COKV TVLVME
The official publication of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma
June 2008 Edition |
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Native American culture and concerns were well represented for the five days spanning the Sovereignty Symposium and Red Earth Festival in downtown Oklahoma City.
The five-day focus began on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 with the 21st Annual Sovereignty Symposium, billed as a forum for the exchange of ideas in a scholarly, non-adversarial environment.
Returning to the historic Skirvin-Hilton Hotel, the site of the initial Sovereignty Symposium over two decades ago, the event brought together state officials and leaders from Oklahoma’s 39 federally recognized tribes to discuss several issues impacting tribal government.
This year’s event was appropriately themed “Peacekeepers” and adopted a logo designed by Seminole and Shawnee artist Benjamin Harjo, Jr. The logo, depicting a light-horseman framed in a star badge, reflects the peacekeeping efforts of the past in Indian Territory.
Sponsorship for the 21st Annual Sovereignty Symposium came from the Oklahoma Supreme Court, the Indian Affairs Commission, the Oklahoma Arts Council and the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City University and the University of Tulsa Schools of Law.
The event began on Wednesday morning with panel discussions over the topics of drugs and victimless crimes in Indian Country, tort claims, education and cultural preservation, economic interdependence in Indian Country, tribal status, jurisdiction and international and comparative indigenous rights. [Read More] |
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Sheldon J. Sperling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, announced on Tuesday, May 20, that Ivy Kwok Ong, 66, of El Paso, Texas, was sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Tax Evasion and Conspiracy to Pay and Receive Illegal Gratuities.
Ong was the operator of Carlo Worldwide Operations, LLC, a Nevada corporation active in supplying video gaming machines to tribal casinos.
He was sentenced to 39 months in federal prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release on each count, to run concurrently. Ong was also ordered to pay a sum of $199,610 in restitution to the IRS and a $200 special assessment to the court.
“No fine was imposed based upon the restitution ordered, the defendant’s current financial situation and the uncertainty of his future earning abilities,” stated U.S. Attorney Sperling.
Ong pled guilty to both charges on September 21, 2007, consequently agreeing to forfeit his interest in a gated-community home in Choctaw and a 15-acre horse farm in Lexington, Ky.
“These parcels of real estate were purchased with the proceeds of his criminal activities,” reported U.S. Attorney Sperling. “The properties are estimated to be worth over $1,000,000.” [Read More] |
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The arrival of two new handicap-accessible vans will allow the Seminole Nation to better serve the transportation needs of the community.
Beginning Wednesday, June 11, 2008 the vans will be available to transport handicapped, disabled and elderly citizens, both native and non-native, of Seminole County.
Coordinator Tim Harjo is optimistic about the new upgrade to the Transit System, citing that the vans will be beneficial to those who need to get to the health clinic and pick up prescriptions. The vans will also be able to transport handicapped, disabled and elderly citizens to the grocery store and a variety of other places. [Read More] |
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The Beautification Committee held their follow-up meeting on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at the North Community Center at Mekusukey Mission.
In April, the committee discussed several improvement efforts for the Mission, including replacing the old billboard with a new entrance sign, planting flowers and trees along the side of the roadway and building new, durable fencing that would look appealing from the road.
The committee expounded on these proposals at the recent meeting and incorporated new ideas for restoration efforts at the Mission, including the addition of stone columns along the fence line on the east side. [Read More] |
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The Seminole CHR Program completed a survey last month for a child passenger safety grant that the program is applying for.
The BIA Indian Highway Safety Program is collaborating with the Indian Health Service Injury Prevention Program. The IHS IP program will serve as the primary technical advisor to Tribes in implementing a coordinated community CPS program, including best practices in child safety seat distribution.
Our goal is to educate tribal members and other individuals in Seminole County regarding seat belt and car seat safety. We want to make the community aware of how important safety is for the future of our people.
We completed four surveys: two in Wewoka and two in Seminole. The overall results that the CHR program found in Wewoka had about the same results as Seminole.
The first survey in Wewoka was located at Highway 56 and 270 Junction. The second one was at 1st and Mekusukey Street. We completed the survey between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. [Read More] |
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The Tallahassee Band felt there needed to be an active revitalization of the awareness of Seminole Culture being taught within the Nation, and decided to do something about it.
A few members started by offering a Seminole Cultural Art class at the Sasakwa Community Center for children and adults. We all pitched in with skills, materials we already had and food in order to make Seminole influenced items.
