Page 6
Spílya Táimu, Warm Springs, Oregon
October 19, 2022
Changes to Graves Protection, Repatriation
Halloween at Recreation
Proposed changes
would streamline
processes and im-
prove compliance
of NAGPRA; pub-
lic comment period
is open
Warm Springs Recre-
ation will host the ‘Hocus
Pocus Halloween’ in the
Community Center court-
yard from 4-6 p.m. on
Monday, October 31,
Halloween evening.
There will be costume
contests for adults and
youth. Adult categories
are Best Witch, Spookiest
Zombie, Best Home-
made, Biggest Sports Fan
and Best Ghost.
Kids’ categories are
Best Lil’ Witch, Super
Hero, Best Kitten, Lil’
Zombie and Best Home-
made.
A costume parade will
start at 6 p.m. in the court-
yard. The trunk or treat
event will be set up from
4-6 p.m. at the ball fields
behind the community
center.
The U.S. Department of
the Interior is revising the
Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation
Act—NAGPRA—regula-
tions. The proposed
changes—developed
through tribal consultation
and review—are available
for public comment.
NAGPRA regulations pro-
vide a systematic process for
returning human remains,
funerary objects, sacred ob-
jects, or objects of cultural
patrimony to Native Ameri-
can tribes.
The proposed changes
would streamline require-
ments for museums and fed-
eral agencies to inventory
and identify human remains
and cultural items in their
collections.
The Department of the
Interior consulted with 71
tribes and Native Hawaiian
organizations on the draft
proposal and received more
than 700 specific comments.
Key feedback from the con-
sultations is reflected in the
updated proposed revisions.
These include:
• Strengthening the author-
ity and role of tribes in the
repatriation process.
• Addressing barriers to
timely and successful dispo-
sition and repatriation.
• Documenting and ad-
dressing requests of tribes
when human remains or cul-
tural items are discovered on
federal or tribal lands before
the items are further dis-
turbed.
• Increasing transparency
and reporting of holdings or
collections.
“Repatriation is a sacred
responsibility for many Indig-
enous communities,” said
Chuck Sams, Umatilla, direc-
tor of the National Park Ser-
vice.
Summaries of Tribal Council
The following are summa-
ries of Tribal Council from
earlier this month:
October 3, 2022
The meeting was called to
order by Chairman Jonathan
Smith. Roll call: Lincoln Jay
Suppah, Vice Chair man
Raymond ‘Captain’ Moody,
Rosa Graybael, Chief Joseph
Moses, Wilson Wewa Jr.,
Carlos Calica, James ‘Jim’
Manion, Alvis Smith III,
Chief Delvis Heath. Minnie
Yahtin, Recorder.
· October agenda discus-
sion with the Secretary-Trea-
surer.
Motion by Captain ap-
proving the October agenda.
Second by Alvis. Question;
Jim/yes, Joe/yes, Captain/
yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes, Wil-
son/yes, Carlos/yes, Rosa/
yes, 8/0/0, Chairman not
voting. Motion carried.
· Bureau of Indian Af-
fairs update with Brenda
Bremner.
Bureau of Trust Funds
Administration discussion
with Kevin Moore.
Covid-19 update with
Caroline Cruz, Michele
Miller, Katie Russell and
Danny Martinez:
Motion by Captain ap-
proving the updated proto-
col. Second by Wilson. Ques-
tion; Jim/yes, Joe/yes, Cap-
tain/yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes,
Delvis/yes, Carlos/yes,
Rosa/yes, 8/0/0, Chairman
not voting. Motion carried.
Covid team will report to
Tribal Council on November
7 with an updated recom-
mendation.
· Federal legislative up-
date call.
Tribal Attorney update.
Executive session from 1:47
p.m. to 2:37 a.m.
