Press release in cooperation with Vail Resorts
Vail Daily
Vail Welcomes Back "Blue Sky People"

Despite a storm that turned passes into skating rinks, 15 members of the Ute Nation, Northern and Ute Mt. Bands returned to their ancestral lands in Vail Thursday to a touching welcome. To the delight of the crowd, Ute Miss Unity Nation Perri Lyn Tapoof, jingle dancer Libby Checora and singer-drummer Tommy Joe Tallbirds in turn honored the People of Vail with some elegant Native Dancing.

Vail was the first ski area, led by Pete Seibert, to invite the Utes back to do a snowdance that saved Vail in Œ62. "This will surprise Aspen Democrats, who thought they had a corner on the spiritual connection with Mother Earth," teased Olympic Racer and World Freestyle Champ Suzy Chaffee. After decades of Indian Ceremonies, both Vail and Aspen are honoring the Utes this season for keeping the Rockies pristine for 30,000 years and sharing the joyful skiing they've helped inspire with Creator.

Eric Stein, Vail Resorts' Council, formerly of the Ute Mt Utes, led the words of appreciation at an informal ceremony next to the Vistabahn. Organized by Stein and Native Voices Foundation co-chairman Suzy Chaffee, it also attracted some of Vail's visionary leaders interested in preserving skiing for future generations. Included were Martha Head (Head Skis) of the Vail Institute and Becky Hernreich, who on behalf of NVF, helped get Hillary Clinton to insure that the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics will open with the First Americans. Vail's spokesperson, British Olympian Martin Bell spoke of how "skiing helps heal the damage done to Native Americans by the pioneer consciousness" (backed by Harvard research). US Freestyle Team member Jeremy Bloom was so inspired that he got Suzy, "Mother of Freestyle Skiing," to help "her kids" by putting together a Penobscot Opening Ceremonies at their National Freestyle Championship in Sunday River, Maine, next weekend.

NVF is a partnership between the Native Wisdomkeepers, ski area towns and trendsetters like Phil Jackson, Kevin Costner, Bill Bradley and Bill Koch. 40 UN countries are currently finalizing a draft of an "Earth Charter" calling for "adoption of the sustainable principles of the Indigenous Peoples as key to our survival" As a result, 1 in 5 Americans with Native blood, like Becky, Jeremy, press leader Laura Bell, and Telluride's General Norman Schwarzkopf, are now not only proud to mention their tribal heritage, but are helping Native Voices be heard.

"Coloradans can be proud that 5 premier ski areas-Telluride, Aspen, Steamboat, Purgatory and Vail are leading America in making healing gestures to their Tribe to start a new beginning here at the turn of the Millennium," said Chaffee. With the ski program snowballing across the Nation, President Clinton wrote, "NVF is inspiring interracial harmony in America" "We hail Vail for being the most generous, giving 150 tickets, lessons and equipment," said co-chair Alden Naranjo, a Southern Ute Medicine man. "We finally got to take advantage of those opportunities when Cat O'Connor extended her gracious hospitality to us at their Gypsum Creek Ranch', along with their half Indian neighbors"

Grandma Ruby, Marla, Sarah, Tony, Tommy Joe, and Daniel Tallbirds were honored by NVF with a prayer feather at the Vail Ceremony as part of the memorial to their dad Tony, former World Pow Wow Champ and Ute Mt Council member. He helped build the first unity bridge in Telluride over the last 5 years. His prayer that opened Telluride's National Snowboard Championships, where he spoke of "flying like eagles safely," touched a chord in participants so much that they chanted his name at their World's the following year. After a spirited Friendship Circle Dance honoring Tony, in keeping with their dad's legacy, the Tallbirds boys were such naturals that they skied from the top of Vail Mountain on their first day. The smiles were so rewarding, that Vail instructors Angela and Susan insisted they teach them when they come back. Joyful empowerment also ran high when Suzy guided Libby through a slalom course on her third day of skiing, and Kerwin, the Jr. Ute Mt Recreation leader, had a ball learning to spin on skis and making his TV debut on Vail's Channel 8. After bringing over 120 kids to ski in Telluride this year, and scouting Vail with his boss Bob Roybal, he was the first Ute to powderski into "Blue Sky Basin" newly named after his people, thanks to ski racer/volunteer Jim Selby. "It's awesome,"pronounced Kerwin.

NVF Board member Billy Kidd is giving another clinic April 8-9 in Steamboat to give Ute kids a chance at an Olympic Dream. NVF's final Ute millennial event is in Aspen April 15-16. Everyone is invited to experience this euphoric historical healing. Seeing hope for the future of skiing after Telluride's eco progress as a result of the return of the Natives to their beloved "Shining Mountains," the President of National Ski Area Operators of America, Michael Berry, called Colorado Ski Areas, "Role models for America" --preview of documentary coming soon on web. As the Ute unity team headed out of the Vail Valley, six eagles were seen circling overhead.