PACE 2 January 15, 1988
Warm Springs, Oregon
Spilyay Tymoo
Swimmer interviewed """(Continued from page 1)
proposal. What is the status of
these demonstration projects?
A. Only u limited number of
tribes -primarily those from the
Northwest-were invited bv the
committee to participate in the
hearings. We have chosen that group
of tribes to solicit proposals to the
B I A f o r a d i red b ud get d e m o ns t ra -tion
project. We have been given
some latitude from the committee,
which says it may support the idea.
This is something we plan to try on
a pilot basis. I believe we have 10
1 1 applications from tribes that are
willing to try the direct funding
concept.
The way I propose that it work is
that we will come up with the total
amount of money the BIA spends
on or for a particular tribe and then
offer that tribe the money for the
tribe to budget however it wants. It
may be I00 percent of the total
money we spend on the tribe or 20
percent of the total. Once they
receive their appropriation, they
would be free to submit their own
budget describing how they want
the money spent. They would be
constrained to spend it solcy on
those programs the BIA funded in
the past, but rather on those pro
grams the tribes see as priorities.
I he BIA also would be released
from liability for having to provide
serv ices. This is different from the
process we now use.
Q. Where is the BIA on its initia
tive to contract with an outside
financial institution for the man
agement of Indian trust funds?
A. We expect a "request for
proposals" (RFP) to hit the street
before theend of the year. We have
gone through almost two years of
consultation with tribes. In all Iikli-
hood, the RFP will be very similar
to the proposel we made with Mel
lon Bank. The idea, again, is not to
turn over $ I bili.on to someone but
to get a trust accounting system
developed and clean up a lot of
longstanding problems within our
own trust management system.
Q. Can you give us a preview of
what we can expect to see in the
BIA s 198V budget request, which
will be forwarded to Congress in
January?
A. I don"t expect there to be any
significant changes. If there arc
reductions because of Gramm-Rud-man-llollings
cutbacks, we would
attempt to spread those reductions
across the board. I don't anticipate
any surprises in the 1989 budget.
We will continue the process of
transferring school operations to
the tribal or local governments
with tribal consent. We will also
continue to advance the proposi
tion of tribal direct funding and
improving the Bl A's trust services.
Q. You have appointed a new
director of education for the BIA,
Wilson Babby. What priorities,
changes or improvements can we
expect to see in Indian education?
A. The theme for Indian educa
tion, which the director brings with
him. is effective schools. We will be
concentrating on an effective school
plan that compliments our other
initiatives local involvement, stron
ger parental involvement, stronger
association of tribes with their
schools and involving the public
schools in the planning process.
Q. You have been quoted recently
in newspaper articles proposing
that the BIA be dismantled. Could
you clarify your position on this?
A. What I am suggesting i ; that
there be a orderly transition from
BIA control to tribal government
control. The role of the BIA during
its days in the War department was
to isolate Indians from the rest of
society and to keep Indians on
reservations. Our job was to regu
late trade and supervise tribes. The
role of the BIA continued similar
to that up until self-determination
was announced as a policy of the
government. We were in this posi
tion because tribal government didn't
really function. Thai is not the case
today. Tribal government should
be recognized as a real govern
ment. It should be used. II that is
the case, we can't have two oigani
ations competing lor the manage
ment of the same resoures. One of
us has to gel out of the way. While
we can't do it overnight, we should
set a period ol time so that the mis
sion of the liuieau of Indian Affairs
can become well defined. That mis
sion is to help tribal governments
help themselves so they can handle
the problems on their reservations.
At the same time, we should pro
vide for an orderly phase out ol the
BIA with a target of a few years.?
So. what I am saying is that, yes,
I view my role as one that must get
(he Bureau managed better and to
address those problems the articles
I mentioned earlier brought out.
WeVc been working on those improve
ments for two years. But. I do not
think we should be operating in the
context that the BIA will live forever,
even a well-managed organization
still creates that dependent rela
tionship out there. It just does it
better. Until we can break that
dependent relationship by phasing
out the BIA. will not be able to
allow tribes room to grow and d
what's necessary to manage thi
quality of life on the reservation.
