The entire Tankosin Nation took the morning off.
Six days ago, George Fukuda was working on one of the old combines. He was guiding two helpers to replace a chain sprocket. George had a heart attack and died. He was 74 years old.
Not only did George teach many young Tankosin people about mechanics and workmanship and accountability, he took all of us for wherever we were in life, so full of flaws, faults, and foibles.He never bore a grudge if he found someone unteachable and was willing to give that person a second chance. The few times George got some verbal abuse, he seemed to understand the internal anger the abuser had.He understood how our history had made us. He just kept coming back to Tankosin Nation, somehow understanding that he was fixing more than farm machinery.
The Tribal Council asked George's family if the hearse could carry George's body around the Reservation. About 1500 people gathered on the Nation roads. The entire school was standing outside when the hearse passed. The farm workers lined up all the old tractors, combines, and grain trucksto show their respect to the man who kept them going all these years.
George's circle in Tankosin Nation is still rolling.
