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 NATIVE VOICES FOUNDATION | |||||||
Supported by: Joe Garcia - San Juan Pueblo Gov/Pres. National Congress of American Indians Tex Hall – former chair of N. D. Arikara-Mandan-Hidatsu & President of NCAI Ernie Stevens Jr. - Oneida/ President National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) Woody Vaspra - Hawaiian/President World Council of Elders (over 50 countries) | |||||||
1912 Stockholm Olympic Awards Ceremony “YOU, sir, are the greatest athlete in the World.” - King Gustav of Sweden |
“It has always bothered me that in the early 1900's, Native Americans were in the forefront of sport and were some of the world’s greatest athletes. Where are today’s Indian athletes? In order to find them, I had the honor of starting the first Boys and Girls Club in Indian County (now over 140 Clubs.) With a united team of Indian Country’s biggest supporters of youth, our Native American Olympic Steering Committee can resurrect that spirit, find and motivate our Indian youth through this timely Olympic opportunity.” Jack Thorpe (Jim’s son), former Principal Chief of Oklahoma Sac & Fox Nation Special Advisor of Native American Olympic Steering Committee | ||||||
PURPOSE The Native American Olympic Steering Committee (NAOSC) is gathering a cross-cultural team of Olympic Sponsors to win the Olympic Bid (See steps for inclusion) and develop Native American Olympic Teams to compete in the 2008 China Summer Games, then the (tribal-oriented) 2010 Vancouver Winter Games. “Our plan will give our Indian youth two chances to make Olympic Teams since this is also a support system to qualify for US Olympic Teams and the Pros, as backups,” said Woody Vaspra, President of the World Council of Elders. He is a former pro baseball and football player and Chief Advisor of NVF and the Steering Committee. The Committee is temporarily under the umbrella of a Colorado 501(c)3 non-profit, Native Voices Foundation (NVF - a dba of Kindred with Nature – Native American Society), Ein no. 84-1507336. Over the last 10 years, NVF has given thousands of Indian youth a chance to ski, snowboard and share our magnificent culture in our ancestral mountains at 60 ski resorts, thanks to a partnership of U.S. Tribal leaders, Elders, Olympians and the US Ski Industry. Because we are welcomed back to a million acres of Indian lands without a lawsuit or war, just fun, respect and appreciation, the Elders, in turn, have been inspired to save ski areas in ten states from snow and rain droughts. NVF’s Mission is: “To create joyful unity through sports, health, and education to help heal Mother Earth for all our children.” The Mission of the Native American Olympic Committee and its Steering Committee is “to develop Native American Olympic Team from grassroots to Olympic Hopefuls.” At the same time this is also the fast track plan to restore the health and spirit of Indian Country by giving Indian youth exciting, traditional (life tool) alternatives to our epidemics. The Olympics is the ultimate motivational carrot. An ounce of prevention of the youth epidemics of suicide, alcohol and drug abuse, diabetes, obesity, school dropout, unemployment, gangs, and teen pregnancy – can save Indian Country billions in healthcare and priceless in lives. Indian leaders and teachers have found that offering a variety of adventurous sports opportunities, especially outdoors, are the most effective way to lift the pride, self-esteem, health, and prosperity of Indian youth. | |||||||
[ ^ Top ] 12 INDIAN MEN & 2 WOMEN HAVE COMPETED IN MODERN OLYMPICS Your timely support will help Indian Country get back in the mainstream sports game while planting seeds for future Olympic Hopefuls. To date there are only 12 Indian men and two women (one a Paralympian), who have competed in the Modern Olympics. Naomi Lang (N. Cal Karuk) is the only woman and only American Indian in this Millennium to make an Olympic Team! The significance of this is, girls/women/moms are critical for getting the whole family healthy. Billy Jean King (Cherokee) was a key to gaining equal opportunity for women sports in schools because ‘the right to sport is the right to health.” Corporate America is spending over $3 billion/yr on high risk sports - skiing, boarding and Outward Bound, to enhance leadership skills: team-building, intuition, trust - to be more like our ancestors! IN UNITY WE CAN… “Not one tribe can create a Native American Olympic Team, but together we