Kalama begins 1988 reign
Send mmn
he$tH0'he$tf
Roses are red, triolets arc blue,
sugar is suiecL..i)a pu haue a
stuecrhcarr nou want to remember
with special tuoriis of loue? Or, do
pu want to make fun of someone
snecial?
the tcbruarn 1 2 edition of Sjiil- sang a Wasco song on the changing
gau, tgmoo will feature original of the winter season to spring as a
words of adoration, to get ljour final act of her reign,
message printed, simply net it in The new Miss Warm Springs,
to our office by fridau, february Bridget, grew up in the Yelm.Wash-
5. Because snace is limited, we !nSton area- She attended schools
encourage all "louers" to get their Washington and graduated from
entries m as early as possible!
Bridget Kalama, 19, was selected
to reign as 19X8 Miss Warm Springs
at the annual pageant held at the
Agency l.onghouse. December 29.
1987. Bridget is the daughter of
I.ursen and Pat Kalama of Yelm.
Washington. She is the oldest of
three children in her family. Her
brother Carl. 17, attends Madras
High School where he is a junior
this year and her younger brother.
I.arscn. Jr., 10 is a fifth grader in
Yalm. She is of Wasco and Walla
Walla descent.
First runner-up to Bridget was
l avina Colwash. 19, daughter of
Amelia Col wash and the late Sammy
Colwash. Both girls are enrolled
members of thcConfederatcd Tribes
of Warm Springs.
The two young ladies competed
in what turned out to be a close
competition with the final scores of
the evening being within 20 points
of each other. The girls were judged
on poise, personality, talent, know
ledge of the reservation, appear
ance, dancingability. and interviews.
The evening event began with a
dinner honoring outgoing 1987 Miss
Warm Springs. Sara Scott, who
completed her reign with the selec
tion and crowing of Bridget. A spe
cial give-away by the Scott family
was held during the evening for
those people who had supported
and assisted Sara during her year
as Miss Warm Spirngs. Sara, her
motner urenaa iscott, her sister
Bridgette Scott, her aunt Merle
Tewee and her grandmother Viola
6
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,
Yelm High School in 1986. She
entered Central Oregon Commun
ity College last year. Bridget decided
it was a good time to be near the
reservation. She is majoring in ac
counting at college and her goal is
to become a certified public accoun
tant and work for the Tribes. She
worked in the accounting office
this summer and fall. She re-entred
college at Bend for winter term
where she will be a third-term
freshman.
Miss Warm Springs 1988 Bridget Kalama
She lists as special interests and
hobbies; photography, traveling,
rodeos, horseback riding, basket
ball and softball. She looks at the
year ahead as a chance to represent
the Tribes, travel to faraway places
and as an opportunity to meet new
people.
When asked about the thoughts
going through her mind as she
competed for the title of Miss Warm
Springs, Bridget said that earlier in
the day a co-worker and friend.
Rosie Tom's son had been injured
in a sledding accident and Bridget
was silently saying prayers that all
would be well for Rosie and her
three-year-old son. Preston Smith.
Fuel assistance available
Spityay Tymoo photo by Shtwetvk
New Housing Department headquarters, located near the Administration building, will be completed
March IS.
Indians make significant contribution to America
In, this the first of a five year
celebration of the U.S. Constitu
tion, there acknowledgement of
the significance of the Constitution
on every channel and in every
magazine But people would be
hardpressed to hear or see any
thing about the contribution the
Indian has made to this important
document.
Much of the U.S. Constitution
was actually, largely based on a
written Indian Constitution which
existed for centuries before Euro
peans migrated to the "New World."
The Iroquois Confederacy of the
Six Nations established the princi
ples of freedom of speech and reli
gion, the rights of women to partic
ipate in government, separation of
powers, checks and balances, initi
ative, recall and referendum. It
established the phrase "...of peo
ple, by the people and for the peo
ple." In the 1 7th and 1 8th centur
ies, some 60 Indian nations had
become part of this confederacy.
The Iroquois compared the confe
deracy to a long house, with separ
ate fires under a common roof.
