By Judy Bushy

What a wonderful time the Bigfoot Jamboree brings to Happy Camp. The 41st annual Bigfoot Jamboree is now a happy memory. There were so many friends and family and neighbors from near and far who came back to the Klamath River town for the big event of the year. The food was great. The music was full of variety. The games were fun. But best of all was seeing friends and neighbors that we hadn’t seen in awhile.

Kenny and Donna McCully were the Grand Marshalls and rode in the parade in a delightful surrey with fringe on the top drawn by a black beaury named Colt and driven by Ike’s wife, Erica.

Savannah Britton was crowned queen of the Bigfoot Jamboree by Alicia Derry, 2005 queen. Luise Bryant was the flower carrier and Matilda Peters carried the crown on the red velvet pillow. Samantha O’Reilly and Leeann Timbrook were princesses. Samantha was escorted by Donald O’Reilly and Leann by Kyle Eastlick. Queen Savannah was escorted by Phil Tripp. Alan Dyar was the emcee of the program. The music for the dance was provided by Justin of the “Sounds ”

Grand Prize for the parade entries went to the float by Double J and ABC Logging In the Commercial and Business Division first place was Parry’s Market, 2nd was McCulley Logging and 3rd was Happy Camp Disposal. For organizations, first place was Davis Dancers doing a Karuk Dance, 2nd place was Cub Scouts Pack #52 and 3rd place was Sheriff’s “Dare Car” driven by Deputy Nye.

The other category is for individuals. The first place for individuals was to the Driskell family. The family walked together in the parade as a Memorial to “Little Miss Tuff”, a horse who became well loved by the family and who they will miss. The horse in the parade was “I’m Super Tuff One”. Kate Lyn, Rachelle, Chris, Sabrina, Glenice, Jimmy, Paul and Charlene will all miss Tuffy. 2nd place was Sunny and Angel Tello on motorcycles and 3rd place was Bigfoot for which Mike picked up the award since Bigfoot has escaped his cage and taken off to the wilds again. Seems to happen every Bigfoot Jamboree.

Thanks so much to the Happy Camp Coordinating Council for the wonderful Bigfoot Jamboree!

Total Complex Acreage: 9,197 acres
Incident Resources: 1,107 personnel
Total Complex Containment: 28%
Expected Full Containment: 7/29/2007
Cost to Date: $8,897,560
Injuries to Date (minor): 8
Structures Threatened: 550
Fatalities to Date: 1

Yesterday, a pilot under contract was killed when his helicopter crashed near the Elk Fire while providing logistical support to firefighters. Weexpress our deepest condolences, and our thoughts are with h is families. A Forest Service National Accident Investigation Team is arriving today to begin their investigation into the helicopter accident.

The protection of the Happy Camp and Elk Creek communities remains a top priority. Yesterday, crews made excellent progress constructing firelines(see list below). Burnout operations, which reinforce significant portions of the containment line, have been completed on the Little Grider Fire, near Happy Camp, CA. A burnout was initiated last night on the northeast perimeter Wingate Fire and is expected to continue late into Tuesday.

Complex Fire Details

Of the thirty identified fires in the Elk Complex, 24 are 100% contained.

The fires will continue to be monitored, patrolled and staffed as safety, resources and access permit. The remaining six fires are as follows:

· Little Grider Fire (1,952 acres) 60% contained. Burnout operations are complete.

· King Creek II Fire (2975 acres) 25 % contained. Line construction continued on the fire.

· Wingate (916 acres) 5% contained. Burnout operations have begun.

· Elk Fire (1144 acres) 40% contained. Crews established direct line on the fire’s northern and eastern perimeters.

· Titus Fire (2043 acres) 5% contained. A recommended evacuation for homeowners, and closure for campers and miners, from Five Mile Bridge to Norcross Campground on Elk Creek Road remains in place. Firelines have been constructed around structures.

· Hummingbird Fire (80 acres) 0% contained.

Evacuation Planning:

The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Department has taken steps to locate an evacuation center at Seiad Elementary School in the event evacuation becomes necessary. Individuals with special needs, such as those requiring mobility assistance, need to notify the Sheriff’s Department ahead of time.

Sources of info include: http://www.inciweb.org (including other fires) or
the incident information office at (530) 841-4451. Visit
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/klamath for information on fire restrictions and
local closures.

One very special item that Jennifer Goodwin and Erin Hillman shared with teachers this week was the creation of regalia for a girl to dance in ceremonies this weekend. It took many hours of work over weeks to sew and decorate the skin skirts with fringes, shells, beads albalone, deertoes, and braided bear grass but it was beautiful and made a pleasant sound as it moved around. The design on the top was “friendship design.” The skirts were made by grant of $5,000 and worn by Frankie Snyder in her first ceremonial dance. 

