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thedrifter
11-02-04, 01:02 PM
'Bloodline to be warriors'
November 02,2004
ERIC STEINKOPFF
DAILY NEWS STAFF


John Crazy Bear hasn't lived an easy life - but it's one he's very proud of.

This weekend, that life and those of others like him will be celebrated at the Great Saltwater American Indian Heritage and Veterans' Powwow at the Onslow County Fairgrounds in Jacksonville. The event - the first of its kind - starts Friday and runs through Sunday. It honors East Coast military veterans and American Indians.

Orphaned at a young age, the retired Marine gunnery sergeant bounced around throughout his adolescence - to the Dakotas, California, and Arizona. Joining the Corps at 15, having run away and lied about his age, Crazy Bear saw combat in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

He's a Purple Heart recipient and survivor of one the harshest battles in the Korean War, at Chosin Reservoir.

Now 73, Crazy Bear will have a prominent role organizing the Great Saltwater powwow.

"I'm so darn proud of being an Indian and a Marine - they both equal each other out," said Crazy Bear, who lives in Jacksonville. "I believe it's part of our bloodline to be warriors."

Crazy Bear, a Lakota Sioux, was born at the Sioux Indian Reservation Standing Rock in Fort Yates, N.D. Today, he keeps busy working on ethnic paintings, drawings and crafts, attending powwows when he can.

Heritage, he said, should be a source of pride for everyone.

"I encourage young people to find out their heritage before their elders pass away," Crazy Bear said.

North Carolina, Crazy Bear said, is a great place to host the event. The state has the largest American Indian population, about 80,000, east of the Mississippi River. There are 562 federally recognized tribes throughout the U.S., and they have greater representation in the military than any other ethnic group, Crazy Bear said.

At the powwow, there will be a veterans' dance to honor those who have died in combat.

About 2,000 schoolchildren will attend a private educational presentation from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the American Legion Hall next to the fairgrounds. The public is invited to the Grand Entry that night at 7, but organizers said to show up between 5 and 6 p.m. to get tickets and find a place to watch.

Saturday's events begin with the annual Veterans' Parade at 10 a.m. along Western Boulevard from Coastal Carolina Community College to Brynn Marr Shopping Center, followed by a luncheon at the Disabled American Veterans' hall at 301 Roosevelt Road in Jacksonville.

Organizers said Friday's and Saturday's events will likely run past 9 p.m. and Sunday's will probably not go much past 6 p.m., depending on the length of the songs and dances.

There will be food vendors with traditional Indian food and fast food staples like hot dogs and hamburgers. A unique staple of any powwow is Indian fry bread.

"I've never been to a powwow without it," Crazy Bear said. "You can put powdered sugar or honey on it and some even make Indian tacos."

Special guests include the oldest Navajo living code talker, Walter Begaye; former presidential candidate H. Ross Perot; an American Indian military honor guard from across the Southeast; former National Geographic photographer Steve Wall; writer Harvey Arden and many others.

"This event is really geared for all veterans," Crazy Bear said. "I think anybody who hasn't been to a powwow will really enjoy it."

Daily admission for the public is $5 for adults 18 to 54 years old; $4 for teens 13 to 17 and seniors 55 and up; $3 for children 6 to 12 and free for those under 6.

Visit www.coastalcarolinaindians.com for more information.


http://www.jacksonvilledailynews.com/SiteProcessor.cfm?Template=/GlobalTemplates/Details.cfm&StoryID=26943&Section=News

Ellie

HardJedi
11-02-04, 02:03 PM
sure wish I could go to that.:(

cjwright90
11-02-04, 02:25 PM
It sounds cool. Jedi, you could come out To PA and visit Miss Ellie and me, and swing down to the powwow.

HardJedi
11-02-04, 02:54 PM
well, maybe sometime. gotta finish up with school for the year first ;)

grayshade
11-02-04, 03:40 PM
I truly understand where Crazy Bear is coming from when I consider my own Native American background (Northern Cheyenne, the ones that kicked Custer's bum). I've always felt compelled to join the military since my childhood, I guess it was the warriors blood in my veins. My people have been bred to fight. I really respect the the younger ones when they make that decision to join our beloved Corps, or any of the other branches, that's a big responsibility to uptake, whether they be Native or not. I hope all goes well with the powwow back east, sure wish I could join in on the festivities, oh well.

yellowwing
11-02-04, 03:41 PM
From thier official site, "In coordination with Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune." Outstanding!

Yes, it is in the blood. Some of us were sitting around listening to one of our Elders talking about different things and traditions. He spoke about the truly evil people that use the Medicines to do harm to others.

Then he changed his voice tone slightly and looked straight at me and said, "And its the job of the Wolf Clan to kill them."

Aye-Aye Sir! :marine:

HardJedi
11-02-04, 03:44 PM
and are you of this wolf clan Yellowing? I would assume so, judging from your post.


without getting too political, and trying not to sound all wishy washy or whatever, I have always believed the pogrom of genocide against the natives of this continent should be considered our nations greatest shame. Not Slavery.

hrscowboy
11-02-04, 03:46 PM
Wolf Clan ???? what about the damn Cowboys dont leave us out...

grayshade
11-02-04, 03:54 PM
Wolf clan, eh. I'm of the Dog Society in my tribe, the other name for my society is "Dog Soldiers". They made a movie about them called "Last of the Dogmen". I agree with HardJedi about the genocide, not because I'm Native, but because I'm human. And our country is still just learning about Indians, the new museum in D.C. is a big step in the right direction.

grayshade
11-02-04, 03:58 PM
Yeah. Cowboys are a dying breed themselves, my grandpa was an Indian cowboy (oxymoron), and my uncles use to rodeo.

hrscowboy
11-02-04, 04:02 PM
Do you all know why the indians always rode painted horses ???

grayshade
11-02-04, 04:07 PM
Why's that?

yellowwing
11-02-04, 04:17 PM
No we didn't forget you Cowboys. Our teachings are open to anyone who want to learn in a good way. When a white person gets their Name and Clan, it is usually the Horse Clan.

