AkenhaØkyeháh 2018€¦ · Page 4 Skaru:ręØ Monthly, July 2018 A study done by RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia has proven that honeybees can understand the concept of

AkenhaØkyeháh 2018

Page 2 Skaru:ręØ Monthly, July 2018

Volume 9, Issue 7

July 2018 Haudenosaunee Grand Council Tuscarora Council of Chiefs and Clanmothers

HAUDENOSAUNEE ENVIRONMENTAL

TASK FORCE (HETF)

Oren Lyons, Political Co-Chair Henry Lickers, Scientific Co-Chair

David Arquette, HETF Director TUSCARORA ENVIRONMENT

PROGRAM (TEP)

Rene Rickard, TEP Director [email protected]

Bryan Printup, GIS/Planning [email protected]

Bradley Thomas, Env. Technician

[email protected]

Taylor Hummel, Env. Technician

[email protected]

Following the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the Haudenosaunee held a Grand Council to discuss the environmental degradation of our communities. In accordance with the Great Law of Peace, the Grand Council passed and agreed, based on Haudenosaunee protocols and cultural

beliefs, to establish the Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force (HETF).

The SKARU:RE MONTHLY is the official publication of the Tuscarora

Environment Program. You can submit articles, artwork, photographs, editorials,

and letters of love and happiness to:

SKARU:RE MONTHLY c/o: Tuscarora Environment

5226E Walmore Road Tuscarora Nation

Lewiston, NY 14092

#716.264.6011

www.tuscaroraenvironment.org

or our Facebook page

“Tuscarora Environment”

July 11-12, 2018 - 2nd International Conference on Ecology, Ecosystems and Conservation Biology, Toronto, ON. Conference theme

is Challenging Ecological and Evolutionary Ideas and Assumptions.

Various speakers from around the globe will gather together to discuss this

topic. FMI: www.ecologyecosystems.conferenceseries.com.

July 21, 2018 - IDLA Border Crossing Celebration, Hyde Park, Niagara Falls, NY. The day includes a march across the Canada-U.S.A. border to

Hyde Park, NF, NY. Other events include a softball co-ed slowpitch

tournament; baby contest; smoke dance competition with $9,000 in prize

money; and the Miss IDLA contest. Vendors can set up for free but you must register. FMI: Bob Douglas, #519-445-0142, Judy Smith-Martin,

#519-445-2413.

July 27-28, 2018 - The 10th Annual Stage of Nations ECOfest, Hanover

Square, Syracuse, NY. This event will showcase authentic Native

American music, dance, crafts, foods, and to learn about eco-friendly practices and products. There will be a huge smoke dance competition on

July 28th. FMI: Facebook page “Stage of Nations ECOfest”,

www.stageofnations.org, Irv Lyons Jr., #315-439-7466.

September 16, 2018 - 2018 Saratoga Native American Festival,

National Museum of Dance, Saratoga Springs, NY. Activities will be indoors with the exception of an outdoor food vendor, rain or shine. The

festival will have drumming and dancing, storytelling, music, crafts, art

and native food. The Festival is part of a regional effort to educate people about the history, cultural traditions and continued active presence of the

Native peoples of the northeast. Brought to you by the Ndakinna Education

Center. FMI: www.saratoganativefestival.com.

September 24-30, 2018 - Climate Week NYC, New York City, NY. Join

the global response to climate change in New York City. This summit is hosted by The Climate Group and will have seminars lead by UN general

assembly and international leaders. There is exhibitions, concerts and

discussions all throughout the week to raise awareness and take action

towards climate change. FMI: www.climateweeknyc.org.

October 16, 2018 - Introduction to Fermentation, Cornell Cooperative Extension - Niagara County, Lake Ave, Lockport, NY. $20, 6pm-8pm. The

workshop will learn the basics of fermentation for home food preservation.

Participants will learn how to make sauerkraut. A maximum of 15

participants. FMI: www.reg.cce.cornell.edu; Amanda Henning, #716-433-

8839, ext. 231.

Pretty flowers abound this time of the year. A nice way to usher in the

summer season. KęnháØkye, “in the summer.”



A study done by RMIT University in Melbourne,

Australia has proven that honeybees can understand

the concept of zero. Scientists trained the bees to go

toward a sheet of paper with the fewest dots on it

for a reward. When a blank sheet was placed out the

bees gathered towards it. Bees’ brains have fewer

than 1 million neurons then the 86,000 million

neurons of a human brain. * http://earthsky.org/

earth/

Banning the use of plastic straws is rising in

popularity throughout the United States - Miami

Beach has just recently banned plastic straws. In

2014, it was estimated that there are 270,000 metric

tons of plastic polluting the oceans. Plastic straws make up over 7% of the plastic found in the

environment. Some alternatives include using paper

straws, reusable straws and silverware.

