SPILYAY TYMOO
JUNE 3, 1983 PAGE 3
Stolen artifacts recovered in Portland
SpUyny Tymoo photo by Behrend
ARTIFACTS RETURNED—Chief Nelson Wallulatum, above, looked over his ceremonial suit
recovered in Portland recently. A t right, are just some o f the items returned in the same investigation.
The Wasco ceremonial suit departments in all cities such as more than 20 burglaries were
reported stolen by Wasco Chief Portland and Eugene that have b e in g i n v e s t i g a t e d by
N e ls o n W a llu la tu m o n large Indian populations. The authorities. The rise in the
F e b ru a ry 28, 1983 an d Portland Police Bureau got the num ber of thefts can be
numerous other items reported le a d a n d cam e a c r o s s , attributed to the ease of fencing
stolen from Lilly Heath, Velma the biggest an<f “most major the stolen articles and value of
Frank and Ellen Squiemphen breaks” in the investigation. the artifacts. “The risks are
last year were recovered at an Portland is very interested and small and thé profits are great,”
“unknown source” in Portland concerned about the artifacts says Main. The artifact-fencing,
business is very lucrative.
by BI A criminal investigator thefts.
Bill Elliott. The recovery came
If a thief finds the right fence,
Sergeant of tribal investiga
while Elliott was working with tions Rick Souers said that he one a rtifa c t, such as a
the Portland Police Bureau on and Elliott have been attending huckleberry basket, can bring
another artifact theft. The suit, state law enforcement meetings up to $2,000. In addition,
which is valued between $8,000 to inform them of the cultural foreign countries are extremely
a n d $ 1 0 ,0 0 0 , is a lm o s t importance of Indian artifacts. interested in Indian artifacts.
c o m p le te ly in ta c t an d
Souers said that they are People from four primary
undamaged. The only item trying to establish a program in countries, West Germany,
missing is the ceremonial staff which to photo and inventory Japan, Saudia Arabia and
that was stolen in an August all articles of bead work and Italy, are involved in the
b urglary. All item s were other items belonging to tribal purchase of artifacts.
recovered at the same place and members that are either located
Main said in order to lessen
th e sa m e s u s p e c ts a re in “treasure houses” or homes.
considered to be allegedly
The number of artifact thefts the number of artifact thefts
responsible for all the thefts.
o n th e W a rm S p r in g s on reservations, the bureau is
The investigation depart reservation are up, says Jerome seriously considering develop
ment has been working on the Main, agency special officer. ing a program to identify all
artifacts burglaries for about From late July through mid- artifacts in the Northwest. The
six m o n th s. T hey have August 1982, eight burglaries FBI currently uses a system, the
c o o rd in a te d w ith jjo lic e were reported. By October, National Crime Information
Spilyoy Tymoo photo by Bthrend
Center (NCIC), which locates
s to le n ite m s t h a t a re
identifiable through serial
nunibers th a t have been
recovered. H ow ever, this
system is not equipped to
handle unmarked items such as
artifacts.
Because there are no bureau
funds for this new system, the
bureau will be asking the tribes
in the four Northwest states if
they are interested in funding
the program. Main estimates
the system will cost approxi
mately $20,000. If everything
goes as planned all tribes will
have access to this theft
prevention program within six
months.
W allulatum was grateful
that the outfit was recovered,
he sa id th e “ re lig io u s
significance of the outfit is
beyond expression. It’s like a
part of my soul. The staff is still
missing—I feel naked without
it.” Wallulatum has been using
another outfit for ceremonies.
The stolen outfit will be
returned to Wallulatum when
the investigation is completed.
Main said there are suspects,
but would not release the
names nor the identification of
the fence in Portland.
There are many people, says
Plume, who are unfamiliar
with museums. “ Many people
have not been to museums. I
wasn’t interested until 1 ran a
traveling a rt display. All
museums are concerned with
preservation and protection of
a culture.”
