Our Tribe is composed of individuals that God has gifted to us through biological and adoptive means. It is
composed of sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, fathers, mothers, and grandchildren.
According to the dictionary, a tribe is:
1. a social division of people or a division of society whose members have ancestry, customs, beliefs, and leadership in common
2. a large family
3. a group of people with something in common such as an occupation, social background or political viewpoint
Historically and traditionally, adoption was practiced in most tribal communities through custom and ceremony. Most tribes
did not practice termination of parental or familiar rights. It is unfortunate that adoption became a negative thing,
due to the forced assimilation of policies and as a tool to destroy native families and culture. Because of this
trauma, many native tribes abhor adoption in the connotation of the majority culture's definition.
It is important to note that when we speak of our tribe through birth and adoption, we are not in the practice of assimilation
of others into our ways of doing things. We believe in the sovereignty of individuals and the gift of choice that
Yahweh has bestowed upon us all.
The process of adoption is important to us and not something that we enter into lightly. We treat these members that have
been adopted with the same respect and commitment in which we honor our biological family.
We are so honored that the Creator established us among these people, biological and adoptive, that make up our tribe.
We are so proud of each one of these individuals. We are laboring to build a house not made by hands alongside of
them, something eternal through Yahweh, that will be a dwelling fit for the presence of Yahweh. We want to build a
tribe that will endure the tests of time and build a generation of God-fearing men and women.
We are so very proud to introduce them to you.
Qaumaniq's Father and Mother
Jim and Rosemary Stanley,
Nashville, Tennessee
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Qaumaniq's Father and Step-Mother
Bob and Mary Barnette,
Charleston, West Virginia
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Suuqiina's Mother
Margaret Nuapak,
Nome, Alaska
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Suuqiina's Father and Step-Mother
Herman and Lori Smith,
Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada
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Suuqiina's brother Paul Brodin
Grand Forks, North Dakota
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Suuqiina's sister Geri Di Lucchio
Anchorage, Alaska
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Suuqiina's sister Cassandra Harrison
Homer, Alaska
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Suuqiina's sister Jeanette Ives
Courtney, British Columbia, Canada
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Suuqiina's sister Cyndy Phillips
Kenora, Ontario, Canada
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Qaumaniq's brother John Stanley
Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
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Qaumaniq's nieces (John's daughters)
Rachel and Savannah Stanley
Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
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Qaumaniq's brother
Councilman James Bruce Stanley
with their mother Rosemary
Nashville, Tennessee
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Qaumaniq's brother Tom Stanley
with wife Tina, children Matt and Elizabeth
Old Hickory, Tennessee
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Qaumaniq's brother Bob Barnette
Atlanta, Georgia
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Qaumaniq's sister Anita Wilson
Ashland City, Tennessee
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Qaumaniq's sister Carol Jobe
Jim and Carol Jobe (on left) and family
Hendersonville, Tennessee
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Qaumaniq's sister Christine and Ken Hershey
Lanexa, VIrginia
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Qaumaniq's sister Cindy Sandras
Eric and Cindy Sandras and kids,
Colorado Springs, Colorado
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Cindy and Eric Sandras and their two children.
Eric has a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Relations and has
authored four books (
When
The Sky Is Falling,
Mystics,
Mavericks, and Miracle Workers with Jason Chatraw,
Plastic
Jesus, and
Buck-Naked
Faith); he is the spiritual life pastor at
Mountain Springs Church.
Qaumaniq's sister Dani and Doyle Baggett
Antioch, Tennessee
|
Qaumaniq's sister Debbie Davenport
Hendersonville, Tennessee
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Qaumaniq's sister Debbie Hooks (on left)
Hemet, California
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Qaumaniq's sister Elizabeth and Ian Hawker
Eugene, Oregon
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Qaumaniq's sister Eunice and Felix Mercado
Richmond, Virginia
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Qaumaniq's sister Jaki and Tim Denning
Vero Beach, Florida
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Qaumaniq's sister Kimberly and Dwight Jarratt
Goodlettsville, Tennessee
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Qaumaniq's sister Kristi and Sam Mullins
Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
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Qaumaniq's sister Leeann & Rob Smith
Hendersonville, Tennessee
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Qaumaniq's sister Mary and Graham Harvey
Hopkinsville, Kentucky
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Qaumaniq's sister Melanie and Jim Robinson
Hendersonville, Tennessee
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Qaumaniq's sister Michelle and Jerry Wooten
Sandy, Oregon
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Qaumaniq's sister Nancy Oury
Hendersonville, Tennessee
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Qaumaniq's sister Sharion Boyd
Mechanicsville, Virginia
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Qaumaniq's sister Shelley and Scott Switzer
Winchester, Idaho
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Scott and Shelley Switzer and their six children.
Scott
is an award-winning professional artist and Shelley is a Certified Expressive Arts Practitioner (C.E.A.P.), passionate
about art and practices a variety of creative disciplines including writing, painting, mosaics, and drumming, among
others; she has worked extensively in the arts to build expression and self-esteem in the lives of children and has
experience in working with issues of sexual abuse, addiction, grief and bereavement, adoption, personal and cultural
identity, gender relations, and more.
Together Scott and Shelley have created
The Parasha Project:
Sacred Ritual, New Perspectives, Intimate Interaction, Innovation, Creativity, and Patronage. The first nine Torah
portion pieces are hanging in the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem.
Parasha is a
Hebrew word meaning "section or division" a reading from the Torah: refers to a schedule of weekly passages by which
the entire Torah is read in one year. This way of reading the scriptures dates from around 537 BC after the Babylonian
captivity.
Qaumaniq's sister Stephanie Klein
Long Beach, California
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Qaumaniq's sister Susan and Steve Skomessa
Cedar Pines, California
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Qaumaniq's sister Tami and Jon Belcher
Hendersonville, Tennessee
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Qaumaniq's sister Yvonne and Jim Ellfeldt
Glendale, California
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Qaumaniq and Suuqiina's son Tony Brodin
Twin Falls, Idaho
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Qaumaniq and Suuqiina's son Tony Brodin and his wife Kim
Twin Falls, Idaho
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Qaumaniq and Suuqiina's son
Derrick Armand
Los Angeles, California
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Qaumaniq and Suuqiina's son Derrick Armand and Shyla
Los Angeles, California
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Qaumaniq and Suuqiina's daughter
Annie Kriskovich
Billings, Montanna
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Qaumaniq and Suuqiina's daughter
Annie and Chad Kriskovich
Billings, Montanna
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Qaumaniq and Suuqiina's son
Daniel Ferrell
Los Angeles, California
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Qaumaniq and Suuqiina's son
Daniel and Kelly Ferrell
Los Angeles, California
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Grandchildren and Great-grandchildren