can give hundreds of Indian youth Olympic opportunities to streamline restoring the health and spirit of Indian Country,” said Gary Lake , Vice Chairman of the Shasta Nation, and co-chairman of NVF. Through videoing Naomi for a documentary, Gary is the first tribal leader to go to bat for an Olympic Hopeful: This beautiful 5 x National Ice Dancing Champ graced the Olympic Program cover and inspired a standing ovation at the 2002 Utah Games. At a reception where Utah Tribal leaders gifted her and called her “The Pride of Indian Country,” she said with tears of joy, “This means so much to me.” Her single mom worked night shifts as a nurse to give her this Olympic dream. Naomi’s reception, as well as press conference, was courtesy of Utah Indian Affairs, NVF & the Morongo Band. That experience motivated Lake to spearhead building Shasta’s Native American Olympic Training Center in N. California to expand those opportunities in traditional ways –coming soon! FIRST NATIONS VANCOUVER OLYMPIC PLANS The First Nations were given $3 million by Canada ’s British Columbian Government to develop snowboarders for the 2010 Vancouver Games – See upcoming NW Indian News story in 20 cites. In March, the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Organizers unveiled their inspiring poster campaign spotlighting three of Canada’s First Nations Olympic Hopefuls to increase awareness of, and participation in, Olympic and Paralympic Winter Sports by Canada's Aboriginal People. The North American Indigenous Summer Games (NAIG), where 9,000 of the best athletes of both countries participate, was invented by the First Nations, which has done wonders for all Native youth. “INDIANS NO. 1 DRAW AT UTAH GAMES & SEVEN EMMIES” The Olympics is one of the best ways for Native Peoples to be appreciated in America. The Opening Ceremonies helped make American Indians “The Number one draw of the Utah Games,” according to the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. “Thank you Olympic Organizers for making it cool to be a Native American,” said Ke Aloha (Apache-Hawaiian snowboarder) at NVF’s press conference that gave Indian Country an international voice through world headlines, “Indian End Games on High Note.” NBC then won an unprecedented 7 Emmys for the Indian Opening. Because Olympic participation has done the most to lift Blacks, Women and Aborigines, the “Chiefpins” of Indian Country have united behind the Olympic Bid and Teams. Together we are seeking the visionary tribes who can lead Indian Country in supporting their youth by being PROUD SPONSORS OF OUR NATIVE AMERICAN OLYMPIC TEAMS! See Sponsor Benefits at end. OLYMPIC BID LAUNCH IN TORINO! At the suggestion of Billy Kidd, Olympic Silver Medalist and Captain of the Native American Olympic Ski Team, and at the direction of NCAI President Joe Garcia, a runner, NVF assisted the launch of the Native American Olympic Bid at the 2006 Torino Olympics. With hopes of “making Colorado’s NAIG Games a feeder to the China Olympics,” President Garcia chose Stew Young (Tulalip (NW Orca Tribe), a World Cup Speedskier, to represent him and the 560+ Indian Nations in Italy. Young and Olympic skier Suzy Chaffee, NVF co-chair and first woman on the USOC, then had a positive meeting with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at Lausanne Switzerland. Bless the Southern Utes, led by Matthew Box (Vice Chair), for saving the NAIG Games. Now with your support the following Olympic Hopefuls (so far) have a fighting chance to march in Bejeing and Vancouver. The Southern Utes also launched the grassroots Olympic Winter Sports opportunities after partnering with NVF to start Telluride’s 1st Native Ski Program 10 years ago, which snowballed… | |||||||
| CHINA OLYMPIC HOPEFULS! It is vital that the Steering Committee immediately finishes locating and developing Olympic caliber talent, coaches and managers from the 7,000 American Indian athletes who competed brilliantly in Colorado’s North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) in July. Brandon Leslie (Navajo), just placed 7th in the Chicago Marathon, and Alvina Begay (Navajo) placed 12th in the Twin Cities Marathon. Both were international events where 30 Natives competed. This qualified them for the U.S. Olympic Qualifications in the Marathon, thanks to a little assistance from the Navajo Nation. AT&T called us about profiling Alvina on the road to China, along with nine other Minority Hopefuls, with special focus on her supporters.
