Native American Olympic Bid for China 2008
DENVER, CO — Colorado’s North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) ended with a strong magical feeling of being ‘a feeder to the 2008 China Olympics. That was the hope of Joe Garcia, President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI and San Juan Pueblo Governor/runner), whose Team New Mexico brought home the (ultimate) John Fletcher Spirit Award, said Olympic Skier Suzy Chaffee, co-chair of Native Voices Foundation (NVF).
“Out of the 7,000 American Indian participants in 16 sports, many stood out as Olympic caliber talent,” stated Carole Anne ‘Red Buffalo Woman’ Franklin of Arizona and Stroud, Oklahoma. Her “Full Blood” father, “Happy” Franklin shared the same Sauk and Fox bloodline as Jim Thorpe, called by the King of Sweden, “the Greatest Olympian of the first half of the 20th Century.”
“Carol not only saved the Indian Olympic Bid that was financially floundering, but is also starting the Morning Star Native American TV Network (MSNATV), to cover the historic steps of these magnificent athletes all the way to China and Vancouver 2010 – a healing of the Thorpe Legacy,” said Woody Vaspra (Hawaiian) President of the World Council of Elders. The Boulder-based former pro baseball & football player is also guiding the bid.
“The greased-lightening teamwork of the basketball matches, won by South Dakota’s descendants of Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, conjured visions of those ‘invincible (by fair-play) warriors,'” said Chaffee, (born on Colorado’s Sand Creek Massacre Day). This phenomena inspired the ‘Archrivals of the Court of the 70’s,’ Ernie Stevens, Jr. (Oneida-Wisconsin), National Indian Gaming Association Chairman, and Tex Hall, former NCAI President & Chairman of ND’s Affiliated Tribes (Mandan-Arikara-Hidatsu), whose 145 athletes won 76 medals. Together the rivals are evolving into Champions of Indian youth and a Sustainable World.
“Thanks to the outstanding performances and sportsmanship, I want to help win the bid to include Native American Olympic Teams in future Olympics. The youth are our future,” said Hall, who is lifting his Great Plains Tribes with NativeWind Power and NativeEnergy.com green tags. “I trust and support your efforts,” Stevens told Franklin and Chaffee, who are heading up the Native American Olympic Steering Committee.
Capturing this “Work of Heart” was Steve Allen, the renowned “Official Olympic Artist,” who is painting a collage of the ‘American Indians’ Gifts to the Roots of 10 Olympic Sports’ with faces of modern Indian Legends like Thorpe. “The final fierce basketball matches rivaled the excitement of the NBA,” said Allen.
The Sponsors who stood up to help win the Native American Olympic Bid and develop teams, include some Pioneers of Sustainability: Native Winds.org, BioEnergy Colorado (snowcats too), and the SnowSports Industries of America. SIA is donating half a million worth of gear “to help create a generation of Native Olympians,” said President David Ingemie. 60 of NSAA’s ski areas with Sustainable Slopes Programs are sharing grassroots skiing and snowboarding ops with nearby tribes in appreciation for their snow ceremonies that helped end droughts in 10 states, including prior to the Salt Lake Olympics, sponsored by Ski Utah. (See Native American Ski & Snowboard Team on SNOW-RIDERS.org.
“God bless the Colorado Ute-led organizers for pulling off the most uplifting NAIG Games yet, and the First Nations founders (who carried a bushel of medals back to Canada), for re-birthing Indian Spirit,” said Susan Guerin (Warm Springs), Chef de Mission of Oregon. A “Dynamo for the Kids” who brought home 29 medals, she is now serving on the Native American Olympic Steering Committee. On behalf of all the organizers and coaches, Allen presented Guerin and Franklin with Olympic paintings for their heroic, far-reaching efforts…
“Tribal leaders are seeing how Olympic Dreams and ops are cost-effective fun alternatives to our youth epidemics,” said Guerin. The Native American Legislators Caucus that met in Denver was encouraged by Franklin and Chaffee’s findings and had them present their solutions: “A combo of Olympic Sports Ops, NuStevia by NuNaturals (Tribal discovered sweetener not raising blood sugar), and education thru MSNATV, can do wonders to prevent Indian diabetes, obesity, alcohol….”
Insiders say the Indian Olympic Bid has an excellent chance thanks to Europeans spearheading it: French Princess Caroline Murat (Napoleon descendent) and Prince Albert (Lakota-adopted) of the N. Pole Global Warming Awareness Expedition… “With the team spirit exhibited at these Games, anything, including the Olympics, is possible,” was the buzz.
NVF is a Colorado non-profit 501(C) (3) partnership of US Tribal leaders, Elders and Olympians, whose mission is to “Create joyful unity through sports to help heal Mother Earth for all our children.”
NEWS SOURCE: Native Voices Foundation
[tags]native Americans, olympics, skiing, snow sports, Suze Chaffee, non-profit, North American Indigenous Games, Native Voices Foundation[/tags]
