CHAPTER 1
WARM SPRINGS RETURN
It is a well known historical fact that the tribes of American Indians maintained their own death customs and adapted them to their regional environments. The various rituals and beliefs that were specific to individual tribes also passed to other tribes through trade and intermarriage. Most Native American tribes believed that the souls of the dead passed into a spirit world and became part of the spiritual forces that influenced every aspect of their lives.
Jake Rappaho and his wife Cheetah had studied the burial customs of many tribes in preparation for the burial of Jakes mother Sacajawea Rappaho who died at the age of 92. Sacajawea was buried high on a hill on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation overlooking the Deschutes River. Both Jake and Cheetah were born and raised on the reservation and over the years had visited the grave site on numerous occasions.
It seemed so long ago when Jake received the call from Cheetah indicating that his mother had passed on. Sacajawea Rappaho's burial services brought thousands of American Indians and other dignitaries together. The dignitaries were many and included not only the United States Head of Indian Affairs but the President of the United States as well.
Indians disposed of their dead in a variety of ways. Arctic tribes, for example left their dead on frozen ground for wild animals to devour, Some Midwest tribes placed their dead in lavishly furnished tombs. Southeastern tribes practiced secondary bone burial. They dug up their corpses, cleansed the bones and then reburied them. The Northeast Iroquois, saved skeletons of the deceased for final mass burial that included furs and ornaments for the dead spirits to use in the afterlife.
Closer to home the Northwest coastal tribes put their dead in mortuary cabins or canoes fastened to poles. But the practice of the warm springs tribe practiced cremation which was the preference of both Jake and Cheetah.
It had been one full week since Cheetah had passed away from the brain injury caused by a fall from her horse. The fall resulted when a mountain lion attempted to attack her and her horse while on an Evergreen trail ride.
Jake sat in front of his fireplace with Cheetahs two best friends Rita Regas and the former President of the United States Rose Kennedy Schlossberg Harbor. Both owned ranches that adjoined Jake and Cheetahs. There were no more tears, simply because their collective bodies could not produce any more. Cheetah had been a mainstay for the group for years and the loss of her was overwhelming to all them. Cheetah was also one of the most beautiful women in the world and was admired by many, not just for her looks but for what she was on the inside. She was truly a very special person.
Jake, what have you decided to do with Cheetahs remains? Rita asked. Well the good news is that over the years Cheetah and I have had a number of discussions regarding the possibility of death. It was her desire and mine as well, that our bodies be cremated and that a traditional Indian burial be held at the Warm Springs Indian Reservation similar to that which was held for my mom when she passed away. We have our burial plots already prepared next to my mom's which sits atop the highest point on the reservation.
As you both know the cremation has already occurred and Cheetah's ashes have been placed in a special Indian burial urn which I have upstairs.
I have begun working on the ceremony which I will want to have happen in about a month. I will determine what date works best after I talk with the elders on the reservation. My mom's burial was huge as she was larger than life among our tribe and many others throughout the United States.
Cheetah is another famous name to the members of our tribe and it was her desire to be buried with some of the traditional Indian customs and ceremony. So I want to do the thing right and give those who would like to attend ample time to plan.
I don't know if you are aware of this Jake but at one point long ago, Cheetah told me about your mom's burial ceremony and if my memory serves me correct there was a part of the ceremony called the Ghost Dance that meant a lot to her. She didn't exactly say that she wanted that to be part of her ceremony but she was very impressed by it.
Yes Rita, I am aware of the Ghost Dance played in my mom's ceremony and I have already planned to include it in Cheetahs burial.
Cheetah and I often talked about the rituals and Ceremony that have long played a vital and essential role in our Native American culture. To us, our culture was our religion. We were raised to believe that the beliefs and practices of our tribe formed an integral and seamless part of our very being. Our ceremonies and rituals provided the power to conquer the difficulties of life. We both believed that death should be celebrated knowing that it is the end of life on Earth but that it is also the start of life in the spirit world. We also believed that the journey might be long, so after life rituals are performed we wanted to ensure that the spirits leave the earth and move on to the spirit world.
Jake, that is fascinating, Rose said. I thought we both knew you well yet it is clear that we did not know or understand this part of your thinking process.
I am so pleased to know that this part of your culture will be observed during Cheetah's burial ceremony. It makes me very proud to know that these traditions and culture will be a part of her service.
