Indigenes Games Notes

Indigenes Games Notes
By: Loyola Rankin

Tanisha Head, 8.
Place of interview: vending machine
Home: Ogichidaag, Minnesota
Summery: This is Tanisha’s first time at the Games. She drove 17 hours with her family, 5 people in the vehicle, to see her brother Tridell, 15, play basketball for Team Minnesota, number 24 on the team. She was very informative and said that she was enjoying her time at the games and her visit to Colorado. She also said that she wanted to be in the Indigenes Games as a basketball player.


Carol Vigil, 42 Becky Vigil, 73
Place of interview: down the sidewalk, baseball field-basketball court
Home: Tesque Pueblo, New Mexico (10 miles out of Santa Fe)
Summery: Visiting a brother in Longmont (east of Boulder). Drove 8 hours just to watch the games, very sport orientated family. 4 people in the vehicle. They said that they were enjoying the games so far. Both liked that Native American youth were getting involved with their culture and that language was important as well as their elders. Becky said that a disappointment about the youth was that they were not involved with their culture, community and family. Also that they did not know their own language or that their parents did not know the language as well. Proudly stated that her grandchildren knew their language, Tewa, as their first language and English as their second.


Lace Frank, 28 Jamie Scott, 29
Place of interview: Next to the concession (frybread) stand, baseball field
Home: Warm Springs, Oregon
Summery: All from the Warm Springs/Columbia River Tribe. Younger brother, Jereme Tallbu, 13, was to play on Team Oregon but the team forfeited. Roy Spino, the coach of Team Oregon, gave different reasons to different people: no money, the Colorado elevation was going to affect the boys’ performance. The team consisted of 13 and 14 year olds. Came down to Colorado in two cars; both with four passengers, one car leaving a day a head of the other. One car leaving a day earlier then the other when the Games are over. “I like it, it’s really neat.”-Frank. The unity of different tribes, also a positive movement. Drug and Alcohol free event. “A lot more (youth) involvement.”-Frank. Tribe did not help with more, needed a sponsor. “Tribe does not care about the youth.”-Frank. The organization of the events needs work: times of events, which is playing whom, where are they playing, stick to times given. Been everywhere to find an event in progress. Over all, wroth the trip: meet new people, find out about other tribes, bring people together (Native American Olympics). They have a 6 year old son and a 4 month old son. Scott thinks that youth need a role model to give encouragement. The Games is a beautiful thing for youth who “grew up in cities with no natives.” He is a rapper and a promoter for Native Network Media. Likes the word “Native better. “Fraction natives” prouder then “full natives.” Youth think that the rez is good enough.