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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2008)
TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS Walt’s Words of Wit and Wisdom by Walt Klamath Weil by golly, another year has slipped by, maybe not unnoticed though. Had several holidays but didn’t get to attend them. Hunting sea son has priority sometimes. During elk season, drove several miles looking for some unthinking creature. Saw some in the back of oth ers trucks occasionally, not very many though. Saw some hunters 1 haven't seen for many years. It was good to see them out. Maybe I can’t hunt like 1 used too, many of us are that way today, but I know how to get to them. Sometimes, of course, get some olders together and have to talk about way back when. Then the younger ones get a little fidg ety because time doesn’t mean too much, not near as important as how it was when we were the ones dogging the canyons for the elders. One particular person I talked with a short while said something that made me think a little about the names of places. The map shows one name, but this old-timer said we were at a differ ent place than the map shows. At the time, I didn’t think too much about it but as time went by what he said made a lot of sense. Of course we are talking of when I was in the early days. I was between 6 and 10, walk ing behind my dad, Edwin Simmons, Brucie Butler and Ed Bensell. I wanted to go and cried like crazy through tantrums and what have you to go. They tried the same tactics to get out of it once we started. Didn't work. Actually this was about the time that elk were planted in the area, in the mid-’30s. The area must have suited them well because they have flourished. I think I only saw one elk when I was young, over on Sam’s Creek. I wanted to take it but as much of an outlaw as my grandpa was, he was against it Anyway, on Thanksgiving Day the problem started about 7:30 in the morn ing when a big elk stepped into the path of a bullet. Then the work began. The elk was about 8oo pounds; made the winch groan a little coming up the hillside. Then the boom to lift it broke and we had to do everything the hard way. We spent the day peeling that critter, then the next day cutting and so forth. At first we were real particular about the cuts being the right size and thick ness, but as time went on summer sau sage became quite popular. Mother Nature Takes Charge The weather turned on us in De cember. Mother Nature decided we needed to know she can take charge anytime she wishes. Maybe we better pay attention to her. We are told that we are to take care of Mother Earth and if we don't. Mother Earth will take care of herself. Every once in a while she has to shake herself like a wolf shakes its body to get rid of some pests. We did have a sweat on that Mon day night. Didn't have power but had a generator dedicated to the lodge and one to the house. Several braved the storm and came to the sweat. We have only missed a few Mon day Night Sweats, all were because of high water. Three times in four years the water came over the door to the lodge, so we figured someone was tell ing us something so we moved the lodge to higher ground. Now if the water comes anywhere near the lodge, Siletz won't be, Logsden won’t be. We didn’t miss hardly any sweats this year (2007) because of the dry weather. The grass around the lodge never turned brown. We did learn a different approach to the fire. It’s not nearly as large but gets the stones just as hot. This last year, we have had visitors from Japan, China and Mexico in the lodge. Over time we have had people from all over the world stop in for a sweat. Some of them are because of an artist, the fire keeper Rick Bartow; oth ers I don't know how they get to know we are there. Some are passing through and stop for a sweat. How do they know? Not that it makes any difference, all are al ways welcome. We usually have 13 to 20 every Monday. By the time this gets out. Christ mas will have come and gone, but the memory will continue (so will the bills) - hope all had a good one. Hope ev eryone survived. That time of year is noted to be dangerous for those of us who are addicted. We get the blues/ remorse/guilty for not doing better. We don't look at ourselves that we did the best we can. That is all that can and is expected of us, but we expect more of ourselves than we can pro duce. Hopefully as time goes on we can take a good look at ourselves and not judge. As I have said many times, the Creator didn't go on vacation and say, “Hey Walt, you are in charge.” Well, have covered a lot of ground this time, mostly just rambling but that's the way it goes. Hope all have made some memories this past year. To all - take good care of yourself, you are the only one who can. Alcohol and Drug Prevention by Delina John I have provided some information to you below from various articles and brochures I have read regarding how alcohol affects your body (liver, brain, lungs and other body parts). Take the time to read and learn about the harm ful effects that drinking can cause your body if we abuse alcohol. When a person drinks, the alcohol travels through the bloodstream to different parts of the body. Drinking even small amounts of beer, wine or hard liquor can affect a person's think ing and coordination. Larger amounts can make a person sick or cause a hangover. But that's not all. Here are some of the other ways alcohol can affect your body. Liver • The liver cleans poisons, including alcohol, from the body. The more alcohol a person drinks, the harder the liver has to work. • People who drink regularly for many years can have serious liver dam age and may even get liver cancer. • If the liver is damaged bad enough, it can stop working, causing the person to die. Stomach • Alcohol irritates the stomach. A little can cause nausea. A lot can make you vomit. • Heavy drinking can cause bleed ing in the stomach. • Pancreas • Alcohol also can hurt the pancreas, a small gland that helps your body digest food. • Problems with the pancreas can cause a lot of pain and lead to diabetes. Skin and Eyes • Drinking alcohol causes red and broken blood vessels in your face, head and chest. • People who have been drinking often have red, puffy eyes. Lungs • Heavy drinking hurts the immune system. This makes it easier to get lung infections such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. Brain • Before a person feels “drunk,” al cohol already has stopped mes sages from going to the brain. • Even small amounts of alcohol af fect judgment and reactions. When you can't think clearly, it's hard to make good decisions. • Long-term heavy drinking can cause permanent damage to the brain. It can cause problems with memory, thinking and concentration. Studies show that the human brain develops throughout adolescence and that regular alcohol use damages young minds. They score lower on vocabulary, general information and memory recall. Throat and Mouth • Long-term drinking can cause can cer of the throat, mouth, esopha gus and larynx (your voice box). Bladder • People who are drunk can lose con trol of their bladder. Coordination and Balance • Even small amounts of alcohol can affect coordination and balance. This makes it easier to fall or get into an accident. Pregnancy • If a woman drinks alcohol when she is pregnant, the baby can be born too small or suffer from seri ous birth defects called Petal Alco hol Syndrome (FAS). Protect Your Body and Remember • You don’t have to drink alcohol, even if your friends are drinking. • Drinking doesn't solve problems. It can make them worse. • Say “no thanks” to alcohol and drinking. Get a friend to agree not to drink also. Alcohol Can be Addictive Alcoholism is when a person is addicted to alcohol. People who are addicted may not be able to stop drink ing, even when they want to. The younger people start drinking, the more likely they are to become an al coholic. People who start drinking be fore they are 15 have four limes greater risk of becoming an alcoholic than if they wait until they are 21. For more information about alco hol or to get help, you can call: • • • Siletz Alcohol and Drug Program. 800-600-5599 or 541-444-8286 National Drug Abuse Hotline. 800-662-HELP (4357) National Youth Crisis Line. 800-448-4663 January 2008 • Siletz News • 9
