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A y News from the -$
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VOL. 13 NO. 1
Coyote News
In brief
Miss W.S. Interviewed
Bridget Kalama was
selected Miss Warm
Springs at December 29
ceremonies at the
Agency Longhouse. The
19-year-old is attending
Central Oregon Com
munity College.
Page 2
Amendments introduced
Amendments to the
Indian Child Welfare Act
are designed to acc6mp
lish several objectives,
two or which are keeping
families together and
increasing tribal invol
vement and control.
Page 3
IHS power Increases
IHS will become an
agent of the Public
Health Service. The
move increases IHS
decision-making power.
Page 3
Annual report published
The Warm Springs
Extension Service 1987
Annual Report focuses
on goals, objectives and
accomplishments.
Page 5
S. Dak. wins tourney
The Ironwood, South
Dakota team took first
place in the 29th Annual
Holiday Tournament
held in Warm Springs.
Warm Springs teams
faced tough competition.
Page 6 and 7
Homes being built
Apprenticeship crews
are working on two
homes in the Dry Creek
subdivision. Houses are
scheduled for comple
tion March 1.
Page 8
Weather
JAN. HIGH LOW
I 40 30
I 44 28
52 39
I 46 28
5 36 27
i 40 30
J 36 27
I 35 20
t 34 18
10 39 18
II 45 21
i
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4 (though snow can produce hazardous driving conditions, a scenic view
Suicide:
by Donna Behrend
The death of a loved one, no
matter what the age, is hard to
accept. The younger the victim, the
more difficult it is to understand.
And, when a person takes his own
life, people are sometimes confused,
angry and unsure of what
to do or say. Some may just shake
their heads and walk away. Others,
hopefully, reach out in search of an
answer and offer help wherever it is
needed. Suicide is a community
problem that must be addressed
with an open mind and heart.
Nine local tribal members have
committed suicide sinced 1 985. Three
of those deaths have occurred within
the last three to four weeks. Of the
nine deaths, eight were males. Eight
died by hanging, one died of gun
shot wound. All were unemployed
and all were unmarried. Seven were
intoxicated, one was not and one
has not yet been determined. Two
committed suicide in the Jefferson
County jail, one died at the old
tribal jail, the rest died at or around
home. Seven of the deaths occurred
in January, February or March,
two died in August.
In 1985, 37 people attempted
suicide, four were completed. There
were 21 attempts made by 20 peo
ple in 1986; one was completed. Of
the 20 attempts made by 18 people
in 1987, two were completed. So
far in 1988, four have attempted
suicide; two were completed.
According to community coun
seling center director Jim Quaid,
there is "usually a percipitating
event" involving emotional or physi
cal trauma that attacks a person's
sense of self-worth or threatens
their self-esteem causing a person
to consider suicide. However. Quaid
stresses, most suicide attempts are
impulsive. The person is angry and
wants to "get back" or hurt some
one who they perceive as hurting
them. "Most people dont want to
kill themselves," said Quaid. Sui
cide attempts are true calls for help
and attention. That help is avail
able on the reservation.
Public Health Service physician
Dr. Tom Creelman stated that there
are a lot of "resources available,"
whether it be through crisis inter
vention, the police depart mcnt. coun
seling center or fire and safety. "If
PO BOX 870, WARM
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Scenic Warm
Sometimes a fact
someone wants to make contact,
there are many places they can
enter the program." Tribal assist
ance, said Creelman, is "as good, if
not better, than other programs."
Local programs are "in tune" with
the community.
As individuals, said Creelman,
we need to recognize a family mem
ber's needs. It's okay to report cir
cumstances to the authorities. "Even
Swimmer questioned about
Ross Swimmer, the Interior
Department's Assistant Secretary
for Indian Affairs, took over as
head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
in 1985. Since taking office, he has
built a reputation both within the
Administration and in Congress as
an effective and oftentimes contro
versial assistant secretary. After
returning from an official trip to
East and West Germany in Novem
ber, Mr. Swimmer discussed a num
ber of the issues he faces during the
remainder of this Administration.
Q. You have just returned from a
trip to East and West Germany,
where you lectured and represented
the United States on Indian Affairs
issues. What are your impressions
from that trip?
A. The German people are very
familiar with Indian people in the
United States. However, there is a
stereotypical view of Indians that
was caused by the writing of Karl
May, a German who wrote about
the American Indian. His writings
used to be studied by many Ger
man school children.
The point of my trip was not
necessarily to dispel images but to
provide the facts on what the issues
are with Indians today in the Uni
ted States and what current things
are happening within the Adminis
tration. I particularly emphasized
that the Bureau of Indian Affairs is
in a position w here it needs to look
at a different mission than what it
had when it was in the Wardcpart
ment I50ycarsago. I recommended
that there be more self-determination
for Indian tribes to assume a greater
role in determining what happens
on the reservation. There seemed
to be a very good acceptance of
that.
001025
SERIALS SECTION
U OF 0 LIBRARY
EUGENE, OR 97403
SPRINGS, OREGON 97761
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Springs, Oregon
of snow-covered hills is breath-taking.
if you don't know what to do, there
are people available who can help. "
Creelman stressed that invol
vement, either in a job or commun
ity project, is very important. It
restores a person's sense of self
worth and reduces the amount of
time spent alone. The more active
an individual is, the more in con
trol he is of his situation. The lack
of self-esteem, direction and invol
Overall, the led ure and questions
answer sessions went very well. I
did approximately 14 lectures and
round table discussions with journa
lists both East and West
German as well as professors and
students. I did get a favorable reac
tion to the President's Indian pol
icy and our implementation of it.
