Kuhseshèhé ßuØ 2017€¦ · Picnic Grove nekayèkwiraØnehkyeh Reservoir...

Kuhseshèhé:ßuØ 2017

Skaru:ręØ Monthly, December 2017

Volume 8, Issue 12

December 2017

Haudenosaunee Grand Council

Tuscarora Council of Chiefs and

Clanmothers

HAUDENOSAUNEE ENVIRONMENTAL

TASK FORCE (HETF)

Oren Lyons, Political Co-Chair

Henry Lickers, Scientific Co-Chair

David Arquette, HETF Director

TUSCARORA ENVIRONMENT

PROGRAM (TEP)

Rene Rickard, TEP Director [email protected]

Bryan Printup, GIS/Planning [email protected]

Bradley Thomas, Env. Technician

[email protected]

Following the United Nations Earth

Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the

Haudenosaunee held a Grand Council to

discuss the environmental degradation of

our communities. In accordance with the

Great Law of Peace, the Grand Council

passed and agreed, based on

Haudenosaunee protocols and cultural

beliefs, to establish the Haudenosaunee

Environmental Task Force (HETF).

The SKARU:RE MONTHLY is the

official publication of the Tuscarora

Environment Program. You can submit

articles, artwork, photographs, editorials

and letters of love and happiness to:

SKARU:RE MONTHLY

c/o: Tuscarora Environment

5226E Walmore Road

Tuscarora Nation

Lewiston, NY 14092

#716.264.6011

www.tuscaroraenvironment.org

or our Facebook page

“Tuscarora Environment”

December 11, 2017 - Survivor Series, Woodland Cultural Center,

Brantford, Ontario. 10 am – 12:30pm. Every month, a Mohawk Institute

Survivor will share their experience and stories of living in The Mohawk

Residential School. Admission is $10 per person. Pre-Registration is

required. FMI: To register please contact 519-759-2650 ext. 230 or

[email protected].

December 15, 2017 - 2017 Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative

Conference, University of Vermont, Davis Center, Burlington, VT. 9am -

5:30pm. This annual Conference provides an important opportunity for

communication, exchange of ideas, and expanding collaboration around

forest ecosystem management and monitoring. The conference includes

topics like Science for Impact? Know Your Audience; How Weather and

Other Factors Influence Fall Leaf Color Displays; What Sap with That? A

Look at How Native Americans are Adapting to Climate Change and

Maple Sap Production; and more. FMI: www.uvm.edu/femc/, Jim Duncan,

[email protected].

December 16, 2017 - 118th Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count,

Wilson-Lake Plains site, Wilson, NY. If you are interested in participating

in this year’s Wilson-Lake Plains CBC, there are two ways you can help:

1) In-Field observation with a team already assigned to one of the eight

territories. 2) Bird Feeder Watchers - Watch and count the birds that visit

your feeders on December 16th. FMI: Audubon.org, Wilson-Lake Plains

coordinator Garner Light, [email protected], FB group: “Wilson-

Lake Plains CBC.”

January 12-13, 2018 - 2018 Stewardship Network Conference, The

Kellog Center, East Lansing, MI. A conference that will focus on the

Science, Practice and Art of Restoring Native Ecosystems. The 2-days will

include a wide array participants from across the Great Lakes Region and

beyond; student poster and photography competitions; Midewewin water

ceremony; and more. Keynote spears include Sharon Farrell and Dallas

Goldtooth. FMI: www.stewardshipnetwork.org,

[email protected].

March 22-24, 2018 - Native American Critical Issues Conference,

Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture & Lifeways, Mt. Pleasant, MI.

This year’s theme is “Water is Life.” Indigenous peoples of the Great

Lakes Region have always defined themselves in relation to the water.

Traditional knowledge and Western Science must come together to support

our students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

(STEM) and the Arts which will be necessary for sustainability of our First

Nations and Mother Earth. FMI: miec.org.

Coming up ...

Brad using our new tractor to work a field

(on Susies Lane) as part of our Habitat

Restoration project. If you’re interested in

participating in our project please give our

Office a call, #264.6011.


T his year marks the 20th anniversary of the Tuscarora Environment Program. From the small beginnings in 1997

with Neil Patterson Jr. to where we are today, it’s been a great ride and we look forward to many more years serving

our community. We say nya:we to everyone at Tuscarora for letting us carry on with our work and to allow us to

continue providing education to our people.

