Dust Storms and Chilling Accusations

From War Paint Pilot Susie:

We drove from Fallon, NV to Winnamucca, NV today through a huge sand storm along I-80. It looked like thick fog but sand blasted the side of the vehicle from the north all the way. We crossed the 40 mile desert where there is nothing but sand and alkali and very little else. The event at Winnemucca Colony was sparsely attended because of the wind and sand. Still people stop us in the streets and comment on the beautiful design of the vehicle wherever we go and often mention they have returned their Census form. Thanks to Linda McCauley for the great photos of the Nevada events.

That's the neat narrative stuff, but on this trip there have been many questions about the 2010 Census, and some times they turn into downright dirty rumors. Here's one that Susie fielded in NV:

We were stopped in town (Winnemucca, NV) by a guy who tried to convince us that Census is selling information and it says so on the Census website under something called "Tiger". I assured him Census information is secure for 72 years.

And that's true. The census bureau does not share any personal information with any government agency or person.

He might be talking about Tiger, which is the basis for Google Maps and some of the most important mapping technology to date. It's a gov't program that uses census bureau information to create maps, but there is absolutely no personal information used (or sold).

The confidentiality of information collected by the Census Bureau even trumps the President and the Patriot Act. IT IS SAFE. And just as important, participating in the 2010 Census means for American communities better roads, schools, job programs, health care and more. So just do it for Pete's sake--heck, for YOUR sake!

Shoot us an email if you have a question, or go here to find out more about the 2010 Census.

"The TRT has had a terrific week in Nevada"

From War Paint Pilot Susie:

Visiting Washoe communities and Saturday at the Reno urban powwow and Health Fair. It was a fabulous powwow, with helpful, welcoming hosts and young men from a group home to help us with the heavy lifting. And the weather totally cooperated with 70 degrees and bright sunshine all day. There were questions about the Census forms and many folks assured us they have answered and returned their forms already. Children and some teens ask "What is census?" This is our opportunity to educate and hope they are interested enough to do more research about census, history and genealogy.

Pics from the Urban Indian Powwow in Reno:







Pics from Walker River Indian Reservation. The town is Shurz, NV and home to the Northern Paiute. Their Paiute name is Agai-Ticutta and literally means "Trout Eaters".









Finally, pics below from Fallon, NV and the Paiute-Shoshone Fallon reservation:



Tribal Elder: Iola Byers

Census outreach expert Ellen Johnson, outreach guru Renee Hardin of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, and Warpaint Pilot Susie.


Food, gas, smokes and your future all in one convenient location.

Moapa, Nevada: March 23, 2010

Moapa Band of Paiutes Tribal Chairman Darrin Daboda, left rear, with tribal members. Vickie Simmons, center rear, and Tracy Miller, right rear, are tribal members who work for the U.S. Census Bureau.

Photo by Mike Donahue. And those cute kid pics in Hualapai...those are Mike's too. Btw, Mike has a horse ranch and is trying to sell some Arabians. Drop a line if you want to buy a horse.

Hualapai Children Know Their Stuff

Cathy Lacy, director of the ten-state Rocky Mountain Region, meets and greets Hualapai tribal members in Peach Springs, AZ.




We'd like to thank Hualapai tribal liaison Jack Ehrhardt and assistant tribal liaison Flora Hunter for making us so welcome.

On the way to Hualapai

If you want to get away from it all...

Tomorrow we fly into the Grand Canyon to meet with the Havasupai. In 1882 the Havasupai were confined to just over 500 acres in the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The resourceful tribe cobbled together a living with farming and wage labor. Gradually, the beauty of the canyon floor gave way to a successful tourism industry. However, despite the increasing outside traffic, the Havasupai remain very traditional and still speak their Havasupai language.

After that event at noon--you can meet us for free food by either taking a burro or helicopter. You can walk, too, but give yourself a few hours--we're back in Peach Springs on Route 66 with the Hualapai and more free food. We're on from 4:30 to 6:30. And as you can see from these pics from Fort Mojave, we bring the party.

