SCA
OrColl
E
7 S
. S68
P.0. Box 870
Warm Springs, OR 97761
V. 33-
no - 13
University of Oregon Library
July 20,
2006
Spilyay tymoo
Received on: 07-25-06
r i \oi MuiL/
C oyote News, est. 1976
July 20, 2006
Voi. 31, No. 15
Warm Springs, OR 97761
50 cents
m
Casino
naming
at Gorge
Right of way
study of
importance
to tribes
The tribes unveiled a name and
logo for the proposed casino in Cas
cade Locks during a special cer
emony June 14.
The Bridge of the- Gods Colum
bia River Resort Casino is the pro
posed name, and refers to a Wasco
legend.
Tribal elder Susie Slockhish told
the story to a group of children sit
ting in a circle at her feet at the
Marine Park Pavillion in Cascade
Locks.
The legend refers to the idea that
an ancient stone bridge across the
Columbia River was once created by
the Great Spirit and then destroyed
by his sons.
Along with drumming and danc
ing, the unveiling included an honor
dance and a circle dance.
The ceremony took place during
Cascade Lock’s annual Sternwheeler
Days Festival.
The logo and name will represent
the tribal casino in Cascade Locks
from this point forward in advertis
ing, publicity and other applications
representing the facility.
By Leslie Mitts
Spilyay Tymoo
It may seem simple to flip on a light
switch, but that power doesn’t come as
easy as it seems.
A new study is examining the ways
in which energy rights o f way can be
developed and renewed across tribal
lands.
After the Energy Policy Act of 2005,
Secretaries of Energy across the U.S.
were instructed to conduct a study re
garding the energy rights o f way on
tribal land.
The act declared that energy corri
dors be determined on federal land in
the western U.S.— corridors that can be
used for electrical transmission lines and
natural gas or hydrogen pipelines.
Because several corridors w ould
pass through tribal land, the study
aims to find the best solution in do
ing so.
That study was to be released in
A ugust 2006, but it has now been
pushed back to September.
Jim M anion, general m anager of
Warm Springs Power and Water En
Photo courtesy of Greg Leo
terprises, said, “Warm Springs has been
Gaming official Margie Tuckta speaks at Cascade Locks, where the casino logo was presented last week.
engaged in this process for a number
o f reasons.”
According to Manion, “The tribes
have right o f way easements for en
ergy and want to follow how and what
By Dave McMechan
quickly in comparison to those from the outcome o f this study will do. The
Spilyay Tymoo
the HeHe-McQuinn blowdown settle study is aimed to describe how pro
The tribes have started the budget ment, said Potter.
cesses have been used in the past to
How the trust lawsuit settlem ent establish right o f ways across all In
process
for
2007,
with
the
initial
goal
bers,” she said.
being to cut $1 million in expenses from m oney is even tually d istrib u ted — dian lands across the United States.”
Part o f the stipulations o f the
whether part may be used to subsidize
the operating budget.
In addition, M anion said, “There
project allows the tribe to make the
the tribal operations budget in 2007 — has been some movement in the indus
The
cut
is
smaller
than
the
$1.9
mil
decision to share materials with the
lion that was required from the cur will determine how much if any is to try to tty to weaken the tribes sover
OHS or not. If any materials are
rent year’s budget. But the decisions as be cut for the 2007 budget, said Potter. eign right to manage lands pertaining
given to the OHS the tribes are al
The $1 million cut that is being dis to these easements. It is very impor
to where to make the future reductions
lowed to decide what it is. The project
are still difficult, as much has already cussed at present is the best estimate, tant that we watch these issues and pro
allows Johnson to work with volun
said Potter.
been cut over the past few years.
tect the rights we have maintained in
teers in order to take photographs
The
goal
in
developing
the
budget
A
decision
that
will
determine
the
our treaties.”
or record demonstrations via video
for
next
year
is
to
protect
the
reserve,
extent
of
the
reductions
for
2007
will
According to Jim Noteboom, a tribal
or audio recordings.
or rainy day fund, he said.
be
the
distribution
of
the
settlement
attorney, it’s something that should con
To prepare for the work involved,
Some
other
issues
that
effect
the
money
from
the
tribes’
trust
lawsuit
cern tribal members.
Johnson attended several training
budget
situation
include:
a
reduced
tim
against
the
federal
government.
workshops, including one on ethno
“We don’t, o f course, know at this
ber
stumpage
estimate
by
Forestry;
and
The
tribes
are
expecting
a
settlement
point what the report is going to say,”
graphic fieldwork methodology in
continuing needs of Kah-Nee-Ta for Noteboom said. “It will undoubtedly
in
the
range
of
$20
million
from
the
2005.
capital improvements and development have significant implications for Indian
first phase of the trust lawsuit.