*www.npr.org/sections/

Did You Know . . .

Ash residue from backyard burning can contain

some highly toxic pollutants because packaging and

plastics today use very toxic chemicals. The ash can

contain mercury, lead, chromium, and arsenic,

which can contaminate vegetables; the soil your children play in; and the ground water the ash run-

off can seep into. *www.epa.gov

O ur Household Hazardous Waste

Collection day in April was a

great success, even though it

was a very cold and windy day. We had about 80

households from Tuscarora participate and we filled up two

tractor trailer full of hazardous waste that was removed from Tuscarora. Here are some numbers from the HHW Day:

Aerosols - 419 lbs.

Non-hazardous Paints - 2, 883 lbs.

Non-Hazardous Products

(cleaners, misc. liquids, and solids) - 973 lbs.

Corrosive liquids

(sodium hydroxide, sodium metasilicate) - 32 lbs.

Antifreeze - 210 lbs.

Fluorescent bulbs - 131 bulbs

Gasoline - 288 lbs.

Electronic Waste - 17, 874 lbs.

Propane Tanks - 198 lbs.

Lead Acid Batteries - 317 lbs.

Alkaline Batteries - 273 lbs.

Lithium Batteries - 22 lbs.

Refrigerator/Freezers, air conditions, appliances - 55 qty.

Tires - 3.75 tons

We’re thankful to help get rid of all this waste from the Nation and to help dispose of it properly. Nya:we to all the families who

participated and for doing your part to help our community.


This survey is being conducted with

the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through their APHIS

program. APHIS handles all animal

and plant health protection in the U.S., and they’re also the U.S.

department that is helping us survey

the Plum Pox Virus and the forest

pest inventory. All three projects are helping us identify and develop

solutions to environmental situations

that affect Tuscarora.

If you’re interested in more

information please check out the

USDA APHIS website, or stop by

fruit. Once they hatch from the eggs, the larvae develop inside the fruit and

feed for up to 6 weeks. As the larvae

develop, they damage the fruit pulp.

Mature larvae exit the fruit through emergence holes, drop to the ground,

and burrow into the soil. Once in the

soil, they pupate within a few days and overwinter in the soil underneath

or near the host plant.

Tuscarora is participating in this

county-wide survey (along with Erie

County), with the area being

impacted extending from Lake Ontario to the Upper Niagara River

(see the quarantine map below).

Over the next couple months our

summer interns will be setting traps

out to help survey the fruit fly and the extent of their infestation. We

currently have 128 traps set out at

various sites throughout the

Nation, mainly in brushlines and old orchard

sites. They’re small, yellow

cardboard square traps with a sticky coating, and an

attached lure the size of a

small puck (see the photo

above.)

The traps need to be

monitored and replaced every two week, which is a

lot of legwork and a

constant work for the next 8 weeks. We expect to

complete the surveying by

mid-August, and then the

results will be released at a later date.

T his summer we’ll be participating in a new survey -

the European cherry fruit fly survey.

The European cherry fruit fly is the most serious pest of cherries in

Europe. The fly attacks ripening fruit,

causing it to rot and fall off the tree. In heavily infested areas, the fly can

destroy up to 100 percent of cherry

fruits and other host plants if left uncontrolled.

It was first confirmed in Ontario, Canada in 2016, then in 2017 the fly

was found in traps set in WNY. This

was the first U.S. detection of the cherry fruit fly.

European cherry fruit fly prefers sweet cherries and honeysuckle, but

may also attack tart cherries. Adults

typically emerge from May to July

and have an average lifespan of 2 to 4 weeks. Females usually lay one egg

beneath the skin of each piece of RIGHT: Quarantine map.


Y ay! School’s out, kids are at home,

and mosquitoes are everywhere.

Make sure you keep the sunscreen

handy! What do you do to beat the heat?

Jump in the pool? Sit in the shade? Maybe you stay inside and sit in front of

the A/C. Here are some words for you to

use over the summer:

Kaʔnawęhs - I am swimming

Waʔętkahne ·tyęʔ - One built a fire

Uyaʔreh - Hot Dog

Nekaʔwahrahrihnę - Hamburger

Kiʔtaʔna·thęʔθ – I’m thirsty

Yęʔcaʔtuhsnahkhwaʔ - A fan

Kaye ʔnhekws – They play

Nehrathęʔnaʔna·θehs - He goes around

the meadow

Yeʔnęruʔke haʔnęʔ - Her close friends

Kahne·ʔ kakuthnęhstayęʔ - Who has

the ball?

