Princess Nomination - n8tivechick

[n8tivechick]

~*Oji_Flava*~ Thanks for the questions!

First, yes, I think being princess is more then representing PowWows.com. To me it means that I am a member of a GREAT native community, and not just a community it is another family to me. I have learned and grown so much from being on PowWows.com. I have been a member since I was 13 years old. I am now 19 and I can't even count all of the knowledge that I have gathered from this site.

Second, yes, I would share my teachings. I have been to various Indian Leadership Conferences and I have shared my teachings there. Also this summer I am going to apply to be a camp counselor at the Michigan Indian Leadership Program, which is at Michigan State University. This is a week long camp that Native American students from grades 8-12 learn about taking college courses, life on campus, and about native culture. I attended that camp when I was in high school for all 4 years. Now I want to give back what they gave me by helping out with the camp.

For my teachings:
The Cherokee Nation has taught me to not take things for granted. As many people suffered during the Trail of Tears they sacrificed their lives for the things we have today. You can never love anyone more then your family.

The Navasink Nation has taught me to respect the earth and the natural resources it provides. The Navasink Nation is located along the East Coast and their main source of food was fish. I learned that if you are kind to the earth it will never stop giving you food and shelter, but if you treat it badly you will ruin it's beauty and what it provides.

I hope I answered your questions to the fullest! Thanks!
~Kelli

[~*Oji_Flava*~]

Hello Girls!

I have a few questions as well.

Do you feel being powwows.com princess is more than just being here on the site and representing? If so, how?

If you were powwows.com princess for 2006, would you be able to share teachings from your nations to younger generations?

All teachings are valued.
Please share 1 teaching from each of your nations. Explain how they have taken part in molding you to be the person you are today.

Thanks...enjoy the excitement! You girls are both bright individuals.

[iolana1]

Thanks for the questions! I am glad that your surgery went well...

1. I think that is it VERY important for natives to have education. It is very hard now to find a job with out an education or atleast your highschool diploma. I myself graduated highschool and a trade school. I am now a licensed cosmetologist. I think that natives have great opportunities to further their education and a lot of them just don't take advantage of it. We can never stop learning, and continued education is also a great thing. It will better our knowledge on new technologies and things that are happening in this world.

2. I think the native article that really struck me this last year was about the native american museum that opened in Washington D.C. It is great to see that our culture is being represented in the United States capital. I was please to hear about all the natives that gathered from all across the country for the grand opening.

3. Well, personally technology really affects my career. The simple every tools that I use in my line of work are always changing. It is great that these things are changing because it makes a better outcome of my work. And better outcomes makes me better money! :) As far as technology and the native culture goes, there are limits. It is great because then we wouldn't have PowWows.com! But on the other hand technology will never change the meaning and the sacredness of our traditions.

I hoped I answered your questions well!

~Kelli

Good answers and good luck Kelli

[n8tivechick]

Thanks for the questions! I am glad that your surgery went well...

1. I think that is it VERY important for natives to have education. It is very hard now to find a job with out an education or atleast your highschool diploma. I myself graduated highschool and a trade school. I am now a licensed cosmetologist. I think that natives have great opportunities to further their education and a lot of them just don't take advantage of it. We can never stop learning, and continued education is also a great thing. It will better our knowledge on new technologies and things that are happening in this world.

2. I think the native article that really struck me this last year was about the native american museum that opened in Washington D.C. It is great to see that our culture is being represented in the United States capital. I was please to hear about all the natives that gathered from all across the country for the grand opening.

3. Well, personally technology really affects my career. The simple every tools that I use in my line of work are always changing. It is great that these things are changing because it makes a better outcome of my work. And better outcomes makes me better money! :) As far as technology and the native culture goes, there are limits. It is great because then we wouldn't have PowWows.com! But on the other hand technology will never change the meaning and the sacredness of our traditions.

I hoped I answered your questions well!

~Kelli

[iolana1]

Boy powwows.com has sure changed in the last month since I had surgery. But anywho congrats to the both of you on running for princess. Either one of you would make a good representative of powwows.com and uphold the responsibility and duties very well.
I just have 3 questions to ask the both of you.
1. How important is it for native youth receive the proper education that they are entitled to, graduate and continue their education upon graduation?
2. With many differnt issues happening in an out of ndn country and through out the world; what fact, new article or event during 2005 meant the most to you and why?
3. With fashion, television/movie industry and hi-tech gadgets how does it affect you, you tribe and the general powwow world and what do you predict it will do to future generations?

Have a Hau'oli Makahiki Hou! (Happy New Year)

[n8tivechick]

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE HERE ON POWWOWS.COM!

~Kelli

[n8tivechick]

here's another:

have you ever held another title? or would you like to hold another title someday (like Miss Indian World...or something like that?)

Thanks for the question!