Brandon Leslie “Chasing the Legend of Billy Mills, Brandon is an inspiration to Native Americans for overcoming a drinking problem to earn him a shot at a US Olympic berth in the 10,000 meters for the 2004 Athens Olympics.” – Greg Sorber - Albuquerque Journal). Now a seasoned veteran, Brandon has a shot at China, thanks also to some assistance from the Native American Sports Council. While helpful, all our Hopefuls say they need enough support so they can afford the travel expense and training time (away from their jobs) to realistically not just make it to the qualifications, but be able to make an Olympic Team and Go for the Gold! Alvina Begay Alvina’s other passion as a degreed dietician, is giving nutritional talks at Wings events, to inspire youth to eat “lean and clean” and realize their dreams! (Now with product assistance by Indian Olympic sweetener sponsor NuStevia). Thru NVF, both Brandon and Alvina were invited to captain Indian Men’s and Women’s Teams in the “Boulder Boulder,” featuring top teams from 10 countries. These mutually supportive Navajo runners just told us (through Alvina’s manager Melody), about Torry Zeller (.com), a fast Lakota who would be ideal for the men’s team! Warlance Foster (Navajo/Lakota) is the highest ranked American Indian Basketball player, having just broken the glass ceiling for an Indian male (a female made a foreign Team) to make a European League team. Fresh from the Netherlands Astronauts Team, where his fans dressed Indian style, he is currently the only Native American on an ABA Team, the “Gallop Outlaws.” He says there are a dozen Indian players, like Matt Vale (Navajo), who played with him on the “Gallop Talons” last year, who can make up a Native American Olympic Basketball Team of Warriors! This Grandson of a Navajo Code Talker loves to coach high risk youth – his second dream. “Thank you for doing wonders for Warlance’s life,” said his uncle Rick Harrington, President of the American Indian College Fund. (Suzy’s friend Kiki Vandeweghe (Blackfoot), Denver Nuggets GM, gave Warlance a tryout, then helped get an Italian League tryout. Kiki also co-sponsored with NVF and the Native American Bank, an annual “Nuggets Salute to the American Indians of Colorado.” One year 17 Colorado Olympians came to honor the tribes while the Nuggets Alumni gave the kids clinics – Nuggets won 4 for 4. (model for US cities!) With funding, Brandon, Alvina and Warlance can give clinics and priceless motivation to Indian Country youth, to also help make ends meet – a win-win! | |||||||
[ ^ Top ] MORE OLYMPIC HOPEFUL-NESS! Hopelessness is the root of our “Highest suicide rate in America for the last 100 years,” unhealed from the government boarding schools, which sports does the most to turn around. (See Senate Study in Addenda.) Following December’s world press story on “Indian Olympic Hopefuls” (on www.SNOW-RIDERS.ORG), we got a call about two Red Lake Chipewa basketball players: Ben Strong is playing on the undefeated Guilford College Team in the ODAC Southern League (includes Old Dominion), and Randy Holtusen was recently voted one of “The Top 50 All Time Minnesota Basketball Greats.” Can you imagine what at least one of them competing in China would do for the Red Lake Tribe, and as a symbol for all Indian youth? Your giving Native youth this Big Break (we all need), lets them know that the Olympics is finally within their grasp. Added to the pride this generation will feel when the world, who considers Jim Thorpe the “Greatest Modern Olympic Athlete,” also learns about all our contributions to humanity, including the World Elders Ceremonies and Prayer, and inventing the roots of 10 Olympic sports. (See www.nativevoices.org for Athens’ press conference & “Tribal Gifts” on www.snow-riders.org). The NAIG Basketball players are high school age – so they are the next crop of Olympic Hopefuls. “The greased-lightening of the Lakota, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Arizona…basketball games at the NAIG Games rivaled the NBA in excitement,” said Steve Allen (Cherokee), the Official Olympic Artist who is painting a collage for the Native American Olympic Sports roots. At NAIG and NCAI’s Sacramento Conference in October, we also found pockets of Olympic caliber talent in wrestling, boxing, canoeing, kayaking, baseball, archery and swimming.
