What happened last night....

**Kio-Manche** · 06-09-2006, 10:05 AM

BIA investigates tribal incident

By Bryan Dean and Augie Frost
The Oklahoman

Bureau of Indian Affairs agents are investigating a Thursday confrontation between two tribal groups north of El Reno, authorities said.

An ambulance sits at the site of a powwow two miles west of the Lucky Star Casino in Concho where the powwow was attacked Thursday. Photo by Nate Billings

BIA agent Mike McCoy said the altercation involved about 50 people at an area west of the Lucky Star Casino on Black Kettle Road. He said agents had not made any arrests late Thursday.

"There were several assaults," McCoy said. "Several vehicles were vandalized and had their windows smashed out."

McCoy said no serious injuries were reported.

Catherine Curtis of Weatherford said she was at the Arapaho religious festival when fellow tribal members came running into the festival area with axes and chain saws and destroyed an arbor.

Curtis, who was there with her Cheyenne-Arapaho husband and her children and grandchildren, said the attackers were from Wyoming and were upset the ceremony was happening in Oklahoma.

Curtis said the attackers overpowered a security guard to gain entry and left the festival before law enforcement officers arrived.

"It's a disgrace," Curtis said. "They came out here and attacked us. All we want to do is practice our religion."

McCoy said no firearms were involved, but he could not confirm whether other weapons were used or whether any vandalism occurred beyond car windows being smashed. He said several agents were on their way to the area Thursday night to continue the investigation.

Officials at Lucky Star Casino would not comment, but tribal members at the casino said they heard about a fight in the area.

**Mato Winyan** · 06-09-2006, 10:11 AM

What the heck???????? "Religious Festival"???!!!!!!!! Sounds crazy. Is this somthing that is done ..... really? Are they doing other of these in Oklahoma? And people in Wyoming are upset because it wasn't held there?????? DANGGGGGGGGG.....!!

I'm wondering if it is a sundance...... and if it is.... why would it be called a "religious festival"? This is wild.

And why the heck would it be held at a casino???

**ok24stacey** · 06-09-2006, 10:20 AM

That's pretty much what was reported on the news. I try to weigh info from the news media carefully so I thought I'd ask here as well.

I think that it is everyone's right to be upset and express themself. This seems a little extreme and sad. I'm annoyed that it made the news so close to the shootings in Norman last week when I saw only a very small blurb about Red Earth or anything else positive.

I hope everyone is okay. I can't find any arrest info from this incident last night, either. I guess no one was detained??

**Kio-Manche** · 06-09-2006, 11:17 AM

Originally posted by Mato Winyan

What the heck???????? "Religious Festival"???!!!!!!!! Sounds crazy. Is this somthing that is done ..... really? Are they doing other of these in Oklahoma? And people in Wyoming are upset because it wasn't held there?????? DANGGGGGGGGG.....!!

I'm wondering if it is a sundance...... and if it is.... why would it be called a "religious festival"? This is wild.

And why the heck would it be held at a casino???

I don't know anything about this "religious festival". But to answer your question about why is it held at a casino....the fact is, nowadays, you can spit and hit a casino here in Oklahoma.....

**CandaePrincess** · 06-09-2006, 11:41 AM

Well the article said it was NEAR the site, not that Lucky Star was putting it on. And a pow wow is NOT a religious festival....so what gives???? And if it was just a pow wow, why would C&A's from Wyoming, come down to protest it???????

I think we're not getting the whole story.

**WhoMe** · 06-09-2006, 03:54 PM

A lot of skins are talking about it, without any confirmed answers?

Wyoming? The Arapaho and Shoshone live in Wyoming. The N. Cheyenne live in Montana. Were they Arapaho?

The annual S. Cheyenne sundance normally takes place in a large field located NW of the casino, the week following July 4. So was it that sundance OR their annual powwow?

The news report that I heard said they used sledge hammers.

Hmmmmm?

**Chevy_truckin_NDN** · 06-09-2006, 04:07 PM

Okay here's the deal. Thier religious festival was an oxymoron. I was wondering how the media would try to report something like this...especially when you consider that in oklahoma all news stations are insensitive to cultural heritage. Unless its red earth. So with that being said.

