May 2008 Newsletter
OSIYO FAMILY-SO SORRY FOR BEING
AWAY SO LONG-I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START-WE ARE SO THANKFUL
FOR ALL OF YOUR CONCERNS AND HELP WHILE WE ARE GOING THROUGH
THIS TOUGH TIME-WE ALSO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS TO EVERYONE THAT HAS
CARDS PENDING-MY WIFE DOES THE RESEARCH-SHE IS GOING THROUGH A
GREAT DEPRESSION -HER DISABILITY AND WORKERS COMP PENDING IT HAS
BEEN OVER TWO YEARS WE ARE LIVING ON $800.00 A MONTH FOR TWO
PEOPLE AND IT IS SO VERY HARD TO RUN A NATION PLUS OUR HOUSEHOLD -WE
GREATLY APPRECIATED THE HELP FROM THE THE LETTER THE COUNCIL
SENT OUT-HOWEVER WE HAVE ALMOST 800 FAMILIES IN OUR NATION AND
ONLY 75 FAMILIES RECIPERCATED-THAT IS SAD THAT MORE COULD NOT
SUPPORT THEIR NATION-AND AGAIN WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR YOUR
SUPPORT-WADO AND WE DO UNDERSTAND TIMES ARE HARD-BUT WITHOUT
HELP WE CAN NOT RUN THIS NATION ALONE-WHEN MY WIFE WAS WORKING
WE TOTALLY SUPPORTED OUR NATION AND WE ARE SAD THAT WE ARE
UNABLE TO DO SO AT THIS TIME-WE TOO HAVE ALMOST HIT ROCK
BOTTOM-WE HAVE HAD TO SURRENDER OUT VECHICLE-WE WERE NO LONGER
ABLE TO MAKE THE PAYMENTS IN ORDER TO SAVE OUR SACRED TRIBAL
LAND WHICH WAS THE MORE IMPORTANT OF THE TWO-SO WE HAVE NO
VIABLE TRANSPORTATION-OK NOW ONTO HAPPIER NEWS OR JUST TO CHANGE
THE DEPRESSING SUBJECT.
WE LOVE YOU AND WE ARE SO EXCITED
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO GREEN CORN IF ANYTHING THAT WILL CHEER
US UP IS TO HAVE OUR CHILDREN COME HOME-GREEN CORN IS JULY 14TH
THROUGH THE 20TH-WE ARE DOING THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS
YEAR-WE HAVE 7 DAYS AND 7 CLANS
EACH CLAN
WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR 2 MEALS THAT DAY PURCHASING-PREPARATION
AND CLEANUP-SO IF YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR CLAN YOU CAN BE A ADOPTED
INTO ONE-YOU WILL HAVE THE USE OF OUR GRILL-SMOKER-TME HOUSEHOLD
KITCHEN-OR THERE WILL BE A SEPARATE FIRE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
COOK OVER AN OPEN FIRE-ONE LIGHT MEAL AND AN EVENING MEAL-THERE
WILL BE A FOOD PANTRY TO USE OUT OF -WE ARE ASKING FOR YOU TO
BRING ITEMS SUCH AS BOTTLED WATER-CHIPS-LIL DEBBIE CAKES-COOKIES
ANY KIND OF SNACKS TO SHARE-FRUIT-MELONS-BANANAS-GRAPES WHATEVER
IS IN SEASON-PAPER GOODS ARE ALSO NEEDED-TOILET
PAPER-NAPKINS-PAPER TOWEL-ALUMINAN FOIL-CANS OF DRINK MIXES-KOOLAIDE-LEMONADE
AND THE LIKE-ALSO TEA BAGS FOR TEA-IF YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR
DRINK SUCH AS PEPSI BRING YOUR OWN-IT IS ALL ABOUT SHARING WITH
EACH OTHER-THERE IS PRIMATIVE CAMPING ON OUR TRIBAL LAND-THERE
ALSO IS ROOM FOR A FEW CAMPERS-WE HAVE 2 SHOWERS IN OUR HOME YOU
MAY USE-PLESAE BRING YOUR OWN TOWELS AND WASH CLOTHS-ALSO BRING
CHAIRS-COOLERS FULL OF ICE--THE CEREMONIES WILL BE ON FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY-IF YOU HAVE A WEDDING-BROTHER OR SISTER CEREMONIES-OR A
NAMING CEREMONY-PLEASE LET US KNOW SO WE CAN PREPARE-FOR NAMING
CEREMONIES YOU WILL NEED TOBACCO TIES 4-5 INCH SQUARES OF RED
MATERIAL SOLID OR PRINT WILL DO TIE WITH A YELLOW CORD WE USE
YELLOW EMBROIDERY FLOSS PUT A PINCH OF TOBACCO IN EACH ONE AND
