by Suzy Chaffee

At high noon of February 22, 1997, under the gaze of a wounded eagle, a prophetic healing started happening in Colorado between the Ute Nation and the People of Telluride. Over a century ago, the miners claimed this valley, the Utes’ summer hunting and ceremonial home, for themselves. It was also a sacred valley to the Navajo--a dozen “walk and ski in beauty” here today. Said Telluride’s Chief Marshal, Jim Kolar, “The way we treated American Indians was the lowest point in the history of US Justice.” For the first time since then, our two cultures came together to find a common ground, for the benefit of our children. In the arms of our exquisite mountains, both sides finally spoke from the heart, then joyfully danced and skied together, which transformed our town that didn’t even have a Ute plack...! Working in partnership, our Program is creating a bridge of understanding and unity, that is helping us come together again as One Tribe. As the Navajo say, “We must work together to heal our Mother Earth”.

Daniel Rollingbears Quintana The “seed” was planted in 1994 by Daniel “Rollingbears” Quintana, a local Lakota-Sioux, whose singing and sweat lodge “highs” opened my heart and mind. I had asked him to exchange my joy of skiing for his wisdom of the mountains, to include in my book about the Ancients, "The Snow Goddess". Thanks to the Telluride Ski & Golf Company for donating a lift ticket, I taught “Bears” the Eagle Dance on skis, which inspired him to save Telluride from a snow barren Christmas. Singing the sacred “4 Directions Song” on the radio and the Peter Yarrow Concert, it snowed a foot each time, convincing me that Mother Earth really listens! I saw that while we Anglos dropped the ball, our First Americans continued the Wisdom of the Ancients.

Drawn to Telluride in ‘95, here’s the story that moved me to tears and made me understand the far-reaching effects of our ancestors, to do something!

“For a Millennium, the Ute Nation, especiallythe Uncompahgre Band, (“People of the Red Springs”), enjoyed living at One with Nature in the Telluride Valley, hunting abundant game, fishing in pristine waters. We traded with the Spanish, who gave us the 'Sacred Dog' (horse). Kids gathered herbs and berries, learned skills and went on vision quests to find courage and their purpose here. At the base of Mt Wilson, our ancestors performed ceremonies, honoring the Spirits, Earth, Her plants and animals who nurtured us. When the snows came, they moved to warmer climates, giving Nature a chance to renew Herself,” explained Alden Naranjo, also an historian. “In a spiritual way, women set up camp, tanned hides and created clothing, teepees and jewelry, transforming everyday life into timeless treasure”, said C.J. Brafford, director of the Montrose Ute Museum. Telluride rancher Marvin Schmidt recalled how his great great grandfather had delightful talks with their great Peacemakers, Chief Ouray and his beloved wife Chipeta.

Over a century ago that harmony ended, when the discovery of gold brought ignorance-driven prejudice, greed and abuse of Nature and our beautiful Utes, whom we didn’t understand because they were at a higher level of consciousness. Their eviction was a conspiracy between government, miners, settlers, and a Denver newspaper that taunted their hearts with headlines, “Utes Must Go!” (award-winning Discovery Channel film). Triggered by Indian Agent Nathan Meeker who threatened to kill all their horses to make them farmers, (like threatening Telluriders to ban skiing), The Uncompahgres, along with the White River Utes, were herded by Buffalo Soldiers 300 miles on foot to the Utah desert near Fort Duchesne. “Out of the 10 treaties we made with the US Government, the only part they honored was taking the land and removing our people", said Alden. "We belong to that land. It is where our history and our hearts are," said Chipeta's descendent, Roland McCook, now Vice Chairman of Utah’s Northern Utes.

Similar stories happened to communities acrosAmerica. The Utes, like the rest of our First Peoples, were friends to our explorers and settlers until we exploited them. Had we been honorable, we wouldn’t be in this eco crisis!

