OUR PAST HISTORY
35 Years Ago - (January 11, 1971)
*BIA Superintendent Sherwin Broadhead approved a Grant of $3,600 to Monte Moomaw to help Monte start a plumbing buiness in Omak. The Grant is part of a new BIA program to help Indians to go into business and provide services to the Indians in their community.
*A Per Capita distribution to Tribal Members on Claims Dockets Nos. 178 and 179 will not be made until it has been approved by both Houses of Congress (U.S. Senate and House of Representatives).
*Bounties on predatory animals or birds will be paid by the Fish & Wildlife Program. The amounts are as follows: $75.00 for Cougar, $5.00—Bobcat, $5.00—Coyote, $.50 for Porcupine, and .10-cents apiece for Crow, Raven, and Magpie.
*Mr. and Mrs. Art Best celebrated their 58th Wedding Anniversary on November 28. They were married on Nov. 28, 1912, and they have eight children, 30 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
25 Years Ago - (December 30, 1980)
*On Dec. 12, The Colville Business Council’ “Negotiating Committee” and AMAX Corporation have approved an Lease Agreement on the Mt. Tolman Open Pit Mining Project. The Chairman of the Negotiating Committee is Keller District Councilman Glenn Whitelaw.
*U.S. House of Representative Tom Foley (D-Spokane) has been appointed Majority Whip...which is the 3rd most powerful leadership post in the House. Jim Wright, Majority Leader, made the appointment, and it was approved by the House Speaker Tip O’Neill.
*Two Tribal Elders from Nespelem, WA., celebrated their birthdays this month: former Nespelem District Council Person Lucy Covington had her 70th Birthday...and a Banquet was held at the Nespelem Long House for Isabel Arcasa’s 91st Birthday!
*The Spokane Tribe held a two-day celebration on Jan. 18-19 for their 100th year of Federal Recognition.
*The Colville Confederated Tribes is offering a $1,000 reward for information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who vandalized the East Omak Senior Citizen Center on Oct. 29, 1980!
15 Years Ago - (December 21, 1990)
*A Special Election was held on Oct. 20 on a Constitutional Amendment that would separate the Tribal Court from the Business Council. The Business Council on Dec. 15 certified the results. There were 271 Yes Votes and 191 No Votes on the Amendment.
*We-Ta-L-O Wilder, 19, is a member of the Army’s 459th Reserve Detachment in Wenatchee. It was announced that her Unit will be put on Active Duty status. She’s scheduled to go to Basic Training at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, in January or possibly sooner.
*People donated 68 pints of blood at the Spokane and Inland Empire Blood and Bone Marrow Drive held Nov. 29 at the Nespelem Community Center. “Over a hundred people came to donate blood which is an excellent turnout”, said Karen Cawston, Spokesperson for the Colville Indian Health Center.
*Omak District Councilman Dale Kohler wrote in his “Councilman’s Corner” article that he would not run for re-election next year. Physicians have told him that he has a neurological condition, and Dale said it affects his ability to walk and his energy levels. He said that he also has a back problem.
*The Grand Coulee Dam area Rotary Club has selected Toria Sandaine as the 1991 Rotary Exchange Student, and she will spend her Junior Year in Australia. Toria is a Sophomore at Lake Roosevelt High School, Coulee Dam, WA., has a 3.71 GPA, and she was recently chosen as her school’s “Raider of the Week”.
5 Years Ago - (December 22, 1995)
*A Comprehensive Agreement to provide Child Support Services on the Colville Indian Reservation was signed on Dec. 6 by Representatives of the Colville Tribe and the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services’ Division of Child Support.
*Angie Nanamkin, 17, of Nespelem and a student at Lake Roosevelt High School, Coulee Dam, WA., has been selected to go on a cultural exchange trip to Hong Kong and The Peoples’ Republic of China. The Washington Cultural Exchange has accepted her application and deposit. Angie and other athletes will compete against their Chinese hosts in volleyball and basketball at the Hong Kong Sports Institute in Hong Kong and at the Guangdong Institute of Sport and Physical Education in Canton.
*David Shaw Jr., 17, who is a Junior at Omak High School, will be a member of the USA Track and Field team when they compete in Gaungzhou, China, on New Years Day.
Retirement Dinner held Tuesday, Dec. 13, for BIA Superintendent, Colville Agency
YOU’RE OFFICIALLY A TRIBAL ELDER—William “Gene” Nicholson receives from Harvy Moses Jr. a Certificate that recognizes Gene as a Colville Tribal Senior Citizen. The Ceremony took place during the “Retirement Dinner” held for Gene on Tuesday, Dec. 13, at the Holiday Inn—Portland Downtown Convention Center, Portland, OR. Gene has been the BIA Superintendent at the Colville Indian Agency since Aug. 21, 1995, and his last day of work will be Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2006. Nespelem District Councilman Harvey is the Chairman of the Tribes’ Business Council.