Here is a list of just a few of our accomplishments over the past 20 years, 1997-2017:

Closed open dumps and removed abandoned cars at Tuscarora resulting in more than 110 abandoned cars removed,

14,000 tires hauled out of Tuscarora over 20 yrs and more than 135 tons of debris removed from open dumps.

Safely disposed of household hazardous waste at more than 6 HHW collection events. Over the last five years we’ve

removed: 25 cubic yards of aerosols, propane tanks & enamel based paints; 446 fluorescent bulbs; 660 gallons of

hazardous liquids, antifreeze & acid liquids; 16,732 pounds of electronics waste and batteries; and many more

hazardous materials.

Addressed failing septic systems and unsafe wells through the creation of a water and wastewater program in

conjunction with the Indian Health Services (IHS) in 2007. We have assisted 73 Tuscarora homes with a new septic

system and/or residential well in the past 10 years.

Responded to illegal dumpings of hazardous waste, tires, and gasoline spills, and other garbage in more than 100

incidences. When applicable, we worked with local outside agencies to ensure the site is remediated and the culprits

were addressed.

Provided over 31 educational and outreach workshops for the Tuscarora community including husking bees, basket

making, cultural presentations, medicine walks, seed exchanges, outdoor skills, energy training, and Community

Emergency Response Team classes. Including this 2017 20th anniversary year where we provided an Earth Day Fair,

Water and Wastewater Training, and an Evening with Tom Porter.

Engaged over 55 young people from our community in summer internships for high school students and college

students. These paid internships provided employment opportunities to our Tuscarora youth and hopefully gave them

new insight to future possibilities and potential job endeavors. But more importantly a love and appreciation for our

community and environment.

Created multiple opportunities for our community to stay informed about environmental issues and education. Our

Office has a monthly newsletter, Skaru:re Monthly (which won a 2004 U.S. EPA Environmental Quality Award);

the tuscaroraenvironment.org website which is updated with notifications and monthly newsletters; and an active

Facebook page “Tuscarora Environment” which reaches beyond Tuscarora to other Haudenosaunee communities

and to those Tuscaroras who can’t live here at home.

Participated in 5 years of Plum Pox Virus testing at Tuscarora to help prevent the spread of the disease in our region.

Of note, our Tuscarora site has annually collected the most leaf samples in all of Niagara county thanks to our

summer interns. In addition we continue to work on our Forest Pest Inventory which aids in detecting any new

invasive insects in the area like Emerald Ash Borer and Gypsy Moth. And for the last 15 years we’ve worked with

local and national agencies to help slow the spread of gypsy moth populations with over-head spraying by plane.

Shared with our youth many opportunities to participate in cultural and environmental camps over the past 20 years.

Well over 85 youths from Tuscarora and other Haudenosaunee communities have participated in: Haudenosaunee

Environmental Youth Corps (HEYC) camps about outdoor skills and material culture; Native Earth Camps open to

all northeast native students; NYS DEC summer camps where we provide a free opportunity to attend for 4 students

from Tuscarora; and our own Tuscarora winter camps for the past 3 years open to our students from Tuscarora.

In 2013 we completed one of our biggest projects ever - The 2013 Tuscarora Migration Project. A hard and

complicated project to plan, we’re able to map out a 70-day 1,300 mile course across 6 states and coordinate

multiple volunteers and assisting partners to make it a success. To help share our Tuscarora story was a joy and we

say nya:we to everyone for all their support during that time.


Winters in the Northern Hemisphere are cold

because the Earth’s axis is tilted away from the Sun,

giving us fewer daylight hours. Winters in the

Southern Hemisphere are much milder than in the

Northern Hemisphere because the Southern

Hemisphere has significantly more ocean and water

heats up and cools down more slowly than land.

http://www.noaa.gov/

During the winter, birds rely more heavily on seeds

and nuts than they do in the summer when insects

are plentiful. Some birds cache food throughout the

late summer and autumn so they have extra supplies

for the winter. The berry bunches on Sumac trees

are one important source of winter food for the birds

that stick around during the cold months.

www.audobon.org

Did You Know . . .

