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NIGA Annual Conference
The National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) held its annual conference
on April 9-10 in Albuquerque, N.M., addressing issues of major importance to
gaming tribes. I attended the conference with Jessie Davis, vice chairman, and
Jane John, treasurer of the Siletz Tribe.
After serving as chairman of NIGA for seven years, Rick Hill, Oneida Nation
of Wisconsin, retired the chairmanship for health reasons and was succeeded by
the election of Ernest Stevens Jr.
As NIGA chairman. Hill was a leading advocate and national spokesman for
tribal governmental gaming. He often
provided testimony to
Congress on critical gaming
regulatory issues and spoke
forcefully about Indian gaming
I
and the positive impact
gaming has had on Indian
tribes and Indian people.
Hill was effective iny^>r
mobilizing congressional support to
prevent the passage of
legislation that would have seriously
damaged Indian gaming. We all should be grateful not only for his leadership and
contributions to Indian gaming, but also for his efforts to protect tribal sovereignty.
I believe NIGA is once again in good hands. Ernest Stevens Jr., also Oneida
Nation of Wisconsin, has served as an elected councilman of his tribe for the past
six years. He has been involved in state/tribal compact negotiations and is an
experienced financial auditor.
As first vice president of the National Congress of American Indians, Stevens
has been involved in various Indian issues at the federal level and on numerous
occasions has provided testimony before Congress on Indian issues specifically
relating to tribal sovereignty.
The anti-Indian gaming and anti-Indian issues that Hill had to deal with are
still out there. Chairman Stevens has his work cut out for him. He is young and
energetic, however, and has the background and leadership ability to serve
effectively as chairman of NIGA. The Siletz Tribe will continue to be actively
involved as a NIGA member and looks forward to working with Stevens in his
new capacity.
Memorial Day Ceremony
May 28, 2001
11 a.m.
Government Hill
Siletz, Oregon
Procession to Veterans Memorial - Honor Guard
Opening
Invocation
Lord's Prayer - Siletz Royalty
Welcome - Delores Pigsley
Memorial Day Address
Presentation of Flowers
Salute to Veterans - Honor Guard
Closing
Lunch - Noon at the Siletz Tribal Community Center
NAFWS Conference
Chairman Delores Pigsley
BIA/IHS Self-Governance
Meeting
While we were attending the NIGA
annual conference, Tribal Council
members Lillie Butler, Reggie Butler
Sr., and Rosemary Landis, together with
tribal staff, attended the Self-
Governance Conference of the Bureau
of Indian Affairs and Indian Health
Service in Minneapolis, Minn.
On the agenda were panels that
covered such diverse but important
topics as Indian affairs consultation
policy as related to the presidential
executive order; programmatic, budget,
and legislative issues, including
welfare assistance regulations, job
placement, and training; and Indian
reservation roads.
A special Department of Interior
Self-Governance Advisory Committee
presented a panel discussion on the
topic of “trust management and reform,’’
which
Deputy
Commissioner
Blackwell said, “literally touches every
aspect of the work we do in Indian
Affairs.” Many tribes are concerned
about and had an opportunity to discuss
the impact that trust reform has on the
implementation of self-governance and
self-determination contracting.
The Siletz Tribe will host the 19,h
Annual Native American Fish and
Wildlife Society (NAFWS) Conference
at Chinook Winds Casino &
Convention Center on May 20-24,
2001. The Siletz Tribe has previously
hosted a regional meeting. Since this is
a national conference, tribal
representatives from across the country
are expected to attend.
NAFWS is a national, intertribal
organization dedicated to the
safeguarding of fish and wildlife by
Native Americans. In keeping with the
theme of the conference, “Elders -
Remembering those who remembered
who we are ...” the Siletz Tribe will
conduct an elders panel to discuss
tribal history.
Just to give you an idea of the range
of topics to be covered at this
conference, there will be panels on EPA/
water quality and contaminants, aquatic
nuisances, and natural resources.
Concurrent training sessions will
include such topics as electro-fishing,
wildlife diseases, a tribal production
symposium,
and conservation
officer training.
In addition to being involved in
these important topics, the Siletz Tribe
will host the conventioneers for a
traditional feast at the Siletz Tribal
Community Center in Siletz.
Status of NOV
We are still in negotiations with
NIGC officials, attempting to reach a
settlement agreement. Just a few issues
remain that, hopefully, will be resolved
before the next issue of Siletz News
is published.
A collection of baskets that belong to
Don and Delores Pigsley (foreground)
and Bud and Cheryl Lane (rear),
on display during the Basket Exhibit
held at the Siletz Tribal Community
Center in April.
May 2001
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Siletz News
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