Free Native American Newsletter @ Buffalo Trails - Newsletter - March 01, 1999
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********************************** Indian Child Adoption Policies ********************************** What is the Indian Child Welfare Act? The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is a federal law which regulates placement proceedings involving Indian children. If your child is a member of a tribe or eligible for membership in a tribe, your family has the right to protection under the ICWA. These rights apply to any child protective case, adoption, guardianships, termination of parental rights action, runaway or truancy matter, or voluntary placement of your children. ****************************************************** Why was this law passed? Before the ICWA was passed, a very high percentage of Indian families were broken up because non-tribal agencies improperly removed children from their homes. One reason for the high removal rate was because state officials did not understand or accept Indian culture. Today, the ICWA sets minimum standards for the removal of Indian children from their homes. ****************************************************** What does the law do? The ICWA provides that an Indian parent "always" has the right to revoke a guardianship. The ICWA requires that placement cases involving Indian children be heard in tribal courts if possible, and permits a child's tribe to be involved in state court proceedings. It requires testimony from expert witnesses who are familiar with Indian culture before a child can be removed from his/her home. If a child is removed, either for foster care or adoption, the law requires that Indian children be placed with extended family members, other tribal members, or other Indian families. If you would like more information on the Indian Child Welfare Act you may call the Pine Tree Legal Assistance Native American Unit at 1-800-879-7463.

********************************** Native American Powwow ********************************** What is Powwow? A powwow is many things.  It's a time of celebration.  It's American Indian music, American Indian dancing , American Indian food,  it's a homecoming, a gathering of friends and families.  But it's so much more .... Powwows are a centuries old tradition for American Indians.  Many of the customs for today's powwows came from the nomadic tribes of the Great Plains.  The buffalo was central to the Plains Indians' way of life.  The buffalo supplied food, clothing, covering for lodges (tipis), drums and many other items used in their day-to-day life.  As the buffalo migrated the plains, the people followed.  During the winter months, traveling and hunting became very difficult and the tribes were forced to split up into small bands related by family or clan ties.  As summer arrived, the bands would rejoin and each tribe would come together for the buffalo hunt, the major ceremonies of the tribe, and for the powwows. This was a time for the sharing of stories about the great hunting feats and raiding parties, and a time for the telling of visions and the singing of songs that held many powers and spoke words of the deeds of fallen brothers and ancestors gone many years.  The powwows in the old days were a time of happiness, thankfulness, and great feelings of pride in the honoring of friends and elders.  But most of all, it was a time of music, beautiful regalia, dancing and meeting people. Being in the powwow arena, singing, or watching gives most of us a wonderful feeling. People whose Nations were enemies shake hands and smile. Powwows are intertribal, everyone from all Nations are together, dancing, laughing and sharing. Formal give aways are usually held at powwows, and during the dances. Many Indian people believe an individual who gives away often and in great amounts should be considered a good person and is to be highly respected in their community. In the old days, the leaders of the tribes appeared to have the least amount of possessions because they gave away to and fed many persons. Children were encouraged to develop strict discipline and a high regard for sharing. When a girl picked her first berries and dug her first roots, they were given away to an elder so she would share her future success. When a child carried water for the home, an elder would give compliments, pretending to taste meat in water carried by a boy or berries in that of a girl. The child was encouraged not to be lazy and to grow straight.

********************************** Electronic Books Online ********************************** The Soul of the Indian: TOC - Charles A. Eastman (Ohiyesa), Wahpetonwan Dakota. "Full Text" Chapter-by-chaper online reading. He tries to show early 20th century readers that his Indian relatives are human beings with rich spiritual lives (shouldn't be massacred). He was in private practice in St. Paul by this time, having been pushed out of the government's Indian Health Service because of his advocacy that Indian people should not be massacred, as the survivors he treated at Wounded Knee had been. First published in 1911; currently in print as a paperback.

********************************** Native American Poem ********************************** Written by: unknown author: Walk Softly upon the Earth Feel her Heartbeat within Listen to the Wind for it Speaks Listen to the Silence for it Talks Listen to your Heart and You will Know

********************************** ***** An Indian Prayer ***** ********************************** O' Great Spirit, Whose voice I hear in the winds, And whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me' I am small and weak, I need your strength and wisdom Let Me Walk In Beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset. Make My Hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make Me Wise, so that I may understand the things you have taught my people. Let Me Learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock. I Seek Strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy - - - myself Make Me Always Ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes. So When Life Fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.

********************************** Native American Humor ********************************** by Chief Utsidihi Hicks About 1966 or so, a NASA team doing work for the Apollo moon mission took the astronauts where the terrain of the Navajo Reservation looks much like the lunar surface. Along with all the trucks, there were two large figures dressed in full Lunar spacesuits. Nearby a Navajo sheep herder and his son were watching the strange creatures walk about. The two Navajo people were noticed and approached by the NASA personnel. Since the father did not know English, his son asked for him what the strange looking creatures were, and the NASA team told them that they are just men that were preparing to rocket to the moon. The old man became very excited and asked if he could send a message to the moon with the astronauts. The NASA personnel thought this was a great idea so they set up a tape recorder. After the Navajo man gave them his taped message, they asked his son to translate from the native language to English. His son would not. Later, they tried a few more people on the reservation to translate and every person they asked would chuckle, and then refuse to translate the message to the moon. Finally, with cash in hand, someone translated the message, "Watch out these white men, they come to take your land."

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Free Native American Newsletter @ Buffalo Trails - Newsletter - March 01, 1999
Our Native American newsletters includes links to sites about Native American issues and resources. The presence of
these links is not an endorsement by Buffalo Trails of the sites, sponsors, or content. We do make every effort to insure
these links are kid safe. If you enjoy Native America... Reward yourself and read all of our Native American newsletters!