2. 5Winds of Change • Spring 2006
Cover Artist
Dewayne “Fishinghawk” Mathews, Cherokee, works for the Cherokee
Nation of Oklahoma. His work can be found at Art Market, a Native
American art gallery in Tulsa, Oklahoma, (918) 664-0626 and through
Ed Hummingbird’s Blue Deer Gallery, Irving, Texas, (469) 789-9943.
Features
12 Portrait of a Mentor
LeRoy DeJolie and the My World Program
by Nicole Adams
Navajo photographer LeRoy DeJolie’s My World program
helps mentor Indian children with photography instruction.
16 Biomedical Science
No Longer Taboo at Tribal Institutions
by Michael Ceballos
Training Native American students in biomedical sciences
is critical to community health.
22 Career Choices
Let Your Interests Guide You
Interview conducted by Barbara Sorensen
Navajo sister and brother Deborah Tsingine and Tsosie
Reyhner offer insights into career decisions that encourage
commitment to their communities.
26 Making an Impact
Native American Research Centers for Health
by Susan Athey
The NARCH program supports suicide prevention at White
Mountain Reservation.
30 Telecommunications
Closing the Gap and Supporting Tribal Sovereignty
Interview conducted by Barbra Wakshul
Native-owned Turtle Island Communications works to
help tribes take charge of meeting their telecommunica-
tions needs.
40 Learning by Example
Working Together to Foster the Next Generation of
Native American Business Leaders
by Nancy Sims
The Toigo Foundation supports people of color within the
field of finance.
46 Remembering an Extraordinary Twentieth
Century Chief
by Nicole G. Stern
Reflections on the leadership and passing of Apache tribal
president, Wendell Chino.
50 Western Shoshone Victorious at United Nations
by Julie Ann Fishel
The Western Shoshone tribe challenges the United States
government’s assertion of federal ownership of nearly 90%
of Western Shoshone lands.
54 Go East, Young Lady!
by Dalton Walker
Melissa Peterson has the discipline to be a leader on the
volleyball court and in the classroom.
Arts & Resources
66 One Word at a Time
Committing to American Indian Languages in 2006
by Thatcher Wine and Kristen Carpenter
Tribal languages are making a comeback and bringing
with them a new appreciation of cultural and tribal-based
knowledge.
72 A New Vision of an Old Legend
The New World
by Bear Christensen
Director Terrence Malick creates a poetic and visual movie
that illustrates the clash of civilizations and genuine
romance between people from two very different worlds.
Departments
10 Into the Wind
35 Classifieds
58 News from AISES
66 Arts & Resources
77 Advertisers’ Index
78 The Last Word
Biomedical Science • page 16
Contents Volume 21, Number 2 • Spring 2006
3. Winds of Change • Spring 200630
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Closing the Gap and Supporting
Tribal Sovereignty
■ Technology
Mark Whitebull, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, knows that cultural considerations are critical in selecting tower sites for telecommunications services.
4. Winds of Change • Spring 2006 31
Winds of Change: Can you give our
readers an update on the status of the
digital divide in Indian Country?
Madonna Yawakie: Those interested in
economic parity for Indian Country are
familiar with the disparity in phone
service on tribal lands when compared
to the national average. Statistics from
the 2000 Census estimated that 67.9%
of all American Indian households on
reservations and off-reservation trust
lands had telephone service as com-
pared to the 1990 Census figure of
46.6%. This is still way under par com-
pared to the national average of 95%.
These numbers also correlate with
those referring to the availability of
broadband services for Internet use in
tribal communities. It is not surprising
that broadband penetration lags even
further behind basic phone service.
Basic and advanced telecommu-
nications services are critical factors
in the pursuit of success in all types
of economic development within
any community in today’s economy.
According to persistent low statistics
in Indian Country, tribes are still being
left behind.
WOC: What about infrastructure?
What’s necessary before 100% of
tribes are able to experience full tele-
phone and Internet service?
MY: Infrastructure development on
tribal lands continues to lag behind
the rest of the country. The remoteness
of most reservations leads to greater
costs for roads, housing and all utili-
ties, including telecommunications.
To address infrastructure needs, most
tribes have developed organizational
capacity. This refers to the hiring of
experienced staff along with the defin-
ing of program requirements and allo-
cation of program budgets to fulfill
tribal infrastructure objectives. This is
necessary to manage federally funded
programs that enable improved access
to transportation, increased housing,
and water and wastewater services.
