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May 27
35
P.O. Box 870
Warm Springs, OR 97761
Address Correction Requested
U.S. Postage
Bulk Rate Permit No. 2
Warm Springs, OR 97761
0064S
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VOL. 19 NO. 11
ATNI members meet in Pendleton...
Tribes gather to discuss issues
P.O. BOX 870, WARM SPRINGS, OR 97761
MAY 27, 1994
The Affiliated Tribes of Northwest
Indians held their Mid-Year
conference in Pendleton, Oregon, In
the Red Lion hotel, May 15-19, 1994,
with continuing efforts from the
Winter Conference which was held
in Spokane in February, as well as
topics from the meeting with Clinton
at the White House and the Listening
meeting at Albuquerque, NM.
Topping the agenda are health
care, education, economic
development as well as tribal gaming
and the veterans affairs. There is
always a need for Indian education
and as tribal leaders the ATNI
conference is where a lot of
differences are brought out for
discussion. The drop-out rate is
tremendous among the Indian
students across the country. At each
conference ways are discussed to try
to bring that rate down. It was said
from studies that for each Indian
student who graduates from high
school two have dropped out and that
needs improvement. An 80 percent
dropout rate is way too much for any
race. There are several reasons for
the large drop-out rale. Lack of f unds,
housing, away form home for the
first time, cultural diversity causes
much problems.
The Health Committees National
638 conference report by JuliaDavis.
This concerned the meeting held in
AlburquequeN.M. May 2-5, 1994.
The Nez Puree Tribe formed an ad
hoc committee and developed a
position paper. Each region had their
own meetings. The Aberdeen and
Bemidji regions came out with a
request of a 6 month extension for the
comment deadline. The Northwest
couldn't support the six month period.
A time line showing the 6 month and
3 month, and the three month period
was axecped by all leaders.
In the meeting with President
Clinton there was much controversy
over budget cuts expecially in Indian
country. Senator Inouye said, do not
accept anything less than an
Executive Order to recognize our
Sovereignty, Treaties and executive
Order, as the health, safety, welfare,
education, economic and
employment opportunity, and the
preservation of cultural and natural
resources are the primary goals and
objectives of the Affiliated Tribes of
Northwest Indians.
The B.I.A. Re-Organization,
coming closer to becom ing final. The
Government to Government
relationship with all tribes and we
should not refer to the tribes as
Minorities especially with the Gov.
to Gov. basis of all the tribes today.
In a meeting with key Tribal
Leaders there was a draft drawn up
that needs to be finalized, said Stan
Speaks, of the Portland Area Office.
There are a couple of meetings set up
with all the Tribal Leaders with one
meeting scheduled for Oklahoma in
early July. The task force also said,
"we are very comfortable on what we
have worked on and we will be able
to say to each Tribe, "This is your
share of the Pot,"
The Ecosystem management, we
want tribes to look at their natural
resources, Range, Agriculture etc.
The delegation of authority is more
toward the reservation level as the
task force is near completion with the
plan and about to present it to the
people;le what has occurred. In the
up and coming budgets, we don'tt
want to cut from the Tribes who
really need all they can get.
As ken Smith, CEO for the
Confederated Tribes of Warm
Springs, said, This is the Task Force
4th year and we have worked hard on
giving information and also on getting
important information. Working of
the delegation of Authority where
Reservation Superintendents can
make direct decision and not have to
send them the Area Director for
approval.
On July j 1 1 , there will be a meeting
between the Task Force and Tribal
leaders to see the complete picture of
what has been taking place and
shaping up. The Superintendent and
staff have available in the Area Office
any assistance needed because there
will always be an individual in the
Area Office to help. The Bureau will
change but the Tribes will never gi ve -up
the Trust Responsibility from the
U. S. Government, even when the
Re-Organization with the Eco
System is implemented.
The A.T.N.I. Housing Committee
report for 1994 at the mid year
conference reported that for region
10 fiscal year 1994, we received
approximately twenty-two million
dollars ($22,000,000) for housing
construction which will provide for
two hounded (200) new homes.
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About 200 seniors and youth warm up before taking off for their walk.
