" E Coosh EE WA: The way it is
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Page 4 Spilyay Tymoo March 21, 2002
Gorge best
for casino
Letters to the Editor
Spilyay
Speaks
By Sid Miller
Spilyay Publisher Emeritus
From time immemorial, the river
tribes thrived on fishing on the Co
lumbia River. After the dams were
put in, they depended on the timber
for income.
Now that the
timber is dwin
dling away, other
sources must be
sought for in
come. Today
gaming is one of the biggest produc
ers for the Indian tribes.
I have written about the gaming
situation in the past, but somehow
everyone misunderstood my opinion
on the whole thing.
Our best place for gaming is in the
Gorge. The number one spot is the
Cascade Locks area, then Hood River.
Those two spots are the best for our
gaming establishments.
In the past, I mentioned a site
along Highway 26, but everyone mis
understood what I meant.
My idea for the Highway 26 site
was to move our gaming completely
out of Kah-Nee-Ta, and place it along
the Highway 26, with our main gam
ing in the Gorge and our local one
along the highway. That would really
boost our income. As it is at present,
we are losing money by having a ca
sino only at Kah-Nee-Ta.
My idea for gaming along High
way 26 would be at the HeHe
Simnasho Junction. We could have a
truck stop, cafe, motel with good
clean rest rooms. That would really
attract travelers to stop.
Everyone thought my idea was to
have our main gaming at Highway 26.
Wc need to move our gaming out of
Kah-Nee-Ta and put it along the high
way. Many, many individuals in Port
land always say if our gaming was
along the highway, they would be
more than ready to stop and relax for
a while at the gaming.
They say the gaming at Kah-Nee-Ta
is just too far out of the way to
stop. And besides, the gaming is not
for us to patronize, it's for the public
to bring in the business. As it is at
the present, many local people are
in there gaming, which is not bring
ing in any income at all.
Like I said, the Gorge is the best
location for our gaming, if we are able
to place it there. Many people are
worried about employment, but
when you go to Kah-Nee-Ta, there are
more outsiders working than locals.
With the income derived from the
gaming from the Gorge, we could
produce programs for people to work,
as there are always things that can be
done around here to keep a crew busy.
Also, our resort is for families on
vacation, and many of them don't
plan on doing any gambling.
People save all year long to take
their families out on vacation and
relax before school, and not to
gamble. If we can build at Cascade
Ix)cks, it would be just minutes from
the city of Portland.
Well, my final suggestion would be
to move our gaming out of Kah-Nee-Ta
to along the highway and build our
main one in the Gorge. That way we
sure would be on the right track.
Prayers appreciated
Hello, family and friends.
We the Saludo family would like
to take this time to say thank you all
for the support, time to visit , talk,
be there with great sympathy. It has
almost been a year, a long hard one.
We also appreciate the lending hand,
smiles, lots tender loving care espe
cially to our little niece Neteva
Lysarose Saludo, who will never
know where and understand.
So please send the words of prayer
out in the next few months. It's go
ing to be hard with all the trials and
who knows now. Let's take a stand
and show our support and say some
thing to this family. Thank you for
your time and patience. Also ask for
peace in this community, because you
never know what the next day or to
morrow will bring. Sincerely,
A friend, Saludo family.
Lincoln's Powwow
I would like to take this time to
Congratulate the 200203 Lincoln's
Birthday Powwow Royalty. Thank
you for all your efforts and commit
ment you have shown to be on the
Royalty. Each and every one of you
girls have done such a great job and I
know that you all will represent your
powwow with great pride and respect.
Remember first and formost is "have
fun" this coming year!
It has been a great personal expe
rience for me to be able to work with
you girls in reaching your dreams and
goals. Each and every one of you have
so much potential, I know with con
fidence you will succeed in any path
you choose to take. The past six
months, in getting to know you and
working with you, has had a true
posidve effect on me also. I am proud ;
of you all, and know I will be here all
year if you ever need any assistance
or guidance in any way.
The 200203 Lincoln's Birthday
Royalty sold a total amount of $5,700
in raffle sales this year with each
young lady receiving 10 percent of her
sales. This was second highest in our
pow wow history. Good Job!
See you all next year.
Trudee Queahpama-Clements,
Royalty Coordinator; Lincoln's Birth
day Pow Wow Celebration.
Please write
Dear family and friends,
To whom is willing to take time
to write me, please do so and don't
forget to say some prayers for me. I
really need all the help I could get. I
love and miss you all. Love a friend,
sister or niece, "don't be shy".
