The oldest Navajo to jump?

Jimmy King Jr., 61, made his first -- but not last -- bungee jump from a bridge over the Rio Grande in Taos recently.

Photo by Nicole Goodhue

 

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Acoma mom needs marrow donor

Tom Purdom
Staff Writer

ACOMA PUEBLO — Renita Geter-Jacobs is looking for a new friend somewhere out there one who will save her life.

In remission with acute lymphocytic leukemia, she still is in a life-and-death battle with Philadelphia Chromosome, a one-in-a-million chromosome abnormality. Without a bone marrow transplant that is an exact match, this 37-year-old Acoma mother of two says she has been told she will probably die in one to two years.

What she desperately needs is someone, hopefully a fellow Native American, to be a lifesaving friend willing to give bone marrow for a transplant. Even with the treatment there are no guarantees, but when it is the last available option, well, it's the one life-ring for which to grab.

Time is short.

"My percentage (of survival) would be higher to get a match with another Native American," Renita said.

Her dream is not only to find a donor for herself, but to also establish a donor network among Native Americans. It's a dream she says can be a reality with just a little work.

Despite her illness, Renita puts people at ease, even strangers or people who know her prognosis. She wears a wig because radiation made her hair fall out, and yet she finds the strength to even joke about that because some folks don't even know she's wearing one.

Her home, the one in her heart and the one she hopes to return to, is on the Pueblo of Acoma, the land on which she grew up almost the day after she was born in Albuquerque.

She lives in Indianapolis with her sons Max, 13, and Marcus, 10, who are the center of Renita's life. Another huge chunk of her life deals with Renita's work with her church, mostly helping others.

Her life is not quite the kind of fairy tale Renita dreamed of as a little girl growing up on the reservation with her three sisters and brother. Renita graduated from Grants High School in 1981.

Options on the Acoma reservation were limited so she entered New Mexico State University-Grants and in 1984 received an associate degree in business administration. After Grants she went to Portales to Eastern New Mexico University working for a bachelor degree in business until 1986.

In 1987, she married a United States Air Force man and began life as a military wife. The family lived in Guam, Omaha, Neb., Fort Worth, Texas, and finally Indianapolis before leaving the military. She has been living in Indianapolis for six years. Two years ago, Renita separated from her husband and is getting a divorce.

Renita worked with American Airlines in Indianapolis.

About Christmas 1999, Renita came down with what she thought was the flu. "The symptoms of leukemia are similar," she said, adding that she underwent a flurry of maladies, but no one suspected leukemia. Not one doctor took a blood sample.

"By the fourth week I had breathing problems and was extremely weak," she said. "All during this time I was still working a full-time job and taking care of my two sons."

On Jan. 24, Renita came home after work and took a hot shower and in the shower her nose began to bleed non-stop. In a panic Renita called the paramedics and was treated for a simple nose bleed.

The next day at work, her nose began to bleed heavily again and her supervisor sent her to the doctor. This time, though, the doctor took a blood sample, had it tested and the news was bad. She was told the next day she had leukemia.

"I was in total shock," Renita said. "My mind didn't register that it was cancer at first, but then it did."

Renita was immediately hospitalized. She was a very sick woman.

"I was given two blood transfusions," Renita said. "I had no blood in my system and my body was shutting down completely."
Even though her company and co-workers have been good to her, she had no disability insurance with her company and lives
off Social Security. She gets no child support from her soon-to-be ex-husband and her family has helped as much as it can.

All her sisters and her brother tested negative as a possible bone marrow donor.

Her physician, Dr. Magaral S. Murali, in an Oct. 12 letter, calls her prognosis "poor ... hopefully her attempts to secure a
potential donor will be successful."

It is for that reason that Renita is returning to her roots on the Pueblo of Acoma.

She's on a national registry for a bone marrow transplant, but this go-get-'em woman is not about to sit back and wait.

"The national registry does not have enough Native Americans in the system and I would like to take this challenge and to make an awareness of all of us of how important it is for us to get involved and maybe save someone's life," Renita said.

