Smoke Signals " February 1990 Page 11
HUNTING RIGHTS(cont)
ceded by the tribe. The persecution based his case on
state hunting seasons and that this particular kill was
done on private property. Percy Dunkle's editorial to
the Peninsula Daily News included the statement, "Since
tribal law supersedes state state law, which the court
undoubtedly understood, why was this costly case
allowed to go to trial in the first place?
That's a good question. Why are state game officials
eagerly citing Native Americans for hunting violations?
The state is well aware of treaty language speaking to
the tribes' retained rights to hunting, gathering roots and
berries, and pasturing their horses on open and un
claimed land. Courts have concluded that if tribes were
to push the issue, the courts almost certainly will rule
that the State has no right to enforce its hunting laws on
tribal hunters. Mason Morisset, Seattle attorney and
treaty-law authority, has stated, "There's a substantial
amount of law that points to the interpretation as any
land generally not enclosed for specific private use.
There's no question at all about state-owned lands." In
response, the state has entered interim agreements with
several tribes that opens state lands to Indian hunting
outside of regular state hunting season in return for
certain concessions from the tribe. Those concessions
include an agreement not to hunt on private lands
except during regular state seasons. Enforcement is left
to tribal enforcement programs.
The Governor of the State of Washington has signed a
statetribal governmental relations policy proclamation
that the State of Washington accepts the fundamental
principle and integrity of the government to government
relationship between the state and Indian tribes, and
that this principle shall be the basis of the state's Indian
1 Tribal Government Policy. The Wildlife Department
1 has entered the interim hunting agreements with a small
j number of tribes. Why are state game wardens, armed
j with state policies and rules on hunting, busying them-
selves with citing Tribal members of tribes that have not
entered into hunting agreements with the state? Is this
: part of the "old guard" left over from the over-thrown
; Department of Game that was cited as sexiest, racist, in-
efficient, insulated, and not answerable to the public?
IAre the arms of small sportsman groups continuing to
ipull strings within the department? What is their overall
intent? How can we as individuals and as organizations
work toward supporting the government to government
relationship between the state and Indian tribes,
j For one, we could write letters to Governor Booth
Gardner supporting his efforts in upholding government
to government relationships with tribes and also to Curt
Smitch, Director of the Department of Wildlife. Com
j munities, in general, need to be educated on a continual
basis due to the poor press that tribes get when anti
Indian groups attack treaty rights. We cannot continue
to remain silent as individuals, groups, public leaders,
and business utilize the news media to portray the
Indian peoples as a major source of natural resource
depletion. We need to understand and to expose the
underlying motives or racial hatred and greed that fuel
the continual injustices done to Indian peoples.
Current leadership within the House Interior Commit
tee and Senate Indian Affairs Committee remain
strongly opposed to abrogation legislation. They need to
hear from us that we support their efforts. Our voices
need to be heard loud and clear that we support the
Indian community and their sovereign governmental
authority to govern themselves, and that we abhor any
attempts to legislate the right to destroy the contract
agreementstreaties made with Indian tribes. These
contract agreements are just as binding as the agree
ments that are made in the U.S. Constitution that is an
older archaic document than the treaties.
- Courtesy of the Friends Indian Report
CENTENNIAL(cont.)
establish a system of accountability to implement the
governmcnt-to-govcrnmcnt relationship.
Part of the state's challenge in implementing the
accord will be to standardize how our various state
agencies relate to the tribes. Today some agencies have
far more positive relations with the tribes than others,
Gardner said.
Gardner said the accord signals continued develop
ment of good relations between the state and the tribes
and pledged his support of this process on a governmcnt-to-govcrnmcnt
basis. He pledged similar support
from all government agencies under his direction.
-Courtesy of Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
Note to the Readers: This story was originally
printed in the Rawhide Press of the Spokane
Tribe. It has been used in several Tribal alcohol
programs. It has been said that this is not just
the story of one man, that it applies to many. It
has been submitted to other Tribal papers, so
more people could benefit from its lesson.
Getting a glimpse through the window of time,
into another persons life, can be a powerful
experience.