WITH THIS HAND I CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS!—Attending the Retirement Dinner held for Gene Nicholson were three of his fellow BIA Co-workers: (L to R) Debbie Wheeler, OST Fiduciary Trust Officer...Rita Martin, BIA Roads...and Debbie Francis, Trust Officer’s Secretary.
WHAT SIZE BULLET DOES THIS RIFLE HOLD??—The fifteen (15) BIA Agency Superintendents from the Northwest Regional Office wanted to make sure Gene received a rifle. The Superintendents are from the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.
THAT WAS A BIG ELK WASN’T IT?—(R to L) Ray Maldonado, BIA Superintendent of the Olympic Peninsula Agency, presented Gene Nicholson with two framed pictures. The two pictures showed the Elk Gene killed last Oct. 13 at Copper Creek near Keller, WA. Ray is a Tribal Member of Yakama Indian Nation
I BEAT YOU GENE—Phil Sanchez bids farewell to Gene. Phil retired as the BIA Superintendent of the Umatilla Indian Agency last August!
Childhood Memory of Christmas
When I was in the second grade, our teacher read us stories about the Indians and the Pilgrims and how they feasted together as friends which has become known as Thanksgiving. My only recollections of Thanksgiving is the story we had to tell about our Thanksgiving Day to our class. I remember telling a story about the big dinner we had. We had turkey, dressing, potatoes, yams, cauliflower and pies. I didn’t even know what cauliflower or yams was. Really, we just had our usual meal – dear meat or fish, potatoes, biscuits and maybe carrots or cabbage. Carrots and cabbage were two vegetables that lasted during the winter. We did not have a refrigerator to keep fresh vegetables. My grandmother was a great pie maker, so we usually had pies.
With the passing of Thanksgiving, I knew that Christmas would soon be here. I remember two weeks before Christmas, I would help my mother wrap presents. Most of the presents were for adults. These presents were dried meat, dried salmon, canned huckleberries, dried roots, fabric and maybe shawls, beaded bags and baskets. These gifts would be given to relatives and friends. My family did not have the money to buy us children gifts.
The gifts were prepared for the Christmas party that was sponsored by a woman’s group about a week or two before Christmas at one of the old buildings at the agency. The large room would be decorated with a tree with bright lights, green and red paper chains, colorful balls, and other decorative items. There was a nativity scene to remind us that Christ was born on Christmas Day. On the night of the party, there would be singing of carols, a skit, poems about Christmas and speeches, culminating with the passing out the gifts and, then, the happiest time of all for the children, the stocking given to each child. Each stocking had an orange, apple, nuts and candy.
I forgot to mention that to my surprise, I did receive a gift at this party. My aunt, Cecilia Peo gave me shiny wide ribbon that would look pretty on my two long black thick braids that my Grandma patiently braided every day. I was very happy to get this present, especially since she had very little money to spend on gifts.
The really big event was the one on Christmas Eve at the Catholic Church. Everyone would get dressed including my grandma who wasn’t a Catholic, and we would attend the three masses. I was so excited that I managed to stay awake through all three masses. At the ending of the masses, Santa Claus made a grand entrance. Merry Christmas, Ho Ho Merry Christmas! I suddenly dawned on me that Santa’s voice sounded very familiar to me. It was my Dad! He wasn’t exactly the Santa type. He was a quiet person. The other children didn’t notice. They were laughing, jumping for joy with the sight of Santa. Santa had a big pack on his back, stockings filled with goodies for each child. Each stocking contained an orange, apple, nuts, candy and some simple toy. I could hardly wait to get home to open my stocking.
When we got home, the fire in the wood stove was out. It would be very cold, but that didn’t dampen my spirit. My dad would make a fire and it would be nice and warm. I opened my stocking and slowly ate the orange, trying to make it last as long as possible, because it wasn’t often that we had oranges. I ate some of the nuts and candy and saved some of the goodies for the next day.
The next day was also a big day. We would all pile into our car, including my grandma, who wasn’t Catholic, for the 10 AM Mass. After mass, we would all go upstairs of the church which was a large room. There, the women, Catholics and non-Catholics, would have a big feast for us. We feasted on deer meat, fish, chicken, roots, squash, vegetables, Jell-O, pies and cakes. The food would be placed on the floor and everyone would sit on the floor including the old people. Now 72, I wonder how the old people managed to sit on the floor.
We would stuff ourselves. We children would play. The adults would visit. The day would end. What a happy day!
Ruth M. Wapato
Senior Employment Program 55 or Older
The Colville Tribes Area Agency on Aging Program is seeking applicants who meet Senior Employment Program eligibility requirements for positions located within the Colville Tribal programs for twenty-hours per week and minimum wage. Applicants must provide proof of age, live on the Colville Indian Reservation, and meet program income requirements.
Please stop by the Area Agency on Aging office to fill out applicant eligibility form, or contact the Area Agency on Aging Program at (509) 634-2758 for more information.
Back to top>