Courtesy of J.D. Challenger,
Somerset House Pub, Houston Tx. The Utes we removed from our “Shining Mountains” were the same First Peoples, who out of friendship, taught us survival skills starting with Columbus. “Over the past 30,000 years this ‘Old World’ has been our home”, said Alden. “Columbus thought it was a ‘New World’ because of their brilliant management skills”, said former Forest Dept employee, Alex Brunette, (a new generation of Anglos who is “very concerned that self serving Paper Companies assisted by politicians and Forest Departments, are dangerously selling off our trees.”) Our First Americans developed much of the medicines, cotton and dyes the world enjoys, in addition to vegetables, like corn from prairie grass. They were the model of Modern Democracy, Ecology and “psychologically healthy people,” according to Carl Jung. They saved George Washington’s troops from freezing to death at Valley Forge, and since the Revolutionary War, have given more children proportionately to the military to protect our Land, than any other race. The Navajo Code Talkers changed the tide of victory in the Pacific in WWII. Every Pow wow honors our Vets and flag. So considering how much our Natives gave, they wondered why we turned and stole their land and commit genocide...

Like my ancestors, I was a typical American, ignorant of their great contributions and values before meeting Rollingbears. Our souls were stirred by Indians, but our schools never explained why. Like most Anglo parents, mine were starved of heart-nurturing skills, never teaching me the harmonious possibilities of sharing and cooperation over competition. Winning, technology and money were supposed to make us happy. Not! Luckily, after skiing in the ‘68 Olympics, I was asked to join Vice President Humphrey's Sports Team to give clinics in the ghettos to prevent the riots that burned 150 cities, for lack of nurturing, compassion and shared abundance. I experienced the real "Olympic high" — giving back, which gave my life richer meaning! Turns out that the weathiest 3% of the world are only slightly happier than the poorest (“Bottom Line”). “The happiest have a higher purpose and get spiritual ‘highs’ on dance, sports Arts & Nature, like Tribal Peoples.” (Jung). Scientists say, “These Native values (including ‘taking only what we need’) are the model for survival into the 21st Century." One American child creates as much garbage and uses the energy of 30 Third World kids. Many have felt a “quickening” to help set things right. Princess Diana and Mother Theresa's deaths were a wake up call to be more “womb-like”, as Christ said. Natives, Women and more Anglo Men (like Turner & Gates) are making “Compassion in Fashion” today! -- the theme of Telluride’s Aids Benefit. (see Events)

Eugene Naranjo, center, at Telluride's 1st Ute Celebration. In Sept '95, at "Telluride's Wild West Classic,” I asked Alden’s brother, Eugene, founder of the world renowned “Ute Heritage Dancers,” of Ignacio, Colorado, how we could create this kind of healing between our peoples. Listening to their sensitivities, resulted in our Welcome Home ‘Nuche’ (Utes) Celebration. Said my 12-yr-old "brave" house guest Boo, of the "7th Generation that decides the future", “Whites have given us things, but never said why.” We finally exchanged words from the heart as 25 exquisitely plumed dancers, singers, drummers, bathed us in a circle of earth-loving “Chi” energy. We shared gestures of gratitude, gifts and prayers for the success of Our Exchange. Holding her young son’s hand, Judge Sharon Shuteran said, “I apologize for the injustices of my predecessors and hope for a better future.” Because dancing is a healer and ecstatic unifier that cuts across all differences, (how I later connected with Roland McCook and his Uncompahgres at the Delta Pow wow), the Utes then invited us to join them in a Friendship Circle. Many had tears of hope as our long lost sisters and brothers reconnected hands and hearts with 200 of our village people. Among them were Telski owners, Ron and Joyce Allred and Jim Wells, Marketing Director, Mike Hess, and Ski School Director Annie Savath — the folks with the foresight to make all this possible! One of the Ute gifts was bringing a shining role model for the kids, Ross Anderson, a 24-yr old Cheyenne, who skis 137 mph. He was dubbed by our paper, "A Human Boeing!", and later became the Ambassador of our program.

In April of '97, it seemed natural to end Telluride’s glorious ski season with a “Mountain Honoring Ceremony,” thanking a living, loving Mother Earth for smiling on us! Terry Knight, also our “Spiritual Advisor” and Sundance Leader of the sister “Ute Mountain Utes,” led the prayers. Skiers all over the mountain told us, “Our hearts felt lifted by the chanting and drumming that once again rang through the mountains”. Drumming, (also representing “hearts beating as One” to Japanese), called in their Ancestral Spirits to pray with us, that gave us glorioius snow and transformations in town, that’s in a vortex! (This Christmas he did a blessing for the safety of all skiers!)

Telluride’s was just one of the “Gatherings” around the country to heal America. Most have been led by White Ministers asking forgiveness of our “First Americans” for their genocide (over 10 million), stealing most their lands and misinterpreting their religion. Instead of a crying session, the founder, Eugene Naranjo, wanted to do it the Indian Way-- “A joyful celebration of unity for the benefit of all our children”. Next came our Navajo.

