Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 6, 1997)
Spilyay Tymoo Warm Springs, Oregon November 6, 1997 9 Joint committee meeting nets dreams, concerns for future of Confederated Tribes Comprehensvie Plan Community Input The Comprensive Planning Teams have been meeting with community members during the month of October and November. The Joint Committee gave their input for the Governmental Affairs Team. Following is their input for the Comprehensive Plan. Tribal Government Vision & Goals input on Comprehensive Plan Sovereignty & Treaty Rights: Prouds: Pelton Dam Water Rights Declaration of sovereignty written Fishing Agreement with State Using our Ceded land U.S vs Oregon administered (State recognizing their Trust Responsibility) Sorries: Agreeing to build Bonneville Dam Polarization of people (districts created) Other Tribes using our usual and accustomed places Not communicating to young people. Not take it for granted. Need to add hunting to agreement Courts bringing in outside people for collections Documentation funds from Tribe not being used Biggest Fears: Pelton Dam could hurt Tribe's water rights 638 contracting is a step toward termination Sovereignty diluted by congressional action case by case could eventually loose everything Do we know what sovereignty is? Can we exert it? Do we know our sovereign boundaries? Other tribes using 1865 Treaty, not recognizing 1855 Treaty. Our blood lines are becoming so thin what will happen in future Desired Future: Use the 10 million ceded acres used for all treaty rights berry picking, root digging, hunting, fishing, water rights. Other tribes recognize W.S. sovereignty not using federal government definitions. Handle all tribal members cases in Tribal Court (not in State, city, county), Federal magistrate - overturn A-l Decision Vision: The people (ie. W.S.Simnasho) all working together, for children to have a better life - like the old people did. (ie. people from Seekseequa all coming together to work, have a meal). Viable economics & jobs for people (not relying on government). Everyone supporting themselves doing work that they enjoy How Do We Get There: Need Bruce Babbit to sign tribal restoration plan Get federal government understand historical agreements (ie. Bonneville Dam) Need to understand and uphold process PLANNING PROCESS & ORGANIZATION Prouds: Helping the organization with opportunities to work together (Committees, Branches, Community, etc.) Sorries: Turfism still here, little follow-up to make sure we're working together, still competing for budgetslittle assistance given to one another, coordination & communication problems still persist. Fears: Planning Process isn't followed through - we don't stay on course, termination, bankruptcy, continued in-fighting (districts, government, etc.) Lack of self-determination More non-tribal members running government Youth not involved Desired Future & Vision: Good communication throughout organization & with community , responsive government with effective leadership, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs working together & in harmony, no discrimination, traditional & progressive values respecteddifferences respected No in-fighting INTERGOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNITY PARTICIPATION: Prouds: Water negotiations, Gaming Compact, KWSO Radio Station, Printing resolutions in paper. Sorries: 509-J school district relationship, Rose Garden large amount of money not brought before the people. Location of Casino BIA downsized, but still hired non-Indians No inter-organization communication Lack of coordinationcommunication between dept. & committees Tribal Council less travel Fears: . Treaty tribes vs non-treaty tribe agreements with state and federal agencies No money for budget Future: Educated Professional tribal members Alcohol substance free tribal members Housing for tribal members families More & constructed recreation Expand KWSO for community satellite use More reports from Tribal Council Strengths: Good leadership Long-range planning Development and growth of the organization Desired Future: A college and voccational tech school for professional, technically educated tribal members. Well planned budget and tribal monetary planning for the future. How Do We Get There? Tribal member management with more involvement with community and organization Our own alcohol and substance abuse treatment facilities ENROLLMENT & RECORDS: Prouds: Started on imaging system (to computerize tribal records) Sorries: Adoptions should be abolished. Too vague enrollment requirements Limit committee minutes Records Dept. not stationary in one department Fears: Loss of blood quantum Loss of major documents Future: Stricter & more constructive requirements Make Records Dept. a stand alone department Desired Future: A school the reservation; trade school, reduction unemployment and welfare numbers; leadership by