Renita is following a treatment plan each day for her leukemia and she is also following a plan preparing her for the transplant.

While most people would be completely devastated, Renita has a positive outlook. "I know I'm going to overcome this, that this is a test of some kind," she said. "I'm going to beat this."

Somehow, she manages to find a positive side to her ordeal.

"It's been a blessing," she said. "People do care, they really do care."

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Age 61 not too late for bungee jump

S.J. Ludescher
Staff Writer

GALLUP — A ribbon of steel across a blue sky. That's how Jimmie King Jr., 61, of Waterflow, described the gorge bridge that crosses the Rio Grande in Taos.

That was his view last Saturday when he dangled 100 feet above the Rio Grande from the end of a 600-foot rope, secured from the bridge. It was King's maiden bungee jump.

"When you're dangling from 100 feet off the bottom of the Rio Grande and look up at the sky, you know your life only hangs by a thread," he said.

King believes he isn't the first Navajo to try bungee jumping, but he may be the oldest.

King describes the feeling of sailing over the railing of the bridge heading straight for the river at terminal velocity that's 123 mph as "exhilarating."

"I fought to keep my eyes open, because I wanted to see the river," he said. "That was hard to do."

The hardest thing to do, King said, was climbing on to the rail in preparation for the fall, even though he had already been connected by the ropes.

"The first bounce isn't bad," he said, "but the second one is a jerker. It looks like the river is so close you can reach out and touch it. You can see right through it."

King said waiting to stabilize can also be disorienting due to the swinging and twisting of the rope. "It seems as though time is suspended, so it's difficult to know how long you are dangling from the drag line."

King, who has extensive skydiving experience, said he learned of the planned jump through a friend. Over the Edge Bungee Club, a group from Boise, Idaho, organized the Saturday thriller.

King is hooked. His next planned bungee dive is scheduled for the end of November over Navajo Bridge in Page, Ariz.

When he's not dangling from the end over a river, King is a respected and well-known silversmith and goldsmith. On weekends, he frequently sings with the Flying Eagles, a country and western band that performs throughout northern New Mexico.

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Defeated president challenges White Rock results

Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Does a homesite lease equal residency under the Navajo election code?

This appeared to be the key question Wednesday morning during an election grievance hearing the only tribal election protest allowed to proceed to a hearing as John Nez Begay challenged Lucinda Henry meeting the residential qualifications to run for office.

In the Sept. 5 Navajo general election, Henry easily won over Begay for White Rock Chapter president.

He also had protested her handling of chapter funds in her previous administration. Henry said that four years ago when Begay beat her by 10 votes she didn't protest.

Hearing Officer Dave Womochil, in his Oct. 5 ruling, dismissed the financial complaint on the grounds that it didn't show any election code violation. At the end of Wednesday's two-hour hearing he announced he would rule within 10 days on the residency case. He also said the dismissed complaint could be pursued in other forums.

Both parties represented themselves, but Womochil ended up asking many key questions.

Begay maintained that McKinley County Assessor's Office records show Henry and her husband, Jeffery, own a mobile home at Block 6 Lot 1 of Navajo Estates and therefore she does not live on the reservation. This would make her ineligible to run for office.

In her own defense Henry submitted a July 24, 1985, homesite lease and her husband's grazing permit (no date listed in the Bureau of Indian Affairs letter). She also said she began voting in the White Rock Chapter in 1974.

Henry said that no one had questioned her residency in the nine years she was chapter secretary-treasurer or president. Being elected with 70 percent of the vote also showed community support, she said.

Womochil asked Henry what was on the homesite and was told a barn and shed. She couldn't give a definite answer when he asked how many times a week she went to the homesite. Henry said she plans to build a hogan on the home site next spring and has stockpiled home construction materials.

Begay said residents asked him repeatedly about Henry's residency and this is why he filed the grievance. He also maintained that to have permanent residency a person had to physically live at the location on a daily basis.

