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,
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Siletz News
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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.