We’re starting out small and simple and will build on as we get more interested people.
On May 31, 2008 a Seminole Art and Culture class took place at the Sasakwa Community Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Six community children and two adults attended.
Finger weaving key chains was a skill taught by Wisey Narcomey, Seminole Nation Senior Princess. God’s eye and crochet were taught by Travis Jackson, Tallahasse Band chief, and I, Peggy Davis, taught Seminole Doll making. [Read More] |
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The bell in the churchyard, newly coated in glimmering silver paint, chimed at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 13, 2008. It was met with a brief silence across the makeshift aisles of lawn chairs and old wooden pews.
Suddenly every voice inside Middle Creek Church #2 was lifted into a stirring rendition of “Amazing Grace.” The hymn was an acknowledgement of all that had been accomplished that week. It was spontaneous. It was transcendental.
Some individuals may go their whole lives without ever experiencing a true miracle. Others may wish and pray for one over long bouts of quiet desperation. Kingdom Builders for the Lord, a Louisiana-based mission-outreach and community service program, builds miracles with their very own hands. [Read More] |
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The Seminole Nation Summer Storytelling sessions began on Tuesday, June 10 at the OAP building in Wewoka.
Principal Chief Kelly Haney had the honor of conducting the first session of the summer. The Seminole Nation Early Head Start Program, along with several adults, attended the event. Chief Haney displayed several of his popular paintings, telling the stories and inspirations behind each piece.
Handing out postcard sized prints of his painting “Escape from Coacoogee,” Chief Haney explained the many Seminole legends related to the event.
After concluding the first storytelling session, Chief Haney took a moment to visit with his great-grandchildren, Abigail and Adam Haney, who are enrolled in the Seminol Nation Child Care Program. [Read More] |
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On Tuesday, June 3, 2008, the Workforce Investment Act Employment and Training Program of the Seminole Nation held a small banquet at the North Community Center at Mekusukey Mission to recognize two outstanding contributors with awards.
WIA Director Alecia Atwara presented the Career Development Employer Excellence Award to Hearn Machine Tool, Inc. in Seminole. Hearn, the first recipient of the award, was recognized for its dedication to providing on-the-job training for Mr. Glenn Gibson, and enhancing his work skills.
Gibson has been employed with Hearn Machine Tool, Inc. for three years, and has gained a wide variety of skills including learning to read blue prints, calipers, electronic drilling, shipping and receiving. [Read More] |
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark.– The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recognizes and celebrates each year the many different cultures to which we have the opportunity to offer our services and programs to, including American Indians. November has been designated as American Indian Heritage month and provides an opportunity to make people aware of the history of American Indians and their contributions to the world.
One of the ways NRCS nationally celebrates American Indian Heritage Month is by distributing a poster created by an American Indian artist. Each year an artist in a selected state has the opportunity to exhibit his/her talents and heritage on a national level, and the South Central Region (which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas) has been chosen for 2008. [Read More] |
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Linguists, Native Language Educators and speakers of the Mvskoke (Seminole/Creek) language will all agree; immersion, repetition and practice are the most reliable methods of producing fluent speakers of the language.
While nothing can be as effective as teaching children from birth (as their first language), various efforts must be made to revitalize all Native American languages. This includes publishing the written word.
In this edition, we are printing a short narrative of the process of making Abuskey (parched corn that is used to make two by-products which are, either, cooked with meat as a soup, or, mixed with cold water and sugar to make “Indian Kool-Aid”).
The upper line is the English version and the lower line is the Mvskoke translation. Because of the syntax (or sentence structure) of the Mvskoke, the translation is not verbatim, but rather, a close translation. [Read More] |
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Should we approve the hotel?
Yes, we have decided to build the hotel.
We must believe in progress. I read this one night. It is a quote from Les Miserables by Victor Hugo:
“If you wish to understand what revolution is, call it progress; and if you wish to understand what progress is, call it tomorrow.
“Tomorrow performs its work irresistibly, and it does it from today. It always accomplishes its aim through unexpected means.
“Thus, progress proceeds.”
The time has come for the people of the Seminole Nation to work together to achieve our goals. [Read More]
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Annie Fixico, Marjorie June Miliander, Donald Glenn Brown, Jr., Dennis Dean Coon, [Read More] |
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Kevin Johnson [Read More] |
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