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About Siletz news. (Siletz, Oregon) 1983-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1985)
PAGE 4 - JUNE, 1985, SILETZ, OREGON Siletz Culture Project * What Is The Siletz Culture Project? The Siletz Culture P ro ject is a five-month research project initiated by the Siletz Cultural H eritage Com m ittee on behalf of the Siletz Tribe. The Comm ittee hired four researchers to document tribal history and culture throughout a nine-county a rea (Linn, Lane, Benton, Lin coln, Tillamook, Polk, Marion, Yamhill, and Multnomah counties). The research ers will contact individuals and organizations willing to sh are cultural information re g a r ding the Siletz tribes. All inform ation gathered for this project will be turned over to the Cultural H eritage Committee and utilized in developing a tribal archives. The Comm ittee also antici pates incorporating this d ata in cultural program s and ac tivities for tribal m em bers and other interested persons. * Why Develop A Tribal Archives? Developing an archives is im portant for all Indian tribes. The 1980 census reveals th at Indian people a re the fastest growing and youngest of all m inority groups in the United States. This indicates th at those Indian people who possess and pass on the m ajority of cultural knowledge — the elders — a re an “endangered” segm ent of tribal populations. The knowledge they ca rry is based on values and histories unique to individual tribes. As such, they com prise an individual’s sense of tribal identity. Instilling this identity in the younger m ajority and succeeeding generations is essential to the survival of Indian people as distinct tribal entities. Another factor im pacting tribal culture is increased contact with the m ainstream society. This is especially evident with the curren t push for tribal economic self- sufficiency. More and more, lands on or n ear reservations are the sites of unprecedented resource development. Such activities introduce changes th at have beneficial and detrim ental effects upon tribal societies. The ways and degrees in which these will be felt by Indian people depend largely upon the foresight and decision-making of cu rren t tribal leaders. Given the above, it is clear th at protecting tribal culture requires im m ediate and carefu l attention. Developing a tribal archives ensures th at cultural infor m ation is documented and available to all tribal m em bers. An archives is not m eant to replace the trad i tional process of passing knowledge through tribal ac tivities and oration. R ather, it is a way to assist that pro cess. Developing an archives focuses increased attention to the gathering and preservation of cu ltural knowledge. In turn, archival m aterials can be used in program s and activities which m aintain and strengthen tribal values and identity. * How Might Interested Persons Participate In This Project? T here a re several w ays individuals and organizations m ay become involved in the Siletz C ultural P roject. These in c lu d e : — scheduling a n interview with a research er to sh are in form ation regarding trib al history and culture (stories, dances, songs, languages, regalia, food gathering and preparation, artifacts, and photographs). — joining/attending m eetings of the Area P ro ject Ad visory Comm ittees to offer ideas and suggestions for this and future projects. — participating in the planning and carrying out of C ultural F airs to be held in each area. — by providing referrals to the cultural research ers of other individuals and organizations th at can contribute to th e project. Anyone interested in participating in the Siletz Culture P roject should contact the cu ltural research er in their a re a : Siletz Springfield Denise Wilson P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380 P h : 444-2532 or 444-2234 Bonnie P etersen 1234 Mill Springfield, OR 97477 P h : 747-1848 or 746-9658 Salem Portland N orbert Johnson Space 1, 934 S. Main Independence, OR 97351 P h: 838-0297 Cynthia Viles P.O. Box 23334 Tigard, OR 97223 P h: 246-9718 o r 244-1221 The Medicine Snake Siletz Area Culture Project Report KLAHOW YA! (Good Day!) By Denise Wilson A p a rt of the Siletz culture is the fam iliar stories we’ve all been told about the larger than average snakes, lizards and, of course, the serpent that fre quents the Twin Bridge area. These legends/tales a re an im portant p art of our culture, and to the careful listener or read er they are m ore than just som eone’s nightm ares. Our legends tell about our feelings, describe our way of life, how we relate to N ature and m uch more. It is very im portant to share these stories with our young people and I encourage, invite all with sim ilar or unique stories to please come forward. The following story was retold by Robert Simmons: I believe it was John Poncee who was coming down from U pper F arm one day, headed for the gambling gam es a t Lower F arm . He was riding in a buckboard pulled by one horse. At that tim e, there was a big hole in a field close to the road Poncee would be passing