While there are federal programs
to address electricity and telecommu-
nications needs in rural areas includ-
ing reservations, most tribes rely on
cooperatives or telecommunications
and electric companies for these ser-
vices. Often there are no tribal regula-
tions in place that address acceptable
quality of service levels or ratemak-
ing. Establishing regulations is a key
element to correcting service issues
on reservations. Alternatively, tribal
ownership of these systems supports
business diversification goals, creates
long-term sustainable jobs and enables
these tribal businesses to provide life-
line services to all entities within these
communities.
WOC: What about the role of tribal
jurisdiction in enhancing services?
MY: Tribal sovereignty provides the reg-
ulatory framework to advance the ser-
vice improvement goals of a tribe. Tribal
land ownership creates the opportunity
for tribal governments to require place-
ment of new infrastructure on tribal
lands so that tribes retain jurisdiction
over these facilities and the companies
that operate them within their right of
ways and easements.
Tribes are no longer reliant solely
on their incumbent providers for solu-
tions, but can assess the landscape to
define the role that they want to have
in providing telecommunications ser-
vices and/or regulating service pro-
viders. Federal principles that include
terms like “universal service,” “public
interest” and “competition” strengthen
tribal governments’ service improve-
ment plans. Creating a start-up tele-
communications business requires a
long-term project commitment by the
tribe, along with an experienced team
assigned to the project to ensure its
success.
Telecommunications is an area that
has many specialty areas. Developing a
core team that includes a project man-
ager, engineers, financial consultants
and legal representation will provide
the skills necessary to complete the
M
adonna Peltier Yawakie, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, founded
Turtle Island Communications (TICOM) in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
in 2001 with the aim of offering telecommunications consulting to
tribes. She was joined in the business the next year by her husband Mel, an
electrical engineer who with his wife had a combined 34 years of experience
working in the telecommunications field. The Yawakies’ keen awareness of the
lack of service parity on tribal lands was and continues to be the motivational
force behind their growing business. And their commitment to making a posi-
tive impact on the ongoing digital divide remains as strong as ever.
TICOM provides telecommunications consulting and engineering services
specializing in project management, telecom infrastructure analysis; wireline
and wireless system design; and acquisition regulatory and financial services that
support project development. Winds of Change spoke with Madonna Yawakie to
learn more about how TICOM is working with tribes to increase telecommunica-
tions services in Indian Country and at the same time support tribal sovereignty.
Madonna Yawakie presents a case study at
a Native technology conference in Las Vegas,
Nevada.
5. Winds of Change • Spring 200632
telecommunications system design,
project business plan and regulatory
requirements. Once a telecommunica-
tions system becomes operational, tech-
nical skills and administrative skills are
essential to maintain the day-to-day
operations and customer service needs.
WOC: What are some of the options
available to tribes?
MY: Ultimately, tribes have choices in
defining how they will own or regu-
late telecommunications technology
for their communities. Statistics that
demonstrate the disparity in service
levels and quality of service on Indian
reservations compared to the rest of
the nation provide the motivation for
action. The promise that technology
has in enhancing cultural, economic,
health care, educational and govern-
mental opportunities is yet to be fully
realized by those who live and work in
tribal communities.
Because Indian Country is mostly
located in rural America, those tribes
that start their own telecommunica-
tions companies become a part of the
carrier network, and are considered
rural telephone companies under the
Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) and state regulations.
Rural telephone companies and
tribes are well positioned to purchase
exchange areas that are sold by large
carriers such as Qwest, SBC, Verizon
and CenturyTel. The exchange areas
of the seven tribally owned and oper-
ated companies were purchased from
US West (now Qwest) and GTE (now
Verizon). Tribes that exercise their
jurisdiction have greater leverage in
acquiring the exchange areas that are
within their tribal land areas.
WOC: What are the options for financ-
ing telecommunications services?
MY: Federal financing is typically used
by rural telephone companies to pur-
chase and upgrade their exchanges;
tribes are eligible to use U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) financing as
well when purchasing and upgrading
exchanges from large carriers.
An important financing consider-
ation for tribes intending to provide
telecommunications services within
their tribal land areas is that the poli-
cies of the USDA Telecommunications
Loan Program prohibit lending to
Telecommunications and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has had a multitude of telecommunications service
issues with its local incumbent phone providers. Problems have included low qual-
ity of service, long-distance charges incurred within the tribe’s community of inter-
est (i.e., the entire 2.3 million-acre reservation), low penetration rates, lack of a 911
emergency call system, little to nonexistent wireless phone coverage, and high and
inconsistent aid-to-construction costs.
