Canku Ota - November 2018

	Canku Ota (Many Paths) An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America
	November 2018 - Volume 16 Number 11


	"way’ sl’axt." The Salish Greeting Hello, friend
	Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)

	"kaskatinopizun" moon the rivers begin to freeze Cree

"When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself." ~Tecumseh~

We Salute
Cheyenne Branscum

In June, Shawnee Public Schools science teacher Cheyenne Branscum flew to Washington D.C. as Oklahoma's only recipient of a Society for Science and the Public grant. The society invited Branscum, a Tribal member and Melot family descendant, to its advocate training institute. There she met fellow educators from across the nation, exchanging ideas and best practices on how to increase minority student participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Our Featured Artist:		Honoring Students
ARTISTS, PRESERVATIONISTS AND CULTURAL PILLARS HONORED AT CHICKASAW NATION ARTS & CULTURE AWARDS Educators, linguists, historic preservationists and artists were among those honored during the Chickasaw Nation Arts & Culture Award ceremony Oct. 4 at the Chickasaw Cultural Center.		Staying grounded In the first week of her College life, Eva Ballew '22, who grew up in a rural town of 3,000 in southern Wisconsin, promised herself always to stay grounded and to do everything she could to blaze a trail for others. "When I was accepted to Harvard, I felt it was the first step to the rest of my life," said Ballew, the daughter of a Native American man and a Hungarian-American woman. "I thought about all the doors that could open not just for me and for my family, but for the Potawatomi children."

Our Featured Story:		First Person History:
Riding On A Path Of Sorrow While many Americans have heard the phrase "Trail of Tears," most are not fully aware of its meaning. Others are entirely unfamiliar with it.		The Dream of Onowutaquto - He that Catches the Clouds

Preserving Language		Honoring Students
Dakota Head Start Launched At Lower Sioux Indian Community With a dwindling number of fluent Dakota language speakers throughout Minnesota, the Lower Sioux Indian Community (LSIC) has started a unique Dakota language Head Start school and Early Head Start program at its Minnesota River Valley community. The programs Cansayapi Wakanyeza Owayawa Oti ("Lower Sioux Children are Sacred") — began functioning on Aug. 1. Now, a month later, it has children in 49 of the 52 available pupil positions.		Iqaluit Student Sits During National Anthem To Make Statement About Residential School Curriculum A 12-year-old student in Iqaluit says he ended up in the principal's office after he sat during the Canadian anthem to make a statement about how the history of residential schools is taught. "I guess I just wanted to make a statement for... changes in school," Miles Brewster said. "Like more education about the past ... like what happened to the First Nations and Inuit. They had to go to residential school."

Living Traditions		Living Traditions
Ho-Chunk Nation Co-Sponsors First Wisconsin Leadership Summit For People Of Color More than 320 people attended the first-ever Wisconsin Leadership Summit, held Thursday, Oct. 18, through Friday, Oct. 19, at the Ho-Chunk Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells. Some of the state's most influential leaders of color gathered to discuss issues facing communities across Wisconsin. It also offered a chance for people of similar interests to network and make new friendships.		Christopher Columbus And The Potato That Changed The World It was a small round object sent around the planet, and it changed the course of human history. The potatoes, tomatoes, corn, peppers, cassava and other plants native to the Americas did more than enliven the cook pots of Europe, Africa and Asia. They transformed cultures, reshuffled politics and spawned new economic systems that then, in a globalizing feedback loop, took root back in the New World, as well.

Honoring Students		Education News
No Dream Is Too Big: Annual AISES National Conference Returns To Oklahoma Students, professionals and educators alike, are pursuing interest in the world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) as various tribal attendees across the nation came together to take part in a one-of-a-kind event. Oct. 4-6 the annual American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) National Conference was held at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City.		Inuvik Students 'Blown Away' By Inuvialuit Artifacts East Three Secondary School students in Inuvik, N.W.T., had a chance to hold Inuvialuit artifacts and learn more about them. The Inuvialuit Living History Project, which aims to try and reunite Inuvialuit with these objects, hosted a three day event last week. Principal Gene Jenks said the interactive learning was a great experience for students. "They were blown away by the artifacts, the workshops. [It was] totally an engaging experience and it's just history brought to life."

