TRIBAL MEMBER NEWS
Officers Save Woman’s Life
Tribal police
officers Kay Spang
and Kraig Mitchell
received recognition
awards at the Law
Enforcement Recog-
nition Banquet in
May. The following
information, from
Denis Bosque, tribal
chief of police, was
presented at the
banquet:
by Ryan French
The purpose of
this memorandum is
to commend Con
Kraig Mitchell and Kay Spang
federated Tribes of
Siletz Indians police officers Kay Spang they found her and appeared to be
and Kraig Mitchell for their efforts in
suffering from the effects of exposure
the very early morning hours of 01 -01 -04 to the cold and wet weather.
in finding, and most possibly saving the
They called for medical personnel,
life of, a missing 31-year-old woman.
who responded and treated the woman
The incident started with a third-party for her exposure to the elements.
report that a woman had been assaulted
There is no doubt in my mind that
in Tolowa Court at approximately 12:30
if this woman had remained where she
a.m. on 01-01-04. Her friends had not
was, she would have succumbed to the
seen her since the reported assault and
were concerned for her welfare. The cold and wet weather, and would have
weather was very cold and rainy mixed died from hypothermia.
It is with pride that I commend
with snow.
Officers Spang and Mitchell for their
Officers Spang and Mitchell,
through their dedication and persever outstanding work. They both reflect the
ance, worked long after their scheduled standards, professionalism, and devo
tion to duty that I expect from officers
time off in trying to locate the woman.
Officers Spang and Mitchell finally of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz
located her in a wooded area off of Indians Police Department and I am
Tolowa Court heading toward the river.
honored to be able to work with two
She appeared to be passed out when
such outstanding individuals.
Miss Siletz, con’t from previous page
feather dance songs. Robert and Bud,
you did a great job on the recording.
Most of all, I will remember and
want to thank my fellow contestants.
Thanks for the help, encouragement,
advice, and having fun “because
laughter is always good medicine.”
Thanks to God for being my
protector and thanks to everyone who
kept me in their prayers. Anyone who
wants advice or has questions about my
year as Miss Siletz should feel free to
e-mail me at the address above.
I want to invite everyone to my
giveaway on the night of Aug. 13,2004,
at the Nesika Illahee Pow-Wow in Siletz
on Government Hill.
Lamprey Eel Harvest Brings in
Nearly 1,000
Also, I want to remember the ones
who have gone before me and made this
path possible for me - the tribal members
who went to the government to show
that we are “Indian.”
I know that my grandfather, Robert
Rilatos, continued his way of life as an
“Indian” even though the government
said he had to check “other” under race.
I believe that his hardships were made
so that I could have the opportunity to
go all over the country and tell them
who the Siletz people are.
Don’t ever forget our ancestors who
paved the path before us to have a better
education, health, and way of life.
See everyone on the pow-wow trail!
To all my relations - Humchi.
During the first two weeks of July,
several Siletz Tribal members, along
with tribal biologists, participated in the
annual traditional lamprey eel harvest
at Willamette Falls. Approximately 450
eels were harvested the first day and
more than 500 the second day.
This year’s eel fishers included
tribal members Woody Muschamp,
Larkie Logan, Robert Kentta, Tom
Downey, Kenneth (Pat) Hall, Del Hall,
Samuel Hall, and Matt Williams. Other
tribal members who pitched in to clean
and smoke the eels included Daniel
Brown, Alfred Lane IV, and Snoball
Butler. Last year, the group only har
vested around 200 eels and found this
year’s conditions much more favorable.
Traditionally, Indians used to
gather at the falls this time of year to
take advantage of the abundant spring
Chinook, summer steelhead, and eel
congregations at the base of the falls.
According to tribes that permanently
resided near the falls, they called it Hyas
Tyee Tumwater and was later named
Willamette Falls by white settlers.
This time of year, the eels begin
ascending Willamette Falls on their
annual spawning migration into the
Willamette Basin. These eels will burrow
down into the sediment and rocks when
they reach their spawning grounds later
this summer and wait until next spring
before they spawn and eventually die.
Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife (ODFW) commissioners and
biologists, who set harvest limits on eel
runs, decided this spring on a two-month
lamprey harvest season that closed
July 31 at the falls.
Years of commercial harvest, for
lab animals and bait, has taken its toll
on eel populations and has been
occurring heavily for more than 60
years. In 2002, the commercial fishery
was closed and the personal use/tribal
fishery harvested roughly 3,100
pounds, according to ODFW. In
comparison, the commercial harvest of
1946 was 397,000 pounds.
According to her letter to Delores
Pigsley, Marla Rae, chair of the Oregon
Fish and Wildlife Commission, “recog
nizes that tribal peoples have harvested
lamprey at Willamette Falls for centuries,
and the important cultural and dietary
role that these fish historically played.
At the same time, tribal representatives
and our own scientists have noted the
decline of lamprey populations
throughout the Columbia Basin.”
In order to facilitate a balanced
approach of harvest for personal use
and conservation of existing eel
populations, the commission has
prohibited all commercial harvest and
restricted the season to three days per
week. Willamette Falls was open
through July 31 for the harvest of eels
to tribal members for personal use only.
led by Woody Muschamp, eel harvest coordinator.
August 2004 □
Siletz News
□
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