Native News
Smoke Signals
Stronger salmon protection needed
(AP) Oregon Represen
tative Elizabeth Furse (1st
District) has begun a drive to
focus White House and Con
gressional attention on saving
the declining Columbia River
salmon. In a letter to all 435
members of the U.S. House
of Representatives, Furse
cited a poll published by The
Oregonian in December
which found that the dwin
dling salmon population leads
Oregon residents' environ
mental concerns.
"The results show that
there is an enormous citizen
concern about the decline of
salmon," Furse wrote.
"There is a tremendous citizen support for more
effective recovery programs, and a willingness of
citizens to pay for those programs."
Some members of Congress are picking up her
call to action.
"This poll should be Al Gore's breakfast read
ing material," Rep. Peter DeFazio (D OR.), said
of the Vice-President. "I have always assumed
that there is a very deep feeling for protecting a
supporting salmon. That is quantified now."
The White House is already involved in salmon
recovery. But Katie McGinty, President Clinton's
top environmental advisor, told The Oregonian in
October that it was up to the region's Northwest
leaders to find new solutions. Clinton's leader of
Northwest salmon efforts, however, called Furse 's
appeal for better federal coordination of salmon
policy a "reasonable request."
"It's something that the administration has
worked hard to achieve," said Will Stelle, Regional
Director of the National Marine Fisheries Service.
"But obviously we are not there."
The failing effort to restore Columbia salmon, fi
nanced mainly by the Bonneville Power Adminis
tration, has consumed $3 billion in the last 15 years.
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Furse said her goals are:
D To help create a regional
forum of state, federal, and
tribal leaders to make deci
sions on managing the Co
lumbia River. Governor
Kitzhaber began last summer
a drive for a regional forum.
D To thoroughly evaluate
the costs and benefits of sig
nificant actions to help
salmon, such as lowering res
ervoirs or breaching some
dams on the Columbia and
Snake rivers. The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers is now
analyzing a proposal to
breach four dams on the
lower Snake River, but Con
gress has refused money for a similar study of low
ering the reservoir behind John Day Dam on the
lower Columbia.
To improve the Clinton administration's coor
dination of federal agencies working on Columbia
salmon recovery. The BPA, the National Marine
Fisheries Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engi
neers, and the Bureau of Reclamation are at the
center of the salmon policy.
Some members of Congress however, oppose a
bigger federal role. Senators Larry Craig (R ID.),
and Slade Gorton (R WA.), said The Oregonian
poll confirms widespread support for salmon but
does not demonstrate that Northwesterners would
be willing to make sacrifices to ensure the salmon's
survival.
"I agree that if you walked out on the street and
asked if salmon are important, 85 percent of the
people would say yes," Craig said. "But I am not
sure the science of the opinion is there to take a
specific direction."
Rep. Bob Smith (R-OR.), and Rep. Mike Crapo
(R ID.), expressed concern that stepped-up
salmon saving efforts could hurt Columbia Basin
economies.
Women's conference to be held in Portland
Native women from across the United States and
Canada are invited to join together for two upcom
ing Wellness and Women conferences, slated
March 8-11 in San Diego, CA., and March 30
April 3 in Portland, OR.
The Wellness and Women conferences are pre
sented annually by Health Promotion Programs, a
department of the University of Oklahoma College
of Continuing Education. Co-sponsoring the 1998
conferences are the Albuquerque Indian Health
Service Cancer Control Program, the Portland
Area Indian Health Service, and the Northwest
Portland Indian Health Board.
"Connecting Within the Circle" is the theme for
the 1998 conference, signifying the long-lasting
and meaningful relationships formed by many
women during these conferences in previous years.
The south regional conference will take place
March 8-11 at the Town and Country Hotel in San
Diego. Keynote speaker Lori Speck is committed
to getting the community involved in cultural events
and bringing generations together.
The north regional conference is set for March 30
April 3 at Doubletree's Hayden Island in Portland.
