Siletz News
Confederated Tribes of
Siletz Indians
P.O. Box 549
Siletz, OR 97380-0549
S iletz N ews
KNIGHT LIBRARY
ACQUISITION DEPT./SERIELS
12?? UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
tdGEHE GE
Delores Pigsley,
Tribal Chairman
Brenda Bremner.
General Manager
and Editor-in-Chief
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
Vol. 35, No. 12 December 2007
Presorted
First-Class
Mail
U.S. Postage
Paid - Permit
No. 178
Salem, OR
97403120599
Honor Song - The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians hosted the largest Restoration Pow-Wow crowd in Trihal history on Nov. 17 at t hmook Winds Casino
Resort in Lincoln City. Tribal members joined with American Indians from throughout the Northwest in an Honor Song during the pow-wow. The Honor Song
was written by Chet Clark of the drum group Johonaaii and dedicated to the people of the Siletz Tribe for overcoming years of termination.
Largest Restoration Pow-Wow Crowd Ever Helps Tribe
Celebrate 30-Year Anniversary
by Pre nt Merrill
The people of the Confederated
Tribes of Siletz Indians have a long, rich
history. Never before have so many people
joined them in celebrating that history.
An overflow crowd of more than
1.000 people jammed the convention
center at Chinook Winds Casino Re
sort in Lincoln City. Ore., on Nov. 17
to participate in the Siletz Tribe's 30th
Anniversary of Restoration celebration.
“Not only is this a very significant
day in Tribal history, it is a very sig-
nificant day in the history of the State
of Oregon as well,” said Tribal Chairman
Delores “Dee” Pigsley. “For the first
time, a restored Tribe west of the Mis
sissippi River has reached three de
cades of self-government.
“We are honored to have so many
people join us in celebrating one of the
most significant events in Tribal his
tory,” she said. “The support we have
received from so many sources has
been overwhelming and very appreci-
What’s Inside
Letters to the Editor
Chairman’s Report
Tribal Program News
Tribal Member News
Notices
2
3
6
1 1
18
Tribal Council Timesheets
Siletz Clinic
Chinook Winds
Passages
19
20
2 I
23
ated. We are moving forward in a posi
tive way as a people and the people of
Oregon are celebrating with us.”
Tribal leaders, Tribal Elders, hon
ored guests and dozens of Tribal danc
ers followed the Color Guard into the
dance arena during grand entry. As the
dancers moved throughout the dance
area in a circle, the floor swayed with
the rhythm of the movement, literally.
Tribal members had been prepar
ing for the historic occasion all year. A
Tribal Restoration Committee that in
cluded Tribal leaders and Tribal Elders
met monthly throughout the year to plan
the celebration. Tribal leaders and Tribal
Elders from many Tribes throughout
the Northwest made their way to Lin
coln City for the Restoration pow-wow.
Honored guests included former Or
egon Governor Vic Atiyeh.
Atiyeh sat in the front row with wife
Delores and watched as young dancers
circled the floor to the sounds of tradi
tional drumming. He joined the over
flow crowd in the center of the dance
floor for an honor song that was writ
ten by Chet Clark of the drum group
Johonaaii. Clark said he wrote the song
to honor the people of the Siletz Tribe
for overcoming termination and build
ing a bright future for their young
people to carry on their traditions.
Termination as a policy devastated
Indian Tribes throughout the country
when it was adopted by the federal
government in 1954. When Congress
passed the Western Oregon Indian Ter
mination Act, it severed the trust rela
tionship with Tribes guaranteed in trea-
See Restoration on page 6.