TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS
lotos by Sherry Addis
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Left. Tribal Elder Sister Francella Griggs talks to Rick Colvin at the community
meeting in Portland.
Above: Rick Colvin, environmental planner, makes a presentation to Siletz Tribal
members and their families.
Planning Department Listens to Concerns
by Sherry Addis
The Planning Department held the first of a series of area office meetings in Port
land on March 5. Attending from Planning were Pamela Barlow-Lind, Tribal planner;
Rick Colvin, environmental planner; and Naomi Shadwick, planner/grant writer. Also
attending from Siletz was Tribal Council member Lisa Brown.
Thirty Siletz Tribal members from the Portland-metro area came to hear the pre
sentation and share their opinions.
Pamela and Rick opened the meeting with a review of outcomes from last year's
meetings and projects that were completed in the last year, which included our new
Portland area office.
Naomi discussed grants the Tribe has received and those on which she is currently
working. Throughout the meeting there was a lively discussion that resulted in 10
pages of suggestions or concerns from Tribal members.
Tribal members from the Portland area who could not attend but would like to
provide input to this process are encouraged to contact the individuals listed below:
Sherry Addis, Portland area office supervisor, 503-238-1512 or sherrya@ctsi.nsn.us
Pamela Barlow-Lind, 800-922-1399, ext. 1361 or pamelal@ctsi.nsn.us
Rick Colvin, 800-922-1399, ext. 1287, or richardc@ctsi.nsn.us
Planning will return to Portland for a follow-up meeting April 2 from 5:30 p.m.
to 8 p.m. We hope to see you there.
April Notes From Healthy Family Healthy Child
The phones in our office continue to
have planned for May and June. This
be quite busy with people asking us about
project is called 1879-2009 Wellbriety
when White Bison will return to Siletz.
At first the answer was a difficult one
Coyhis has been working toward the
because there was no funding to continue
completion of this project for a couple
this important program.
of years. The purpose of this journey
This month, however, the answer is
is to visit the sites of Indian schools in
different. It is a pleasure to announce that
Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Cali
funding has been secured to bring White
fornia, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma,
Bison back to our community so its work
Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Min
can continue in bringing wellbriety to the
nesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York
Tribe. The question that now presents it and Pennsylvania.
self is when this will happen, which is, as
The Journey will begin at Chemawa
it turns out, a difficult question to answer.
Indian School on May 16 and will end at
White Bison is a busy, thriving and
the National Museum of the American In
successful entity with many demands on
dian in Washington, D.C., on June 24. The
its time, which is an enviable position for
last school site visited will be at Carlisle,
any company to be in given the current
Pa., just prior to the closing ceremony in
economic situation. Trying to match their
Washington, D.C.
availability to our availability has proven
Since 2000, White Bison has been
to be a difficult thing, but we continue to
carrying the Sacred Hoop to Native
try to agree on a specific date. This article
American communities around the nation.
will endeavor to keep readers informed
This journey represents the fifth multi
when a date is set.
state journey of the Sacred Hoop.
One of the largest barriers to setting
Coyhis says in a pamphlet, “Since
a date for the next phase of White Bison
1988, White Bison has been develop
training is working around an important
ing resources and training materials to
project that Don Coyhis and White Bison
help Native American people heal from
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Siletz News
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April 2009
alcohol and substance abuse. During this
time we have learned that it isn't just the
alcohol and substance abuse that needs
to be healed. The unresolved grief from
historical events that happened in genera
tions long past affect the mental, physi
cal, emotional and spiritual health of our
people. This ‘intergenerational trauma’
has devastating effects on individuals,
families, communities and nations. The
elders have told us that before our people
can heal from these effects, they will have
to forgive and grieve for the losses of the
past. The Sacred Hoop brings the gifts of
hope, healing, forgiveness and unity.”
The Wellbriety Journey for Forgive
ness - Healing the Legacy of the Boarding
School Days calls attention to the need
to forgive and focuses on the impact of
the boarding school experience for many
of our ancestors. White Bison will hold
gatherings at each of the 23 historic board
ing school sites.
On June 24 at the End of the Journey
Gathering in Washington, D.C., White
Bison will present a petition to President
Obama asking him to provide an apology
for the federal government's role in the
abuses that occurred during the boarding
school era.
Siletz Tribal members can sign this
petition online at www.wellbrietyjourney.
org/petition.htm.
This is a huge undertaking. Coyhis and
White Bison ask for your support by spon
soring a mile of this historical journey.
“White Bison asks that you contribute
$ 18.79 for one mile. Why $ 18.79 a mile?
The first U.S. Government Indian Board
ing School was founded at Carlisle, Pa.,
in 1879. The goal for this journey is to
promote awareness, dialogue, forgive
ness and healing among Native people
for the intergenerational trauma resulting
from this era, to highlight 1879 as the
beginning of this tragic and as yet not a
properly documented chapter in American
history. In recognition of your generosity
and support, you will receive a bracelet
saying ‘2009 Forgiveness Journey’ for
each mile you fund.”
If you choose to make a contribu
tion, you can do so by going to http://
wellbrietyjourney.org/FundaMile.htm or
contacting Janet Wicklund in the Tribal
A&D Program.