E-mail sent to Ron Yob

A letter sent to Ron Yob at the request of the Negake-Stone Grand River Council, received 07 May 2003 via certified mail.

A second letter sent to Ron Yob and the GRBOI, Inc. council via certified overnight mail. This letter was refused for delivery but later sent via first-class mail.

This is the e-mail I sent to Ron Yob on 03/31/03. His e-mail address is Ron_Yob@yahoo.com. As of today, 04/02/2003 I have not recieved a reply. If you think this letter is fair please let me know, or if you believe that I have crossed some kind of line, please let me know as well. I urge everyone to e-mail him and let him know how you feel. This letter reflects my opinions, solutions, and concerns, and is not intended to be taken as the opinions of anyone other than myself. If you have concerns, and would like to have them expressed here please e-mail me at: scwyzlic@nmu.edu and I will post them.

Aniishna Chairman Yob,

I would like to take a moment of your time to introduce myself. My name is Scott Alan Wyzlic, I am known throughout my community and family as Ossokeh ninii. As you know I have put together a website containing information about the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians, and have voiced my opinions about our future for the whole world to see. Fear of retaliation or the repercussions of my words do not deter me, our goal is clear. My cousins don't always share my opinion but their words can be found on this site as well, they are dedicated to the same cause, but at times, with different views. Our differing opinions trace back to the paths our lives have taken... assimilation has taken its toll on our people. I don't believe that it is too late to revive our traditions, our language, and our identity, but it will take the hard work of the whole community and communication. In an attempt to open communication with the tribal officials of GRBOI, I am sending this e-mail to you. I have been led to believe that communication is an important aspect in the success of any endeavor, and wish to be of assistance if possible.

I would like to ask you for input to this forum, your thoughts, concerns, and comments on our status as a tribal entity. It is entirely up to you! Our people would like to hear from their Tribal Chairman, to hear that the U.S. federal government is balking at our reaffirmation (for whatever reasons if you could explain), that your (tribal council) work has been submitted with the "t's" crossed and the "i's" dotted. In a recent conversation with Bob Van Alstine (Michigan Inter-Tribal Council) he told me that he expects to see GRBOI reaffirmed this year, also that the BIA in the Sault had advised that Match-e-be-nash-she-wish, and LRB not be recognized because they were using GRB treaties as their basis for recognition. I also learned that GRBOI decided to take the longer of the two recognition processes, but I don't fully understand them and this is why it has taken so long for our tribe to gain reaffirmation. The letter of intent to petition, and the petition itself would be good for our people to see. With your help, I believe that we can create a website that can inform our people, allow them to communicate with one another (chat rooms?), express their concerns, and come together as a Nation. I would be honored if you would enter into communications with my family, our community, and me. If you would supply me with information about council meetings (place and time), any assistance needed (office workers, monetary donations, etc), I would be more than happy to post them and contribute as possible.

Nimishomisag were leaders of their people, and today the last surviving line of Ottawa Ogama ends with Jiisha Nina. Unfortunately he is the last of our family to think in Odawamowin, a first speaker, teacher, combat veteran of WWII, and elder in our community; his words of advice and encouragement allow me to continue with this endeavor. The greatest words he has ever spoken to me were "I am very proud of you". His life has been one of many, assimilation! His boarding school days at Mt. Pleasant have taken many things from him, save his language. I asked him how our language survived and he told me, to my face, and with sullen eyes; "They beat me...but they weren't going to take my grandparents away from me".

My responsibility to my elders (19 children of Neal Stone and Mary Negake), my cousins, and my community are clear in my mind. Whatever needs to be done for their future, our children's future, and seven generations of the Negake-Stone family's future, is what I will do. My family holds me accountable for my actions, so my actions are dictated by their desires. When the little ones ask me to sing for them at our family reunion every year I always keep in mind that our elders weren't allowed to do this. Even though there are differing views in our family, our odewegan reminds us of our past, and brings hope for the future. Ogama Nina gets tears of happiness in his eyes as his language is again being spoken and sung in public. These little things make us who we are, they remind us where we came from, and lead us where we are going.

I understand that mailing a newsletter cost money (printing, postage, time, etc.), and that the past ten years has taken its toll on you and the entire council, but the last newsletter I received was three years ago (roughly). In the best interest of our people, your leadership, and the future of our tribe, now is not the time to give up. Coming down the home stretch is not the time to loose faith, or to lose the faith of your people. I would be proud to stand behind our tribal leaders and support their efforts, but I hesitate because there doesn't seem to be any interest by the tribal government to communicate with those who they wish to govern. I haven't attended any of the council meetings...that's my fault; also the last meeting I knew about came in a newsletter two weeks after the meeting had taken place. I ask of you to initiate communication amongst our people, to lead them as I know you are capable of doing, and to remember why you are working so hard. Our people will follow you, just as I will, they just need reassurance of your intent.

If GRBOI is in need of any assistance in putting together a newsletter, e-mailing tribal members, mailings, etc. Please contact me.

Niwiijiiwagan Gitchii Miigwetch Kawaubmego gaye

Ossokeh ninii

GRB #MOO 48

"I am an Indian and can be nothing else, I wish my children to be civilized, I know their ways are superior to ours and that my people must adopt them or die, but I cannot change. The young can adopt new ways but the old cannot, I shall soon die - living and dying an Indian. You can bend a young tree but not an old oak."

Cob-moosa (good walker)

Great Chief of the Ottawa

Home page http://www.grboi.com

mailto:scwyzlic@nmu.edu

(906)485-6583 home

(906)250-8733 cell

(906)227-1397 work

cc:

Neal "Nick" Stone

Bill "Charlie" Stone

Merle Stone

The follow up letter: 04/01/2003