And if you're not familiar with the Hualapai tribe, then you should come get to know them. It's a high like live you've never before experienced.

Tribal Partnership Specialist Fred Stevens learns a thing or two about the importance of being counted.

Fort Mojave and CRIT

That's Colorado River Indian Tribes to those who were wondering if I got cut off while trying to emphasize 'Critical'.

Both Fort Mojave and CRIT events were great. As Mike, the new co-pilot for Warpaint writes:

"The CRIT event went well. I think we got close to 40 people which makes it
smaller than the Fort Mojave event but still well attended overall. John Gutekunst, a reporter with the Parker Pioneer, a small weekly, attended and interviewed Fred Stevens.
David Moore, tribal census PA, did a good job working with the CRIT rep.
to set things up."

Thank you Parker Pioneer for the coverage, as well as The Desert Star. They showed up at the Fort Mojave event. Fred Stevens is a Tribal Partnership Specialist for the 2010 Census. On Monday he and Cathy Lacy, the ten-state regional director, are going into the Grand Canyon to meet the Havasupai. There they will highlight just how safe and important the 2010 Census is, as well as kick off our Update Enumerate* operations. We'll be there to take video and photos of the Havasupai's tribal land.

For now, if this doesn't make you want to run away from your cube...then you may want to check your pulse.

But if your heart is racing, here's some official census verbage to slow it down:

*The Update/Enumerate (U/E) operation is a method of data collection conducted in communities where many housing units may not have house number and street name mailing addresses. This method will be used on American Indian reservations, colonias (usually rural Spanish-speaking communities) and resort areas with high concentrations of seasonally vacant living quarters. The U/E enumerators canvass assignment areas to update residential addresses, including adding living quarters that were not included on the address listing pages, update Census Bureau maps and complete a questionnaire for each housing unit during the same visit.

Monday Vegas; Today, March 17th, Fort Mojave

Media turned out in force in Las Vegas. Tribal Partnership Specialist, Karen Wilde, who's had so much exposure she could run for office, shares with Las Vegas TV the importance of the 2010 Census to all communities, both tribal and non.



And, again, many showed up to help. Where were you? (To be honest, you fill out and get that form back then you've done enough for us, for you, for your country and for your community.)

On to Fort Mojave: If you're in the area or have a fast plane, you can get free food from 11-2 PT at the Fort Mojave Tribal building, 500 Merriman, Needles, CA.

The Fort Mojave Reservation is actually in Arizona, but right on the border along the Colorado River. Quick fact: The reservation houses has many whites and Mexican Americans as it does tribal members. The tribe leases much of their land for farming and that has attracted a multitude of cultures.

Just go through this blog and start planning your own tour of Native America

The scenery is staggering...



And its legacy echoes thousands of years of human activity.

Newspaper Rock is in Utah.

Extraordinary People Along the Way: Terry Knight

He discusses the ALP dam project that delivers water to the arid country of his people, refutes Indian stereotypes, and at about 3:30 shares the healing his father offered to anyone who needed it.

It's windy in Towoac.

Little Duckwater Gives us a Big Welcome

It was another day of being blown away by a little town's turnout. Soon we'll be in Vegas, and we can't deny that won't be fun, but you won't find a bigger payoff than the people we've met along the way.



Duckwater Tribal Chair Virginia Sanchez and hubby, world-renowned Shoshone Artist, Jack Malotte.

And now for what's next. First, it's Kaibab, AZ on March 13. We'll be hanging at the convenience mart from 11 to 2. Las Vegas: Look for us Monday from noon to 3 p.m. at the Las Vegas Indian Center, 2300 W. Bonanza Road. We'll have all the goodies and 2010 Census information you can handle.

There are times on every road trip where you just want a salad, a shower and a long, long nap...

This might be that time. Susie reports from Pioche:

Finally found a place with 'bars' on the phone. We're at Pioche, NV in the only motel within hundreds of miles. It is right out of the 1960's and I'm so allergic to these old rooms, hope I live through the night....

