Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 2000)
4 January 27, 2000 warm Springs, Oregon spilyay tymoo E Coosh EEWA: 77z way is S V ThY&Y SVlS&ttS Tribal Member shares concerns regarding Management and Tribal Council Just-A-Rambling! And than the snow came! Yep! It crept in on the night of Jan 23, 00, with out a sound, and blanketed the countryside with that white stuff. It came down pretty good and piled up to several inches in places. A beautiful sight if you are just a sight sce'er, but bad if you have to work in it. People digging out to get to work, to school or just for a fast run tothe "Rainbow." AyelMany years ago in the olden days kids used to go coasting at "Hi Lookic," the hill adjacent to the Baptist Church. There still are traces where the sleds came fly ing down the hill. In them days it was during the Boarding school days. The whole school would trek up the hill pulling their sled, and you could hear kids shouting and the bumping sound of their sled as they would come whizzing down the hillside. Sometimes the sled would tip over and the kid would go rolling down the slope. Even the adults would go sledding in the evenings, I guess because there was no TV, in them daysi In the evenings there would be a big bonfire where people could warm up as everyone was at the hill sledding. During the school days the kids would go coasting behind the boys dorm. There was a small place to sled there. Sometimes a big snow ball fight would start after lunch, boys against the girls which would last until school time at one O'clock. "Well let's see,"The Columbia River Tribes head to Washington D.C., to make it clear for the restoration of the salmon and trout in the Columbia River and it's tributaries. Treaties signed in 1 855, made it clear and guaranteed the Colum bia River Tribes exclusive fishing rights in all and accustomed fishing places, as well as to hunt and gather food for their livelihood. A delegation of representatives from Umatilla, Nez Perce, Yakama, and Warm Springs were to meet with President Clintons Officials as well as other federal agencies. The details are unknown at the present time but its termed as a big meeting according to officials in D.C. ', Court action could be likely if terms are not settled in this meeting, as tribes are considering litigation if no satisfactory conclusion is reached. In attempts to improve conditions for the salmon runs, dam breachment in the lower Snake River could improve the salmon runs in that area. As deliberations on whether the dams should be breached , the Tribal Leaders are never invited and allowed to participate in these meetings. A scientific study was evident that breaching dams would be the best way to save salmon especially in the Snake River. In the past and probably the present everyone blamed the Colum bia River Tribes for the depletion of the Salmon runs in the Columbia River. Where are all those outdoor sports organizations today ? Don' t they have any suggestions on how to restore the fish runs in the Columbia River? The off shore fishermen should be considered as another reason for the depletion of fish runs. Trollers off shore take tons and tons of :salmon, while most of the time the treaty tribes don't even get their fair share during the Spring and Fall runs. Yep! It's time the Columbia River Tribes do something to be Iheard in D.C. and across the country. "Humm...Ta-da...ta-da!" It's a new Pow-wow year once again, with pow-wow's springing up all across the land. Even the schools ;and universities are staging pow-wow's today. There will be a Pow ' Wow at Portland State, the University of Oregon, and Oregon State University. Coming up in February, is a Pow-Wow at the Chemawa Boarding :school in Salem, one of the oldest Indian Boarding schools in the 'country. There will be a big local Pow-wow in Simnasho in February, the Lincoln's Birthday pow-wow. We talk of keeping up on old traditions, sometimes the thought icomes to mind, "At one time, it was an honor to be able to sing and drum at a pow-wow." The real traditional ways when all the men could share their talents in singing and drumming for the public to ;get out and dance and the dancers all enjoyed the social gatherings of both sexes enjoying themselves. Today in the front line is the...