Update

I recently attended the unvieling ceremony for the new KCA Reservation signs at the KCALUC office in Lawton along with several other KBC members. The event was attended by a number of KCA committee members and the Director of the Oklahoma State Department of Transportation. Pictured are KBC members (L-R) Committeeman Alva D. Tsoodle, Committeeman Richard Kuahquooh, Chairman Donald Tofpi, yours truly, and Vice-Chairman Charles Toyebo.
ODOT will erect the Entering/Exiting signs at 28 sites where state highways intersect the former boundaries of the KCA Reservation.

The boundaries of the KCA Reservation were established by treaty with the United States on October 21, 1867 containing 3,000,000 acres and covering approximately 1/2 of the southwest corner of Oklahoma. Our first treaty with the United States on May 26, 1837 established our first reservation boundaries which included a southwest portion of Kansas, a southeast portion of Colorado, a large portion of eastern New Mexico, most of western Texas, most of western Oklahoma, and contained an area of 78,000,000 acres.

The above event illustrates the seemingly endlesss procession of tasks, issues, and service requirements presented to the KBC on a daily basis. Some situations have origins with our distant ancestors, such as the reservation signage, while other issues of recent origin may have a profound impact on our descendents and require careful and diligent attention by our contemporaries. The "business" of Kiowa governance should not be dictated by traditional concept, nor should it be conveyed to proponents of radical change. The truth of the matter is, we have imposed radical change on ourselves from the time of our northern mountain residence to our present location as a plains warrior society. Conversely, while we have easily adapted to modern society and eagerly look forward toward future developments, we are oftentimes openly regarded by many other tribal people as a steadfast traditional culture.

These contradictions of Kiowa import must be a constant regard in decision making by the Kiowa Business Committee. I am congnizant of and pay homage to the historical contributions of my forefathers, but I also keep in mind that change is needed and inevitable in many areas and I strive for balanced and workable solutions beneficial to all Kiowas in my decision making tasks on the KBC.

As stated in a previous posting, this blog was started as a communication to all Kiowas of my desire to serve you during another term on the KBC by soliciting your votes in the upcoming elections of June 13th. I will post more info in the upcoming days before the election and please don't hesitate to contact me with your questions, or answers. Ah ho! O baw haw.

p.s.: Questioned Dwayne Davis, Chairman, Kiowa Election Board, about the election schedule and he informed me that absentee ballots must be received by the Election Board no later than 10:00a.m., Saturday, June 13, 2009, to be counted. Just a reminder.