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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2008)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To the editor: I want to clarify a few things so that our younger people will understand the truth about a few things. Which should be the case - always. I put high praises and honor on Bud Lane for all that he has done to further the culture of our people. I want to make that point very clear. No one else has stepped forward to do the things he has done. The late “Snowball" Butler also had our songs in his heart. God rest his soul. The truth that I’m pointing out is this: From my boyhood, through our termi nation the U.S. government has down graded all our culture - and outlawed it. Our old people were made to be ashamed of even being Indian. Case in point - Gladys Muschamp, 4/4 Tututni, who was fluent in our language but dis claimed knowing it if you spoke to her in public, but would rattle it off in the privacy of her home. Tututni is the language I remem ber hearing the most. But there were people who bucked the system and spoke our language - loud and clear! Ada Collins and family, Daisy Fuller, all the people of Government Hill - Whitney Samuels, Cora Pike, Ethel Logan, the Butlers, the Metcalfs, Ellen Brown, Archie, Pat and Harrison Ben and family, Ike Rippen, Mae and Dick Adams, the Selsics, Toms - and so many more. Artie Bensell would always speak to me in Tututni. I would look around to see if “Big Brother” was around. And there were those who would laugh at you and ridicule you for try ing to cling onto your old ways. And they, being Indian themselves, think ing that being white was a lot better. The dialect that Bud Lane is teach ing is Tolowa, which is in no way the same as Tututni. There are many words that are exactly the same - just as there are a lot of words in Navajo, Apache, Alaskan and Canadian Athabaskan, and even in the Yukon Territory. Hoopa (Hupa), Yurok, Karuk, Tolowa, Tututni, Miluk, Navajo, Apache, some languages of Alaska, Canada and the Yukon Territory are all from the Athabaskan language stock. So, let’s say it like it is. Our people are learning Tolowa, which is good. I would like to reintroduce the Tututni dialect to anyone who is interested in learning. 1 have made my desires known to tribal council many times. I do not know why there is a conflict about this. The class would be on Government Hill, one week in duration and separate from the culture day’s doings that Selene Rilatos heads up. I would require $300 for travel and $1,000 for my work. I would live in my tipi. I would like to have my uncle Eddie Collins to help me. He would require comparable com pensation - minus the travel. Classes would include anyone and be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. - strict. Bring lawn chairs. Evening classes could be a pos sibility for workers, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. This could be branched out to the people of the Portland. Salem and Eu gene areas, but I would need housing in those areas. So, 1 would like to hear some noise from council - yeah, no - something. Enselsun Gilbert Towner To the editor: After reading the Nesika Illahee for October 2007 and January 2008, I sug gest that all tribal members read the tribal members concerns section of the Gen eral Council meeting minutes of both of those publications. All I can say to Lisa Brown and Lynette Warren in this open letter is, “You Go, Girls!” You both should be congratulated on your due diligence. You both have my vote. Keep up the good work. We need members like both of you running our tribe. I’ll let tribal members who don’t know what I'm talking about read the minutes; others who read it or attended the meetings know what I’m talking about. I felt their pain. I’ll say no more. C. Caba Siletz News Letters Policy Siletz News. a publication of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, is published once a month. Our editorial policy encourages input from read ers about stories printed in Siletz News and other tribal issues. All letters must include the author’s signature, address, and phone num ber 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 employ ees, or Tribal Council. Please type or write legibly. Letters longer than 450 words may be ed ited for length as approved by Tribal Council Resolution #96-142. Please note: The general manager of the Siletz Tribe is the editor-in-chief of Siletz News. 2 • Siletz News • Editor-in-Chief: Brenda Bremner Editor: Diane Rodriquez February 2008 To the editor: I am writing this letter on behalf of the Strong family. I was told by a very reliable source that a non-tribal family said, “Stanley Strong was a Filipino.” When that was told to me, it was like a slap in the face. Then I thought about it. Not only would my family be affected, there would be a lot of others. Nam ing a few, the big family of Molly Scott, which includes the Scotts and Kessingers; Geraldine Belgarde, which includes the Belgarde/Clawson family; and Vernie Goodell’s children and grandchildren. The Strong family is one of the few families that has strong roots here and for somebody to even say that, not only does it affect me, but it affects others as well. I see this family at tribal functions, do I say, “What are they doing here?” or “They don't belong here, they are not tribal.” It could work both ways. There are people out there that look white, that look black and look Hispanic and have a drop of American Indian blood, but only claim the native and not the other. I have grandchildren and one great-grandchild who are a mixture of white and Hispanic and they know and are proud of the fact of what they are. It’s not what's in the heart that counts, it is the truth. Joella Strong, tribal member To the editor: I am writing to let you know that the CLARO grant was not renewed. This grant gave Legal Aid Services of Lincoln County extra funds to provide special ized legal services to tribal members whose lives are affected by domestic vio lence, stalking and sexual assault. Lincoln County Legal Aid has had a long tradition of working with the tribe and tribal members to help with civil legal issues that affect low-income people most: safety from violence, secure housing, maintenance of income and per sonal dignity. Although we no longer have funds to provide specialized ser vices, we will continue to work with the tribe and within our community to help low-income tribal members in state and tribal court. I have enjoyed meeting and working with you and hope that you continue to call when you have questions, problems or just need legal information. Thank you. Amber Frye Attorney at law, spokesperson To the editor: My name is Phil Rilatos. Sr. I am run ning for re-election in the 2008 election. During my term on the tribal coun cil I have always tried to be fair and to try to represent the tribal people. Serv ing on the tribal council is not an easy job. The decisions one has to make are not always popular. There just is no middle ground for a tribal council per son and the decisions they have to make. The current 9-member council is a pretty good council. We often have our battles over decisions. Many of the concerns/ suggestions offered by tribal members have been topics of some pretty heated discussions during the Tribal Council meetings. So, although it may not ap pear to be so, l/we take tribal member concerns very seriously and I believe if you look at what we have accom plished and the things that we have in planning stages, we have done a pretty good job for our people and I am thankful and honored that I have been a part of those accomplishments. As the Tribal Council Treasurer, I serve on all of the business and financial commit tees. I serve on the Budget Commit tee, Health Committee, Education Committee. Siletz Tribal Business Cor poration (STBC) board, Gaming Board, Siletz AeroTeam (SAT) Board, Siletz Tribal Revolving Credit Program (STRCP) Board and the SMI Board. If re-elected I will work towards the creation of more housing for tribal members, the development of the eco nomic development plans on the Sa lem property and the Lakeside Village property in Lincoln City, the develop ment of the tribal museum and one of the most important things is health care and services for tribal members that live outside of the tribe's service area. One council person can't do it alone. It takes a minimum of 5 council members to get anything passed. Those of you that know me, know that I always make my voice heard. I try to do what I believe is in the best interest of the membership. I don't always succeed, but at least 1 try. I am asking for your vote in the next election. I will continue to sup port decisions that I feel are the best for our tribal people. You can contact me at any time by email, Fax, or telephone. Tele# (541) 563-2739 Email rilatos@pacificonline.net FAX (541) 563-6789 Phil Rilatos, Sr.