$...sign, no one wants to do anything unless they get paid, and we talk of traditional ways....and another thing people are always having to honor some thing or one, and when the song goes everyone has to stand. Why go through all that stuff because everyone knows who did what and when and have already given their appreciation on that matter. People are at a Pow-Wow to enjoy them selves and not for glory . So why can't they just sing drum and everybody dance to have fun in the traditional ways. AHH-NAH-CHI-TOON! ! ! To the editor, Regarding my last letter about the unfair distribution of the small busi ness grant money. A couple Tribal Council Members (old me that there was more grant funds available and that everything was supposed to be taken care of. Well the Small Busi ness Center again said there weren't any funds. So is someone lying? Did the funds get shifted to cover some thing else again? Or did it go straight to the grant board and they just for got to tell anyone? If the recommen dations of the two fellows that work there don't carry any weight with the board what arc they being paid for? If there are no funds available, ex cept for the chosen few, why doesn't the ST just come out and say so and quit "B.S.ing" everybody. At the recent Fish and Game meet ing held 11200, we were told that a certain "small business" didn't have tojump through any h(xps. And even had a Tribal Resolution passed by the Tribal Council, the ST and the COO at that time. Now this same "small business" is said to be violating the Tribes' Constitution, By Laws and Treaty Rights. We were also told with the blessings of higher authority. Is it because this small business caters to the well to do NON-Indian "Sportsmen?" Is our management trying to show the non-Indian that they are "NOBLE REDMEN?" One good thing, this has made people a lot more aw arc of our Con stitution, By Laws and Treaty Rights. Its just Uk bad members have to use them to defend us, against our own management. Myself, and I'm sure that the others who are being jerked around by the people w ho control the purse strings, have asked our higher ups w hat was going on and didn t get a straight answer, or not response at all. And our ideas didn't violate any treaty rights or tribal laws. Just Tribal members who thought they had a chance to give their ideas their best shot. At the proposed budget meeting last November, there were some good ideas brought up to bring money making businesses to the reservation, for the tribe. When a small business was brought up the ST, who did all the talking, stated that if anybody every needed a shovel or pair of gloves, that the small business cen ter would be glad to help. Kind of shows you what he thinks Tribal members are capable of. At the same meeting when asked, the ST stated strongly that there would not be any donations to Veterans doings. But was read adamant on putting aside tribal money for another consultant. How many former ST's have had to hire consultants? Isn't that why all these committees were formed, and w hy does the tribe have these tribal law vers on the payroll? I've seen non-Indian and non members show up to take ov er dif ferent management positions. After impressing the Tribal Council by talking the lingo of the positions, and learning a few of the ropes from tribal members, they start sending them selves aw ay for more training. Now they are conducting interviews of tri bal members to sec if they are wor thy enough to work for "Our Orga nization". Once they are sctilcd in they surround themselves with their own loyal "Noble Rcdmcn", some not even from here. Then instead of listening and learning from other people's views, they find it easier to chop others down. Because remem ber, they went to training's and work shops, so they know about Indians. I've heard people in positions of au thority not liking someone because that person picked on them in grade school. And other saying a certain manager staling that now people can kiss a certain part of their anatomy. What has the year 2000 brought us? The "Revenge of the Nerds?" Docs Tribal Council have any say so? Or has management turned them into "Noble Redmen?" Puppets for man agement, just to rubber-stamp things to benefit the non-Indians. So far there has been only one who has spo ken out against what is going on. That being the Paiute Chief and he doesn't seem to be getting any backing ci ther. What arc they alraid ol I am ulso referring to a number of written complaints by Tribal mem bers about certain management types. When we do get a response, we arc told to take it up with that board, be cause it is a separate enterprise. In some situations, the board is the prob lem. For example, when a certain Kahnccta Manager had tribal vendors removed from the lodge area, to get rid of the competition, complaints were written to all the big shots, in cluding the Kahnccta Board. Where was Council? They claim to protect our senior citizens, because these were senior citizens that were getting the boot. Or are certain non-Indian managers exempt? If the Council has no say so, and authority is being given to managers and consul tan is, and the Tri bal mem bers voice not carrying any weight, who knows, w e may wake up some morning and find out we don't have a