Vigil marks 3rd anniversary of Matthew Broncho's disappearance
Participants light candles for Matthew Broncho on March 18.
By ROSELYNN YAZZIE
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — Carrying the Message group and the family of Matthew Jay Broncho had a vigil on the three year anniversary of his disappearance, Friday, March 18.
The event was opened by CHR Manager Jason Butler who said a prayer for all missing people all over, including Matthew and his family. He also offered an honor song for him to bring a sense of healing and comfort to his loved ones.
Gifferd Osborne spoke to the family and spoke about his experience losing his sons. He talked about the importance of carrying things on, like knowledge passed from the elders. He said the prayers are what help the people stand up and continue on with life. His prayers were to Matthew’s parents were that he would return so they could all smile again.
Carrying the Message coordinator Willeena George said they carry the signs because they want to find their missing loved ones and they have to be their voice.
“We got to be that person to stand strong for them and it comes from our hearts,” she said.
Matthew's mother Cinder Metz with Elise Metz at the vigil.
Roxanne White of Seattle was a guest speaker for the event. The last time she came to Fort Hall was three years ago and in that time Matthew and his family remained in her prayers. She was grateful the ancestors brought them back to bring healing. She explained events like this vigil were for visibility and it was important to get the community involved to show the public they are together grieving, remembering and sharing heartache.
“Our prayers, like the brother said in the very beginning, life is a prayer, every step we take is a prayer, and these events they are prayerful. I think everything we do with missing and murdered Indigenous people is about prayer, is about healing, is about justice. It’s about supporting and lifting each other up, because that’s what we do as Indian people,” she said.
White explained events like this provided the hope that somebody would come forward that has information that leads to the whereabouts of Matthew Jay Broncho. She said this was part of the healing, that our ancestors died so the people can speak for themselves, so they can come together and speak the truth, and fight for justice, humanity and equality.
Jordan Broncho talked about the problem with drugs on the reservation and the problems it causes. He talked about his addictions he struggled with years ago and how he reached out for help through Four Directions and also with traditional ways. Through his sobriety he’s also picked up on the language and is now a language teacher and Chief Tahgee Elementary Academy. He said the helps there one just needs to ask for it.
He talked about growing up with Matthew and said he hopes he can be brought home. His other cousin Dylan was also murdered and he wishes better for the reservation. He offered a prayer in Shoshone to help.
Carrying the Message’s Paul Frank said it takes the community to heal the community.
Claudia Washakie spoke about her nephew Matthew as a young child. His nickname growing up was Joker, given to him by his grandma. He was named after his laugh, which reminded his grandma after the old Batman series in the 1960s. He was also called Little Matt to the females in the family, being their second Matt.
Washakie described him as independent and always on top of his studies. As he grew up he went to Sherman Indian School at Riverside for high school. Education was important to him. He then went to Fort Lewis College for two years and came back to finish his bachelors degree in political science at Idaho State.
Washakie said he knew what he wanted in life and his family was important to him.
She talked about the day they found out Matthew was missing and how to go about filing a missing person’s report. Cinder was unsure of whether it should be filed here or in Utah. She was advised by her sister to file it in Utah where his pickup was found.
“That’s where things kind of got muddled. As we started down this journey as a family, looking for him, trying to find resources. Who do we file that missing person’s report? That was vital in getting things started,” she said.
Fort Hall told them they couldn’t help them since his truck wasn’t found here, but in another state and off the reservation. So they advised them to go there. In Snowville, Utah they were told they couldn’t help him because he was a Native American, so they advised them to involve the tribal police.
Washakie said all that finger pointing made her feel sorry for his parents.
“It felt like they were being kicked back and forth like a soccer ball across this invisible jurisdiction line,” said Washakie. “He’s a human being. Somebody needs to take charge. Somebody needs to say, ‘We’ll handle it, we’ll do it,’ because without somebody stepping up it’s still that same process of who has jurisdiction.”
The FBI said there are two entities that need to figure it out. She said it's still an open investigation that hasn't been closed.
“There will be no closure until he’s found,” she said.
Participants light a candle at the vigil.
The family continues to wait and it's still at a standstill. She said it's probably also like that for Samantha Bear’s family, whose body was found last year in a canal in Bannock County.
“Three years of nothing. I’m pretty sure if Matt left on his own terms he probably would’ve called his mom. He would’ve known she’s looking for him and told her, ‘Don’t worry mom, I’m okay. I just needed a break. I just need to get away for a bit.”
Washakie said it’s disheartening for the family to know no one’s taking charge of this investigation. She added the family needs closure; the family needs to have him home.
White’s cousin, Cissy Strong Reyes of Wash. spoke about her younger sister Rosenda Strong Reyes who disappeared on October 2, 2018. Her remains were found 275 days later in a freezer. She was found with the help of rumors, which she said do have some truth to them. While she was missing she kept her visible, since it was all she could do.
“I do this because there are over 30 people missing Indigenous people on my reservation today and I keep doing this because I want to empower other families,” she said. She also wants to see law enforcement do their job to seek justice.
She encouraged people to look out after each other and check on their loved ones because it goes a long way, even to those who are lost.
Willeena George spoke about her niece Samantha Bear. She said regardless of her addiction she was someone. She said it’s been hard on the family and they have plans to do a balloon release in her honor on the anniversary of her death.
George said, “We need to step up and hold our police accountable.”
Willeena George speaks about her late niece Samantha Bear.
She asked everyone to step up and take care of one another as well.
Cinder Metz thanked everyone for coming and said it’s been hard on their family.
“Someday we would like for Matt to come home. He’s missed. We all love him and we just want him home. He’s a part of our family and we miss him dearly,” she said.
Susan Pevo spoke about the loss of her son, Austin Pevo, and said her prayers are with the family as she knows what they’re going through. She lent her support to the families who’re seeking justice for their loved ones and the ones who are still missing.
Matt’s father Jimmy Broncho also thanked the crowd for their support in bringing his son home.
The evening closed with a candlelight vigil under a full moon. As the participants lit their candles White sand a prayer song.