example, more private business and economic development, hospital How Do We Get There? Follow plans, not let them set on a shelf Input from the Committees will be added to that of other community members for developing the Tribes 20 year plan. If you or your family would like to give your input to any of the following teams you can contact the team leader or Planning Department (553-3290): Economic DevelopmentFinance Team, Sal Sahme, Education Human Resources, Julie Quaid, Governmental AffiarsBIA ASC, Ginger Smith, Human Services, Willy Funetes orMarita Jones, Natural ResourcesBIA, Deepak Sehgal, Public Safety, Dan Martinez or Anita Jackson, Public UtilitiesHousing, Nancy Collins; Tribal Court, Wilma Picard. Across the Wire ldaho:Gaming arguments "largely academic" BOISE, Idaho (AP) As he awaited for mal reports from his Gaming Study Com mittee, Gov. Phil Batt conceded that argu ments about tribal-run gambling on Idaho Indian reservations are "largely academic." Batt said voters forfeited the ability to do much about Indian gambling when they ap proved an amendment to the Idaho Constitu tion in 1988 allowing establishment of a state lottery. "No state, as far as I can tell, has been really successful in shutting down tribal op erations after they have a lottery," the gov ernor said Monday. That conclusion was in line with the findings of his Gaming Study Committee, which last month narrowly recommended maintaining the status quo both on and off Idaho's Indian reservations. The 7-5 vote endorsed a statement aimed at validating current tribal casino operations while assuring there is no major expansion in the future. Excluded from the statement is an endorsement of the Internet lottery site the Coeur d' Alene tribe has been test marketing. The statement calls for gamblng compacts with the tribes to be amended to reflect the extent of electronic gambling already on the reservations, and to allow for expansion only as a reflection of tribal financial requirements. the market being served and the impact on local services. The governor said changes in state law may be required. "Wherever these negotiations lead, the results should require ratification by the Legislature," he said. "Thousands of Idaho ans are going to be unhappy with the resolution of his no-win matter. Their voices should be heard through their legislators." Batt told the panel he appointed last spring toassess all gambling in Idaho. But the sharply divided committee's real purpose was to find a way to end the debate over tribal expansion into electronic pull-tab and so-called video lottery machines that the governor has claimed were illegal under state law. On Monday Batt still decried the "mania for gambling" across the nation. He specifi cally targeted Idaho Tribal Gaming's adver tising campaign with the slogan "Everybody Wins," calling it "1 80 degrees from accurate." But the governor also acknowledged the economic benefits Idaho's tribes have realized from reservation gambling, including lower unemployment rates and improved educa tional opportunities. He said the committee's split on the issue reflected the ambivalence of Idaho residents about gambling. Indian leader contends government not living up to education trust duty TACOMA, Wash. (AP) The federal government isn't meeting its legal responsi bility to provide education to American In dian children, an Indian leader says. "Education is a trust duty," said Ernie Stevens, vice president of the National Con gress of American Indians. "It cannot be ignored. So far, the quality of education we have received is poor and must change." Stevens, a member of Wisconsin's Oneida Tribe, was a keynote speaker Monday at the National Indian Education Association Con vention. The annual gathering has attracted about 4,000 delegates to Tacoma from Indian Ancient Nisqually legend topic of children's book tribes across the country. Indian tribes ceded their lands to the gov ernment in exchange for ongoing support, Stevens said. It's the government's responsi bility, he said, to continue making payments for those lands. "Maybe we should start repossessing lands," Stevens suggested. "Maybe we should be like car dealers when people can't make their car payments." According to National Indian Education Association figures, Indian youngsters have the highest dropout rate, highest suicide rate, lowest test scores and lowest college atten dance of any minority group. Stevens said in the past two sessions of Congress, lawmakers have passed off re sponsibility for Indian tribes by sending block grants to individual states. Tribes must work together to head off cutbacks in federal funds and social-welfare programs, Stevens said. County could halt Muckleshoot amphitheater IAIA student files suit against principal, board SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) An Institute of American Indian Arts student who lives part time in Juneau has filed