Utah Indian Tribes and 1968 Olympic alpine skier Suzy Chaffee have formed a partnership to spotlight Indians during the Winter Games in Salt Lake City in 2002.

"It's really exciting." Said Rose Ann Abrahamson, a Lemhi Shosoni who is one of the leaders of the Native American 2002 Foundation, which is spearheading Native activities at the games. "Things are moving forward quickly."

The vision for the Native American 2003 Foundation came form Larry Blackhair, a Northern Ute, its organizer and chairman.

"I admire him for his vision and his endeavors in spearheading the effort to include Indians in all aspects of the Olympics," Abrahamson said.

The Indians will participate in various venues that highlight their culture, including the opening ceremonies, Abrahamson said. Native dancing ceremonies are already taking place at Olympic test events. In November, an Indian dance and prayer ceremony opened the Park City's Americas World Cup.

"This ceremony was an ideal way to start this important warm-up season. The Native prayers for the mountain and competitors with world champion dancers gave everyone a lift." Said Ed Fraze, Park City event coordinator.

The dancers were made to feel very welcome and the European athletes and coaches were especially gracious, said Abrahamson. The performers were photographed with Sonja Nef, a slalom winner. "This is the way of Utah's First Nations to welcome world athletes. And visitors on behalf of Park City Resort and our ancestors, who lived here for thousands of years," she said. The welcoming group included a total of 10 leaders and dancers in full regalia form Utah and Idaho. Southern Paiute Johnny Lehi blessed the mountain in Paiute, Ute and Navajo.

With the success at the World Cup, the group plans to do similar ceremonies at other warm-up events. The partnership is seeking sponsors for other projects at the games that will show the world Indian culture and its emphasis on sustaining the environment.

"The world being able to see nature through the eyes of a Native American is what will save the planet," said Chaffee, who is working with the partnership and also is a co-founder of the Native American Olympic Team Foundation, which aims to create "joyful unity through sports to heal Mother Earth for all our children."

European and Asian athletes at previous Olympic games told surveyors that what they most wanted to learn about the United Sates was Indian history and culture and about the West, said Abrahamson. Utah's location and its Indian population were a major reason for its being chosen the site for the 2002 games, she said. Australia highlighted the culture of its aboriginal peoples last year. "The United States should extend an even greater appreciation," she said.

Chaffee's documentary, "Red Road to the Olympics," which depicts a series of Native ski healing ceremonies and celebrations, will air during television coverage of the games. In these events, Chaffee and others teach Indian youth to ski.

"The bonding between people who do sports is strong," said Chaffee who has connected through the years with former Olympians, including former Sen. Bill Bradley, a member of the 1964 gold-medal-winning basketball team, and boxer Muhammad Ali, who as Cassius Clay won a gold medal in 1960. "It builds trust."

Abrahamson, herself a world champion traditional dancer, muses that events such as these, which nurture the athletic spirit of Indian youth, might turn one into an Olympic hopeful. A family descendant of Sacajawea, she has worked with Chaffee on several other Indian heritage projects. Just as Sacajawea helped promote unity by guiding Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their expedition in 1805 and 1806. Abrahamson is "unifying the land in spirit through her work," Chaffee said.

At age 5, Chaffee worked with her first coach -Joe Jones, an Abenaki. Since becoming the United States' top downhiller at the Olympics in Grenoble, France, and a three-time World Freestyle champion, she has tried to give back to the Indian people who love the beauty of nature and the joy of sports, but often can't afford to ski, she said.

In 1996, she and Southern Ute Unity Leader Alden Naranjo founded NVF, a partnership between Indian nations, U.S. ski towns and athletes. NVF has named Native Americans the Most Valuable Players of the Millennium for their track record in guarding Mother Earth and in inspiring and helping a many white American leaders in the major rights crusades of the century, such as women's suffrage, the American Revolution and the struggle for peace.

Chaffee, also known and "Suzy Chapstick" from her famous 19070's lip balm commercial, has been active in reforming Olympic rules. She has served on the board of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the President's Council on fitness for four presidents. The Navajo call her "The Snow Woman."

January 2001 - American Indian Report