March is International Women’s Month! Congratulations to all women out there! I wish to mention my Great Grandmother, Sophia Huff Powless and her sister, Lily Huff. These ladies were truly strong when they were forced to attend the Carlisle Indian Industrial Boarding School in 1891 to be assimilated white. I share their story in my book: Sky Woman Lives in Me. These two ladies were able to maintain their Oneida Culture and language, and their dignity. I also send kudos to our United States Secretary of Interior, Deb Haaland for all the work she is doing for indigenous people and for our country. Happy International Women’s Month to Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson and Barb Landis, Marsha Small, Denise Lajimodiere, etc. I also honor my Grandma Millie and mother Maxine Elm.

My heart goes out to all the people of Ukraine. The Ukrainian people have done nothing wrong to have their country bombed, thousands injured, killed and under destruction from Putin. My prayers are with them everyday. My ancestors were removed from their land unto reservations in this country. I pray Ukrainians can keep their land and return to their homeland of Ukraine. May God, Our Creator, watch over and protect all of us during this trying time. Sincerely, Roberta Capasso, Author, Sky Woman Lives in Me and proud Oneida of Wisconsin.

Hello to everyone reading this! I am continuing to blog about my book: Sky Woman Lives in Me. Though it was published in 2016, I continue to share this story because it is as relevant today, as it was at the turn of the century.

Canadian Indigenous people have shared their stories about the Canadian Residential Schools. Their children were forced to attend, to become assimilated white. Last year a mass grave of 215 unknown indigenous children from Canada were found at a British Columbia Residential School. Canada has continued investigating all of it’s Residential Indigenous Schools. More graves of unknown indigenous children have been discovered at other Canadian schools. My heart is heavy, sad, knowing these children died just for going to school, thinking they were going to school to learn. Instead, they died. The photo above of Fort Qu’ Appelle Residential Indian School in Canada, shows teepees outside the school grounds, that parents put up, to stay close to their children. Canada had 139 Residential Indian Schools, all modeled after the Carlisle Indian Industrial Boarding School, started in 1879.

Here in America, the Interior Department and our government are now investigating the Indian Boarding Schools that began in 1879. Carlisle was the first school to force students to attend to become assimilated white. Of the over 350 Indian Boarding Schools, here in our country, almost all, have cemeteries on their school grounds; as does the Residential Indian Schools in Canada! I am glad our government is finally investigating our Indian Boarding Schools. It is about time! Kudos to Marsha Small for working with ground penetrating radar in school cemeteries, finding unknown, unmarked graves. I am thankful to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland for having an investigation into our country’s Indian Boarding Schools. Kudos to Denise Lajimodiere and NABS and others who are working hard on this investigation. Recently, Arizona and Michigan have started investigations of Indian Boarding Schools in these two states. The hidden history of America’s Indian Boarding Schools will be shared. It is about time! Thank you for reading my blog. Sincerely, Roberta Capasso, Author-Sky Woman Lives in Me.

It has been awhile, (months) since I last wrote on this blog site. I hope everyone is well and having a good 2022.

Yesterday, February 8th, 2022 was the sixth anniversary of my book, Sky Woman Lives in Me, being self-published through Lulu Press. I can’t believe my book has been out to readers six years already. But, today my book is still available and still very relevant. The US Government is currently investigating Indigenous Boarding Schools here in the United States, particularly the cemeteries on school grounds where many Indigenous Children died while attending these boarding schools. My book talks about the Carlisle Indian Industrial Boarding School, that started in 1879. I share my great grandmother’s experience as a student at Carlisle. I share my utter shock upon seeing a cemetery on the Carlisle School Grounds, filled with Indigenous students who died at Carlisle. Thankfully, my Great Grandmother, Sophia Huff, survived Carlisle. She shared how she was forced to chew lye soap for being caught talking her Oneida language! She was forced to scrub a floor, on her hands and knees, with a toothbrush, for again, being caught talking Oneida. She was also locked up in a dark closet for talking Oneida.

Above is a student group photo taken in March, 1892 on the Carlisle School Grounds. My Great-Grandmother is high lighted in the photo and also, a head shot of her, is shown in the lower left corner. My book, Sky Woman Lives in Me, is still available at 25% discount through Lulu Publishing. I hope you read it! Thank You! Sincerely, Roberta Capasso, Author. To contact me directly, go to bobbie@skywomanlivesinme.blog

Dear Family and Friends,

Today is the NATIONAL DAY OF TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION. I honor this day by wearing an Orange shirt. Why am I wearing an Orange shirt? I add this story, below, as to why. Phyllis attended a Residential School in Canada. She did return home after her forced schooling.