 The Karuk Tribe of California Education Program Director, Jennifer Goodwin, arranged an exciting opportunity for teachers in the area schools learn more about the cultural background of the students in their classes. Not only were teachers from Happy Camp Elementary and High Schools but Jefferson Continutation school and Junction School from Somes Bar. It was a pleasure to have Tom Fox of the Northern California Writing Project and transferring soon to the the National Writing Project share current resources for teaching writing.

 A panel was assembled to answer all the questions that the teachers cared to ask about the Karuk culture, past and present. Jennifer and Erin shared the regalia project. Dan Goodwin, tonyu, Blanche, Bud Johnson,  of fisheries, Paula McCarthy, Clayton Tuttle, Ben Harrison and Phinuggtuuf took part in the panel. The brush dance was traditionally done at the home of a sick child for healing and although it is still done for healing, it is done on a regular basis for good health and prosperity to preserve the tradition. There isn’t alot of “pow wow” dancing here but war dancing was mentioned. Community is always open to watch and usually food for all. It’s a way of balancing, a way of living, they said. Because the Karuk never had a reservation each family had their own place that they lived from Bluff Creek to Seiad Valley. When the gold rush intruded into this place, the government wanted to ship them all out to Hoopa, not realizing there was differences between Hoopa Tribe, Yurok Tribe and Karuk Tribe who didn’t speak the same language at all.  The Yurok were “downriver “people and the Karuk “upriver people.” Paula McCarthy siad her mom was sent to Indian School in Riverside and Native Americans there were punished for speaking their native languages. The Karuk Tribe of California started with 10 or 12 acres donated to the Tribe in Orleans and has purchased and developed nearly 600 acress in Orleans, Witchepec, Happy Camp and Yreka since being recognized.  Verna shared how she learned basketweaving from Grace and Madeline Davis and they wanted her to “pass it on.” Kenneth Brink said, “Red devils, blue devils or dust devils”, the Putawan is a devil, but “not so scarry anymore.” The mascot of the Happy Camp Elementary School has been the Putawan for many years. So the teachers learned many new things from the panel on the Karuk culture and hopes are to share further in the future. 

 Besides delving into discussions on “What connections there are or could be between writing in school and writing in real life in Happy Camp,” there were opportunities to talk to tribal members about their culture and Tribal employees about how they use writing in their employment, working with language as Susan Gehr, writing grants like   or writing lessons to teach. reports, minutes, agenda’s and articles.  

38th Annual Bigfoot Jamboree

Happy Camp has many men and women who have served in some branch of the U.S. military both in the past and the present. Thank you all for your time and dedication to serving our country. The 2005 parade is dedicated to ALL OF YOU!

Tracy Burcell thanked everyone who has helped or participated in the planning of this years Bigfoot Jamboree. She especially wanted to thank the Coordinating Council members who worked so hard to put together the Jamboree. The Happy Camp Coordinating Council was Tracy Burcell, President, Leonie Jacobsen, 1st Vice President, Janet Burcell, 2nd Vice President and Secretary, Donna McCulley, Treasurer & Secretary, Kenny Jacobsen, and Sara Spence, Associate Members.

Robert & Norma Seaman were 2005 Bigfoot jamboree Parade Grand Marshalls.

The Coordinating Council sponsored a fundraiser for purchasing a bullet proof vest for our Siskiyou County K-0 Deputies. On sunday, September 4th during the Bifgoot Jamboree, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Department will have Sheriff Rick Riggins and several Deputy Sheriffs squaring off in a donut eating contest to help promote the fundraiser.

Donations towards the purchase of bullet proof vests for K-9 Deputies (the four legged ones) could contact the Happy Camp Coordinating Council. There were also opportunities to contribute at the donut eating contest (Won by Gabe Garrison!!) folloed by a K-9 Dog Demonstration. A large donation was forwarded to the Sheriffs Office for this purpose.

Chamber has been revived, At the meeting at the Family REsources Center the Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce elected a new board to serve the remainder of the Chamber year.

Newly elected board members of the Happy Camp Chamber of Commerce met to plan for launching of projects for the new year at Pizza House in Happy Camp.

Shown are Tom Jobe of Klamath Inn and RV park who will serve as treasurer, Tom Waddell from Karuk Community Development Corporation, Joe Giera of Klamath Country Rafting Co. who will serve as secretary with the help of Becca, President Cheryl Wainwright of Health and harmony and Craig Williamson of Alchemists Den who will be vice president. Also elected, but not present at this meeting are Rosemary Boren and Robert Schmalzbach.

They will begin their term of office with a meeting for all membership on January 13th which is postponed from the previous week. All members and the public are invited to the Family Resource Center meeting at 6:30 Tuesday January 13th.