F fnnsh FFWA: The VVY 1't iS 5Pily3y Tymoo August 18, 2005
Before deciding,
it's important
to have
all the facts
By Selena Boise
Management successor
So, what do you think of the
tribes situation? Will there be a
recall? I would think that before
signing the petition that is going
around, people should hear both
sides of the issue.
There arc always two sides to
every story, and so
far I have only
heard one side.
I lopcfully I will get
Spilyay
Speaks
to hear both sides
to this story before long, and be
fore an actual outcome has
been decided.
It's hard to make comment
about the issue until the points
arc brought across and under
stood. But I understand that the pe
tition would recall the Tribal
Council, the Secretary-Treasurer
and the Chief Operations Of
ficer, due to decisions made in
Council chambers.
Problem of drugs, alcohol
In the meantime we as people
of the reservation are faced
with tragedy when our members
are high on methamphctamines
or drunk.
While high or drunk, they do
things that they normally would
not da It brings out the worst
in people, and it is very danger
ous not only to themselves but
to others as well.
Then you have to say to your
self, What this actually comes
down to is the legal system, and
what is it doing for us?
You have a person going to
court for possession or other
charges surrounding possession,
like being under the influence.
They are in and out of court.
They may be addicted, so they
just keep going around and
around.
I know the tribes are aware
of this problem, because I have
seen meetings actually scheduled
and task forces in place to tackle
this problem.
Alcoholism has been a prob
lem for many years, and I have
seen it as far back as I remem
ber, and I remember the Fron
tier. I believe that having all these
problems with alcoholism and
now methamphetamines needs
to be a strong factor in these
political decisions that are up in
the air right now.
Make a decision based on
knowing all the facts first.
Toe Ness
A boy was watching his fa
ther, a pastor, write a sermon.
"How do you know what to
say?" he asked. "Why, God tells
me."
"Oh, then why do you keep
crossing things out?"
Thank you for writing to the
Spilyay. Please keep in mind that
letters can be no longer than 350
words in length, one submis
sion per issue. Thank you.
Spilyay Tymoo
CCoyote News, Est. 1976)
Publisher Emeritus:
Sid Miller
Editor Dave McMechan
Management Successor
Selena T. Boise
Advertising Manager
Sam Howard
Reporter
Brian Mortensen
Media Advisor
Bill Rhoades
Spilyay Tymoo is published
bi-weekly by the Confeder
ated Tribes of Warm Springs.
Spilyay Tymoo, P.O. Box 870,
Warm Springs, OR 97761.
Firefighters
I would like to take time to
express my sincere appreciation
to our local I lot Shot Fire Crew,
Fire and Safety and all other fire
agencies that responded to the
Wolfe Point fire on August 1,
2005.
I would like for the
firefighters that remained
around my home as the fire was
burning all around the structure
to know that I have a great re
spect for your commitment, al
though I would never want any
one hurt in a fire to protect my
home. This is the third fire that
has come very close to burning
my home.
Three members of my fam
ily worked with the first "Ixcal
Hot Shot Crew of Warm
Springs," and a few of their co
partners are still working the I lot
Shot crew. I understand the long
committed and laborious hours
these people work to protect
homes and lives. There were
times my children would be gone
all summer, traveling from fire
to fire across the country. I
would pray for their safe return
home every time they would
leave on another trip out of
town. I know the extreme dan
gers that come with fires. I un
derstand the mothers, children
and wives missing their family
member for an extended period
of time.
Urbana Ross and Myrna
Frank sat across from my home,
watching the fire go direcdy to
my home, and once the smoke
cleared I could see my home
still standing. I appreciate these
two wonderful ladies that can
demonstrate such compassion
and understanding to other
people beyond their job duties.
I would like to carry an im
portant message to people who
intentionally set fires that endan
ger other people's lives and prop
erty, this is a careless and ne
glectful act. Think! How much
funds do the tribes lose every
time we have incidents on the
reservation lands?
When the end of the year
rolls around and people are ask
ing how much payment will we
receive, we forget what the tribes
have been through the past year
that could have been prevented:
arson, theft, vandalism, property
damages, police protection se
curity and court costs. All these
things are preventable. Most
important, die people's lives are
in danger and it could be our
own relatives. Priscilla Frank-
Fundraising
We would like to thank all of
you people who supported our
fundraising efforts for Blaine to
travel to Australia. It would have
been really hard for us to ac
complish our goal if it weren't
for all of you caring people. If
you stopped by and bought an
Happy birthday and
Happy
fourth birth
day to Perry.
Love- Auntie
Toodie, Uncle
Carl and
Clarissas. Au
gust 10.
H appj
fourth birth
day to our
one and only
son Perry
Isadore aka
Cowboy
Ropin'. Love, Mom and Dad.
August tO.
3
Indian taco, plate of spaghetti,
Indian burger or a raffle ticket,
you are much appreciated. For
all of you who donated items,
and your time to help us out,
you arc not forgotten. It takes
money to make money and you
are the ones who stepped for
ward and donated items to help
us get started. Some of you are
the same people who also helped
us in the kitchen. We just can't
thank you enough.
