Page 3 - December 2010

MADRONNA HARRIS INTERVIEW OF TRIBAL ELDER: 3 Nina Bumgarner Submitted by Elaine McCloud, Heritage Coordinator This story was taken from an interview I could take her. Another baby won’t make and she said, “That’s why I come after you Next time she come over, grandmother with Tribal Elder, Nina Bumgarner by much difference. So bring the baby over. because I don’t want you to be speaking acquainted this girl with the idea that she Madronna Harris. For brevity, we have But bring some clothes over for the baby, Indian. I want you to speak English.” didn’t belong to my grandmother. Her taken only portions of her story and because I just have enough things for one She said, “I speak English too, but my mother was white and her father was white. other editorial privileges. The story in baby.” mother speaks Indian, so I speak with her.” So she fnally went home. But she wasn’t it’s entirety is available at my offce. And so they went over and they said, She said, “That’s not your mother. I’m your a bit happy with her new mother, which “Yes, this lady will take the baby.” (My mother.” was her natural mother. But it was a new My little story this afternoon will be of an grandmother’s name was Frances.) And this little girl said, “You’re not my mother to her because she was raised among Indian woman that adopted a white baby. They said, “Yes, Frances will take the mother. Here’s my mother, right here.” This the Indians and spoke Indian. And to the This child was just a new baby, wasn’t even baby.” So they packed this new baby, brand little child was old enough to realize the one day this lady died, she could speak just as a day old when they brought this baby over new baby that nobody wanted. They brought that took care of her was her mother. good Indian as the Indians. And she was to the Indian mother. They claim—the way over a bunch of clothes. Them days there Then this lady said, “You’re coming very good to us. She was—what would you I heard—they said my grandmother had was no such thing as Pampers. They had to home with me. You better gather your stuff, call—a millionaire /laughing/. She had a lot a new baby they thought was about three have diapers, cloth diapers. So they brought and you’re coming home with me.” of money and she gave us a lot of stuff. She weeks old, which was my father. There was over a whole trunk of clothes and they was The little girl began screaming. She said, gave my mother a lot of things we didn’t this white lady- I’m not going to call her all blue because this lady wanted a boy. So “I’m not going home with you! “I’m staying have, couldn’t afford. We didn’t think about name because she was just one of many. It my grandmother had two babies. with Mama!” that when we took her as a baby. We didn’t was common for the white people, the new But fnally, after all this commotion, after take that as pay for raising her. people that came over to leave their children These things were told to me. I didn’t this screaming and talking and this mother I knew her. I knew her myself. She didn’t when they were having a hard time. They let know anything about it. It was many times wanting her baby, fnally my grandmother die too long ago. She died before my father the Indians take their children because the told to me, not only by my people, but by stood up and she stood up for her rights. She did, but I’ve heard this story many times, Indians had a lot of food. They had fsh, deer different people that knew my grandmother. said, “Now, let me tell you something. There not only from my people, but from different meat, elk jerky and clams. And potatoes, They said my grandmother took care of was a time when you didn’t want this baby. people that knew my folks and they were but they called it wapato, which was similar that baby just like it was her own baby. My You absolutely refused to take your own so glad that my grandmother took this baby to the potatoes nowadays, but it was still father didn’t have any better treatment than child. And they brought this baby to me and when nobody else wanted her. potatoes. And this white girl had a new baby. this little girl. In fact, my grandmother was I think I’ve got something to say.” So, many times I’ve taken little children She said, “What was my baby?” They told glad to have a little girl. She just had one She said, “I will tell this baby who her that nobody wanted and brought them over her, “You have a beautiful little girl.” child, my father. She never had any more mother is, and let her get acquainted with to my home. I kind of inherited the love of And she just went into hysterics. She children. So she was glad to have this little you before I let her go. Right now, you’d children from my grandmother. I’ve raised a said, “I didn’t want no girl. I don’t want that girl. better go home.” lot of children that weren’t my own children. girl.” And she was just hysterical and she Well, this little girl grew up with the And this white lady said, “I’m not going I have boys that I’ve sent off to college that said, ”I will not keep that girl. I wanted a Indians. She ate Indian food. Until she home. This is my child and I want her I took as little babies and I sent them on boy.” was about four or fve years old, when this home.” through grade school, high school, on to And now they said, “You better quiet white mother realized that she would like And this Indian woman, she said, “I don’t college. And so I think I inherited the love of down, you’re just all shook up.” to have that child. And she came over to care if this is your child, I’m the one that children from my grandmother. “No,” she said. “I’m not shook up, I my grandmother’s lodge. And the little girl raised this child and gave her the love you She took this little child and raised her as don’t want no girl. I don’t want that baby. when she saw those people coming, she didn’t give her…your own fesh and blood.” her own. Gave her the love that this natural Take it away! Get away! I don’t want no started screaming. She says she was scared “And so,” she said, “When I get ready mother didn’t want to give her baby. So girl. I will not tolerate her. I don’t want her of them. She never did see her—that lady to relinquish this child, you can come and that’s my story about this child that wasn’t around me.” never did come to see her baby. And she get her. But I’ll tell you, she won’t be happy wanted. And we’re living in a day that a So they said, “Well, this Indian lady didn’t know her. She screamed, she says, with you, because she will know at one time lot of children are not wanted. And that’s just had a new baby. Maybe she’ll take the “Who are they? I don’t want those Postons you didn’t want her, didn’t want to keep why we have a lot of foster homes and I baby.” She said, “I don’t care where you over here!” She spoke in Indian. She spoke her.” feel sorry for the children that have to live take that baby, I don’t want it.” English also, but her home language was