Like Phyllis, My book: Sky Woman Lives in Me, published February 8, 2016, talks about my Great Grandmother, Sophia Huff and her sister, Lily Huff, being forced to attend a residential school here in the United States of America in 1891. They were two lucky Oneida Indigenous Children who didn’t die at the Carlisle Indian Industrial Boarding School. They were two lucky ones who were able to keep their language and returned home to the Oneida Indian Reservation, here in Wisconsin. But, like all Indigenous Children, forced to attend Boarding Schools, to become assimilate ‘white’; they suffered emotionally, through seeing their indigenous clothes burned, their hair made to look European or cut short, their bodies scrubbed and deloused. They were physically hit or locked up if they conversed in Oneida and they didn’t see their parents or family for years! Like all Indigenous children, Sophia and Lily were shamed for being Indians. To this day, I still cannot find out my Great Grandmother’s Oneida name. Her name was changed to an English name, Sophia. Any of her Oneida records are long gone, destroyed by our US government. Here is a photo of my book, available through Lulu Publishing at http://www.lulu.com.

Above is an Orange Shirt in honor of all Indigenous Children found buried in Canada and for all Indigenous Children buried, here in the United States of America, waiting to be found. We will find Indigenous Children’s bodies buried in our United States Boarding Schools, and “BRING THE CHILDREN HOME.” Thank you for reading my blog. Please share if you wish. Sincerely, Roberta Capasso

Dear Family, Friends and All reading this blog,

Hello! I hope everyone is enjoying this warm June weather. It is great seeing people out and about! Many have been vaccinated from this covid virus and are starting to return to their normal lives. If everyone gets vaccinated, this pandemic will be in the rearview mirror!

Recently a mass grave was discovered in Canada with the bodies of 215 Indigenous Children buried in it. These children were found at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British, Columbia Canada. Kamloops was just one of 130 Indian Boarding Schools in Canada. I was saddened to learn of these 215 deceased children, but I was not surprised. I post this orange shirt image in honor to those 215 Indigenous Children who didn’t get to go back home.

In the early 2000’s, my husband and I traveled to the Carlisle Indian Industrial Boarding School, to see where my Great-Grandmother, Sophia Huff, was forced to attend. I never knew why she was sent so far away from Oneida to be educated. There were schools in Wisconsin. The U.S. Government wanted Sophia assimilated white, lose her Oneida Heritage and only to speak English. To get into the Carlisle Grounds, which is now an Army War College, we had to go through security and gates, before being allowed to walk on the campus. The very first thing we saw was a cemetery right at the entrance. My husband and I were really shocked and surprised! We both had never seen a cemetery at any of the schools we attended. We had playgrounds with playground equipment. This cemetery was very emotional for me to see. Today, my heart is heavy with sadness, inside, when I think back to that June day in the early 2000’s, when I first saw a cemetery on a school grounds! So, when 215 children’s remains were found in this Kamloops Residential School in Canada, this is not surprising to me. I have since learned that Canada had 130 Indigenous Boarding Schools. Canada modeled their schools after Carlisle Indian Industrial Boarding School. The U.S. had over 350 Indian Boarding Schools! Almost every one of these schools has a cemetery on it’s grounds! Kudos to those looking for these missing Indigenous Children, through ground penetrating radar and other means. If the Kamloops Indian Residential School in Canada, was modeled after Carlisle in the U.S., it doesn’t take a Rocket Scientist, to figure out if mass graves of Indigenous children might be right here in our Indian Boarding Schools here in the U.S.

