O c to b e r 3, 2012
spilyay T y m o o , W arm Springs, O regon
Page 8
Wiwnu Wash Cultural Center
Delson Suppah Sr. and Dallas Winishut
arrive on horseback.
The Native American Heritage Center.
Culture and Heritage director Valerie Swltzler, Carlos Calica and Arllta Rhoan at
the dedication. Below, walkers arrive at Mt. Hood.
Yvonne
Iverson
pictures
(Continued from page 1)
The ridérs emerged from the tree
line followed by walkers in traditional
regalia to end the 35 mile journey to
the Wiwnu Wash Cultural Center at Mt.
Hood Ski Bowl.
Charles Jody Calica, Secretary-Trea
surer for the Confederated Tribes of
Warm Springs, said in the opening, “We
have an opportunity to build a relation
ship that restores the understanding,
respect, and cooperation, that honors
our history, heritage and tradition.”
Kirk Hanna, the owner-operator of
Skibowl, said, “As an Oregonian, I feel
it is important to understand the his
tory behind Government Camp.”
Hanna began contacting members
of the tribe about a year ago with ideas
of the cultural center. The Culture and
Heritage Department staff, along with
community elders, shared their knowl
edge and helped to develop the Cul
tural Center.
“It is a wonderful thing that Mt.
Hood Skibowl recognizes the impor
tance of this land to our people,” said
Myra Johnson-Orange.
The grand opening celebration con
tinued through the afternoon with a tra
ditional salmon bake, alpine slide rides,
and a contest powwow.
Tribal members received an adven
ture pass and tickets for the salmon
Secretary-Treasurer Jody Calica presents
Kirk Hanna with a Bolo tie.
bake at no charge. Adventure passes
allowed unlimited access to over 20 dif
ferent rides, including bungee.jumping,
zip lines, and go karts.
You could hear the heartbeat of the
drum across the mountain as Star Horse
and two other drum groups got the pow
wow started. Contest categories included
tiny tots, juniors, teens, adult, and se
nior divisions.
Planners of the event look forward
to making this and annual celebration
to coincide with the huckleberry Rea
son.
’ “The history and culture that were
here so many years ago will not be for
gotten it w ill be revived,” said Stan
Speaks, Northwest Regional Director
for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Wascos vote: will be consistent with tribal election procedures
(Continued from page 1)
Jackson summarized the
situation in a written state
ment, part of which reads:
1. T here are six (6) an
nounced candidates for the
Wasco Chieftainship, all of
¡who claim a hereditary con
nection to the chieftainship
and who have their respective
¡supporters in the Agency Dis
trict.
a. Each candidate’s family
has followed tribal custom(s)
by different means, in bring
ing their nominee forward to
be acknowledged as a candi
date for our n ext W asco
Chief.
b. The selection process
has been discussed in nine (9)
public meetings.
c. P rio r to the seventh
meeting Wasco people were
in fo rm e d , by K W SO an
n o u n cem en ts and flyers
posted, that the deadline to
nominate a Wasco Chief can
didate was the September 12,
2011 meeting.
2. W hy should A gency
District WascOs vote to de
term in e the n ext W asco
Chief?
a. The Wasco people and
the A gen cy D istrict have
b een led for the p ast 60
years by 2 Wasco Chiefs se
le c te d b y a v o te o f the
Wasco people.
b. During the tenure of the
2 previous chiefs, no Wasco
objected that their selection
by v ote w as “u n co n stitu
tional” or not “in accordance
with tribal custom”.
c. A fter nine (9) public
m eetings, A gency D istrict
members could not agree on
the specifics o f a “custom
ary” selection process. Dur
ing the first meetings Wasco
elders d iscu ssed how the
three previous Wasco Chiefs
were selected.
d. T he previous W asco
Chief didn’t appoint or an
nounce a successor.
ness.
b. On the day of the elec
tion voting will be conducted
at the Agency Com m unity
Center from 8:00 am to 8:00
pm.
ci Ballots will be deposited
into a ballot box. Ballots will
be counted after the polls
5. The Wasco Chieftain have closed. Once the bal
ship vote, while not a Tribal lots have been counted and
governm ental election, will the election results certified
be conducted in a manner by the special election panel,
consistent with procedures the ballots shall be secured
and stored in a vault for a
for Tribal elections.
period of 90 days.
d. T he sp ecial electio n
6. The election will be con
ducted by secret ballot. Bal panel will announce the results
lots shall be printed listing all of the election the next regu
4. How will the winner of 6 candidates and sh all be lar weekday morning. The
the Wasco Chieftainship elec available for off-Reservation special election panel and the
and Absentee Ballot requests Director, Vital Statistics, will
tion be determined?
a. The nominee who ob at least 2 weeks prior to the advise the Tribal Council of
3. Who will be able to vote
the results o f the election at
in a Wasco Chieftainship elec tains the most votes cast will Election.
the next regular Tribal Coun
a.
Wasco
people1
will
ap
be declared the winner and
tion?
cil meeting. The Wasco Chief
point
a
3-5
person
“Special
the
next
Wasco
Chief.
a. Confederated Tribes of
b. Should there be a tie; Wasco Chieftainship Election shall be sworn in to office at
Warm Springs (CTWS) mem
bers who are recognized as then a runoff election will be panel” o f Wasco elders who , that time by the BIA Super
shall monitor all aspects of intendent.
Wasco descendants and who conducted within a month.
the
election to ensure its fair
c.
If,
in
the
future,
the
were registered to vote in the
e. A m ajority o f the at
tendees polled at two (2) of
these nine (9) meetings on thè
chieftainship issue supported
a vote.
f. The Wasco Chieftain
ship survey indicates that a
majority o f Agency District
W asco’s sup p ort a W asco
Chieftainship vote.
g. Four o f the six nomi
nees support a vote to deter
mine the next “recognized
chief” o f the Agency District.
h. A vote will serve to con
firm one o f the 6 nominees
as the next legitimate Wasco
Chief.
i. There is no more fair
process than a properly con
ducted election.
C o n fed erated T rib es o f
Warm Springs, Agency Dis
trict on September 28, 2012,
per vital statistics records. (As
identified in the Constitution
& Bylaws the Wasco Chief
serves as part of the Gov
erning body.)
b. Elimination o f the re
quirement that eligible Wasco
voters be registered in the
Agency District would enable
members who are primarily
asso ciated w ith either the
Seekseequa or Simnasho Dis
trict to vote on the selection
o f the A g en cy D istric t
(Wasco) Chief.
Wasco Chief falls ill or oth
erwise can no longer fulfill his
duties, then the runner-up
will act as Interim Chief un
til the Wasco Chief can re
sume his duties or until a per
manent successor can be se
lected.
_i