We also want to give thanks
to all the individuals, local busi
nesses and enterprises for your
kind donations. Lastly, we thank
all of you golfers and the two
organizers of the golf scramble
event. That was truly a good
deed that came from your
hearts.
We want to wish each of you
a blessing. You arc very special
in our hearts.
You all helped Blaine gather
memories that will last a lifetime.
With a wresding record of four
and four while in Australia, he
has returned home safely and is
now preparing for the upcom
ing football season. Thank you.
Blaine, Anson, Destry,
Atcitty, CR (Tonto and
No).
Thinking
I have been kicking back in
here thinking about all of my
wrongs that I have done toward
my family and my tribe. My life
hasn't been all that easy and I
know that there are other people
out there with similar or worse
backgrounds. Here's a part of
my past that I'd like to share.
For the last 20-odd years I've
had an alcohol and drug addic
tion. I'd get drunk and high,
black out, do something stupid,
then end up in the hoosegow. If
I was lucky I would get out and
say or lie to my family and my
self about turning my life
around. What I'd really do is go
out and do some different stu
pid things and end up a guest
of the concrete inn (jail). You
know after kicking back think
ing about all of the lies that I
told my family, friends or other
tribal members, the only thing
that I can do is say that I am
sorry, but in my heart sorry ain't
good enough, because in the
past I was told if I was sorry I
wouldn't have done it in the first
place.
I've read a few letters writ
ten by incarcerated tribal mem
bers who write about how
they're going to turn their lives
around and be clean and sober
while they're incarcerated and
when they get released, but they
just end up right back in the
same predicament that they
were in to begin with. I know
that there is quite a few people
who have changed for the bet-
Here's uishingyou
a very happy birth
day to my big brother
Larson Kalama Sr.
on August 15. This
picture remind you of how cute you
were? Lots of love from your HI' sis
in the picture.
I want to
uish my
husband
Happy
Anniversary
(26years
together - 25
years of
marriage).
Tina.
K
f
Letters to the Editor
ter, and I hope that I might be
one of them. What I'm trying
to say is that I want to change,
but it's going to be a long haul.
Just because someone snaps his
fingers doesn't mean that I'm
going to be instandy clean and
sober. If I was going to say that,
I would just be lying to myself,
my family and my people. I'm
not saying that I'm going to
change or not. We'll just have
to see about that after my vaca
tion. From the thoughts of a
tribal member. Respectfully,
Johnson Heath Sr. No.
68697-065, Federal Detention
Center, P.O. Box 6000,
Sheridan, OR 97378.
Time to pray
I'm sitting here, having to
grasp the reality of what our
reservation has become. There
was a time when we didn't have
to lock our doors to our homes
when we went out, a time we
didn't have to fear to walk alone
or for that matter to be afraid
of leaving our home to shop
for groceries, school clothes or
Christmas presents. Now in this
day, we have to make sure we
don't open the door to "just
anybody" or give a ride to some
one who doesn't look right or
doesn't fit our idea of how they
should be dressed or how clean
they are.
The Bible tells us that God
has not given us the spirit of
fear; but of power, and of love,
and of a sound mind (II Timo
thy 1:7). We, who walk in the
spirit of our Father, have the
power to overcome everything
that is thrown our way. Yes, diere
are many tests and tribulations
we have to endure because we
chose the path to righteousness.
This walk we've chosen isn't
easy but we wouldn't be here if
it weren't for Jesus. We could
have been dead, or crippled up
by wrecks or fights, or we could
have hurt someone very badly
while we were under the influ
ence of alcohol andor drugs.
We've buried many these
past years, both male and fe
male, but it seems that the
deaths are becoming more and
more frequent and getting
younger and younger. If we
were to die tonight, tomorrow,
next week, will we be ready? You
ask, ready for what? Ready to
stand before our God when
judgment day comes; ready to
answer His questions of us,
Why. Why did we choose not to
listen when God talked to us
through the preacher? Why did
we not listen when we were told
what alcohol and drugs would
do to our families and to us?
Why? Only you can answer, no
one else will be there with you,
not your mother, father, grand
parents, siblings, only you. Are
you ready to be told to join our
other wishes. . .
Happy first
birthday to
Clarissa
Iyakitan. Love,
Mom and Dad.
August 26.
Happy first
birthday to
Clarissa
Iyakitan aka Princess Fiona.
Love, Auntie Angela, Uncle
Buster and Perry.
Happy birthday to Kurtis
Boise. From your son Tho
mas, and Nicole in Alaska.
Happy birthday, Sid
Miller. From Selena,
Tina and Dave.
loved ones who are with the
Ixrd or ready to join those that
will be sent in the other direc
tion to be tormented forever
and ever?
Our tribe used to be the tribe,
the ultimate trilw, and the triln;
that was a leader to other tribes
throughout Indian Country.
