Spilyay Tymoo
Coyote News, est. 1976
Pi-Ume-Sha
cancelled
this year
Tribal Council on Monday
voted to cancel the 2020 Pi-Ume-
Sha Powwow and related Treaty
Days community events like the ro-
deo, parade, health fair and run.
Council made the decision
based on the recommendation of
the tribes’ Covid-19 Response
Team.
Pi-Ume-Sha usually happens in
late June. The powwow annually
brings hundreds of visitors to the
reservation: The potential for visi-
tors bringing the coronavirus to the
reservation was the factor in the
Council decision.
“June is too early for such a
large gathering,” said Hyllis
Dauphinais, director of the Warm
Springs Clinic, chair of the Re-
sponse Team. His recommenda-
tion had the support of Dan
Martinez, Emergency Response
director, Caroline Cruz, general
manager of Health and Human
Services, and ultimately Tribal
Council.
“Until we have a vaccine this
is going to continue to be a seri-
ous issue,” Mr. Dauphinais said.
Just because people around
the state, including Jefferson
County, are loosening some so-
cial distancing, safety and business
closure restrictions does not
make the situation safer, he said.
“Even by fall I think we will still
not have large gatherings,”
Dauphinais said. “And I think can-
cellation of the powwow (rather
than postponement) would send the
right message.”
Ensuring a safe environment
would not be possible while bring-
ing in a large number of people
from outside to the reservation:
“We just don’t have the resources
to keep everything clean,” Dan
Martinez said.
Pi-Ume-Sha celebrates tribal
sovereignty and the Treaty of
1855, signed on June 25 of that
year—One-hundred and sixty-five
years ago this year.
Fourth of July
A week after the traditional Pi-
Ume-Sha date is the Fourth of July.
Council members discussed
whether to cancel these activities
as well, with a final decision com-
ing next week.
The Response Team recom-
mendation is that July 4 events
be cancelled as well, though there
could be a safe way to have fire-
works by the community center.
People could stay in their cars
and watch the fireworks, for in-
stance. This approach could also
help keep people around the com-
munity center during the Fourth
of July evening: This could help
reduce the risk of fires breaking
out from people lighting fireworks
around the reservation—during
what is projected to be a very ac-
tive fire season. This decision will
require more consideration, and
Council set next Monday to re-
sume the discussion.
May 20, 2020 - Vol. 45, No. 11
May – Xawit’an – Spring - Wawaxam
PO Box 489
Warm Springs, OR 97761
ECR WSS
Postal Patron
U.S. Postage
PRSRT STD
Warm Springs, OR 97761
2020 Graduation set for June
L ike all graduating
classes, the Class of 2020 is
unique, though the graduation
ceremony this year will be es-
pecially memorable.
The seniors at Madras High
School and Bridges who have
met all requirements will gradu-
ate on time, in June, as is the
custom.
This spring there had been
some question as to how the
graduation ceremony could
happen while keeping everyone
safe from the coronavirus.
To address the question, the
school district asked the seniors
and families about what they
would like to see for the gradu-
ation ceremony.
The district received nearly 200
responses; and these ideas will be
incorporated into the ceremony.
Graduation Day will be Satur-
day, June 13 at the high school.
Details are still being worked out;
though each student will get to walk
across the stage to receive his or
her diploma.
The ceremony will tentatively
begin at 9 a.m., and will likely take
most of the day. As the date ap-
proaches, graduates and families
should prepare for cautious par-
ticipation, as a result of the social
distancing requirements.
“We are so thankful for the se-
niors, their families, and the
community’s patience while we
work to create a memorable
graduation ceremony that also ad-
heres to current social distancing
requirements,” said Brian Crook,
Madras High School principal.
“I really want to thank our se-
niors and families for their input,”
said Jay Weeks, Bridges High
School principal. “It provided
valuable information that helps us
to plan the event and maintain the
focus that is our seniors.”
