Lightning Strikes at Telluride's Ute Ceremony
Published: Thu, 19 Apr 2007, 19:04:00 GMT
Edited by Carly Zander
TELLURIDE, Colo. - Apr. 19 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Thunder,
lightning, snow then sunshine heralded a touching Gratitude Ceremony
in Telluride's Mountain Village on Closing Weekend led by 13 Ute
Mountain youth. "The bolt of lightning and half foot of powder
perhaps had something to do with Ken Stone, Telski's Marketing
Director, announcing developing a plan that would raise the bar
nationally for partnerships between ski areas and tribes,"
said Olympic skier Suzy "Chapstick" Chaffee, co-founder
of Native Voices Foundation.
Ute Ceremony - (c) Send2PressAt a pizza party that followed,
Stone said, "Telski wants to greatly expand the number of
ski passes and lessons to students showing improvement in school,
along with a few scholarships to Olympian Johnny Moseley's Freestyle
& Snowboard Camp here, and jobs for your tribal members.
*(Photo Caption: Ute Mt youth welcomed home to Telluride's Mt
Village with Ute sculpture to ski, snowboard and celebrate by
Telski and town leaders: L-R Rabbi Michael Saftler, Olympian Suzy
Chaffee, Kit Collins (cowboy hat) and Mayor David Glynn. Atop,
Timber Manning holds baby eagle feather. Credit: Karen Goldman.)
Four year old Timber Manning, beaming from conquering the mountain,
presented Stone, as well as Telski Events Director Katie Singer,
with stunning Ute Mt Pottery Cups on behalf of the 13 Ute Mt kids
and chaperones. Lisa, supermom of the renowned Manning Dancers,
also offered to launch "Telluride's Ute Snowdance Days"
next Thanksgiving, to help inspire the early snows, as well as
dance in Telluride's fun 4th of July Parade, led by Grand Marshal
General Norman Schwarzkopf, their hero.
At the Ceremony, Ophir's Mayor Glynn welcomed the Utes to their
ancestral home. Lanzin Manning led a beautiful prayersong and
gave tobacco to the 4 Directions in appreciation for the season's
abundant snow. Ute Mt Princess Mayla Manning presented a bear
T-shirt to Kit Collins, Telluride's Chief Nurturer, following
the passing of Loey Ringquist, Suzy's Earth Mom, to whom she paid
tribute.
Chaffee also presented Lisa and Nicole Foster, Youth Coordinator,
with boxes of NuStevia, Proud Sponsor of the Native American Olympic
Teams. "This tribal-discovered tasty sweetener doesn't raise
blood sugar and keeps you lean, clean and fast," she explained.
"We are so grateful to the Utes and Telluriders, especially
Telski, Rollingbears (Lakota) and the General, for planting the
seed 12 years ago, which resulted in a billion Earth Family members
participating in an Elders-led Prayer for our Mother Earth on
Valentine's Day (Feb 14th). Together giving Her love and appreciation
brought the snows back to Europe, suffering from the warmest winter
in 1,250 years," said Chaffee.
"There's no downside to these 'Spiritual Solutions to Rebalance
Mother Earth,' and it's almost free," said Texas-born Collins.
"Perhaps this should be called 'Karmic Offsets,'" said
Rabbi Michael Saftler, a Native Voices Foundation (NVF) founder.
NVF is a Colorado 501(c)3 partnership of U.S. Tribal leaders,
Elders and Olympians, whose mission is "to create joyful
unity through sports and education to help heal Mother Earth for
all our children."
