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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 2024)
E Coosh EEWA: The way it is Letters to the editor A Letter to the People I am writing because I am thankful. I am thankful that I was chosen by my people to be the next Wasco Chief of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. I understand the respon- sibility this position entails and the commitment our people are expecting me to have. I also understand there is still more to learn and become. This is not the end for us, only the beginning of this era. I was born and raised here in our territory and watched my grandfathers fish from scaffolds at the Bridge of the Gods at Cascade Locks. The rain fell constantly as I was learning to walk. Before then I remember being passed around as a baby at the pa- vilion still there at the in-lieu site while my family cooked for the fishermen. Learning has been my life- long commitment. Some things I learned fast, some things I have had to work at over and over. I am not the smartest in the room, yet I continue to become educated and do not mind expressing my shortcomings. I have been corrected and educated many times and that door will never close. I am sitting in a lifelong position ready to face our people for us to face the world together. Today, I am 3 months into the Wasco Chief position. I commend the leadership from each district, and I com- mend the leadership of our Tribal Council. I believe ev- ery council has meant well for the people. I want to do well. I wish I can be everywhere every time every day, but we know that is not possible. Before I came back from college, I was already work- ing for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs in the Government Affairs- Public Relations-Planning Department. The commu- nity place familiar to me was the longhouse so I would go on occasion and see how short-handed our ceremo- nies would be at times. In- stead of criticizing I decided to help again however I can. I didn’t put off helping as the need was then, not when- ever I finished school and moved back full-time. I am hoping our people realize that it is not just on our leaders to be present. It is up to us. It is up to you. When we realize help is needed, we don’t have the time to wait, we must step in to do the very best we can, whether we are familiar or not, we must do our very best at all times. That is all I have ever done. I wasn’t afraid of the criticisms. I knew I didn’t know it all, but I saw our people needed help over the years and I stepped in to help not wanting to be the best, but to do my best. I am asking you to make your ancestors proud and to not wait for who you think should be somewhere when you in fact are there and could be there as a leader too. Someday we will meet our maker and Creator, and the Creator will ask ‘How come you didn’t lead, how come you didn’t pray, how come you didn’t help?’ and if your reply is ‘because so- and-so didn’t show up’. Do you think that is what will make your people and chil- dren proud? We are realizing life is short. Start counting days, any reason to count the days; sobriety, abstinence, restrain- ing and refraining from nega- tivity, instilling self-discipline, anything to count your days and blessings. Counting the days will slow down time and allow yourself to breath, ob- Page 5 Spilyay Tymoo August 21, 2024 OSU-Cascades to host First Peoples Celebration OSU-Cascades and the Confederated Tribes on October 12 will host the First Peoples Celebration at the OSU-Cascades campus in Bend. This will be in recognition of 2024 Indigenous People’s Day, October 14. Events at the First Peoples Celebration will be free to the public. A preliminary schedule of events is already in place for the day. The afternoon begins with the Native culture bearers demon- strations: The Tananáwit Artists Community of Warm Springs will dem- onstrate traditional tribal crafts and artistry. Members of the Warms Springs Natural Resources Department and Warm Springs Com- munity Action Team will be on hand to discuss their work. And the Mu- seum at Warm Springs and the High Desert Museum will be available there to discuss their roles in preserving the heritage of the First Peoples of Central Oregon. The Opening Ceremony and Invocation will be at 2 p.m., followed by a Show- case of Traditional Regalia and Native Dancing. This will include a narrated pre- sentation with descriptions and histories of the intri- cate Native fashions—in- cluding Jingle, Fanc y, Grass and Traditional— and background about the dances. Later in the afternoon will be Round Dance per- formances with the Black Lodge Singers. Dinner will be of In- digenous foods, prepared by Twisted Teepee of Warm Springs. Registra- tion information will be available soon. serve, realize, and appreci- ate. Many people have come and even gone in my life for all kinds of different rea- sons to no fault of anyone in particular, life just goes and goes. This chieftainship has strengthened relationships, fostered new ones, and even severed others for reasons unknown, but I am not the victim. We must leave Vic- tim Pride at the door. Trauma, poverty, eco- nomic hardships, lack of self-esteem, and negative self consciousness brings about all kinds of toxic per- spectives around us. Sobriety is good, but we must bring about goodness and kindness through words and actions. Sobriety does not make me better than the next, only a slight step ahead in becom- ing and growing, for I only want to share friendship, en- couragement, and enlighten- ment throughout my life. Though, when we con- stantly remind