Events Page

June 28, 2010

Buffalo Update

Wind River Buffalo

Soon the Na ee chii Gift Shop and the Jicarilla Shopping Center will be offering buffalo meat cuts that is USDA inspected. Roast, steaks and ground meat will be sold by the pound.

As of today, June 24th, 22 buffalo calves have been born to the herd at Wind River Ranch. Are you interested in purchasing buffalo? Buffalo (Iyanee) is a healthy red meat that sustained the Jicarilla Apaches for centuries. Stories are told by elders of their Grandpas or Uncles hunting buffalo in the great plains. To one elder, he describes the buffalo as their "supermarket". Everything you needed was provided such as tools, food, shelter and clothing.

Get your buffalo on the hoof by contacting Bryan F. Vigil at (wk)575-759-1343, (cell) 575-202-5997, or email bfv@jicarilla.net

COMMUNITY VOICE SECTION

Dear jacc@jicarilla.net,

Re: Keeping Culture Alive!!

The Jicarilla Apache Culture Committee was organized in 1993 by former Vice President Wainwright Velarde. Since then, the Committe has been instrumental in establishing the Culture Center and in supporting camps that give young men and women an opportunity to sleep in tipis and listen to Apache stories around the camp fire. The Committee has given advice to the Culture Center in how to preserve language, customs and the protection of sacred sites on and off the reservation. The newly established Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) relies entirely on traditional knowledge in its work to preserve historical sites. The Committee gives insights to history that is not found in books or in some cases not passed on to the younger generations.

But another contribution is one that is unseen to most observers and that is the informal conversations that take place in the home, at the store, at family gatherings, at the Tribal Building, meetings, traveling and political rallies. If one remembers, culture and language was not a priority to most Jicarilla Apaches, certainly not the leaders when the Language and Culture Program of JADE (Jicarilla Apache Department of Education) was abolished. The conversation at the time was that people can speak English so the barriers to communication no longer exist. (There are a few people who still uphold this view.) The informal conversations over the years seem to have convinced more people that the importance of preserving the language lies with each of us. Tapes and a dictionary are a product of this view.

Much is needed to continue this work. I know there are innovative and creative individuals who have suggestions that are powerful. Your ideas are needed.

Please share by sending comments to jacc@jicarilla.net or comment on Jicarilla Apache Events|Facebook. WE, APACHES, ARE IN THIS TOGETHER! whether it be electing new Council members, being employed, getting dividends and land, having homes off the reservation, marrying outside the membership, or having informal conversations that change public opinions.

Sincerely,

Lorene Willis, Culture Committee Member

and Former Director

Jicarilla Apache Cultural Affairs Office