reservation anymore. It seems like the only time that the tribal member's votes count for any thing is during the Tribal Council elections. It looks like we are the ones to blame for letting things get out of hand; maybe hoping somebody else would fix things. Victor Moten Tribal member Tribal member preference should apply to contractors To the editor, Organized Labor, I think it is time w e, WSCT and any other laborer that might live in our home of Warm Springs REZ, organizing our labor force into an entity that will make sure that Tri-West (liars) or any other company that comes into our home must hire at least 50 WSCT and other community members, keep our dollars here. , , , We create these jobs in the first place. Our people of Warm Springs , create thousands of jobs all through Central Oregon that generates mil lions upon millions for other people's communities while most all of our local WSCT people continue to suf fer. Living in pain, hunger, poverty, drugs, alcohol, violence, death, etc. Too many social ills. It only takes a few of us to create a Warm Springs Confederated Tribes Labor Force Organizations that can protect our jobs. We can utilize our local, tribal attorneys to help us or ganize our WSCT Labor Force Or ganization on paper. We can Vote to pass resolutions to create a law have on our WSCT Rcz that will guaran tee our WSCT people jobs for gen erations to come. We can all (hundreds of us) picket any business that does not comply to our WSCT standards, 200-500 geno cidal years. Let's vow to agree to disagree, to distinguish business from personal. Lets vow to come together, work to gether as a team so w e can take care of each other. Let's vow to stand up for our WSCT people. Create our own stan dards that meet the needs of our WSCT people. Live our lives on our WSCT people terms. We, WSCT lire entitled to at least 50 of our jobs, created by our WSCT people, fi nanced by our WSCT people. People get it done or they don't get it. I don't care if you have any number of college degrees or how many computers, consultants; reor ganizations our WSCT lawyers go through people are still the backbone of any business, company, Indian tribe. Our WSCT people care more about our REZ and people. We live and die here. This is home. It isn't just an 8 to 5 job to us. This is our life. Tri West Co. If you're so smart, why are you working and stealing from a bunch of poor ignorant Indi ans? If you're so smart why won't your own people employ you? Is it because you are unable to compete in your own society and are forced to work on our WSCT Rez? Our WSCT people need jobs too. Not only are we building a home for our WSCT Seniors it is also too obvious that we are building homes for a certain few Tri West employees that steal inventory (lumber, nails, etc.) from the work site. For those 200 plus WSCT people that are still waiting on Tri West to hire you forget it. Liars-all lie, cheat, steal, are the first lessons taught to mainstream society. We must organize our labor force into an entity that will influence, make, outside companies hire WSCT people in the future. As the construc tion is just starting here on our WSCT Rez. We, WSCT workforce, have to lead our leaders into realizing that we must have built in safeguards in the contracts that ensure that any com pany doing any business on our WSCT Rez are required to hire 50 WSCT people. Our leaders seem to just take care of themselves and their immediate family instead of caring for all WSCT people. Our WSCT people need jobs to make life better for all our people. Jobs for WSCT people. We, WSCT people have to lead Hello, from Pastor Rick- our so-called leaders into understand ing that our WSCT people need jobs too. Why do we give jobs to all out siders while our own people continue to struggle, suffer, die? Your living is our WSCT peoples dying. If you fire all these so called lead ers that come into our WSCT Rez every day to steal all they can using our WSCT vehicles to do so, not to mention the gas, wear & tear on our WSCT budget. Fire, down size," our useless out- ' side work force and use our resources to offer our own people jobs, experi ence, hope. In sports you win with people, a team. You create a team over time and experience, which you don't get in a classroom. I think business, any kind of business succeeds with its people, good leader equals good team people as egotistical bad leaders equal ego tistical bad lazy people. Everything is about people; it isn't the tennis shoe that creates a good team as it isn't the computer class room, lawyer, consultant, etc. that creates a good whole some workforce for our WSCT people. It is time to face the truth and downsize our two top heavy WSCT workforce and put our resources back into our own people & community. Bobby