PRAYERS FOR FIDELIA

EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER YOU READ THIS STORY CHECK OUT THE BACK PAGE OF VOLUME 13, NUMBER 31,AUGUST 6, 2008 WUSKUSO. THE BACK PAGE IS CALLED PRAYERS FOR FIDELIA, IT IS THE LATEST WUSKUSO.

SECONDLY, I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE WUSKUSO HAS A POLICY THAT WHEN MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE THAT THE WUSKUSO WILL NOT PRINT THEIR NAMES OR TAKE THEIR PICTURES. I BELIEVE THAT IS SO NO ONE HAS A POLITICAL ADVANTAGE, BUT AS YOU WILL SEE IN THIS ARTICLE IT DOES A GRAVE INJUSTICE TO THE TRIBE IN THE COVERAGE OF WHAT HAPPENS HERE IN UNCASVILLE.

THIRDLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THE PERSON WORKING UNDER THE ABOVE MENTIONED GUIDE LINES DID A TERRIFIC JOB. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY PROFESSIONAL IN HIS DUTIES FOR THE TRIBE. HE IS ALWAY CO-OPERATIVE, KIND AND UNDERSTANDING. HE IS A CREDIT TO US THE MOHEGAN PEOPLE. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE HIM. I THINK OF HIM AS A FRIEND.

SO FINALLY HERE IS THE STORY.

STEPHANIE FIELDING E-MAILED ME THE DAY BEFORE AND NOTIFIED ME THAT SHE WAS DOING SOMETHING FOR FIDELIA. SHE CONTACTED EVERYONE SHE COULD THINK MIGHT COME ON SUCH SHORT NOTICE. I TOLD HER I WOULD TRY TO MAKE IT. SHE WALKED INTO ANOTHER PERSONS" OFFICE THE VERY MORNING OF JULY 18TH AND ASKED THE PERSON TO COME AND THE PERSON SHE ASKED CAME.

THERE WERE ELEVEN PEOPLE THERE: STEPHANIE FIELDING, , FAITH DAMON DAVISON, CHARLIE "TWO BEARS" STRICKLAND, BILL GUCFA, SANDI PINEAULT, ANGELA SOULOR, PATRICK MUGFORD,,JUSTIN SCOTT, CHELSEA RUSSELL, CHARLENE HARRIS, .AND MYSELF. SO FOUR OF THE PEOPLE THERE WERE RUNNING FOR THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS. IF YOU ARE DOING THE STORY UNDER THE ABOVE GUIDE LINES WHAT PICTURES CAN YOU TAKE AND WHAT CAN YOU SAY?

STEPHANIE FIELDING PROVIDED A SMUDGE FOR US. SHE THEN SAID SOME WORDS ABOUT HOW SHE FELT CONNECTED TO FIDELIA BECAUSE OF HER WORK AS THE TRIBES" LINGUIST. FAITH DAMON DAVISON SAID A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE LIFE OF FIDELIA. THEN STEPHANIE SAID A PRAYER IN MOHEGAN FOR FIDELIA. SHE THEN TOLD US WHAT IT MEANT. WE FINISHED WITH THE TOBACCO PROVIDED, ALL OF US OFFERING TOBACCO TO FIDELIA.

IT WAS BEAUTIFUL AND SIMPLE CEREMONY.