*This article contains excerpts from "Wyoming People: International Model Grew Up On Reservations Without Running Water," by Jackie Dorothy, Cowboy State Daily. 

Dreaming of a better way

In the early 2000s, Zariah Whiteplume recalls that she had to go to the "water hole" on the Navajo Reservation just so her family could wash dishes and have water to drink.

“I remember visiting my great-grandmother in New Mexico, and we barely had any electricity,” Whiteplume said. “We had no running water, and it's so crazy that we used to go in an outhouse and haul water.”
 

Zariah Whiteplume, 22, has been hoop dancing since she was eight years old. Photo from Zariah Whiteplume

Whiteplume, 22, has known poverty all her life in two places: The Navajo and Wind River reservations. The experiences have led her on a quest to improve life for both her tribes, the Northern Arapaho and the Diné (Navajo).

“I know there's still so many tribal members who live like that out on the reservation,” she told Cowboy State Daily in a recent article. “I feel like I came a long way, but when you're young you don't really realize that you are poor. It’s just the way it is.”

She wanted to change that, so she began pursuing an electrical engineering degree with a focus on renewable energy. Members of her Diné family attended United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota, and persuaded her to visit. There, Whiteplume discovered her love for math was a strong asset, and she was recruited to the engineering program.

Connecting and partnering to improve lives

Whiteplume's goal is to make life better for the people of the Navajo Nation. That is the same goal of Solar Oven Partners.  A team from Solar Oven Partners recently traveled to Shiprock, New Mexico, to connect with Four Corners Native American Ministry, a ministry of the New Mexico Conference of The United Methodist Church. The goal of the trip was to form relationships to plan for ministry in New Mexico.

“We traveled to Farmington, New Mexico, where we stayed, and then we drove 15 minutes to Kirtland, New Mexico, to meet people and demonstrate solar ovens. We have been to New Mexico a few times, but we wanted to establish a greater connection,” explained Al Roll, Dakotas Conference Missional Impact Development Coach.
 

People from SOP demonstrated the ovens for two days. People were shown how the ovens are put together. Demonstrations also included cooking with the solar ovens.

“Brenda Lee, the resident cook at the Native American Ministry, and Rev. Debra A. Yazzie, Director of Four Corners Native American Ministry, are the key contacts. Debra sets up connections for the demonstration and distributions of the ovens. Brenda demonstrates the cooking and shares recipes,” Roll said.

During the demonstrations, participants tasted muffins, pizza, eggs, and dessert.

“It was my first opportunity to see food cooked in a solar oven,” said Roll. “The highlight was the pizza. It was good.”
 

Pizza in a solar oven bread pan.

The demonstrations were for people who will be demonstrating ovens to those who will receive an oven in the future.

“It was a time of teaching for those that will be working with Debra and others to get the ovens out where they are needed. There are places where people don’t have electricity, away from where we were. In the fall, the plan is to go to Native American festivals throughout the Navajo reservations to demonstrate ovens and get people interested in ovens,” explains Roll.

As the project advances, Yazzie, a member of the Navajo Nation, will serve as the coordinator for demonstrations and the distribution of solar ovens. Lee will train people on cooking or demonstrating cooking to others.

“We will not need to send teams to demonstrate and distribute ovens in New Mexico. We plan to make the ovens in the Dakotas and equip Debra and Brenda and the team in New Mexico,” shares Roll.

The plan is efficient and effective for everyone. It saves the costs of sending a team from North and South Dakota. Those connected to people who need the ovens can work together in New Mexico.

“Unless people have a need, the oven can be a novelty. When a team comes from North and South Dakota, we reach the curious people, not those who really need ovens,” said Roll.
 

Cooking eggs in a solar oven.

The eggs cooked perfectly.

Shiprock, New Mexico, is the home base for Four Corners Native American Ministry. Four Corners Native American Ministry collaborates with various organizations to provide resources, including water, food, hygiene supplies, school supplies, and solar ovens. As the director, Rev. Debra Yazzie collaborates with organizations such as Solar Oven Partners to support the people on the reservation. View a video about the work of Four Corners Native American Ministry.

“Debra is our central contact. There is storage for solar ovens in Shiprock, where the plan is to ship the ovens. We are grateful for the connection and collaboration,” Roll stated. “We went away from the trip feeling like we had a solid plan. Our goal moving forward is to empower our partners.”

North Dakota Connections

Whiteplume graduated with her pre-engineering degree from the United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota.

“It's a very demanding degree, but I'm also proud to say that I'm one of a few young women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math),” Whiteplume said. “United Tribes brought me opportunities I thought I would never have.”

She transferred to Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque with her pre-engineering degree. Once she receives her electrical engineering degree, Whiteplume plans to return to the Wind River Reservation and help bridge her native culture with modern renewable resources.

Roll is from Bismarck, North Dakota, and is familiar with United Tribes Technical College. He sees Solar Oven Partners transforming to become more about empowerment and less about direct services.

“I love the connection that Zariah represents. It is a true example of the power of connection and collaboration,” Roll said. “Our goal with Solar Oven Partners is to honor the culture and people that we serve by empowering them. Our Director for Solar Oven Partners, Randy Harwood, is gifted at connecting and collaborating.”