Rita asked, is anyone helping you plan this ceremony? No. The answer is that I will rely on the elders at Warm Springs to help guide me through the service. I do know one thing for sure, the service will not be long and drawn out. Cheetah and I always wanted it to be simple and yet traditional.
I will follow the elders lead but my guess is that much of what we will do will be similar to that which was done for my mom. Neither of you was around then but in general here is what happens.
The actual ceremony will be held at the top of the highest hill overlooking the Deschutes River. Here nature reaches out to touch the sky. One of the traditions that we will observe is that Cheetahs ashes will be placed in a traditional burial coffin and that relatives of the deceased must follow strict rules in order to assist the departed on their journey. As you both are aware we do not have any relatives on either side of our family. However, Cheetah and I considered both of you as our family. As such you will be treated as family in every respect and as family you will be asked to put a personal item of importance in her coffin. I can only suggest that it should be something that you value and that will help her on her journey to another life. It will be up to you to determine what that will be.
You will both be asked to participate. In my mom's case and I assume the same will be true of Cheetahs, the coffin will be carried by six members of our tribe. The six will be dressed in traditional Indian dress. I will be one of those and will be assisted by five of our elders. In keeping with our tradition, the coffin will be carried up the hill. The coffin will be followed by a family member who will be leading five white horses. Rita, this is the role I want you to play. The five white horses will then be followed by the last person in the precession. This person will be Rose and she will be guiding one single black stallion.
As I indicated, the ceremony will not be long. When we reach the top of the hill the Ghost Dance will be performed by the Medicine Man from the Warm Spring's Tribe along with the Tribe Elders. The coffin will then be placed in the grave.
Jake what is this ghost dance all about? Rose asked. The Ghost Dance today is somewhat removed from how it all began. I believe that the Ghost Dance began in 1890 as a new religious movement incorporated into numerous American Indian belief systems. According to the teachings of the Northern Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka the proper practice of the dance would reunite the living with the spirits of the dead, bring the spirits of the dead to fight on their behalf, make the white colonists leave and bring peace prosperity and unity to the Indian people.
The basis for the Ghost Dance, is a traditional circle that is formed by a small group of Indians. In Cheetah's case this will include the elders and myself. Our ghost dance has evolved to a round dance that is a circular community dance and it is centered around our medicine man. Our Ghost dance is purely ceremonial and the dancers are accompanied by a group of singers who will play hand drums in unison. The dancers hold hands to form a circle and they move to their left with a side shuffle step to reflect the long short pattern of the drum beat. The original purpose has not changed. It is to reunite the living with the spirits and in turn pave the way to the spiritual life.
Jake this may sound a bit strange but if Rita and I are going to be part of the procession and neither of us are American Indians what do you want us to dress like.
Well, as I said, you are family to both Cheetah and me. In that regard, as family, I think it would be great if you were both in Indian dress. I will explain to the Elders what the relationship is and that the dress is a tribute to Cheetah not a opportunity to be like something you are not. I'm no fashion expert but I think the outfit that Rita and Cheetah wore at your wedding Rose would be about perfect. Some sort of buckskin outfit with a beaded headband and necklace would work perfectly.
Got it Jake, Rita said, I will take care of us. Thanks for the help.
Well, Rose said, it sounds to me like you have a pretty good idea how this should take place. Let us know if we can be of any help. Thanks to you both. I appreciate your offer and will take you up on it if I see the need. I'm going to fly out to Warm Springs next week to make the arrangements and will let you know after that what the final plan will be like. They both gave Jake a long hug and headed to their respective homes.
The next week Jake flew to Portland and then over to Redmond where he picked up a car and drove to Warm Springs. He had arranged to meet with the Warm Springs Elders in the afternoon to discuss Cheetah's ceremony and then planned to stay at the Ka-Ne-tah Hot Springs Resort for the night. As he flew over what was once Mt. Hood for the first time he could see the total devastation that the volcanic eruption of Mt. Hood had caused. He could not believe his eyes.
The meeting with the elders went just as planned and the ceremony and date were set. The elders would get the word out to the reservation and Jake would let others who would have an interest know. The burial ceremony was scheduled in a month and would be held on a Friday afternoon. It would conclude as the sun set.
After the meeting with the elders, Jake decided to drop by his Mom's house and say hi to Dusty Lightfoot and his guiding partner and now fiancée Andi James. Dusty and Andi were now living in the house that Jake was born in. Neither were at home so he left a brief note giving them his best and that he would advise them about the ceremony over the course of the next couple of weeks. His flights were on time the following day and he was back home by 6PM the next day.