Continued indifference on the part of the local incumbent providers regarding
the aforementioned concerns resulted in the tribe contracting TICOM to complete
a feasibility study that identified tribal ownership opportunities and addressed the
disparate service issues. The results of the study determined that it was feasible to
own and operate the tribe’s own telecommunications company.
The options considered included purchasing various degrees of wireline outside
plant infrastructure from the local incumbent provider. When the incumbent provid-
er declined, the tribe decided to pursue the development of its own wireless phone
company. To incorporate public interest, a comprehensive telecommunications regu-
latory code based on tribal law and custom was developed. It took into consideration
the principles of the federal Indian law and the 1996 Telecommunications Act (see
sidebar) and was consistent with state utility and tax laws.
While the state did not support the tribe’s regulatory authority over the incum-
bent service providers, the tribe was able to go ahead and develop its own tele-
communications code and wireless phone company. Thanks to the tribe’s proactive
efforts, telecommunications will, in the words of Tribal Chairman Ron His-Horse-
Is-Thunder, “directly affect the political integrity, economic security, and health
and welfare of the Standing Rock Sioux Nation.” Hopefully, this will also serve as a
model for other tribes experiencing similar challenges in their journeys as develop-
ing nations.
—MarkWhitebull,Manager,TelecommunicationsProject
StandingRockSiouxTribe
Surveying an area within the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal lands for telecommunications switching
facility and administrative offices
6. Winds of Change • Spring 2006 33
competitors of their existing loan bor-
rowers. If a rural telephone company
operating on a reservation is a borrow-
er of these funds, that tribe will not be
eligible to finance a system through
this program.
While federal programs play a
major role in financing and sustain-
ing telecommunications service deliv-
ery in rural America, including tribal
land areas, alternative financing is also
available. Universal Service Funds
(USF) complement federal and/or com-
mercial financing, and enable rural
and potential tribally owned telephone
companies to have reliable cost support
mechanisms that enable long-term sus-
tainability for their operations. These
cost supports encourage long-term
infrastructure investments for services
provided to rural and high-cost service
areas. In general, large carriers don’t
receive the same level of cost supports
from USF to serve rural and high-cost
areas, which minimizes their eco-
nomic incentive to upgrade services to
their rural subscribers. As businesses,
they tend to allocate their infrastruc-
ture investments in more urban areas
which provide them with more return
on their investment.
WOC: What about financing infra-
structure?
MY: Many tribes served by large carriers
tend to have antiquated infrastructures
that lead to more and varied service
issues as a result of the lack of invest-
ment by these carriers in their rural ser-
vice areas. Tribes that choose to own
and operate their own telecommuni-
cations companies have opportunities
to pursue acquisition of infrastructure
from their existing provider(s). Once
the acquisition is made, these systems
typically require investment upgrades
that may include new switching and
fiber to provide affordable basic phone
and broadband services throughout
their tribal land service areas.
Where the infrastructure may not
be worth purchasing, a tribe may con-
sider a “greenfield network” or one that
is designed or built from scratch. This
requires no need to accommodate leg-
acy equipment or architectures, thus
providing an opportunity to leapfrog
the technology gap.
To move forward with a telecom-
munications plan, tribes need com-
prehensive discussions with project
stakeholders. For example, a critical
aspect for ownership of a wireless car-
rier system requires tribes to obtain
commercial spectrum from spectrum
license holders of frequency over their
land areas. Spectrum may be viewed as
a form of realty, just like land. The type
of spectrum used defines the require-
ments that will be necessary in a sys-
tem design and build-out. When tribes
hold a spectrum license, it gives them
greater development options from the
start. To date, just a handful of tribes
own spectrum over their land areas.
WOC: How can tribes best support
the development of expertise within
their members in order to take on the
responsibilities generated by enhanced
telecommunications services?
Telecommunications and the Upper Sioux Community
Our goals are to bring broadband services to our community members as well as
our tribal program services in order to improve our quality of life. TICOM is develop-
ing our engineering and design, and providing project management for our broad-
band services in the Upper Sioux Community. TICOM has been a great match for
the tribe due to its understanding of tribal issues, sovereignty and its knowledge of
issues between tribes and service providers.