Mariah Cooper, our Olympic Hopeful in X-Country, just placed 2nd in the Barneberkie (13 & under) of the Berkiebeiner, largest x-country race in US with 14 countries. This Nordic Kids Team member of the Lac Courte Oreilles (Ojibwe), Mariah (also Green Bay Oneida) got her break thanks to the Ho-Chunks co-sponsoring with NVF a launch in 2003, that got Indian youth included, along with Ski Industry’s 60 pair of skis, and some Olympic coaching). This Pow Wow Princess is “on fire” (note St Croix’s “Rez-wear” – soon Indian Olympic uniform sponsor!) to lead an Indian X-country Team to Vancouver, with help of a fundraiser where 200 tribal members supported her getting critical coaching. It lifted the tribe! Sponsorship will also help the Steering Committee find and support top Native American ski, snowboard, ice hockey and x-country ski talent for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics while seeding grassroots programs across Indian Country. This Olympic Bid started as a result of Indian Greats forming the Native American Olympic Ski & Snowboard Team: Captain Billy Kidd (Abenaki), Ross Anderson (Cheyenne), Stew Young (Tulalip “Orca”) and Gene Tagaban (See www.snow-riders.org). Young and Tagaban, stars of the Seattle Ski Show (See ravendance pic) are particularly excited about hosting clinics that motivate, teach, and scout for your Olympic Hopefuls for the winter, as well as summer Olympics, while helping unite ski areas with tribes across America. Young is a World Cup Speedskier, certified ski instructor, as well as snowboarder, surfer, canoeist, a lead runner of the national Sovereignty Run, and professor of videography at Oregon State. He and Chaffee just helped launch (following the Shastas) the Puyallup Future Olympians Ski & Snowboard Team at Snoqualmie, Washington with 30 happy campers. See NW Indian News TV. Tagaban is an Xtreme skier and snowboarder, who is training for the boarder-cross and slalom events in Vancouver. Thanks to the Artic Winter Games, we found leads on strong Alaskan Teams in ice hockey, x-country, and snowboarding, which Gene will be checking on in February. Gene is also an amazing motivational speaker - what youth greatly need besides role models. As a TV host for (syndicated) Northwest Indian News, he just shot a piece on the First Nations Snowboard Team for Vancouver 2010. He also gives cultural performances for the Ford Foundation and Smithson-ian Indian Museum, as a Ravendancer, flutist/funky Jazz musician, storyteller and actor (“Business of Fancydancing” -See www.genetagaban.com. Thanks to Mary Ho, China Millennium Council President and avid skier, he will perform with top Indian dance artists in China prior to the Games. Next summer Tagaban wants to bike around America giving sports and diabetes prevention clinics. Thanks to 60 U.S. ski areas donating up to $20,000/ski area/season in tickets, rentals & lessons to nearby tribes, we have already been developing grassroots talent, thanks to the Southern Utes pioneering program at Telluride. As a result of NVF’s “phenomenal’ track record, the foundation was chosen in 2002, to spearhead the President’s Healthier US Initiative in the Great Outdoors on behalf of “the underserved, heroic American Indian population.” (President G.W. Bush Jr.) | |||||||
| CHANCES OF WIN INDIAN OLYMPIC BID EXCELLENT THANKS TO: (1) IOC President Jacques Rogge authoring their Agenda 21 Eco-Policy that recommends including Indigenous Peoples in the Olympics to enhance their sustainability. (2) NVF’s Euro Advisors, French Princess Caroline Murat and IOC’s Prince Albert of Monaco (Lakota adoptee) initiating and guiding the Bid. The Princess also has a relationship with the UN’s Secretary General and close friend of President Rogge who offered to set up meeting with Indian leaders. (3) “American Indian Nations having unique sovereignty according to the Harvard and Udall Schools of Government,” (Iroquois Faithkeeper Oren Lyons), as exemplified by the Iroquois having their own passports, and their Lacrosse Team placing 4th against the US, Canada and Australia in the World Championships. (4) The remoteness of Alaskan Villages; why Guam & Puerto Rico were granted teams. (5) “Sovereign Indian Nations have a higher legal status than our four US Territories who have their own Olympic Teams,” says Jack Thorpe. (6) This is also a chance for the IOC to heal the Jim Thorpe Legacy. Everyone agrees that this plan is the most effective way to provide our youth with opportunities to make Olympic Teams and create a wise, healthy, motivated, prosperous, cooperative, sustainable, ethical, happier generation of American Indians! STEPS TO WIN BID With adequate funding our Native American Olympic Steering Committee can fulfill these steps to win the Bid: (1) Preparation to pass a Resolution of united support behind the Native American Olympic bid at Alaska's NCAI’s Conference June 10-13. (2) Get some form of UN membership. (3) Form a Native American Olympic Committee. (4) Write a Constitution. (5) Apply to the International Federations in the strongest sports. (6) Engage in a delicate, complex educational/lobbying effort in Europe. (7) Elders leading ceremonies and prayers around world to strengthen future snowsports and the Winter Olympics. (8) After most steps are completed, meet with IOC President Jacques Rogge. OLYMPIC SPORTS DEVELOPMENT STEPS 1. Finish finding best talent, including through tribal leaders & Regional Chefs de Mission. 