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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 1989)
PAGE 4 February 24, 1989 Warm Springs, Oregon SpilyayTymoo Editorial A E.CooshEEWA: ATt Letters to the Editor ' "Spifyay Speafo" Apportionment change will cause regression Working agreements between two parties shouldn't affect others. There is no law about who can or cannot be hired in any organization. Everyone needs a chance for a job. Around here we have a large number of unemployed people. One rea son is because some have sea sonal jobs and work in the woods during the summer months and are idle during the winter months. There are many who don't have jobs because. ..well, let's face it, they just plain don't want to work. Some get jobs and work for a while and never V(l show up on Mondays or for days at a time. That makes it bad for their work record. When a company has to carry a crew like that, it costs more to keep them on the roster than to let them go and find someone who will be there on time and everyday. When it's time to get another job, all these things are taken into consideration. One's past work record and behavior are carefully examined, also the reason for his leaving his last job. All applica tions don't give the real reason why they have left the previous job. But from experienc, some supervisors have the sense to separate individuals into different catagories of the good workers and the bad ones. Everyone has their ups and downs in the world, no one is perfect and we have to live with our mistakes and try to better ourselves the best way we can. There is employment if a person is really sincere and wants to work. He just has to apply himself and settle down and go to work everyday. - I ' SSSSSS r - Dear People, I am writing this letter because of all the feelings I have inside me says it is time to say something publicly about our great reserva tion and enrolleees of the three Tribes that inhabit it. For now. III express my thoughts on apportion ment. First I would like to say I have not signed any petition for or against any changes regarding our constitution. Although I may not like some of the wording in that precious document, I'm sure you people will agree, it sure has stood the test of time. The people that put it together had a lot of wisdom and forethought. I would bet my hair and skin they saw this day coming and most likely discussed it at great length before saying yes, I agree, that's the way it shall be. Because of the financial success of our tribal endeavors, it seems a lot of different people or groups of people want to control the purse strmes. including, but not limited to, the greedy, the jealous, the edu cated, the haves, the have-nots, the wanabes, the employees, etc., etc., etc. The apportionment issue at this time comes about mainly because of the jealousy, the educated and the greedy. These people use the one man, one vote concept in their argument, saying it is unconstitu tional and going as far as crying to the big boys in Washington, D.C. These people are usually fast to ridicule something or somebody; want authority; don't trust any body outside family; has to have the best of everything around with lit tle or no cost; use people; turn their backs on traditional ways; don't know tribal tradition; show off; gossip about others; think they're better than others; control or try to control other peoples' behavior; lead by force, fear or coercion; assume, use rules and regulations for personal gain; do not mix with tribal members very well; would rather talk about you and what you're doing; think everybody In favor of apportionment To the Editor, The Warm Springs Wasco Indians had negotiated a treaty with the United States in 18S5. We Indians had come from the Columbia River and have an ab stract, dogmatic Indian traditional custom. I cannot recall opening the doors to lend our customs to be eroded and taken for granted. : I'm in favor of eviction. I never got any Malheur funds. Why? Equity was not condoned. I feel we've been used too long and it's time to act, for we need to be reimbursed. Justice has not been done for the injustices my mother went through. When it comes to money, no one is related to no one. You didn't think of US. PS: My Indian name is Sup-Wy-Y. Very truly yours, Martinez E. Charles should be like them; do only what they want; give advice but want none; want and cause turmoil be tween the three Tribes; act inno cent; notice faults, wrongs, weak nesses; think they have no faults, wrongs or weaknesses; think tribal members, as a whole, are dumb, weak and lack confidence; hope tribal members feel dumb, weak and lack confidence; have solutions lor all problems; dont really know . what the problems are; act like they know what all the problems are; are well educated in white mans' ways; dont care what you think, want or need; act like they care what you think, want and need; tell you what you think, want and need; care only for what they want, think and need; their grandchild ren probably lack the blood quan tum for enrollment; want a setup for their grandchildren; etc., etc., etc. The great American way, so to speak! During and immediately after the treaty signing our people had to start learning a new way of life. Regardless of the oppression, broken promises, holocaust, treachery and what not brought on by the white man, we have survived and will survive. It is our responsi bility to survive. We will not sur vive fighting amongst ourselves. Apportionment change is fighting a' tongst ourselves. We, and only we, can make tilings better by asking each other what we can do to help strengthen our tribal circle. And after finding out, doing it. Because of our treaty, our Tribes as a people was back to infancy due to the abrupt changes. The great American way says we have taken great strides in progress. I say we' haven't even learned to walk yet, let alone stride. Apportionment is an abrupt change that I feel will cause regression and not progres-' sion. Those that push apportionment' change are welcome to put them selves up for election to the tribal' council and prove they have the' best interests of the tribes at heart. ' So far. I have seen only telling,' ordering, taking, wanting and no' giving, no asking, no tolerance, no patience and no humility. ' I thank you for your time and space and remain forever and always and Warm Springer from the North End. Roger Suppah No tribal preference policy To the Editor and tribal members, I have been fighting the blatant disregard for the tribal member preference hiring policy since No vember, 1988. My battle involving six tribal member applicants has been uphill all the way, while the Future as tribe may depend on handling of Indian law To the Editor, There exists a practical need to exercise and expand civil jurisdic tion here on the reservation in tri bal court. At the present