Living Traditions		Living Traditions
Alaska Lt. Gov. Resigns; Valerie Nurr'araaluk Davidson Is Sworn As Successor Davidson, Yupik, is the first Native American woman to serve as a lieutenant governor in any state. She will not be on the ballot in November, but should the governor be re-elected, she would continue serving as the lieutenant governor. The election is just three weeks away and already complicated by a three-way division. Walker is independent and faces former Sen. Mark Begich, a Democrat, and Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, for the office.		St. Louis County Hires FDL Band Member With a Fond du Lac Band member in the role of Director of Veteran's Services, I asked what impact that could have for FDL Veterans. "Fond du Lac being close to Cloquet which has two phenomenal Veteran's Services Officers, who are doing a great job. But I will say that if you don't feel you're getting the service you should get, come on in. The bottom line is what we see often is folks that didn't realize, myself included, that you're eligible for different benefits," Ells answered. But some of Fond du Lac does fall in St. Louis County as well. "Knowing that Cloquet is in good shape, I wouldn't have any issues sending someone there, but they're more than welcome to come here if they want. Also Brookston would be included in St. Louis County."

Living Traditions		Living Traditions
Wisconsin Aviation Hall Of Fame Inducts Joshua Decorah Sanford On Saturday, October 20, 2018, the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame (WAHF) held its 33rd Annual Induction Ceremony in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Approximately 250 individuals filled the Founder's Wing of the AirVenture Museum to witness the induction presentations and celebrate scholarship recipients. The four inductees were Joshua Sanford, Janis Sierra, Donald Winkler, and Jerome LeBerron.		National Native American Hall Of Fame Names First Twelve Historic Inductees In an evening filled with emotion, laughter and occasionally tears, 12 Native people known for their distinction in athletics, activism, education, art and even reaching the stars were honored during the inaugural National Native American Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Oct. 13 at the Phoenix Indian School Memorial Hall. Four of the five living recipients were on hand to accept their awards, while Jill Momaday accepted on behalf of her father, author and poet N. Scott Momaday.

Honoring Students		Living Traditions
Ditidaht Nation Player Toiling With The Harvard Women's Hockey Squad Though she's been attending one of the world's most prestigious universities for several weeks now, Maryna Macdonald frequently finds that she has to reassure herself that she is indeed a student/athlete at Harvard University. Macdonald, a member of British Columbia's Ditidaht First Nation, is a first-year student at the renowned university, located in the Massachusetts city of Cambridge, which is part of the Boston metropolitan area.		Loretta Bruyeré, Navajo, 1st Woman To Win New Mexico Truck Driving Championships When you think of a truck driver it’s easy to imagine a big burly guy wearing a John Deere cap, a cut off plaid button up shirt, some steel-toed boots and a cheek full of Red Man tobacco. That stereotype in mind, it is surprising to see Loretta Bruyeré, Navajo, a petite woman climb out of the driver’s seat from the cab of a twin-trailer freight truck.

Education News		Education News
UC Will Update Native American Repatriation Policies In Accordance With AB 2836 The University of California will adapt its repatriation policies for Native American cultural property found on UC campuses to increase transparency and communication. Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 2836, which aims to improve the UC’s repatriation procedures, into law Thursday. Repatriation describes the process of returning the remains and belongings of Native Americans to their original communities.		Hallmarks Of Indigenous Societies Rooted In Choice After working and researching around the world, Citizen Potawatomi Nation member Raymond Orr accepted a position as an associate professor of Native American studies at the University of Oklahoma. He wanted to be back in the United States and closer to CPN following six years of teaching in Australia. "There are few better places to study Native American politics than in Oklahoma," he said. He earned his doctorate in political science at the University of California, Berkeley. The Toupin family descendant then decided to write a book about his dissertation research.

Honoring Students		A Poem
A Year After Its Launch, Penn's Native American Law Student Association Delves Into Indigenous Rights While the National Native American Law Students Association was founded in 1970, second-year Law student Makenzie Way realized last year that Penn did not have its own chapter. Way then worked with Penn Law professor Maggie McKinley to change that.		B.C. First Nation Goes Tiny In Answer To Housing Needs Of Single Men Members of a small B.C. First Nation have been working to build a tiny solution to homelessness in their community.In about a month's time, a cluster of tiny homes in the Nuxalk First Nation in Bella Coola will open its doors to four single men who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

About This Issue's Greeting - "way’ sl’axt"

"Hello, friend " is "way’ sl’axt" in salish, the language of American Indian tribes such as the Kalispel, Spokane, Colville and Coeur d’Alene.

Nature's Beauty: Yellow Warbler	This Issue's Favorite Web sites	A Story To Share: The Pecan Tree's Best Friend







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