Printer Version (pdf) of Wellbriety! Summer: Volume4, Number20

Come to the Conference!
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Thursday, September 18—Sunday, September 21, 2003

Tatanka Wijnyan/Buffalo Woman A Memorial Video to Lakota Rose Madison And the Standing Rock Community
	"Lakota People be patient Seven Generations need you Seven Generations are born every day Give them your wisdom and hope..." Sung by Helmina Makes Him First on Tatanka Wijnyan
See it at the Conference, Thursday Evening, September 18. Read about it in the story inside

Come to the Circles of Recovery Conference!
Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 18-21, 2003

Mark your calendar and plan to attend White Bison's Fourth Annual Circles of Recovery Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from Thursday to Sunday, September 18-21. This year's gathering for sobriety, recovery and well living is titled "Strengthening Our Nations" and registration is FREE to the first 750 people who sign up. The Conference will be held at the Albuquerque Convention Center, 401 Second Street NW in Albuquerque.

The White Bison Conference offers four days of healing Ceremonies, videos, speakers and presentations, Wellbriety workshops, and eight different conference tracks all aimed at bringing sobriety and wellness possibilities to Native Americans and those working with them on the healing journey. The Conference also features discussions with Elders, a Wellbriety Powwow, a banquet, an awards ceremony, and for the first time, a uniquely Native American Wellbriety "Roast."

This year's Conference is jointly sponsored by White Bison, Inc, and NANACOA. White Bison, Inc. is an American Indian non profit dedicated to bringing culturally friendly recovery and healing programs, videos, books, and other resources to Native Americans who seek healing, addictions prevention, and wellness for themselves, families and communities. NANACOA, The National Association of Native American Children of Alcoholics, supports Native people who grew up around the destructive effects of alcohol.

Videos
The Conference opens Thursday evening, September 18, with Grand Entry of the 100 Eagle Feather Hoop and welcoming remarks by Don Coyhis, Founder and President of White Bison, Inc. Thursday's special event will be the Indian debut of the video Path of Hope, produced by MADD (Mother's Against Drunk Driving) to support Native American families who have lost a loved one to a drunk driver. Path of Hope features the stories of five different Native American families who have been impacted by drunk drivers. Its purpose is to send the message that Native people can come to MADD for help. After its debut in Albuquerque, Path of Hope will be available to Native communities nationwide.

A second Thursday evening video promises to hush the audience and bring tears to the eyes an possibly anger and shock to the heart. Tatanka Wijnyan, or Buffalo Woman is a film by David Weinkauf and Mary Anne Angel telling of the murder of 17 year old Lakota Rose Madison on the Standing Rock reservation in South Dakota in 2001. Lakota Rose was killed because gangs and violence are out of control on Standing Rock. And she was not the only one. In Tatanka Wijnan we get to know Lakota Rose as an articulate "young elder" during her presentation at the Circle of Light Initiative in Dayton, Ohio in March of 2001. But then we lose her. The community tries to make sense of the tragic, senseless killing, and as viewers, we do too. Why did it happen? Drugs and alcohol are certainly one reason and that's why Buffalo Woman will be shown at the Conference. But there are other reasons too. When you watch the video listen carefully for the challenge to all of us voiced by one of the community members, spoken in his sorrow and in his strength. For that's why we will be at the conference.

Talks, Workshops and Elders
Kevin Gover, former head of the BIA, will highlight the Conference's "Strengthening Our Nations" focus with a keynote address on sober leadership. Entitled "Sober Leadership and the New Millennium," Gover's message will be that it takes Native American leaders who are themselves on healing and wellness journeys to send the message of sobriety and healthy living to their communities, families and individuals. It is only through sobriety that the dreams of sovereignty, education, economic well being, and cultural strength can be reached.

Other keynote speakers or workshop leaders include nationally acclaimed authors Claudia Black, Margaret Wheatly, Anne Wilson Schaef, and Bill White, who have all written well known books on recovery from alcohol and drugs, self-development, or visionary looks at a well future for all people.

Back again this year will be Jeri Brunoe Samson, leading her popular youth work as part of White Bison's Wellbriety for Youth program. Theda New Breast will also return with presentations on the GONA (Gathering of Native Americans) approach to healing and wellness through Indian culture. Blaine Wood's unique Wellbriety for Prisons program, as well as his leadership of the White Bison grassroots Firestarter's healing circles taking place around the nation, will be featured at the Conference.

Those who attended the first three White Bison Circles of Recovery Conferences in Colorado Springs (1999), Rapid City (2001), and Billings (2002), will be happy to know that a number of beloved Elders will be back. Ozzie Williamson, Bill and Carol Iron Moccasin, and Horace and Andrea Axtell will lend their own Wellbriety, humor and love to the Gathering. There will be an Elder's panel at which these Elder's will speak, as well as being available to visit throughout the Conference.

Banquet, Powwow, and "Roast"
The Circles of Recovery Conference is part of National Native American Recovery/Wellbriety Month, September, 2003, which is being celebrated throughout Indian country in September. Native Wellbriety Month is, in turn, a part of the larger National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month celebrated by all America in September. There will be a Recovery Month Powwow held as part of the Conference in Albuquerque on Saturday Evening September 20, 2003 at the Convention Center. Contact Norman Sitting Up in Albuquerque at (505) 489 2001 if you want to go. The Powwow will be emceed by Native artist and recovery advocate Sam English, as well as by Kevin Peniska, Sr., publisher of the Native American "Well Nations" Magazine.

The Fourth Annual Circles of Recovery Conference in Albuquerque features all of this and so much more. Participate in Circles of Recovery 2003 for your own sobriety, recovery, and wellness, or to purchase wellness resources and Indian products offered at the many vendor tables. And come to the Conference to share in the first ever Wellbriety "Roast" of Sam English.

Contact White Bison at toll free 1-877-871-1495, by e mail at info@whitebison.org, or visit the website at www.whitebison.org to receive a Conference Brochure or to download the online Magazine, "Wellbriety!" for more information.

--White Bison, Inc.