The museum’s story will be
the story of the Warm Springs
tribe, as related by tribal
members. It is the members
who will select the story , and
how it will be depicted. “An
interpretive plan is like a
blueprint of a building. It
establishes the basic structure,
then it is up to the planning
committee to make the final
display decisions,” says Plume.
The Warm Springs museum
will be a useful tool, a teaching
mechanism, with which the
Tribe will be able to relate to
ithose who are unfamiliar with
'the Tribe’s history, culture and
heritage. And with Plume’s
apparent expert advice on how
best to display those articles
significant to Warm Springs’
past, present and future, the
m useum will tru ly be a
showcase and something that
tribal members will be proud
of.
Museum to depict Warm Springs story
Continued from page 1
it be through audio/visual,
murals or computers. I t’s
important to get the accurate
story across to the visitor,
member or non-member.
Plume says the story line, so
far, centers around the three
tribes. “I see three different
roads that are coming together
in a major highway.” It’s
important that each tribe keeps
its own identity. “I try very
hard to work closely with
people so they know what
they’re doing and why,” she
says.
Developing such a plan
carries big responsibilities, says
Plume, who is of Sioux
descent. “You always want to
tell their story in the best way
possible.” Plume is always
concerned with accuracy of a
story line because she leaves the
area, the tribes have to live with
it. Plume feels thatReservations
a re c u ltu r a l c e n te rs in
themselves and that Indian
people are fortunate that they
have history. “Their history
began with Lewis and Clark.”
In a d d i t i o n , c u l t u r e
preservation is exciting work
and should open an entire new
employment field for tribal
m e m b e rs. “ T h is sh o u ld
encourage young people with
their career planning,” says
Plume.
Plume is actively working
with MOIHS and Liz Tewee,
Who is currently employed with
the Tribe as museum intern. “I
work closely with Liz so that
she understands what’s going
on,” says Plume.
“She’s getting paid to train
me,” replied Tewee.
Plume’s only regret is that
she doesn’t have more time to
interview people but there are
deadlines to be met. As Plume
is conducting interviews, Jim
B urke is c o n d u c tin g an
economic feasibility study and
Dave Waldron is working on
the design of the museum. The
time frame includes 26 steps,
beginning with Plume’s work
and ending with the museum
construction. Grand opening is
p la n n e d fo r M ay 1986.
Between those two steps are
m any a c tiv itie s such as
c o n d u c tin g a fu n d in g
campaign because the museum
won’t be totally financed with
tribal funds, establishing a
budget, complete the final
d e sig n a n d e n g in e e rin g
specifications of the building
and groundbreaking.
The proposed location for
the museum is Kah-Nee-Ta but
because some people have
voiced disagreement on this
site, community meetings are
planned for further discussion.
Many people feel that a
museum would be a drawing
card for Kah-Nee-Ta and that
it should be located there.
Others feel the musaum would
be located too far from the
Warm Springs community
. avlf—out of reach of tribal
numbers.
Plume worked with th e .
Yatkima Indian Nation in
developing the story line for
their museum and cultural
center and also worked with the
N a t i o n a l P a r k S e rv ic e
with Indian tribes in cultural
resource development for 12
y e a rs. She is c u rre n tly
attending the Oglala Com
munity College, located on her
reservation, studying for her
degree in Lakota studies. She
works part time as a consultant
and is currently involved with
her tribe in developing their
museum-.
Garage raffle results
The Tribal garage grand
opening ce ;mony attracted
over 185 people on May 20.
Besides refreshments raffle
prizes were offered.
Ninty-five people received
prizes. Larger prizes winners
included: Colleen Arthur, disc
c a m e ra ; G w en S p in o ,
silverw are; A ustin Sm ith,
suitcase; Leta Smith, electric
knife; C raig T ailfeath ers,
picnic jug; Amelia Colwash,
General Electric mixer; Teeney
Miller, jacket; Tony Howtopat,
p o p c o rn p o p p e r; C assie
Katchia, Ray-o-vac carryboy;
William Napyer, toaster; and
Estelle Lawson, Frybaby.