Continued on page 2
Artists becoming empowered
"The opportunity to attend the
ATNI, on behalf of the Small
Business Administration is a special
privilege since my tribe hosted this
meeting." said Bobby Connor. "As
the keynote speaker for the ATNI
Artists Empowerment Conference,
my primary message was that there
is a natural and strong link between
entrepreneurial spirit, artistic
inspriation and our spirituality as
Native people.
"As Indians and as artists,
impowerment is evident when our
creativity is at full tilt in all that we
do. Our pre-con tact lilfestyle was an
exquisite one, rich in innovation,
superior craftsmanship, ample raw
materials, originally and aesthetic
beauty. We can make our dreams of
a good life reality by working
together, breaking barriers, support
one another always mindful of our
relationship to nature.
"What has happened here at
Umatilla is extremely heartening, a
quiet humble beginning of o an Indian
Art Renaissance. The Tilmutla Art
Council is tribally sanctioned, a state
and regionally recognized local arts
Continued on page 2
You're never too young
or old too learn the
benefits of a healthy
lifestyle. Senior citizens
and children from the
Early Childhood
Education center took a
walk together for health
May 25. Their brief stroll
took them from the Senior
Center to the Community
Center with stops along
the way to make sure
everyone was all right and
to have their blood
pressure checked.To
wrap up the day, the
seniors had lunch at the
new park.
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Participants make their way down High Lookie path on Wednesday's stroll .
President "reaffirms" trust responsibility, sovereignty Ran9e & A9 updating
Warm Springs Tribal Council
Chairman Raymond Calica was
among more than 300 elected tribal
leaders from across the nation to meet
with President Clinton April 29 for
the first-ever "Nation toNauon"meet
conference.
In his remarks to his peers, Presi
dent Clinton said "there is a great
yearning in this nation for people to
be able to reestablish a sense of com
munity, a sense of oneness, a sense of
cooperation, of shared values and
spirit. American are searching for
the chance to come together in
friendship, instead of coming apart
in anger and distrust. There is a
yearning for us to be able to live
together so that all of us can live up
to our God-given potential and be
respected for who and what we are.
"It is in that spirit and with great
humility I say to the leaders of the
first Americans, the American In
dian and Alaska Natives, welcome to
the White House. Welcome
home....So much of who we are to
day comes from who you have been
for a long time. Long before others
came to these shores there were pow-
Voters say big "yes" to WSCP
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645 voters east baUotsforrtferendum,
Employees at Warm Springs
Composite Products are breathing a
bit easier these days since the refer
endum concerning formal establish
ment of the tribal enterprise was
Overwhelmingly passed May 17 by
tribal voters.
At the date of the election, 1,776
tribal members were qualified to vote.
The election required a turnout of at
least one-third; 645 voters cast their
ballots with 559 voting for and 80
voting against Six ballots were
voided. Eighty-eight percent of the
voters voted yes on the issue.
According to Vital Statistics, the
election cost about $2,200. Election
board members Irene Towe and
Deanna Thompson presented ballots
to voters, while Fern Begay, Arlita
Rhoan, Maxine S witzler and Beulah
Calica counted the completed forms.
Vital Statistics mailed 440 absentee
ballots and 149 were completed and
returned.
Tony Stacona, WSCP Manufac
turing Superintendent, expressed re
lief that the referendum was over.
"I'm relieved. There was an exhaus
tive effort put forth leading up to the
referendum. We're ready to get the
ball rolling; get some sales going and
create some jobs." Stacona said some
folks voluntarily went door-to-door
to rem ind people to vote. Stacona put
reminders in windshields and others
even made phone calls to voters.
What's next? Once funding is re
ceived, the assembly system will be
automated and new machinery will
be ordered and installed. More im
portantly, new employees will be
hired. "By the end of August or
September, we should be in full
production process," Stacona adled.
erful and sophisticated cultures and
societies here-yours. Because of
your ancestors, democracy existed
here long before the Constitution was
drafted and ratified....
"I believe in your rich heritage
and in our common heritage. What
you have done to retain your iden
tity, your dignity and your faith in the
face of often immeasurable obstacles
is profoundly moving-an example
of enduring strength of the human
spirit. We desperately need this les
son now. We must keep faith with
you and with that spirit and with the
common heritage so many of us
cherish. That is what you came to
talk to me about, and what I would
like to respond to today.