TIE ANY KIND OF TOBACCO WILL DO-YOU WILL NEED AT LEAST 75 FOR
THAT AND IF WE HAVE A WEDDING YOU WILL NEED TO GIVE ONE TO THE
BRIDE AND GROOM ON THEIR RED MARRIAGE CLOTH AFTER THE CEREMONIAL
TO MAKE THEIR MARRIAGE BUNDLE ALSO WE WILL DROP CEDAR IN THEIR
BUNDLE-BROTHER-SISTER CEREMONIES YOU WILL NEED A GIFT FOR THE
INTENDED AND ALSO FOR THE CHIEF AND THE PERSON YOU ARE BECOMING
BRO OR SIS TO,ALSO FOR WEDDINGS A GIFT IS GIVEN TO THE CHIEF AND
HIS WIFE-A GIFT IS ALSO GIVEN TO THE CHIEF AND THE PERSON GIVING
YOU YOUR NAME-WE WILL ALSO HAVE THE HOTHOUSE FOR SWEATS-NIGHTHUNTER
AND HIS ENTOURAGE WILL BE DOING CRAFTS AND ALL KINDS OF NATIVE
GAMES-HE IS WORKING ON A FLYER FOR YOU TO VIEW THE COMINGS AND
GOINGS-WE WILL HAVE BEADING CLASSES-ARROWHEAD AND BOW
MAKING-FLINT KNAPPING-HERBAL KNOWLEDGE-AND MUCH MORE-YOU NAME
AND WE WILL DO IT -OUR ELDERS ARE HERE TO TEACH US-THEY ARE VERY
KNOWLEDGEABLE AND ARE TO BE TREATED WITH MUCH RESPECT AND
OFFERED TOBACCO OR GIFT-WE DO NOT WANT BOUGHT GIFTS PLEASE MAKE
ALL GIFT HOMEMADE WE DONOT WANT OUR PEOPLE TO GO TO MUCH EXPENCE-BUT
YOU MAY PURCHASE THEM IF YOU WANT WE JUST WANT TO CAUSE NO
HARDSHIP FOR OUR PEOPLE-ALSO FOR CEREMONY DAYS WE REQUEST THAT
YOU WEAR YOUR REGALIA AND IF YOU HAVE NO REGALIA PLEASE BE
RESPECTFUL LADIES IN A SKIRT WITH ARMS COVERED AND MEN PLEASE
COVER YOUR CHEST-IF I HAVE MISSED ANYTHING PLEASE FEEL FREE TO
ASK-WE HAVE 60 DAYS TIL GREEN CORN IT WILL GO FASTHE CHIEF AND I
ARE WORKING HARD TO GET OUR GROUNDS AND HOME READY IT IS A LARGE
TASK-IF ANYONE WANTS TO VOLUNTEER AND COME HELP FOR A WEEKEND
PLEASE CALL US 270-546-2868-WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING ALL
OF YOU CANNOT WAIT TO MEET ALL OF OUR NEW CHILDREN THAT INCLUDES
YOU MY DEAR OCIE.
WE
RECEIVED A TURN DOWN LETTER FROM HONOR OUR EARTH FOR A GRANT
THAT NO MOCASSIN WOMAN APPLIED FOR REGRETABLY THEY HAD RAN OUT
OF FUNDS.ALSO WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE GOVERNORS OFFICE
THAT HE IS ASKING THE NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION TO
PICK THE TRIBES FOR EXECTIVE ORDER OF STATE RECOGNITION-THEN
WHEN CONGRESS GETS LEGISLATION IN CONGRESS WE WILL BE AHEAD OF
THE GAME-OUR SENATOR IS WRITING OUR REQUEST FOR STATE
RECOGNITION-STANDS WITH HIS PEOPLE-WE ARE SO GLAD TO HAVE OUR
AWESOME BROTHER IN THIS POSITION-THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING
WILL BE JULY 30-IWILL INFORM YOU AT THIS TIME-WE ARE ALSO
WORKING WITH OTHER SOVERIGN NATIONS AT THIS TIME THERE IS
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS.
ALSO MY
WIFE HAS RECEIVED GUARDIANSHIP OF HER FATHER-HE IS LIVING WITH
US NOW-HE HAS SLIGHT DEMENTIA AND HER HANDS ARE FULL AT THIS
TIME -SHE REGRETS THAT SHE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO COMMUMICATE AS
SHE WOULD LIKE SHE PROMISES SHE WILL MAKE IT UP TO EVERYONE AT
GREEN CORN-DEALING WITH TREMENDOUS DEPRESSION - AND BACK
PAIN-AND TAKING CARE OF HER FATHER KEEPS HER BUSY -BUT WE AS
CHEROKEE PEOPLE ARE STRONG AND WE TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN-SHE SAYS
DON'T GIVE UP
ON HER-
THINGS WILL SETTLE DOWN EVENTUALLY-WE LOVE ALL OF YOU-SEE YOU AT
GREEN CORN-