From the desk of Chief’s Office

Aanii!

I am humbled and honored to provide the first update from the Chief since the devastation COVID has had on our nation and the great loss of Chief Ethel Cook. We have had many updates to share since my short time in this new position so bear with me through this extensive update. It has been a long-term goal of mine to bring back the newsletter and I am excited that we get to do this once again and hopefully as we progress and grow so will our newsletter and the updates we are able to offer. Upon transitioning into my increased time in the tribal office, we have identified numerous staffing concerns that were needing to be addressed, some more immediately than others as we are still in a moment of transition. We have completed the hiring process of a new ICWA Case Manager, Marco; as well as a new accounting clerk, Dani. We are currently reviewing resumes for individuals interested in being our new office manager as well as our new tribal enrollment clerk and tag officer; both positions creating a more efficient streamlined process in the office network. After this process is completed, we will advertise for a business manager to help manage the daily and long-term needs of the Otter Stop, Otter Cover, and Adawe Travel Plaza. At that point the business committee will again review office efficiency and effectiveness for additional needs potentially involving the cultural department and the accounting department. With my changes from Second Chief to Chief our daily and weekly languages classes did get placed on a temporary hold but we have a very active messenger group that we share new information, audio messages and activities on continuously.

I was able to meet with the faculty, staff, administration, and students at Ottawa University in Ottawa in October. As a graduate of the university and current parent of a university student, my time on campus was both enlightening and engaging. When meeting with tribal students, I was able to learn and better understand what they are seeking in their time there as well as how to best proceed with serving them. We have decided to begin language and cultural integration into the university on a daily basis with an emphasis on the student body both through text messages and through the incorporation of the Native American Student Association which my daughter and her amazing friends, all tribal members; decided to create. Ottawa University will be working closely with myself and Rhonda Hayworth to ensure that students are provided the opportunity to attend cultural activities both in Oklahoma and throughout Kansas to reach whatever level of emersion they desire. I have also been working with the new Chancellor to create and maintain a permanent position on the board of trustees for all Ottawa Tribal Chiefs moving forward, something that has only been an honorary position in the past. This will further allow the Ottawa Tribal Representative voting rights at all Board of Trustees meetings in the future once this is implemented, something that our ancestors earned for us over a hundred years ago through their dedication to the survival of our tribe and culture.

We are currently making progress in our enterprises as the Otter Cove has been developing ties to the community and lasting impressions worldwide, check out their Facebook page to see the amazing guestbook! The staff at Otter Cover have been working closely with tribal member Keisha Lawson (Cook) who now works for the Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau to really put us on the map and ensure some amazing publicity. In several situations this has also included Otter Stop and its new facelift, if you haven’t seen it, go check out the new store and much larger and needed parking lot! The Adawe Travel Plaza and its expansion into smoked meats has Ottawa County rubbing their bellies and licking their lips. This expansion will only get more popular as word travels and we continue our additional business adventures out there including the upcoming hotel and the Fun Zone that will be developed in the same area. More details on both to come soon in the following newsletters.

Lastly, we have established a timeline for our quarterly tribal gatherings to occur over the 2024 year. On January 27th, from 2-5 pm, we will be meeting at the Ottawa Tribal Building for our first meeting of the year. The focus of this will be taking us back a few decades to when we gathered together when I was a young child where we played Indian Dice, had cake walks, and played BINGO in the language. This event will feature multiple family-oriented learning activities both in the language and in English for tribal members to enjoy. We have been gathering materials and giveaway gifts to share with the tribe as well as to enjoy a time of fellowship. The event is only scheduled for a couple of hours but as the events progress and expand that might be extended to allow for more learning opportunities. The second gathering will occur on April 20th (two weeks before general council so mark your calendars) and will have a similar structure and opportunities for anyone that missed the first one. The third gathering will be July 26th and July 27th in Manistee, Michigan at the Anishinaabe Family Language and Culture Camp. This event has been occurring for nearly 30 years and attracts Anishinaabe people from across the United States and Canada to share in fellowship and the learning of our beautiful cultural on the ancestral lands there. This is a free event for all to attend with free food and camp sites available. We will have our Annual Pow-wow at the Ottawa Tribal Pow-wow Grounds August 30-September 1, please make plans to join us for this amazing celebration that the pow-wow committee takes great pride in. Lastly, on October 26th we will have our last gathering for the year, with more information to follow as the event gets closer.

