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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2007)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To the editor: I am a law student working with Professor Charles Wilkinson of the University of Colorado on putting to gether a history of the Siletz Tribe. Para mount to the development of the book is the inclusion of Siletz voices. The research team is currently looking for Siletz people to interview. We are also looking for photographs and important documents. In 2005, the Siletz Tribal Council approached Mr. Wilkinson and asked that he put together a Siletz history b<x)k. Mr. Wilkinson is an attorney and ac complished author, and has previously done legal work for the Siletz Tribe. The book is rather comprehensive and includes information from pre European contact times up until the modern era of self-determination. Sev eral chapters of the book have been written and Mr. Wilkinson and his re search assistants regularly check in with the Tribal Council concerning the book’s progress. Can you provide information about the Rogue River Indian War? What about forced removal? Did your family have an allotment? Did you participate in log ging? Did you or your parents go to Chemawa Indian School? Did your family participate in Shaker church? Did your family fish or catch eels? How was your family affected by ter mination and restoration? Are you a veteran or did your grandfather fight in World War I or World War 11? These are just some areas in which we can use your help. If you would like to share informa tion with the research team, you can e-mail me at aparicim@colorado.edu; call me at 303-492-8262, or write to Charles Wilkinson at University of Colorado School of Law, Wolf Law Building, 401 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309. If none of these options work, you can contact Robert Kentta at 541-444- 8244 or 1-800-922-1399, ext. 1244, but it would be much better to contact us directly. With much appreciation, Maria Aparicio Dear tribal members: My name is Tad Mason. My brother is the late Terrence Michael Mason and my mother is the late “Madge” Mason. Our mother raised us to be a close- knit family. If she were here today to witness the tribal issue we have been going through for the last two years, she would be very upset! Tristen John Holt is enrolled into our tribe under our brother’s name (Terry Mason) and is benefiting using our fam ily name. We have been placing our trust in the hands of Tribal Council. We have provided them with enough evidence to question Tristen’s true identity. Tribal Council requested Tristen to take a DNA test three different times and as of yet he has not done so. There needs to be a consequence for him not taking the DNA test! Tristen John Holt should not be getting any benefits from our tribe until he takes the DNA test and proves he is who he says he is! If he is so sure he is my brother’s son, then he shouldn't have any problem taking the DNA test. This has been very hard on our fam ily emotionally, but our mother (Madge Mason) taught us to keep our spirits up - so that is what we will continue to do. Thank you and God Bless. In loving memory of Terrence Michael Mason and Madeline “Madge” Lucia Mason Sincerely, Tad Mason - To the editor: I’m writing this letter in concern for the May letters. Sounds like some may still be confused. Hopefully this letter will answer some questions. Our Constitution is the foundation of our tribe and our Constitution states you must possess 1 /16,h of Siletz blood to be enrolled in our tribe. That is the bottom line. The Constitution supercedes any ordinance, especially when an ordi nance conflicts with the Constitution. To the editor: I have read the April and May newsletters concerning the issue re garding Tristen John’s enrollment. I cannot help noticing that most of the people who are writing in to support his enrollment do not seem to have the facts straight. I am a Mason by blood and I feel frustration for my family. The facts are that ordinances of the enrollment state policies and procedures that were not followed correctly. 1 am here to support my family and I don’t believe there is any shame in wanting to know who is of our blood. On the enrollment process being so easy for some people, I wonder why I did not receive the same treatment two years ago when enrolling my daugh ter under my own blood quantum. I had submitted an application with hospital records. Not only did 1 receive the whole application back, but I also received a packet on enrollment poli cies and procedures. They had highlighted many para graphs stating the original legal birth certificates and other forms of original identity required. So the fact is I was required to turn in all the legal docu ments to enroll my daughter, but some people are not required to do so. Now I know that I have not lived in the Siletz area for some time now and 1 don’t think they tried to make it hard for me because they have some thing against me personally. This just shows inconsistency on behalf of the Enrollment Department. This is not the first time I have had the same treatment. Trying to receive a car seat, I was denied because I did not have an original birth certificate to submit with my Contract Health regis tration form with me at the time. I had left with no car seat for my daughter, all because they were going exactly by the book. The reason 1 am telling these stories is because it just shows inconsistency. Tristen needs to submit evidence that will secure his enrollment, for his kids too, for the future. He has the power to do so. • And referring to the comment on my family being like the KKK, do some research on your history. I think my family has shown nothing but integ rity when writing letters and speaking on this issue, despite the fact that we have not received the same in return. Some of you may think that we are making a fuss over nothing and are try ing to just be a “bully.” I think those people have personal reasons behind supporting Tristen, to be honest. Thank you for your time, Danielle Payne Tribal Council has a duty and took an oath to protect our Constitution. You can quote any ordinance you want, but fraud is fraud and there is not one ordinance out there that says you can be enrolled in our tribe upon turning in an incomplete application and an altered birth record. If you want to quote ordinances, you should quote the enrollment ordinance that says if false information is found on the ap plication after a member is approved, they can be removed. This is an entire family that wants to know the truth, not a couple of individuals. 1 also read this is all “hearsay”? The “new and substantial evidence” that opened this case up was a legal vital statistics birth certificate that showed no father. Again, this issue in not about low blood quantum. It is about no blood quantum. Stephanie Morrow Siletz News Letters Policy Send letters to: Siletz News, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, is published once a month. Our editorial policy encourages input from readers about stories printed in Siletz News and other tribal issues. All letters must include the author's signature, address, and phone number in order to be considered for publication. Siletz News reserves the right to edit any letter for clarity and length, and to refuse publication of any letter or any part of a letter that may contain profane language, libelous statements, personal attacks, or unsubstantiated statements. Not all letters are guaranteed publication upon submission. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Siletz News, tribal employees, or Tribal Council. Please type or write legibly. Letters longer than 450 words may be edited for length as approved by Tribal Council Resolution #96-142. Siletz News P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 Please note: The general manager of the Siletz Tribe is the editor-in-chief of Siletz News. 541-444-8291 or 1-800-922-1399, ext. 1291 Fax: 541-444-2307 E-mail: pias@ctsi.nsn.us Deadline for the July issue is June IL Submission of articles and photos is encouraged. Please read the Passages Policy on page 20 when submitting items for Passages. Editor-in-Chief: Brenda Bremner Editor: Diane Rodriquez Assistant: Laurel Johnson Member of the Native American Journalists Association > 2 • Siletz News • June 2007 ....... f-------------------------------------------------- Siletz News is free to enrolled | | Siletz Tribal members. For all others, | | a $12 annual subscription fee applies. | | Please make checks payable to CTS1 | I and mail to Siletz News. । Name: । | Address: | | Phone: | C hange of address: Tribal mem- | I hers-call the Enrollment Department | । at 541-444-8258 or 1-800-922-1399, | | ext. 1258; all others - call the news- | | paper office. t_________________________________ >