Now our tribe isn't looked upon
as a leader anymore. A very sad
state it has become because of
the drugs running rampant. Be
cause our people have forgot
ten the One who blessed us all
these years. That would be God.
We forgot to pray and give
thanks for everything. We for
got to teach our children about
respect. We forgot to discipline
our children when they needed
it. Years ago, when people in the
community would sec children
doing wrong, they scolded them
and it was okay, but today you
scold a child, the parentsgrand
parents get mad and give the
impression to the child that it's
okay to talk back to elders, or
to shoplift or to do whatever
they want to do because they
don't have to listen to anyone,
including the parentsgrandpar
ents who are angry about them
being reprimanded. What has
our reservation become, a law
less place where alcohol and
drugs are freely flowing? Let's
quit pointing fingers at each
other and begin praying instead.
Positive changes might not be
overnight, even though it would
be nice, but let's turn it over to
God. Everything else has been
tried. The families that are hurt
ing over their loved ones need
love, support and most of all,
prayer. We can do this, let's be
positive role models and part of
the solution instead of the prob
lem. If God can take two people
such as Easton and I and use us
for His Glory, He can do any
thing. It's been since 1982 since
we've given our hearts to the
Lord, we've not gone back out
to the world and we wouldn't
change it now because we know
Jesus is coming soon. We want
to be ready. Will you be ready
when that day comes?
Love in Christ, Tina
Aguilar.
Proud parent
This is being written so our
friends, and the family that truly
matter there, can acknowledge
the pride I have for my child,
Kati Ann Dawalt. Those of you
who know her can appreciate
the effort and dedication that
she puts into her academics.
At the spring awards assem
bly, she was recognized with the
following honors by staff and
administration at Kelly Middle
School here in Eugene, where
she has studied Japanese for
eight years in addition to the
mandatory English courses re
Who's
the cutest
baby in the
world?
Jayson Joe
is! Happy
first birth
day. We
love you
very very
much. Best wishes to you
always and forever. Dad
and Grandma.
Happy birthday Jayson Joe,
hugs and kisses. Mom and
Derrek.
Happy birthday Jayson. We
love you so much. Auntie Missy,
Blox, Judy and Jhalena Rose
(only in America)!
quired by the State of Oregon,
and where she continues to ex
cel in everything she endeavors.
I laving a 4.0 GPG each semes
ter, Kati received the Kelly
Scholar Award in recognition of
the academic year 2004-05, the
Golden Pen Award for high
achievement in the craft of writ
ing, the Vocabulary Victors
Award for high achievement and
steadfast dedication in the study
of seventh grade vocabulary, an
Accelerated Math Champions
Honor, the Positive Attitude
Award, the Anansi Spider Award
for creative thinking, and finally
a Certificate of Achievement for
die habit of mind-gathering data
through all senses. I have noth
ing less that admiration for her
accomplishments.
Kati also participated in ex
tra curricular after-school pro
grams, where, for example, she
wrote and performed in a stu
dent production with her peers.
In addition, this young lady also
found time to volunteer in the
classrooms of Head Start of
I-ane County at Whitcakcr Com
munity School, where she gave
developmcntally appropriate
presentations of Japanese writ
ing, song and dance, and shared
her Native American heritage
dirough a jingle dress exhibition
dance.
Currently, enrolled in the
Oregon Festival of American
Museum Song and Dance
Camp, she is fortunate enough
to be instructed by, and perform
in Cole Porter Night and Day
productions with world-renowned
dancers and musicians.
I am grateful that she has the
opportunity to participate in this
artistically enriching experience,
thanks to the gracious endow-
ment awarded to her by the fine
patrons of this institution.
My daughter recently at
tended and completed (her sec
ond in as many years) Konaway
Nike Tillicum, a Native Ameri
can college prep camp on the
campus of Southern Oregon
University due to her eligibility
for academic scholarship. Kati
has the opportunity to partici
pate in Art Car events through
out the Northwest this summer
with our extended family of fel
low artisans, and was recendy
"without a shadow of a doubt,
certified wacko" by the presti
gious Wild Art Car Klub of
Oregon... what a proud mo
ment! In closing I would like to
thank her favorite Tilla, Bobby
Eagleheart, for honoring her
with eagle feathers at Pi-Ume-Sha's
Grand Entry, and Judy
Kalama for the gift of hair
wraps that same evening. Your
support is important to her and
she adores you. And, like you
said, she's earned it. Sincerely,
Hazel Smith, li'l Waguts.
Happy first birthday Jayson
Joe. Hugs and kisses to you. We
love you. Grandpa Jack, Tina,
Mavis, Traci, Trendell and the
Covers Up Clan.
Happy first birthday
Jayson Joe and Thaiisa.
Love, Uncle Anthony.
Happy birthday Jayson Joe.
Love you lots. Judy and Beth in
Redmond (pizza, pizza, pizza).
Happy birthday Dad. We
love you very much. Jayson Joe
and Mom.
Happy 50th birthday, Vernon.
From Cheryl and Dan.