Indians Captivate Ski Area Caretakers at Seattle Expo - With Weapons of Mass Instruction
Two American Indian superskiers, Tlinkit x-treme skier and raven dancer, Gene Tagaban, and Tulalip Stew Young, "fastest Veteran on skis," captivated ski area leaders at the "Salute to North America's First Caretakers" at Seattle's SnowSports Expo November 12-14. Together with Olympian Suzy Chaffee they inspired a new breed of "ski area caretakers" to welcome their local tribes back to their ancestral lands. It includes 10 ski areas from Oregon to Canada to Alaska, inviting their tribes to ski and board and share their sustainable culture and snowblessings to "stengthen the future of skiing."
(PRWEB) November 19, 2004 -- Two American Indian superskiers captivated the
hearts and minds of the next generation of skiers, as well as ski area leaders,
at the "Salute to North America's First Caretakers" at Seattle's SnowSports Expo
November 12-14. Kids were spellbound by their "weapons of mass instruction" -
the magnificent eight foot Raven wings, storytelling, and snowdance of Tlingit
x-treme skier Gene Tabagan, and the eight foot skis and shiny red war-painted
suit of Tulalip speedski champ Stew Young.
By sundown Sunday, after
joyfully circling the wagons (booths), the braves, (along with snowdance host
Olympic skier Suzy Chaffee), had commenced a healing of hundreds of years of
broken promises, by inspiring a new breed of "ski area caretakers" to welcome
their local tribes back to their ancestral lands. Tribal youth and families from
Oregon to Canada to Alaska are now being invited to ski and board and share
their sustainable culture and snowblessings. Sturtevant's Al Quinn, Expo's
co-producer with Bernie Weitzel, donated gear to help the Northwest Indian
College launch their Native Ski Program at Mt Baker, thanks to professor Ray
Levesque (Tlingit-Cherokee) and Lisa Santana (Lummi VP of NWIC), along with
Elder "Uncle Paul" (Tlingit), who united in the prayers for snow.
Also
motivated by National Geographic's October coverstory - that the glaciers have
melted in 10 years, equal to that of the last 1,000 years - skiers and "World
Watch" scientists (who called Northwest tribes "models of restoring the fish")
are paying attention to tribal wisdom as never before.
"I want to thank
all 'Washington's First Caretakers' - the tribes of our state - for remaining
true to their heritage in continuing to work to keep our lands pristine," said
Senator Patty Murray. Scott Kaden, President of the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas
Association, wanting to strengthen the healthy future of Oregon, Washington,
Alaska and Idaho skiing, by partnering with the tribes, had asked "Suzy
Chapstick," co-chair of (Aspen-based) Native Voices Foundation and former U of
Washington student, to mobilize the wisdomkeepers for Seattle's Expo.
Tagaban and Young have offered to help launch these fun cultural
exchanges for the youth at the premier mountain communities, who within a few
days after the Expo, committed to being part of this historic outreach: Crystal
Mountain, Stevens Pass, Summit at Snoqualamie (diversity leader), Mission Ridge,
Mt Hood's Ski Bowl, Alaska's Alyeska, as well as Canada's Whistler, Sun Peaks
and Apex.
John Kircher's cooperative relationship with the Muckelshoot
Tribe has resulted in Crystal Mountain's sustainable growth philosophy that
keeps the mountains more pristine and accessible for all, a NW tradition.
Stew was ecstatic when Stevens Pass GM, John Gifford, invited his
Tulalip Tribe to ski and board there, as well as train for his return to the
World Cup Tour in Europe, hoping to beat his 143 mph unofficial record at a
"Young" 50. Taos, Mammoth, 49 Degrees, Whistler and Alyeska pioneered
ski/boarding programs for reservation schools, "the No. 1 motivator for Indian
youth," and natural high alternative to kids of all cultures.
The magic
of Tabagan and Young (won a Can Am ski race), connecting at the Expo, also
solidified a dream of Mt Hood's Timberline Ski Area's Rick Wargo, to have an
American Indian Team compete at their Golden Rose Celebrity Race next spring.
Ski Bowl has offered training and enough equipment to help the Warm Springs and
Umatilla start ski programs.
The team may likely be led by Olympian
Billy Kidd (Abenaki) who suggested the snowdance at Denver's SnowSports Expo
last year - the 15 feet of early snow inspired over 100 ski areas to join this
year's Salute. Transending borders once again, Whistler shared that it is
sponsoring a First Nations' Snowboard Team for their 2010 Olympics. Voted the
"Number 1 Ski Area in North America," the secret may be the high percentage of
Whistler's employees are First Nations skiers/boarders.
At season end,
Idaho's Silver Mt, host of the North American SnowSports Journalists Association
Conference in April, will include some kind of salute to "America's First
Caretakers" and the visionary ski areas that made this monumental breakthrough
possible.
Seattle's Salute was sponsored by NUTIVA, Northwest Indian
College, Paiute Nation, and SweetLeaf Stevia (discovered by Brazilian Tribes to
keep them lean and diabetes free).
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/11/prweb179739.htm