Weather is bitter cold and high winds, making it even colder. Running boards on the vehicle are iced over. I'll get it serviced tomorrow and a new windshield wiper. The drivers side is just disintegrating. Also will clean up the inside and get my stuff packed up. I'm making a list of things to do and remember for the vehicle and will leave my numbers for the drivers. I'm going to miss the tour, but really need the rest. Well sort of rest, I still will be working everyday until I return to the tour.

Warpaint Pilot Susie is going to take a break. We'll still be on the road with a new pilot and co-pilot.

Next up: Friday, March 12 -- Paiute Tribe of Utah Tribal Chambers in Cedar City, UT from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Updates from the Road: Weather = Cold, People = Warm

From Warpaint Pilot Susie Aikman:

TRT was driving on I-80 in NV when a vehicle pulled up beside us and I waved. They held up their Census form to the window for us to see.

Generally every day, we get at least one person chat with us in a parking lot at a hotel about the forms, a job, or what is Census. I even recruit from the hotel staff where I stay. Call the number, put in your zip and contact your local office.

We're in Ely, NV and we hear this is the coldest place in the US at times. Today is was bitter cold and blowing pellets of snow. The folks at the Shoshone Colony were warm and helpful. We toured their Ed. Admin building and newly organized library. If any one is interested in helping, send books and educational materials to the Ely Shoshone Reservation Library, Ely, NV.

Next up: We're here today (3/10/10) from 11-1 at the Duckwater Shoshone Tribal Health Center.

Hear from the Intrepid Explorer Herself

An mp3 interview with Warpaint Pilot, Susie.
Scroll down a bit...

It's EE-LEE dangit

The word from Nevada Tribal Partnership Specialist Linda McCauley is this:

"We are going to Ely today! Its snowing."

That's not entirely enticing but you will get to meet the warm souls of our Census road reps. And get free stuff.

And here's something else that's free. "Ely" is pronounced "Ee-lee", not "Ee-lie". And that's the truth. This courtesy of the editor of the Ely Times. (There's a great tribute to the troops at the top of the page.)

If you're in the area we're at the:
Ely Shoshone Tribe
Education Center
March 9, 3 - 5 p.m.

American Indians and the Original Census

Follow Us: As of 3/8/10 we're at 1:20

Friday, March 5 at Fort Duchesne and Saturday in Salt Lake

From 2-4 we're at the Ute Plaza, 7750 E. Hwy 40 in Fort Duchesne, Utah. Fort Duchesne is on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation and home to the Northern Ute Tribe. The Northern Utes are the largest of three Ute tribes (Southern and Ute Mountain.)

And then Saturday we're in Salt Lake City at the Indian Walk In Center. Beginning at 6 p.m. is the grand entry of their Social Powwow. Again, that's Saturday, March 6th at 6 p.m. Admission is only 2 dollars (5 & younger free). Find the Walk In Center at 120 West 1300 South in SLC.

Tributes from the Tour: Ira Hayes

Born on the Gila River Reservation in Sacaton, AZ, Ira Hayes was immortalized by the photo of he and other marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi after American troops took the island of Iwo Jima. Immediately, Hayes was hailed a hero and brought back to America as part of an campaign to sell the WWII effort to the public. This never sat well with him as he often said the real heroes were his friends who perished in battle.


This memorial for Hayes is found on the Gila River Reservation.

Every year thousands make their way to the Ira Hayes memorial to pay tribute to Hayes and other war veterans. The percentage of American Indians who have fought in modern American wars is higher than any other ethnic group.

What are you Missing? New Mexico Pueblo Indian Buffalo Dancers...and more

Ute Mountain Ute Ready to be Counted

Arlene Lang of The Weenuche Smoke Signals Newspaper took some great photos of the Tribal Road Tour Stop at the Ute Mountain Ute Casino.

Ernest House, Sr., Tribal Chairman of the Ute Mountain Ute, receives honors for his tribal nation's effort on behalf of the 2010 Census. Pictured to the left of the Chairman is Nancy Janney, who's busy recruiting tribal members to count tribal members, and Karen Wilde, 2010 Census Tribal Partnership Specialist.