Photos by Diane Rodriquez
Above: Halli Skauge
Right: Bud Lane, Victor Atiyeh and
Delores Pigsley
for a reservation,” said Pigsley. The Siletz
Reservation Act was passed in 1980.
Hatfield’s ties to Siletz went
beyond his dealings with the Tribe in
Washington, D.C.
“Not only did he do all this work in
Washington, D.C., he visited the Tribe
many, many times. He’s been out to Siletz.
He would drop in when he was in the area.
He had a home in Newport,” said Pigsley.
“His mother, in the early days, taught
school in Siletz and he often told us the
stories of her having to cross the river to
get to the school to teach. He always had,
I think, Siletz in his heart and his mother
always reminded him of that.”
Land for Chinook Winds
In addition to Restoration, Sen. Hat
field helped the Siletz Tribe in another
crucial way.
“As we all know, this (the land Chi
nook Winds sits on) was a former allotment
of the Siletz Tribe that was lost - that was
sold, actually - and when we approached
him to be one of the Indian gaming Tribes,
he was never in favor of gambling in any
way, shape or form,” said Pigsley. “But
what he told us was we had every right to
do what the state was doing and what other
Tribes were doing and that we should have
the benefit of that opportunity.”
Pigsley also said that no matter what
kind of meeting or hearing Sen. Hatfield
may have been involved in, he always
would meet with them personally, even
if it was just in one of the corridors
of Congress.
“He was a great inspiration and when
Art Bensell - Art was the chairman - and
I met with him in the hallway to talk about
taking land here in Lincoln City into
trust, he said you know I can’t authorize
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Siletz News
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you building a casino, but I can assure
you that the land will get taken into trust
pre-1988,” which meant before the Indian
Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, which
placed limitations on land that could be
used for gaming.
“And I still say without Sen. Hat
field’s - in the Senate Appropriations
Committee, the Senate Select Commit
tee on Indian Affairs - without his help,
we may not be here today. And all of the
Oregon Tribes owe a great deal to Sen.
Hatfield because he was the champion
of Restoration in the State of Oregon,”
said Pigsley.
Cultural Director Robert Kentta
followed the Hatfield tribute with an
introduction of The People Are Dancing
Again, the 1976 film that chronicles the
Tribe’s struggles prior to Restoration.
“In 1976, we were in the midst of
a battle, a battle for recognition of our
right to exist. In struggles like that,
it’s important to gather your friends
around you and to make new ones,” said
Kentta. “A film that’s called The People
Are Dancing Again was developed as
a promotional piece to educate our fel
low Oregonians and people around the
United States about our community and
our struggles to be free - free from the
effects of termination.”
The film was successful, Kentta said,
in gathering support for the Tribe’s efforts
and helped create many long-lasting
friendships with people who still support
the Tribe. Restoration didn’t just occur
in 1977, he said, “Restoration is also a
process we’re still going through today.
“Some people say they are saddened
to see that 1976 film because many of the
people in it are no longer with us. But I
hope we can all, along with that bit of
December 2011
sadness, be thankful for their efforts on
all of our behalf and celebrate all of that
effort throughout their lives to better their
community and their people.”
Following the video, Pigsley intro
duced Victor Atiyeh, former governor of
Oregon, who joined the Siletz Tribe for
its first Restoration Celebration in 1977.
“Gov. Atiyeh was instrumental in cre
ating the Commission on Indian Services
(in 1975), which still operates today,” she
said. “Like Sen. Hatfield, Gov. Atiyeh has
been very responsive to Indian issues and
has been a very good friend to our Tribe.”
Atiyeh said he’s had a wonderful
experience with American Indians in
Oregon and is particularly close with the
Siletz Tribe.
“My parents came from Syria; I’m
the son of an immigrant. Two things about
that - it just still astounds me that the son
of an immigrant can become a governor in
the United States,” he said. “Then I think
to myself, I just got here. You’ve been here
- and you’ve been here for generations.
And yet there’s a closeness between the
two of us.”
Atiyeh said he met former Tribal chair
man Bensell when Bensell was named to
the Commission on Indian Services.
“At the time, I only thought that you
and the other Native Americans in Oregon
were not dealing with the state, you only
were dealing on the national level. The
state could provide services that could
be taken advantage of and we needed a
bridge,” he said.
As Atiyeh’s relationship with the
Tribe has grown, he’s become familiar
with so many things.
“I had no concept that you’d been
terminated and were working for restora
tion. I just knew you were out there and
needed help. I learned so many thihgs,
about you - how warm and welcoming
you are, also how wise you are,” he said.
He’s seen how culture can hold a
group together and is something that'
shouldn’t be lost.
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“I have an interest in your retaining
your culture. Again I want to get personal
because it relates to me,” he said. “I never
learned the Arabic language, My'children
don’t know the Arabic language. I’ve
heard it, they haven’t. What’s happened
in the Atiyeh family is that we’ve lost our
heritage. It’s gone.
“Those are the kinds of dangers that
you face all the time. What I’m suggest
ing is not just those who feel keenly about
it, you young people should feel keenly
about learning your own language. And
that draws them closer to your culture.”
He thanked the Tribe for many won
derful memories, including the “pow
wows and the dances even I can do - if
they’re slow enough.”
Many thanks to the other people
involved in the event:
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Nick Sixkiller, emcee
Siletz Royalty - Miss Siletz Jennifer
Easter, Jr. Miss Siletz Clarinda Black
and Little Miss Siletz Jocelyn Her
nandez, The Lord’s Prayer
Siletz Tribal Head Start students,
singing in Athabascan
Bud Lane, video presentation Honor
ing Our Siletz Tribal Veterans
Joe Padilla, bingo caller
Sister Francella Griggs, closing
prayer
Siletz Tribal Elders - centerpieces
Volunteers - stuffing gift bags
Chinook Winds Casino Resort staff