My book, Sky Woman Lives in Me, took me 15 years of research and writing to share with you my great grandmother, Sophia and her sister, Lily’s experience at the Carlisle Indian School. In reading my book, you will see that Carlisle was the first Indian Industrial Boarding School here in the USA. This school was an experiment by our government to assimilate Indigenous children into the white culture. This was considered cheaper than just murdering us. We were considered less than… and savages. When my Great Grandmother shared her experience attending Carlisle, I realized I was colonized as were many of my relatives. Because Sophia was mistreated at Carlisle I was determined to research her experience. Through all my research, I now know why I know nothing of my Oneida Culture and Language. I am grateful that Sophia and Grandma Millie shared their stories. This is just one story. There are many many more stories that need to be shared to help us Indigenous People heal and find our way. These stories will shine light on those children who disappeared and didn’t return home. Please, please share your stories so we can do what is best for these lost Indigenous children. Many people have no idea of these Indian Boarding Schools. One lady asked me, “What is Carlisle?” The true history of America’s Indian Boarding Schools needs to be shared with everyone. As the Orange colored t-shirt says: Bring the Children Home.

Thank you for reading my blog. Please feel free to share this. Sincerely, Roberta Capasso, Author of the book, Sky Woman Lives in Me

Dear Family, Friends and all who may be reading this blog,

Hello! I hope everyone is well and all are receiving or have received their Covid 19 Vaccines. This pandemic has taught me to appreciate little things in life. For example, there was a bee on my back porch. Normally, I would have killed it. Instead I picked it up carefully with a kleenex and put the bee safely outside. My Great Grandmother, Sophia Huff, who attended the Carlisle Indian Industrial Boarding School in 1891, loved to grow Gladiolas. I thought of her when I saved that bee. Since it is May, here is a photo of Sophia’s flower. Happy Spring to all!

Some people have asked me why I named my book, Sky Woman Lives in Me? Good Question! In 2016 when I finished my book, I did not have a title! I asked my husband, sons, friends, relatives, “What should I name my book? My younger son, Patrick, suggested a title: Sky Woman Lives in Me. I wasn’t sure why he suggested this title? Why? Because I knew little of my Oneida Culture and even less about the Oneida Creation Story. Patrick’s title suggestion encouraged me to learn more about the Oneida Culture. I have learned there are many different creation stories from the Oneida and other tribes. The title of my book comes from this short, summarized story version: “The Great Spirit pulls a tree out of the ground by it’s roots. He commands his daughter to look into the hole created from the tree being ripped out. She sees a lower world below her, covered by water and clouds. She is dropped into the hole by the Great Spirit! She falls way way down onto the back of a turtle. Animals saw she had fallen from the sky above. The animals put dirt onto the turtle, which then grew and grew. This turtle represents North America here on Earth. Since Sophia was Oneida and part of the clan called, The Turtle Clan, I too am part of the Turtle Clan. I learned the Turtle Clan shares information to the people. Thus, my book title, Sky Woman Lives in Me, came to fruition. I thank my son, Patrick. Here is a picture from the Haudenosaunee (Oneida) Creation Story, as told online from the Oneida Indian Nation of New York State. The Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin is formerly from the State of New York. Wisconsin Oneidas were forced to relocate to Wisconsin so New York lands could be made available to non-Indian settlers.

I am excited that Senator Elizabeth Warren is preparing for the re-introduction of a bill to create the first-of-it’s-kind U.S. Commission, to document and acknowledge past injustices of the U.S. Government of cultural genocide and assimilation practices. On September 29, 2020 a bill called H.R. 8420, Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policy Act was initially introduced by Senator Warren and Representative, Deb Haaland. It is my hope this commission will be established. There are many stories, like my book, Sky Woman Lives in Me, that shares true history about Indian Boarding Schools. Hopefully, more people will come forward and share their stories. My friend, Lisa Gammon Olson’s book, Remembering Green, also shares an accurate account of an Ojibwa Boarding School on the Lac du Flambeau Indian Reservation. Both of these books are available for purchase. Please feel free to share my blog. Thank you for reading it. Stay safe and please wear Red in Honor of MMIW May 5th. You will be honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. To contact me directly, please write to: bobbie@skywomanlivesinme.blog

Dear Family, Friends and Everyone reading this blog,

Hello!

I hope this finds all well. More vaccines for Covid-19 are available! People are getting their shots! My husband and I saw my mother for the first time in over a year, yesterday, at the nursing home she resides at. Though we have had both our covid-19 vaccines, we still had to social distance and wear a mask, during our 30 minute visit. It was wonderful to see her and talk. We even hugged each other. Seeing family after this pandemic hit us last year, I see a light at the end of the tunnel! Below is a photo of my mom, Maxine, lower left. My brother, Andy, Sister in law Linda and Sister in law Bette, are in the back. I was selling my book, Sky Woman Lives in Me, at Indian Summer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a few years ago. They all helped me with my book and I sincerely thank them.

