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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2011)
Chairman’s Report Veterans Day Siletz Valley Schools hosted a Vet erans Ceremony just prior to Veterans Day. The students were very enthusiastic and showed much respect and pride in honoring veterans from all branches of the service. The Tribe can take great pride in our students and the school. Thank you to all Tribal veterans - you make us proud. Tribal Nations Conference with President Obama President Obama is holding a Tribal Nations Conference in early December for the third time during his presidency. This is his commitment to Tribes to listen to Tribal issues and concerns. One Tribal representative from each Tribe is invited to attend; all Tribes are included. I will attend and also will take the opportunity to talk with our congres sional delegation about our legislation and other matters of importance. tions with the State and the governor. The meeting was well-attended. Our casino staff did a wonderful job of hosting the event. Our chef, Jack Strong, provided an outstanding meal for the governor and the Tribal chairmen. Budgets The Tribal Council has been review ing all budgets in work sessions over the past month. It’s still unclear what funds we will actually receive from the federal government. The congressional Super Committee gave the president its conclusions on reductions at its Nov. 23 deadline. Chemawa Indian School We have seen increases in the past two years but have been told we should expect cuts in this fiscal year. Our Tribe’s budget has been approved with the understanding there likely will be cuts. Delores Pigsley Governor’s Summit We were pleased to be asked to host the annual Governor’s Summit this year at Chinook Winds. It was great to welcome the other Oregon Tribes as well as the governor, his staff and agency directors. Policy discussions took place that hopefully will enhance our communica Bud Lane and I recently had the honor of giving Congressman Kurt Schrader and his staff a tour of Chemawa Indian School. We have been working with him in an effort to get the Chemawa school land taken into trust for the nine Oregon Tribes. We believe the tour gave him a better understanding of some of the issues that affect Chemawa land. I have reported on this in prior newspaper issues and will keep you informed of our progress. The Christmas season is upon us; it seems to come quicker than I am ready. It is my wish that everyone has a joyous holiday season and that you are able to spend it with family and loved ones. Siletz connections renewed - basket donated to Tribe as stories connect By Robert Kentta, Cultural Director A little more than a year ago, The Oregonian ran an article written by Karen Rathe about her grandmother, Bessie Hanseth, having taught school at Upper Farm (Logsden) ca 1921, inheriting the baskets and photos her grandmother took with her when she left in 1922 or 1923 and her decision to donate the largest of the baskets and share the photos, letters and her experience of arriving at that decision. A lady name Ina Riverman, living southwest of Portland, read the article and was inspired to renew her connections to Siletz. Her parents had lived in Siletz in the late 1920s as a newly married couple and her mother had worked in a café with a Tribal member named Ina. They became great friends. Ina (Campbell) Riverman was con ceived while her parents lived here and was named after her mother’s friend. Before she was bom, however, the family had moved on to the next logging camp and the next job. As a parting gift, Ina had given Mrs. Riverman’s mother a basket made by her grandmother. The basket was well-kept all these years and Mrs. Riverman knew only essen tial bits of the story about how she came to be named “Ina” (pronounced eye-nah). She and her husband visited Siletz and met Buddy Lane at our Cultural offices on Government Hill, showed him the basket and shared what they knew - hoping for more pieces to be added to the story. They promised to return with the bas ket and donate it. In the meantime, they hoped to locate a picture of her mother and the Tribal member named Ina, sitting on the step of the café in Siletz ca. 1929, that her mother had kept. This September, Ina and her daughter, Sandy — who teaches English language at OSU - returned with the basket and a longer conversation was had about the story behind it. This time, I happened to be in the office, heard what she knew and it quickly became apparent she was talk ing about Ina Larson (later Wilcox). The grandmother who wove the basket would have been none other than Martha Adams, my own great-grandmother. Ina was so pleased to hear more of the story about the origin of her name and who had woven the basket that had been in her family’s care. We were very pleased to help her with that connection and to receive her generous donation. Good people with open hearts can make great things happen. Many thanks again to Karen Rathe for her many kindnesses and eagerness to share her story, which brought about this new dona tion, another re connection on many levels and helped answer a lot of ques tions for a sweet lady. Many thanks also to the Riverman family for their kind donation. Courtesy photo Ina Riverman N uu-wee-ya (our words) Introduction to the Athabaskan language Send letters to: Siletz News is free to enrolled Siletz Tribal members. For all others, a $12 annual subscription fee applies. Please make checks payable to CTSI and mail to Siletz News. Siletz News P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 541-444-8291 or 800-922-1399, ext. 1291 Fax: 541-444-2307 E-mail: pias@ctsi.nsn.us Name: Address: Deadline for the January issue is Dec. 8. Submission of articles and photos is encouraged. Please see the Passages Policy on page 27 when submitting items for Passages. Member of the Native American Journalists Association 2 • Siletz News • Open to Tribal members of all ages Eugene Portland Eugene Area Office Dec. 5 - 6-8 p.m. Jan. 2 - 6-8 p.m. Portland Area Office Dec. 12 - 6-8 p.m. Jan. 9 - 6-8 p.m. Siletz Salem Siletz Tribal Community Center Dec. 6 - 6-8 p.m. Jan. 3 - 6-8 p.m. Salem Area Office Dec. 13 - 6-8 p.m. Jan. 10 - 6-8 p.m. Phone: Change of address: Tribal mem bers - contact the Enrollment Depart ment at 541-444-8258; 800-922-1399, ext. 1258; orangelam@ctsi.nsn.us. All others - call the newspaper office. December 2011 Classes begin with basic instruction and progress over the year. They also are a refresher course for more-advanced students. Come and join other members of your community and Tribe in learning to speak one of our ancient languages. We also have equipment in the Cultural Department available for use in grinding and drilling shell or pine nuts or other applications. If you need to use the equipment, call the number below to set up an appointment. For more information, contact Bud Lane at the Siletz Cultural Department at 541-444-8320 or 800-922-1399, ext. 1320; ore-mail budl@ctsi.nsn.us.
