OUR 23
RD
YEAR
MULTICULTURAL NEWS FROM AN AMERICAN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE
MAY 2009
Eileen George Following Sacred Path
Head Woman Dancer American
Since arriving in California, Eileen has Annual American Indian Culture
Indian Culture Days
never abandoned her native roots and Days Celebration, May 9th – 10 in
has always been involved with programs Balboa Park in San Diego, she will
When Eileen George first set foot on
and activities attached to her heritage. share her dancing with us when she
San Diego Kumeyaay land she brought
She developed the Choctaw Institute of steps into the sacred circle. She
with her an abundance of life skills and
Culture in Lemon Grove, CA. to pro- dances Eastern Cloth, Buckskin,
knowledge that has enhanced not only
mote the language survival of tribes. In Choctaw Social Dancing, Stomp
the Natives in the area but the San Diego
spring and summer, she promotes Dancing and is an Eastern Blanket
community at large. As an Insurance
Mississippi Choctaw Stickball, which dancer.
encompasses a clothing exchange and Whether the Choctaws are histori-
Nurse Specialist and registered nurse,
barter program. She is also the past vice cally a maternalistic society can be
many have benefited from her caring
president Walk the Red Road. Along debated by scholars. What is unde-
spirit.
with Gene Buckman and others, they batable is that Eileen George is the
Eileen George is from the Choctaw
formed the first NASA Group in epitome of a caring, involved, civic
Indian reservation in Choctaw,
California, the Native American Student minded community member, who
Mississippi. Her parents were the late
Association at Cal State L.A She has been often is the first to step up to the
Baxter and Grace York, members of the
involved with the Clara Baptist Choctaw plate to meet a challenge that will
Eileen George, a community treasure.
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
Language Class, the Fontana. Indian benefit others. We honor Eileen
She has four brothers (two deceased)
Center language class in Fontana, Ca and George and the kinship based heritage
“We are born to Okla Homa, a Chahta
and four sisters. She is married to
San Diego State Choctaw Telecourse at that she represents. As the niece of
people. Chahta is one tribe. In this tribe
Arnold George (Dine) and has two chil-
the request of Choctaw Nation of (Chief) Miko Beasley and Lena Denson
we have two spirits as taught through
dren, Jon and Billie.While on the
Oklahoma Chief Gregory Pyle, consult- of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw
elders, ceremonies, ball games, politics
Choctaw reservation, Eileen George ing and promoting the Choctaw lan- Indians, she encourages everyone to be and community life. Continual happi-
formed the Native American Girl Scouts guage program in California involved in all phases of Native
with the late Lee Bacon in high school. As head woman dancer for the 21st American culture.
SEE Eileen George, page 12
In this issue...
SCAIR Soaring Eagles
1 Eileen George Walks the Path
2 Peruvian Shaman Come to Viejas
are Head Staff at Wellness
3 Saving Native American
Languages Social Pow Wow
4 Grow Greens Instead of Grass
5 Vanishing Honey Bees by Roy Cook are produced by a com-
6 Barona Tribe’s Scholorships
bined effort of their fam-
Community Meets with Lansdown
Monday evening; April 6, 2009 at the ilies. The San Diego
American Indian
7 Ivan D Sam Head Gourd Dancer
University of Oklahoma 8th Annual
Native Women and Men Wellness Warriors Association
8-9 Community Photos John Lewis
Conference in the Town and County attends for the gourd
at Jacobs Center – North Park
dance led by Richard
Farmers Market
Mission Valley the Soaring Eagle Dancers
Soaring Eagles perform at Wellness Conference.
enjoyed the opportunity to express our Van Dyke Parker and is
10 Ernie Paniccioli Hip Hop
culture and traditions. For a timeless the Honor Color Guard.
Photographer
four hours we are, once again, in the cir- The Emcee, Randy
has endured and Indian dance tradition
11 I Love A Clean San Diego Clean
cle of life. This circle contains aspects of Edmonds, acknowledged our Military
will continue to remain and evolve
Sweep
the good red road that we lightly place Warriors now serving and past veterans
though a variety of dance traditions that
12 Community meets with Police our feet to. This circle is the entry path of many campaigns. One can live a life-
would eventually be defined as the mod-
Chief Lansdown
to that special place and songs that
time in shorter periods of time but for
ern powwow today. Among these tradi-
14 UPTown View - Las Vegas
inspires us to dance beyond our physical
these good four hours in San Diego,
tions were summer gatherings of cere-
15 Nevada Tourism New Mobile
selves. This evening there are many
California many of us had a dandy time.
monial and social dances, healing,
Website
songs from good drums: Green River
Edward ‘Chuck’ Cadotte is the Arena
memorial and warrior society dances
and the San Diego Inter-Tribal Singers.
Director for this dance.
16 Ute Indian Tribe Lawsuit
held to honor and bring protection upon
Everyone has an ample opportunity to
Dance has always played an impor-
their members.
www.indianvoices.net
dance and enjoy being what we are,
tant role in Plains Indian cultures, as a
Both these traditions, along with
Indian people.
central element in both religious and
many other American Indian practices,
The Soaring Eagle dancers are all San
secular life. Less than 100 years ago,
underwent severe restrictions during the
★ LAS VEGAS ★
Diego area Indian children. Their outfits
powwows did not exist, as we know
COVERAGE INSIDE
are colorful and worn with pride. Many
them today. The continuity of culture
SEE SCAIR Soaring Eagles, page 2
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