BylngesMcbes
I I The day before rain had cast its gloom over the
land, but this morning the sun came out. Its brilliance
adding to the good mood of the crowd. What a perfect
day for a pow-wow.
From the distance I could hear the drums, drawing me
like a magnet, as they always do. Stopping to greet
friends here and there, I make my way to the War
Dance Hall and the magic of yet another pow-wow. My
eyes sweeping over the crowd, looking for a good place
to sit, I noticed you.
Although there were many people there and the
benches were filling up fast you were sitting along apart
from the others. Your hair looked rumpled, your eyes
dull as if shrouded in fog. Your clothes had an unkempt
appearance and there was the smell of alcohol about
you. You were not loud or disorderly. You were not
bothering anyone but seemed withdrawn from your
surroundings.
A small child smiled at you and was about to sit next
to you, but was snatched away by a mother's hand and
ushered into another direction. I heard her mutter
something about "that old drunk." I know you heard it
too, you looked as if someone had slapped you in the
face. You looked hurt and sad. So 1 sat next to you,
hoping to make up for someone clses thoughtlessness.
You looked at me, a stranger, and greeted me. I
returned the greeting with dignity.
The drums started their sound filling every corner of
" the hall. Their echo reaching deep inside us, as if trying
to awake something, that has been asleep within. Slowly
you become alive, your eyes losing their dullness, begin
to shine. Your body moving with the rhythm of the
drums. From your lips comes a chant new to me, yet
sounding familiar, making me feel I have heard it
before. Somewhere long ago outside the scope of my
memory. Amazed I watch your transformation. The
words of your song floating to me, like a bird on silent
wings. I must listen closely to understand you.
You are of another tribe, you have traveled far to get
here. Always you must follow the pow-wow, as a bird
follows the season, you must answer the call of the
drums. I follow your voice into the past: You were
young then, so full of life, hope and plans for the future.
Your body was healthy and strong and you like to race
with the wind and cunningly stalk wild game. No horse
was so wild that you could not tame it.
Life on the Reservation was simple then, you did not
have much, you were poor and yet you felt rich. Then
your country took away from your people and the life
you loved. It sent you to a foreign land, to fight for
freedom. You could not quite understand why you were
there, so far from home, fighting for people whose
language you did not understand and whose ways were
strange to you. But your country had sent you, so you
did your duty and did not question it.
As the drums stop, you grow silent, waiting for them to
start again before you continue. It is your first battle,
you are fighting shoulder to shoulder your commando,
beating the attackers into retreat. Suddenly you find
yourself alone, isolated from your group and face to face
with an enemy, looking into the barrel of his gun. You
have never killed a man before in hand to hand combat.
But now you know that it is either him or you. For an
instant you feel the terror of death and you want to run.
Then instinct takes over, you feel your blood stir.
Something inside of you recalls your ancestors, the
proud warriors. You let out a war-cry shrill and pene
trating. Coming unexpected, it so startles your enemy,
making him freeze momentarily. You use this time to
change. The noise of your gun blending with the sound
coming from your throat. Then it is all over. Your
enemy laying at your feet, all life gone out of him. You
look down at him, the first man you killed. What is it
you feel, you wonder? Remorse for the young man, not
much older than you, who now looks so harmless in
death? Or is it a relief at the conquest, that it is not you
laying there in his place? You feel something running
down your cheeks, you wipe it with the back of your
hands. It is tears, you discover almost amazed. You had
not cried since you were a child. Almost automatically
your hand reaches down to touch him, as if counting
coup like your warrior ancestors have done before now.
The war goes on, with its suffering, death and destruc
tion. You fight bravely, for what your country stands
for. You take life, but you also save life. Your fellow
soldiers marvel at your courage. You are treated as a
hero and decorated for your bravery. Then the war is
over. Victorious you return home, to the life you had
left.
While many details of the war grow hazy with the
passage of time, the memory of the first man you killed,
your first coup will always stay with you, as clear as if it
(Continued on page 12.)
"GIVE THE OLD WARRIOR
THE STRENGTH TO WIN
JUST ONE MORE WAR"