Eagleheart Tribal member To the editor, First off: Wanted, all seventh grade and up young people. I want you. On Tuesday nights from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Warm Springs Pres by terian Church there is a youth group meeting. I want you there. We arc at this time a small group-we need you there. I w ant young people w ho want to talk about life issues seen through pages of the Bible. Some games, some food (it helps if you bring some food), and some prayer. I have no youth budget to spend money. I have the time on Tuesdays and 20 years experience of being a student of God and a student of people. So to all seventh grade through 12th grade young people bring you bibles to a youth group. If you don't have a bible, I will give you Toe Ness Lawyers sometimes tell the truth they will do anything to win a case. YIKES For Sale 1991 F-150 V8; auto, air, power windows, AM FM stereo, very clean & well maintained. Asking $6,500. Call Shirley at 553-1469 Canopy for sale Overhead canopy that fits Chevy Longbeds '91-00 Well maintained. White with black trim. Call Allen residence, at 553-1469. ss ss ss Editor's Note Spilyay Tymoo welcomes articles and letters from its readers. All letters, preferably 300 words or less, must be signed by the author. Letters will not be printed unless signed. Thank you letters and poetry w ill 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 or malicious statements. one. A friend of mine here on the res ervation had a close call about los ing his sobriety after many years. We talked and had prayer and as of this letter he is still sober. How is your sobriety? How is your time away from drugs? Is a clean life going strong? Is one day at a time working for you? Remember the steps: Let God clean house, tell someone. That is the short version of the 12 steps. Where are you in the steps? If any of these "steps" business means nothing to you and y ou w ant to leam more about jt call the Warm Springs Counseling Center, or call me. Now a personal message to some one here in the Warm Springs Com munity. I have seen y ou around a lot lately. I have seen you at the Post Office, Admin, Jail, store, walking down West Hills road. You are be- NaNa If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, al ways expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defend ing him. When I read this it reminded me of how much you love and be lieve in me. Thanks for everything you have done for me and just by being their for me. I hope that you get everything you deserve in life you have a truly beautiful spirit. Happy Birthday January 9. Love, Alexandria Happy Birthday to three special men Raymond Shike Jr. Tony Torres and Donnie Winishut January 25th From Charlotte & Ray mond Shike Sr. Thank you Roads crew To the editor, Thank you! Roads Maintenance Crew: Alley, Don, Hobo, Marvin, Merle and Les (I guess), for what seems like a thankless job. You keep the roads sanded and have to get up early in the morning to do this. You do it not only because it is your job, you do it for the public's safety. I want you to know that I appreciate all your hard work not only as a BIA employee but also as a tribal mem ber. Thank you! Dorina D. Surface coming a great force in our commu nity. You are becoming more and more powerful. Your very presence changes good people into something they don't want to become. Yet, you make them change. My message to you is this. I love you, and Jesus loves you. And so, to you Mister Anger it is time for you to leave Warm Springs. Soooo, hug someone you love. Hug someone you dislike. No alco hol or tobacco for children buckle up the kids and yourselves. Don't hit, or beat on yourself. Pay your bills before gambling, then stay home. Read the Bible for its effect on your heart. Pray to God to the point of you hearing him. Honor someone, love yourself, like yourself, and see you in church. Pastor Rick R. Ribiero Warm Springs Presbyterian Church (On campus) Reward offered for lost ring Attention: If any one has seen this ring, please notify Tricia Sahme at (541) 553-5735. Reward offered for information leading to the return of this ring. Ms. Sahme lost the ring in the vicinity of the Pilot Butte Cin emas in Bend cither in (he parking lot, ticket box office, or inside the theater on Monday, December 27, 1999. The ring is made of a 9mm Pearl, 7 diamond, filigree setting mounted in Platinum. Thank you Tricia Sahme For Sale Two Satellites. $150.00, $99.00. Call Ursula Little 553-33 13. tfappy 'Birthday TadH "We love you with auourfieart SfnOy &Shey February 12,2000 Happy 19th Birthday Desirae Smith Love, Jason, Camisha & Jade Smith Collector buys artifacts Collector buys old Native Ameri can items: baskets, beadwork or ? I pay top dollar. If interested call: I-503-297-2353