She plans to document everything
o f the Bridge o f the Gods casino.
The
tribes
could
receive
the
settle
tribes.”
from net making to food gathering
Power
Enterprises
meanwhile
has
seen
ment
by
the
end
o
f
the
year
or
early
and cradleboard construction — spe
The results could potentially allow
reduced power sales so far this year.
next
year,
said
Ray
Potter,
the
tribes’
cifically the construction o f Paiute
the government to force rights of way
chief
financial
officer.
Due
to
a
differ
Like
last
year,
directors
and
manag
cradleboards because it is an art that
across tribal land.
ers
of
the
departments,
led
by
Chief
ence
in
the
federal
law
that
applies,
the
is quickly being lost, Johnson said.
funds from settlement of the trust law Operations Officer Lauraina Hintsala,
See STUDY on 11
See CULTURE on 11
suit are expected to be received fairly w ill w ork together on cost savings.
Oregon Tribes Project
seeks to preserve culture
By Leslie Mitts
Spilyay Tymoo
Tribal culture is something that
no one wants to lose.
With the Oregon Tribes Project,
that’s exactly what people are taking
steps to avoid.
The project collaborates all of
Oregon’s nine federally recognized
tribes with the Oregon Historical So
ciety (OHS) Folklife Program in or
der to document cultural materials.
Myra Johnson, director o f the
Culture and Heritage Department,
has been working with the Oregon
Tribes Project since it began.
A ccording to Johnson, people
w ere concerned at first that the
project would spread the cultural
knowledge to those who aren’t part
of the culture.
“We did not want to make infor
mation available for non-tribal mem-
Budget discussion beginning
Plight of endangered paiche similar to that of salmon
By L eslie M itts
Spilyay Tymoo
The paiche fish in Peru is in danger.
W hat does that have to do with
Warm Springs?
Plenty— at least for Wilson Wewa.
Wewa traveled to Pucallpa, Peru in
April to act as a cultural liaison between
indigenous groups and natural resource
experts who are working together to
preserve the fish.
“I was recruited by the Indigenous
Environmental Network to accompany
their group down there to visit with a
couple o f indigenous communities,”
Wewa said.
The group traveled to villages to
meet with indigenous groups— people
who are proud o f the work they’re
doing to preserve the fish, Wewa said.
It w asn’t your typical day of travel,
however. Because of the lack o f roads,
they had to travel by boat— something
that he said was an adventure.
“Even though the Uyacali River is
probably 1,500 miles from the Atlan
tic Ocean, it’s still about a mile and a
half wide,” Wewa said. “That was amaz
ing.”
The paiche, Wewa said, is a fresh
water fish that lives in the Uyacali River.
“Because o f the increase in population
in cities like Pucallpa, people are over
fishing the Paiche fish,” Wewa ex
plained.
For that reason, natural resource
experts are hoping to increase the
paiche population. According to Wewa,
“They’re helping the indigenous people,
the Shipibo tribe, to help them manage
their own resources.”
In d ig en o u s gro u p s have even
worked to develop hatcheries for the
paiche in order to meet the demand
for the fish. In Japan, Wewa said, the
paiche is a delicacy.
Photo courtesy of Wilson Wewa
The Paiche fish.
Other resources, like bananas, also
saw the effect of population increase
but are now being preserved through
the use of orchards. The indigenous
groups are able to benefit financially
from the development, Wewa said—
something that is necessary when a
middle-class income brings in about $26
per month.
Wewa said he felt privileged that he
was “able to share the history and the
use of salmon and talk about how our
people work with federal and state gov
ernments”
“I felt really honored to have been
recruited by others to accompany this
delegation to South America,” Wewa
said.
“One of the interesting things about
our trip was the majority o f our group
did not speak Spanish, and so we had
to use interpreters,” Wewa added.
According to Wewa, “My little rec
ollection o f high school Spanish was
an asset to me.”
During part o f the trip, the group
met with students to give a presenta
tion and discuss their ideas. Over 12
Peruvian tribes were represented at the
university they visited.
“It was really colorful because some
of the students dressed in their native
dress when they came to our presenta
tion,” Wewa said.
“It was a very worthwhile meeting
with the young people,” he added. “The
young people are trying to get a quality
education in order to help their people
survive economically.” '
From new types o f food and scen
ery to the presence o f vulchers every
where (“They’re like chickens,” he said),
it was a few days that Wewa won’t be
forgetting anytime soon.
Though the Indigenous Environ
mental Network is discussing another
trip to Sonora, Mexico, Wewa said he
isn’t sure if he’ll be able to attend.