Caddo Nation News Archives - October 2004

16 October 2004, 1 PM: Membership meeting in the conference room. This meeting is to discuss the current state of the Caddo Nation. PLEASE MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND THIS VERY IMPORTANT MEETING.

16 October 2004,  to 8 PM: Anadarko Autumn Festival in Randlett Park, featuring pumpkin pie baking contest, chili cook off, turkey call contest, pumpkin toss, husband calling contest, arts and crafts and live music. Arts and crafts tables available for $10 (without electricity) or $15 (with electricity) fee. For more information, contact the Anadarko Chamber of Commerce at 405.247.6651.

22 October 2004, 7 PM: Hasinai Society Gourd Dance at the Caddo Cultural Building. Head Staff: Michael Burgess, MC; Esa Rosa Descendents and Kiti Kiti'sh Little Sisters, co-hosts; Ralph Kotay, head singer; Collier Oyebi, head man dancer; Mary Neconie Shane, head lady dancer; Jonas Cozad, head boy dancer; Rae Cozad, head girl dancer; Larney Silverhorn, AD. Concession stand will be available. Raffles and a cake walk throughout the evening. For more information, contact Shirley Gouge at 405.656.2344, extension 221.

23 October 2004: Dance to welcome incoming Caddo Culture Club Junior Princess Taysha Beth Autaubo and to honor outgoing Junior Princess Marin Blanchard. Schedule of events: 5 PM Turkey Dance, 6 PM Dinner, 8 PM Drum Dance and traditional Caddo dances. Singers and host: Caddo Culture Club. MC: Stratford Williams. Concession stand will be available during the dance. This dance is open to the public. All princesses are invited. No give-aways or specials during this dance. Come join us at the Caddo Cultural Building at the Binger Y (intersection on Highways 152 and 281).

A message from Chairperson LaRue Parker regarding retrocession (19 October 2004)

Dear Caddo Citizens:

It is a sad day for our people when members of the Tribal Council recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs ask the BIA to take back our 638 programs. Five people, LaCreda Daugomah, Christine Noah, Mary Pat Clark, Marilyn Threlkeld, and Ann Donaghey, have asked that the BIA take back valuable tribal programs, ultimately depriving the Caddo people of much needed services. While these people are recognized by the BIA as members of the Tribal Council, three of them have been recalled by the membership of the Caddo Nation.

The BIA has stated time and time again that there is nothing wrong with our programs. These programs are properly administrated. There is no real reason to give our programs back to the BIA. The sole reason that a faction within the tribe is determined to give these programs back is to blame the Chairperson. Because of the actions of this faction, our nation is going backwards - not forwards.

Saturday, October 16th 2004, the Caddo Nation membership heard about the actions of these people and they were appalled. The membership is firmly against the retrocession and plans to take immediate action to prevent it from happening.

The majority of the Caddo Nation stand firmly behind LaRue Parker, Joyce Hinse, and Frances Kodaseet. The membership has vowed action against these five people who are pushing for retrocession and who are tearing down this great nation. These five people will not succeed in destroying the Caddo Nation.

More on retrocession is available here.
The illegal resolution to retrocede the tribe's PL-638 programs can be found here.

Announcement from Chairperson LaRue Parker regarding PL-638 Programs (8 October 2004)

The Tribal Council has been working diligently to keep the tribe and its programs running so that services may be provided to the Caddo people. There is a faction within the tribe that would like to destroy the hard work put forth by Chairperson Parker and the Tribal Council and ultimately prevent the Caddo people from getting the services they need. Unfortunately, this small group of people, namely LaCreda Daugomah, Christine Noah, Mary Pat Clark, Marilyn Threlkeld, and Ann Donaghey, have been somewhat successful in their efforts to have the Bureau of Indian Affairs take back several tribal programs. This group of people have submitted illegal resolutions to the Agency requesting that the Firefighters Program, the Bison Program, and the Aid-to-Tribal Government monies be administered with the oversight of the Agency. These resolutions were accepted by Betty Tippeconnie, though her decision to do so is currently being appealed by Chairperson Parker. The Bureau has also announced that all of the Caddo Nation's other PL-638 programs will be retroceded. In other words, the Caddo Nation will no longer have control over the following programs: Adult Education, Social Services, and Job Training and Placement (JT&P). This disastrous situation has happened despite the best efforts of Chairperson Parker and the Tribal Council. Chairperson Parker has worked with the Agency to prevent this from happening and hosted a meeting in August of 2004. All of the Tribal Council members recognized by the Agency were invited to attend, but only LaRue Parker, Frances Kodaseet, and Joyce Hinse were present to meet with the Agency's representatives. Ernest Redbird, BIA Finance Officer, brought a proposed plan whereby the BIA would review and be the final signature on all expenditures from the Firefighters Program, the Bison Program and the Aid-to-Tribal-Government monies. This was an effort on the part of the BIA to reassure everyone that there is no misspending or misappropriation of funds. As only three Council members attended this meeting and all efforts to appeal the decision to retrocede programs are still under review, the BIA has decided to proceed with retrocession. They are retroceding these programs, not because of any misappropriation or mismanagement of funds, but because the Caddo Nation did not submit a valid resolution in time to draw down these funds. They have not announced a date for when they will take over these programs.
 More on retrocession is available here.
The illegal resolution to retrocede the tribe's PL-638 programs can be found here.

In October, Bobby Gonzalez and Robert Cast visited the American Museum of Natural History in New York City to work on a NAGPRA grant project for the National Park Service. One goal of the project is to document a collection from Cass County, Texas, that has been in the AMNH's possession since 1900. This collection has not been documented, and AMNH was not aware that it was in their possession. The Cass County collection would be classified as unassociated funerary objects under NAGPRA. The Cultural Preservation Office will produce a report with photographs and drawings of the items in the collection.

Other activities of the Cultural Preservation Office include meeting with the Archaeological Conservancy in Texas to visit Caddo mound sites, dedication ceremonies at Poverty Point and Marksville Mound Sites in Louisiana, and monitoring erosional problems at the Joe Johnson family cemetery.


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