Siletz news /, November 01, 2017, Page 2, Image 2

Chairman’s Report
October was an extremely busy month
for the Tribal Council. In addition to
regular business, some of us attended the
Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
meeting in Spokane, Wash., where major
updates that affect all of Indian Country
are discussed.
Our good friend and Regional BIA
Director Stan Speaks announced that he
would no longer be in Portland in his cur-
rent position after Dec. 31, 2017. Speaks
has done a great job working with Tribes
in the Northwest and we wish him well in
retirement or his new post in Oklahoma.
Many changes are taking place at the
Bureau of Indian Affairs in the central
office as well as the regional office. The
new administration has been slow in filling
vacant or current positions.
C o u n c i l m e m b e r s B u d La n e,
Sharon Edenfield and I recently traveled
to Washington, D.C., to discuss current
Tribal issues with the BIA. We were for-
tunate to meet with the newly appointed
director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Brian Rice (see page 19), and we met
with the assistant deputy secretary of the
Department of the Interior, Jim Cason.
While we were there, an announce-
ment was made that Tara Sweeney from
Alaska was named as the new assistant
secretary of Indian Affairs. So there are
lots of new faces that will carry on the
business of Indian Affairs, working with
Tribes. The new folks come with impres-
sive backgrounds.
New regulations are being proposed
for taking land into trust. We worked very
hard for many years to accomplish having
land taken into trust under the Obama
administration. We have a few remaining
parcels of land that still need to go through
the process but we don’t expect to have any
issues as they process.
Delores Pigsley
We will celebrate 40 years of Tribal
Restoration this month. I’m sure many
of you remember the first Restoration
celebration at the Newport fairgrounds
building. It was one of the coldest winters
ever and we were unable to use the heat-
ers in the building. The freezing weather
didn’t dampen the spirits of those in atten-
dance, though.
We have lost many of our Restoration
heroes since that time. We should keep them
in our thoughts as we celebrate this year.
Elders Council Meeting
Nov. 11 • 1-4 p.m. • Chinook Winds Golf Resort
Courtesy photo
Tribal Council members Bud Lane (left), Sharon Edenfield (second from left) and
Delores Pigsley (right), with Brian Rice, new director of the BIA
Siletz News is free to enrolled Siletz Tribal members. For all others, a $12
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to Siletz News.
For more information, contact the Elders Program at 800-922-1399,
ext. 1261, or 541-444-8261.
Nuu-Wee-ya’ (our words)
November language classes are dedicated to the Feather Dance
Nee-Dash ‘vm-nitlh-ts’it
(Feather Dance
we are learning)
Name: _______________________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________________________
Change of address: Tribal members – contact the Enrollment Depart-
ment at 541-444-8258; 800-922-1399, ext. 1258; or enrollment@ctsi.nsn.us.
All others – call the newspaper office.
Deadline for the December
issue is Nov. 9.
Send information to:
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photos is encouraged.
Siletz News
P.O. Box 549
Siletz, OR 97380-0549
Please see the Passages
Policy on page 20 when sub-
mitting items for Passages.
541-444-8291 or
800-922-1399, ext. 1291
Come and learn to dance our traditional dances.
The Feather Dance is handed down to us from our ancestors.
Come and learn about our ancient dances and protocols.
Tribal members and their families welcome.
Siletz
Portland
Tribal Community Center
Nov. 6 • 6-8 p.m.
Portland Area Office
Nov. 13 • 6-8 p.m.
Eugene
Salem
Eugene Area Office
Nov. 7 • 6-8 p.m.
Salem Area Office
Nov. 14 • 6-8 p.m.
Fax: 541-444-2307
Email: pias@ctsi.nsn.us
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November 2017