CHAIRMAN S REPORT
By the time you read this issue of
Siletz News, two significant events may
have already taken place or are about to
happen in November.
For one thing, the General Elec
tion on Nov. 4 will result in a new U.S.
president/vice president, the election of
new senators and representatives, and the
enactment of numerous new and amended
ballot measures.
Also during this month, we will cel
ebrate the 31sl anniversary of the Restora
tion of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz
Indians as a federally recognized Tribe.
But first, regarding the U.S. Congress
- Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, said it
was essential that the House and Senate
enact a second economic stimulus bill to
extend unemployment and food stamp
benefits and various other measures to
reinforce the jobs market.
The Senate had already decided to
call a lame duck session during the week
of Nov. 17 to consider, among other items,
the very complex but essential Omnibus
Public Land Management Act.
Of major importance to Tribes has
been - and continues to be - the reauthori
zation of the Indian Health Care Improve
ment Act (IHCIA), which has been held
up in Congress for many months and for
a number of reasons, one of which has
been the issue of abortion.
According to Jerry Reynolds in the
Oct. 6 issue of Indian Country Today, “...
the House leadership had decided not to
offer the bill for a vote ... (because of) an
amendment forbidding the use of federal
funds to pay for abortion ... which had
been added to the Senate version ...”
Reynolds pointed out that accord
ing to (he National Indian Health Board
(NIHB), Indian Tribes have had a “consis
tent position that abortion is inappropri
ate to (attach to) an Indian health bill ...
already restricted under current law on
federal funding ...”
Reynolds said that, “As the 11 ()lh Con
gress approached recess, the failure of Con
gress to reauthorize the 1HCIA has left an
angry mood among its advocates.”
After all, Tribes have had a long,
unsuccessful struggle to get Congress to
adopt the health care bill. The National
Congress of American Indians and NIHB.
as well as other Tribal and inter-Tribal
organizations, have vowed to continue the
struggle in the new Congress.
One obstacle in the enactment of
important bills, also those favorable to
Indians, has been Republican filibusters.
The result of the recent election will
determine whether enough Democrats
will have won Senate seats to be able to
override Republican filibusters in the new
Congress, especially when critical Indian
issues are at stake.
Delores Pigsley
Tribes of Siletz Indians as a federally
recognized Tribe.
•
Although it wasn’t until 31 years
ago that the Confederated Tribes was
recognized by the U.S. government,
Oregon itself wasn’t admitted into the
Union as a state until 150 years ago.
•
Long before we were recognized by
the U.S. government 31 years ago
as a federally recognized Tribe, the
Siletz Tribe was a confederation of a
number of sovereign Tribes and bands
that existed hundreds - thousands - of
years ago in our aboriginal homeland
that extended over 20 million acres,
ranging from Northern California
to Southwest Washington state and
including all of Western Oregon.
•
Contrary to U.S. policy, Tribal lands
were promised to settlers before trea
ties ceding Tribal lands to the U.S.
were negotiated and settled. The in
cursion of settlers and the discovery
of gold in the Rogue River Valley
in the early 1850s brought drastic
changes to the way of life that the
Siletz Tribes had known since the
beginning of time.
•
Increasing pressure was placed on the
U.S. government to remove our Na
tive peoples to areas considered of no
value to the non-Native population so
land could be opened to settlers.
•
Our Tribes’ journey to what became
the promised, permanent Coast or
Siletz Reservation began as Tribes
were rounded up from Northern
California and Southern Oregon. A
treaty was signed in 1853 at Table
Rock just north of what today is
Medford, Ore.
•
The Rogue River War and the treaty
of 1855 followed. Our ancestors
began being moved to the Coast/
Siletz Reservation soon after it was
promised to the Tribes and estab
lished by President Franklin Pierce
in November 1855 as their promised
permanent reservation.
Regarding Restoration of our own
•
After our people were removed to the
Tribe. I would like to present in a few words
LI million-acre Coast Reservation,
some highlights of our Tribe's history:
treaty promises were largely ignored
and within 20 years more than 9(X),(XX)
•
November is the month we celebrate
acres of our original reservation land
the anniversary of the Confederated
31s' Anniversary of
Siletz Restoration
2
•
Siletz News
*
November 2008
In 1971, he was appointed as a staff
member to the Senate Committee on
Interior and Insular Affairs, which had
•
legislative and oversight responsibilities
over Indian affairs and was chaired by
Sen. Jackson.
