SILETZ NewS
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
Vol. 42, No. 12
December 2014
Siletz News
Confederated Tribes of
Siletz Indians
P.O. Box 549
Siletz, OR 97380-0549
Presorted
First-Class
Mail
U.S. Postage
Paid - Permit
No. 178
Salem, OR
Delores Pigsley,
Tribal Chairman
Brenda Bremner,
General Manager
and Editor-in-Chief
Congress must
reauthorize
Native American
housing
programs now
By Sami Jo Difuntorum, Executive Direc-
tor, Siletz Tribal Housing Department;
originally published Nov. 6, 2014, by the
Indian Country Today Media Network
The cornerstone of healthy communi-
ties throughout the world is access to safe,
culturally relevant and quality affordable
housing. Nowhere is that more apparent
than in Indian Country, where Indian
housing has had a long history of chal-
lenges, from barriers to traditional credit
to delays in surface lease approvals.
Tribes are now exercising their right
of self-determination by advancing the
shift from federally driven Tribal housing
programs to developing and managing our
own programs. Important housing legisla-
tion is now pending in Congress and we
ask our Tribal leaders and allies to rally
in support of its passage.
Native Americans face some of the
worst housing and living conditions in
the country and the availability of afford-
able, decent and safe housing in Indian
country falls far below that of the general
U.S. population.
According to a 2011 Census report,
the American Indian and Alaska Native
population rose 18 percent from 2000 to
2010 – almost twice the growth rate of the
U.S. as a whole. The social and economic
conditions of Native population differ
from the non-Indian population along
a variety of dimensions that affect their
housing needs.
Poverty and unemployment rates have
risen and remain consistently higher than
Siletz Tribal Restoration
Pow-wow
Nov. 15, 2014
Chinook winds Casino Resort
Above: Alina Mason, Ayla Ben, Zoe
Davis, Felisha Howell and Jocelyn
Hernandez enjoy a dance during the
pow-wow.
Left: Elaine Thomas (left) and Kaye
Stainbrook take Julian Cordova
around the dance arena.
See Housing on page 4
Harjo receives Presidential Medal of Freedom, nation’s highest civilian honor
WASHINGTON – President Barack
Obama has named 19 distinguished indi-
viduals as recipients of the Presidential
Medal of Freedom. Among the recipi-
ents of this prestigious award is Suzan
Shown Harjo (Cheyenne and Hodulgee
Muscogee), president of The Morning
Star Institute since its inception in 1984.
The Medal of Freedom, established by
President John F. Kennedy in 1963, is the
nation’s highest civilian honor bestowed
to individuals who have made especially
meritorious contributions to the security or
national interests of the United States, to
world peace or to cultural or other signifi-
cant public or private endeavors.
Harjo’s career has spanned decades of
involvement in indigenous human rights
issues and causes. Her traditional knowl-
edge, extensive capacity for research
regarding indigenous cultures and her
indomitable spirit have led her to sig-
nificant victories in non-Native arenas,
including congressional and administra-
tive venues.
She was executive director of the
National Congress of American Indians
(NCAI) from 1984 through 1989 and
continues to serve as co-chair of the NCAI
Subcommittee on Human, Religious and
Cultural Concerns.
She is a founder of the National
Museum of the American Indian and guest
curator and general editor of the exhibit
and book, Nation to Nation: Treaties
Between the United States and American
Indian Nations.
As a member of the Carter admin-
istration and as current president of The
Morning Star Institute, Harjo has been
a key figure in many important Indian
legislative battles, including the passage
of the Native American Graves Protection
and Repatriation Act and the American
Indian Religious Freedom Act.
“We are extremely proud of Suzan
Harjo and her continued and profound
advocacy on behalf of Native peoples. Her
commitment to preserve and protect Native
human remains, cultural patrimony, sacred
places and sovereignty is well-known
throughout Indian Country,” said NCAI
President Brian Cladoosby. “Today is a
great day for Native peoples and we cel-
ebrate and honor our friend and colleague,
a former director of NCAI, for her achieve-
ments and recognition by the president for
her exceptional meritorious service.”
Harjo also is a longtime member of
the Native American Rights Fund family
and she previously served as a legislative
liaison for NARF.
NARF Executive Director John Echo-
hawk congratulated Harjo on the award,
saying “This honor means that Suzan is
one of the greatest fighters for Native
American rights in history.”
Medal of Freedom recipients are
selected by the president, either on his
own initiative or based on recommenda-
tions, and this year’s list includes Alvin
Ailey, Tom Brokaw, Patsy Mink, Ethel
Kennedy, Charles Sifford, Meryl Streep
and Stevie Wonder.
This year’s awards were presented at
the White House on Nov. 24.