suit alleging IAIA President Beatrice Rivas Sanchez and several board members violated his civil rights by changing curriculum and firing Indian teachers. In the lawsuit filed here Friday, Timothy William Hiser, 36, accuses Sanchez and board members of subjecting him to cruel and un usual punishment and acting in a racially discriminatory manner when they persuaded hi m to attend the two-year arts college without informing him of the changes. Hiser, a Chippewa-Cree from Box Elder, Mont., and Juneau claims the defendants violated his rights under the First, Fifth, Eighth and 14th amendments of the Constitution. He had applied to IAIA in July 1996 and was accepted for fall 1997. "The defendants have failed to follow the mission statement of the college, thereby creating an issue of fraud, racial discrimina tion, breach of contract and cultural geno cide," wrote Hiser, acting as his own attor ney. Hiser said he also had been accepted by Marlboro College in Vermont but was urged by an admissions officer to attend IAIA be cause of its strong cultural studies program. Hiser said he passed up the Marlboro College opportunity, accepting admission to IAIA, only to learn upon arrival in Santa Fe that cuts in curriculum and faculty had been made. He asked the court to: Award him $500,000 from each de fendant for punitive and exemplary damages. Issue a preliminary injunction to keep the defendants from terminating any re maining IAIA faculty who will be witnesses in the case. Order the defendants to undergo psy chological evaluations "to see if they are fit for duty in the Native American education arena." Order the defendants reinstate all American Indian faculty terminated in 1996. Order the defendants to write an apology to Hiser and all past and present IAIA students for racial discrimination and release a copy of the apology to all statewide newspapers and to News From Indian Country. Order the defendants to memorize and recite the U.S. Constitution in court and in struct the defendants to each write a 75,000 word essay explaining what the protections of the Constitution are, what they are going to do in the future to make sure they uphold it in their individual and official capacities. Appoint him legal counsel and award attorney's fees and costs. Besides Sanchez, defendants include board members Robert H. Ames, Gail Bird, Kenneth Blankenship, Barbara Davis Blum, Loren Kieve, Duane H King, A. David Lester, James D. Santini and Thomas A. Thompson. The defendants either could not be reached for comment Friday or declined to comment. SEATTLE (AP) The fate of a 20,000 seat concert amphitheater the Muckleshoot Indians are building near Auburn could wind up in court unless King County can resolve its differences with the tribe. Several County Council Republicans on Monday called for zoning restrictions that could halt the project. If the full council passes an emergency ordinance applying rural zoning to parts of the Muckleshoot Reser vation, the tribe is expected to file a lawsuit in federal court. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that counties may impose taxes and land-use regulations on certain lands within a reser vation under certain circumstances. But King County would be moving into largely un charted legal territory. County Executive Ron Sims notified the Muckleshoots last week that King County believes it has the authority to tax and regu late reservation property thit is privately owned, whether by tribal members, non members or the tribe itself. B ut he said county and tribal officials should negotiate their differences. Councilman Kent Pullen went one step further Monday when he introduced an or dinance to impose county rural zoning for one year on all privately owned land within the reservation. His proposal would exempt property held by the federal government in trust for the tribe. State and local governments have no authority over trust lands. John Halliday, the Muckleshoots' eco nomic development director, said if the pro posal passes, the tribe will sue. "How does (the county) enforce things against a government that has sovereign im munity, that is in its own territory that is granted by treaty with the United States government?" Halliday asked. Pullen's proposal would create a one year moratorium, during which the county could try to conduct environmental reviews of the project. "We may conclude that it shouldn't be built at all or we may conclude something else, but it shouldn't go ahead at this time completely incompatible with the surround ing uses with no underlying zoning," Pullen said. His plan was endorsed by a busload of 34 amphitheater opponents who came from the Enumclaw plateau to Monday's council meeting. "If the laws are followed as they are on the books, I think there may be a very good chance of stopping it," said retiree Dennis Swanson. Pullen said he believes a majority on the 13-member council favors his