In 1977, the very year the Siletz Tribe
was restored, President Jimmy Carter
appointed Forrest to the newly created
•
position of assistant secretary of Interior
over Indian Affairs.
Charles Trimble, who during the
1970s was executive director of the Na
•
tional Congress of American Indians,
stated in an article in the Nov. 12,2004, is
sue of Indian Country Today, “The 1970s
•
saw the enactment of the Indian Financing
Act, the Indian Self-Determination and
Educational Assistance Act, the Indian
Health Care Improvement Act, the Indian
Child Welfare Act, the Indian Religious
•
Freedom Act and the Alaska Native Land
Claims Act.
“The 1970s saw unprecedented return
of land to the Tribes, including the sacred
•
lands surrounding and including Blue
Lake to the Taos Pueblo, Mt. Adams to
the Yakama Nation and the long-awaited
fulfillment of the Submarginal Lands
Act.”
According to Trimble, “Without
unsung heroes like Forrest Gerard in key
positions on Capitol Hill, much (of those
landmark federal acts) would not have
come about in the fashion that they did.
•
Gerard did great work - subtly, without
fanfare and too often without recogni
tion or even thanks. His approach was
honesty and directness in dealing with
Indian country and he never wavered in
his loyalty to the Tribes.
•
“In the 1976 NCAI convention in Salt
Lake City, his excellent appraisal of grow
ing anti-Indian opinion and prediction of
the great white backlash helped NCAI and
all Indian country prepare for it.”
•
For those of you who don't know or
remember, Forrest is no stranger to the
Siletz Tribe, having played an invaluable
role in the 1977 Restoration of our Tribe
and since his retirement, as a Tribal con
•
sultant and friend.
Finally, I can’t conclude my chair
I was pleased to have attended this
man’s report this month without telling
important event in Seattle in honor of
you about the Henry M. Jackson Founda
Forrest Gerard.
tion award for distinguished Public Ser
vice that was presented to Forrest Gerard
on Oct. 15 in Seattle.
Send letters to:
According to the brochure for the
Siletz News
event, “The foundation is proud to pay
P.O. Box 549
tribute to Forrest Gerard and Abraham
Siletz, OR 97380-0549
Bergman, two visionary public servants,
541-444-8291 or
for their extraordinary accomplishments
8(X)-922-1399, ext. 1291
and service.”
Fax: 541-444-2307
Dr. Abraham Bergman is described
E-mail: pias@ctsi.nsn.us
in the foundation brochure as “a pedia
trician, teacher, children’s advocate and
Deadline for the December issue
community activist” who also was cited
is Nov. 10. Submission of articles and
for his “contributions to the health and
photos is encouraged.
welfare of underserved children."
Forrest is a member of the Blackfeet
Tribe of Montana. After his service with
the U.S. Air Force in World War II where
he flew 35 combat missions as a member
of the bomber crew, Forrest entered public
Member of the Native American
service in the state of Montana and then
Journalists Association
in Washington, D.C.
were taken away without treaty agree
ment or compensation.
The allotment policies in the 1890s
further reduced the Siletz Reserva
tion lands and resulted in complex,
inheritance laws, forced land sales
and taxation that led to further dimin-
ishment of Tribal lands.
Despite these devastating losses of
land and resources and the resulting
impacts on the traditional way of life,
our people somehow survived.
The Western Oregon Termination Act
of 1954 destroyed the last of what
remained of our land base.
Still, our Siletz people and culture
endured. The Tribe reorganized in the
1970s and in 1977 achieved Restora
tion as a federally recognized Indian
Tribe by an act of Congress.
With Restoration began decades of
growth socially, physically, educa
tionally, economically and politically
as a strengthened sovereign Tribe.
This year, the Tribe celebrates 31
years of Tribal Restoration! And in the
process, we will always remember our
ancestors who were forcibly removed
numerous times from one place to
another. We will remember the terrible
march they endured from the Oregon
interior to the Coast Reservation. We
will remember those who suffered and
died before their time.
Our reservation now consists of more
than 4,500 acres of scattered parcels
of land within Lincoln County and
approximately 4,000 acres of fee
land. We are the largest employer in
Lincoln County.
Restoration was a blessing to the
Tribe. Tribal members once again
were offered health care services,
education opportunities, scholarships
and social programs.
Today, we proudly leave a legacy
of endurance, accomplishments and
most importantly, qualities we inher
ited from our ancestors - our culture
and spirit.