tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72380372073926178592024-03-21T12:26:56.729-05:00Dying in Indian CountryOjibwe was his first language. He didn't speak English at all until he started Kindergarten in the early 1950's. That was a hard time for him, but it wasn't the English that was the major problem. Going to school meant going home to live with his mother again, who drank heavily. And it meant leaving his grandpa, whom he had grown to love with all his heart...
Below are portions of the book - "Dying in Indian Country" by Beth Ward.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-83759837994583748182015-01-04T00:30:00.000-06:002015-01-04T00:30:00.777-06:00
The Need for this Book:
Roland grew up watching members of his family die of alcoholism, child abuse, suicide and violence on the reservation.
Drugs, alcohol and gang activity are heavy and rampant on many reservations. There are children dying within Indian Country whose names don’t make it to the media and for whom justice is never given.
“[A]lmost 40 children [have been] Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093382725796223080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-51151993512280166372012-12-31T11:26:00.001-06:002013-01-01T01:25:08.377-06:00Rez Family Speaks Out -
There’s another side to the ICWA that until very recently has received little disclosure or news coverage.
Just why would a family (2-parent, single-parent, multi-generational, or blended) decide that reservation life is not what they CHOOSE for their family? The reasons are many, but some of the reasons are shocking.
What cannot be denied is that a large number of Native AmericansAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093382725796223080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-45839902454427178882012-10-21T03:06:00.000-05:002012-10-21T03:06:25.586-05:00War On Women Comes from Cherokee Nation
NOT ONLY is the ‘INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT’ a weapon against the rights and best interests of many children – but it is an affront on the parental rights of ALL woman ~
The REAL War on Women comes in the form of the Cherokee Nation’s affirmation that single mothers of ALL heritages MUST fear tribal interference if they give a child up for adoption without knowing for certain that the birth Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093382725796223080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-44460441291152372812012-09-30T00:30:00.000-05:002012-09-30T00:30:02.070-05:00Chat with Author Beth Ward at her online Book Signing, Oct 13
The true story of an American Indian who realized just how much tribal and federal government policies were destroying his extended family.
Roland grew up watching members of his family die of alcoholism, child abuse, suicide, and violence on the reservation. Like many others, he blamed all the problems on “white people.”
Beth Ward grew up in a middle class home in the Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093382725796223080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-56739911930632709392012-07-03T00:47:00.001-05:002012-07-10T07:03:16.405-05:00THE BOOK IS FINALLY DONE!
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Finally - after only fifteen years in the making and a lot of blood, sweat and tears - The book is finished.
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This is a true story of an American tribal member who, after coming to know Jesus Christ, realized just how much liberal policies within tribal and federal government were hurting his extended family.
Roland grew up watching Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093382725796223080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-90064755461183261482011-09-16T00:56:00.004-05:002011-09-16T00:56:00.510-05:00Claims to be Christian - Yeah, right.Wilson went to stay with Misty. Well, that would be that. Shirley, remarried, had recently left her husband and was homeless as well. Not only were she and Joy living there, but Cheri, her little girls and Junior too. Wilson would be under the same roof with his ex-wife and all their kids and grandkids. A remarkable situation; they were one big happy family again. He wouldn’t need my babies and Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093382725796223080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-36375947892521329972011-04-06T10:11:00.007-05:002011-09-14T22:42:36.079-05:00Some time later, Savannah killed her mother’s boyfriendSome time later, Savannah killed her mother’s boyfriend. He had been verbally abusing Annie, and Savannah got angry, went into the kitchen, returned with a knife, and stuck it in his back.
I didn’t hold Savannah to blame, though. I couldn’t. So many people had abused her. I blamed all the adults who could have – should have – helped her, including Roland and the social workers. I was disgusted Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12770111831171221548noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-49058258210013972762011-03-24T01:41:00.007-05:002011-09-14T22:38:27.323-05:00That ugly thing in the pit of your stomachHaley was already three days old when I called a nephew up north to leave a message for Wilson.
"Just wait," his nephew said, ''I'll go get him."
"No, I mean, don't bother. I just called to tell you so you can tell him. I don't need to talk to him."
