Press Release
April 23, 2002
UGANDAN BOY-KING AND UTE INDIANS
SKI TOWARD PEACE
"I love skiing. I want to do it again," said
adventuresome10 yr old King Oyo of Uganda at the world's first
intertribal ski exchange with the Northern Ute Tribe at Colorado's
Keystone Ski Resort over the weekend. The young monarch of
Uganda's Kingdom of Tooro was treated to some Rocky Mt culture in
between drumming up support for a children's hospital and sports
center for the 1.5 million orphans of the Aids epidemic for his
country. "We also highly value the voice of youth and
women," said Monsignor Thomas Kisembo, the King's spokesman.
"His majesty, being an avid soccer player, was a
natural,"said Linda Whittle. She was part of a team of
instructors from Aspen and Steamboat who joined Native Voices
Foundation (NVF) to be part of this first step toward implementing
the International Olympic Committee's Agenda 21, which calls for
the inclusion of Indigenous peoples to enhance the sustainability
of the Games.
"With the help of the king we are bridging cultural
barriers and spreading the new Olympic Spirit of including all
Creator's children," said Olympic skier Suzy Chaffee,
Co-chairman of NVF. The event was the brainchild of Chaffee and
David Mporampora of Denver, President of ChristAid.
The first contact between the tribes was at the bottom of the
slopes, surrounded by a throng of photographers. Both high from
flying like eagles on skis down the mountain, 8 yr old Ute,
Raenisa Ridley, stepped forward in her beaded white moccasins to
greet the youngest king in the world.
With head down, she held her hand out to the equally shy king.
As she looked up the two locked their big brown curious eyes,
broke into a smile, and started a bond of friendship between their
two cultures. At the welcoming ceremony, the upbeat teacher, elder
and leader of the Northern Ute dancers, Loya Cesspooch, hugged the
king hello and said, "The mountains are our ancestral home
and it's so nice to share them with you.
Like you, God and Nature come together and are very important
in our lives. The drum is also sacred to us and it's circle
represents the Earth and is the heartbeat of our lives.' Dancing
to the same Ute tribal singers and drummers who opened the Salt
Lake Games, the Ugandans, Utes, Pawnees from the Denver Indian
Health Center, and mainstream Americans at the gathering were
surprised to be of one heart and mind, in spite of living half a
world away.
Native Voices, a partnership between the cultures, provided a
splendid Chief's headdress that Cesspooch and the children
presented the boy-king with a new title, "King of
Peace." Queen Mother Best Kwemigisa Kaboyo, whom Chaffee
taught how to ski along with other family members, stood
approvingly behind him.
"We feel touched hearing the sound of the drum, it is our
way of blessing this visit," said Uganda Prime Minister
Stephen Nyabongo. He then gave the Utes an African drum and told
them to sing and play it when they are happy to remember their
first meeting. He hoped the Utes would visit them in Uganda along
with Olympians who could give their children sports clinics and
encouragement.
Chaffee also presented the king and bishop with a gift from
Lakota-Sioux Arvol Looking Horse, 19th Generation Keeper of the
White Buffalo Prophesy Pipe. It prophesied the coming together of
the 4 colors of humanity around the turn of the Millennium
following the birth of a White Buffalo in 1994.
"Each of you are helping fulfill that prophesy
today," pronounced Chaffee. Arvol's gift was a Indian poster
personally signed to the king inviting him to "World Peace
and Prayer Day" on June 21, in Durbin, South Africa. Arvol
was instructed to visit sacred sights, the chakra centers of
Mother Earth around the world on the Solstice and promote peace
through prayer. The African event will be co-hosted by Arvol and
Ghandi's daughter.
Joanie Klar, President of the ZERI USA Foundation, presented
the King, Prime Minister and Queen Mother with CD roms of their
program that Chaffee called "one of the best other
hopes for a sustainable world." ZERI is a synthesis of
Science and Native traditions, that teaches children
internationally through stories. (ZERI.org) Chaffee asked Nyabongo
how this event would be received back home. He felt that the word
would travel around their continent giving children hope for a
better way." "At one-billionth the cost, this is a more
effective alternative to 7-10 yr. olds being trained to be
terrorists in two other African countries," said Chaffee.
Following the Grenoble Olympics in 1968, Chaffee became the
advance person for an Olympic (summer) team who helped end the
burning of 120 cities by giving sports clinics in the ghettos.
"Youth sports opportunities are the No.1 priority of Indian
country," said NVF Co-chairman Brian Wallace who heads the
Washoe Tribe of Cal/Nevada. Olympic exchanges at
reservations across America, as well as with tribes around the
world, can give Indigenous youth the health, joy, and discipline
to develop their full potential, perhaps even becoming Olympians,
if ski areas, etc, across America catch the spirit of
inclusion like Keystone. "Olympians would, in turn,
experience the Native cultures and bring Indigenous wisdom to the
world,"said Scott Halazon, NVF's International
Director.
The event was sponsored by Keystone (home to Olympians Phil and
Steve Mahre), the Four Points Hotel by Sheraton, Silverthorne,
Coors Foundation, Obermeyer Sport, the Northern Ute Tribe, Morongo
Band of the (Cal) Mission Indians, Navajo Brandon Pitcher &
the Indiana Consortium of Sustainability, as well as Aspen's
Denise Rich and Dr. Alex Kaufman, who started the "Seeds of
Peace" Sports Camps for Israeli and Arab children.
"Our people are thrilled,"said Mporampora, raising
his Ute Mt Pottery Cup gift from Chaffee, "There's allot of
love here." Beating the drums of change at Keystone makes an
uplifting finale to NVF's documentary, 'Red Road to the
Olympics,'"said Chip Comins of American Spirit Productions,
which he plans to air soon worldwide. For more info contact:
www.nativevoices.org, or Suzy Chaffee, 23 Upper Ranch Rd, Aspen,
Co 81611, 970-922 5406, New E-mail: suzynativevoices@aol.com
or fscott28@aol.com David
Mporampora - 303 303 337 1833 Pictures available on request.
