August 1994
Chem aw a (Continued from page 12)
Recreational and leisure activities
include skiing, river rafting, swimming,
mountain-hiking, camping, attendance at many
college games, excursions to the Pacific coast,
and participation in many clubs, social events,
student banquets, school barbecues and picnics.
City bus service is available to students and
staff.
Students, parents, and guardians are
urged to submit enrollment applications as soon
as possible to:
Chemawa Indian School
3700 Chemawa Rd. NE
Salem, Oregon 97305-1199
or call: Kathy M urray, Registrar,
(503) 399-5721, EXT. 247,
FAX (503) 399-5870.
News Release Contact:
Eugene Reddemann, Personnel Office
(503) 399-5721, EXT. 226
or Sandy Line, School Supervisor's Office
(503) 399-5721, EXT. 222
¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ***¥ *
Request For Proposals For Project
Inspector
The Confederated Tribes of Siletz
Indians is requesting proposals for a project
inspector for the
upcoming
Tribal
Administration
Building
Project,
The
contract will closely follow AIA document
B352 and will be a fixed sum contract.
The Tribal Administration Building
Project is the construction of a 25,000
square foot, two story, office building and
related infrastructure. The project is
expected to last for a duration of 14
months.
The project inspector must have
qualifications and experience sufficient to
meet the requirements outlined in the
proposal.
A formal proposal package must be
submitted to the Tribal Facility Officer. To
receive a copy of the proposal package
contact:
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
Attn: Dennis Lancaster, Facility Officer
P.O. Box 549
Siletz, OR 97380
(503) 444-2532 or 1-800-922-1399
Deadline for receipt of proposals is
August 12, 1994, 4:00 p.m. Any proposals
received after the deadline will be returned.
Selection of a Project Inspector is
based on the approval of the Project
Architect, Farmers Home Administration,
and the Siletz Tribe as owner. Any and all
proposals may be accepted or rejected at
the discretion of any of the above three
entitles.
This is a FmHA/RDA funded project;
minorities are encouraged to submit a
proposal package.
When the Eagle
Feather Drops
Over two hundred years
ago, there was a story about two
tribes who were bitter enemies,
always fighting over hunting
territories, horses and women.
At that time, most Tribes were
nomadic on the plains, following
the buffalo and game.
There was a large war
party, estimated in the hundreds,
whose dust from their horses
could be seen for miles. The
battle went for days, as war
parties charged and then re
treated. Many coup and scalps
were taken. During one of the
invading party's re-treats, a
feather had fallen and was left
behind.
Only
distinguished
warriors had the right to wear
eagle feathers. Each eagle
feather represented life taken in
the battle. The notching and
coloring of eagle feathers
represented various brave deeds
in the taking of the enemy.
One of the warriors who
was in pursuit noticed the eagle
feather and notified the war
chief. The chief stopped the
pursuit and told his warriors, "if
these people are truly warriors
and respect this feather, they
will come-back to retrieve it.
So they immediately set
up an ambush and waited.
Finally, that night a small group
of the enemy returned, searching
the ground and bushes. As they
approached the feather, they
were
captured,
tied
and
blindfolded.
The captured enemy
began singing their death songs
since their fate was inevitable.
But when they were
taken to the village, the chief
gave a feast and gifts to the
captives. He announced to his
people, "Even though we are
bitter enemies, the respect and
m e a n in g of the eagle feather is
the same. We are all taught by
the. same Great Spirit and should
respect his teachings." Their
wounds were taken care of, they
were given fresh horses and sent
on their way with this message.
The
message
still
remains among many of the
traditional tribes of the plains
who follow the powwow way of
life. "If our ancestors could stop
an entire war to retrieve an
eagle feather, then it shouldn't
be too hard to stop a powwow
to do the same."
Historically^
and
traditionally, it is the right of
any wounded warrior to retrieve
a fallen eagle feather. The eagle
feather is the spirit of a fallen
warrior and can only be matched
in power by the same. This
practice still remains over the
centuries and should not be
altered
because
of
the
consequences. Recording and
photographing such a ceremony
is strictly forbidden. The spirit
will show itself in its own time,
especially to the young and
innocent.
One cannot emphasize
enough the importance of
maintaining a clean body and
spirit free of any "bad medicine" .
at powwows, especially in the
presence of many distinguished
warriors.
Those tribes that adhere
to strict traditions and customs
will allow only wounded
veterans to dance and retrieve
the spirit of the feather.
The powwow of today
uses four veterans, representing
the four cardinal directions to
dance around the feather. The
first two verses are straight
verses with no down beats,
paying respect to the Creator
and the spirit of the fallen
warrior. The next four verses
will have the dancers charge the
feather on the downbeat. The
downbeat represents the cannon
and gunfire in any song, so in
the case of this ceremony, the
veterans are charging the gunfire
of the enemy. Each will charge
with his right hand extended to
"touch" or take coup. Those
who have not taken coup will
use an eagle fan, because they
are not-strong enough to touch
the spirit. Again, this is very
important to follow, because of
the grave consequences to be
paid if one insults the spirits.
After the sixth verse, the
honored veteran will pick the
feather up with his left hand and
give a warrior whoop to
acknowledge the capture of the
spirit feather.
When
receiving
or
touching anything holy, - one
must always use the left hand.
This tradition is respected by all
traditional tribes. Once the
feather is picked up, the warrior
will
face the
east
and
13
acknowledge the spirit world in
his own language. It is
imperative not to lie during the
whole ceremony because of the
presence of the deceased
warrior. The
veteran
is
addressing both the spirit of the
fallen warrior and the spirit
world, and he must appease
them by telling an actual war
story. This story should be
humble, with a lesson or
message for all to learn. Many
times these stories have saved
lives because of the lessons
contained in them.
When the story is
finished, the warrior will return
the eagle feather to the person
who dropped it. By bringing the
spirit, back from the spirit
world, it will return to its
owner. The owner will usually
give whatever they can as
payment for such a ceremony. It
is usually determined by the
amount of respect the owner has
for the eagle feather.
It is a wise thing to
ensure that all eagle feathers
Worn in the powwow arena be
properly obtained and cared for
traditionally.
Hie
feathers
should be respected for what
they are - a life.
(Boye Ladd,
from
"Windspeaker")
Taken from the Portland
American Indian Community
Newsletter, December 15, 1990
Issue.
H appy 6 9 th B irthday,
Dad!
Love From