On average, thirteen inches of snow equals one inch

of rain in the U.S., although this ratio can vary from

two inches for sleet to nearly fifty inches for very

dry, powdery snow under certain conditions.

www.nssl.noaa.gov

D on’t forget to apply for the Tuscarora Nation book grant. The

monies are open to enrolled Tuscarora attending college,

university, trade school or vocational training program. The money is

intended for books and/or supplies. In return, their clanmother may call

upon them to help out at Nation events for the betterment of our people.

When the grants arrive via check, a list of possible avenues to help will

be attached. The checks are written and mailed the 3rd Monday of

January.

Deadline for Spring Term: January 1, 2018

Amount of Grant

Full-time student: $250/semester

Part-time student: $125/semester

Trade/Vocational: $250/program

To apply and for more detailed information about requirements and

eligibility please pick up an application at the TEP office, Tuscarora

Indian School front office or at www.tuscaroraenvironment.org.

REMINDER: Book Grant Applications Due

NYS Indian Aid Award 2017 Fall Semester

T he following is a summarization of the Postsecondary Grant-in-Aid

Award program for Indian Aid from the NYS Education

Department. For this fall 2017 semester they received 535 applications.

Of those 535 applicants only 396 were approved/funded for a total of

$383,735 awarded this semester in NYS Native American Education

Awards.

Allegany Reservation: 8 students; $8,000 funded

Cattaraugus Reservation: 103 students; $97,635 funded

Cayuga Nation: 3 students; $3,000 funded

Oneida Territory: 25 students; $24,510 funded

Onondaga Reservation: 29 students; $29,000 funded

Shinnecock Reservation: 11 students; $10,510 funded

St. Regis Mohawk Reservation: 177 students; $171,080 funded

Tonawanda Reservation: 10 students; $10,000 funded

Tuscarora Reservation: 22 students; $22,000 funded

Unkechaug Reservation: 8 students; $8,000 funded

For Fall 2017, there were 121 colleges and universities attended by

students.

* * *

http://www.noaa.gov/

http://www.audobon.org


W here are you going? We’re

always on the go these days,

and our destinations can be just as

important as the journey. Here is a

list of places you could be going:

Farm úØwneh Circus kateØkwaØníhre Sawmill nekayèsweØkarurehskyeh School yerihètyaØthaØ Old Gym unèhaØ kayèkèØthekskye Cemetery yeØnehná:ryèh

Swamp uwihreh Spring yuçaØtuhstikèhe: Clinic kakunèhwaksyehah Picnic Grove nekayèkwiraØnehkyeh Reservoir thyakutyèwarètyaØnè Lacrosse Barn yunèØruhar yerakhwehstaØ TEP Office skaru:rèØ aØwnawèØte ute:ye Church yeØruçrèhkwha Grocery Store krú:siØ Court kaçi:snayèØ Shop/Store utèhninêhsteh Homeless Shelter yakú:tèht wásßher Cottage unêhseh Beach uçá:takwt neyutehúharèw River Bank uhßêØkareh Ridge yunèØnyê:tiØ

Fair neyètkê:nyèhs Woodshed yeyèkwirayèØnáhkhwaØ Woods urhaØneh Bathroom kayènyèkehstaØ Storehouse yèØnènawayèØnáhkhwaØ BTW: Here is the pronunciation key to help you with the letters. A good suggestion is to say letters and words out loud to help your ear become accustomed to the Tuscarora sounds. Tuscarora Pronunciation Key:* /a/ law; /e/ hat; /i/ pizza; /u/ tune; /e/ hint; /c/juice; /

ch/cheese; /h/ hoe; /m/ mother; /s/ same; /t/ do; /th/

too; /k/ gale; /kh/ kale; /n/ inhale; /r/ hiss (before a consonant or word final), run (trilled elsewhere); /

w/ cuff (before a consonant other than y or word-

final), way (elsewhere); /y/ you ; /sy/ fish; /θ/

thing; /Ø/ uh-oh; /:/ long vowel, /ˊ/high pitch; /`/low

pitch.

*Adapted from Blair A. Rudes, Tuscarora-English.

Hundreds of different toxic

pollutants are created by

burning tires as well as a

tremendous number of small

particles that settle deep in the

lungs.

Dioxin, a byproduct of

chlorine, and a chemical

released into the air from

burning tires, can travel long

distances before settling onto

the soil, water, plants and

animals where it remains and

becomes absorbed. Dioxins

don’t break down and can

lead to reproductive

impairments, and increase risk

of diabetes.