In his Sept. 14 protest, Begay quoted the election code section about a candidate having to have a "permanent residence and have been continually physically present within the Navajo Nation as defined in 7 NNC 254 at least three years prior to the time of the election."

Henry said a case now before the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals concerns residency being in Indian country rather than just the formal trust land reservation.

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Grants starters hurting

Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer

BAYARD - Grants senior starting quarterback Wade Pynes is listed as questionable for Friday night's district game at Cobre.

Pynes went to a specialist in Albuquerque Wednesday morning to have his injured right ankle x-rayed. Wade's dad, Ronny, said that Wade's playing status is questionable though Wade will be making the trip down to Cobre. Pynes is wearing a special brace. Pynes had a cracked bone chip in his right ankle from the Bernalillo's game two weeks ago.

"The x-rays showed some improvement from two weeks ago," Ronny said. "The swelling has gone down and Wade went through a light workout today (yesterday). He's not in any pain but the doctor recommended that he stay off the leg for three to five weeks but he understood that this is his last year of playing football and Grants has several important district games coming up. He said: "I'll leave it up to you' to decide."

Grants had a number of players injured with Jessie Miera, Michael Brito and Brandon Gutierrez. According to Pynes, Miera practiced this week.

Grants coach Jerry Burns was unavailable for comment on this week's game with Cobre.

The Pirates, 4-3 overall, 1-1 in district, are coming off a penalty-plagued 10-6 district loss to Socorro last weekend.

Both teams were hampered with mountains of penalities with Grants with 19 for 185 yards and Socorro with 18 for 165 yards.

Fourth-year Cobre coach Brian Miller says he was able to scout Grants at Bernalillo two weeks ago.

"They're a good football team," Miller said during a telephone interview Monday night. "They play hard and play good defense. We have to play well to win."

Miller says he's expecting Pirate senior quarterback Wade Pynes to play Friday night.

"We're planning on him (Pynes) playing," Miller said. "We have to plan for that. We just want to execute, not turn the ball over and let Grants get the big plays."

The Cobre Indians are coming off a tough 14-2 district-opening win over Hot Springs last weekend. After playing the Pirates, Cobre will play at Bernalillo next week and then close out with Socorro at home.

"We needed to get off with a win in district," Miller said. "It was a tough game. We played well on defense and we shut them out. But we didn't execute inside the 20-yard line with penalties."

Cobre senior fullback David Palomarez (5-10, 205) scored on a one-yard run and receiver Adrian Carrillo caught a nine-yard pass from junior quarterback Stan Montoya (5-8, 155) for the other score against Hot Springs. Hot Springs scored its only points on a two-point safety when running back Rudy Rios was tackled in the end zone in the second period.

Cobre, 3-4 overall overall, 0-1 in district, finished 5-5 season last year. This season the Cobre Indians have lost to Silver 27-8, to Ruidoso 33-23, to Deming 34-28 and to Moriarty 25-23 on a last-second field goal. The Indians beat Laguna-Acoma 35-19, Canyon State Academy (the former Arizona Boys Ranch) 37-0 and Hot Springs 14-2.

"We lost some tough games," Miller said. "We played hard but sometimes not consistent."

With private schools St. Pius and Academy, along with Moriarty out of the district 5AAA this season with the realignment, Miller said with former district champion Socorro down this year, the district race is wide open.

"It's wide open this year with the different teams," Miller said. "Everybody controls their own destiny. The schools are more even this year. You cannot beat yourself."

Miller admitted that his team likes to mix the run with the pass.

"We like to be fairly balanced," he said. "We try to throw 15-20 passes per game. We try to mix it up. We want to throw the ball too."

NNRCA's best square off at Red Rock

Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer

CHURCH ROCK — Former calf roping world champion Garrison Begay, who is competing in three events, says he's hoping he's lucky to qualify in one of the events. Former three-time saddle bronc world champion James Hunt Jr. says he's 100 percent recovered from a dislocated shoulder and is ready to qualify for another Indian National Finals Rodeo. And barrel racer Shannon Burnette is coping with the challenge of breaking in a new barrel horse.