Wahrathnęhstakuheʔ - He was going

picking up the game ball

Yęʔnihsuher – Hide-and-Seek

Kayęʔteyaruhcręh – They gather into a

crowd

Uwi·seh - Ice cream

Neyuręhyayęʔah – Watermelon

Ektyaʔkre ·tiʔ - I got wet

Yakuʔnętene hsnę - She basks in the sun

Awu·kęʔ - A blister

Yutaʔta·wę· - Humid

Kanęharihthaʔ - A locust

Waʔnwuhstahkw – Summertime

Ratiʔθre hthaʔ - He shades it

Wahuʔna·tʔuʔy – A big wind blew

Uca·takwt neyutehuharęw – Beach

Haʔ yętʔehnakyewahthaʔ - Towel

Ruʔte·yu·ʔ - Mosquito

BTW: Here is the pronunciation key to help you with the letters. A good suggestion is to say letters and words out loud to help your ear become accustomed to the Tuscarora sounds. Tuscarora Pronunciation Key:*

/a/ law; /e/ hat; /i/ pizza; /u/ tune; /ę/ hint; /c/juice; /

ch/cheese; /h/ hoe; /m/ mother; /s/ same; /t/ do; /th/

too; /k/ gale; /kh/ kale; /n/ inhale; /r/ hiss (before a

consonant or word final), run (trilled elsewhere); /

w/ cuff (before a consonant other than y or word-

final), way (elsewhere); /y/ you ; /sy/ fish; /θ/

thing; /Ø/ uh-oh; /:/ long vowel, /ˊ/high pitch; /`/low

pitch.*Adapted from Blair A. Rudes, Tuscarora-

English.

Tuscarora Word List:

SUMMERTIME

H ere is a list of contaminants that could affect your groundwater

if you continue to leave abandoned

cars, even just one car, in your yard:

Petroleum Hydrocarbons -

Vehicles contain motor oil,

petroleum, gasoline and diesel

fuels. All of these fluids have hydrocarbons, which are known

carcinogens.

Heavy Metals - Heavy metals

migrate from cars via rain and snow runoff. They contaminate

groundwater with potential toxins

like nickel, aluminum, mercury, arsenic, lead and

cadmium.

Acids - There are various acids present

especially from

rotting vehicle

batteries. Acids significantly impact

the chemistry of the

soil, which can affect human health and

plant growth in the

area.

Solids - Suspended solids, especially in high

concentrations, can settle into

riverbeds and affect invertebrates

and plants. MtBE - Methyl Tertiary Butyl

Ether (MtBE) was removed from

gasoline back in 2005 after U.S. Congress approved the Energy

Policy Act. This chemical

compound was a fuel additive for gasoline in the United States as

an octane enhancer. After finding

contaminants of MtBE in

groundwater, the U.S. EPA started a public awareness

campaign. While modern

vehicles no longer use MtBE, older vehicles will have MtBE

leeching into groundwater.

What to do next? Find a reputable

car recycling center that follows good

environmental standards to help

remove your abandoned cars.


By Bryan Printup

ABOVE: Chew family. Courtesy of C. Johnson estate.


The Niagara Falls Gazette Tuesday, June 30, 1931

INDIAN FIELD DAY

PLANS COMPLETED

Tuscarora Outing to Be Held on July 4.

Tuscarora Reservation - Plans have been completed for the

Indian Field Day at the Tuscarora Reservation for next

Saturday, July 4. The main feature of the celebration will be

the ceremonies of the adoption of Francis Bowman,

advertising manager of the Carborundum Co., this city, who

has been heard on the radio with his band over the Columbia

system. The famous Shredded Wheat band who formats the music for the athletics and the ceremonies directed by

Romeo Greene, solo trombonist of the band and a full-

blooded Tuscarora Indian, being of Deer Clan, into which

Mr. Bowman is being adopted.

Plans have been abandoned for broadcasting the ceremonies,

as there are no electric or telephone wires leading to the

Council House athletic field. However, movietone pictures

of the adoption will be taken. Chief Clinton Rickard will

have charge of the ceremonies, assisted by chiefs from

various reservations in full Indian regalia.

There will be a softball game at 2 p. m., between the Indians

and Savoy Club of Batavia, and a baseball game at 3 p. m.

between the Indians and the Hammers of Dunkirk. Mr.

Bowmans program is scheduled for 4:30 p. m. daylight

saving time, and at the conclusion of the adoption program

there will be races and other athletic contests open to all who

wish to compete.

ABOVE: Harold Williams. Courtesy of the C. Johnson estate.

Documents

AkenhaØkyeháh 2018€¦ · Page 4 Skaru:ręØ Monthly, July 2018 A study done by RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia has proven that honeybees can understand the concept of