"No, I'll go get him," he said, and hung up.
Strange. All the times I wanted to talk to Wilson and no one would help me. Now, I don't want to speak Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15878772688396463056noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-66174426400341508612011-02-18T15:40:00.004-06:002011-09-14T22:45:37.042-05:00Umm... I take that back....This is really terrible. The book is not on the 2008 disk. I thought I had many copies saved. In fact, I thought I had TOO many, because I was afraid of mixing up later and earlier versions, and ... I DID mix up a couple versions even in this blog... There WAS more than one copy!
So...there was more than one copy on the crashed computer, there should have been more than one copy on the 2008 Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15878772688396463056noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-8534693731732136002010-12-30T00:15:00.010-06:002011-09-14T22:51:40.820-05:00I'm So Over You..
My nursing boards were scheduled to take place at the Civic Center over a two-day period. I asked Marion if Andrew could stay with her over those two days; I'd do better if I didn't have to worry about him. The first day of the test, the staff ushered us into a large room. We weren't allowed to bring anything in with us and we weren't allowed to leave the room. It was a long and stressful day. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093382725796223080noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-53662142356516591942010-12-16T23:40:00.000-06:002010-12-16T23:40:09.956-06:00If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves.
For three weeks we struggled to rid our house of lice. Everytime I had thought they were gone, I'd look on Andrew's head and there they were again. Fortunately, the Crisis Nursery was well stocked with lice shampoo and even an upholstery spray. I helped myself to the products, putting them into the car as my co-worker slept, and went through our home washing every head, stitch of Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093382725796223080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-33489548269931071972010-12-11T01:42:00.001-06:002010-12-11T01:44:42.178-06:00Diary of a Mad Black WomanToday, December 10, 2010, My daughter had ordered two movies from Netflix - "Madea's Family Reunion" and "Diary of a Mad Black Woman."
I'm glad I watched "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" all by myself, because when Helen's cousin entered the church, I began bawling like a big baby. I cried for the next half hour - not really watching the rest of the movie. (Spoiler warning) - Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093382725796223080noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-15580569701464703012010-12-09T03:50:00.003-06:002011-09-14T23:00:49.276-05:00They're Indian Kids. Let the Tribe Take Care of 'em. They Aren't Our Business..
Carrie had been with us now for only about three or four months. It seemed like a much longer period of time had passed, but that was only because so much had happened in that short period of time.
Child Protection informed us that although there was proof Carrie was abused, there was no proof as to who did it. Without proof, they couldn't hold anyone accountable. We were Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093382725796223080noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-47786151919847924622010-11-25T00:05:00.009-06:002011-09-14T22:59:01.995-05:00Tragic Mothers.
Cheri and Gene split up and Cheri, with Carrie almost 18-months-old, moved in with us. I did like Cheri and never stopped wanting to help her, but we walked a fine line with each other. As long as I smiled and gave her everything she expected, we were fine. We spent time together watching TV and teasing Wilson. But again, I was the one that had to do the bending in order for us to get along. IfLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-6484170275778092062010-11-18T14:14:00.003-06:002011-09-14T23:19:06.499-05:00Willingly Wearing the Floor Rug..
The next day Wilson went back up north, taking Dale, Tammy and Misty with him. Mickey stayed with me. I enrolled him in South High School and in a karate class on Lake Avenue. The next Friday, I woke Mickey up for school. “Do I Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-47176607664053155852010-11-11T20:20:00.002-06:002011-09-14T23:17:43.128-05:00The Wedding Reception.
Working with my sisters to ready the yellow canopy and set up the tables, my stomach was tied in knots. I wanted very badly to have my relatives believe my life was normal. I suppose I assumed that because I lived on the south side, they couldn't see my day to day life and had no idea what kinds of things were going on. I wanted to preserve this illusion that was probably much more mine then Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-73579739464761566612010-11-11T00:02:00.004-06:002011-09-14T23:15:38.856-05:00Death, Drunkenness, Driving, Dread, Disgust and Despair - and not one ounce of Courage.
