CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Still No Decision on
Tribal Election
As most of you know by now, the
Feb. 2 tribal election was challenged
in Tribal Court by unsuccessful Tribal
Council candidates. It was a very
close election for two of the
incumbent candidates.
Letters by the plaintiffs and their
supporters who strongly object to the
conduct of the election have appeared
in Siletz News. I have not commented
publicly on this election because I
believe once the suits are filed, the
proper forum for resolving them is
Tribal Court - not the media. My only
public comment has been to express my
confidence in the constitutionally
established Siletz Tribal election
process and judicial system.
It appears the court has listened
carefully to the detailed arguments
presented by the opposing parties,
which is probably the reason why it has
time consuming, sometimes disruptive,
and always costly for the Siletz Tribe.
Candidates Fair Draws
Political Candidates to
Chinook Winds
Chairman Delores Pigsley
been taking so long for the court to
render its decision.
As I have said before, every tribal
member has a right to bring his or her
grievance to Tribal Court. I hope our
members understand, however, that
unless suits have sufficient merit to
begin with, they can only end up being
To the editor:
The Sisters Area Chamber is hosting its first Western and Native American
Festival this year on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. The vision is to host a festival that will
be entertaining and educational, while promoting:
1) Vendors’ art and wares specifically reflecting the western and Native American
ways of life; and
2) Museums, organizations, demonstrators, and entertainers whose offerings
represent these cultures, as well as our lands, resources, and ways of life 150
years ago to today.
This will be an incredible opportunity for all involved to receive a great deal
of visibility and recognition! There will be approximately 15,000 visitors to the
festival. In addition, the media coverage at the festival will provide a wonderful
advertising opportunity for artists and organizations.
Artists, crafters, and food vendors who wish to sell their goods are invited to
complete an application for booth space. Please contact me and I will send you
one. These applications will be viewed by a jury-panel. There is a $10 jury fee.
The vendors chosen to be a part of the event will be provided booth space at $ 150
for the two-day event.
Museums, demonstrators, entertainers, and organizations will be provided
free space. Please call the chamber for registration and space assignment. We
would be interested in any exhibit that would reflect the wonderful work you do.
Our chamber’s executive director, Clyde Stryker, is Native American and
created the theme for this event. He specifically would like to invite you to consider
participating and representing your tribal members’ arts, skills, and culture.
If you have any questions, please call me at the Sisters Area Chamber at
541-549-0251.
Thank you; we look forward to hearing from you and hope that you will be
able to attend.
Sincerely,
Annette Hayden, Events Coordinator
The Candidates Fair is covered
more fully on page 1 in this issue of
Siletz News. On behalf of the Tribal
Council, I want to say how proud we
were to have co-sponsored this
important event with the Kiwanis Club
of Lincoln City.
The fair drew candidates for the
offices of governor, state legislature,
county commission, state superin
tendent of education, Lincoln City city
council and mayor. Except for the non
partisan offices, the candidates
represented both the Republican and
Democratic parties.
The event even brought Lori
Hollingsworth, candidate for mayor of
Lincoln City, to Chinook Winds. Many
of you may remember that when the
Siletz Tribe launched its effort to
establish Chinook Winds in Lincoln
City, it was Hollingsworth who
opposed the tribe. As city council
woman, she has been a hard-line
opponent of the tribe’s economic
endeavors in Lincoln City ever since.
In the months ahead, we will listen
carefully to her words and closely
watch her actions on issues involving
the Siletz Tribe.
Tribal members are urged to study
what all the candidates stand for,
not only regarding local, state, and
national issues that affect our lives,
but specifically those that affect the
Siletz Tribe.
Siletz Sponsors Elders
Conference
Nearly 300 elders gathered at
Chinook Winds on April 9 to attend the
elders conference sponsored by the
Siletz Tribe. They came from as far
away as the Colville Reservation in
Washington for the one-day conference.
The Siletz elders presented their
guests with gifts and treated them to a
lunch, dinner, and an evening of
dance and entertainment by The Bartow
Band, a local band that played many
old-time favorites.
I want to recognize Shirley Walker,
chairman of the Siletz elder’s council;
Kathryn Dick, elders coordinator; and
all the volunteers for the excellent job
they did of putting together this
outstanding event.
American Indian/Alaska
Native Student and
Community Center
Ground Breaking
Finally, I would like to comment
briefly about the American Indian/
Alaska Native Student and Community
Center to be established on the Portland
State University campus.
I attended the ground breaking
ceremony on April 5 along with other
tribal officials from the Northwest and
city and state officials. This center,
which the Siletz Tribe has helped
support, will be a gathering place and
study center not only for Indian
students, but also for and about
Northwest Indian tribes.
The project has raised $3,768,000
to construct this facility. According to
PSU’s description of the facility,
“The center will be a catalyst for
enhancing PSU’s partnerships with
Oregon’s nine tribes and provide
opportunities for tribal leaders to
enrich the student experience ... will
be open to all community members who
wish to learn about Native culture and
traditions ... and will be a living
repository of Native history, culture,
and contemporary life ... When
completed, it will stand as an enduring
symbol of PSU’s commitment to serving
Native Americans from throughout
the metropolitan region, the state, and
the nation. ’’
The facility will provide a
gathering place for 300 people, space
for classes and offices of Indian student
organizations, a library/resource room
equipped with computers, gallery/
lounge with exhibit space for Northwest
Native art, a kitchen to prepare
traditional meals, a rooftop garden, and
an outdoor salmon bake area.
I believe it is a promising resource
from which tribes and Indian students
can derive many benefits and which
will help promote greater public
understanding of Indians and
Indian tribes.
May 2002
□
Siletz News
□
3