Native Sons and Daughters of Jacksonville

Smoke Signals

If you or your child has Smoke Signals to share, please send them by email to smokesignals@nsdjax.org.

Joe Friday Award Winner

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Submitted by: Brian Quirk, Flaming Arrow

The Native Sons and Daughters program was founded more than 90 years ago as the founders realized the importance of the father/son relationship. The belief was that a father, who did not have time for his son in the formative years, lost much of his kinship with his son.

Joe Friday was a hunter, a trapper and an Ojibway Indian. He was a wilderness guide and his life as an Ojibway Indian helped him bridge the gap between two different cultures with his development and co-founding of the Native Sons and Daughters Program more than 90 years ago. As such, the NSD National Board of Elders has deemed that the highest level of recognition in the program is named after Joe Friday. In today’s world, electronic gadgetry consumes our daily existence. Families face mounting pressures to provide for themselves as well as their children. The Native Sons and Daughters program offers fathers the opportunity to unplug and spend precious one-on-one time with their sons and daughters.

Recently, one of our local fathers was selected for the highest level of recognition in the country in our program.

Early on, I noticed that this man and his children attended almost every outing that the club hosted. This level of dedication was impressive from the very beginning. As such, he serves as an ongoing role-model for other fathers in our organization in developing life-long memories with their children.

He has served as a Tribe Chief, a Nation Chief, on the Recruitment Committee and on the Federation Council. He has also served on both the State and National levels.

He has already volunteered to serve on our upcoming 2020 Sunshine State Pow Wow Committee. This is an annual event attended by some 600 – 800 members of our program who come from all over the state of Florida.

At the local, state or National level, Iron Wolf exemplifies the character traits that Joe Friday himself, espoused more than 90 years ago at the foundation our program. So that you understand the significance of this recognition, less than 15 men in the country have been presented this award.       

The Timucuan Longhouse of Jacksonville is most appreciative of Iron Wolf’s ongoing service to our organization and for being selected as a Joe Friday Award winner!

Armada vs Central Florida

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At the Armada game it was so much fun. I watched the game for a while. Then i went to play on the big blow up octopus named squidvishes (Squid Vicious). He is the mascote (mascot) The Armada won 🙂

I think you should come next time. I also got a soccer ball beer opener. I think daddy likes it.

Cayuga Reports

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My favorite part about Native Sons and Daughters is hanging out with my dad and tribe, some of my favorite places to go camping are Suwannee and Blue Springs. Last week April 12-14 we went to Hannah Park and spent one day at the beach building sandcastles, doing the egg toss, and more fun things. Native Sons and Dughters is my favorite thing to do with my dad – Pretty Unicorn (Leah Sharpe)

My name is Gemma Masiti. I liked the crab hunt the best. The shark was cool. The donuts was fun – Singing Rainbow Fish (Gemma Masitti)

What I loved about the program is going to the beach and going to the crab hunt and celebrating my birthday and eating the red velvet cake my mommy made. What i loved about the program is going bolling (bowling) and camping and ice scatting (skating) and doing the opening ceremony and spending time with my daddy – Dancing Butterfly (Isabella)

What I like about Native Sons and Daughters What I like about Native Sons and Daughters is that I get to spend time with both my father and my friends. One of my favorite things to do is going on camping trips. The last camping trip I was on I got to set up my fishing rod and go fishing with my dad and my friend. We used hot dog as bait. We could either camp in a tent, cabin, or camper. A few other things we do while we are in Native Sons and Daughters is making pine wood derby cars then racing them, lemonade stand or even a bake sale to raise money for charity. Me and my dad went on a camping trip in April 2019. Me and my dad went on a Friday right after school and then it was about 45 min drive to the Hannah park. At Hannah park there was a beach right close and a lake and also a splash pad. If you like biking or walking on trails Hannah park would be the best place for that. Also there are many playgrounds and a splash pad for smaller kids in the Native Sons and Daughters or for people going to Hannah park. – Shooting Star (Zoe Yates)

Girls Fall Longhouse 2018 Report

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This camping trip I set up my tent with my Dad. Then I roasted marsh mellows.  The next day I rode my bike and my daddy helped me to shoot a BB gun. It was my first time shooting BB guns I thought it was fun.  We had a scavenger hunt, we also had a skit competition and we won third place. I dressed up as an Indian for the Sacred Fire and traded bear claws for glow sticks it was fun, Camping was so much fun!!!!!!  After camping our tribe went on a canoe trip on the Suwannee River.

 

Nature Caterpillar (Olivia Morris)

Age 8

Wakapalaka Tribe

Making Memories at Tribe Meetings

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I like having meetings at the homes of different tribe meetings. It is a great time for fun and getting to know the other Sahaptin tribe members. At our last meeting most of our tribe was there, and everyone was busy making small teepees and eating yummy snacks. We also had a fun game of “hide and go seek tag.” It is important to work on reciting the Aims for Native Sons and Daughters at our meetings. At the Spring Longhouse most of our tribe members earned a special bear claw necklace for reciting aims. I love being a part of Native Sons and Daughters and spending time with my dad!

Naomi Smith
Sahaptin Tribe

Nature Caterpillar

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Dear Native Sons and Daughters,

Today we went caroling at Taylor Manor Nursing home. It was a fun event. There were many different families from different tribes. We sang lots of carols like Santa’s Coming to Town, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Frosty The Snowman, Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls, Up on the Housetop, and We Wish You A Merry Christmas. My sister was the first to call bingo because she was singing out loud. We brought cookies and peanut butter fudge to share with the residents. I took lots of photos with my camera it was so so so much fun.

Nature Caterpillar (Olivia Morris)
7 Years Old
Wakapalaka Tribe

Curious River

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Dear Native Sons and Daughters,

We had a fun time at camping. We got two patches, one for costume bowling and one for camping. We rode our bikes, we had fun riding bikes with Daddy. I had fun on the walk. We played Frisbee and we had a good time.

Goodbye

P.S. Thank you

Matilda “Curious River”
7 Years Old
Wakapalaka Tribe

Talking Wind

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I had a great time at the camping trip. Me and my dad thought it was the best camping trip that we have ever been on. We went swimming in the springs and also had a camp fire. Also we had candy and smores.

Paisley “Talking Wind”
7 Years Old
Cayuga Tribe

Four Legged Moose

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Hello, my name is Four Legged Moose "Maddie."  My dad is the Timucuan Longhouse Medicine Man.  His name is Big Horn Moose "Mike".  At the Spring Longhouse's Sacred Fire, he taught me how to sage the families that entered the sacred circle.  He said it cleanses the people as they enter into the sacred circle for the ceremony.  We also watched the "broken arrow" ceremony where dads and daughters decide to move on to the pathfinder program.  They make a promise to love each other and to continue to spend time together.  They also tell each other their favorite memory in the program. Mine is EVERYTHING!  I do not think I will ever "break arrow."  My dad said we have to when I turn 30.  We will see about that!

Maddie “Four Legged Moose”
11 Years Old
Cayuga Tribe

Stone Men

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This summer I went on a trip to Canada. We visited our relative’s cottage. On the way there we saw a lot of little men made of stones on the side of the road. Their actual name is Inukshuk and they have an interesting story. They are made to look like people which is what the name means. Native people in Northern Canada made them for marking places or marking where they have been. They are built from stones found on their travels. I liked them so much, I got a small stone man from a gift shop near the cottage.

Dana “Dancing Bird”
10 Years Old
Cayuga Tribe