2. Identifying and hiring coaches and managers to develop our best talent. 3. Financially assisting Olympic Hopefuls by assisting grassroots programs across America. 4. Fund training camps 5. Press support for Olympic Hopefuls. 6. Encourage and assist the Chefs de Mission to give Indian youth additional experience by competing in mainstream State Games. [ ^ Top ] GUIDED BY THE ELDERS Elders like Vaspra are guiding and support this Olympic Bid, along with Joe Garcia, Tex Hall, Ernie Stevens Jr, and Jack Thorpe - all role model athletes and leaders - because “The youth are our future. They carry the Earth wisdom and ceremonies to benefit generations of children.” TRIBAL SUPPORTERS NVF is grateful for the spiritual and financial support (approx $35,000) from twelve visionary Indian Nations (some with casinos) and confederacies, which we honor on our opening page link of www.SNOW-RIDERS.ORG. The Olympic Bid page includes the press stories, videos, Snow/Earthcare by Elders, as well as maps and contacts “to make it easier for all 320 ski areas to invite their tribes home,” said Michael Berry, President of the National Ski Areas Association. He believes that “a partnership with the tribes is helping Keep Winters Cool.” – A win-win. A group of NVF supporters from Stanford and Yale, Telluride-Texans and an Ambassador are presently the driving force behind all this. They also made possible a Stanford a partnership between the Academic leaders, Ethical Scientists and Elders working together on Global Cooling solutions. HONORING TRIBAL GIFTS TO HUMANITY Besides the sports ops, ski resorts in the major regions – so far Colorado, South Dakota, Utah, California and Wisconsin - have followed Telluride’s model of a “Ute Welcoming Home Ski Celebration.” Governors, Generals (like Telluride's Schwarzkopf), ski town leaders, and Olympians, have honored our contributions to humanity (See “Tribal Gifts” on snow-riders.org). In development are events in Washington (possible “Crystal Mt Ski & Salomon Fest” honoring NW Tribes), New Mexico and Vermont. The tribes, in turn, share their magnificent earth-honoring dances, wisdom, environmental solutions, and priceless ceremonies. JOBS! The First Nation’s workforce of Whistler Mountain’s (Vancouver Olympic Host) helped them become the undisputed “Most Popular Ski Resort in North America.” Telluride SkiCo happily buses in a workforce (builders, lift attendants, hotel managers, maids) from the Navajo Nation, whose invitation to ski (once a year) by Telluride’s French Ski School director Annie Savath 20 years ago, planted the seed for NVF’s Ute program. At Big Bear’s Snow Summit (CA), the highest paid instructor, who donates his time to coach S. California’s Native kids, is Vance Valdez (Cherokee). Two Indian Instructors at Snow Valley, who teach the kids, told us that Indian skiers & boarders had higher success rate of college degrees. Also the camaraderie and travel of sports competition, especially the Olympics, opens doors to the world, including to being of great, exciting service to humanity and Mother Earth. OLYMPIC ALUMNI EXCHANGES At the 2002 Utah Olympics, John Naber, President of the Olympic Alumni Assoc. (7,000 members) announced that they would like to do Olympic Tribal Exchanges at reservations. With funding we can activate that program: Olympians giving sports clinics and the tribes sharing pow wows, sweat lodges or hikes with Elders to see Nature thru the eyes of Americas First Guardians. The Olympians have donated thousands to NVF to help ensure that future generations can enjoy our sports by working with the tribes. TURNING THE TIDE Every speaker at the uplifting NAIG Games Opening Ceremonies in Denver’s Mile High Stadium in July, talked about the Olympic Dream. “The beauty of our plan is that it will give Indian youth on reservations and urban communities two chances (a backup) to march in Bejeing and Vancouver,” either as members of the Native American or US Olympic Team,” said Vaspra. Naturally there will be more opportunities through a Indian Olympic Team because making a US Olympic Team is so competitive. Warren Witherell (Chirakowa Apache) upstepped the competitive level by “Inventing the First Ski Academy,” Burke Mt, for which he was inducted into Vermont’s Ski Hall of Fame in November. His balanced formula that turned out 38 Olympic happy brilliant skiers, has since spread Ski and Snowboard Academies across America. Because these pricy prep schools appreciate diversity, Warren is helping plant the seed to make scholarships (or matching funds) available to include Native youth. STEPPING STONE TO PROS In terms of paychecks and inspiration, the Olympics