Keynote speaker is Dr. Bea Medicine. An inter
nationally recognized scholar and research anthro
pologist, Dr. Medicine has contributed extensively
to such areas as Native American studies and
women's studies. She conducts research concern
ing mental health, education, and alcohol and drug
use issues among American Indians. In addition,
she is president of Warrior Women, Inc., a
not-for-profit ethnographic films and archive
research organization.
Workshop presentations for both conferences in
clude Female Sexuality; Aboriginal Liaison Aware
ness; Cancer Prevention for Native Women; Na
tive Infant Mortality; Presentation Skills; Healing
Grief; ADDADHD and FASFAE; and Being Well
While Walking in Two Worlds. A health fair with
screenings and health promotion information will
also be held.
During the conferences, Health Promotion Pro
grams will honor Cecilia Fire Thunder for her his
tory of service and contributions to native women's
health issues. For more information or to receive
a conference brochure, call Health Promotion Pro
grams at (405) 325-1790; fax requests to (405) 325
7126; or write the department at 555 E. Constitu
tion, Norman, OK 73072.
Indian totem artifacts
at Ka lama in jeopardy
The Friends of the Totem committee
seek to preserve tribal history
By Cheryl Spaulding, News & Bulletin
Standing in silence for 23 years, four giants gaze
out across the Columbia River. The weather beats
against them relentlessly, yet even as their features
disintegrate under the strain, they never utter a
word.
The Friends of the Totem committee, led by
Dianne McCallum of Cowlitz Bank, have come
together in an attempt to preserve Kalama's four
deteriorating totem poles. She said the poles are
in danger of being lost forever if restoration work
is not performed soon. Carved from a single ce
dar tree that grew in Cowlitz County, the great to
tem, standing at a height of 140 feet, is reportedly
the tallest single tree totem pole in the world, she
said.
"We want to protect the poles as well as the his
tory behind them," said John (Mac) Maciellewicz,
member of the restoration committee. He said with
out knowing the amount of structural damage done
to the poles, it is impossible to know how much the
cost of restoration will be.
The committee is currently searching for a paint
ing contractor with the capability to survey the poles
and estimate the recovery cost, he said. But so
far, the committee has not been able to find any
one willing to take on the project. Tsungani Fearon
"Smitty" Smith will be working with the commit
tee on the repair of any structural damage and the
repainting of each creature. "' ri
While picnicking at the park with her son one
day in 1992, McCallum said they found a piece of
wood on the ground which was later determined
to be a wooden beak from a legendary animal on
one of the smaller poles.
She said the poles are one-of-a-kind and cannot
be replaced. They are part of the history of Kalama
and the history of West Coast Indian tribes. These
historical artifacts were carved and painted by the
late Chief Lelooska (Don Smith) in Kalama in the
1960s.
McCallum said the poles were originally painted
in only four colors red, black, turquoise and
white which were tribal colors. But they were
repainted in 1974, when they were moved from
their original site. However, she said, the paint
colors used at that time were incorrect.
The committee wants to develop an organization
that will partner with the Lelooska Foundation of
Ariel, local school districts, libraries, community
colleges, port districts and tourism agencies to pro
vide for the preservation of the poles, she said.
She outlined the plan as also providing ongoing
education about the poles and their history as well
as promoting tourism opportunities in southwest
Washington and in Kalama.
McCallum said the poles represent the legends
and lineage of the now extinct Nass River Indian
Tribe of British Columbia. Each section features a
symbolic animal from Nass tribal history, besides
depicting south by sea.
Because of a controversial dispute, the largest
pole remained in a prone position for 12 years af
ter being completed. Later, Kalama citizens do
nated almost $4,000 and labor to finish and erect
the poles after the Kalama Chamber of Commerce
negotiated with the Port of Kalama for the dona
tion of the site.
To volunteer for this project, call (360) 636-0605
or 673-2587.