My sincerest congratulations to Deb Haaland for becoming the first Indigenous person to become the Interior Secretary of the United States! When my great grandmother was at the Carlisle Indian Boarding School in 1891, John Willock Noble, a Republican, was the Interior Secretary under former President Benjamin Harrison. Wow! Have times changed! It is wonderful to have a Native American Indian as our Secretary of Interior! My deceased ancestors are cheering from the Heavens, as is Our Creator. Thank you President Biden for nominating Deb Haaland for Interior Secretary.

It is my sincere hope that Leonard Peltier gets released from prison. He has been in prison for over forty years now. He has served enough time, don’t you think? Many people share how they would love to see Leonard Peltier freed from prison. I pray he is released soon.

A friend of mine recently wrote a children’s book about an Indian Boarding School in Lac du Flambeau, WI. Her book is called, Remembering Green. Lisa Gammon Olson researched and interviewed Chippewa Indians on the Lac du Flambeau Reservation for true historical facts for this book. Here is a picture of what her book cover looks like. I have read this book. It is wonderful and educational for all children. As a colonized Oneida, I sure wish I had read this book when I was child, to learn more about my Indigenous culture that was taken away from me. Many of us Indigenous people were assimilated to be white and only speak English. Lisa’s book is an excellent story about this.

I have always wanted to meet my Oneida ancestors. I have photos of them. I wanted to share an animated photo of my Great Grandmother, Sophia Huff Powless, in her Carlisle Indian Industrial Boarding School uniform, taken in 1891. Click on the white triangle for animation of this photo or click on https link to see animated photo of Sophia at 14 years old.

My book, Sky Woman Lives in Me, shares Sophia Huff’s story at the turn of the century. Below is a photo of the cover of my book. Thank you for reading my blog. Stay safe and may Our Creator, God, bless all of us.

Dear Family and Friends,

Yesterday was 2020, today is 2021! When I was younger, my sister, Renee and I were asked to babysit our Great Grandmother, Sophia Huff-Powless. Grandma Millie was going out to celebrate New Year’s Eve and didn’t want to leave 88 year old Sophia alone in their apartment. So, Renee and I spent the night with Sophia. I talk about this in my book, Sky Woman Lives in Me. We all went to bed around 9pm. Great Grandma Sophia went in one bedroom, we girls, in another. Soon, we all fell asleep. In the middle of the night Renee and I were woken up by someone yelling a strange word to us and knocking on our bedroom door! It was Great Grandma Sophia. She yelled, “Hoyan, hoyan!” We opened the door and she was smiling and screaming, “Hoyan!” She handed a gift to each of us, giggled and went back to her room, yelling, “Hoyan!” again. Renee and I looked at each other not really understanding what hoyan meant. Great Grandma Sophia had gifted me a scarf and Renee, gloves. Many years later we learned what this word, hoyan, meant. Hoyan meant “Happy New Year” to the Oneida and other Haudenosaunee Indigenous people.

Many, many years later I learned that Hoyan is a community event where children go door-to-door and offer well wishes and greetings while armed with a bag or pillow case. The community responds by offering the children a doughnut, cookie, fruit or some other delicious treat. It was similar to Halloween. You knocked on someone’s door, yelling “Hoyan” and someone gave you a treat. You usually got a treat.

I remember asking Grandma Millie about Hoyan. She remembers her family borrowing a farmer’s sleigh. Her and her siblings and father all piled into the sleigh. Grandpa Hyson drove the sleigh full of his kids, through Oneida. The kids yelled “Hoyan”, (Happy New Year) and received all kinds of treats from the neighbors, especially donuts! I asked Grandma Millie, “How did you stay warm in that sleigh on the winter morning of Hoyan?” She said that her father heated up bricks and put these bricks onto the sleigh. He gave us blankets We sat near the bricks and each other. This kept everyone warm. Below is the recipe for Hoyan Donuts to all of you! I took this recipe from the Oneida website. Since I am colonized, euro-white, I cannot read the Oneida words. I thank Our Creator the English translated words are also shared in this recipe. To all reading this, HOYAN!!!! Happy New Year to all and may 2021 we a kinder, gentler, safer year for everyone. Sincerely, Roberta Capasso, Author of the book, Sky Woman Lives in Me and a proud member of the Oneida.