is also a stepping stone to the pros in basketball, baseball, running, cycling… Our only Indian woman Olympian, Naomi Lang, just turned pro and is even more of an inspiration to Indian youth: From December to February, Naomi has starred in 4 NBC Ice Dance Specials (See www.nativevoices.org & www.naomiandpeter.ice-dance.com). “The Fashion on Ice” Special, which aired on the Style Network on Monday, February 9 from 3:00-5:00pm ET, ended with a surprise proposal by the “man of her dreams.” She is planning a traditional wedding while continuing to coach and motivate Native youth, like the Seminoles, during the sizzling “Latin on Ice” Special hosted by the Florida tribe. Vaspra sees that the Olympic Bid is leading to the birth of formidable Indian Mens & Womens Pro Basketball Teams. PROUD SUSTAINABLE SPONSORS OF NATIVE AMERICAN OLYMPIC TEAMS! Befitting of America’s First and Best Caretakers, our Indian Olympic Teams have already attracted sponsors who are champions of a Sustainably Abundant World. Our Sustainable Sponsors include: NativeEnergy.com, BioEnergy Colorado, NuStevia, Rainbow Myst (best way to purify & enhance water-tested by Dr Emoto), the SnowSports Industries of America (SIA), and Northwest Indian News TV (20 cities). The ski areas have a “Sustainable Slopes Program” that is spreading clean renewable energy: Wind and Solar and Biofueled snowcats. Elders say this raises the vibration of the mountains to keep weather in balance. COMMISSIONS – To Help Fund Teams NuStevia by NuNaturals is the tribal-discovered, best tasting, healthiest sweetener that does not raise the blood sugar. NuNaturals is offering a commission program to help fund the Native American Olympic Teams while creating healthier communities! To sweeten the deal, they are offering discounted, bulk programs specially developed for Indian Country, Through purchasing Carbon Offsets Program through NativeEnergy (com), which is endorsed and funded by Vice President Gore, for being “a model program,” Indian Teams will receive a commission. [ ^ Top ] SPONSOR BENEFITS INCLUDE: * Featured as a Proud Sponsor of the Native American Olympic Team with your Tribal logo link on www.SNOW-RIDERS.org. * Featured in NVF’s national & world press stories (as appropriate), thanks to Send2Press.com * Use of “Proud Sponsor…” title in your publicity and advertising. * Credit in our eye-opening, heart-warming documentary “Red Road to the Olympics” for global release. Can also include your event footage. (produced by Chip Comins of American Spirit Productions (Award winning NativeWind.org PSA & docu) * Banner positions at high profile events, like our Ski and Basketball ones. * We also invite the visionary marketing minds of our cross-cultural sponsors, like our sustainable ones, to explore a synergistic strategy for extra mileage, like PSA’s. * Plus VIP Treatment or honorings for some of your councils & clients at some NVF sponsored events. (possibly at the Olympics for leading supporters, thanks to a wonderful rapport with the President of the China Millennium Council.) With less than a year and a half to Beijing we are looking for Olympic Tribal Sponsors who want to boldly restore our sports traditions while making the youth epidemics a footnote in history by giving them the tools to “make their lives Rock!” With Elders leading ceremonies around the world to balance the global warming that is coming sooner that many expected – Europe is experiencing the warmest winter in 1,250 years, never before has is been so important to pass on this traditional wisdom to the next generations. The Casino Tribes have the resources to do that, and Elders say we must! "As our Indian Nations now join together with mainstream sponsors, we can win the Olympic Bid, find and develop all our Olympic Hopefuls, and march under our own flag as a Native American Olympic Team at the 2008 China and 2010 Vancouver Olympics," says Jack Thorpe. “I had a vision of Elders leading the Native American Olympic Team into the Beijing Stadium. This inspires the longest heartfelt standing ovation in the Olympic history, in appreciation for the World Elders-led Ceremonies and Prayers that balance the man-made part of the Global Warming, which saves Europe’s ski industry and Winter Olympics.” (Suzy Chaffee) “All of this is healing the Jim Thorpe Legacy, what my father would want for our youth,” said Jack. In Jim’s honor NVF is creating the annual “Thorpe Spirit Awards” for our “Most Inspiring Male and Female Sports Role Models.” They are priceless for “in-spiring” (means “in Spirit,” the highest job!) youngsters and setting standards of ethics for communities & civilizations. That is why the Elders are putting our Olympic Hopefuls under their wings (as they did in the Ancient Olympics). Weekly we are finding more world class athletes and appreciate your assistance in identifying them, as everyone wins from a supportive team effort. See Addenda for Senate, Harvard and Surgeon General Studies on the importance of sports, plus Dreams and a Vancouver surprise! Please listen to the