Motion by Alvis authoriz-
ing the following: 1: Autho-
rize use of ARPA funds for
General Accounting Assis-
tance. 2: Authorize Tribal
Attorneys to initiate engage-
ment of NMA (Nan McKay
Associates, Inc.) for a lim-
ited duration to initiate the
NMA General Accounting
Assistance scope of work. 3:
Direct the Secretary-Trea-
surer/CEO to initiate pro-
curement for completion of
the General Accounting As-
sistance scope of work; and
4: Authorize the Secretary-
Treasurer to work with the
tribal attorneys to commu-
nicate with OSG and any
other agencies, as appropri-
ate, regarding the tribes plan
for compliance. Second by
Jim; Question; Jim/yes, Jay/
yes, Alvis/yes, Delvis/no
vote, Carlos/yes, Rosa/yes,
5/0/1, Chairman not vot-
ing. Motion carried.
Motion by Carlos to ad-
journ at 2:40 p.m.
October 4
The meeting was called to
order by Vice Chairman
Raymond ‘Captain’ Moody.
Roll call: James ‘Jim’
Manion, Lincoln Jay
Suppah, Rosa Graybael,
Alvis Smith III, Wilson
Wewa Jr. Minnie Yahtin, Re-
corder.
· Department quarterly
updates:
Public Safety. Human
Resources. Governmental
Affairs.
· Meet and greet Casey
Sixkiller, Environmental Pro-
tection Agency Region 10
administrator.
· National Congress of
American Indians resolution:
Motion by Alvis adopting
Resolution No. 12,982. Sec-
ond by Jay. Question: Jim/
yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes, Wil-
son/yes, Rosa/yes, 5/0/0,
Chairman not voting. Mo-
tion carried.
· Department quarterly
updates continued:
Health and Human Ser-
vices. Natural Resources.
“We welcome additional
input on improvements to
the NAGPRA regulations,
the hope being these changes
will make it easier for proper
repatriation and reburial of
Indigenous ancestors and cul-
tural items.”
Enacted
in
1990,
NAGPRA requires muse-
ums and federal agencies to
identify Native American
human remains, funerary
items, and objects of cultural
significance in their collec-
tions and collaborate with
tribes and Native Hawaiian
organizations to repatriate
them. The public can com-
ment on the proposed rule
until January 12, 2023. See
the site: regulations.gov
Tribal Court. Veterans Ser-
vice Office.
Motion by Wilson to ad-
journ at 3:40 p.m. due to the
building closure.
October 10
The meeting was called to
order by Chairman Jonathan
Smith Sr. Roll call: James
‘Jim’ Manion, Lincoln Jay
Suppah, Vice Chair man
Raymond ‘Captain’ Moody,
Wilson Wewa Jr., Chief Jo-
seph Moses, Rosa Graybael,
Alvis Smith III. Minnie
Yahtin, Recorder.
· Enterprise updates:
Power and Water. Com-
posite Products. Telecom.
Ventures - Economic Devel-
opment. Housing Authority.
· Indian Community De-
velopment Block Grant:
Motion by Jim adopting
Resolution No. 12,967A, as
amended. Second by Alvis.
Question: Jim/yes, Joe/yes,
Captain/yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/
yes, Rosa/yes, 6/0/0, Chair-
man not voting. Motion car-
ried.
· Warm Springs Timber
Company LLC.
· The Museum at warm
Springs.
Consensus that each en-
terprise have public meetings
to give annual reports to the
tribal membership.
· Motion by Captain to
adjourn at 2:20 p.m.
All are invited. There
will be award prizes for
best decorations following
the theme A Hocus Pocus
Halloween.
Booths can be set up
on the Pi-Ume-Sha Field
for handing out treats. For
more information and to
sign up call 541-553-
3243.
Community notes...
The Penny Carnival
is coming up on Thursday,
November 10 from 6-8
p.m. in the Warm Springs
Youth Center gym.
The Papalaxsimisha
Parent Group meets ev-
ery other Monday via
Zoom, at noon and 5 p.m.
For more information con-
tact Lorien Scott or
Rosetta Herkshan. The
next meetings are today.
COCC forum on addressing,
workforce hiring inequities
As part of an ongoing se-
ries of discussions on equity,
racism and social justice,
Central Oregon Community
College is hosting a virtual
community forum titled
‘Working with a Multigenera-
tional Workforce.’