"....We must respect your right to
remain who you are and to live the
way you wish to live. And I believe
the best way to do that is to acknowl
edge the unique government-to-gov-emment
relationship we have enjoyed
over time. Today I reaffirm our com
mitment to self-determination for
tribal governments.
"I pledge to fulfill the trust obliga
tions of the federal government I
vow to honor and respect tribal sov
ereignty based upon our unique his
toric relationship. And I pledge to
continue my efforts to protect your
right to fully exercise your faith as
you wish."
Clinton spoke of the importance
of religious freedom, saying that "No
agenda for religious freedom will be
complete until traditional Native
American religious practices have
received all the protections they de
serve Legislation is needed to pro
tect Native American religious prac
tices threatened by federal action.
The Native American Free Exercise
of Religion Act is long overdue. And
I will continue to work closely with
you and members of Congress to
make sure the law is constitutional
and strong....And to make certain
that you can obtain the ritual sym
bols of your religious faith, in a mo
ment I will sign a directive to every
executive department and agency of
government, not just the Department
of Interior, instructing them to coop
erate with tribal governments to ac
commodate wherever possible the
need for eagle feathers in the practice
of Native American religions."
Respecting tribal values.rcligions,
identity and sovereignty is "our first
principle," said Clinton. The second
principle to guide "cur
relationship.. ..is to improve the fed
eral government's relationships with
the tribes and become full partners
with the tribal nations.
"I don't want there to be any mis
take about our commitment to a
stronger partnership between our
people. Therefore....I will also sign
an historic government directive that
requires every executive department
and agency of government to take
two simple steps: first, to remove all
barriers that prevent them from
working directly with tribal govern
ments; and second, to make certain
that if they take action affecting tribal
trust resources, they consult with
tribal governments prior to that deci
sion. It is the entire government, not
simply the Department of the Inte
rior, that has a trust responsibility
with tribal governments. And it is
time the entire government recog
nized and honored that responsibil
ity." Becoming better partners also
means becoming better listeners, said
Clinton. Thus, the first-ever Listen
ing Conference held in Albuquer
que, New Mexico May 5 and 6 at
which members of the departments
of Interior and Justice were present
to listen to tribal concerns. Clinton
Continued on page 5
The Range & Ag department is
currently in the process of updating
the Warm Springs Brand Book. The
following information is needed from
everyone that has a registered brand:
1. Is all the information in the old
brand book the same (brand, brand
location, earmarks, ear tag colors,
etc.if you need to review the brand
book there is one here in the office)?
2. Are you adding a new brand? If
so we have registration papers for
you to fill out.
3. Any changes from one district
to another? If so, you need to speak to
the ride boss of the grazing group you
plan on changing to. There is a
procedure that needs to be followed
for every grazing group when
changing districts.
We would like to have the new
brand book out possibly by July 1,
1994. The deadline date has been
extended to May 31, 1994. So any
newupdated information that you
wish to have in the new brand book
needs to be in the Range & Ag
department by then. If not, the
information that is in the current brand
book will be re-entered into the new
one. If you have any questions or
concerns, feel free to call us at 553-33623363.
Coyote News In Brief
304th Invades Reservation
Members of the 304th Rescue Sauadron visited Warm Sorinns
May 12 to demonstrate refueling techniques and explain their
flying pattern over the reservation.
Panel
Mitcneu to visit Normandy, France
It was fifty years ago on June 6 that Art Mitchell was among
thousands Of Soldiers to DarticiDate in the Normandy Invasion
Mitchell and some of his family members will return to Normandy
10 commemoraie me event.
Pacts 3
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Leaaers gatner to listen
Hundreds of Indian leaders and government officials gathered in
Albuquerque to participate in the listening Conference' called by
rresiueni bunion.
Paae 5
Annual roaeo draws Dig crowd
i he 45th annual Tygh valley All-Indian Rodeo was held May 21
and 22, drawing large crowds of spectators and participants alike.
Page6
Volunteers receive training
A doxn Warm Sphngs Victims Assistance volunteers took part in
training in Albuquerque May 11-13.
Paae 7
Computers to enhance Indian language
Mary Ann Meanus is picking up computer skills to help enhance
Indian language teaching.
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