Snowdance Phenomena Sweeps Western Ski Areas - "Skiers Can Thank Tribes for Snow at LA Ski Dazzle Show!"
Tribes have helped ski areas in four regions: Colorado, Pacific Northwest, California and New Mexico with snowdances that have produced the best early snow in Western Ski History. California's snowdances were the most amazing... Tribes, in turn, are being saluted at ski shows, and invited to ski and board and share their wisdom at over 100 ski communities.
(PRWEB) December 9, 2004 - "I'd like the thank the tribes if they are
responsible for this early fluke snow storm that dumped two to four feet in the
San Bernadino Mountains, and put them on our staff," announced Fritz Coleman,
KNBC LA's weatherman. " I made a few calls and found the tribes were at the
bottom of it. And on Saturday, Dec. 4, at the LA Ski Dazzle Show at their
Convention Center (1201 South Figueroa St), skiers have a chance to thank the
Southern California tribes... for the ceremony that brought economic lifting
snow to the mountain communities," reported Olympic skier, Suzy Chaffee, the
tribal event host.
Rene Doctor, a Tahitian married to Louis Doctor
(Navajo/Dine), who was a part of the ceremony, told Chaffee that, "At dawn on
November 15, members of Chumash on Mt Wilson and other tribes, like the Cabizon,
praying independently, and as well as an Abenaki and Lakota, united with the
other brilliant colors of humanity - Whites, Blacks, and Yellow - totaling 200,
and performed a Big Bear Medicine Wheel Ceremony, singing sacred prayer songs in
the eight cardinal points encircling the San Bernadinos, with Big Bear at the
center."
"Following the devastating fires last year, the purpose," said
ceremonial leader, Bennie LeBeau (Shoshone), "was to help the drought-ridden
region, especially the trees and springs. Lakota Kim Langbecker, who brought the
Bushmen of the Kalahari, LeBeau and the Big Bear Community together at a
September "Journey of the Heart Gathering" there. "I honor the White People of
the Big Bear Community for doing most the work that inspired these snow
blessings," said LeBeau.
The LA show is the finale of a national "Salute
To America's First Caretakers" at Ski & Snowboard Shows/Expos in Denver,
Seattle, and Sacramento. In appreciation for the ski areas sharing the skiing
with tribal youth, their spiritual leaders have led snowdances in each of those
regions, which resulted in some of the best early snow in America ever! This
year, California's snow, ("thanks to Creator," say tribes), both in the San
Bernadinos and Mammoth, (first to have a Native ski program in schools), has
been the most abundant and early.
At Saturday's ski show presentations
at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., a united group of some of Southern California's
most magnificent dancers, singers, drummers (many skiers), representing the San
Manuel and Pala Tribes, as well as Shoshone and Doctor's Rock Pine Drum, led by
Akima Castenada (Coastal Band Chumash), along with LaBeau, will share their
earth-honoring dances and sustainable wisdom. This dream of partnering ski areas
with California's First Caretakers, came out of Chaffee's honoring Akima (and
Santa Barbara) last April, for being a father of Earth Day as a junior high
school student. A star on "Dr Quinn Medicine Woman" and California Ventures'
"Golden Dreams" story of the First Californians with Whoopie Goldberg, Castenada
became NVF's West coast leader, hoping to inspire the same gracious
opportunities for tribal youth here. Ski areas have been call "models of the
President's Healthier US Initiative on behalf of the Indian Country," by Indian
press, which Native Voices Foundation (NVF) was chosen to spearheaded.
Leading LA's Salute to "California's First Caretakers" will be a team of
"Environmental Champions," led by Gary Petersen of BioConverter, who is
exploring a collaboration between Governor Arnold's Hydrogen Highway and the
California Tribes, including discussions with fellow saluter William F. Cody
(Blackfeet), a descendent of Buffalo Bill. Penny McCoy, (Chaffee's Olympic
teammate), now a Mammoth Mountain owner and author, will also be speaking from
the heart, and signing her eye opening book, "Winning is Everything, But..."
Plus there may be surprise salutes by other eco activist stars as well as
Olympians, who want to coach Native kids in skiing and all sports, including at
the San Diego Olympic Training Center, announced Passadena-based Olympic Alumni
Association President John Naber at the Utah Games.
This Ski Show Tour
happened thanks to Olympic skier Billy Kidd (Abenaki) who suggested that
Chaffee, NVF co-founder, organize a Ute snow ceremony at last year's Denver Expo
in appreciation to ten Colorado ski communities for sharing skiing/boarding with
their tribes. Many "snow farmers," like Aspen, were blessed with up to 15 feet
of economic-lifting snow, which made believers out of over 100 U.S. ski areas
who want to Salute their first Americans this season.
This translated
into NVF's heart-warming Thanksgiving world announcement that U.S. Ski Areas are
welcoming their tribes back to over a quarter million acres of their beloved,
exquisite ancestral mountains to ski and snowboard. "This partnership with the
tribes is strengthening the future of skiing and helping keep 'winters cool,'"
said Michael Berry, President of the National Ski Areas Association, who
authored their "Sustainable Slopes" ski program.
Another bulletin: "I
just came from the Laguna and Acoma Puebos, where they were expressing gratitude
for the snowblessings that are lifting their drought-challenged lands and ski
areas in Arizona and New Mexico, " said Coleen Lloyd (Cherokee), designer of the
hot Native American "Homeland Security" t-shirt.
"The tribes, especially
youth, are thrilled with Ski Dazzle producers Judy Gray and Jim Foster are
making this an "awesome" celebration by offering complimentary ski show tickets
to tribal members at "will call" on Salute Saturday," said Chaffee.
NVF's Salute is made possible by the Paiute Tribe (near Mammoth),
"Mercury in Retrograde" documentary producers (free mercury testing at NVF booth
near climbing wall), NUTIVA (nutritional hemp alternative to fish), Crystal
Springs Golf Resort & Spa (near NYC), TPTs/Westwindworld.com T-shirts, and
SweetLeaf Stevia (discovered by Brazilian tribes, keeping much of world lean and
diabetes free).
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/12/prweb184928.htm