All three rodeo contestants will be among the top Indian cowboys and cowgirls competing during this weekend's 25th Annual Navajo Nation Rodeo Cowboys Association (NNRCA) Regional Finals that are set for Saturday and Sunday at Red Rock State Park in Church Rock.

The top 15 from the NNRCA season standings in each of the eight events will be competing in three go rounds of competition with performances at 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday and the third and final round Sunday at 12 noon. Admission is $7 for adults, $3 for children and senior citizens. The season champion along with the finals average champion will advance to this year's 25th Annual Indian National Finals Rodeo that will be held in Albuquerque at the Tingley Coliseum Dec. 6-9.

Greasewood, Arizona's Garrison Begay finds himself leading in the NNRCA season all-around standings but trailing the season leaders in his three events, calf roping, steer wrestling and team roping. But with the season champion along with the finals average winner claiming the second spot for the INFR, Begay feels that he has a good of chance of advancing as any of the other 14 contestants.

"If I'm lucky it (qualifying for the INFR) will happen," said the 26-year-old Begay who claimed the calf roping world title in his first INFR trip in 1994. "I feel that I'll have to go to work this weekend. But I'll be satisfied if I qualify in just one event. Two would be nice and three would be something. I'll just take one event at a time."

Begay, who has qualified for the INFR five years in a row with the exception of last year, is coming off an impressive win at the Shiprock Fair Rodeo where he pocketed winnings totalling more than $3,000 in the calf roping, team roping and steer wrestling.

Begay, the header, teamed up with heeler David Platero and enjoyed solid winnings at the majority of the rodeos this year.
However Platero did not buy his NNRCA card this season leaving Begay without his usual partner. Begay said he will instead be pairing with his cousin Darryl Boyd in the team roping competition.

Former three-time saddle bronc world champion JR Hunt of Shiprock says he's ready to qualify for his 19th INFR.

"I'm ready to ride," the 40-something Hunt said. "It will be a close race."

Hunt, who has been world champion three times in 1981, 1983 and 1998 and reserve world champion seven times, is leading in the NNRCA saddle bronc season standings but just by seven points over veteran former world champion Archie Becenti. The points awarded at the regional finals will be doubled for each go round and also for the average, 20 points instead of 10 points for first place, 18 points instead of nine points for second, 16 points instead of eight points for third and all the way down to 10th place.

Hunt missed two months of competition when he dislocated his shoulder during a rodeo at Oak Canyon during the Memorial
Day weekend and his bucking horse stepped on his hand. Two months later and healed, Hunt rejoined the rodeo circuit during the Tohajiilee Rodeo.

"I had a good start this season when I injured myself and missed two months," Hunt said.

Hunt says he likes the new point system instead of money won in determining the season champion.

"To me it's good either way," Hunt said. "Now every ride counts."

To Hunt getting the right draw will be a factor in any contestant's chances.

"You have to get the right horse and cover all three heads," he said. "For me there's a lot of people that call me and ask me about being in first by only seven points. But I've been in this boat before. I pick one horse at a time. I really enjoy riding broncs all my life. When I get a ranked horse I'll make it look good."

Shannon Burnette is looking for qualify for her second straight INFR in the barrel racing but trying to break in a new horse, Sassy, who competed in her first rodeo for Burnette two weeks ago at the Shiprock Fair Rodeo.

"She ran real well and better than what I expected," she said.

Burnette purchased her horse at Spanish Fork, Utah. She said that Sassy is a half sister to her former horse Jesse.

"They almost look alike," Burnette said. "Hopefully both will carry me to the Finals."

Burnette, who was the regular season champion and also the finals average winner last year, is leading in the barrel racing standings by 23 points but with a maximum total of 80 points possible, the top two qualifying spots are up for grabs.

"My season has been fairly consistent compared to last year," Burnette said. "But with the points double it will make the finals interesting. And it's a challenge to get a new horse. But I will try to be as consistent as possible and take each run and learn from each run."