ourselves how much of the world is against us, we lash out in different ways, tallying up all the points and reasons that make us more of a victim than others. We become too dam- aged to step up and step out in front to help even our very own because we are too stressed, too attacked, too criticized, too vulnerable, too broke, too young. As soon we get out of the ‘poor-me’ mentality the sooner we can get to the ‘yes I can’ mentality. No matter how many times I been down I have never stayed there. I have to get back up. I have to push forward. I have to see what’s next. I have to pursue some- thing better, different, re- spectable, enlightening, and greater because I am not a victim. I don’t go around making excuses about why I couldn’t, why I didn’t, why I shouldn’t, why I won’t, why I wouldn’t, I just become, become, and become and I will never stop. We must stop pointing fingers and do our parts. Some of us are leaders in different ways. Some of us are leaders in big ways. Some of us are leaders in small ways, but by all means, be a leader. Guide your children, your people, your commu- nity, your neighbors, your de- scendants. Be a better you. Be a great you. Be the best you can be. Be everything you can be. Smile more, share more, speak more, teach more. Don’t wait until later, life is happening every single day, and every single day is an opportunity to be- come great. I cannot thank our Wasco People and our Creator enough for the guidance you continue to bestow upon me to do good and great things for our people as many of you have done before me, inspiring me to keep moving forward. I am available for home visits upon request so we can build our nation together. Jefferson Greene. P.S. Humbly, I am rarely available via email due to field work and services provided to the Northwest region. Please consider using the phone # provided below for time sensitive requests, in- quiries, and interests. Thank you kindly for your email and understanding. Jefferson Greene, Colum- bia River Institute for Indig- enous Development (CRÍID) Foundation CRÍID.org P.O. Box 870, War m Springs, OR 97761. 541-460- 3004. Wasq’ú, Táxshpash, Nimiipuu, Paiute, ku Shiwanish. Member of the Confed- erated Tribes of War m Springs. The day is today. Chi au lkwi iwá íkuuk. Competitive application for fiscal year 2024 under fund- ing opportunity number FR- 6800-N-48 for a total amount of $5 milloin. Sec- ond by Wilson. Question: Jim/yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes, Wilson/yes, Jefferson/yes, Rosa/yes, 6/0/0, Chairman not voting. Motion carried. • Mixte Communications update discussion with Jamie Hampton and Karim Bouris. • Enrollments discussion with Lucille Suppach- Sampson, director, Vital Sta- tistics: Motion by Alvis adopting Resolution No. 13,165, en- rolling four individuals. Sec- ond by Jay: Question; Jim/ yes, Jay/yes, Al-vis/yes, Wil- son/yes, Jefferson/yes, Rosa/yes, 6/0/0, Chairman not voting. Motion carried. • 2024 On-Reservation Hunting regulations with Michael: Motion by Wilson adopt- ing Resolution No. 13,166, that the ‘2024 On-Reserva- tion Hunting Regulations’ are adopted as provided in the attached recommendation from the BNR and the Fish & Wildlife Committee. Sec- ond by Alvis. Question: Jim/ yes, Jay/no, Alvis/yes, Wil- son/yes, Jefferson/yes, Rosa/ yes, 5/1/0, Chairman not voting. Motion carried. • July agenda discussion with the S-T: Motion by Wilson approv- ing the meeting agenda. Sec- ond by Jay. Question: Jim/ yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes, Wil- son/yes, Jefferson/yes, Rosa/ yes, 6/0/0, Chairman not voting. Motion carried. Motion by Alvis to adjourn at 4:30PM. OSU-Cascades Jefferson Greene, who is now Wasco Chief, demonstrates drum making at the 2023 OSU-Cascades First Peoples Day. Summary of Tribal Council Spilyay Tymoo (Coyote News, Est. 1976) Publisher Emeritus in Memorium: Sid Miller Editor: Dave McMechan Spilyay Tymoo is published bi-weekly by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Our offices are located at 4174 Highway 3 in Warm Springs. Any written materials submitted to Spilyay Tymoo should be addressed to: Spilyay Tymoo, P.O. Box 489, Warm Springs, OR 97761. Phone: 541-553-2210 or 541-771-7521 E-Mail: david.mcmechan@wstribes.org. Annual Subscription rates: Within U.S.: $20.00 June 19 (from page 3) Motion by Jim adopting Resolution No. 13,162 (com- pact amendment). Second by Alvis. Question: Jim/yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes, Wil-son/ yes, Jefferson/yes, Rosa/yes, Jonathan/yes, 7/0/0, Chair- man not voting. Motion car- ried. • 2024 Indian Community Development Block Grant discussion with Danielle Wood, Housing Authority ex- ecutive director: Motion by Alvis adopting Resolution No. 13,163, the Tribal Council hereby del- egates to War m Springs Housing Authority the sole authority to prepare and sub- mit on behalf of the Tribe an ICDBG application for fiscal year 2024 under fund- ing opportunity number FR- 6800-N-23 for a total amount of $2 million. That the Warm Springs Tribal Council certifies that the citizen participation re- quirements identified at 24 CFR 1003.604 have been met for the proposed fiscal year 2024 ICDBG project. Second by Wilson. Question: Jim/yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes, Wilson/yes, Jefferson/yes, Ro-sa/yes, 6/0/0, Chairman not voting. Motion carried. • Indian Housing Block Grant Competitive Grant Pro- gram discussion with Danielle: Motion by Jim adopting Resolution No. 13,164, the Tribal Council hereby del- egates the sole authority to prepare and submit on be- half of the Tribe an IHBG- Summaries continue on 5
