Tribe Hosts First Annual NAFFA Strengthening Families Seminar

Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians (CCBUTI) Social Services partnered with the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians to provide the first annual Strengthening Families Seminar for the Native American Fatherhood & Families Association (NAFFA).

This first of the annual seminars was hosted by CCBUTI at Seven Feathers Casino Resort, facilitated by Social Services, Cultural Resources, Behavioral Health, Education, Legal, and Veterans Services staff. The Cow Creek Umpqua Color Guard posted the colors for the event.

The seminar’s keynote speaker was Albert Pooley of the Hopi and Navajo Tribes of Arizona, who founded NAFFA in 2002, and created the Fatherhood Is Sacred Program. He holds a Masters of Social Work and Masters of Public Administration degrees, has extensive experience as a marriage and family counselor, and has worked with over 400 Tribes throughout North America to strengthen families. He spoke on family wellness in modern society, linking generations, and other topics.

Entertainment for the event was provided by Supaman (Christian Takes Gun Parrish) of the Apsáalooke Nation in Montana, a dancer and innovative artist that combines hip hop music, comedy, and Native American culture. He is known for using his music to spread messages of empowerment, hope, pride, and resilience to Native Americans, and has won many national awards, such as the MTV VMA award and numerous Indigenous Music Awards.