hearts of our youth and help them reach for their dreams and develop our traditional skills so they may lead happy, healthy, productive, meaningful, clean and lean lives when Earth and generations of children need our leadership most. Greg Boeck, a USA Today writer, impressed by the NAIG Games talent, as well as NPR, are doing a stories on our Olympic Hopefuls and Bid, is case you hear them On behalf of our NVF Board, Steering Committee, and Olympic Hopefuls, thank you and your Councils for leading this momentous historic journey to Beijing and Vancouver! Please call or e-mail us if you have questions. Everyone can be a part of the Native American Olympic Team, either as a competitor or supporter! Warm Regards, Native Voices Foundation Board & Team BULLETIN! EUROPEAN MIRACLE! In December we learned from the IOC that Europe was having the warmest winter in 1,250 years, canceling most races and putting all our snowsports, (their water supply), and the Vancouver Winter Olympics at risk. Woody Vaspra graciously wrote an Elders Prayer and NVF inspired leaders representing a network of a billion people, (plus world press), to join in the Prayer for the healing of the man-made part of the Global Warming starting on Valentines Day, February 14th. "Following the Elders's led Prayer," said Princess Caroline Murat (who initiated the Indian Olympic Bid), “Europe was blessed with a series of snowstorms so that all our ski areas could open!! Thank you, thank you!” Perhaps our best hope for Humanity!? Now NVF/Steering Committee needs expenses (only-included in budget) to step up the on-going ceremonies at sacred sites led by the World Council of Elders, as well as World Prayers to further slow down the Global Warming that scientists say is mainly man-made, and mainly from overuse of fossil fuels. This gives us more time to convert to clean, renewable energies, and other sustainable practices. In so doing we are ensuring that our children are blessed with our magical quality of life, including the Winter Olympics, thanks Native American World leadership. NVF, 110 Sugarloaf Drive, Sedona, AZ 86336 (o) 928 282 5663 (cell) 323 493 3877 suzynativevoices@aol.com, www.SNOW-RIDERS.org, www.NATIVEVOICES.org NVF is a dba of Kindred with Nature – Native American Society, Ein no. 84-1507336) [ ^ Top ] SENATE, HARVARD & SURGEON GENERAL (TEEN PREGNENCY) STUDIES The Senate recently revealed a study chaired by Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Cheyenne Judo Olympian), which found that Native Americans are “still too depressed to want to get healthy,” as a result of abuses in government boarding schools. Some tribes have built wonderful alternative medicine centers, and wonder why the attendance is low. They need the motivation of exciting sports programs and role models, like our Native American Olympic Ski, Snowboard, Basketball and Marathon Hopefuls, to inspire tribal members to want to fully enjoy them. (which inspires diet upgrades) Teachers and Indian sports stars say that exciting sports opportunities, like skiing and boarding, make alcohol and drugs look boring! Many top Indian sports stars say they’d “probably be in jail with their friends if not for their healthy addiction to sports.” And moms say, “It feels safer letting Nature take care of them in the mountains than hanging out in town.” What reinforced the founding of NVF’s Ski programs 10 years ago, was a study by Harvard’s JFK School of Native American Economic Development that the Apaches had the highest employment after building two ski areas in the 70’s. Said Chairman Dallas Massey, “Skiing and snowboarding are the biggest motivators of our youth, then rodeo. If reached early enough they can prevent alcohol and drugs.” Sports is also antidote for other youth epidemics: suicide, diabetes, obesity, and gangs. Indian Health Services (IHS) has been addressing only 52% of healthcare needs of the Indian population (mainly catastrophic), though health and education were promised in exchange for Indian lands. IHS has just begun to fund preventative programs, but need a major spirit boost, that only the Olympics can do, to give Native Peoples an alternative to the “Diobesity” epidemic. 95% of all Indians get diabetes by age 60. “Diabetes” is Chinese for “sugar in blood.” Also missing lactase enzyme, they grow Stevia sweetener also for US. Olympics sports ops fill in missing link, the healthcare savings are going to be staggering. WOMEN SPORTS All the pioneers of the women’s movement and Corporate America were tomboys/athletes in their youth. Many women leaders, like Gloria Steinem, a ballerina, acknowledge and appreciate that the Suffragettes got their wisdom as a result of being adopted by the sporty Iroquois Clan Mothers. (See Steinem’s intro to Chief Wilma Mankiller’s book on the “Shining Moments” Index on www.snow-riders.org.) This also reinforces the Indian tradition of women sports that predates Atlantis – “moms were always role models for their children.” Sharing sports bonds families together like no other. “Exciting sports