Siletz news /, August 01, 2001, Page 3, Image 3

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Study of Siletz History a
High Tribal Priority
Judging from the many comments
we have received, readers of Siletz
News have been following with interest
the excellent articles about the history
of the Siletz Tribe written by our tribal
historian, Robert Kentta.
Robert’s articles not only have
proved to be of general interest, but also
to be of special importance because they
represent his extensive, in-depth
historical research during the past
couple of years.
Recently, issues have arisen in which
tribes have asserted aboriginal claims
based on erroneous information that is,
or may be, in conflict with each other.
Robert’s comprehensive, objective
research, verified by reputable
historians, is bearing out the fact that
historical accounts of our tribe as
depicted in newspapers, magazines, and
even history books have been, in many
important respects, inaccurate.
The Siletz Tribe has been strongly
supportive of all Oregon tribes in their
efforts to achieve self-determination and
acquire adequate reservation lands.
After all, all Oregon tribes suffered the
consequences of broken treaties and
promises and the erosion of their
aboriginal lands. It’s essential that all
tribes continue to respect each other’s
Chairman Delores Pigsley
sovereignty and focus, as the Siletz
Tribe has been doing, on lands that are
within our own boundaries.
The Siletz Tribal Council believes
the investment of funds for the
continuing research of our tribal history
is a high tribal priority, which we
believe is basic to the protection and
promotion of our tribal self-
determination and sovereignty.
De La Cruz Memorial
On July 14, from noon to midnight,
Rosemary Landis and I attended the
memorial for Joe De La Cruz,
sponsored by Joe’s family and the
Quinault Tribe.
Reflecting the high respect in which
Joe was held, the memorial was
attended by hundreds of friends and
officials from across the country.
On behalf of the Siletz Tribe,
Rosemary and I presented to the De La
Cruz family a Siletz Pendleton blanket
to show our appreciation of Joe’s many
years of friendship and assistance to the
Siletz Tribe.
As most of you know, Joe wasn’t
just the chairman of the Quinault Tribe.
He served as a leader of regional and
national intertribal organizations,
including the Affiliated Tribes of
Northwest Indians and the National
Congress of American Indians.
He played an important role in
shaping the Indian Self-Determination
Act of the ‘70s and spearheaded the
concept of self-governance, which led
to its legislation as full-fledged Bureau
of Indian Affairs and Indian Health
Service programs. He helped build self­
governance from a demonstration
project of only 10 tribes to an
established BIA and IHS program of
more than 300 tribes today!
Joe encouraged and helped Siletz
become one of the first 20 tribes to be a
demonstration self-governance tribe. To
show how important Joe was to the
creation of self-governance, Bill
Lavelle, the first BIA director of
Self-Governance, also attended the
memorial to pay his respects to Joe.
Joe was an activist from the time
he got involved in Indian affairs and is
living proof that “it’s never too late to
go to school.” He strongly believed in
educating ourselves and our children.
From his vigorous stands on fishing
rights, tribal sovereignty, adequate
federal funding to meet the needs of
Indian people, to his strong opposition
to per capitas, which he considered
“deadly,” Joe was a dynamic and
dedicated tribal leader.
His counsel and friendship are
sorely missed, but what he accomplished
and the principles by which he lived
remain as an inspiration for us all.
Warm Springs
Honors Atiyeh
During Pi-Ume-Sha Treaty Days, I
was invited to attend a special dinner
that the Warm Springs Tribe held in
appreciation of the many contributions
by former Gov. Vic Atiyeh. He was
honored with an Indian name a year ago
and in return, the tribe offered him the
opportunity of having a giveaway.
I received a gift in appreciation of
the friendship and support of our tribe.
The Warm Springs Tribal Council is to
be commended for the very nice dinner
and celebration that it hosted.
Be Sure to
Attend
Upcoming
Community
Meetings
Ordinances, con’t from page 1
Pow-Wow, con’t from page 1
The Nesika Illahee Pow-Wow is a
drug- and alcohol-free event. Listen
carefully to the pow-wow master of
ceremonies, who will tell you when you
can and when you should not take
photos. The emcee also will explain the
significance of the events taking place
in the arena throughout the pow-wow.
Join the descendants of the
indigenous peoples of Western Oregon
as they celebrate life and friendship.
Participate in the round dance and
become part of the Circle of Friendship
during this annual celebration, the
Nesika Illahee (our land) Pow-Wow.
Survey, con’t from page 13
Significant numbers of Oregon
students also continue to use marijuana
in 2000. Almost 18 percent of
1 f'-graders, 8.6 percent of eighth­
graders, and 0.9 percent of sixth-graders
reported using the drug in the 30 days
prior to the survey.
Survey results are available for
some counties. For more information,
call Mac Prichard at 503-947-5106.
The full text of the “Public School
Drug Use Survey 2000” is at
www.oadap.hr.state.or.us.
The Traffic Ordinance would allow
the tribe to enforce its own civil traffic
law on reservation property. The
proposed ordinance is designed to
protect tribal members and others from
danger due to unsafe traffic practices.
Those found violating the
ordinance would be cited to Tribal Court
to pay a fine either at one time or in
installments. Under the ordinance,
money collected from the fines will be
divided between the police and
the court.
Please contact Kelley Ellis,
executive secretary to Tribal Council,
at P.O. Box 549, Siletz, OR, 97380, or
call 541-444-8203 or 1 -800-922-1399,
ext. 203, to request copies of the
proposed ordinance. Please send all
comments to the same address,
attention: Tribal Council.
Community meetings for the
Siletz Community Law Court and a
tax ordinance will be held from 5:30-
7 p.m. in Siletz and the area offices:
Aug. 16,2001 (at the
Siletz:
Housing Residents mtg.)
Portland: Aug. 28, 2001
Eugene:
Aug. 29, 2001
Salem:
Aug. 30, 2001
Questions? Call 541-444-8212 or
1-800-922-1399, ext. 212.
August 2001
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Siletz News
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J