Tetona Dunlap is a graduate student in journalism at the University of Montana. She is an enrolled member of the Eastern Shoshone tribe from the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.

One of the reasons why I came to graduate school at the University of Montana was to write stories concerning Native American issues. I must admit it is strange learning alongside my peers about issues and problems that I have learned to accept on some levels.

I have recently found myself consumed with the negative. It is disheartening to learn about all the problems facing Native country, even though I have been quite of aware of them for a while.

But after one class period of discussing issues of suicide, alcoholism, teenage pregnancy and drug abuse; I was for a moment uplifted after reading a story in my hometown’s newspaper about Caleb Her Many Horses, a senior at Wyoming Indian High School on the Wind River Reservation.

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Tags: buffalo post, Caleb Her Many Horses, Eastern Shoshone, Gwen Florio, Native American news, Native Americcan Sports Council, Tahnee Robinson, Tetona Dunlap, U.S. Junior Olympics, University of Montana, University of Nevada, University of Wyoming, Wind River Indian Reservation, Wyoming Indian High School

Tetona Dunlap is a graduate student in journalism at the University of Montana. She is an enrolled member of the Eastern Shoshone tribe from the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.

I remember the first time I met Billy Mills [above left, Rapid City Journal photo]. I was at the National Indian Gaming Association’s conference in San Diego. I was more excited and nervous to meet Mills than I was to meet actor Adam Beach. Beach, of course, had the most people lined up to meet him, mostly women, but for me, Mills signified a different honor.

Growing up on a reservation, sports culture is prevalent. However, I never knew about Mills until I was a senior in high school. I was writing an essay about Native Americans and came across an article online. Since I was a student-athlete at the time, I was excited to discover that a Native American from the Pine Ridge Reservation had won an Olympic gold medal.

Before that he was an All-American cross-country runner at the University of Kansas. The footage from the 1964 Olympic 10K race still gives me chills. It is still considered one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history and he is still the only American to ever win that race.

There is a great pride in the Native American community that follows those in sports. I am a fan of the Boston Red Sox because of Jacoby Ellsbury. I also follow New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain’s career, even though I am not a fan of the Yankees. Ellsbury and Chamberlain are two of only three active Native American players in Major League Baseball.

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Tags: 1964 Olympics, Billy Mills, buffalo post, Native American news, NCAA, Pine Ridge Reservation, Tahnee Robinson, Tetona Dunlap, University of Nevada, Wind River Indian Reservation