The Upper Sioux Community initially began looking at telecommunications
because of the need to revitalize the Dakota language. We currently have eight flu-
ent speakers, all elderly. This puts our language in a state of crisis. Technology is
one way to deliver language-learning efforts, especially when it comes to mobility
issues as well as enticing the youth. Children today are more computer savvy than
most adults and it is a way to connect them with any subject matter.
After that, it just snowballed. Our information technology (IT) team launched
an assessment on all of our tribal programming to make sure we were including
future needs and developments.
We are planning a health clinic, and telemedicine will play a role in that devel-
opment. Also in regards to health, so many agencies require data reporting through
more improved methods than mailing in a report. They also require security and
privacy. Improvements in our telecommunications will enable us to meet those
reporting requirements.
As far as economic development, the Upper Sioux Community feels that the
best growth strategy is to invest in our most precious asset, our people. That is why
we have tied telecommunications with education. We recently met with a state
education system to bring ITV courses, online classes and other alternative educa-
tional opportunities to the community. With technology, the mom who’s working
and has children at home will be able to enhance her professional skills by walking
over to our educational center where an array of educational opportunities awaits
her. It will provide diverse education to a rural reservation.
We are so excited about the possibilities that telecommunications will bring,
but it cannot be carried out without the skills and expertise of people. We want
these people to not only have the qualifications, but we also want them to be
vested in our community. That is why we prefer to invest in our own people. We
currently have two of our high school students, Mike Engstrom and Elliot Gardner,
developing our telecommunications services from the ground up with our IT direc-
tor. They are receiving high school credit, earning a pay check and helping devel-
op our technological needs. The community is so proud of them. While going to
school full time and working for the community, they have managed to maintain
their honor roll status. It’s amazing, considering they also need to have a social life
too. I think by giving our young members a reason, a role in the community, they’ll
pull through and even excel.
—TeresaR.Peterson,ViceChairman,
UpperSiouxCommunityBoardofTrustees,UpperSiouxCommunity
7. Winds of Change • Spring 200634
MY: Tribes can support technology and
business expertise by placing a priority
on education in the science, math, engi-
neering and technology fields. It would
be beneficial to Indian Country if trib-
al leaders in conjunction with organi-
zations such as the American Indian
Science & Engineering Society (AISES)
shared objectives that support increas-
ing the number of American Indians in
these fields. These individuals can then
utilize their skills to improve the qual-
ity of life issues in their communities.
WOC: Your company, Turtle Island
Communications (TICOM), has worked
with seven tribes so far. Describe some
of the work you’ve been doing.
MY: To date, we have completed tele-
communications feasibility studies,
consisting of technical, regulatory and
financial analysis of system owner-
ship and regulatory opportunities for
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa,
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Northern
Arapahoe Tribe, Lummi Nation,
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and
Northern Cheyenne Tribe. We have
completed an implementation plan,
system design and pre-construction
work for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
And we are in the process of completing
a system design and build for the Upper
Sioux Community (see sidebars).
WOC: What are some of TICOM’s
goals in the next three to five years?
MY: Our goals include the increas-
ing of services in the areas of project
implementation and operations sup-
port. Also, we want to grow our busi-
ness in the federal government sector
through the use of our SBA 8(a) cer-
tification. And we hope to collaborate
with other AISES professionals on a
variety of projects.
There are companies making plans
to serve tribal lands with minimal or
no involvement from tribes. Statistics
continuously show that if tribes are
Telecom Options
Wireless technology deployment as an alternative to wireline deployment is
often touted as being a more cost-effective means of service delivery for Indian
Country. While a wireless implementation may be more cost-effective, tribes
need to consider the trade offs and drawbacks. The following table identifies
telecommunications technology options with strength and limitation consider-
ations for tribal development.
not a part of developing a service deliv-
ery solution, disparities will continue.
Tribal leadership must once again be
called on for its participation to ensure
that tribal nations have parity in tele-
communications services within their
tribal land areas. ✜
For more information about Turtle Island
Communications, visit www.turtleislandcom.com or
contact (763) 424-6257 or ticom@turtleisland.com
This interview was conducted by Barbra Wakshul,
marketing director for Winds of Change.