So this lady said, “Okay, but when I in foster homes because a lot of the foster So somebody went over and spoke to Indian, just like the Indians spoke. She said, come back, I want you to have her stuff all homes are not just the right people to have. my grandmother, said, “This lady had a new “I don’t want these white people round ready, and I’m going to take her home.” I see a lot times in the paper where a lot of baby and she doesn’t want this baby. It’s a here.” And in the meantime, this little child was children are mistreated—abused. little girl. Would you take this little baby -- And this lady come over and she all shook up and she was screaming, “I don’t So my advice to anybody, any parent: she’s a white baby?” wouldn’t let her mother touch her. She said, want to go home with that Poston, (that love your children and they’ll return your And my grandmother said, “Well I guess “Don’t you touch me!” She spoke in Indian, means, white woman).” love. Lucky Eagle Management Training Author’s Inspiring Presentation on Program Helps Tribal Members Native Side of American History Become Successful Managers On Saturday, December 4, Author Robert J. Indians and tribes in the Louisiana Territory; Miller held a seminar at the Gathering Room 3. help steal the Indian fur trade from at the community center. It is a unique the Pacifc Northwest, the Oregon Country; perspective and inspiring teaching on his England; 4. strengthen America’s claim to By Rodney Youckton, Director of Business Operations thoughts and theories regarding his book and 5. pursue Jefferson’s personal interest Native America, Discovered and Conquered in studying American Indians and tribal The Lucky Eagle Management Training members are undergoing in an effort to Thomas Jefferson, Lewis & Clark, and groups, and cataloged new plant and animal Program is designed for our tribal members achieve their goals. They all have dreams Manifest Destiny. life. and their success working at the casino. and set goals to reach those dreams. Tribal Manifest Destiny, as a term for American This book describes how the English The casino reports quarterly on the Management Training Program employees westward expansion, was not used until the colonies, the American states, and the program so that the Tribal community has hope to be good role models and mentors for 1840’s. Its predecessor was the Doctrine of federal government all used the Doctrine an awareness of what efforts are being those wanting to be successful in the career Discovery, an international legal principle of Discovery in their conquest of North made with our tribal members employed of their choice. We all have dreams. Never, by which Europeans and Americans laid America and how this international legal at the casino. We are building success never, give up on your dreams. Reach for the legal claim to the lands and rights of the principle became part of American law, as it stories which will be refected in the stars and make it happen. Indigenous peoples that they “discovered.” still is today. American Indians and Indian Succession Plan. We are hopeful a large “Our commitment is to provide an Thus, there was a competition among the Nations still live today under the limitations number of young adults will read about unparalleled entertainment experience that United States and that the euro-centric, the hard work and sacrifces fellow Tribal exceeds our guests’ expectations.” European nations to feudal, and racially establish claims of oriented Doctrine of Featured Tribal Member: Discovery by getting Discovery placed on somewhere “frst.” In them centuries ago. North America, the My name is Farley a big move for me because United States was About the Author Youckton and began working my previous experience was competing with the Robert J. Miller, at Lucky Eagle Casino almost in Table Games and I knew English, French, and Professor Miller eight years ago as a dealer in very little about slots. In Spanish for control speaks regularly on the Table Games department. addition to the technical of the lands west of issues regarding tribal I moved on to become a dual aspects of slots, I am learning the Mississippi. Who governments, and the rate supervisor/dealer, and slot analysis, slot purchases, would be deemed to Doctrine of Discovery, later trained to become a dual game changes, inventory, be the “discoverers” of Author Robert J. Miller visits the Manifest Destiny, rate pit manager/supervisor. I budgeting, and more. the Indians and their Chehalis Tribe sharing on his Thomas Jefferson and trained as a pit manager and Thankfully, I have had much lands? We know how unique perspective and his book the Lewis & Clark shift manager over the next support from my staff and this race turned out, of Native America, Discovered and expedition. He was four years. Tribal Member casino management as I train course, but in his book, Conquered Thomas Jefferson, actively involved in During this time I attended Farley Youckton with my new department. Miller for the frst Lewis & Clark, and Manifest 2003-06Â in the Lewis numerous training classes and Tribal Enterprise and I continue to learn as time explains exactly Destiny. & Clark Bicentennial seminars. I completed a 49- Gaming Management much as I can in my role at how the United States because his tribe week Tribal Government and Program the casino. My long term achieved victory, not only on the ground, but appointed him to the Circle of Tribal Gaming Management class goals are to become Slot also in the developing legal thought of the Advisors (COTA), which worked with the through Tacoma Community Manager, Casino Manager, day. National Committee of the Lewis & Clark College, where I learned about the different Assistant Director, Director, and fnally The American effort to control the Bicentennial. He is an enrolled citizen of the casino departments, as well as management General Manager. I would also someday Louisiana Territory and to claim the Pacifc Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma. styles and skills. I also completed a Dale like to work in tribal government, although Northwest really began with Thomas Academic Credentials Carnegie course for public speaking earlier I have not decided in what capacity. While Jefferson’s authorization of the Lewis B.S. 1988, Eastern Oregon University this year. I may not be certain where my future & Clark Expedition. Lewis and Clark J.D. 1991, Northwestern School of Law of In October 2009 I had the opportunity may lead me, I am positive that I will be were given several objectives: 1. fnd the Lewis & Clark College (magna cum laude) to become a Video department manager supported by the casino, tribal management, Northwest Passage–a land route across the overseeing the slot technicians. This was and my family. continent–to establish an American fur trade Website available for more information: with China; 2. open American trade with http://lawlib.lclark.edu/blog/native_america/