Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
OPB:
March 15, 2017
Page 7
Documentary gives tribal perspective
Promotional of the upcoming Oregon Experience documentary.
(Continued from page 1)
Frequent conflicts
broke out between the
newcomers and the Indi-
ans.
Ultimately, most tribes,
weakened by introduced
disease and fearing exter-
mination, signed treaties.
This typically entailed
ceding most of the tribes’
land to the government
and moving the Indians to
a reservation.
Sometimes those trea-
ties were not ratified and
never became legally
binding, yet the govern-
ment kept the land and
kept the Indians away.
Today, the Native
people's history remains
punctuated with unfulfilled
promises and unfinished
business.
Yet most Indian popula-
tions, education levels and
economic power are on the
rise. Most Oregon tribes
contribute significantly to
their surrounding communi-
ties through natural re-
source improvements, ca-
sino jobs and philanthropic
giving.
Though many others
may still not know much
about them, the tribes of
Oregon are increasingly
making their presence
known.
The new Oregon Expe-
rience documentary Broken
Treaties offers an introduc-
tion to the Indian tribes of
Oregon, the treaties they
signed and the land they
lost. It examines the injus-
tice endured by the tribes
and illuminates a chapter of
Northwest history that is
rarely talked about.
With Louie Pitt of the
Confederated Tribes of
Warm Springs, the docu-
mentary features interviews
with:
Robert J. Miller, law pro-
fessor, tribal judge and au-
thor.
Bobbie Connor, director,
Tamastslikt Cultural Insti-
tute of the Umatilla Tribe.
Don Ivy, Chief of the
Coquille Tribe.
David Harrelson, his-
Courtesy OPB
toric preservation officer
with the Grand Ronde
Tribe.
War ren
Brainard,
Chief of the Coos,
Siuslaw and Lower
Umpqua Tribes.
Don Gentry, chair,
Tribal Council, Klamath
Tribe.
Charlotte Roderique,
former chair, Tribal
Council, Burns Paiute
Tribe.
David Lewis, indepen-
dent anthropologist and
historian, Grand Ronde
Tribe.
Bud Lane, vice chair,
Tribal Council, Siletz
Tribe.
Options dwindling as
DAPL nears operation
With options dwindling,
the Cheyenne River Sioux
Tribe this week was mount-
ing a last-minute challenge
to prevent oil from flowing
through the Dakota Access
Pipeline.
As thousands of Native
citizens and their allies par-
ticipated in a historic
march and rally in Wash-
ington, D.C., the tribe was
escalating a lawsuit in fed-
eral court.
New papers filed late last
week call for an injunction
to stop the pipeline while the
case makes its way through
the appeals process.
“The tribe seeks an in-
junction pending appeal re-
questing that this court pre-
vent the flow of oil through
the Dakota Access Pipeline,
which would result in the
ultimate harm to tribal mem-
bers’ free exercise of reli-
gion,” attorneys wrote in the
18-page document.
The tribe and its citizens
contend the presence of the
pipeline in the Missouri
River renders the water im-
pure for ceremonies like
sweat lodges and coming of
age rites.
They also believe the
controversial project fulfills
a prophecy of a “Black
Snake” that will destroy the
Lakota people and their way
of life.
The threat was notably
on display at the Native
Nations Rise event last week.
A group of younger par-
ticipants, dubbing themselves
the “Black Snake Killers,” set
up a teepee in front of the
Trump International Hotel,
just blocks from the White
House, to show their opposi-
tion to a pipeline that is all
but certain to become opera-
tional unless the courts take
action.
While Judge James E.
Boasberg has shown sympa-
thy toward the spiritual be-
liefs of the tribe, he too has
refused to stop the project.
In a decision issued on
March 7, he said Cheyenne
River leaders waited too long
to seek an injunction based
on religious grounds.
The tribe is now taking the
matter to the D.C. Circuit
Court of Appeals, according
to a notice that was filed on
Friday.
The escalation marks the
case’s second journey to the
higher court, whose judges
once imposed an injunction
that halted construction ac-
tivities near the Missouri in
North Dakota.
But the situation has
changed dramatically in the
last few months. After being
delayed by the Obama ad-
ministration, Dakota Access
now has permission, in the
form of an easement, to drill
under the river and place the
pipeline underneath.
Court dismisses Union Pacific suit
The Federal District Court
of Oregon last week dis-
missed a lawsuit brought by
Union Pacific Railroad, in-
volving the railroad’s proposal
to build more than four miles
of new railroad tracks
through the town of Mosier.
The site is adjacent to the
Columbia River Gorge Na-
tional Scenic Area.
Mosier was the site of a
fiery oil train derailment in
June 2016.
In its lawsuit, Union Pa-
cific sought to exempt its pro-
posed rail expansion project
from federal Gorge protec-
tion laws and tribal treaties.
In a written order issued
last week, District Court
Judge Ann Aiken dismissed
the lawsuit because the rail-
road had failed to include
three Northwest Indian
Treaty Tribes as defendants
in the case.
