SILETZ NEWS
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
Vol. 37, No. 6 June 2009
Siletz News
Confederated Tribes of
Siletz Indians
P.O. Box 549
Siletz, OR 97380-0549
Delores Pigsley,
Tribal Chairman
Brenda Bremner,
General Manager
and Editor-in-Chief
T35 P3
KNIGHT LIBRARY
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1299 UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
EUGENE OR 97403-1205
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Salem, OR
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Nine New Tribal
Flags Dedicated
at State Capitol
Annual Tribal
Information Day
Now Known as Tribal
Government Day
In Oregon, the exception to the rule
is the rare event that brings elected of
ficials from all nine federally recognized
Tribes together at the same place at the
same time.
This year’s Tribal Government Day
on May 14 at the Oregon State Capitol in
Salem not only featured a lineup of Tribal
Council members from all nine Tribes, but
the governor and secretary of state joined
the gathering as well.
The day started with a breakfast re
ception on the east side of the Capitol Gal
leria and each Tribe set up informational
tables. The event used to be called Tribal
Information Day and this year for the first
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Udmg Heather Walker’ Chnt MuschamP
Ed Ben, leads a group of people carrying 100
time and from this year forward will be
United States flags across the Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport, Ore., during the Call of the Flags-A Walk Across the Bay. This
known as Tribal Government Day. The
event took place as part of this year's Loyalty Days celebration in early May. The Color Guard and the people carrying the
theme of this year’s gathering was Tribal
flags eventually made their way to the Field of Honor, a field of 1,000 flags that flew for five days on Port of Newport property
Governments: Before Oregon.
near the Hatfield Marine Science Center. Please see additional photos on page 24.
A mixture of Tribal Veterans rep
resenting each Tribe formed an Oregon
Tribes Honor Guard led by Ron Brain
ard of the Confederated Tribes of Coos,
Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw. They led
the opening of the Flag Ceremony that
started the event with a traditional Vet
Mom Wanted Him to Become a Teacher,
eran’s opening.
He Dreamed of the NBA
Unique to this year’s event was
the dedication of nine new Tribal flags
by Brent Merrill
installed on the Capitol grounds in the
The remote mountain valleys of the Coast Range are the homelands of the people
Walk of Flags area of the west lawn. The
of the Siletz Tribe. The beauty of green trees, Elk populations and still-wild rivers
leaders of Tribal government and state
are a world away from the concrete, glass and high-rise buildings that make up the
government each took turns explain
landscape of the city of Portland.
ing the importance of the gathering and
Yet these two areas of Oregon have something in common - world-class, award
sharing their pleasure with the flags
winning battle rapper Greg Poe.
being dedicated.
Jay Minthom, Chairman of the Com
Let’s be clear, Poe has rarely been to Siletz. Most Tribal members in Siletz have
Three Veterans from each Tribe
mission on Indian Services, introduces
never seen where Siletz Tribal member Greg Poe lives in the St. Johns area of Portland
gathered at the base of each Tribal flag
Tribal Chairman Delores Pigsley during
either. But they have a common thread - and it’s more than their bloodlines.
pole and one-by-one unveiled their colors
We all dream.
Tribal Government Day ceremonies.
before attaching them and raising them to
Some kids growing up in Siletz dream of seeing the city, maybe even living and
the top simultaneously.
portunity to learn more about the Tribes
working there someday. Poe grew up in the city, but just like the kids in Siletz, he
The theme of the day for Tribal lead
dreamed.
He wondered.
and the various programs we offer our
ers seemed not only to be pride in the
memberships,” said Lane. “It’s all about
I was an emotional kid,” said Poe in an interview in Portland at the Native Ameri
raising of the flags, but also in having
govemment-to-govemment. It’s a good can Youth Association (NAYA) center where his mom works. Poe’s mom is Tribal
a platform with Gov. Ted Kulongoski
way to have a dialogue.”
member Tamra Russell and his grandma was the late Bernadine Washington. “I felt
that recognized the government-to-
different and I didn’t hang out with other kids.”
Lane explained the benefit of the
government relationship between the
Poe explained that his dad and uncles were his childhood companions and that his first
government-to-government relation
Tribes and the state established by former
ship is an ongoing dialogue between the
memory was his parents breaking up when he was 3. He was always close to his mom.
Gov. John Kitzhaber.
state and the Tribes that he said was
In a radio interview the day before,
See Poe on page 12.
“improving.”
Siletz Tribal Vice Chairman Bud Lane
“We don’t always agree, but it’s im
s—T------------------ ----------------------------------------------------
explained the history of Tribal Govern
portant to have a dialogue,” he said.
What’s Inside
ment Day and explained how the event
Kulongoski was introduced by Sec
Chairman
’
s
Report
2
Siletz Clinic
was established by an Executive Order
19
retary of State Kate Brown. Brown was
Tribal
Program
News
3
Chinook Winds
under Kitzhaber’s leadership.
20
mistakenly introduced by Umatilla Tribal
Tribal Member News
10
Letters to the Editor
“The day was set aside for Tribes
23
Tribal
Council
Timesheets
16
Passages
to come together at the Capitol and for
24
Notices
17
See Tribal on page 5.
the citizens of Oregon to have the op-
c------------------------------------------
Greg “lllmaculate” Poe: The
Respectful Battle Rapper
Photo by Diane Rodriquez
by Brent Merrill