I think that comes from the white man's 'Gift of Movement'.

On that genocide. Things happen the way they are supposed to happen. Our Grandfathers put up one hell of a fight. I know that the Seminoles never formally surrendered.

I don't think back then that the US Army had an effective doctrine to fight us. It wasn't until the coming of the Buffalo Soldiers and the policy of 'waste them all' did much strategic progress really get made out West.

Goog to meet you Grayshade!

Semper Fidelis

grayshade
11-02-04, 04:25 PM
It was awesome chatting with you, Yellowwing. And you too HardJedi. Carry on Marines, I'm out.

Semper Fi

:marine:

HardJedi
11-03-04, 03:12 PM
Originally posted by yellowwing
.

On that genocide. Things happen the way they are supposed to happen.


Hmnn. not sure if I agree with you on that Yellowing. to me, that just excuses an AWFUL lot of murderers in this world.

hrscowboy
11-03-04, 03:18 PM
The reason indians rode painted horses was ......









ITs the only ones they could catch........ hahahahahaha

yellowwing
11-04-04, 04:13 PM
I finally got back in touch with my Apache buddy in Tennessee. He's the Navy Seal with 3 tours in the RVN.

Anyway, when I talked to him two years ago lymphoma, from all those chemicals he says, was really eating him up. He was so knocked up with meds it was painful to try to carry on a converstion with him.

So last night he calls me sounding fantastic! He had gone back to the Rez in Arizona basically to die in his homeland. But the Elders worked on him as a last resort.

"For four days I thought they were trying to kill me!", he said. But they eventually healed him.

The VA Doctors in Nashville are amazed there is no trace of the disease!

HardJedi
11-04-04, 07:00 PM
the power of faith. I may not be a religious man, but I do believe in faith. I am very happy for your friend, Yellowing.

yellowwing
11-04-04, 09:31 PM
Yeah, I was raised as a good Methodist by a fine Tennessee family, returning to my roots was a big challenge of faith.

The breakthough came when the Elder told me, "There is no such thing as imagination. It's really happening somewhere else. Sometimes you have the choice to catch up with it or not."

The Elders working on my buddy knew there was a place where he was completely healed. They took the time and measures to guide him there. And he was healed.

This age old practice is now being ripped off by Tony Robbins types! Think and grow rich, blah-blah-blah, send us $199 and we'll show you how.

HardJedi
11-05-04, 10:10 AM
hell, i don't need anyone to heal me, and never have. I KNOW that I can do it myself, and find the healing withing me. to hell with tony robbins, and all of his Ilk

WillManning
11-05-04, 05:53 PM
PBS had a show on last night called "Wind Whisperers" about the Navajo code talkers. In Nov. 2001 they were finally recognized for their actions by the government, with Pres. G. W. Bush reading a speach and handing out awards.

The Navajo's Marine Corps League translated the Marines Hymn and Star Spangled Banner, and no matter what language that these 2 songs are in, they still send chills down my spine.

thedrifter
11-25-04, 07:41 AM
Why I Serve: 'Brotherhood' Unlike Any Other

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 2004 -- "I chose to serve in the Marine Corps because it
has a 'brotherhood' unlike that of any of the other services," said Staff Sgt.
Bradley J. Cress.


As a teenager, Cress was fascinated by the Marine Corps' gung-ho attitude, esprit de corps, high public esteem, fame, glory, loyalty and honor.

Now 27, the Marine is administration chief for the General Officer Desk, Special Projects Directorate for the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

"I also serve in the armed forces because I want to help people," said the Buffalo, N.Y., native.

Cress is a member of New York's Seneca Nation. His assignments have taken him to many interesting places around the world. He served as an orders and legal clerk with Marine Aircraft Group 12, Marine Air Logistics Squadron 12 in Iwakuni, Japan, then attended the Marine Security Guard School, at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. In 1997, he was assigned to the American Embassy Copenhagen, Denmark.

While there, he went on temporary duty to Kampala, Uganda, to serve as personal security for President Clinton.

In March 1999, Cress was assigned to the American Embassy in N'Djamena, Chad. He next served as administration chief for the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon before being assigned to the Directorate for the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

His advice to young American Indians who are thinking about serving in the armed forces is, "There are no handouts. You make or break your career. There are many opportunities that young (Native Americans) would not otherwise have coming from most of the reservations across the nation."

Cress said having American Indian Heritage Month is "a great concept. But I believe it counters the idea that we're all Americans -- whether citizens or not."

Even though societal attitudes toward Indians are changing for the better, the concept of "scalping" bothers him immensely, Cress said. "Scalping is the largest misconception about American Indians I've come across," he noted. "This was not a Native American 'invention or tradition.' We're taught this came from the Europeans who wanted 'trophies.'"

Being called an "Indian" is another word that bothers some tribal members, he said. "My father is not Indian," he pointed out. "My mother is 'Native American.' The term 'Indian' is offensive to the older types of our Nation.

[img]http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2004/2004112409a_72.jpg[./img]

Marine Staff Sgt. Bradley J. Cress, who holds daughter, Isabella, is a member of New York's Seneca Nation. Assignments have taken him around the world.


Ellie