The heavy metals that are

released from burning tires do

not break down and will

build up into an alarming

concentration level in soils.

They will also reduce crop

yields and eventually destroy

plots of agricultural land. The

side effects to human

exposure to these toxins in our

food chain can lead to serious

health conditions.

Wise up and stop burning tires, it

leads to nothing good.

T here are no good reasons to

burn tires. Not to make

money off of it. Not to get rid of

them because you’re too lazy to

dispose of them properly. There

are no good reasons. Here is a list

of reason’s why burning tires will

hurt you, your family, your land,

your food, your community and

your environment:

Tires are not designed to be

burned and contain hazardous

ingredients (the rubber in tires

contains 25% extender oils

derived from benzene, 25%

styrene, a derivative of

benzene, and 25% 1,3

butadiene - both benzene and

1,3 butadiene are suspected

human carcinogens.)

Burning tires releases a toxic

soup of pollutants. Children

are especially at risk.

Tuscarora Word List: Destination


By Taylor Hummel

Fun fact: Your windows let in more

radiant energy than gets out,

meaning warm sunlight can enter

through the glass, but the glass also

blocks the sun’s heat from escaping.

During the day, you should open

your south-facing curtains to let the

sunlight in but keep curtains drawn

over windows that don’t get much

sun. If you still want light to come

in, I suggest using any bubble wrap

you might have lying around. Bubble

wrap can actually cut your heat loss

through windows in half! When it

gets dark, shut your curtains!

Curtains (and bubble wrap) provide

an extra barrier to heat loss, add

insulation, and reduce drafts. If you

don’t have curtains or heavy drapes,

you can always hang up a blanket

over your window. Hanging blankets

over doors also prevents heat loss.

Draft guards can be purchased and

slipped under the door to prevent

heat loss from the space under the

door. A rolled up towel placed under

the door also works well! In extreme

cold, hang blankets along the wall,

even where there aren't any

windows. Cold can radiate through

the wall if the insulation isn't that

great.

If you have a chimney and are not

using it, make sure its flue and draft

(if it has both) are closed. Open

chimneys can suck the heat right out

of your home. Consider blocking the

chimney with a fireplace insert to

reduce heat loss if it will be left

unused, just don't forget to take it out

if you decide to use it again. Also,

make sure your chimneys and

woodstoves are cleaned. Any build

up could be a potential fire hazard!

To keep heat moving through your

house as efficiently and cheaply as

possible, consider rearranging your

furniture. Make sure your furniture

isn't blocking vents, and that the

vents are open where you need heat.

Avoid placing large pieces of

furniture in front of a heater because

they will absorb the heat that could

be warming your home. By moving

your couch away from the heater,

warm air can move throughout your

living space more freely. Also, heat

rises, so if you live in a two story

house, consider spending more time

upstairs. Alternatively, to bring heat

down from the ceiling, most ceiling

fans come with a switch that reverses

the direction of the blades so the

blades are spinning clockwise. Air

pooled near the ceiling is circulated

back into the living space, keeping

the heat right where you want it!

Let us not

forget

about the

wonders

of

layering.

Layer any

extra

blankets

around

you that are not hanging over

windows or doors. Put on that

sweater, wear those fluffy socks and

slippers, and don the hats and

scarves grandma made you. Don’t

forget to snuggle with your favorite

cat (or dog) and utilize those little

mobile heaters! Remember, at the

end of the day, it’s not about keeping

your house warm, it’s about keeping

you and your loved ones warm this

winter!

T he whole idea behind

winterizing your home is

simple. You want to keep the cold

outside and the heat inside. Here are

some things you can do to keep

warm during the winter with

minimal effort!

First, you want to focus on weather-

proofing your house. Most homes

lose heat around doors and windows.

What’s great about this is they are

some of the easiest places to modify

for the winter. Warm air can escape

and cold air can enter your house if

there are gaps around your doors or

windows. Weather-stripping and

caulk can be used to fill any gaps

you might see in siding, windows,

and doors. Duct tape also works to

help prevent drafts. Remember,

we’re trying to keep things warm

with minimal effort! But you really

should make sure your home has

proper insulation, especially if you

have an attic, which is a major

source of heat loss.