The Araphoe Nation of Wyoming does not condone the use of any religious ceremonies outside of Wyoming. The four old men, if asked properly, probably would have in a few years, conceded, but the people that threw one together last year, got bolder this year, and there were more camps. All those people that participated last year were banned from ceremonies in Wyoming. The only people that came down from Wyoming was the 4 old men. The other people that came out to concho and destroyed the arbor and the teepees were people that were recruited from here in Oklahoma. Die hard fanatics. But seriously, if your religion was under attack, would you not do the same thing?

I can't say that people didn't get hurt, because some did, but us Cheyennes, we tend to stay out of the Arapaho ceremonies, just like they stay out of ours. I figure they need to handle their own business. thier own way, and those people that was trying to camp out here, well they were warned. Some people just gotta be hard heads about things, and I also think, have to be just damn lazy, because the trip to wyoming is part of the sacrifice....but that's just my two cents.

~A.

**Chevy_truckin_NDN** · 06-09-2006, 04:10 PM

**sandicloud** · 06-13-2006, 11:57 AM

I appreciate the comments made by the young Cheyenne in regards to what happened with this incident. There are people who are troubled from both sides as to what occurred. If the right protocal had been followed, the outcome of what happened could had been avoided. The bottom line is that the Northern Arapaho ceremonies are not to be played with and they are not for sale.

There are two sides to a story and some of you are right in your assumptions in that you are not hearing the whole story. There are many issues that have led up to this incident. I am very angry in regards to the coverage that has been done so far in reference to this event. Responsible Journalism? I'm sure we have "religious festivals." I am angry as to what happened to the Northern Band and the negative publicity in regards to their actions. My mother told me the best thing to do is pray for everyone who was involved in this "melee." Even for the white woman who seems to be the only one the Oklahoman is interviewing in regards to what happened.

Even as I make these comments, I am a bit uncomfortable because you don't talk publicly about your ceremonies.

Prayers for everyone from both the Northern and Southern Arapaho people because there are repercussions already being felt on both sides. We need to remember we are one people, one tribe.

**CandaePrincess** · 06-14-2006, 09:43 AM

Yeah my friend's dad is on the C&A council er something, and he says that the Cheyenne had nothing to do with that business. The only reason the casino was mentioned was b/c that was as far as the news cameras were allowed to go. So they reported from there.....

**apacheheart** · 06-14-2006, 10:01 AM

...Seems like were gettin' a lot of negative press here folks.Ican just imagine what the rest of the world is sayin' about us....Oklahoma has been a powder keg for as long as I can remember,and these little explosions there are just the beginning of what could be amajor apocalypse in NDN Country if folks are not careful.Let's all relax......keep smilin'1

**sokoki_wolf** · 06-14-2006, 01:00 PM

Originally posted by WhoMe

A lot of skins are talking about it, without any confirmed answers?

Wyoming? The Arapaho and Shoshone live in Wyoming. The N. Cheyenne live in Montana. Were they Arapaho?

The annual S. Cheyenne sundance normally takes place in a large field located NW of the casino, the week following July 4. So was it that sundance OR their annual powwow?

The news report that I heard said they used sledge hammers.

Hmmmmm?

one story i read (that you were quoted in too

) was that sledges and chainsaws were used...the same story also reported that there were older ppl who were too sick to travel up north and thats why they were holding the sundance in OK

**LongHair** · 06-17-2006, 01:48 AM

Southern Arapaho

In Oklahoma it is still free to practice whatever religion you chose. We are Southern Arapaho. Not Northern Arapaho. The Sundance that was held was a Southern Ceremony and no one has the right to keep us from praying in the way our granfathers did, right here in Oklahoma many years ago. Our camp was attacked and our people were physically assaulted. Our lodges and sacraments were burned. Nevertheless the ceremony continued and the vow was completed. Freedom of religion must not be halted for any one.

Peace

Long Hair.........

**sokoki_wolf** · 06-17-2006, 02:32 AM

heres a link to a story on this:

Page Not Found (404) | The Oklahoman

http://www.newsok.com/article/1872589/

What happened last night....