CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
During the spring, 1 reported on the
Chemawa Station LLC, a joint eco
nomic development project of the
Siletz and Grand Ronde tribes, based
on land given to the tribes by the Bu
reau of Indian Affairs.
1 noted that the deed had an im
pediment, a reversionary clause that
needed to be cleared up, not by the BIA
but by congressional action. It was for
this reason that in January, we con
ferred with congressional staff in or
der for Congress to pass legislation to
remove this obstacle.
Our appeal was successful. We
were assured legislation would be in
troduced with a very good chance of
quick passage. This has not happened
yet, however. The bill passed the Sen
ate but was held up in the House Re
sources Committee.
Recently, Tribal Council member
Bud Lane, attorney Leroy Wilder, and
I went to Washington to meet with key
congressional staff to move the bill
forward, emphasizing its importance to
the tribes. We hope to have the bill
moved out of the committee before the
July 4 recess.
Cultural Activities
As for our solstice dances, they
were held this year on the last week
end in June. The dancers have in-
eign Indian Tribe; (and) promote our
inherent rights as Indians and as a sov
ereign Indian Tribe; (and) promote our
cultural heritage and religious beliefs
and to pass them on in our own way to
our children, grandchildren, and
grandchildren’s children forever."
The comp plan goes on to state,
“The need to rekindle the languages,
customs, traditions, and religious be
liefs is clearly established in the tribe's
Constitution and requires policy and
program development."
With those words that express our
cultural foundation, the tribe is proud
of how passionately we have been
fulfilling that mission - from the re
creation of the traditional dance house;
the restoration of our feather dance;
Delores Pigsley
basket weaving, in which the Siletz
Tribe has taken a lead on the Oregon
creased tremendously in number. We Coast; teaching our traditional lan
are very proud of our folks who have guage; and our Culture Camp.
become involved in their tribal culture.
Culture Camp currently is being
I think it’s appropriate to point out planned. Last year’s camp was very
how important cultural values and ac successful and we look forward to an
tivities are to our tribe. Our compre
even larger number of tribal members
hensive plan, in summary, states that
participating this year.
the commitment is “to continue forever
Plans for our pow-wow and parade
... our unique identity as Indians ... as
to protect that identity from forces that currently are being finalized. Sister
threaten to diminish it; protect our in Francella Griggs has been selected to
terest rights as Indians and as a sover serve as this year’s grand marshal.
New Project Promotes Healthy
Living for Families
The Healthy Family/Healthy
Child project is looking for Siletz
Tribal affiliates to sit on a committee
that would bring family issues to the
table and promote healthy living.
For more information, please con
tact Bekki Johns at 541-444-8262 or
1-800-922-1399, ext. 1262; or Mark
Kimball at 541-444-8266 or 1-800
922-1399, ext. 1266.
Sister not only was instrumental in the
early Restoration activities, but also is
a person with a heart of gold, respected
and loved by Indians and non-Indians
alike.
For anyone who doesn't know, Sis
ter in the 1970s got her master’s de
gree in education from Eastern Oregon
College and has served 26'/2 years in
education in various parts of the coun
try. She also served as executive director
of the Portland Urban Indian Council
when that organization was still un
stable and needed her steady hand.
We are proud and pleased that she
has returned, and she participates as a
regular member of the Siletz elders
group and in many tribal activities.
Soon after she learned of her appoint
ment as grand marshal, she called Zak
Zakoji to serve as her escort.
I am very proud of all our gradu
ates from Head Start through college -
this seemed to be a banner year. I was
fortunate to be able to attend Cynthia
Depoe’s promotional ceremony where
she was promoted to chief master
sergeant. This is the highest-ranking
post an enlisted person can receive in
the military.
She was surrounded by family and
friends in a huge room filled with mili
tary personnel. Congratulations to our
achievers!
Restoration Committee Working on
30th Anniversary Celebration
by Tina Retasket
The Tribal Council has appointed a
committee to work on this year’s Resto
ration Celebration. As you may already
know, this year marks the 30,h anniver
sary of Restoration. The committee is
working on many events leading up to
the Restoration event in November.
If you have any photographs of
people or events that are significant to
pre- or post-restoration, we would like
to make a copy of them.
Please bring your photos to the
Public Information office in the admin
istration building in Siletz. Diane or
Laurel will scan your photo, ask you who
the people are in the picture and what
the event is, and return the photo to you.
They will forward the copies to the com
mittee and you will have the original.
We appreciate everyone’s assis
tance in this event and hope to use as
many pictures as possible to show the
recent history of the Siletz Tribe.
Most Often Requested Numbers
1-800-922-1399
503-390-9494
1-888-870-9051
503-238-1512
541-484-4234
541-747-0161
1-800-628-5720
1-800-648-0449
1-800-600-5599
1-888-244-6665
1-8OO-452-7823
I-8OO-323-85I7
www.ctsi.nsn.us
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
Salem Area Office
Salem Finance Office
Portland Area Office
Eugene Area Office
Springfield Siletz Tribal Head Start
Contract Health Services (CHS)
Siletz Community Health Clinic
Siletz Alcohol and Drug
Chinook Winds Casino Resort
Chemawa Health Clinic
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Web Site
July 2007
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Siletz News
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