Miss Indian OU Gigi Sieke sees the potential for the newly-opened Wahzhazhe Outdoor Health Complex and the growing opportunities for wellness in the Osage Nation.
“It’s really good that we’re promoting health because it benefits our future generations,” she said.
Sieke outlined the growing health resources in Osage County. Food sovereignty at Harvest Land, Butcher House Meats, the availability of Ozempic at the Wahzhazhe Health Center and a new fitness center in Pawhuska, which was announced at the Outdoor Health Complex ribbon cutting on Oct. 28.
She visited with Julie Standing Bear, wife of Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear and director of HR for the WZZHC, expressing her excitement to utilize the wet and dry saunas to come with the new fitness center before heading off to join in festivities, which included lifting a giant multi-colored parachute into the air alongside other constituents in the grassy field.
Being outside in the space prompted Osages to imagine future possibilities for themselves, where Aime Merrell hoped there would be a bike system, allowing people who don’t have bikes to go for a ride. Kilan Jacobs and Tom Ashmore imagined RV hookups to support activities like art markets, outdoor concerts and Indian taco days.
Standing on the remediated land containing “clean dirt, if that makes any sense,” said ON Secretary of Development Casey Johnson, he was looking forward to hopefully getting support from the Osage Nation Congress to approve a $100,000 donation the Nation received for basketball courts.
Not everyone supports the Wahzhazhe Outdoor Health Complex – namely Congress. The 12 elected leaders were markedly absent from the ribbon cutting. Knowing the lack of support of the Nation’s legislative body, Johnson focused on grants and donations to build the complex.
In his opening remarks, Johnson outlined the future vision for the space, including an amphitheater with a stage to “get the ballet out there, put on kids’ shows … nighttime movie stuff,” and also described playgrounds, four softball fields, a concession area, and a full-size baseball field. These fields will be in addition to the multi-use area already created for soccer, rugby, football, and picnics in the middle of the outdoor complex.
“We’re not done, we’re far from done. We’re going to keep trying, keep working to make this thing big and beautiful,” Johnson said.
Currently, in addition to the field, the Wahzhazhe Outdoor Health Complex includes an outdoor fitness course and a series of exercise stations beneath solar-powered lights and a walking path just over one mile in length. The concrete path connects to the Wahzhazhe Heritage Trail north of the complex, allowing walkers to take a 3.5-mile loop.
“The Heritage Trail is only a little over a mile and when I’m done, I feel like I need to walk a little more,” said Chelsea Inbody, an ON employee who has already made the round trip. She pointed out that several sidewalks cut through the fields of the Wahzhazhe Outdoor Health Complex, allowing walkers to control exactly how long of a round trip they’d like to make.
While the Osage reservation has been one of the least healthy places for its citizens to live, according to a 2020 study by Paradox Consulting, the Standing Bear administration is working to boost the health of local Osages.
“Results showed that the farther away you get from Osage County, the healthier you are,” said Johnson, who expressed his desire for people to have a safe place to be outside in the sunlight.
Johnson told the crowd of Osages at the ribbon cutting that higher melanin content in skin makes it more difficult for darker-pigmented Natives to get sufficient Vitamin D. “We’re vitamin D deficient,” he said. “I’d rather be in the sun to get my Vitamin D – and it helps prevent a lot of things. It’s shown to help treat RA [rheumatoid arthritis], and sunlight helps produce serotonin, which assists in making you happier, you know, so it staves off depression and things like that.”
In addition to the benefits of sunlight, Johnson was also thinking about healthy alternatives to drug use, he said. “It’s just to get us all outside where it’s safe and try to prevent some of these things – drug, alcohol abuse, get the kids active, get them doing things. I’d rather stop it now and give them healthy things to do than see them in the PRT or over here at this clinic.”
Pawhuska’s first Osage mayor, Susan Bayro, said she expects the Wahzhazhe Outdoor Health Complex to attract visitors, encouraging local spending and support for businesses.
“This complex represents not only an investment in physical health but also a commitment to the long-term wellness of our community and future generations,” she said. “With more exercise spaces, walking trails and wellness areas, we are fostering a place to support active and healthy lifestyles right here in Pawhuska, and it’s not been done before, so I’m very excited about that.
“Beyond that, this space … connects us back to the land we cherish.”
The Osage Nation Police Department will lock up the bathrooms at 10 p.m. every night and then open them up again at 6 a.m., said Johnson, who noted the area is enclosed and well-lit – and as a result is safe.
The complex is located south of the new Wahzhazhe Health Center on Main Street, where Johnson announced a new fitness center will bring saunas, a swimming pool, ice baths, and an outdoor cross-fit course to be used in concert with the outdoor track at the complex.
“We’re shooting big on this thing,” he said. “We’re working with Hank [Powell] and the guys at the fitness centers to design this. We’re going to need ya’lls backing. Talk to your legislators, that’s where the money comes from,” he urged the crowd.
“It’s political,” said Chief Standing Bear.
“Some people don’t see the value of this, but I don’t see where they’re coming from,” he said.
“I for one – and every one of you here – appreciate the efforts that you and many others have made, and will make, because as Casey’s indicated, there is a future here to grab hold of and 10 years from now, this is something you can look back on and say, ‘I did that.’”