We’re definitely in a “quickening”! In January ‘98, the Canadian Government apologized to their Native Peoples for their abuses and awarded them $250 million towards a healing! Newt Gingrich then made a personal commitment to the Navajo President to reform BIA and Health Services, as a start toward America’s. In turn, the formerly oppressed--Indians, Women and Black Athletes and mixed bloods, like Tiger Wood, are giving our Economy new vitality. May ‘97 “Time Magazine” called the “Enchantment of Pow wow dancing, one of America’s biggest draws!”

Thanks to a series of other good deeds, Alden Naranjo, Spiritual Awareness leader and tribal member of the Southern Utes, “declared love on Telluride”, inspiring him to co-chair our “Native American Olympic Team Foundation,” that honors the Wise Voices of Native Peoples. Alden’s background, huge heart, bold vision, humility and wild Indian humor, made him a natural. I shared our experience with Michael Berry, visionary President of Ski Areas Operators. Seeing us as insurance for the healthy future of Skiing, he and Olympic Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell agreed, “It’s time for a bold move to heal Mother Earth. Yours is a good one!” Washington Athletes, like the Kennedys and Bill Bradley, who like Einstein, have been passionate about Nature, have been leaders in nurturing Earth, Natives, Women and Blacks, plus sports for health.

Now in NVF’s second year, Telski expanded our program to two exchanges a month of 30 minutes of Native singing, dancing and drumming for free tickets, lessons and equipment for 25 Native kids and leaders each weekend. We now have more demand than we can supply because of the kids’ reactions after learning how to "fly like eagles" on skis, and regaining some of their old freedom in the mountains.

I overheard Rebecca Benally, assistant principal of the White Horse School, "If you kids do your homework and don’t talk back, you’ll get to ski here again". A month later she said, “The kids are behaving, because they say, ‘skiing is the coolest thing to do!’” "We never want this to end!", said a 10 yr old Navajo who challenged me to a race his first day. Said Elder Roland McCook with a big smile after he learned how to turn in an hour without falling, "Now I understand how you skiers like to get close to Creator up here." (According to Jung, dancing and skiing gives one a natural “high”, that connects us to our lover, God/Goddess. When that high is unavailable, people resort of 2nd class highs out of bottles, or gangs.) Explained Martina Maryboy, “There’s never been such an exhilarating program that brings the Telluride part of our family together with us from Montezuma Creek.” Say Telski’s fun instructors, “The kids (and their performances) are awesome--attentive and fearless, a joy!” Corporations spend 2 billion a year on “high” risk sports, that get executives in touch with their wise Voices.

Our ‘98 Plan is to identify and support “Peacemakers” at ski areas and reservations to create “Unity Exchanges” across America. Vail, whose schools, like Telluride, have "Native Studies", said, "We'll join in a heartbeat!" Dozens of our 500 Nations--many already skiers and boarders, like the descendent of Lakota Prophet Black Elk-- are excited about connecting with their ski areas. Some are sending scouts here, like the Ojibwe, Hopi, Pequot, plus Utah oil men who are very close to their Utes.

In addition to ski exchanges, Alden stressed the importance of Cultural Camps to preserve their traditions, damaged by our abusive government assimilation schools. It also exposes Anglo kids to our Earth Roots in a fascinating way. In Spring, our town is hosting the 1st Ute Intercultural Camp in a teepee village with horses in a pristine spot where Ouray & Chipeta spread harmony. Joining Lakota and Navajo teachers and kids, including Telluride’s, we hope to help preserve their rich primitive Arts, Earth ceremonies and stories. In July, Telluride will launch a glorious "First Americans Day" Parade to celebrate their awesome gifts to the U.S. & World-- “with a pow wow”, say our Utes & Navajo! We’re raising consciousness to give back a percentage of Parks and Forest jobs to our great “Guardians of these Lands”. For example, a little Native wisdom could have prevented the needless slaughter of Buffalo in Yellowstone recently. Plus opening the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics with our 1st Peoples. NSAA's Michael Berry offered his support! (Utah is Spanish for Ute.) We’ve been asked to open Telluride’s National Ski Championships in April