In January 2015, Union
Pacific filed a land use appli-
cation with Wasco County
pursuant to the Columbia
River Gorge National Scenic
Area Act, seeking to build a
second mainline track in the
Mosier area.
In November 2016, the
Wasco County Board of
County Commissioners de-
nied the rail expansion project
because it would infringe on
tribal treaty rights and violate
federal Gorge protection
The judge dismissed
the lawsuit because
the railroad failed to
name the Confeder-
ated Tribes of Warm
Springs, the Yakama
Nation and the
Umatilla as defen-
dants in the case.
laws.
The Wasco County Com-
missioners’ decision is cur-
rently on appeal to the Co-
lumbia River Gorge Commis-
sion.
But rather than allow that
appeals process to proceed,
in January 2017 Union Pa-
cific sued the Wasco County
Commissioners, the Wasco
County planning director, and
six of the thirteen Gorge
Commissioners in federal
court, arguing that the Gorge
Commission’s appeal process
should be halted and the rail-
road should be allowed to
proceed with the project with-
out any National Scenic Area
permits.
In her ruling of March 8,
Judge Aiken dismissed Union
Pacific’s lawsuit because the
railroad had failed to name
the Confederated Tribes of
Warm Springs, the Yakama
Indian Nation, and the Con-
federated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation
as defendants in the case.
Because the Tribes’ treaty
rights were at the heart of the
case, the railroad’s failure to
name them as defendants re-
quired dismissal of the case
pursuant to federal court
rules.
In the lawsuit, Union Pa-
cific had sought to enjoin the
Columbia River Gorge
Commission’s appeals pro-
cess from proceeding.
Now that the railroad’s law-
suit has been dismissed, the
Gorge Commission’s appeal
process will continue. An ap-
peal hearing before the Gorge
Commission is scheduled for
June 13, 2017.
“The Gorge Commission
is extremely pleased with the
outcome of this case and
grateful for the Columbia
River Treaty Tribes’ assis-
tance in getting this case dis-
missed early in the litigation,”
said Jeff Litwak, counsel for
the Columbia River Gorge
Commission.
“The pending appeals of
Wasco County’s decision are
again solidly back before the
Gorge Commission. We are
looking forward to receiving
the parties’ briefing, review-
ing the record, and consider-
ing the parties’ oral argu-
ments.”
Kah-Nee-Ta plans cultural events
Kah-Nee-Ta will be
holding a meeting in April
to discuss the schedule for
its 2017 cultural events.
The resort is looking for
tribal members who are in-
terested in participating.
Areas include the salmon
bake and cooks, dancers
and drum, storytelling, and
cultural crafts.
The upcoming meeting is
scheduled for Saturday, April
8 at 10 a.m. in the Kah-Nee-
Ta Council Room.
In order to be on the
2017 Cultural Roster at Kah-
Nee-Ta, you must attend the
meeting, or schedule an ap-
pointment with the catering
department. Some nec-
essary paperwork is re-
quired.
All paperwork must be
done by May 1. For more
information call Marie
Kay Williams or Jainaya
Rowe at 541-553-1112
ext. 3436.
Courtesy photo.
Sen. Merkley with tribal leaders last week in Washington, D.C.
At the National Mall in
Washington, D.C. last
week, Oregon Senator
Jeff Merkley met with
tribal leaders and activists
protesting the planned
Dakota Access Pipeline.
This was during the
Native Nations Rise
March on Washington.
Merkley met with the
leaders at a tribal encamp-
ment set up by the Wash-
ington Monument. The
Senator made the follow-
ing statement:
For too long, the rights of
native nations have been ig-
nored and pushed aside in
favor of powerful special
interests.
This injustice has per-
sisted throughout our his-
tory, and nowhere do we see
this dynamic more clearly
than in the fight to stop the
Dakota Access Pipeline.
When a predominantly
white community said that
they didn’t want this pipeline
running through their back-
yards because of the high
risk of water contamina-
tion, it was instead re-
routed through Indian
Country—where it will
not only pose an equal
threat to drinking water,
but also will disturb sacred
sites.
This is unacceptable,
and I applaud the coura-
geous activists who have
led the fight to right this
wrong, both at Standing
Rock and now here on
the National Mall.
From the Honor Seniors Committee
The Twenty-Seventh
Annual Honor Senior
Day is coming up in
May.
The idea for this day
originated nearly three
decades ag o, with a
small group of local
tribal elders who wanted
an event especially for
the elders.
Through the years this
has grown into a major
community event, with
average attendance from
700 to 1,200 elders and lo-
cals who attend the daylong
activities and meals.
The event showcases the
local area, such as Kah-Nee-
Ta, the Museum at Warm
Springs, Indian Head Casino,
and enterprises like Compos-
ite Products, the Telecom,
Ventures and Power & Wa-
ter.
The Seniors program
provides a shuttle service
to all points of interest, as
a courtesy during the day.
The Honor Senior
Day Committee is re-
questing door prizes and
gift items, or any type of
donation.
Any contribution is
greatly appreciated.
For additional infor-
mation contact the Senior
Program at 541-553-
3313, or 553-3520.
Sincerely,
The Honor Senior
Day Committee.