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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 3, 2006)
August 3, 2006 Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon P^ge 2 Canoe project afloat and set to finish in September By Leslie Mitts S pilyay Tymoo It’s hard to miss the project in progress at the Museum at Warm Springs—three replica canoes being built, one of each tribe of the Confederated Tribes. Joseph Sheppherd, project coordinator for the River Eagle Canoe Project, has been hard at work. With the help of tribal members, the canoes should be completed by September. “As a non-Indian, my job is very clear,” Sheppherd said. “It’s to build three model canoes for the museum, teach as many people who are interested the skills that I have acquired, and then step away so that tribal members can take the lead and direct it where they feel it is ap propriate for it to go.” Since the beginning of the project, he added, 22 tribal mem bers have helped out. He has worked direcdy with some tribal youth and also with some tribal members who were simply passing by and decided to help for a few minutes. In addition, Sheppherd said, “In that same period of time we’ve had 800 non-tribal visi tors come and not help but won der what was happening.” Sheppherd spent many years studying and working in Asia, Africa and South America and learned about the canoe-making process. According to Sheppherd, “Wherever there were people living beside bodies of water they made canoes, and as a young man I learned from them. Now, as an old man, it is my obligation to pass on what I know to younger generations.” To complete the replicas, Sheppherd constructed blue prints and closely examined whatever existing examples or historical materials he could find. Sheppherd added, “We also went to professional Indian ca noe builders and watched how they made canoes.” Carol Leone, director of the museum, said, “It’s been an in teresting project, and it’s funded by some grants.” Besides an Oregon Heritage Commission Grant, there are also private supporters like the Pendleton Woolen Mills, Ander son Construction, and some in- kind donations from Warm Springs Forest Products. According to Leone, “One of the interesting things is that the museum’s current exhibit does talk about fishing but it doesn’t really refer anywhere specifically to the canoe tradi tions of the Warm Springs and Wasco people.” Now, Leone added, they are hoping that the replicas will help extend that discussion. With an upcoming exhibit about Celilo Falls, she said, there will be “a whole discussion of the so-called control of the Co lumbia River. The canoes will be outside the museum as part of that whole thing.” While those involved have made a lot of progress, the project is far from over. They hope to get red cedar logs to build dugout canoes that are traditional for tribes, in this area. Leone said, “There’s much further work to be done. It will completely go to tribal members when we are able to obtain the red cedar logs for the dugouts.” “People who know how to do that in the traditional way will come to the museum and do it that way,” Leone said. “There are some who do have those skills already or who have fam ily members who have some of those skills.” After that, the canoes will be turned over to canoe families. “We want to emphasize that this is only the first phase. We’re building replicas that are going to be used as an additional en ticement,” Leone said. “The next phase is bringing in the logs and bringing in experts. Hope fully the canoe families will then get going on their own.” At this stage of the project, Sheppherd said more than 1,200 hours have been spent on the replicas. Photo courtesy of Joseph Sheppherd Since the beginning of the project, 22 tribal members have lent a helping hand-like the high school students pictured above. According to Sheppherd, part of the River Eagle Canoe project aims “to catch up with the other tribes of the Pacific Northwest in the construction of wood and fiberglass replicas for racing and the annual canoe journey which unites all of the Pacific Northwest tribes in an event that brings together 5,000 Indians and hundreds of canoes from scores of reservations.” This year the journey will take place on July 31 on Lake Washington, near Seattle. c * s Automotive and Lowing ( jxxy &EM7 i 24- Hour Towing 24- Hour a day road service If you don't have A A A , we have applications Serving Warm Springs and Madras since 1975 Little League junior team at regional The Jefferson County Little League Junior Team has played a remarkable sea son. The team this week is competing in the Western regional tournament, held in Beaverton. The Jefferson County Little League Junior Team reached the regional tourna ment after sweeping the state tournament in LaPine. Winners at the regional tournaments then play in the semi-finals, followed by the Junior League World Series Championship Game. Local youth on the Jefferson County team, representing Or egon, include Tyrell Smith, Trevor Suppah, Martin Brown, Rodney Smith and Spencer Ellsbury. The team manager is Bob Gill, who works in the tribes’ Forestry Department. Coaches are Doug Calvin and Doug Jack- son. The team was scheduled on Tuesday of this week to play its opening regional tournament game against Northern Califor nia. On Wednesday their oppo nent was the host team of Beaverton, followed on Thursday, August 3, by South ern California. On Friday, no game is scheduled for Oregon, then on Saturday the game is Or egon vs. Montana. On Sun day no game is scheduled, and then on Monday the game is Oregon vs. Arizona. The semi-finals begin on Wednesday, August 9. The regional tournament is being played at the Tualatin Valley Parks and Recreation District. Camp Sap-Si-Kwat next week at park Camp Sap-Si-Kwat will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, August 7-11 at Elmer Quinn Memorial Park. The camp is a fun time for families and children, youth and elders. The camp features arts, crafts and culture. Continental breakfast and lunch provided, For information call Char Herkshan at 553-3205. Is Y our C a r R e a d y fo r h o t w e a th e r? All Major & Minor Repair Import & Domestic 12-month/12,000 mile nation wide warranty. All work by certified technicians. All manufacture warranty maintenance available here with electronic record keeping 755 S.W. Hwy 97, Madras, OR 97741 CALL 475-6663 T w en ty-jive y ea r s a go this week From the July 30, 1981 edition o f the Spilyay Tymoo. The question of whether or not Simnasho school warrants the expenditure of $46,000 of the 509-J district budget was again presented to the school board. There had been some appre hension among many Warm Springs and Simnasho residents that the small rural school would be axed from the budget. Now it appears the school has again survived the 509-J budget axe. Several members of the Madras community expressed their belief that the Simnasho school was too expensive to operate. In other news: Who would ever believe that a young man, just out of school, who was hired as a temporary clerk/typist in Washington, D.C. would, in 18 years, end up a superintendent on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. That’s exactly what Meritt Youngdeer, an Eastern Chero kee from North Carolina, Warm Springs’ newest superintendent, did. And elsewhere: Hired earlier this spring to head up the newly formed Jus tice Branch for the Confeder ated Tribes is Dick Burton. The 2 4 -H o u r T o w in g by C e r t if ie d O p e r a to rs new branch was formed follow ing the completion of a task force study conducted in 1979 entitled “A Need for Reform.” Or stop by for an appointment • u im All Products Prepared Fresh Daily Entrees Roasted Daily Wärm Sprüxps M foket Featuring Hand Cut U S D A Choice Steaks íncüfox A rts foxd C râfts Served 2132 Wktm Springs Ä BREAKFAST - LUNCH - DINNER Ad Day Wärm Springs, 0297761 Mmj„ • Senior Menu • Children's Menu • Daily Specials (541)553-1597 “ 111 S.1A/. 4th Street, Madras • 475-6632 OPEN 6 m 10 pm DAM Next deadline to submit items for publication in the Spilyay Tymoo is Friday, August 11. Thank you. No kidding - The Best Food in Town! ""D Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê m m Ê m m m B Ê Ê Ê U Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê m I
