Teresa Lopez Named Comanche Nation National Treasure

Comanche Nation Fair closed out on Sunday, September 28, with a spirit walk, a powwow and a handgame tournament.

Tribal Member Teresa Lopez was named a National Treasure during the powwow after the grand entry for her work educating the youth.

Modesto Schonchin was asked to speak on her behalf as he has been a youth dancer since he was little. Schonchin said Lopez has helped him get into the powwow ring more.

“Getting my confidence up,” he said. “I've joined her 13 years ago, so during that 13 years she has helped me build my confidence and the courage to get inside the arena and dance with everybody else.”

Schonchin said she teaches everyone what they need to know.

“How to respect the arena, the elders, the other dancers that are also in the arena too,” he said. “She teaches us what to do with the money if we get honored for gourd dance. She teaches us how to gourd dance. She just teaches everything that she knows about powwows.”

In her speech, Lopez said she supports the Youth Dancers without help from the tribe.

“This is all coming out of her own money,” Schonchin said. “She doesn't get money from the tribe or [anything]. So, she really cares about us as a whole group, all the kids, the parents. She makes sure we're all fed and everything at meetings. She makes sure we're safe. She makes sure we're like one big family.”

He said she deserved the award because Lopez has been here a long time.

“She was an honored elder at the homecoming powwow and like I said earlier, she's been teaching me for 13 years and she's also [taught] generations before me,” Schonchin said. “So, all the adults now, they've probably been under Miss Teresa and all the new ones too. She's taught me to teach the young ones, too, just everything about powwows.”

He said Lopez is a hard worker.

“She makes regalia for the girls,” Schonchin said. “She helps makes everything for the little ones that don't have [anything] and she makes sure they're ready for the arena and she helps them what to do.”

He continues to help educate the students and enjoys travelling around to schools that don’t get to see the traditions of how dances are done.