraising more effective. We have all been moved by news from One Spirit of the suicides among young people on Pine Ridge, and feel that, in addition to our general support, we would like to channel some of our efforts towards One Spirit's youth programs.
Wishing you all the very best from everyone at FoNN.
Stephanie Boxall
Fundraising for One Spirit
Baskets * Soy Candles * Wax Critters * Bath and Body
American-Made Products
25% of ALL sales goes directly to One Spirit
www.troddenpath.com/OneLooking Ahead
Many Lakota are apprehensive about the effects of the economy on the resources needed to meet the needs of their people. Already some of the most vulnerable members of their tribe have had to reduce the amount of food they eat and/or change the quality to include more starch and less of the foods that provide the nutrients they need. Just as it is across the US, people on the reservation are finding that with the rapidly increasing cost of food, the EBT and commodity programs run out much more quickly than previously. Further, food banks do not have food available to help. This drastic change in food availability comes at a time and to people who already have to exist on very poor diets and frequently have elders and families with no or little food.
Equally concerning is the ability of elders and families to have heat. The cost of propane is prohibitive and the majority of homes on the reservation are equipped to use propane as the fuel for heat.
In addition to planning for ways to meet basic needs, the Lakota are eagerly planning for their youth. The youth ride and the art project are two of the ways we are supporting their efforts.
We are now applying for grants and identifying other methods of producing the funds to support these efforts. Your contributions and ideas are vital to the success of the programs.
Thanks for all that you do. You have demonstrated the effectiveness of working together with the Lakota.
ONE Spirit
PO Box 2595
Chesterfield, VA 23832
Visit us on the web at
www.nativeprogress.orgONE Spirit is a division of ONE:
www.one1.orgPaypal: OneSpirit@one1.org
“Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children.”
-Sitting Bull-
CONFIDENTIALITY
All identifying information or photos of families, children, and elders are confidential. Identifying information includes names, addresses, telephone numbers, and descriptive information that would lead to identity. Any photos that come into the possession of sponsors or others connected with ONE Spirit are confidential and may not be published in any form or through any medium of communication without the express written permission of the parent, elder, AND, if a child, the child in question if he/she is old enough to understand and give permission.
Names and demographic information of a family or elder is given to sponsors or others on an as needed basis with the consent of the family or elders and cannot be re-released in any form without further permission.