The Warm Springs community
is also planning a parade to cel-
ebrate this year’s graduates. The
parade will be conducted with pre-
cautions, such as all participants
staying in vehicles throughout the
parade. Details of this are still be-
ing worked out.
Tribal Council this week
heard an initial report on the
Warm Springs graduates parade
from the Covid-19 Response
Team.
Mid- to late-June for the pa-
rade appears to be the schedule
for now.
Dave McMechan
The Warm Springs Police
Department in May show
their appreciation for
health care workers at the
Indian Health Services
clinic.
Police officers presented
the IHS workers with gifts
on a day that also
happened to be the Friday
of Nurse Appreciation
Week, which also
happened to be
Corrections Officer
Appreciation Week.
Crystal Greene
photos/WSPD
BIA, Housing
matters at Council
The Tribal Council endorsed
the hiring of a new BIA super-
intendent for the Warm Springs
Agency.
The presentation of the hir-
ing recommendation was at
Council this Monday, via tele-
conference, with BIA regional
director Bryan Mercier.
Council and Mr. Mercier had
earlier interviewed two finalist
candidates for the position, and
came to a unanimous decision
on the hiring.
The new War m Springs
Agency superintendent will likely
arrive in two months, Mercier
said, as the background and
other requirements are met.
The current superintendent,
Floy Lori Anderson, will stay on
for the first month of the new
superintendent’s tenure, for the
job transition process. In other
Council news from this past
Monday, May 18:
Affordable housing
Council approved an afford-
able housing project request
from Warm Springs Housing
Authority director Danielle
Wood.
The tax credit project will
renovate 18 units in the West
Hills area, and two duplexes on
Elk Loop. These are tribally owned
units on tribal land.
The project carries out the Coun-
cil priority of providing safe, decent
and affordable housing for tribal
members.
Working through the funding
process, the construction work
should start in February of next
year, Ms. Wood said.
Kindred Spirits
Tribal Council approved a pro-
posal for an education and language
program grant presented by Valerie
Switzler, Education general man-
ager.
The grant would help fund an
education program coordinator,
youth culture coordinator, elder
teachers and tutors, supplies and
some travel expenses for field trips.
The program is called Kindred
Spirits, with funding from the Spirit
Mountain Fund.
There are more than 1,100 stu-
dents in the 509-J district, and the
grant will benefit tribal member stu-
dents, and all others as well, Ms.
Switzler said.
Tribal Council also approved a
new contract for attorney John
Ogan, who works on tribal projects
such as U.S. v. Oregon; and repeal
of the 1865 Huntington ‘treaty.’
Dave McMechan
Howlak Tichum
Ken Smith ~ 1935-2020
Tribal member and leader
Ken Smith passed away on
Wednesday, May 13 at his
home in Warm Springs. He
was 85.
Mr. Smith was born in The
Dalles on March 30, 1935, into
a poor family. He would grow
up to be one of the most im-
portant leaders of the Confed-
erated Tribes of Warm Springs.
Ken had a charisma that
brought others to him through-
out his life.
He was raised by his grand-
parents, Wesley and Annie
Smith, on their Dry Hollow
Ranch, south of Warm Springs.
Ken in the past recalled, “I
learned what self-reliance was
growing up on the ranch with
my grandparents. They taught
me good work habits . . . to al-
ways show up 15 minutes early;
and they taught me the value
of an education.”
Ken grew up without elec-
tricity, running water, or paved
roads. In winter months, the
Smiths would travel to Warm
Springs on horseback or by
buggy. “As a kid, Grandma,
Aunt Zelma, and I went to the
valley every summer and
picked strawberries, raspber-
ries, and such. In the fall, we
worked in the potato fields.”
Ken remembered fishing at
Celilo Falls with his grandfa-
ther when he was in high
school.
He attended boarding
school in Warm Springs from
the first through sixth grades.
He attended junior high, and
graduated from high school in
Madras.
He was the junior class
president in high school,
where he excelled as running
back in football; and was a
100-yard sprinter for the track
team, as well as excelling at the
long jump.
Please see KEN SMITH on 6