That night he sat at home alone in front of the fire with only thoughts of the woman he loved and the wife that was no longer by his side. Jake picked up a pen sat at his desk and began to write Cheetahs obituary. It was the hardest thing he had ever had to do.
CHEETAH RAINS RAPPAHO 1962 - 2035
Cheetah Rains Rappaho was born on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in 1962. She was the wife, life partner and best friend of Jake Rappaho. Jake was born on the reservation as well and grew up with Cheetah. Cheetah was a very proud American Indian. She loved life and enjoyed everything it had to offer. She was an outdoor woman. There was nothing she would not try and almost everything she tried she was good at.
Cheetah graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in elementary education. It was her goal to return to the reservation and teach Indian children. That, however, was a goal that she did not attain primarily because she married Jake who was a special assistant to three United States Presidents.
Cheetah was physically beautiful and together with her husband she was pictured on the cover of almost every magazine printed in the State of Oregon.
She also became somewhat a celebrity when she was asked by the then President of the United States, Bruce Gavin, to dance with him at the Presidents Inaugural Ball. It was a night she never forgot.
Jake and Cheetah eventually retired to a ranch in Colorado where they raised cattle.
Cheetah became a very successful western model along with her best friend Rita Regas. Together, the two of them, became the perfect images of Western Life. Together they made the cover of almost every western magazine.
Until her untimely death she and Rita were inseparable.
Cheetah was first and foremost a very accomplished horse woman. She enjoyed everything about horses. Cheetah's horse was named Squaw which was another tribute to her Indian heritage.
Ironically, Cheetah was on a trail ride with Squaw and her two best friends Rita Regas and former President of the United States Rose Kennedy Schlossberg when a mountain lion threatened to pounce on Squaw. Squaw reared up and Cheetah was thrown from the horse. She suffered a major brain injury as a result of the fall and the complications that resulted from the injury. Cheetah passed away peacefully at her home in Colorado.
Cheetah's life will be celebrated on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation on Friday August 1st beginning at 3PM. The celebration will be a traditional Indian burial ceremony. All people are welcome.
When Jake finished the obituary both his eyes were full of tears. The thought of Cheetah's death was slowly but surely overwhelming him.
Cheetah's obituary was published in all of the major newspapers in Oregon and it received a great deal of attention. Separate articles were written about her and her life with Jake. For many in Oregon, the couple were larger than life and Cheetah's passing was a major news worthy event.
There was even an article about Jake and Cheetahs relationship with the new Governor of Oregon, Nora Noitall.
Time passed quickly as the plans were made for the burial service and celebration of life. No one had any idea how many people would show up for the service but the estimates were in the thousands.
Jake made arrangements with Dusty to use his mother's house to prepare for the event and Dusty was asked to find the five white horses and one black stallion which he was happy to do. Jake talked occasionally to the elders but the service was pretty straight forward and simple so there was no need for detailed plans. Guests would be asked to line the path from Jakes mothers house to the burial site. Rita had new buckskin outfits made for her and Rose. As one would expect they were perfect and both women looked beyond good in them. Rita matched the outfits with headbands and long leather Indian moccasins. Each had bead work to match the headbands.
Jake reserved rooms for Neal Harbor and his wife Rose and for Rita at the Ka-Nee-Ta resort and spa in Warm Springs. He reserved one for himself as well. The plan would be to arrive at his mom's house at 1:30 PM. The group would then dress and be ready for the service which would begin promptly at 3:00 PM.
CHEETAH'S BURIAL CEREMONY
Jake picked Neal, Rose and Rita up at the hotel at 1:15 PM the day of the service. He drove directly to his Mom's house. To Rita it was a coming home of sort as it was at this house that she spent a few weeks with Cheetah alone while the Mexican drug cartels were looking for her. It was here that she bonded with Cheetah and together they had been like sisters ever since. Rose, Neal and Jake all knew the story and no one needed to say anything. The emotion of the entire experience was taking its toll on all of them.
Dusty, his mom Sandy Lightfoot, and Andi met them at the door. Introductions were made but the conversation was minimal. Dusty showed Jake the horses. Each was groomed perfectly. Dusty had arranged for he, Andi and his Mom to stay with a local neighbor as they all knew that this was going to be a very emotional day for the group.