Yes, I held the tittle of Miss Cherokee Rose for 2002, 2003, and 2004. I did not compete for 2005 because I was very busy with my college education and I thought that I would not be able to devote enough time for it. Not that I am graduated, and started my career, I have enough time to devote myself if I were to be 2006 PowWows.com princess.

As far as other tittles go, I have never been to the GON. I would love to go and yes I would love to complete as Miss Indian World one day. The other princess competitions in my state I am not eligible for because I am not a member of their tribes. I am Cherokee and Lene Lenape and MI is of the Aanishnabe nation. So I miss out on other competitions. That is why I thought representing PowWows.com would be great for me!

~Kelli

[jones]

Thanks for the question Mato Winyan and for the comment.

Currently I am not married nor have I been married before.
Hopefully someday though! Also I do not have any children.

Promoting PowWows.com has been a lot of fun over the years. Every powwow that I attend, when I am not in regalia, I wear my PowWows.com T-shirt. I personalized it a little bit and added my screename and my real name on the back so people can reconize me. Also I have a few web blogs that include my favorite links, PowWows.com is always one of them. It is listed on my AIM profile too. I have verbally discussed PowWows.com with complete strangers before at powwows and even at resturants when I wore my T-shirt.

I am active in indian education through various youth programs in the Kalamazoo MI area. I serve as a mentor and instructor for inspired youth dancers. I have also attended many cultural diversity programs and leadership conferences that were offered by Michigan State University, Central Michigan University and the University of Michigan. All I want to to is to make people feel welcomed like I did when I joined PowWows.com, that is why I love to promote it.

If I was to be the PowWows.com princess I would proudly represent my tittle at powwows and other cultural events. I never have nor will I ever be late for grand entry. I would also keep doing the other things that were listed above with pride.

Mato Winyan I hope that I have answered both of your questions thoroughly. If not, feel free to ask me for more detail or if you have any other questions.
Thanks for your interest!
~Kelli

good luck

[walela49]

here's another:

have you ever held another title? or would you like to hold another title someday (like Miss Indian World...or something like that?)

[n8tivechick]

Thanks!
~Kelli

[**Summer_June**]

Good Luck Kelli!

[n8tivechick]

Thanks for the questions!

I have not met my tribal chairperson because they reside in another state, but I have spoken to Wilma Mankiller on various occations.

I have educated a lot of people on my tribe. Growing up and being in school there is a major misconseption of being "indian." I have been subjected to many types of racism because of it. But that doesn't mean that I am not proud to be who I am. I have educated people on the Trail of Tears and how the Cherokee Nation suffered greatly from it. Also I have spoken at elementary schools about me being Native and the history. You know, the most common question that I was asked was if I rode a horse? That is why I was there, to educate then on how Natives have changed our society and the way of life for everyone. I wish to help demolish the misconseptions of being Native.

I attend many powwows in my state. I go to ones put on my all major colleges, I attend the Land of Falling Waters powwow, and so many more that I can't even name off the top of my head. If I became PowWows.com princess I would also travel to neighboring states.

As far as your 4th question I think you have the information you need from my other posts. Feel free to ask more if you like. Thanks for your consideration!

~Kelli

[walela49]

first of all thanks to all the nominees for puttings yourselves "out there"...I certainly wish you all the best...now for the serious stuff:

1) Who is/have you met your tribal chairperson?

2) What have you done to promote education/awareness of your own tribe?

3) What powwows do you normally attend or plan to attend?

4) How do you plan to spread awareness of powwows.com?

OK....GO!!!!! LOL

ps...you kinda already anwered the "awareness" issue, but I'm posting the same group of questions in all 3 threads!!!!

[n8tivechick]

OK.... No one else has anymore questions yet?
~Kelli

[n8tivechick]

Thanks for the great question Paul!

I think technology is great. I am online a lot during the day. I it is a great way to keep traditions alive and share then with other people around the country and world. It spreads the awareness of tradtions and various cultures quicker then by word-of-mouth sometimes. There are some traditions that are sacred and shouldn't be shared any other way then orally and that is great too. But, we must never forget who, what, and where our tradtions and cultures came from.

Tribes and technology is also a good thing. There are MANY tribes that have websites. I think these tribal websites educate people about a specific tribe, cultural events, history, and tradition. It also makes researching a tribe or tribes very easy with the internet and technology. It too can help with tracking members and other important information.

I have to say that I have learned so much about my tribe, other peoples' tribes, and traditions with technology and the internet. That is why I am here Paul, just to continue the circle...

I plan on representing PowWows.com ON PowWows.com . As the princess I think that it is a must to be active on the site and it's community. I will be active in forums, contests, and other various polls. I wish to welcome new members too... Besides representing within the site I stated in the last response to Mato's question, that I have various weblogs and other sites that I am a member of where PowWows.com is listed as my favorite site to visit. It is listed on my AIM profile as well.

I hope I answered your question as you wished, please ask again as you think of more questions! Thanks!

~Kelli