Yes! Good day “wëli kishku.” It has been a long time “mpaihàkwi mitsi” since my last newsletter. In the interim, the Domicile has continued to provide the quality of service our insurance managers have come to expect and to support the Delaware Tribe and its members.

I am happy “wëlhatènamu” to provide you with a little more insight into our tribe’s tradition and culture. Recently, the tribe held its 60th annual Delaware Powwow, celebrated on the weekend of Memorial Day. The campground fills up the week before with tribal members who travel from all over the country to reunite with family and friends and to enjoy and participate in the ceremonies and traditional dances. On Thursday, a family meal for Delaware tribal members, social dances, stomp dances and Lenape songs highlighted the start of the Powwow.

Let me now retreat to our journey to Las Vegas and the Agent Summit in March – another excellent conference – which seems to get better every year. If you didn’t get a chance to come visit us, you missed our caricature artist who delighted all who posed for him. I believe we will see him again in the future. Once again, the summit was well attended by our tribal officials, Chief Brad KillsCrow and CFO Kendall Reith, as well as our domicile team of Rhonda, Natosha, Elaine, Becky and me. I told Rhonda and Elaine; I wouldn’t mention my return journey to Oklahoma but keep in mind it was March and the 12 inches of Snow in Flagstaff made for quite a story in getting home. I’ll be glad to tell you about that adventure!

Now onto the F&I Conference in November, and as fast as time rolls around it won’t be long. Tempe, Arizona is a wonderful venue as well as the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel. Hats off to GP&W for this excellent seminar and learning opportunity. For some of you who may not know, Gary Fagg, President and owner of CreditRe Corporation, initiated this F&I Conference over two decades ago, hosting it for many years with the help of Rhonda and Elaine. This year, Kendall will once again be in attendance, and our Chief KillsCrow will be a guest panelist. Of course, Rhonda, Elaine, Becky and I will be there. So, as always, our Domicile and the Delaware (Lenape) tribe will be well represented, and we look forward to seeing our many friends and colleagues. Enjoy these upcoming summer months and vacation time. We’ll see you soon and even sooner if you would like to come visit. Just let us know.

Don’t forget… you can visit our Lenape Reserve website for a wide variety of Native American gifts, fashion and swag and Teton Trade Cloth by Lenape is another excellent source of native goods owned by our Delaware Tribe of Indians.

Wanishi,

Allan R. Barnes
Domicile Commissioner
Delaware Tribe of Indians
abarnes@delawaretribe.org