Chi-Miigwech so much for the love and dedication you have for our tribe, culture, preservation, and future.

Zaagidwin miinawaa Mnaadendimowin

Chief Kalisha Dixon Pheasant

Winds of Change Road to the New Year!

If you haven't been out to the casino in the last six months, the scenery has changed, and the development progress has made our player community more excited each visit. Behind the lights and the bells, our staff has been working steadily towards our goals and bringing new levels of entertainment to keep our casino progressing amongst our hefty competition.
In October, we rolled out our new Club card system to allow us to compete in rewarding our players for their loyalty and choosing to play with us. Players may now use their points for food, free play, and gift shop purchases, amongst other available benefits. Our Top Fan community brought the Halloween spirit to our floor with nearly 30 decorated pumpkins, all for the love of fun and a chance at some free play! We ended the month with our annual Halloween Costume Contest and a grand total of 447 jackpots paid out for a total jackpot payout of $1,060,962.81.
New machines debuted on our floor, from firsts to our area to highly requested favorite titles. The Aries Coin Pusher and Claw machines were introduced to our northeastern corner, bringing players from across the county who seek out the novelty and thrill of these machines. Most loved classic titles that players love were added to our floor and bar top. All Aboard made its debut with a standing line ready for those machines to power on. Neptune's Gold released a follow-up title of The Hunt for Aztec Riches, bringing more red-screen excitement to players in our seats. Then, good old Burt emerged with a new spin on the ever-popular Silver Dollar Shootout. This theme introduces the wild Wild West with more thrilling bonus features and, of course, red spins. Pillars of Cash has been our newest low-bet jackpot favorite for finishing out the year. With pillars raising and lowering with each push of the button, it captivates players while entertaining with anticipation.
November wrapped up our annual Locked and Loaded promotion that has become a player favorite. All day, Thanksgiving Day, our Steakhouse was filled with diners who opted to spend the holiday, letting our cooks provide their holiday meals for their families. This year, we welcomed numerous recently widowed individuals who find comfort in our staff's familiar faces and the aspect that our staff knows about the year they've encountered. Diners reported that the wait list time was less than an hour and completely worth it as the food was more than enough and delicious.
This holiday season, we opted to change up our gift drive as the area is saturated with toy drives. Project Resident Elves recruited elves to bring the High Winds spirit to Ottawa County Nursing Centers. Miami Nursing Center, which hosts 65 residents, was the first recipient. In addition to in-person donations at the casino, donations were made via our Amazon Gift Registry, and each player who donated a $20 gift received $20 in free play.
Top Fans were doing their traditional Christmas card exchange and included the residents in their shenanigans by sending additional cards for them for Christmas.
The Twin Bridges Park of Lights came to life with the lights having been turned on Thanksgiving evening. Our display has evolved over the years and had new additional Minion characters for its holiday scene. As of writing this, we have paid out 341 jackpots for a total of $839,405.11 for November.
Keep the Change to Make a Change! Our player community continues to give back to our community via our kiosk donation options. Our kiosks don't give change back, so we offer the players the opportunity to choose a local organization to receive their change. Of course, they may still visit a cashier to receive their change. In the last quarter of donations, the River Bottom Sportsmen for Disabled Veterans received $1,769.55, and the Wyandotte Volunteer Fire Department received $3,111.09. This quarter, Ottawa County School Lunches is up to $1,632.83, and The Wild Heart Ranch is at $1,113.96. The Ottawa County School Lunches is where we randomly select a school in Ottawa County and donate money towards the unpaid school lunch accounts. Wild Heart Ranch is the facility that takes in Ottawa County orphaned or injured wildlife as a federally and state-licensed rehabilitation facility.
In December, we brought the cash to our player's hands! Literally! Grand in Your Hand was held on December 9th, 23rd, and New Year's Eve, when a combined total of 39 hot seat winners received a Grand in their Hand. Saturday evenings, our Steakhouse brought the comfort food of the London Broil special, served on top of mashed potatoes and warm brown gravy! As usual, we remained open through the holidays to provide those without family a place to come and feel welcome while enjoying our Christmas dinner special. Over the years of choosing to do this, the player community response has been one of great gratitude, as not all holidays are spent merry and bright.
For 2024, we will start the new year by making a dream vacation come true with our annual January promotion of The Great Escape! Winners will get to choose where they want to go. Area 51's forecast has dark skies in its future and a close encounter of a new kind coming. Stay tuned to see what ship we sail next!
Keep up with everything happening at High Winds Casino by visiting our website! You can see all of our promotions, the newest machines, and our online newsletter, The Wind Report, where we highlight jackpots, donations amounts, and what our slot channels are spinning up on the floor. You may also subscribe to our newsletter via email. For everyone on Facebook, follow our Facebook page to join in on celebrating all of our player wins! Followers who earn their Top Fan badges by interacting with our page are automatically invited to our Top Fan group, where fans can join in on exclusive promotions for Top Fans only!
Until next time, we will see you later in 2024!

