Post by Historian on Oct 6, 2009 15:58:58 GMT -5
Ponca Tribe Loses Eldest Member For Religious Rights
By Rolf Clements, Staff Writer
Ponca City News - 2 October 2009
www.poncacitynews.com/templates/65894112360351.bsp
The Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma has lost its eldest member and a direct connection to most of its earliest history in Oklahoma.
Parrish Williams, 96 or 97, died Sunday morning at the family homesite in the Bressie Community south of Ponca City.
Williams was born on that same homesite, the son of Jim and Gambler (Little Snake) Williams. Family records record his date of birth simply as "a time of much snow" in the winter of 1911-12. He celebrated his birthday around the Christmas holiday each year.
Williams made history as a past member of the Ponca Tribal Council and was instrumental in developing the first tribal Constitution and Corporate Charter of the Ponca Tribe around 1950.
He also served on many committees and boards throughout the years, and was active in tribal community affairs, most notably, language preservation and land preservation. Williams had served as an advisor to the Standing Bear statue and park activities.
Williams was a nationally known figure in the Native American Church with members regularly traveling across the country to seek his counsel and to practice their religion.
It was Williams' testimony before a U.S. Congressional committee that helped strengthen the Freedom of Religion Act. In 1994, Congress passed the new version of the Native American Freedom of Religion Act, which secured the legal use of peyote as a sacrament in religious ceremonies of the Native American Church.
"The Ponca People don't yet realize the loss to the tribe," says Oliver LittleCook, president of the Ponca Chapter of the Native American Church.
"He lived as he was taught directly by the elders," says Little Cook. "How to treat one another with kindness. It was not just words with him [Williams], he witnessed it first hand, he lived it."
Little Cook recalled how he had traveled across the old Ponca lands as Williams told him where each of the families lived before the tribal lands were broken up by the government's forced allotment and sale of Ponca land.
Little Cook added that Williams was also "...one of the last truly fluent speakers of our language..." and with it had a fuller understanding of tribal history, values and customs.
He noted that Williams will lie in state at his homeplace as was the old custom and that already members of many tribes had already made or were in the process of making the journey to be with the family during the traditional four days of family and public services which conclude with the funeral on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
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{Uncle Parrish Williams and his wife, Eunice (Cries For Ribs) Williams, were the parents of 12 children. Parrish and Eunice were the proud grandparents to approximately 100 grandchildren and great grandchildren. The first of their great-great grandchildren was born one month after the death of Eunice, who passed away three days after they had celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.}
By Rolf Clements, Staff Writer
Ponca City News - 2 October 2009
www.poncacitynews.com/templates/65894112360351.bsp
The Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma has lost its eldest member and a direct connection to most of its earliest history in Oklahoma.
Parrish Williams, 96 or 97, died Sunday morning at the family homesite in the Bressie Community south of Ponca City.
Williams was born on that same homesite, the son of Jim and Gambler (Little Snake) Williams. Family records record his date of birth simply as "a time of much snow" in the winter of 1911-12. He celebrated his birthday around the Christmas holiday each year.
Williams made history as a past member of the Ponca Tribal Council and was instrumental in developing the first tribal Constitution and Corporate Charter of the Ponca Tribe around 1950.
He also served on many committees and boards throughout the years, and was active in tribal community affairs, most notably, language preservation and land preservation. Williams had served as an advisor to the Standing Bear statue and park activities.
Williams was a nationally known figure in the Native American Church with members regularly traveling across the country to seek his counsel and to practice their religion.
It was Williams' testimony before a U.S. Congressional committee that helped strengthen the Freedom of Religion Act. In 1994, Congress passed the new version of the Native American Freedom of Religion Act, which secured the legal use of peyote as a sacrament in religious ceremonies of the Native American Church.
"The Ponca People don't yet realize the loss to the tribe," says Oliver LittleCook, president of the Ponca Chapter of the Native American Church.
"He lived as he was taught directly by the elders," says Little Cook. "How to treat one another with kindness. It was not just words with him [Williams], he witnessed it first hand, he lived it."
Little Cook recalled how he had traveled across the old Ponca lands as Williams told him where each of the families lived before the tribal lands were broken up by the government's forced allotment and sale of Ponca land.
Little Cook added that Williams was also "...one of the last truly fluent speakers of our language..." and with it had a fuller understanding of tribal history, values and customs.
He noted that Williams will lie in state at his homeplace as was the old custom and that already members of many tribes had already made or were in the process of making the journey to be with the family during the traditional four days of family and public services which conclude with the funeral on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
*******
{Uncle Parrish Williams and his wife, Eunice (Cries For Ribs) Williams, were the parents of 12 children. Parrish and Eunice were the proud grandparents to approximately 100 grandchildren and great grandchildren. The first of their great-great grandchildren was born one month after the death of Eunice, who passed away three days after they had celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.}