Tamara Henry 883346
1120 SW Third
Portland, OR 97204
Asking forgiveness
To Eric Craig, and others I done
wrong. I don't know how to say this,
so please bear with me. The night of
February 3, I struck you for no rea
son at all, not even my drunkenness
is an excuse. What I done was wrong
and I'm accountable for my actions.
Through this letter I send to you
through the Tymoo, I apologize. You
never done anything wrong to deserve
what I done. My only hope is you
can find it in your heart to forgive.
And to all others I hurt, I apolo
gize for the pain and suffering you
went though.
To my step uncle and cousin who
put me through every type of abuse
when I was a young boy. Stealing from
me the trust, love and security every
child should have, you know who you
are. I forgive you! I pray that every
thing that I so desire I ask the same
for you. This chapter of my life is fi
nally let go. . .
May the good Lord bless and watch
over you. There will always be a place ,
at my table open to you. -
Joseph Craig
An apology
My apology to Miss Gabrielle
Sohappy, well-known as Gabie.
From Lucinda Jim-Yazzie.
Hoping to heal
To my family:
First off to my mother Iva Meanus,
I know that my behavior during my
short time there wasn't tolerated, nor
appreciated as it brought about un
needed stress for you.
My drinking has made a separation
between us that has brought a lot of
tears for me as I know that I have only
myself to blame. My drinking is no
excuse for my behavior. I know that
If you would please consider, I
apologize for all of the hurt and pain
I've caused for you and the rest of the
family.
I'm paying with having no place
with the family and that is well de
served on my part. t
I will remain as an off reservation
tribal member for all my life if this
will help in healing the pain I've
cause.
To remainder of my family, over
the years away I've done a lot of fac
ing the facts in my actions while I was
there. They're inexcusable and that
is my reality. If you also would con
sider, I apologize to you all as well
for my behavior in drinking. I know
there is no excuse for my part and I'm
living in that reality every day of my
life.
To the Warm Springs Community,
for those concerned, I've done wrong
in my behavior, and I am really fac
ing knowing so. My name may still
cause bitterness. I wish it weren't so,
but my wishing won't change the
facts.
I've vowed to myself to remain
away from the reservation for the re
mainder of my life, as I've lost my
"privilege" of being a member of the
community for my wrongs.
In closing, I'm hopeful that my
apology will be received and pon- v
'dered over. Please accept my apology. '
P.S. For auntie Inez, I hope that
Ronald is okay as he's dealing with
his own situation.
I'm sorry you have to go through
this.
Aaron Hart
The Spilyay again would like
to remind readers, please limit
Letters to the Editor to 350 words
or fewer. Letters longer than 350
words may be cut starting with
the last sentence. Also, no state
ments can be published that are
libel against another person.
Be positive
I love to use writing as one of the
greatest talents I know. It is one of
the most awesome, precious things
the lord has given to me with the way
I now , am.
I love to share with a lot of people
almost everything I'm learning down
this way in Eugene.
It does save me money to write
more.
I have many cool friends where I
now stay. We get together some
nights, drink coffee together.
We really don't like to talk about
others. We know it's not our job to
judge people. Lately, I've learned la
bels are on a jar not on a person.
I was also told once, "Don't judge
others, that's not our job." Look at
the positive side of your life, look at
everything you can do now, not at
everything you used to do that's all
in your past.
We should all look at everything
we can do now! Be positive, one day
at a time. With faith everything will
be alright!
Its not any of our fault if people
or anyone gossips, tells rumors about
us. We are still alive.
I know writing is definitely
cheaper to communicate with others.
It, also helps with your emotions
when hurting. Just remember, be
positive. Thank you.
Evette Patt
- 689 W 13 Avenue Apt. 11
Eugene, OR 97402
v t
(Letters continue on page 6)
There are many ways to help one another out
By Willy Fuentes
Chief Operating Officer
Toe-Ness
Two babies in a hospital, with beds
side by side. One said, I'm a girl,
The other I'm a boy.
Girl: "you look like a girl"
The boy: "I'll show you when the
nurse leaves".
When the nurse left, he shyly lifts
his covers and said, "Sec, blue boo
ties." YIKES!
Declines
The next Spilyay issue
publishes April 4, with a
March 29 deadline for let
ters and stories.
It's me again, with respectful
acknowledgement of all people.
I hope I don't come across as try
ing to tell people how to live their
lives. I realize we all must choose our
own path in life and this is something
I find rewarding for myself. Some
thing I try to teach my own children.
Something I've been thinking
about since I was about 18 years old.
No it's not trying to find a way to get
out of work. Actually, it's about a
group of guys who worked on the
green chain at the mill, during the
summer after my high school gradu
ation. I know I can't remember all their
names, but I'll name the ones I can.
