(Fort Washakie, WY) – Community members, elders, students, families, and leaders gathered at Fort Washakie School for the Chief Washakie Foundation Native American Scholarship and Awards Banquet back in June, an evening dedicated to education, cultural preservation, leadership, and service. The banquet is now in its seventh year.
The evening’s events included a community meal, a Flag Song, an invocation from Arlen Shoyo, an Honor Song, a keynote address from Abraham Thomas, scholarship presentations, and the Chief Washakie Distinguished Leadership Awards. Speakers emphasized that the evening was meant not only to recognize individual achievement, but to celebrate the continued strength of the Wind River community and future leaders being supported through education.
The Chief Washakie Foundation was founded in 2004 by Shoshone elder Zedora Enos and her son James Trosper, and is guided by descendants of Chief Washakie. The foundation was created to carry forward Washakie’s commitment to education, leadership, cultural preservation, and opportunity for future generations.
Chief Washakie served as the principal leader of the Eastern Shoshone people until his death in 1900. Speakers described him as a warrior, diplomat, and visionary leader who understood the importance of education and knowledge. Event MC George Abeyta said the banquet honored “the warrior spirit” of Washakie, adding, “We walk in his footsteps with a warrior spirit, doing our best day by day to enlighten the minds of our youth.”
The foundation’s scholarship work is supported through several endowments, including the Chief Washakie Memorial Endowment at the University of Wyoming, which has supported more than 200 students with ties to the Wind River Reservation. Other funds, including the Zedora Teton Enos Excellence Fund and the Berte Hirschfield Legacy Endowment, support education, entrepreneurship, cultural and language preservation, community development, and the foundation’s ongoing work.
Senator Cale Case helped present the Chief Washakie Distinguished Leadership Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award to Beatrice Haukass. Case described Haukass as a fluent Eastern Shoshone language speaker, cultural knowledge keeper, educator, and lifelong community servant whose work has helped preserve the language through teaching, recordings, dictionary work, and language-learning tools. Accepting the award, Haukass said, “It makes me feel good to see all these people, and I hope they all will work for the language.” Haukass also spoke on the importance of the younger generations getting out into nature more, reflecting that she doesn’t see as many “kids playing in the mountains anymore,” as she did in her youth.
Reba Teran was also honored for her work as an educator, cultural leader, language preservationist, and traditional artist. Teran spoke about walking in both Indigenous and Western educational worlds, saying, “My heart is Shoshone. My soul is Shoshone.” She added that Chief Washakie urged his people to learn and seek education so they would not be misled. She also called on the community to protect the Shoshone language: “Let us all take care of our Indian language.”
Denyse Ute received recognition in the student success category for her work in food science, family wellness, youth development, and community-based fitness and nutrition. Ute said she accepted the award with gratitude but also with a sense of responsibility. “This journey has never been mine alone,” she said, crediting her mother, family, gym members, volunteers, and community members who have supported wellness efforts on the reservation.
Alejandra Robinson was honored for her work as the Eastern Shoshone Tribal Public Relations Director and Archivist. Robinson has helped lead archival digitization projects, public communication efforts, veterans interviews, cultural preservation work, and efforts tied to the future Eastern Shoshone Cultural Hub. “Typically, I’m the person that is down there with the camera taking photos or asking people some questions for an article,” Robinson said, adding that she usually avoids the spotlight but “can not say no to the Chief Washakie Foundation.” She said she hopes to continue serving as “a tool or a resource in the community.”
Ivan Posey, Tribal Coordinator and Director of Tribal Learning at Central Wyoming College and a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives, was honored in the administration category. Posey reflected on his years of public service, education, and tribal leadership, saying, “We all make contributions to our community, which is very important.” He added that tribal people have a responsibility to those who came before and those who will follow: “It’s what you do to help others.”
Keynote speaker Abraham Thomas, joined by Jermaine Bell, focused his message on resilience. Thomas told the audience that every person has faced challenges, whether financial, health-related, or personal. “Resilience isn’t about never falling down,” Thomas said. “Resilience is getting back up.” Bell echoed that message, especially for younger attendees and scholarship recipients, saying he had often been told he would fail, but used that doubt as motivation: “They told us no, but we went out and did it.” The duo also performed as The Real Native Soul, entertaining attendees throughout the evening.
h/t Vince Tropea
As the banquet concluded, Ann Abeyta presented the student scholarship recipients, which included:
- Josephine Friday
- Cynthia St. Clair
- Paige Tillman
- Maya Molt
- Noah Red Willow
- Ashia Bradley
- Martin Underwood
- Asher Murray
- Aven Posey
- Bethany Lolohea
- Carter Noseep
- Darian Bell
- David McElroy
- Gabriella Headley
- Heeyei Niitou Monroe-Black
- Jailynn Norse
- Meghan Bostick
- Miakoda Barnes
- Michael Ute
- Mitchell C’Hair
- Temiah Kaulaity
- Jaden Ferris
- Sara Robinson
- Georgie Moss