Alden summed it up, “It feels like we are on the ‘high road’ of forgiveness and honoring our responsibility to all our children and living things. Historically, most peoples at one time have been oppressed—all kindred victims of thousands of years of generationally expanding abuse. We have a choice to stop the cycle of violence. We all need to find out who we are, get in touch with our Earth Roots, forgive each other and mourn our wounds. We also need to balance our Gifts-- the Heart and Earth nurturing of the Red and Black Peoples, the Technology of the Whites, and the Serenity of the Yellow. I congratulate and thank you for making a positive choice to 'log on' to this nurturing energy on the World University of the Internet. Each of us needs to ask the Voice of Great Spirit to guide us. You'll be aware you are on the ‘Red Road,’ because your heart will sing! Trust your intuition. In the 60’s, we started speaking up about our oppression as Anglos started coming to our ceremonies and following their intuitive Voices, causing a positive ripple that reversed some cataclysms—Earth’s way of purifying Herself. I applaud Tellurides programs, like “Greenbucks”, which cleans up your parks and rivers and gives eco awareness classes, in exchange for tickets to Blue Grass Concerts! “Like Steamboat, we like that Telluride is also honoring us with a Ute Statue,” echoed Roland McCook.

“Another sign of progress”, said Alden, is 80-year-old John Inman’s coming forward with a peace pipe entrusted him by Chief Ouray. John shared how the Great Chief had visited him in a hospital as a sick child. He was told to only give it back to the leaders of the 3 Ute Nations when the Utes and Whites were beginning to live in harmony. The prophesy is unveiling. Inman brought the sacred pipe, our bible, to our Tribal leaders at the reopening ceremony of the Montrose Museum in September of 1997.

In September, '97, at Alden's Ute Cultural Camp in Chimney Rock, I got to experience a dream come true-- living in their old ways. We learned we were
part of a Hopi Prophesy: "Babyboomers with the sacred wound of Viet Nam, are now Elders making others aware of our Earth Roots". Starting around 4,000 B.C., waves of barbarians from the North and Desert, then the Roman Conquest and Inquisition, abused and enslaved our harmonious Tribal Ancestors of “Old Europe". While the passionate pastoral Celts of Scotland, Ireland and Wales, etc., could not be conquered, 9 million nature-loving women (healers, 15% men) were genocided & lands stolen during the Inquisition alone--their families left with mental, physical and spiritual scars. Fear of the money & control-obsessed Church, forced their Earth celebrating ceremonies of our Franc, Etruscan (Italy), Norse, Angles (English)... Ancestors underground. Expanding the abuse generationally, Columbus, then the British Empire, brought these diseases of the mind and spirit, in the form of arrogance & ignorance masked pain, to America’s lands and her Children. With them also came diseases of the body, like small pox, that also killed millions. Our
Government under the guise of treaties, contiunued the genocide of our Earth Guardians, forcing their Nature ceremonies underground under pain of death. Born Catholic, I was therefore surprised to learn at our Awareness Fesival that the Essene Prophets, Jesus, Moses, Buddha and Olympian Pythagoras, (who were called “Athletes of Virtue” then), opened their Ancient Ceremonies honoring the “4 Directions” and Mother Earth, like the World’s Indigenous! --see EVENTS.)

To heal our European wounds, Ross Anderson’s vision is to start an “Earth Bridge" Pow wow Ski Team." At the World Speed Championships in Les Arc, France, the Euros were deeply appreciative of our culture and wanted us to return to do healing celebrations like Telluride's." The Germans have teepee villages! "When 5 Oklahoma Indians danced at Berlin's Ski Show, everything stopped in awe," said Colorado Snow Country's Mary Motsenbocker, who is connecting us to the European and Pacific Rim Ski Shows and Areas. Plus Extreme Ski Star, Troy Jungen, a Beaver Indian who also soars like an eagle, is creating a Bridge to Canada.