There was Fonzi, Top Dog,
Sidewards, Louie, Roger, Glenn, and
some one called Rex's Boy. Quite a
bunch of 'good guys' who enjoyed
teaching the new guy a few tricks.
Like stacking two, three, four or
sometimes five sheets of 53s on top
of each other and seeing if you could
pull the stack off the chain.
As you struggled with the weight,
the same guys would help you move
the plyboard vencer to the cart. I be
lieve these tricks were done for two
reasons.
One, it allowed you to pull the
wood while you were learning to pull
off the chain without scratching up
your forearms. I still have a couple of
scars on my arm proving my inexpe
rience. The other reason was to en
sure that you pulled your fair share
of the workload.
While it was all in good fun, work
did get done. In fact, the teaching that
was going on has made such a lasting
In My Opinion
impression on fne that it has helped
form, along with the teachings from
my elders, one of my core values.
It was during the times when the
chain was running at full speed and
we were pulling 27s that the teaching
was most evident. To make certain
that no wood went over the end of
the chain, the pullers in front would
double up the sheets to 'Help Out'
their fellow worker.
When someone got tired, another
puller would pull the sheets. The ex
perienced workers would shout
"Help Out," and it was an act that
was just as important as showing that
you mastered the
only learned from the inside out, and
one must be committed to wanting
to help out. I like to think that the
concept of 'Helping Out' is a part of
our tribal culture and one that we as
a people would like to practice on a
daily basis.
Opportunities are all around us to
help out at home, school, in the work
place or community. Specifically,
youth, elders, disabled or those incar
cerated in our jail are some of the
populations who may welcome a
helping hand. Organizations such as
Special Olympics, Little League base
ballsoftball, 4-11 and the SMART
Reading Program are just a few of
many opportunities.
I bet you can think of many more
opportunities, so
technique of pull
ing wood off the
chain. So 'Helping
Out' has become
an important part
of my life.
Now there are
plenty of opportu
nities to 'Help
Out.' At home I
could clean, cook,
grocery shop,
work the TV remote or maybe just
make sure I don't become the 'prob
lem'. At work, it is not so simple. As
chief operating officer, I think my big
gest contribution to 'Helping Out
would be in making sure I set a good
example and expect managers and di
rectors to do the same.
In this way maybe I can pass on to
the tribe's service programs the teach
ings I learned as a young kid from
those hard-working gentlemen at the
mill.
The concept of 'Helping Out' is
As chief operating
officer, I think my biggest
contribution to 'Helping
Out' would be in making
sure I set a good example
and expect managers and
directors to do the same.
what is holding
you back?
The individu
als who already
give their time
unselfishly are to
be publicly
thanked, and I
know there are
many of you.
There were at
least five Warm
Springs police officers, Mary, Ron,
Chris, Larry, and Don, who offered
much of their off-duty hours helping
out at the Special Olympics
fundraiser a few Saturdays ago, work
ing side by side with Special Olym
pics athletes.
Tribal members Eldon Tom and
Don Courtney have given of their
own resources and time to this orga
nization for years, and I am certain
they feci they are the ones who ben
efited because of their involvement.
Last Christmas, I observed Cap
tain Moody, Carlos Calica and
Sheila Wahneeta, the one who re
cently made Rudy an honest man,
and others giving their time freely
at the Indian Night Out, role play
ing and directing alcohol and drug
free recreation with children and
adults at the Agency Longhouse.
Pastor Rick and Sister Pauline have
for years been attending to the spir
its of those housed at the jail.
A young man, Mr. Joseph Boise,
helped organize a recovery weekend
for the reservation a couple of week
ends ago. Before him there was
Jamison Mitchell, Guy Wallulatum,
Alice Sampson, Margaret Buckland,
and Roland Kalama Sr., who gave
of their time for similar events.
For years Bob and Maria Macy
have helped our tribal members dur
ing times of need, when tribal de
partments were closed or on week
ends. Prior to that it was atwai
Jimmy Macy and Luwana, and be
fore that Dan and atwai Priscilla
who helped our families in need.
I know this is only a partial list
and I cannot forget all those unself
ish parents, grandparents, aunties,
uncles, children, grandchildren,
nieces, nephews brothers, sisters,
cousins or friends who give of them
selves to help each other out. Isn't
this what really makes the world go
around?
So the next time you pass some
debris on the sidewalk or roadway,
think about picking it up. Better
yet, pick it up.
If you can't do that, try to make
sure that you help yourself by stay
ing on the 'right track' or if you're
paid to do l job, carry your fair share
of the work or "Help Out" where
you can. That is all.