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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (June 10, 1981)
Spilyay Tym oo Pag* 2 June 1 0 , 1981 Study reveals— ~ ■■ . People need to feel Kah-Nee-Ta Is theirs by Donna Behrend Just as people are sometimes forced to adapt with the change of the times, so it is with Kah- Nee-Ta resort. Though some changes ate more subtle than others, the overall effect is expected by the Kah-Nee-Ta board of directors to be positive and productive. About a year ago tribal planning director Ray Rangila contacted NADS AT to assist the Kah-Nee-Ta board in forming a long range plan for the resort. NADSAT is a non profit organization established in 1976 directed at increasing the self-determ ination of w estern Indian tribes by expanding their capacity to independently develop and m a n a g e t h e i r b u s in e s s e n te r p r is e s a n d n a tu r a l resource bases. NADSAT personnel, funded by a Kellogg Foundation grant, began fast fall gathering information about the resort as well as interviewing tribal members from all over the reservation, plus present and former employees of the resort. The results of the survey with tribal members indicated a Council opposés walk Continued from page 1 they are preparing a statement against Gorton's bill. The issue with the Warm Springs council is the method being used by some to oppose the bill. Councl does not approve of involvement in political movements involving demonstrations, walks, sit-ins or take-overs. The United Indians Fish Committee of The Dalles planned the “peaceful spiritual walk" and the opposition to the bills in the form of the resolution presented to NCAl. The Warm Springs Council does not take issue with the opposition to the bill but with the walk. The UIFC had approached the Warm Springs Council for a donation of salmon for the walk and their request was denied. Individuals! of UIFC voiced their displeasure with council’s decision. They felt the Warm Springs Council had ignored their group by not sending a representative to a meeting they held at Celilo on May 22 and 23. In recent days the UIFC has posted news releases in the community asking for support for the planned walk. The Warm Springs Reserva tion is a member of the Columbia River Inter Tribal F is h C o m m is s io n , a n organization that represents all twelve treaty tribes with fishing rights on the Columbia River. It is th e I n te r T r ib a l Commission which voices the opinions of the twelve tribes at the hearings being held at Seattle Ju n e 29 to here bothsides of Gorton’s bill 874. A statement in opposition to the bill has been prepared by the Inter Tribal Comipission and will be presented at the hearings. The Fish and Wildlife C o m m ittee will also be a tte n d in g th e h e a rin g s , according to Harold Culpus, chairman of the committee. The steelhead has been identified as a sea-run form of the rainbow tro u t which migrates to the ocean where it feeds for several years and then returns to its parent stream. The fish is highly prized among sports fisherm en as they consider the steelhead a trophy fish. The ste e lh e a d c rs have formed an organization, the N ational Steelhead T rout Committee. This group has pushed for the Steelhead Protection Act because it will give the sportsman another game fish th at ca n 't be harvested by Indians. They have organized a drive to have sports fishermen write to their cong ressm en to den and passage of the bill. The steelhead is also highly prized by the treaty fishermen as they have considered the steelhead to be a type of salmon. The steelhead had been a part of Indian life for thousands of years. For the Indian, the steelhead has been a way of life and a means for a livelihood. It has been a traditional livelihood and not a recreational pastime. S p ily a y T ym oo * * * * * * * * Spilyay Tymoo Staff* * * * * * * * MANAGING EDITOR ..........................................Sid Miller ASSISTANT EDITOR ................................ Sandy Rangila PHOTOGRAPHIC SPECIALIST/WRITER Donna Behrend REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHERS Roger Stwyer Pat Leno Marsha Shewczyk TYPESETTER .................................Priscilla Squiemphen FOUNDED IN MARCH OF 1976 Published bi-weekly by the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon. Warm Springs, Oregon 97761. Located in the Old Administration Building. Any written material to Spilyay Tymoo should be addressed to: Spilyay Tymoo P.O. Box 735 Warm Springs, Oregon 97761 Phone 553-1644 or 553-1161, Ext. 274, 285 and The Darkroom ext. 286 Subscription R^tte:, ^6.00 per . negative attitude toward Kah- Nee-Ta. In a report presented to the Kah-Nee-Ta board on May 21, NADSAT research revealed that “feelings were clearly expressed; that there is something wrong with the management and supervision at Kah-Nee-Ta; that some white employees received preferential treatment; and that the service and food at Kah- N e e -T a h a s n o t b e e n consistently good. “Indeed, there were a few people that felt the operation should be shut down. However, feelings of pride about Kah- Nee-Ta and a desire to see it succeed were also expressed.” According to the report, the c o n se n su s of a ll th o s e interviewed was that Kah-Nee- Ta will not succeed until it is supported by the W arm Springs community and is viewed as “their place.” Interviews were conducted with 27 employees, from management, current staff and former employees to determine their feelings about