Siletz news /, October 01, 2001, Page 6, Image 6

TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS
Community Law Court
Moves Forward
Greetings! This article will focus
on the Community Law Court and Tax
Ordinance community meetings. Most
of the meeting time was spent
discussing the Community Law Court.
Given recent events, the Run to the
Rogue and the hijackings back east, it’s
especially meaningful to write about an
alternative dispute resolution process.
This article summarizes the input
received from meetings in Siletz,
Portland, Salem, Eugene, and with the
elders. Tribal Court holds all project
files and tapes regarding the
Community Law Court available for
review by appointment.
The meetings brought out many
examples of peacemaking within the
Siletz Tribal membership. One family
frequently was called together to discuss
a dispute. Many people brought their
disputes to Wolverton for resolution.
A Tututni tribal tradition required
both parties to share the expenses of the
peacemaking. And both parties had to
have a certain number of dentalium to
give up independent of the result. Several
tribal members spoke of memories of
Art Bensell’s store, “We always went to
Uncle Arthur.” A group of men would
sit around the store’s stove, talking in
different Indian languages.
Different kinds of problems might
be resolved. For example, the thefts at
culture camp last year, neighborhood
dog or noise problems, adults who do
not get along with other adults because
of some past dispute, problems with
youth, etc.
Solutions to the problems can be
creative and involve people other than
the parties in the results. In a Colorado
River Indian Tribe example, police had
brutalized a child. It was decided that
the police would put on a community
dinner and apologize in public.
In one case, the dispute was about
a couple who lived together and the
woman had received a promise that the
couple would marry, but it didn’t
happen. She wanted to get this resolved,
and as promised, they did get married.
In Art Bensell’s store, kids would get
caught stealing food from the store and
“those folks in the store would make a
decision according to the financial
situation of the kids and their families.”
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Siletz News
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Siletz Tribal
Court and
Code
Development
A former Tribal Council member
who worked on tribal restoration and
the tribal Constitution said this way of
using tribal members to resolve
disputes was how Tribal Court was
originally envisioned - the court acting
as mediator.
The draft ordinance states this about
the general qualifications: “AGwe-shvt-
naga/Peacemaker must be an enrolled
Siletz Tribal member, have the respect
of the Siletz community, an ability to
work with reservation residents and
tribal members, a reputation for
integrity, honesty, humanity, and ability
to resolve local problems.”
Tribal Council is requesting
written applications from tribal
members who would like to serve as
Gwe-shvt-naga/Peacemakers for the
Siletz Community Law Court.
Applicants may use any form, such as
a letter or memo, to apply. The
application must contain the following
information: applicant’s name, Siletz
Tribal roll number, address, phone
number, the applicant’s autobiography
as short or long as the person believes
necessary, an explanation of why the
person would like to be a Gwe-shvt-naga/
Peacemaker, a statement that the person
has read the Siletz Community Law
Court Ordinance, and the applicant’s
signature and date.
Tribal members also may request a
form from Tribal Court (541-444-8228
or 1-800-922-1399, ext. 228) or come
in person to pick one up. For more
information regarding the Community
Law Court, contact Community Law
Court Judge Art Fisher via Tribal Court.
Meanwhile, look for news on an
orientation video we are creating for the
Community Law Court.
October 2001
Top: Craig Whitehead and his daughter, Kateri, start this year’s Run to the
Rogue. Above: John Roe Jr. (I), Emma Velasco, and Richard Giogy review
logistics. Additional photos will appear in the November issue of Siletz News.
General Council Meeting
Siletz Tribal Community Center
Nov. 3, 2001
Agenda
1 p.m.
Call to Order
Invocation
Roll Call
Approval of Agenda
Approval of Minutes: Aug. 4, 2001
1:10 p.m.
Indian Child Welfare Report
Contract Health Care Report
Tribal Member Concerns
2002 Election Candidate Declarations
Chairman’s Report
Announcements
Adjournment