Chairman’s Report
Former Oregon Governor Victor
Atiyeh passed away July 20 at the age
of 91. He was governor of Oregon from
1979 to 1987.
Gov. Atiyeh was a very good friend
to the Siletz Tribe as he was to all
Tribes. As governor, he showed much
respect to Tribes and was just a good per-
son and interested in helping, whatever
the situation.
He was our special guest over the
past several years; he never missed our
Restoration Celebrations. He was just a
good friend and a great statesman.
Gov. Atiyeh was Oregon’s 32 nd gov-
ernor. Prior to his election as governor,
he had served in the Oregon Legislature
since 1959.
He had many accomplishments, but
we will always remember him as our
good friend. We will miss his smile.
I last visited him at Warm Springs
(in June) and we planned to get together
for dinner soon.
At the 2011 Restoration Celebration,
I introduced Gov. Atiyeh, who always
appreciated a few minutes to address the
crowd, and mentioned that he had joined
the Siletz Tribe for the first Restoration
Celebration in 1977. The following is
part of an article that ran in the December
2011 issue of Siletz News:
“Gov. Atiyeh was instrumental in cre-
ating the Commission on Indian Services
(in 1975), which still operates today,” she
(Pigsley) said. “Like Sen. Hatfield, Gov.
Atiyeh has been very responsive to Indian
issues and has been a very good friend to
our Tribe.”
File photo
Victor Atiyeh at the 2012 Siletz Tribal
Restoration Pow-Wow, wearing a shirt
made by members of the Warm Springs
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 Art Bensell,
former Siletz Tribal chairman, 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 things
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.
“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
Delores Pigsley
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.”
To use mail order pharmacy to order your refills after hours and on
weekends: Please call the Siletz Clinic 7-10 days before you need your refills.
This allows us time to contact your provider, if necessary, and for mailing.
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Call 800-648-0449; enter 1624 as soon as the clinic’s message begins – you’ll
be transferred to the refill line.
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Or, call the refill line direct – 541-444-9624.
elders Council Meeting
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.
Name: _______________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________________________
Change of address: Tribal members – contact the Enrollment Depart-
ment at 541-444-8258; 800-922-1399, ext. 1258; or covas@ctsi.nsn.us. All
others – call the newspaper office.
Deadline for the September
issue is Aug. 11.
Send information to:
Submission of articles and
photos is encouraged.
Siletz News
Please see the Passages
Policy on page 20 when sub-
mitting items for Passages.
P.O. Box 549
Siletz, OR 97380-0549
541-444-8291 or
800-922-1399, ext. 1291
Fax: 541-444-2307
email: pias@ctsi.nsn.us
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Siletz News
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Member of the Native American
JournalistsAssociation
August 2014
No meeting in August
SiletzElderpotlucksareheldmonthlyat6p.m.ontheMonday
beforetheregularlyscheduledEldersmeeting.Pleasebringa
potluckdishyouwouldliketoshare.
For more information, contact the elders Program at
800-922-1399,ext.1261,or541-444-8261.
Nuu-wee-ya’ (our words)
Introduction to the Athabaskan language
Open to Tribal members of all ages
Siletz
Tribal Community Center
Aug. 4 – 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 8 – 6-8 p.m.
Portland
Portland Area Office
Aug. 11 – 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 15 – 6-8 p.m.
eugene
Eugene Area Office
Aug. 5 – 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 9 – 6-8 p.m.
Salem
Salem Area Office
Aug. 12 – 6-8 p.m.
Sept. 16 – 6-8 p.m.
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; or email budl@ctsi.nsn.us.