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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2012)
STEP: Tribal members may qualify for free training in renewable energy Are you interested in learning more about renewable energy and perhaps a career in installing solar panels, solar hot water heaters or wind turbines? Have we got a deal for you! The Siletz Tribal Energy Program (STEP) has received a First Steps grant from the Department of Energy. Part of the money from this grant will be used to pay to educate up to four Tribal members to learn to install and maintain solar pan els, solar hot water heaters, wind turbines or micro-hydro. Training will be held this spring and summer outside of Oregon. It will be conducted by Solar Energy International (solarenergy.org), a leading provider of renewable energy education, or a similar company. You must provide the time; we can pay the travel and training costs for you to attend the class. If you are interested, you may have to compete for a spot. We will have the scholarship application ready this month. Please contact Marleen Wynn at marleenw@ctsi.nsn.us or call (toll-free) 800-922-1399, ext. 1271, or 541 -444-8271 to express your interest and get on our mailing list. You do not need to be a Tribal employee and you do not need to live in Oregon. You just have to be a Siletz Tribal member and let us know you are interested. We hope to hear from you soon. Chan taa-ghitlh-xat! (Here we go!): Language classes continue at SVS By Cova St. Onge, Language Project Coordinator Since Oct. 1, 2011, the Siletz Tribal Language Project has been working on implementing language curriculum in Siletz Valley School classrooms. The first quarter of the project came off with a great start, reviewing the practi cal alphabet, songs and moving into the Nee-Dash lesson. The lesson with sup porting activities was well-received and engaging to students and teachers. Presentations, songs, regalia and art projects were brought to the classrooms. The concluding activity was a walking field trip in which kindergarten through sixth-grade students eagerly participated. Anyone interested in Siletz Tribal language preservation efforts is encour aged to explore the contents of the Siletz Tribal Language Project website at siletzlanguage.org. The website houses the accomplishments of the 2008-2010 Administration for Native Americans Lan guage Preservation and Maintenance grant. Videos, songs, curriculum with vocabulary lists and a talking diction ary are fun family resources that can be accessed from the site. The website also will be updated periodically with addi tional resources and materials. For any further questions and com ments, please contact me at 541 -444-1036 or Bud Lane, language and traditional arts instructor, at 800-922-1399, ext. 1320, or 541-444-8320. Nuu-wvn srxii-xe xuu-srxii-xe hii- chu xuu-srxii-xe hii-chu xaa-ma (For our children, their children and their children) Hvm’-chi’ Courtesy photo Siletz Valley School students visit the Tribal dance house. Language materials, including a talking dictionary, also are available on the language project website. CTSI Jobs Tribal employment information is available at ctsi.nsn.us. Note: “Open Until Filled” vacancies may close at any time. The Tribe’s Indian Preference policy will apply. Tribal government will not discriminate in selection because of race, creed, age, sex, color, national origin, physical handicap, marital status, politics, membership or non-membership in an employee organization. CTSI constantly is looking for temporary employees to cover vacancy, vaca tions, maternity leave and extended sick leave. If you are retired, a homemaker or a student and are looking for temporary work that can last from two weeks to 12 weeks, please submit a temporary application for the temp pool. Do you have a beneficiary for your death benefits? Contact Enrollment Currently, 1,664 Tribal members do not have a death benefit beneficiary. The Tribe will pay up to $6,000 for funeral expenses for Tribal members without a death benefit beneficiary. Any amount over this $6,000 will be the responsibility of the family of the deceased. For Tribal members with a death benefit beneficiary, the Tribe will pay $1,000 to the beneficiary and up to $6,000 to the funeral home for funeral expenses. Any amount remaining will be paid to the beneficiary. Make sure you keep your death benefit beneficiary updated. See example at right. Death benefit beneficiary designation forms are avail able on the Tribe’s website, in the Enrollment Department office in Siletz and at the Tribal area offices. Enrollment Ordinance and Process Tribal Council has updated the Enrollment Ordinance. One of the changes is under §2.301 Membership Require ments (2) - “Siletz Blood” is defined as all Indian blood derived from a direct ancestor who was named on any roll or records of Siletz Tribal members prepared by the Department of the Interior prior to June 13, 1979. This means if you or your direct ancestor is on any Siletz roll or Siletz record prior to the June 13,1979, resto ration roll and other Indian blood was excluded because it is not of the Siletz Tribal bands, you can request to include that Indian blood with the following stipulations: The Indian blood comes from your ancestor who was enrolled in another federally recognized Tribe in the U.S. Funeral cost up to $6,000. Then ... After your death is confirmed and you have a beneficiary, he or she will receive $1,000. Then... After your death is confirmed, and you do not have a beneficiary, your beneficiary is deceased or cannot be contacted, then... Enrollment recommends and Funeral cost is less than $6,000. Then ... posts to remove you from the active Tribal roll. Funeral cost up to $6,000 paid only. Then ... & Documentation showing their blood quantum from a reliable source, such as: Certification of Indian Blood from the Tribal Enrollment Department of their Tribe Family tree showing blood quantum certified by their Tribe A letter from the Department of Interior verifying blood quantum If you or your direct ancestor enrolled with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians after the June 13, 1979, restoration roll, this rule does not apply to you. March 2012 • Siletz News • 5
