[GreenKeys] Greenkeys member in Iraq

[Don Robert House]

Warren Brader was an active Greenkeyer until he was activated with 
his Army unit and sent to Iraq.  A water purification exercise was 
conducted first in Bloomington, Indiana before they were sent 
overseas.  Warren is also the Excecutive Director of NADCOMM and 
currently has a large display at the Computer Museum of America in 
San Diego.

Read on...  This is quite interesting...
Don


Powwow honors elder killed in car accident
         
Organizer serving in Iraq also is saluted

By Greg Moran
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

October 5, 2003

SAN MARCOS - The singing, dancing and drum playing began just after 
noon yesterday, as the morning clouds cleared over California State 
University San Marcos and the sun beamed down.

The 11th annual Tukwut Powwow at the school was officially under way.

This now-annual celebration is designed for American Indians to come 
together in friendship and fellowship and to educate non-natives 
about their heritage and culture. But this year the memory of two 
people who could not attend, and whose spirits had always enlivened 
previous powwows, was as strong as the aroma of sacred smoke used to 
bless the circular dance arena.

This year's powwow is in honor of Henry Rodriguez, a legendary and 
beloved tribal elder who devoted most of his 82 years to sustaining 
native culture.

Rodriguez died in February 2002 in a car accident. His signature 
phrase, "Have a beautiful day!," served as the theme of the event 
this year.

Rodriguez was a fixture at the university, helping students, 
interacting with teachers and supporting the American Indian Student 
Alliance (AISA), which organizes the powwow.

"He just loved this place," said Karen Hovland of AISA, chairwoman of 
this year's powwow.

"He loved the students, and he loved to educate them about issues, 
about life," she said.

A special honor song and dance were planned for yesterday evening to 
commemorate Rodriguez.

The second figure is very much alive, though far away. An essay in 
the event program salutes Warren Brader, a well-known gourd dancer 
and member of the committee who organized previous powwows along with 
his longtime partner, Veronica Whitehorse.

Brader was unable to attend this year because he is stationed in Iraq 
with his reserve unit from Camp Pendleton. He is working on a water 
purification project in a city in northern Iraq, Whitehorse said.

In last year's powwow, Brader served as electrician, field marshal in 
charge of preparing the arena for dancing, and helped advertise the 
event.

While working half a world away, he has kept in touch. He has 
e-mailed reminders to current committee members about what had to be 
done, how best to do it - and asking if he could help, Whitehorse 
said.

Whitehorse said Brader enjoyed the event and thought it was important 
it help educate others.

"This is important for us," Whitehorse said, as she stood next to the 
circular arena where the drum and dancing would take place.

"It lets us as native people to come together and celebrate."

Vendors selling native arts and crafts were arrayed around the field, 
drawing a steady stream of customers perusing intricate beadwork, 
jewelry and ceramics.

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Greg Moran: (619) 542-4586; greg.moran@uniontrib.com

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