Kah-Nee- Ta. A total of 16 major groups of feelings, attitudes and problems were identified from the interviews, ranging from high turnover, not enough training, feelings of alienation/ ostracism, to no common sense of purpose of direction, not enough recognition for most employees and too much recognition for those up front, no pride in work done, lack of communication within the organization and feelings of inequitable treatment. Kah-Nee-Ta board member Mike Hollern of Bend briefly s u m m a r iz e d N A D S A T ’s report. Hollern stated that it was N A D SA T ’s and the board’s intent to make Kah- Nee-Ta a year-round, regional Indian resort and to make Kah- Nee-Ta more visible in the regional markets. But the main goal of the board is to improve the relationship between Kah-Nee- Ta and the community and to foster a sense of pride of ownership. Board members feel that the long-term success of the resort depends largely upon improving attitudes and the community sanctioning K ah-N ee-Ta as a viable institution. It is also important that Kah- Nee-Ta’s exact direction be established and to set goals and objectives to suit that direction. NADSAT feels it is the decision of General Manager Garland Brunoe and the tribal members on the board of directors to decide exactly what Kah-Nee-Ta should be. The board is also seeking methods for gathering more tribal member input. T he b o ard in ten d s to increase training programs and Brunoe has already introduced an o r ie n ta tio n p ro g ra m indoctrinating new employees to the tribe’s government and other matters of importance. After viewing the orientation film, board members felt it was the first step in a new training program. Another change has already taken place. A new advertising firm. Borders, Perrin and Norrander, of Seattle, has worked up new advertising for the resort. The theme is to entice tourists to try Kah-Nee- Ta as an alternative to other resorts. A colorful “Not just a n o th e r re p o rt, a n o th e r culture,” advertisement can be seen in major magazines as weH as in many travel agent offices on the west coast. The advertising is presented in a manner which respects the culture and attitudes of the tribe. Package deals which had previously been limited to the off-season or holidays, are now being offered. Couples can visit the resort for two or three nights for prices ranging from $120 to $200. These guests are invited to enjoy golf, horseback riding or rafting down the Deschutes. Prices also include lodging, cocktails, fry bread breakfast and all the sun they can soak up. To better accommodate guests at the village, all cottages w e re r e f u r n i s h e d a n d redecorated during the slow season this year. Beds at the lodge were also replaced. All items including older beds, drapes, carpeting, lamps, food and beverage items were sold to Kah-Nee-Ta employees and other interested people at a sale in April. Proceeds from the sale, amounting tomore than $6,000, were put in the Kah- Nee-Ta contingency fund. To prevent confusion among g u e sts a n d K a h -N e e -T a personnel, whenever there’s a salmon bake, a $15,000 salmon bake area was developed near the lodge. A grand opening was held last month to introduce g u e sts to th e p le a s a n t accommodations of the area. They feasted on salm on, buffalo, fried bread, salads and desserts. There is also scheduled Indian dancing each night the bake is offered. Cost of the salmon bake is $14.00 for adults and $10.00 for children. Salmon bakes will be offered twice weekly as well as on special occasions. Changes are taking place throughout the resort these days, and it’s those changes that will hopefully improve K ah -N e e -T a in te rn a lly . Without those changes, Kah- Nee-Ta would remain in its present position—a financial liability for the Tribes and a place the community could not feel a part of. The board hopes to present a plan to Tribal Council at the time of the 1982 budget review in A u g u st w hich sh a ll emphasize operations improve ments, revenue increase and productivity. Court case heard at Kah-Nee-Ta Another first for the Warm Springs Reservation occurred on May 21 when Kah-Nee-Ta was selected as the site for a court session. The case was the United States of America versus Jim Abbot, a private citizen. Judge Jim Burns of Portland presided. The court room was the Tribal Council room on the second floor in the lodge. The government had initially acquired property to install a 500-kilowatt transmission line and access roads of which Abbot is the property owner. Abbot felt the government was not , offering him adequate payment to defer his loss and he was trying to have the amount increased. His argument was based on the fact that land around the property in question was devalued because of the power line's existence. It is an eye sore, he believes, and takes away from the natural beauty of the area. The court was held at Kah- N ee-T a b e c a u se o f th e proximity to the property. J udge Burns likes to hold court near the sites in question so he c a n view it f ir s t- h a n d , according to his court clerk. As of this date, the case has not beeri decided. ’ v Another first fo r the Warm Springs Reservation occurred when Federal Judge Jim Burns convened court at Kah-Nee-Ta to hear the case of Jim A bbot versus the U.S. The Tribal Council Room was used for the court session. This was the first time a Federal Court has convened on an Indian reservation. The hearing was . Spilyay Tymoo photo by Shewczyk ^