By Bryan Printup

ABOVE: 1939. Shown above is a scene during

inauguration of electric service on the Tuscarora Indian

reservation, with members of the Tuscarora tribe and Power

company officials who took part in the ceremonies. Those

in the picture, reading from left to right, are Wilfred

Stephens, vice president of the Buffalo-Niagara Electric

corporation; Rob Roy MacLeod, executive vice-president of

the Niagara Falls Power company; Homer Patterson, James

Greene, and Edison Mt. Pleasant, members of the tribe, and

Harry Anderson, superintendent of the Buffalo-Niagara

Electric corporation.


The Niagara Falls Gazette Saturday, August 19, 1939

CEREMONY MARKS INAUGURATION OF

ELECTRIC SERVICE TO RESERVATION

TUSCARORA RESERVATION. - Wilfred C. Stephens, Buffalo,

and Chief William Chew, president of the Tuscarora chiefs’ council,

pushed on a pair of bar switches on the Philip Wendt farm in the

Walmore road at 4:20 o’clock yesterday afternoon. A smoke bomb

exploded; Niagara Falls electric current coursed into the Indian

community for the first time.

Today electric radios, irons, curlers, and other equipment were in use

for the first time in local Indian homes. Six other homes not on the

line yesterday were being speedily wired to accommodate the new

convenience.

“It will mean a lot to the reservation. We’ll be able to hold lawn

socials, use moving picture machines for educational programs,”

commented Eli Henry, vice-president of the Tuscarora Agricultural

society, prime mover of the reservation electrification proposition.

Rob Roy MacLeod, executive vice-president of the Niagara Falls

Power company, Harry C. Anderson, Niagara Falls superintendent of

the Buffalo Niagara Electric corporation; Bert Wardell, B.N.E.

superintendent; George Piper, Benjamin McCormick, Henry Quick,

Frank Wahl, Benjamin Leonard, A.F. Bond, Edwards Johns, Robert

Cossair, Jack Foster and Frank Wilcox were agents for the utility at

the ceremonies. In regalia were Chief Chew, Edison Mt. Pleasant,

Tuscarora 4-H club president, James Greene known as “Running

Deer,” and representing the council and people were Chief William

Mt. Pleasant and Mr. Henry.

The new reservation circuit will effect line economies in the

Lewiston area permitting a loop circuit system by which it will be

possible to allow almost instantaneous restoration of service in case

of accident in any part of town. Rates will be the same as in the town

outside the village and the mile strip in the block system of

computation: that is, for the first 14 kilowatt hours the monthly rate

per kw. Will be $1 for each kw., of the next 46 kw., the charge is 4

cents, for each of the next 140 the rate is 2 cents. For each unit above

200 kilowatt hours per month the rate will be 1 1/2 cents. ‘Frank

Power, district representative of the power company, will be in

charge of service and complaints for the reservation area. Sixty cycle

equipment will be in use.

Wiring his home for electricity proved a boon to Chief Chew before

the current actually came into the community. The wiring in Chief

Chew’s home became the path which led a charge of lightening

safely to the ground at 2 a.m., Sunday. A nail in contact with the

lightening rod cable in Chew’s home deflected a bolt from the storm

into his home. The heavy charge followed the house wiring safely to

the ground. The current is expected to make the local gymnasium a

night sport center. The building has not been wired but sports leaders

are at work raising funds to fit the building as a site for Gazette

league basketball games in the coming season.

Chief William Mt. Pleasant, secretary of the Tuscarora council, acted

as liaison agent between the community and the power company in

the extension of service and the locating of lines which have been

strung to accommodate families on the Walmore, Mt. Hope, Chew

and Upper Mountain roads.

ABOVE: June 1934. Tuscarora lacrosse team, Buffalo Junior

League Champions. Front row (l-r): Harry Jacobs, John Hill,

Vernon Jack, Warren Dexter, and Eddie Fraser. Back row (l-r):

Si Chew, Pete John, Dave Seth, Allison Printup, Elwood

Jacobs, Irving Bissell, Cliff Printup, John Gansworth, Steve

Seth, John Pembleton, Osborne Chew and John Williams.

Kuhseshèhé ßuØ 2017€¦ · Picnic Grove nekayèkwiraØnehkyeh Reservoir...

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