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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2013)
Statement by the Siletz Tribe on the veto of SB 215 by Gov. Kitzhaber We are very disappointed by Gov. John Kitzhaber’s decision on Aug. 16 to veto Senate Bill 215, which would have allowed a school district to enter into a written agreement with the geographi cally closest federally recognized Indian Tribe in Oregon to use the name, symbol or image of a mascot associated with said Indian Tribe. In a Siletz Tribal Council reso lution passed in March 2012, the Tribe recommended that the State of Oregon Board of Education “approve a resolution and administrative rule that recognizes the authority of Tribes in Oregon to approve the use of Native American mascots and logos in their com munity schools.” Still today, schools can ignore these recommendations because neither the state Board of Education (in its deci sion to ban Native American mascots in May 2012) nor the governor has found it necessary to include them. This penal izes several schools in Oregon, including Siletz Valley School, located in the Tribe's historic homelands and whose teams have been called the Warriors from the begin ning. Its Indian chief mascot is in jeopardy even though the local - Siletz - Tribe fully approves of its use and helps teach the true history of the Tribe and its language in the school. The resolution went on to say that, “Other schools in the State of Oregon who wish to establish or maintain a Native American logo and mascot be required to promote cultural studies that combat stereotypes, teach students the value of cultural symbols and portray the true history of the people of their local Tribal community, so that they promote pride in and respect for a Native American logo and mascot.” The Siletz Tribe still believes that this ban does nothing to address the real issues of racism nor does it address the issue of low self-esteem of Native students attending public schools. The Siletz Tribe does see a glimmer of hope, however, in that the ban does not take effect until 2017 and there is time to work out a consensus agreement with the state Board of Education or the Legislature on this topic. We will do our part to work toward this consensus and hope the state board and Legislature will do the same. 4» Tribal veterans’ photos needed to complete presentation at Restoration Celebration Please turn in a photo with the Tribal veteran’s information (name, branch of service, years served) for the Res toration Celebration in November. Also, submit contact information for the veteran or person turning in the photo (name, phone, address). Email photos to pias@ctsi.nsn. us or mail them to Public Information Department, Siletz Tribe, P.O. Box 549, Siletz, OR 97380-0549. Contact the Public Information Department at 541- 444-8291 or 800-922-1399, ext. 1291, with any questions about the veterans’ slide show to be shown at the 36th Restoration Celebration. Also, don’t forget to contact Tony Molina to include your veteran infor mation on the Veterans Memorial. How does smoking affect my risk for cancer? How can I decrease it? From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; submitted by the Tribal Tobacco Prevention Education Program Certain agents in tobacco smoke can damage important genes that control the growth of cells, which increases a per son’s risk for many types of cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. About 87 percent of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking. Smokers are about 20 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers. Smoking also causes cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx (voice box) and esophagus, and it increases a person’s risk of developing cancer of the pancreas, kidney, bladder, cervix and stomach. Smoking also may contribute to the development of acute myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the blood. Resources How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease (and related publications: cdc.gov/ tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2010/ index.htm For smoking-attributable cancers, the risk generally increases with the number of cigarettes smoked and the number of years of smoking. CDC Smoking & Tobacco Use Web Site - Health Effects: cdc.gov/ tobacco/data_statistics/by_topic/ health_effects/index.htm Risks generally decrease after a per son quits completely. Ten years after quit ting, the risk of developing lung cancer decreases by as much as half. Smoking Among Adults in the United States - Cancer: cdc.gov/tobacco/ data_statistics/sgr/2004/highlights/ cancer/index.htm CDC Cancer Web Site: cdc.gov/can- cer/index.htm National Cancer Institute: 800-4-CANCER or nci.nih.gov American Lung Association: 800-LUNG-USA or lungusa.org American Cancer Society: 800-ACS- 2345 (800-227-2345) or cancer.org Chairman, con’t from page 2 of the area. Current fee-to-trust federal regulations already treat those situations differently and the Siletz Tribe's legisla tion will not change that treatment. Coos Tribe impugns the “on-reservation” process and then asks for the same process In his presentation to Lane County, the Coos Tribe’s attorney listed reasons why the county should prefer the off- reservation process. The Siletz Tribe takes issue with many of his statements with respect to the ability of counties to comment on fee-to-trust applications. For example, the administrative appellate standard is the same under either the on- or off-reservation process. The intention of the Siletz legislation is not to subvert county input. To the contrary, the Siletz Tribe has excellent relations with all the counties we work with and we have promised to enter into agreements with any affected county to reduce or eliminate any adverse impacts that might occur. Rather, the intention of our legislation is to reduce the bureaucratic red tape at the federal level in processing our fee-to- trust applications. It is disingenuous for the Coos Tribe to employ scare tactics over the on-reservation process and then demand that same treatment for itself. As Commis sioner Sorenson noted, the more logical solution for the county, if it accepted Coos legal counsel’s logic, would be to deny the treatment to both Tribes. Coos Tribe’s proposed solution requires the county to choose sides The Coos Tribe’s proposal to receive on-reservation treatment within the Sius- law watershed is a radical and unjustified legal claim - one that is best addressed by Congress, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and/or the federal judicial system. The question at hand is not whether the Coos Tribe has ties to that ancestral area (along with the Siletz Tribe’s mem bers). The question is whether the Coos Tribe ever had a legal connection to the Siletz Coast Reservation - justifying on-reservation status for its fee-to-trust applications. The Coos Tribe does not and granting them on-reservation status is unjustifiable under federal Indian law and regulation. The Coos Tribe asked Congress to amend the Siletz bill so that it does not give priority to any Tribe's historic claims to lands within their ancestral areas. The Siletz Tribe readily agreed to that language because it was never the Siletz Tribe’s intent to affect any other Tribe’s claims. However, the Coos Tribe contin ued to oppose the bill after the adoption of the language it proposed. The only acceptable solution to the Coos Tribe is for Lane County to resolve all claims now in the Coos Tribe’s favor. The Siletz Tribe has offered an addi tional proposed legislative remedy that would address competing historic claims between these Tribes. We have suggested legislative language that would allow the Coos Tribe to put their claims before a federal court to decide. This is the most fair, legally transparent and definitive process for resolution of their claims. The Coos Tribe has rejected this proposal as an alternative solution. Instead, the Coos Tribe continues to ask Lane County to choose a side in this inter-Tribal dispute. Our Tribe will continue to seek reso lution and have our legislation passed. 1 Letter from then-chairman Greg Norton to the acting superintendent of the Siletz Agency, BIA, dated Jan. 8, 1997 Time to gather materials for baskets Hazel stick gathering is a must for anyone interested in making tradi tional Siletz baskets. Spruce root can be dug all year round and is used for the weavers or weft of Siletz baskets. Bear grass and maidenhair fem are used for overlay to make our traditional designs or marks in our baskets and both are picked in late summer. Tribal members interested in gathering can call Bud Lane at 800-922-1399, ext. 1320, or 541-444-8320, or e-mail budl@ ctsi.nsn.us. Just a reminder - basket materials must be gathered in a timely fashion. Here is a general breakdown of gathering times for different materials: September Bear grass, maidenhair fern, woodwardia fem, spruce roots September 2013 • Siletz News • 3
