E Coosh EEWA: The vvy it is
Page 4 Spilyay Tymoo Msrch 4, 2004
Members facing
bigdecisions
By Selena Boise
Spilyay Tymoo
Well, I inquired about a few
things last time regarding the
sub-chief for the Wasco, and
received a few responses that
answered some questions for
me. I learned a few new things
and I am thankful to those who
responded to
me.
I wondered
about the pro
cess of naming a
sub-chief and
how one is chosen. There isn't
one certain way that a sub-chief
is chosen for all tribes. Each fol
lows their own unique process
and includes lineage of previ
ous chiefs and bloodlines to the
people of our ancestry.
Being a confederated tribe
we have three different tribes,
and each has their own chief.
The information I referred
to last time was from the North
End and they are of another
culture, though we all have simi
larities. Chief Dclvis Heath was
chosen by Nathan Heath, and
named sub-chief at the time
Amos was named Chief. The
ceremonies honored both at the
same time. The Simtustus fam
ily still have lineage that allows
them to become chief of that
tribe again.
Delvis is familiar with and
practices the Washut religion
regularly and that is what the
North End tribe does. But it was
said to me that the Wasco have
another way of practicing their
, religion, which is similar but still
differs in its ways.
; There was so much informa
; tion that I was informed of re-
garding my last article. I found
'j that Alfred Smith Jr. has lineage
f that goes back to the treaty sign-
ers of the Wasco tribe.
I have more to learn and I
' am looking forward to learning
; more about this.
' The tribes did live in clans
I along the Gorge and through
; out Oregon before the treaty
'. was signed. Many of us moved
; here and some of us moved to
the Washington side of the Co
lumbia. Some of us were here
in this area already and re-
mained here.
; As a confederated tribe we
', have tribal council members
; from each of the three tribes,
j Warm Springs, Wasco, and
i Paiute, and one chief for each
' tribe as well. Every three years
I we elect a Tribal Council to
; serve a three-year term, while
. the chiefs are appointed to
Council for the remainder of
' their lives or till they step down.
; Currently we are preparing
- for the upcoming election of the
; new Tribal Council to serve
from 2004-2007, if my calcu-
lations are correct. We as the
tribal membership will be vot
ing to elect the council member
best suited for our representa
tives. We should all take a look
at the candidates nominated for
Tribal Council.
Tribal members should be at
the council meetings and forums
where these discussions take
place so that good sound deci
sions can take place at the elec
tions. It is important to be in
formed of their intentions and
goals for us as the tribal mem
bership. The way I heard it recendy
was that this tribe is hurting and
something needs to be done to
turn it around. When you go to
cast your ballot keep in mind the
forums and speeches and look
at the big picture of this tribe
and make a sound decision that
will benefit the tribal member
ship as a whole. That sounds like
a lot to take in but this next elec
tion is important. Be informed
and think about the future of
our children.
Spilyay
Speaks
Public safety
To the Community,
I feel compelled to let every
one know how much I support
and appreciate the necessary
changes that were recently
implemented in regards to our
new Public Safety General Man
ager. I support the changes, they
were long overdue and that
branch now has a permanent
GM who I feel will institute ac
countability to the staff and
spawn a change and improve
overall services and interaction
with our community.
I know there are some ele
ments that did not support the
necessary changes; however,
when change is needed and
implemented, not everyone is
going to be happy about it. For
the most part, however, I've
heard only positive comments
and responses.
The Public Safety Branch has
always managed to be in the
forefront of continued discus
sions within the organization and
community. We all have a genu
ine concern about those services,
past, present and in the future.
I'm confident with the new lead
ership, "status quo" will be a
thing of the past, services will
improve, accountability will be
administered and we will start
seeing more tribal member faces
Work together to
I am glad the leadership of
our reservation is focusing on
the health and welfare of our
kids. I would have to say, it's
about time.
In my opinion I don't see
how one department is more to
blame than the other. You see,
I'm not only an officer of the
law, or former employee of the
community center. I'm also a
single parent of four. So my
opinion comes from both sides
of the street. I can't see how
some can be so fast to point the
fingers toward the police depart
ment and the Community
Wellness Center. The budget
reductions have affected not
only our children, but elders too.
Working at the community
Birthday and other wishes. . .
;(' 7
Happy birthday, Hess.
Hope you have a good one. From
Jamie and Maria Lope Sheryl
Lee Lope Romotia and Jose.
I lappy birthday to Auntie
Hess. From Jarron, Elias,
Kava, Asirai and Natasha.
We would
like to wish
out baby girl a
very happy
21st birthday,
March 6, sta
tioned in Nor
folk, Yirg. We
all love you
very much.
Dad, Mom, Resie, Raelynn,
Trent, Jovon and bro Jay.
I H
serving our community. Our
Council, organization and enter
prises are here for the people.
We all need to start working
with one another within the en
tire organization and enterprises.