The forum will be from
3-4 p.m. on Monday, Octo-
ber 24, free and open to the
public. Attendees must reg-
ister for the COCC equity fo-
rum in advance. To learn
more visit:
cocc.edu/departments/
multicultural
“COCC is committed to
these important conversa-
tions centered on addressing
systemic inequities,” said
Christy Walker, director of
COCC’s diversity and inclu-
sion program.
Speakers for this forum
are three COCC staffers:
Geneva Mayall, Native
American college preparation
coordinator; Christy Walker,
director of diversity and in-
clusion; and Laura Boehme,
Ph.D., chief information and
human resources officer. Top-
ics will include employment
barriers and stereotypes fac-
ing different age groups. Each
six- to eight-minute presenta-
tion will be followed by a
question session.
COCC holds forums on
equity, racism and social jus-
tice once a term during the
academic year. For more in-
formation, contact Christy
Walker, COCC’s director of
diversity and inclusion, at
541-383-7412. Or email:
cwalker2@cocc.edu
Supporting long-term success of Native students of Oregon
Program includes fi-
nancial aid, addresses
retention, graduation,
professional develop-
ment of students
The University of Or-
egon has launched the Home
Flight Scholars Program.
This program is available
immediately to currently en-
rolled eligible undergraduate
students. Home Flight Schol-
ars goes beyond breaking fi-
nancial barriers for Ameri-
can Indian residents.
The University of Or-
egon built the program in
consultation with the
university’s Native American
Advisory Council, recogniz-
ing the cultural and academic
challenges Native students
often experience.
Through a combination
of federal, state and institu-
tional grants, the Home
Flight Scholars Program will:
Cover full tuition and fee
costs; create a new academic
advisor position;
Enhance mentorship op-
portunities, and develop a
culture-rich program for
new students to help Na-
tive American students
launch successful academic
careers.
Three major factors af-
fect the success of Native
American students: financial
hardships, academic difficul-
ties and the lack of cultural
connectedness.
The University of Or-
egon Home Flight Scholars
Program will help address
these issues.
Once state and federal
options have been ex-
hausted, the university will
waive remaining tuition and
fees for Oregon residents
who are enrolled citizens of
any of the 574 federally rec-
ognized tribes.
The program incorpo-
rates a wide range of activi-
ties to help new student ad-
just to life on campus and in
Eugene. Orientation pro-
grams will help students fa-
miliarize themselves to cam-
pus life and the classroom.
Professional develop-
ment is an integral part of
the UO experience, and the
Home Flight Scholars Pro-
gram will provide a num-
ber of opportunities con-
nected to the students’ heri-
tage.
These include profes-
sional conferences, tribal job
and internship fairs, and the
Future Stewards Program
within graduate studies.
Land matter
The University of Or-
egon is located on Kalapuya
Ilihi, the traditional indig-
enous homeland of the
Kalapuya people.
Following treaties between
1851 and 1855, Kalapuya
people were dispossessed of
their indigenous homeland
by the United States govern-
ment and forcibly removed
to the Coast Reservation in
Western Oregon.
Background
Nationally, 28.4 percent
of Native Americans live
below poverty level, double
the national average. Federal
and state programs have
made it feasible for Ameri-
can Indian scholars to attend
colleges, gain degrees and
overcome some of the em-
ployment barriers they face.
The programs provide fi-
nancial aid to assist with the
cost of tuition, fees and
sometimes housing. Current
data also show that less than
half—41 percent—of first-
time, full-time Native Ameri-
can students attending four-
year institutions graduate
within 6 years.
More than half of the
students—53 percent—drop
out of four-year colleges. T
hree major reasons these
scholars drop out of college
are: financial hardships—38
percent; academic disqualifi-
cation—28 percent); nad
don’t fit into social life at col-
lege—13 percent.
Family Engagement Night
Warm Springs Early Childhood Edu-
cation will hold the Family Engage-
ment Night this Wednesday evening,
October 19. Dinner will be from 5 to
6 p.m., and Make Your Family Tree
will be from 6 to 7 p.m. Dinner will be
provided, and all are welcome to join.
Halloween greetings from Travis Bobb.