To provide a solid foundation for these unifying events, Alden and I collaborated on this 65 page "Bridge of Understanding", to make up for the truth we missed in schools. Many Nations now educate on the Internet. Added to “Native American Studies” in Universities, we Anglos are getting exposed to the Wisdom we lost, to use knowledge, especially technology, more responsibly. It’s also turning prejudice into “awe” and appreciation. “Kids are key to our survival” and need to hear Native Voices. Hire them to take youngsters on hikes when they are forming habits for life. Kids need to “feel” their reverence for Mother Earth, like 6 yr olds do in Sweden and Telluride’s schools. Our Brownies are selling cookies to pay a Navajo Sheepherder to give them a Native American Experience. The Good Shepherd, Ron Garnanez, is donating his time to share his “Walks in Beauty” Culture to help our program survive and thrive! The Navajo kids of “Greyhills Academy” in Tuba City, Arizona, just blew our town away with its production called “Tribes”, where our kids got to be “initiated” and joyfully dance and sing as members of the Navajo, Lakota and Creek Tribes. Telluriders and their parents then got to “feel” what it’s like to lose their lands and way of life.

Alden and I were surprised how New Age thinking is so close to that of Native Peoples. In unifying our Red and White Cultures, we also realized how close we are to World Unity! I remembered in 1971, going with a group of White and Black models to do USO Shows in the remote bases of Vietnam. Despite criticism and chaos back home, we were there to honor our men and women warriors as "Humans.” This painful sacred wound of the 60's, was necessary to giving birth to a peaceful alternative to the wars of mass destruction-- same conclusion as Einstein and Gandhi. We’re evolving to a maturer Civilization, beginning "to see each other as Humans above all differences in color, sex, religion, money, power and beliefs," in the words of theologian J. Krishnamurti. “In Nam we called each other ‘Brothers’”, said Navajo Vet, Jimmy Maryboy. Touched by our unity of heart and mind, this grandfather to our local skiers, whom I honored in Nam, honored me with an eagle feather! In Nagano, we were again One as Flowers.

Education and honoring each other also build “esteem”. Research at the U of Washington (Seattle), my alma mater, proves that Esteem = Health. Thanks to Sweden, we know that respecting each other as Humans above all, elevates the health, physical strength, productive energy and standard of living of a country, not to mention their Olympic Hockey Team! If Princess Diana, the Swedes and other “blonds” can figure out how to create harmony in the world, then anyone can!

Alden and I are grateful for the wisdom of many Nations and the generosity of Telluriders, especially humanists, Michael Saftler and journalists, Bob Beer and Doug McDaniel, Board members David Glynn, who is leading the movement in the next town of Ophir to give a piece of land back to the Utes to have a real home here, and Jim Brave Hawk, our Cherokee-Lakota Sundancer accountant-treasurer.

The gifts of Telluride’s free ski tickets, lessons, equipment, some lodging, office expenses, and a huge skiwear donation from Taos (call Stan Metcalf 505-7585553), share over $300,000. worth of our “coolest” culture with our Indian neighbors. Beckoned by Great Spirit to be a “humbled” servant of this project, my heart has received so much more. Given how Native Culture reconnects us to Mother Earth, their gifts are priceless!

Please contact Alden or me if you, your Nation, Ski Area, Town, Foundation or Corporation, would like to join our team build this Bridge of Understanding, Ski Exchange or Intercultural Camps across America or overseas. Awareness plus giving back of our talent or abundance is the healing! We received our first grant from N.Y.'s “Funding Exchange” for “fostering leadership among women and youths, unity among peoples, and economic justice, with potential for national impact.” With your support, backed by enlightened press like the Today Show, VH1, and Mountain Living Magazine..., we can make it so! Trends Institute says, “By the year 2000, the definition of ‘Patriotism’ will include the philosophy of Native Americans, and soon thereafter we will have an overarching love for these lands.” Go with the flow.

ONE TRIBE!

Why is this working? Guided by Spirit and Native Voices, we’re inviting the Noblest of our Cultures to work and play in reverent partnership-- sharing wisdom, purpose, hope, prayers and joy, as we return to our heart-centered, Earth-honoring roots. We’re “extracting the joy out of life,” in the way of the Prophets and Indigenous. We’re aware that it’s the differences in our Cultures and Colors, like flowers, that make life rich! Let's celebrate the unique gifts that each of us has contributed throughout history and herstory to our One Magnificent Race, the Human Race! We’ve traced ourselves back to One Tribe! We need to get in touch with the Wisdom of our Ancients and Natives and play, heal and empower each other out in Nature. It worked in Telluride! Now more than ever, it takes a healthy Global Village and Mother Earth to raise a wise sharing child, who joyously "walks, runs and slides in beauty" into the 21st! As the Modern Goddess Nike says, "Just do it!” From the Heart,

Suzy Chaffee

Alden Naranjo

Co-chairmen Native American Olympic Team Foundation