time we have the ability and the means to accomp lish this necessity of expending our jurisdiction. Although we are limit ed as to the types of civil actions that can be brought into tribal court involving non-Indians, we have the resource to do so; by developing our tribal code to that end. Any changes to our tribal code must first go before the tribal population and be approved. Herein lies the answer to the expansion and exercising of our civil jurisdic tion. We must become aware of ourselves so that we can deal with the present and the future. The size and population of our reservation relative to surrounding communities has, in the past, allowed our tribal government to remain fairly independent from off-reservation processes. Thus, the Student seeking basketball title Hello, my name is Sabrina Stev ens. I'm 17 years old and a senior at Toppenish High School. My par ents are Frankie and Reta Stevens of Wapato. My great grandparents are the late Watson and Tilda Totus. My paternal grandfather, Frank Stevens Sr., was married to Bertha Mitchell, an enrolled Warm Springs Indian. I'm running for the Yakima Nation All Indian Basket ball Tournament in March. I am asking for all my neighboring friends and relatives to support me with my ticket sales. I have traveled through many states to different powwows and sports activities. For ticket information you may con tact: Mary Stevens Sando, Perci Blackwolf and Monique Sconawah. Tickets are priced at S3.S0 per ses sion and $20.00 for the season. Thank You! practice of commencing civil pro ceedings in tribal court, by non Indians as well as Indians, is a new phenomenon. We have also been limited by history. In the past we weren't affected by the political, economic and social influences of non Indians. Today, we have non Indians, and other Indians who are not members, entering, leaving, visiting, marrying and returning to our reservation. This will inevita bly lead to disputes. So, while we, as a tribe, are strictly limited in the criminal field of law, we have a much broader range of possibilities in the field of civil jurisdiction. We first need to understand the rea sons why we need to expand. I am speaking of our children, our cousins, relatives and their children and their children. As our population grows we are becom ing, by necessity, ever increasingly exposed to non-Indians: economi cally, physically, educationally, emotionally and governmentaUy. As a consequence of the growth we are experiencing, there is a genuine need for communication to exist both within our community and government, as well as between ourselves and other off-reservation processes. While the general attitude, con cerning off-reservation influences, at one time, was one of apathy, we must gain a new realization of our "peers." We cannot stand on the sidelines any longer when we deal with our future. While we need to expand our jurisdiction, we also need to expand our "think tank" of tribal members who will actually put these words into action. We will need to have knowledgeable personnel in the area of Indian law to realize the capabil ities our tribes can exert. We will need able people within our tribal organization as well as in other key positions. Those positions are in city and local governments all the way to the federal level in Washing ton, D.C. This field of Indian law is a rela tively new phenomenon and the growth it is experiencing now will increase and have a profound impact in Indian country in the future. Our future as a tribe may very well depend on how we handle ourselves in the area of Indian law. The "need" to expand civil juris diction in Warm Springs is also derived from the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968. As with any docu ment, there are a variety of interpre tations. Probably the most important attribute to be exercised by "We, the tribal members..." in this "need" stage is "expression of views." Sincerely, Gerald J. Danzuka non-Indian hired, in my opinion, works and receives training with the protection of non-Indian manage ment. In response to my many ques tions of policy enforcement of tribal member preference, I was informed: "There has never been such a pol icy established not in writing." 1. Council has to set up policy and means of enforcement 2. There lus never been a formal agreement on this policy. 3. Tribal member preference has never been closed as a policy. I ask for your support as tribal members to help our voice be heard. Write your Tribal Council repre sentative questioning this latest excuse for the obvious misuse of hiring authority. Judy Kalama King Trivia Tribal Council Agenda February 23 and 24 Financial Workshop with Jim Size more at Kah-Nee-Ta. Thursday, February 23 Annual Meeting for Kah-Nee-Ta at Kah-Nee-Ta Lodge. Dinner at 6:30 p.m. followed by the meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday, February 27 Tribal Council Meeting 9 a.m. Warm springs Forest Products and Tribal Council General Council Meeting to discuss WSFPI Annual Report at the Agency Longhouse. Dinner at 6 p.m. followed by meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 28 Tribal Council Meeting 9 a.m. Business 9:30 a.m. Small Log Task Force Ken Smith Monthly Report WSFPI Task Force The longest winter in the solar system is 21 years long and occurs on the south polar regions of Ura nus. The temperature then is esti mated to be minus 362 degrees Fahrenheit. Tribal Council Attendance TOTAL NUMBER OF MEETINGS HELD DATE JAHUARV 1989 Family appreciative of help during loss To the Editor, We appreciate the help that made it possible for our family to travel to Klamath Falls and Chiloquin for our beloved father's and grand father's funeral. Thank you. Gidget Isidore Randy Robinson Tammy Robinson Rex Robinson Rhonda Robinson Laura Robinson Amanda Robinson Victoria Tufti Joe and Terry Tuckta and his grandchildren Buster and Toodie Isadore, Andrew Robinson, Keno, Tiyanna and Jermavne Tuckta EDITOR'S NOTE Spilyay Tymoo welcomes articles and letters from its readers. All letters, preferably 300 words or less, must include the author's signature and address. Thank you letters and poetry will be published at the editor's discretion. All letters are the opinion of the author and do not reflect in any way the opinion of Spilyay Tymoo. Spilyay Tymoo reserves the right to edit all copy OR refuse publication of any material that may contain libelous statements. MIM- MEETINGS MEETINGS MEETINGS ABSENT TOTAL nwlt ATTENDED ABSENT DUE TO DELEGATE DELEGATIONS Jackson,' Zane - Chairman U i o 0 Frank, Delbert Sr. - 1st Vice-Chairman n i o o Bruno. Bruce, Sr. - 2nd Vice-Chairman ? S II Wallulatun, Nelson, Masco Chief ,'5 ' 0 0 Heath. Delvls. Sr.. War Springs Chief '5 ' 0 0 Henry, Vernon, Palute Chief u to 0 Hallulatua, Karen f so g Cleoents, Janice 10 5 Squlenphen, Rita U 2 C 0 Johnson, Ellen j$ c 1 f Patt. Olnejr 6 10 e 3 1 1 1 1 1