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Hopi school's audit praised by experts

Stan Bindell
Special to the Independent

POLACCA, Ariz. — Hopi Junior/Senior High School has drawn praise for its annual financial audit.

Auditor Steve Tate, representing Walker and Armstrong of Phoenix, praised the school for having excellent records and following auditing procedures. He offered his analysis during a recent Hopi Junior/Senior High School Governing Board meeting.

"The financial status of your school is excellent," he told the board. "It's important to see the documents and that's what we find here."

Tate praised the school board and administration for having a good system in place to assure that money is properly spent and tracked...

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Cienega case could set a precedent
Pot hunters face hearing

Zarana Sanghani
Staff Writer

GALLUP — Freshly broken ancient human bones, pot shards and pieces of an Anasazi building lay on the ground over a two-acre area. In the dirt were tracks of large tires.

This was a description given of Cienega Ruins by an officer with the Cibola County Sheriff's Office and Glenna Dean, an archaeologist with the state. They came to the conclusion that some people had been digging on Anasazi sites. Detective Hank Goke charged several people for violating state laws.

After a preliminary hearing several weeks ago, the court dismissed a few charges because probable cause could not be found. On Friday, the suspects will face one more charge at another preliminary hearing.

This case may become an important part of the law books dealing with private land and ancient American Indian remains. It is the first of its kind to go to court in New Mexico...

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Deaths

Dorothy Devore

CROWNPOINT — Services for Dorothy Devore, 80, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at the Gospel Lighthouse Assembly of God. The Revs. Kenneth Coots and Jimmie A. Etcitty will officiate. Burial will follow on private family land.

Devore died Oct. 16 in Albuquerque. She was born Oct. 10, 1920, in Becenti Lake into the Tangle People Clan for the Sleeping Rock People Clan.

Devore was born and raised in Becenti Lake. She was a rug weaver (double weave style), livestock rancher and homemaker.

Survivors include son, Herman Devore of Crownpoint; brothers, John Devore and Harry Devore, both of Crownpoint; sister, Phyllis Thomas of Crownpoint; and six grandchildren.

Devore was preceded in death by Lucille Devore, Lucy Wevo, Cecelia Mason, Grace Billie, Willie Tom, Wilson Devore Sr., Herbert Devore, Willie Devore, Billy Wero Jr. and Juan Devore.

Palbearers will be Tom Kee Joe Jr., Richard Pablo, Daryl Long, Charles Long, Emerson Joe, Aaron Rico and Brian Scott.

The family will receive friends and relatives after the burial services at St. Paul's Catholic Parish Hall, Crownpoint.

Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Irwin Phillip Mason

SUNDANCE — Services for Irwin Phillip Mason, 59, will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Father Diego Mazon, OFM, will offciate. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park.

Rosary will be recited at Rollie Mortuary Palm Chapel at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17.

Mason died Oct. 17 in Albuquerque. He was born Sept. 7, 1941, in Crownpoint into the Tangle People Clan for the Mexican Clan.

Mason was a veteran of Vietnam, serving with the US Army. He graduated from Wingate High School, was salutatorian and served as the senior class secretary. He was the vice president of the Student Council, member and treasurer of the Math Club, member of the Navajo Youth Conference, played football, and ran track. He also attended New Mexico State University.

He was a mason with Cooperture and Silversmith. He played rhythm bass drum for the original Fenders and the Navajo Tones.
Survivors include wife, Marjorie Cleveland of Sundance; stepson, Karlson Tso of Sundance; daughter, Lucinda Mason; brothers, Danny Mason of Sundance, Eddie Mason of Tsalie, Ariz., James Mason of Ganado, Ariz., Richard Mason of Albuquerque, and Rueben Mason of Thoreau.

He was preceded in death by parents, Edgar and Cecilia Mason.

Pallbearers will be Robinson James Jr., Anthony Mason, Kelly Mason, Harold Mason, Rueben Mason and Kerry Vandever.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Sister Gloria Ann Davis

FORT DEFIANCE, Ariz. — Services for Sister Gloria Ann Davis, 67, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Sacred Heart Cathedral. Bishop Donald Pelotte will officate. Burial will follow at St. Michaels Cemetery.

