First American Indian astronaut brings message of hope to powwow

BY ALISON PRIDE Chronicle Staff Writer

John Herrington once thought he'd be happy climbing rocks as a road surveyor for $4 an hour and skiing on the weekends.

His boss, a civil engineer, thought he might be destined for something different.

Herrington, an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, was a speaker and honored guest at the 28th Annual American Indian Council Pow Wow this past weekend at Montana State University.

He spoke Friday afternoon to an appreciative audience about how he went from getting kicked out of college for poor grades to being the first American Indian astronaut.

"There are people in your life who make a difference," he told the audience.

Another person who made a difference in Herrington's life was the retired U.S. Navy pilot who asked him he thought he'd like to fly planes.

Herrington said joining the Navy wasn't something he considered until he talked to the retired pilot.

Herrington became a Navy test pilot. He also earned a master's degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1995.

The next year, he was selected by NASA to train as an astronaut.

For four years, he said, he worked hard and wondered, "When am I going to fly?"

In 2001, he was a crew member of the space shuttle Endeavor, spending 145 days in space aboard the International Space Station.

Herrington is currently assigned to space shuttle recovery efforts in Texas, following the Columbia disaster in early February. He said many of those working to recover pieces of the shuttle are American Indians.

"They treat the pieces with respect, as animate objects," he said. "I tell people the reason we're going to fly again in space is because someone picks up a piece of the shuttle that solves the puzzle."

Herrington was shadowed almost continually at the powwow Friday night by admirers, many of them children seeking his autograph.

Colleen Stein brought her 5-year-old granddaughter to meet Herrington.

"We took a picture so when she gets old enough to remember what it's about, she'll have someone to look up to, a role model," Stein said.

Herrington said he travels frequently speaking to primarily American Indian audiences.

"Being a Chickasaw and being an astronaut ... I want them to know this is something that's not out of the realm of possibility for them," he said. "Not necessarily becoming an astronaut, but I think people need to realize that their dreams can become a reality."

The powwow attracted dancers this year from as far away as Alaska. About 170 dancers were registered to compete in different categories, according to Michael Running Wolf, the business manager for the American Indian Council.

Additionally, an unknown number showed up just to dance.

Dale Old Horn, the master of ceremonies and member of the Crow Tribe of Montana, said the powwow was a "pan-Indian event."

"Different Indians from different tribes, speaking different languages, will sit at the same drum and sing together," he said.

"Native American cultures have always been inclusive. The door's open to everyone," Old Horn said.

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