Smoke Signals January 1993 Page 8
Early Tribal Leaders Deserve Recognition
By June Olson
On Monday, November 23, we celebrated the ninth anniversary of federally recognized tribal status. Restoration
required immense energy from many people, and the name of such tribal members as Margaret Provost, Marvin Kimsey,
Merle Leno, Russ Leno, Merle Holmes, Dean Mercier, Kathryn Harrison, Frank Harrison, and many others will forever be
identified with this cause. At the same time, we should recall some of the tribal leaders whose work justified this action.
Just north of Highway 22 and south of agency there is the Grand Ronde Cemetery. Inside its surrounding eight
foot high chain link fence stands an upright stone marking the burial site of Peter Sulkey, Second Chief of the Yamhill
Kalapuya. He was one of the men who signed the treaty January 22, 1 855.
Nearby another stone bears the name of Solomon Riggs, husbands of Jane and Chief of the Umpqua He took an
active role in the first tribal government and acted as tribal attorney from 1881-1882.
In 1 869 Superintendent of Indian Affairs, Meachum arrived at Grand Ronde. His mission was to prepare the people
for the day they would become self-governing. He sent a runner out to invite all tribal people to the post. On the day of the
occasion, they arrived on horseback and wagons dressed in their very best. All the Chiefs were there, and each in turn
expressed the needs of their people.
Wopito Dave, Chief of the Chehalcm Kalapuya was the first to speak. He said, "AH our people are very poor. They
have no good houses, no good mill, no wagons, got no good harnesses, no plow. They get some, they work hard. They buy
them. The government no give them. We want these things."
Joseph Hutchins, Chief of the Santiams was next and everyone waited for him to speak. When he was finished
all the people applauded expressing both their appreciation for his words and their respect for the man.
Joseph Shangaretta, Chief of the Marysville Kalapuya, signed the Treaty of January 22, 1855. He was elected
president of the Fifth Annual Indian Legislative Assembly and spent all of his life not only advocating for the rights of his
people, but helping to build the Grand Ronde community. He died in 1905 and was buried in an unmarked grave.
Restoration has brought us once again to a common tribal path, but as we work on tomorrow's dreams, let us
remember the men and women who bought that right for us.
Cultural Barriers Put Indians
at Disadvantage in Courtrooms
Hispanics and American Indians in Klamath County often plead guilty to criminal charges under plea-bargain
agreements they don't understand, community residents told an Oregon state task force.
Part of the problem stems from language barriers, but many times defendants know nothing about the judicial
system or their legal rights.
Juan Delgadillo, of Klamath Falls said he was cited for speeding last year and wound up paying $200 to a lawyer
who advised him to plead guilty and pay a $100 fine. He said he still was puzzled as to why the lawyer didn't advise him
to contest the charge.
"There's been quite a few cases like that," Delgadillo said. "Because we're Mexican, we don't know where to go.
I know a lot of other people, they have problems like that or even worse."
Members of the Klamath Indian Tribe run into similar barriers, other speakers said.
"Our Indians here don't seem to have much rights," said Karleen Parazoo, a Klamath and Chinook Indian.
"We need interpreters, the same as the Mexicans," she said. "People don't understand the system. They have rights
to trials, but they plea bargain." About 200 tribal members have plea bargained their way into the Eastern Oregon
Correctional Institution in Pendleton, she said.
Lynell Pridemore, a Klamath and Yurok Indian agreed.
"As minorities, we're being harassed," she said. "We do not get fair treatment in the justice system. I've watched
other Native Americans go through the system, and they are not told they're rights."
"The majority of people are cited, and they arc offered a plea bargain. People feel like they have no choice anyway,
so they think why bother."
What's needed, Pridemore said, is "someone available at all times that people can contact, so they can learn their
rights in terms they understand."
Delgadillo and the two women made their comments at a public hearing in the Kingsley Air Force Base Theater.
About a dozen people testified at the meeting, the fourth of seven scheduled around the state by a Supreme Court task force
looking into racial and ethnic bias in courtrooms.
During a hearing on the Warm Springs reservations, witnesses hit on similar themes.
Wilson Wewa, who works with the Tribe's senior citizen program, said many elders do not understand court
procedures or terminology. He estimated that thirty percent of those sixty years and older have no more than a sixth-grade
education and very little understanding of the tribal court system, let alone the state court system.
"There's been a lot of effort made to accommodate the Hispanic people in the state of Oregon, as far as having school
councilors and interpreters making sure they understand the system," whether they are legal residents or not, Wewa said.
"Our Indian people do nit understand why they do not have the same things afforded to them," he said.
Barbara Bagg, a criminal defense attorney who does most of her work in Madras, said the judicial system in Oregon
is poorly equipped to deal with Hispanics and Indians. . .the two predominant ethnic groups in Crook, Deshutes, and Jefferson
counties.
She said both groups were severely under-represented in jury pools, and there is only one Spanish- speaking
interpreter who is regularly used by the court, the district attorney's office and law firms that do criminal defense work. She
said that in that area there are virtually no attorneys or support-staff members who are members of the minority groups, but
she conceded that "it's difficult to recruit people."
By George Rede, The OregOQian staff
WW
Solomon Riggs, Umpqua
Job Opportunity
TITLE: Adult Community Education Coordinator
(Part-time)
REPORTS TO: Education Director
LOCATION: Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Grand Ronde,
Oregon
SALARY: $8.05 hourly 24-32 hrs. per week
DURATION: September 1 st through May 1st ' '
CLOSING DATE: January 25, 1993: ' ' :
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: '
Coordinates community education activities between Tribal
Programs and appropriate agencies;
Instructs basic skills classes (ABE, GED preparation) life skill
seminars when necessary; : .
Works with local community college programs to establish and
coordinate classes which enhance employment, develop basic
academic skills, offer certificate, licensing or associate degree
programs; '
Maintains records of program recruitment, student competencies
and progress; ' ' ' '.
'Participates in curriculum development, recommends textbook
and instructional materials;
Attends staff meetings, works in cooperative manner with other
Tribal programs and departments as required;
Assists Tribal members in academic advising and counseling for
post-secondary education; ' 1
Performs other duties relative to position as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS "
Bachelor's degree or equivalent in educational field, social science,
or related field with two years experience (prefer secondary
classroom, or community educational teaching experience).
Ability to plan and implement instructional programs for adult
learners;
Experience working with students of various ages and learning
abilities;
Familiarity with community college systems and educational
agencies;
Ability to work with small group instruction and individual
instruction;
Experience in working in cooperative learning environments;
Must possess valid Oregon driver's Licence;
Must provide three letters of reference attesting to past work
experience
Tribal Preference appliesSend resumes to Barbara Mercier,
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, 9615 Grand Ronde Rd.,
Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347