For years, the Caddo Nation mailed a newsletter to members. Leslie Halfmoon (Caddo / Delaware / Choctaw) said getting that newsletter meant a lot to her.
“I remember when I was in college in New Mexico and so far from home, and I would get our little Caddo newsletter in the mail, and I was so proud,” she said.
But, according to Halfmoon, the newsletter died out decades ago and so too did an important piece of direct communication from tribal leadership to members.
Now, Halfmoon is part of a wave of change and growth in the Caddo Nation. She was hired in December 2022 as the media and marketing director, leading a new department.
Halfmoon credited current tribal leaders for pushing for a renewed effort to communicate with members, first through social media and now through a physical paper. She said that increased communication is part of a trend of economic and governmental growth in the Caddo Nation.
When Halfmoon was first hired, she focused on social media because it was the quickest and easiest way to get information out to the community. But, she said some elders in the community felt left out of the conversation.
The new paper, Yo Hasinai, is meant to provide equal access to information for all members.
The first edition was created by Halfmoon and her team: Jay Kaulay (Kiowa), media specialist, and graphic designer Kacey Roach (Caddo), founder of True Chiefs apparel brand.
Yo Hasinai is also inspired by the old tribal newsletter and the feeling members like Halfmoon got when they received a physical message from the tribe.
“It makes you feel so happy that your own community is reaching out to you right to your doorstep and saying, ‘you belong to us,’” Halfmoon said.
The goal of the paper is clear in its name. Halfmoon said “yo hasinai” are the starting words to her nation’s Bell Dance. Men move to the four corners of the dance grounds singing those words to call the community together.
Halfmoon estimated 2,000 copies of the inaugural issue of Yo Hasinai were delivered to members. She said new delivery requests for the second issue are flooding in.
For more information about the Caddo Nation or to sign up to receive Yo Hasinai, visit the Caddo Nation’s website.
