Spilyay Tym oo
Pag* 2 June 1 0 , 1981
Study reveals—
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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 ^