Upcoming events.

January- Footc are-NTHS nurse Health Screenings
February-Footcare -NTHS nurse Health Screenings Valentine’s Day, Caregiver support group, Birthday party
March- Footcare -NTHS nurse Health screenings Caregiver Conference Easter Party
April- Footcare -NTHS nurse
Health Screenings Caregiver Pamper Day For dates, times, and location or to sign up for special events contact
- Linda Plott 13 S. HWY 69A Miami, Ok. 74354 (918) 540-2377 lplott.oto@gmail.com

Programs.

Ottawa Tribe CHR/ Healthy Living
Ottawa Tribe Elder's Utilities
Ottawa/Peoria Caregiver Program
LIHEAP (low income housing energy assistance

**BERRY RICE**

INGREDIENTS
1 cup wild rice Minomin uncooked
1/4 cup dried cranberries mashkiigimin
1 cup fresh berries raspberries, huckleberries, saskatoon berries, blackberries are all good options
1/3 cup real maple syrup —zhiiwaagamizigan
1 tsp cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
Add 1 cup of wild rice, 2 1/2 cups of water, and 1/4 cup of dried cranberries to a pot and simmer on medium low heat until water is gone (about 45 minutes).
Mix in fresh berries, maple syrup, and cinnamon
Strawberry—ode’iminan
Blueberries—miinan
Blackberries—odatagaagominag
Cranberries— mashkiigimin

Wild Rice Saute

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, --zhigaagawanzh diced
8 cloves garlic, peeled 2 cups white mushrooms--wazhashkwedowens cleaned and sliced (about 10 ounces)
2 cups brown cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup dried tart cherries-- wiigwaasmin or dried cranberries-- mashkiigimin
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn -- mandaamin kernels
2 cups cooked wild rice --Minomin(from about 3/4 cups dried)
salt and pepper, to taste Salt—zhiiwitaagan Pepper—wiisagad
4 tablespoons fresh green scallions, finely sliced (about 3 to 4 scallions)
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the wild rice according to the package directions. This will take about an hour.
While the rice cooks, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic cloves and cook until they start to blacken. Toss and lightly blacken on all sides. remove from heat and place into a small bowl to cool. Once the garlic cloves are cooled, finely chop them.
Heat a medium- to large-sized pan. Add the olive oil and add the onions and sauté, stirring for 4 minutes to prevent burning. Add the blackened garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 4 to 6 minutes. Add the dried cherries or cranberries and stir. Cook for another few minutes and then add the corn kernels. Stir and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cooked rice, salt, and pepper. Stir for two minutes more, until completely hot.