Benjamin Franklin, one of sev
eral colonial statesmen who stu
died and learned from the confe
deracy's Great Law of Peace, urged
colonial govenors to follow the
example it set in establishing a
union. In 1 754, Franklin's recom
mendation resulted in the Albany
Plan of Union. It unified Massa
chusetts Bay, New Hampshire, Con-
Spilyay Tymoo
Spilyay Tymoo Staff
MANAGING EDITOR Sid Miller
ASSISTANT EDITOR Donna Behrend
PHOTO SPECIALISTWRITER Marsha Shewczyk
REPORTERPHOTOGRAPHER Pat Leno-Baker
TYPESETTERCIRCULATION . . Priscilla Squiemphen-Yazziet
FOUNDED IN MARCH, 1976
Spilyay Tymoo is published bi-weekly by the Confederated
Tribes of Warm Springs. Our offices are located in the
basement of the old Girls Dorm at 1115 Wasco Street. Any
written materials to Spilyay Tymoo should be adressed to:
Spilyay Tymoo, PO Box 870, Warm Springs, Oregon 97761
Phone:
553-1644 or 553-1161. extensions 274. 285. 321 or 286.
Subscription rates:
Within the U.S. $6 00 per year
Outside U S $12 00 per year.
necticut, Ktiode Island, New York,
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Mary
land, Virginia and North and South
Carolina. It was a political twin of
the Council of the Iroquois Confe
deracy. This plan served as the
primary model for the Articles of
Confederation, which led in 1787
to the U.S. Constitution. The Great
Law of Peace and the traditional
form of government of the Iro
quois Confederacy still exists today.
How many Americans know that
thousands of Indians fought on the
American side in the Revolution
ary War, or that the adoption of
Indian war tactics led to the mil
itary victory? How many know
that the Indian has fought for this
land in virtually every American
War? The fact is that far more
American Indian solidiers have been
killed in action per capita in U.S.
war efforts than any other race.
The Indian Citizenship Act of
1924 was actually an effort to rec
ognize the sacrifices made by the
Indian people in loreign wars by
making them U.S. citizens, entitled
to the same benefits hs all other
veterans. But some ticaty abroga
tionists today are even trying to
twist around the intent of that act
in an effort to dep rive the Indian
people of their traditional fishing
rights. This, despite the fact that
tribal involvement in cooperative
fisheries management is leading to
the resurgence of that resource.
No, don't expect to sec any
parades of fireworks on American
Indian day. But don't expect the
Indian to give up hope cither that
the truth will some day be acknowledged-
that the Indian people have
made and are making a significant
contribution to America.
Reprinted with permission from
Northwest Indian Fisheries Com
mission Newsletter.
Central Oregon Community
Action Network (COCAAN) began
to assist low-income household with
winters fuel bill January 4.
LIEAP funds are available to
income eligible households to offset
the rising cost of energy that is
excessive in relation to household
income, specifically winter heating
costs. LIEAP payments are not
intended to meet the entire energy
burden of a household.
Because of the budget cuts, by
the federal government, the pro
gram may be cut by 32 percent.
This means that fewer households
will be eligible tor the program. It
is strongly advised all households
continue to pay their fuel bills and
work with their utilities. A house
hold can only receive assistance
once per heating season under the
regular program.
The LIEAP funds are available
to families whose income is below
125 percent of the poverty guide
lines. Elderly, disabled, handicapped
and households with children under
the age of six are the only applica
tions being taken at this time. Elig
ibility will be based on household
size and income, for example, one
person may have a gross income of
$6,875 or less after medical deduc
tions. For each additional person
in the household the limits rise to
$2,375.
When applying for assistance,
proof of income, proof of medical
bills, current energy account num
bers, one electric bill, social secur
ity numbers and birthdate of all
household members must be brought
in at time of appointment.
Please call 475-7103 in Madias
or 553-1 161, ext. 29 1 to makeappoint-ments.
Prevention team to meet
The Warm Springs Prevention
team will meet January 20 at the
Community Counseling Center in
Warm Springs. Three items will be
discussed.
Included on the agenda for the
monthly meeting are: 1. election of
officers; 2. Tribal action plan; and
3. Update from the prevention com
mittee. The meeting begins at 11:30 a.m.
is open to interested community
members.
J 1 am'1" - ' yL. f .
-is" - .4ssss-v" t "i . - .. "- -"f f Ji
A collection of books, artwork and prints on Xorth A merican Indians valued at iS,400, was donated to the
Mid-Oregon Historical Society by Jonette Rright of Portland. The collection, called to the attention of
MOUIS by a ft SITI employee, was assembled over the last se-eral decades by Mrs. Bright.