After consoling Mathew at the morgue, Wilson and I visited the brownstone apartment building. Death by hanging does not always happen quickly. In a situation where someone in a noose is dropped from sufficient height, the person may die quickly from a snapped neck, but without height, the person may strangle for several minutes, gagging and suffering before finally succumbing.
As I stepped Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-54690249117701165382010-10-14T00:05:00.002-05:002011-09-14T23:11:04.343-05:00And When They Were Older, They Would Not Depart From It.
In February 1986, because Misty was angry with her mother and didn't want to live there, and because Cheri wouldn't let Misty live at her place anymore, Misty moved in with us. We made it clear this was only on condition she straighten up and go to school. We did our best to help her. We first tried enrolling her in the Catholic high school her best friend was attending. We took her for an Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-33086015859380586402010-10-02T00:05:00.005-05:002011-09-14T23:30:09.232-05:00Children are Expedient: Nothing more.
Having watched the young dancers at the powwows for several years, I was impressed. I imagined Andrew as a fancy dancer. Wanting him to have a chance to learn, I called the Indian Center and was told about a child's drum and dance group meeting every week at the health center. Roland wasn't interested, so I took Andrew by myself.
The room was lined with parents sitting on folding chairs Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-23291474934188785232010-08-07T00:05:00.004-05:002011-09-14T23:24:38.550-05:00Being Raised to Die.
Wilson began working at an upholstery shop on the northeast side. It didn't pay much, but he was glad for the work. I was surprised how little trouble he had getting up with the alarm.
We signed Joy up for ballet classes in the suburb near my Dad’s. Every Saturday that fall, I dropped her off at class and went to do laundry at my dad's. We also signed Junior up with a gym near his house and Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-55929705702570908742010-07-31T00:05:00.004-05:002011-09-13T12:38:54.727-05:00Reality, Race, and the Woman who knew What Mattered.
My daycare, which I had worried would never get going, suddenly filled up. I had eight school age children. I couldn't believe I was getting $400 a week to go play in the pool at the park. Every month I filled out a form for the welfare office reporting how many kids were in the daycare and how much I was paid. My financial worker then worked out some kind of formula and either issued a Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-37533532094399186672010-07-24T00:05:00.006-05:002011-09-13T12:41:58.460-05:00Relax, You're on the Rez. Nothing Matters..
I went to visit Wilson on the reservation in late July. I couldn't stay long; my daycare finally had a child so I had to be back home on Monday. Wilson was staying at Dale's apartment in town. I didn't tell him I was coming; I just showed up.
When I arrived, a lot of people were drinking on the dirt lot that served as a yard. They told me Wilson was inside. The tiny apartment was dark and hotLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-42807869020054178162010-07-10T00:05:00.004-05:002011-09-14T23:31:51.384-05:00Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord.
They had gone to Texas, traveling through Arkansas. Wilson called Elmer from Fayetteville, and Elmer was to come to meet them. But Wilson's friend grew impatient, and they moved on before Elmer arrived. After a brief visit in Texas, they headed north again.
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The elementary school called me to come and get eight-year-old Candis. Her mother had left my Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-35302639725831963592010-07-02T00:05:00.005-05:002011-09-14T23:36:27.093-05:00"God, please help us. Please save our family.".
Andrew was a happy, outgoing kid. One of his favorite games was running and hiding behind the living room chair as soon as he heard his dad's car pull up outside. Wilson then came in and made a big deal about trying to find him. Andrew would squeal and laugh when his dad finally crept over and grabbed him.
When Andrew played outside, I had to keep an eye on him. Turn your back for just a Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7238037207392617859.post-2234356671047266622010-07-01T00:05:00.001-05:002010-07-01T00:05:00.511-05:00Happy Birthday to an Exceptional Man!Roland John Morris, Sr.
July 1, 1945 – June 9, 2004
Roland Morris, Sr., 58, ascended to heaven on Wednesday, June 9th after a four year fight with cancer. Roland, a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, was born July 1, 1945, in Cass Lake, MN. Ojibwe was his first language, and he grew up fishing, hunting, and gathering wild rice with family and friends. He also played intramural basketball, Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03411743274903270542noreply@blogger.com0