The younger generations are
counting on us to have some
thing for them down the road.
We are all one people and one
tribe, I have family now in all
three districts and tribes. Let's
start to put our differences aside
and work for our future, our
children, and generations yet to
be born. These are the funda
mental elements that we all have
in common. F.J. Calica
Being Indian
I got to thinking about
Outkast yesterday. The rap
duo, I don't listen to rap. Native
Americans across the country
arc calling for a boycott because
of what happened during the
Grammy program. Outkast and
their beautiful dancers
"mocked" Native Americans by
dancing around green
teepees. Our tribal radio station
continues to play the music. I
had to laugh, honestly.
On the reservation today, I
see many of our youths trying
to dress like blacks, talking like
blacks, flashing signs like blacks,
and getting involved with gangs
center was beneficial for me. I
got to know the children and
elders in attendance. There were
times when the staff were pay
ing for the kids' field trip, be
cause their parents didn't send
money or had no money for
them. Other times we gave kids
a ride home after the building
closed, We didn't complain or
send nasty letters to their par
ents. That's not the way people
are supposed to be.
We take care of one another,
that's what Indian people are
taught. Some areas, the staff
would stay over to help kids with
their shooting, or fitness pro
grams, depending on what sea
son. The staff were not paid for
this, nor did we complain,
We would like to give a big
thanks to Irene Boise, Tracy
Boise and Kyle Queahpama
for being there as our witnesses
and taking the long trip to
Reno, Nevada on February 6.
Joseph A. Boise (Cheeks) and
Melanie Kay (McClelland)
Boise.
Happy birthday, Lauren
Holliday. You have a won
derful and happy day. I'm
very pround of you and
your strength. Keep it up,
honey. Love always and 4
ever, mom.
Happy Birthday Ambrosia
and Dolan. Always, Jolene (and
Chip).
Happy Birthday Na-Na
Lauren. No matter how
mean you are to us we will
always love you. Love Alexis
and Jade
Lauren Holliday (T urtle):
Happy Birthday. I lore you,
sweetie, with all my heart. I
remember the day you were
born, we were there to cheer
greet you with tears. Now
you're 11 and the love has
only grown deeper. Take care
of yourself and your sisters.
Remember, reach for the stars
and dream your dreams.
Miracles happen. Lore,
Grandma Buitnie and
Grandpa Harry.
Letters to the Editor
like blacks. This has all hap
pened before, and not only on
the reservation.
Throughout the years, people
just aren't happy being who they
really are. In the '60s and 70s,
people were dying to be
Indians. Everyone had a great
grandmother who was an Indian
princess. There were a lot of
blond braids back then and hor
rible imitation leather dresses
and shirts, In the '80s, it seemed
like everybody wanted to be.
white. Beginning in the '90s,
some people wanted to be black.
Today, I cringe when I think
about how I would die my hair
orangutan-orange back in the
'80s. I suspect that many of
today's youths will cringe when
they think about how they wear
their pants around their thighs
today.
Think about it. Here we have
Outkast, black men pretending
to be Indian. Does this mean that
on the reservation, we're going
to have Indian kids pretending
to be blacks pretending to be
Indians? Oh, the headaches!
Guess what, kids? You don't
have to pretend anymore -you're
already Indian! You have
access to songs that were sung
hundreds of years before
Antwan Patton and Andre
Benjamin's ancestors arrived
better our community
I have concerns about the
community center building. The
building was built when the lo
cal population was half the size.
Did you know the basement was
condemned? The wall structure
is cracked, water leaks in every
year. A small quake would de
molish the center in a split sec
ond. Four staff people are left
to run activities for 600 plus
kids weekly. Safety versus
money. What's wrong with this
picture? Plans were done several
years ago. Until the Oregonian
articles, those plans were ig
nored. The police department has
also been beneficial. Kids are
welcome to do ride-alongs. I've
had several kids with me
Happy birth
day to Joseph
DreamCatcher
Calica, March
13. Look at you
now son, big boy,
7 years old and
getting ready for
your first soccer season. You
have brought so much joy and
happiness into my life, your
mother's and the rest of the fam
ily. I want to wish you a very
happy seventh birthday and
many more son. Love, Dad.
Happy birthday March 6, my
sunshine, I hope you have a
very safe and wonderful birth
day. I'm sorry I couldn't be with
you on your special day, but
remember I love you, forget me
not. Seeing your face light up as
I gave you your ring and roses
brought so much happiness to
my heart, a memory I will carry
forever. For that's all I have are
memories.
Without you I feel I'm on a
road of decadence, try as I may
to remember your wisdom of
the scriptures, the light is still
there just not as bright. Pray
for me as I'll pray for you.
Happy birthday, take care, I re
member something you wrote
me and with this I leave with
you, "Let not your heart be
troubled: Ye believe in God,
believe also in mc." Love A.P.
from Africa. There's an elder
that lives a few houses down
from you that would love it if
you dropped in for a visit (and
brought with you maybe some
fruit as a gift).
