Native American heritage month.... 2009

Native American month 2009 soon comes to an end now...

I have to say, that since I've been in the path of discovery this last decade... I have not seen such a rise in Native American awareness... I even read in the Press Enterprise that a Christian church back east apologized for having knowingly taken part in the assimilation and destruction of our native cultures and languages. It is a positive beginning ... to a long list of apologies that all Native Americans everywhere deserve to hear.

Aside from remembering the past this month, I have seen a positive growth of Native American Awareness... I can only applaud those of you that Gave of your time and shared your knowledge...

1. I bet the Old ones who Taught us would be smiling down that their stories still continue with your sharing all this month. I myself was taken out for some reason this year from learning and sharing more with my own culture. With this time I have been able to sit back and watch all of you.... Those who locally Work on Native Californian Indian Culture in So. California area moving Awareness to a new level ... This is Positive growth - for example, San Manuel's commercials making everyone aware of where and who we are was something that was not possible before and now is. I Can only see more of this sharing happening with others .... for example Native Americans Sharing their cultures With local colleges...(Like people such as Manuel BelMonte from MoVal ...& thanks William Madrigal and the Guys from UCR)
2. We Lost some Great people this year... I Myself along with a lot more people Lost a Great Friend and Teacher Alvino Siva.... Then there was basket weaver and teacher Donna Largo was a great example of dedication to the spiritual part of learning from one dream to reality, and what she taught will never be a loss. Then there was Anthony Andreas, or as we know a friend to know him as Uncle Biff, is a great, great loss to the people... It's what he taught that will go on... They all shared their stories and knowledge with us and now they can see all of you carrying on what they shared with us .... Continuing on with the TRUTH with how things are supposed to be and are made, sung or danced to....... It's a dream that's coming true and I am happy to be "alive" to see this happening.
3. I never know if anyone ever reads any of this... I hope this message get to those who deserve to know this and share it with other's who walk the path of sharing or native american experiences everywhere ... from the very tip of north America.. to the most southern part of the tip of south America... all pacific and Indigenous peoples everywhere... Great Job!!! and please tell everyone MORE!!!

Native American view on Thanksgiving.

3 teen girls from the Wind River Reservation of Wyoming

CNN: Wind River teens died of methadone overdose
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
Filed Under: Law | National

Three teen girls from the Wind River Reservation of Wyoming died of a methadone overdose in a case that was ruled a homicide, CNN reports.

Ohetica Win Elyxis Gardner, 13; Winter Rose Thomas, 14; and Alexandrea "Alex" Whiteplume, 15, died after ingesting methadone at a home on the reservation in June 2008. The methadone apparently belonged to an elderly woman who rented the home from the Northern Arapaho Tribe.

"I said to my grandson, did you give them my pills? He said they were high already and he wanted to help them," the woman told CNN. She acknowledged that she didn't call authorities for more than 24 hours after the girls died, because she had been told by her grandson that they were sleeping.

The woman's grandson, along with another teen boy, reportedly pleaded guilty for their role in the girls' deaths. But the case has been shrouded in secrecy because it involved juveniles in the federal justice system.

"I wish I could talk because I would like people to know the real story because the rumors aren't true," the father of one of the boys told CNN. "I want people to know my real son."

The boys are reportedly serving sentences of less than two years. A federal judge has refused to acknowledge existence of the case or release more information about it.

Get the Story:
Mystery lingers, answers few in girls' reservation deaths (CNN 11/23)

Related Stories:
Tim Giago: The mysterious deaths at Wind River (11/9)
Group seeks info about Wind River teen deaths (9/15)
Group seeks information about Wind River deaths (07/21)
Deaths of three girls still under investigation (6/10)
Three teen girls found dead on Wyoming reservation (6/6)