plan. But Sims' aides said Pullen's proposal goes too far. "What we want to do is work with them cooperatively," deputy chief of staff Kurt Triplett said. "This is pretty immediate and punitive." In the end, the council delayed making a decision on the issue until next Monday. The amphitheater is scheduled to open next spring and stage 30-40 evening events year. It's a joint venture of the tribe and San Francisco concert promoters Bill Graham Presents. YAKIMA, Wash. (AP) Man needn't have money, cars and stock options to be greedy. It's been with us since time began. Yakima author Nancy Luenn makes that patently clear in her colorful new children's book, "The Miser on the Mountain: A Nisqually Legend of Mount Rainier." Luenn, 42, retells the legend with the help of illustrator Pierr Morgan, whose paintings are so beautiful you may want to rip them out and frame them to hang above your sofa. But that would be selfish, and that's not what this story's about. "The Miser on the Mountain" features a man's desires overtaking his duties as a husband, father and tribal member. Latsut, which means the one with clenched hands, is too cheap to host feasts or give his wife shells for a necklace. All he wants is "hiqua," barter shells. And his ceaseless quest for the trea sured shells eventually takes him away from his family and sends him up the slopes of Mount Rainier, where he finds a summit lake, human-sized otters and a bountiful cache of shells. Latsut takes as many shells as his arms can carry. But he offends the spirits by not bringing an offering. They make his trip home miserable by pelting him with winds and snows. But all ends well. Latsut survives, learns from his selfish ways and returns a changed man. "I think it symbolizes change," Luenn said. "I think kids will like the adventure and they'll get the point and understand that he's breaking the rules." The story was first told to Theodore Winthrop in 1853 on his travels through the Pacific Northwest. And in this retelling, Luenn conveys Nisqually beliefs and images. She explains that the snowfields and glaciers on the mountain aie home to spirits and she uses Nisqually terminology throughout. The book, recommended for children between the ages of 4 and 8, is Luenn's 12th. She came upon the idea for "The Miser on the Mountain" years ago when reading a news paper article about Indian legends. Since then, she thought it would make a good children's book. "I was intrigued by this idea of a lake on the summit with otters in it," she said. "I'm very fond of mountains and otters. There's several Nisqually legends about a lake on top of Mount Rainier." She's been attracted to Mount Rainier, the highest peak in Washington, since com ing to the state decades ago as a college student in Olympia. "When you come into downtown Olym pia there's an incredible view of Mount Rainier," she said. "It's the most important symbol of Washington." She even tried to climb it once but made it only half way before a storm forced her down. Luenn was contacted by Sasquatch Press, a Seattle-based publishing house, about writing a Northwest-centered children ' s story . The editors liked "The Miser on the Moun tain" idea and linked her with Morgan. Luenn and Morgan exchanged ideas over the course of a year before finally producing the final product, which was released last month. Luenn also worked with the Nisqually Indian Tribe to ensure their approval. "Sometimes a story belongs to a family or an individual and that's something I wanted to ask about," she said. "The people at the tribe were receptive." A portion of the royalties from the sale of the book will be donated to the Weusso Nisqually Tribal Library to purchase books and fund story-telling programs. Grace Byrd, a library technician with the Nisqually Indian Tribe, said Luenn showed consideration in asking the tribe to preview the book before it was in final print. "She wanted to make sure it was accurate," she said in a telephone interview. "She also did a lot of research." Luenn, who teaches adult English-as-a-Second-Language classes in Grandview, moved to Yakima from Olympia a few years ago. She's been writing children's books for 1 5 years, ranging from picture books to young adult novels. Generally, her stories deal in mythology from other cultures, fantasy or ecology. In 1996, she released the book, "Squish! A Wetland Walk," an illustrated story of a child's exuberant exploration of wetlands. The book, which received the 1995 Governor's Writers Award, was inspired by a proposed housing development that threatened a wetland. The book colorfully describes the importance of wetlands to ecosystems. And the city of Olympia even tually purchased the wetland to preserve it as park. She's currently working on a book that will be released by Atheneum and illustrated by Anna Vojtech about a boy and his family on a fishing trip on a river and the otters they encounter. i