You can do something that
Outkast could never do: you
have access to tribal elders who
can tell you fantastic stories
about the history of your
people. All you have to do is ask.
I wasn't offended by what
Outkast had done. Oh, okay, at
first I was offended. But after
thinking about it, it tickled
me. Outkast doesn't understand
the first thing about Native
Americans. Probably, all they
knew was that it looked ex
tremely cool acting like
Indians. So let them keep on
singing. I lonestly, I never knew
who the heck they were until
they bounced out and started
dancing around their green tee
pees. It truly is cool to be an In
dian. Frederick Duran Bobb,
Skw'lapt
Letters to
Please write to the Spilyay
at P.O. Box 870, Warm
Springs, 9776 1, or drop by the
office. Or send your letters by
e-mial to this address:
throughout the years, with the
guardians' consent and the chief
of police. Two of those kids
graduated, one other joined the
armed forces, and several are
off to college.
Adults were court-ordered to
do ride-alongs for community
service. A few are now recov--ering
and working. Now with die
budget reduction, five more
police positions were eliminated
- an approximate ten-position
reduction within the last five
years. The police and the Com
munity Wellness Center can only
do so much for our growing
community, with little or not
enough manpower.
The acts of violence, alcohol
and drug abuse, thefts against
Hey... guess what? Brains
and bronz: We would like to
wish our nieces a belated
As the mother of Donavon
I swear I will be the mother to
keep him in best health and out
of harms way. In doing so I will
grow as well as learn from my
mistakes now that he's here. I
can't imagine life without him,
his very presence makes me feel
whole and complete. I will al
ways be there for him in happi
ness and sadness as well as his
times of triumph. He will be the
first thing on my mind when I
wake up and before I go to sleep.
His needs will always be met
before mine. I won't have it any
Spilyay Tymoo
CCoyote News, Est. 1976)
Publisher Emeritus: Sid Miller '
Editor: Dave McMechan
Management Successor: Selena T. Boise
Advertising Manager: Sam Howard
Receptionist: Angie Blackwolf
Media Advisor: Bill Rhoades
Spilyay Tymoo is published bi-weekly by the Confederated Tribes
of Warm Springs. Our offices are located in the white house at 1100
Wasco Street. Any written materials submitted to Spilyay Tymoo
should be addressed to: Spilyay Tymoo, P.O. Box 870, Warm
Springs, OR 97761. Phone: (541) 553-1644 or 553-3274. FAX No.
(541) 553-3539. E-Mail: spilyaytymoottwstribes.org. Annual Sub
scription rates: Within U.S.: $15.00.
Appreciated
I wanted to express my ap
preciation to Heather Crow
Martinez. She has impressed me
with her passion and dedication
to working with youth. Heather
continues to go above and be
yond her positon as director of
Bestcare when working with
myself and the Community Jus
tice Juvenile Division. Thank
you. Savenia Falquist, juve
nile justice officer.
Thank you
. We would like to again thank
the friends and relatives of
Hester L. Scott who have been
asking about her and saying hi
to her. We always pass these
messages on to her when she
calls or when we call her. She is
now working in the Personnel
Support Detachment. I Ier new
title is Personnelman. She is
doing very well. She says she is
learning many new things every
day. Thank you. Harvey and
Florene Scott and family.
More letters on page 5
the editor
spilyaytymoowstribes.org.
For space reasons, letters
should be no longer than 350
words in length.
Thank you for writing.
one another, have been a prob
lem in our community for a long
time now. Let's not contradict
ourselves by blaming a certain
few. We can all work together
to better our community.
The Oregonian was a small
realistic version. There have also
been a lot of good with'bur ldds.
Such as the Madras High School
girls winning the state basketball
title last year. The number of
graduates we have had, and the
few serving our country over
seas. So we can focus more on
both, rather than react to real
ity to satisfy the community for
a short while. What will become
of this? Hopefully, the best for
our kids. Thank you for your
time. Sincerely, Lovie Ike.
birthday, Jan. 17 and Feb. 22,
Happy 22 Tera Lynn and
Annie Dee, and may you be
blessed with many more.
Much love from the Sahme
family: Auntie Becky, Uncle
Kenny and cousins, Salena,
Mariah, Menamoo and Bran
don Lee.
other way and this is how it will
always be because he is my son
and I am his mother. Love is
what he'll always have from me.
March 3, happy first birthday
from your Momma CBW,
grandparents Cyril and Debbie,
Kaylyn, Clarissa, Rheianna, Jor
dan, Justin, Lupa, Warren, Jr.
Happy first birthday.
Love you lots, from your
great-grandparents
Raymond and Beulah
Tsumpti. Auntie Clarissa W.
Wolfe loves you all the way
from Anadarko, Okla.