Bison & Wild Rice Stuffed Pepper

A wonderful savory dish that’s perfect for dinner or lunch, these peppers include all of the core food groups.
INGREDIENTS
2 bell peppers
1/2 lb ground bison—Mashkode-bizhiki
1/2 cup wild rice --Minomin uncooked
1/2 cup carrots -Okaadaak shredded
1 Tbsp wild garlic
INSTRUCTIONS
Add 1/2 cup wild rice and 1 cup of water to a pot and simmer covered until water is gone (about 45 minutes).
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Brown ground bison meat with wild garlic. Add shredded carrots once bison meat is completely cooked. Save some shredded carrots for garnish.
Cut bell peppers in half and remove stems and seeds. Place peppers in boiling water for about 10 minutes to soften their skins. Place hollow side up on a baking sheet.
Mix browned bison and cooked wild rice together and scoop to fi ll the peppers. Top with remaining carrots.
Bake at 350° F for 10 minutes. Serve warm!

Roasted Acorn Squash

INGREDIENTS
Acorn Squash: Cut two acorn squashes in half and remove the seeds and fi bers.
Butter: Use two tablespoons of whipped butter, coconut oil, or vegan butter.
Brown Sugar: You’ll need four tablespoons of brown sugar but can use more or less depending on your preference.
Cinnamon: Add a dash of cinnamon for a taste of fall.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Season the Acorn Squash Halves: Rub the butter on each piece of squash and top with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Bake: Place the squash in a baking dish and pour a quarter cup of water on the bottom. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an extra 10 minutes until tender.
Serve: Remove the squash halves from the oven and cool before serving.
VARIATIONS
Squash: Swap acorn squash with butternut, carnival, or delicata squash. You may need to adjust the baking time depending on the size of the vegetable.
Sweetener: This simple roasted acorn squash would also be delicious with maple syrup.

Mnido Giizisonhs - Little Spirit Moon

December Kidwinan (Words)

Biboon

Wiisageksinaa

Zhooshkbiza daabaan

Gooninini

Goonenhs

Mkom

Zhooshkwaade

Jishaaganige

Taataagaanhsan

Anang

Aanzhenii

First Row: Winter, bitter cold weather, the car is sliding. Second Row: Snowman, snowflake, ice. Third Row: She is ice skating, shovel, shoveling. Fourth Row: Little bells, star, angel.

Anishinaabe Dice

January 27th, from 2-5 pm @Ottawa Tribal building

For thousands of years, Native Americans have played games one of which is this Dice game. There are many versions of the game. Today, Ottawa often play the Dice game as explained:

Materials

Blanket and a pillow, bowl, 9 dice, paper and pencil or some tokens like pennies or beans to keep score Use 7 dice of one shape (such as a disc) and 2 dice of a different shape (such as a star, animals, etc.). Color each die on one face the same color. Traditionally, the Ottawa use a wooden bowl and dice carved from animal bone, antler, or wood. However, you can use a plastic bowl, and make dice out of craft pieces or other common items.

Number of Players: 2 or more

Steps

Place the wooden bowl containing dice on the blanket and Pillow. Players sit around the bowl. The first player picks up the bowl and bounces it down on the Pillow, jumbling the dice. If the dice fall out of the bowl or do not change positions, the player’s turn is over and they do not earn points. The player earns points if they get one of the dice patterns shown below. No other patterns earn points. If the player earns points, they take another turn If they do not earn points, the next player takes a turn. The winner is the first player to either: 1) earn at least 11 points or 2) get a pattern with the 2 main symAnishinaabe Dice.

January 27th, from 2-5 pm. Ottawa January 27th, from 2-5 pm, we will be meeting at the Ottawa Tribal Building for our first meeting of the year. The focus of this will be taking us back a few decades to when we gathered where we played Indian Dice, had cake walks, and played BINGO in the language. This event will feature multiple family-oriented learning activities both in the language and in English for tribal members to enjoy. Drinks and Snacks provided. Come have fun!