Universal Service
According to the Federal Communica-
tions Commission, “the goals of Univer-
sal Service, as mandated by the 1996 Act,
are to promote the availability of quality
services at just, reasonable and afford-
able rates; increase access to advanced
telecommunications services through-
out the Nation; advance the availability
of such services to all consumers, includ-
ing those in low-income, rural, insular
and high-cost areas at rates that are rea-
sonably comparable to those charged
in urban areas. In addition, the 1996 Act
states that all providers of telecommu-
nications services should contribute to
Federal universal service in some equi-
table and nondiscriminatory manner;
there should be specific, predictable and
sufficient Federal and State mechanisms
to preserve and advance universal ser-
vice; all schools, classrooms, health-care
providers and libraries should, generally,
have access to advanced telecommu-
nications services; and finally, that the
Federal-State Joint Board and the Com-
mission should determine those other
principles that, consistent with the 1996
Act, are necessary to protect the public
interest.”
Formoreinformation,seewww.fcc.gov/wcb/
universal_service/welcome.html
8. Winds of Change • Spring 2006 35
Life After High School
April 2006: New DVD profiles experiences of American Indian
youth, their families, teachers, and community members in their
transition from high school to life after high school. Original music
and artwork by Annie Humphrey (Leech Lake-Ojibwe). A stand-
alone product or companion to “Expanding the Circle: Respecting
the Past, Preparing for the Future” transition curriculum.
For more information: http://ici.umn.edu/etc ✜
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry
Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana
Tenure-track position available August 18, 2006 Responsibilities:
teaching undergraduate and graduate classes in analytical chem-
istry as well as teaching general chemistry; development of an
active analytical- or bioanalytical-related research program
involving undergraduate, master’s level, and Ed.D. students.
Minimum qualifications: Ph.D. degree in chemistry or closely
related area by August 18, 2006; evidence of potential for excel-
lence in teaching; evidence of potential for excellence in research.
Preferred qualifications: postdoctoral research experience; teach-
ing experience at the collegiate level (e.g., teaching assistant,
Classifieds are published each issue for $1.95 per word.
Call Winds of Change advertising office: (303) 448-8853 or E-mail adwoc@indra.com
CLASSIFIEDS ✜ CLASSIFIEDS
instructor, assistant professor); research interests that focus on
experimental analytical or bioanalytical chemistry or that com-
plement the department’s existing faculty research.
Send letter of application, vita, names and contact informa-
tion for three references (original letters of reference preferred),
undergraduate and graduate transcripts, statement of teaching
philosophy, and description of proposed research to: Dr. Robert
J. Morris, Chairperson, Department of Chemistry, Ball State
University, Muncie, IN 47306. Review of applications will begin
immediately and will continue until the position is filled. (www.
bsu.edu/chemistry)
Ball State University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action
employer and is strongly and actively committed to diversity
within its community. ✜
NIST/Summer Undergraduate Research
Fellowships
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) for
engineering, computer science, physics, chemistry and math
majors at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
See: www.surf.nist.gov ✜
Telecommunications and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe
For the Northern Cheyenne people, a tribal development goal is to incorporate knowledge and
wisdom into science and technology to serve practical applications for the people and our home-
lands. Telecommunications is a very important infrastructure development. It is viewed as bring-
ing about many social, economic and technological benefits. It can help alleviate poverty and
address tribal infrastructure needs for education, housing, employment and health care to facili-
tate living responsibly with the environment as well as a decent standard of living.
Wireless communications, a multibillion dollar industry, is much more than cell phones and
pagers. It includes wireless speakers and intercoms; cordless telephones that can be used up to a
mile away; two-way radio systems; mobile communications; palmtop computers; fax machines
linked to wireless modems; wireless medical instruments and telemedicine; teleconferencing;
GPS/satellite system technology; access to worldwide information; and much more.
The Northern Cheyenne Tribe’s (NCT) wireless communications project developed with Turtle
Island Communications has far-reaching implications with projected economic benefits, such as
enhancements to tribal business capacity and accountability to promote timely and efficient administration of projects and programs.
Imagine a tribal administration having a wireless LAN or network with workstations linked without transmission cables and other
wireless applications to effect efficient tribal administration, as well as other technology applications in school, emergency, security and
medical services.
The tribe must maintain authority on tribal homelands, in alignment with tribal sovereignty and economic self-sufficiency. To this
end, the NCT and five community districts are looking forward to owning a tribal telecommunications company and developing the
Northern Cheyenne utility commission to oversee regulatory policy and regulate utility development.
—BenBahr,ProjectManager,TelecommunicationsFeasibilityProject
NorthernCheyenneTribe
BenBahr,NorthernCheyenneTribe
TelecomProjectManager(withdaughter)