opportunities delays teen pregnancy,” according to the Surgeon General’s study. Girls who participate in sports they love are bathed in self esteem, and because they can express their bodies in joyful alternatives to sex, they can make better choices with higher goals, which delays sex and having children. Being cheered on, according to a study, also helps them stick with sports, lifetime ones being the best. That is why the Bishop (CA) Paiutes, led by Paul Chavez, have been NVF’s biggest tribal supporter through TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families-Indian Welfare), thanks to understanding how much the Olympics can profit/prophet Indian communities. What expanded their outlook was Mammoth sharing free skiing with their tribe starting in 1937, including thru the schools, which produced many champion skiers (and snowboarders) like Lucy Parker, who now enjoy fun life-long jobs as instructors… (See History of Native Skiing on Opening page of www.SNOW-RIDERS.org). The Paiutes found that giving girls sports opportunities is the key to getting the whole family healthy - saving millions in healthcare. Sports, according to a study, also foster mellow behavior, beauty, longevity, and ability to manifest fulfilling careers. PARALYMPIC DREAMS FOR DIABETICS CHERI BECERRA - FIRST & ONLY INDIAN PARALYMIAN While Naomi Lang is the first and only Indian woman to compete in the 111 yr old Modern Olympics, Cheri Becerra (Omaha -see Google story), with assistance by the Native American Sports Council, is the first and only female (or male) Paralympian! Cheri was a Gold Medalist and multi World Record Holder in Wheelchair Racing in the Atlanta and Sydney Paralympics, which is held two weeks after the regular Olympics. Her bravery gives us all courage! A few ski areas, like Colorado's Telluride, Aspen and Winter Park, as well as California's Snow Summit are interested in including Native Americans in their fun "Challenge" Programs. Given the diabetes epidemic, Cheri could help, through her sought after talks, create bridges of ops for youth to be great inspiration to others, including prevention. (Double leg amputees can fly off ski jumps!) WOMEN KEY TO HEALTHY FAMILIES – Hail Billy Jean King (Cherokee)! Naomi's and Cheri are important role models because girls/women/moms are the key to getting the whole family fit. That’s why I (Suzy Chaffee) led in 1975, (at the request of PE Teachers of America), the Title 1X March for Equal Opportunities for Women Sports in Schools down Pennsylvania Avenue. That gave me the chutzpah to set up the first meeting at the White House with legendary leaders like Billy Jean King (Cherokee), to get the law enforced for the first time. This has since saved taxpayers and families a trillion in welfare and healthcare, as it can save Indian Country billions. 20 years later Title 1X produced a crop of girls that so amazed Americans with their courage, grace, expertise, and good sportsmanship at the Atlanta Olympics, that NBC dubbed them "The Women's Olympics." Billy Jean said she would love to reconnect with her heritage while giving Cherokee youth tennis lessons! “MT SPIRIT CELEBRATION” - YOUTH SURPRISE for VANCOUVER! 
With emergency funding, the Elders may be heroes for helping rebalance the man-made part of our global warming to fortify the Vancouver Winter Games, as they did to end the snow drought the year before the Utah Olympics. Through fielding a Native American Olympic Team to march in Bejeing and Vancouver, our Elders will have a world voice to further guide humanity. Our youth can also inspire the sacred Oneness of Nature back to the Modern Olympics through showcasing our magnificent culture and athleticism through a “Mountain Spirit Celebration film” during the Vancouver Olympics. Imagine a helicopter view of Elders leading a blessing ceremony on top of Whistler Mountain, when suddenly the eagle wing comes alive and flies up, morphing into an eagle dancer soaring off cliffs, followed by herd of curious animals transforming into deer and buffalo dancers on skis and boards prophetically frolicking down the mountain… “All this is possible because the Olympics excites sponsors like you, who would normally have to pay millions for the prestigious opportunity to be a part of the (highest watched) ‘Greatest Show on Earth,’ as well as the press feeding frenzy leading up to the Games,” said Captain Kidd. As you saw at our Salt Lake Native Opening, these Games are so respected because they are the greatest example of joyful harmony and appreciation between the Four Colors of Humanity in history. [ ^ Top ] | |||||||
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ARCTIC ELDERS LEAD MOTHER OF ALL EARTH PRAYERS MAY31 PHOTO JOURNEY OF 7 ELDERS-LED SNOW MIRACLES VIEW ENTIRE SECTION ON WEATHER MIRACLES A BILLION PRAYING TO REBALANCE EARTH OLYMPIC TRIBAL SPONSOR INVITATION BACK TO START OF EARTH FAMILY |
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Billy Kidd (Abenaki)
2005 Bronze in World Speed Skiing
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