American Indian elders may lose gathering place

By Betty Reid
Dec. 12, 2007

Navajo elder Richard Beyal said he will miss socializing with seniors who chat about life on the rez, tribal powwows and what government scandals are brewing on their tribal nations.

To gather and chatter about like topics keeps the spirit of American Indian elders alive in the city, Beyal said.

The Native American Community Health Center where elders gather is scheduled to shut down Jan. 31 unless new funding for the center can be found. Native Health, which operates the center at 1325 N. 14th St., announced last week that it only had $36,000, about a third of the money needed to operate it for a year.

Beyal said he will miss the center. While Indian seniors could go to other city of Phoenix-operated sites, members of the group are sometimes uncomfortable mingling with other seniors, he said.

"We talk about powwows and where we traveled to for the weekend or summers," Beyal said. "If we talked about what matters to us with other seniors, they might not be interested in it. I mention powwow, for example. They might assume it's a war party getting together or it's a victory dance after a battle. The urban Indian people look at powwows as a social gathering or medicine to keep emotions strong."

The center serves hot lunches and also became a gathering point for field trips to visit reservations on the outskirts of the Valley. Young American Indians interview the elders for their college research.

Beyal, 79, moved to Phoenix from the Navajo Nation in 1987 for warmth, a job and modern accommodations. Had he stayed on the Nation, he might be jobless and not as active, he said. About 100 seniors attend regularly, and it draws from many of the 21 reservations in Arizona.

Members of the Native American Senior Association use the center to hold events, said Kenneth Moore, who is on the governors' advisory council on aging. The center benefits elderly members who often relocate to urban areas for various reasons. Sometimes it is for work. But other times they live with their adult children for health and medical reasons.

Moore said it's "heartbreaking." The center opened more than 15 years ago as a result of the hard work of native elderly advocates who believed the site would serve a unique community, he said.

The center, which leases the property from Native American Connections, also transports elders to the center from their homes. Now, many may have to remain alone during the day in their families' homes.

"We have a group of sick people who are losing half their hearts," Moore said. "These are people who feel more comfortable with their own kind."

Richard Zephier, Native Health CEO, said he does not want to shut down the center and contacted Inter Tribal Council of Arizona and the nations on the outskirts of the Valley for help. That includes Gila River Indian Community and Salt River-Maricopa Indian Community. If you want to help, contact Zephier at 602-279-5262.