ogapahndn

Robert Whitebird, 92, passed away Friday May 6, 2005. Services were this morning. He was the last full-blood Quapaw man. He was laid to rest at Whitebird Cemetery in Quapaw.

WhoMe

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Ogahpah,

I am sorry to learn of Robert's passing. From other Quapaw, I learned that Robert was not only the last full blood Quapaw, but also the last fluent speaker of the O-gah-pah (Quapaw) language.

Knowing this, I was able to video him while he was at his rest home in Blue Jacket, Oklahoma.



This adds another tribe to America who no longer have a tribal member who is a fluent language speaker.

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"Today, recognizing and respecting the origins of powwow aids in our Cultural Survival. If enough people break the rules because they are not satisfied...."We will have no culture."

WhoMe

CHEROSAGE

These things are true about Uncle Bob, BUT he also had a very good sense of humor. Uncle Bob and Aunt Polly would open their door to everyone. They always had something for you to eat and drink. I pray for Cindy and the rest of the family.

Have a good rest Uncle Bob.

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BOB

Wihey1

He was an elder and will be missed. There was much said and written about this man. Had a great sense of humor once you knew him. However, I knew him all of my life and he could not speak Quapaw at all except for a few words. He told me once that he wished he had listened to his elders when he was young and learned to speak Quapaw. He also smiled about folks saying he was full blood. He said let them believe what they want to believe but that he wasn't.

ogapahndn

Uncle Bob was a great man. I can remember sitting at his house talking with Cindy and we would always try to get him to tell us stories. He was a great story teller. It would take hours for him to tell one, but was well worth it. Everyone who has written is right, he had the best sense of humor.

quapawgirl

he was the last Pure blood quapaw we have several full bloods I wish i could have heard him speek as much as you all did but i donot really remember him speeking one or two words. Aunt Polly on the other hand who could not remember her not speeking she always had something good to say to everybody. I been to there place many of times he would just go to the other room. I think maybe because my grandfather and Uncle Bob didn't always agree I used to have to go even tho i was just a tot then i always thought of him as some kind of mystery person.

CHEROSAGE

You probably say him go to his chair in the front room with the fireplace. When strang folks came by he usually sat in there or sometimes he would go to the office room and occassionally he would even go to his room. He had a very good sense of humor and story telling. He was a classy gentleman. He and Aunt Polly let our Quapaw Gourd dance Society use their Chicken house as a group office. The chicken house was a well built out building. He also allowed Cindy to be our first Princess.

I remember many scoldings from Aunt Polly. Mostly in private but not all of them. She had this look to kill. On the otherhand she was a great moc maker and beader. She helped us make my oldest daughters buckskin dress.

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BOB

smokejaguar

Hi everyone, I will miss Uncle Bob, too. I didnt get the chance to grow up close to Quapaw, but I did spend many wonderful summers at my granny Anna Mckibbens old house and swimming in the Spring river. I got my first set of 'shell' from aunt Polly, Uncle Bob blessed them for me and I put them on and shook them 1 lap around their house. I willnever forget either one of them, they are truly treasures to be remebered forver.
A Quapaw in AZ

WhoMe

Ciiiiiiindy Whiiiiiiiiiiitebird?



*OHHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!


"Circle the wagons 'n hide the women and children!"


*L

__________________
"Today, recognizing and respecting the origins of powwow aids in our Cultural Survival. If enough people break the rules because they are not satisfied...."We will have no culture."

WhoMe

saukpuppet

what do you mean by ^ that comment?
Cindy is like a sister to me.........

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WHEN FACED WITH A CHALLENGE, LOOK FOR A WAY NOT A WAY OUT.
Death: The pain passes but the beauty remains.