by on. In later years, the people round about would throw their garbage in the hole, finally filling it up. B ram bles grew up, eventually erasing all sign. And before that the owner had to put a fence up around it to keep the cattle from falling in and breaking their legs. Anyway, Poncee cam e down the road in his buckboard, and quite aw ays before coming ab reast of the hole, a huge snake rose its head and body up into the a ir . It rose and rose, finally reaching into the sky about 20-25 feet. Poncee’s horse was going crazy, rearing and bucking. The snake looked all up and down the valley, turning its head this way and that. Finally, seem ingly not seeing anything it wanted, the snake slid back down into its hole. Poncee calm ed his horse, got down from the rig and tied the frightened horse up. He walked to the edge of the hole, right up to the very rim . He found a foamy substance around the edge w here the snake’s body had touched. Feeling the snake had been a very strong Medicine sign, Poncee washed the foam all over his up per chest and arm s, bathing him self in it. He felt it would bring very powerful Medicine to his gam bling to do this act and he was right. John Poncee won all that week in the gam bling gam es a t Lower F arm . By Denise Wilson The first weeks a s Siletz Area Culture & History In form ation G atherer have been busy with work plans, developing interview techniques and aids, brain storm ing with Culture Committee m em bers a t training sessions and ju st generally laying the groundwork for a successful project. S tarting the week of May 1 3 ,1 will begin contacting tribal m em bers in the Lincoln and Tillamook county areas. Even if you feel you have no cultural or historical inform ation to share, you m ay en joy developing a fam ily genealogy chart. Two w orksheets are available to record fam ily ancestry. Robert K entta, son of JoAnn (Downey) Miller, is studying a t the N ewberry L ibrary in Chicago, Illinois, specifically researching culture and history of Siletz people in the D arcy McNickle American Indian History Collection. He was selected to study under a special research gran t aw arded by the Newberry L ibrary. When Robert returns, hopefully he’ll be will ing to sh are w hat he has learned in a special event for all interested persons to gttend. Congratulations, R obert!!! While in K lam ath Falls recently visiting fam ily, P atricia McMillan, of the K lam ath County Museum, gave m e a n educational tour of the research files and reference library. It was very helpful to learn hqw per sons in the History Business index and record inform a tion. Mrs. McMillan wished us the best of luck in our Culture P roject, and volunteered to help in any way possible. A new book is available on coastal Indians. W ritten by Oregon State University anthropologist B arbara Hall, THE COQUILLE INDIANS: YESTERDAY, TO DAY & TOMORROW, is available a t the OSU Bookstore in Corvallis or m ay be ordered from your local bookstore for $5. The book was w ritten based on recent interviews of the Coquille, and entirely with their support and encouragem ent. BEADING CONTEST: In conjunction with the Culture F a ir to be held on July 21, Sunday, a t the Siletz Tribal Community Center, the Siletz Area Culture Advisory Comm ittee is sponsoring a Beading and B asketry Con test. Beading m ay be entered in the following categories: a) Medallion, b) Hairpiece, c) Any Other. Additional categories m ay be nam ed as interest grows. Beaded item s m ust have been m ade within the last 5 years. The B asketry Contest will not have categories, but m ust be m ade of local native m aterials within the last 25 years. I ’m m aking the tim e span so large to allow children or grandchildren to en ter baskets m ade by now deceased w eavers. No baskets of non-Siletz tradition will be accepted. ADVISORY COMMITTEE: The Siletz Area Culture P ro ject Advisory Committee had its first m eeting May 16th. However, additional m em bers a re still needed. Activities of Advisory Comm ittee m em bers include: 1. Suggest reference persons and other resources. 2. D iscuss cu ltu ra l an d h isto rical inform ation gathered, add additional comm ents. 3. Support Tribal Archives locating search. 4. Assist and support plans for A rea Culture F air. Any interested person is encouraged to join the Ad visory Comm ittee. A project of this natu re needs the support and assistance of m any to be a success. Write or call to sh are your m em ories or tales, to of fer suggestions or to volunteer assistance: CULTURE COMMITTEE PROJECT Confederated Tribes of Siletz P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380 ATTN: Denise Wilson PHONE: M essage 444-2532 Home 444-2234 r Culture Fair July 21,1985 Page 6 v • —' Support Indian Owned Business NEWPORT SHEET METAL Heating — Venting — Air Conditioning General Sheet Metal Furnace Installation Ducting — Electric — Gas — Wood Chimney Installation Chimney Tops — Stainless & Galvanized - SHEET METAL - Copper — Stainless — Galvanized Pre-painted Aluminum Free Estimates 265-5853 549 N.E. 1st Newport, OR 97365 Jack Retasket Keith Taylor