Visitation will be held 4-7 p.m. Friday at St. Michaels School Chapel. Rosary will be recited at St. Michaels School Chapel after visitation.

Davis died Oct. 15 in Fort Defiance. She was born Sept. 5, 1933, in Fort Defiance into the Red Running into the Water Clan for the Towering House People Clan.

Davis graduated from Gallup Cathedral High. She entered into religious life with the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in Bensalem, Pa. She obtained a bachelor's degree in education at Xavier University, La., and obtained a master's degree at Loyola University in Chicago.

Davis was assigned to several places over her 48 years as a member of Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. Missions included Church Point, La.; Corpus Christi, New Orleans, La.; Tekakwitha, Houck, Ariz.; Catholic Indian Center, Gallup; Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Philadelphia, Pa.; St. Michaels; Rock Castle, Va.; Our Lady of the Rosary, Pinon, Ariz.; Pala, Calif.; St. Catherine Indian School, Santa Fe; and Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Fort Defiance.

Survivors include brothers, Anselm G. Davis Jr. of Rio Rancho, Ralph U. Davis of Albuquerque, William P. Davis of Fort Defiance, Robert M. Davis of Farmington and Anselm K. Davis of Fruitland; sisters, Eleanor M. Davis-Smith and Rose Bernadette Leyba, both of Albuquerque, Loretta Davis-Chavez of Pine Haven, Ariz., Patricia Ann Davis of Tucson, Ariz., and
Mae Begay of Bluewater; numerous nieces and nephews.

Davis was preceded in death by parents, Anselm G. and Aileen (Ben) Davis Sr.; sister, Pearl Davis-Tome; brothers, Michael Davis and George Davis.

Pallbearers will be Anselm K. Davis, Mike Chavez, Phil Chavez, Eric Smith, Vincent Davis, and Valentino Leyba Jr.
Tse Bonito Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Frank Gishey Sr.

GREASEWOOD, Ariz. — Services for Frank Gishey Sr., 83, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday Oct. 20 at the Greasewood Springs Catholic Church. Burial will follow at the Greasewood Springs Cemetery.

Gishey Sr. died Oct. 16 at the Flagstaff Medical Center in Flagstaff, Ariz. Gishey attended St. Michaels Indian School. He is a World War II veteran, rode over fifty miles on horseback to catch the train in Holbrook to join other recruits for training in California. He served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1945 and received medals of recognition for marksmanship and others.
He later became a blacksmith and rancher. In the 1950's, he played an active role in the development and establishment of the
Navajo Cattlemen Association that brought livestock buyers from off the reservation to cattle auctions on the Navajo Reservation. He served as a chapter officer, grazing committeeman, school board member and a member of the local veterans' association and senior citizen group.

Survivors include his sons, Franklin Gishey and Ronald Gishey, both of Greasewood Springs, Ariz., Laurence Gishey of Flagstaff, Ariz., Frank Gishey Jr. of Greasewood, Ariz., Raymond Gishey of Mesa, Ariz. and Andrew Gishey of Tempe, Ariz.; daughters, Rita VanMeter of Greasewood Springs, Ariz., Ruth Ann Logan of Many Farms, Ariz., Melinda Redhair of Page, Ariz. and Cheryl Yazzie of Bitter Springs, Ariz.; brothers, Kee Gishie, Robert Gishie, Nelson Gishie and Thomas Gishie, all of Greasewood Springs, Ariz.; sisters, Madeline Chee, Marie Yazzie and Rita Lynn Gishie, all of Greasewood Springs, Ariz.; 32 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Gishey Sr. was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Diné Yazhe Gishey.

Theresa Werner

ALBUQUERQUE — Services for Theresa Werner, 71, will be announced at a later date.

Werner died Oct. 17 in Albuquerque. She was born July 14, 1929 in Madrid.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.