My general impression of Germany
was very favorable.
Q. The Senate is expected to
approve $750,000 to conduct an
investigation into alleged abuses
and mismanagement in the BIA.
What do you think the investigat
ing committee will find?
A. Well, I think what they will
find is that the Bureau of Indian
Affairs operates with some very
antiquated systems, and that over
the years attempts have been made
to improve those systems, but there
has been a lot of reluctance from
Congress and from previous Admi
nistrations to improve systems. This
reluctance has resulted in failures.
The reason for the investigation
stems from a series on Indian affairs
published in the Arizona Republic.
The thing that is distressing to me
is that the committee did not bother
to check into cither the truthful
ness of the allegations, and more
importantly the context in which
the allegations were made. I will
not take issue with those things in
the article that were facts. The
"Austin Walker Case"did happen.
Why it happened, though, is not
entirely reported and certainly the
remedies that were taken are not
reported. Most of what was reported
in the articles was the result of pre
vious investigations that have alrea
dy been concluded and people have
already been held accountable for
the mistakes.
".
vv""
Spifyay Tymoo photo by ihewexyk
of death
vement "makes for a very worri
som situation that leads to more
suicides."
Creelman added that "not just
one person or agency" can solve
the suicide problem. Overall aware
ness is necessary. We need to make
people less "at risk" by identifying
and dealing with the underlying
problems.
Crisis counseling services are avail
BIA policies,
As far as liability for collection
of royalties, I'm not sure if they're
going to come to the conclusion
that the BIA or the Minerals Man
agement Service or Bureau of Land
Management failed to collect, or if
they will come to conclusion that
the energy companies failed to pay
those royalties. In any event, I
think they will come to the conclu
sion that there was no intent on
either side to do wrong. The $5
billion figure that was quoted in
the Republic article as being poten
tially lost is ludicrous. It has no
foundation of fact. At least one
Senator has apologized for his own
staff using that number because it
had no foundation. And yet. the
Tribes planning celebration
of self-government
A three-day gala event will begin
February 12 to celebrate the 50th
anniversary of the Tribe's constitu
tion and By-Laws.
Activities will begin Fridav. at
the Simnasho Longhouse and con
tinue through Sunday, February
14. The main functions will occur
on Saturday at the Agency Long
house and will include breakfast,
veteran's recognition. Washut ser
vices, luncheon, awards presenta
tions and special entertainment
by Wasco dancers. Other activities
include a tour of Warm Springs
facilities, additional breakfasts and
dinners, historical prescntationsand
attending the Lincoln's Birthday
powwow.
The Tribal Constituiion and By
Laws were approved by the Sccre
tarv of the Interior February 14.
I93H and formed the Confederated
Tribes that were present on the
I'.S. Postage
Hulk Kale Permit No. 2
W arm Springs, OR 97761
ddress Correction Requested
JANUARY 15,1988
FDA recalls
Myfed Syrup
The Food and Drug Adminis
tration has recalled the drug Myfcd
Syrupduetoa manufacturererror.
Myfed syrup is a decongestant,
found in a white four-ounce bottle
(generic actifed), that has been dis
tributed by the Indian Health Ser
vice since September, 1987.
The manufacturer placed a tran
quilizer (haloperidol) in some of
the bottles by mistake. This could
cause serious injury or death to a
child if they should receive it.
The Warm Springs Pharmacy is
asking everyone to check their medi
cine cabinets for this drug and
return if to the pharmacy. Posters
can be found at Macy's store, the
Post office and the clinic which
have an example of what the bot
tles look like. Please call the phar
macists at the Warm Springs clinic
if you ha ve any questions or concerns.
Calendars available
A touch- of yesterday; a 'glimpse
of the past and a reminder of tradi
tion and culture are yours for only
$2.00, the price of a 1988 Spilyay
Tymoo calendar. Calendars are on
sale at the Spilyay office and the
main office at the front desk.
As in past years, photographs
from the past are featured in the
calendar.
able at Warm Springs after hours
by calling 553-1 17l,andaskingfor
a mental health counselor. You
must leave your name and tele
phone and a counselor will return
your call as soon as possible. Dur
ing regular business hours, call
553-1 161, ext. 205 or walk into the
community counseling center located
n the old girl's dorm.
future
figure is repeated by the newspaper.
I hope that the Senate will not base
an investigation on things like that
without checking into them, but
would, instead, concentrate on exa
mining ways to fix the basic sys
tems which govern BIA operations.
Q. During a recent hearing before
the House Interior Appropriations
Subcommittee, there seemed to be
some agreement among the Inte
rior Department and several of the
tribes that direct funding of dem
onstration projects for tribally-de-signed
budgets would be a good
idea. In fact, The New York Times
in a recent editorial supported the
Continued on page 2
reservation. The celebration will
commemorate "50 years of success
under this form of self-government."
said tribal attorney Jim Notcboom.
Prior to ratification of the Con
stitution, "each tribe had a govern
ing method, but there wasn't an
organized confederacy to work with
Bureau of Indian Affairs and state
agencies." said Notcboom. From
1933 to 1938, the tribes operated
under a seven-member business com
mittee that operated similarily to
the present-day Tribal Council.
Representatives from all three tribes
served on the committee.
Many commnity members and
former BIA and tribal employees
have been engaged to organize the
upcoming affair. The agenda will
be finalized within the next few
weeks. W atch for further informa
tion in future editions of Spilyay.