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Learning
about
safety
The annual Health & Safety Fair was
held on Sept. 17 at Grand Ronde
Elementary School. All Grand Ronde
students and Willamina 3rd graders
attended an afternoon filled with
awareness presentations from the
Willamina Fire District, Sheriff
Department, and Commission of the
Blind. Information was also shared
on tobacco awareness, dental
prevention, and blood pressure
checks just to name a few.
This activity started four years ago
as a way to update students' immu
nization records. Another year has
gone by and it has proven again to
be a successful event many
thanks to all who helped.
Photo by Justin Phillips
Klamath Tribe seeks part
of original homelands
KLAMATH FALLS, OR (AP) A
potential water war over endangered
fish might be avoided under an am
bitious plan that includes returning
much of the Winema National For
est to the Klamath Indian Tribe.
At issue is the endangered Lost
River and shortnose sucker fish in
Klamath Lake. The tribe has been
at odds with ranchers and farmers
who depend on the lake's water to
irrigate pastures and crops. Settle
ment talks started in earnest last
month after the Tulelake Growers
Association forwarded a draft pro
posal to the Hatfield Upper Klamath
Basin Working Group. The 31-mem-ber
group includes representatives
from state and federal agencies; tim
ber and agricultural interests; con
servation, hunting and fishing
groups; and the tribe. .
Earlier this month, more than 50
people crowded into a meeting room
at the Winema National Forest head
quarters to have their say on the
growers' proposed settlement and the
idea of restoring the tribe's homeland.
"We believe that the pieces to con
struct a comprehensive solution are
in place, and miraculously the pieces
could benefit practically every inter
est," said Marshall Staunton, a
farmer and member of the Tulelake
Growers, which drafted the plan.
Opponents pointed to the $220 mil
lion paid to tribal members in ex
change for their reservation, and
others voiced concern about lost tax
revenue in Chiloquin, where the
2,800-member tribe is based.
"What we have paid for is ours,"
said Don Roeder of Klamath Falls,
whose family owns ranch land in
Fort Klamath, near the former res
ervation. "The United States gov
ernment has no right to give away
public land."
The plan would give back the
680,000-acre reservation that be
came part of the Winema National
Forest in 1961.
Other possibilities include re-engineering
the Bureau of Reclamation's
massive Klamath Project, stepping
up conversion of farmland into
marshes, guaranteeing adequate
water for the basin's six National
Wildlife Refuges, protecting commer
cial farming on 22,000 acres leased
from one refuge and managing irri
gation cutoffs in drought years.
The tribe's 45-year quest to regain
its reservation has gained support
from key members of the agricultural
community, surprising many area
residents. Faith Wilkins of Chiloquin
said the proposal "has fragmented
our community at a very deep level
on both sides."
The support follows two years of
secret negotiations with irrigators that
began after the tribe successfully sued
to ensure adequate water for endan
gered fish in Klamath Lake and to
recognize tribal water rights within
the Klamath Basin. Supporters
praised the tribe's efforts to resolve
water issues outside of courtrooms and
condemned the 1954 federal taking
of the timber-rich reservation.
The tribe has "done an excellent job
to bring the parties to the table and
sit down to talk about some very deli
cate issues," said irrigator Mike
McKoen of Merrill.
"I think they have a legitimate
claim there, and I think it would ben
efit the economy of the entire region,"
added Earl Miller of Bonanza. Tribal
members said restoration of their
homeland would help sustain both
the environment and the economy.
"It will allow the people who know
the land best and live here to make
the decisions," Tribal Chairman Allen
Foreman said.
Returning the Winema forest to the
tribe and re-engineering the Klamath
Project's irrigation system would re
quire congressional approval and fed
eral financing, worrying some.
"There is an inherent danger in
asking Congress to pass any legisla
tion," said James Ottoman of Malin.
But many still see the real danger
as the loss of a water supply devel
oped mostly for agriculture-
Exhibit opens at
Warm Springs museum
By Amanda Siestreem
The Grand Opening on September 11 for the Hall of Plateau Indians,
at the High Desert Museum, was attended by some 800 people.
The exhibit, which is a model for other museums, is displaying the
7,000-item Doris Swayze Bounds collection. The display, which includes
baskets, jewelry, weapons, regalia, dolls, rugs, blankets, books, photo
graphs, beaded bags, household goods and pipes, is the first look at the
transition of Native America through the reservation period.
The Grand Opening celebration was honored with the blessing of James
Selam, a powerful force in the Columbia River tribes, and the artisan of
the exhibit's tule mat lodge.
Exempt from the history books for the last 100 years, the Swayze
Bounds collection, which was gathered over the last 80 years, is bringing
back the story of survival of a people, their culture and their spirit.
The Grand Ronde Tribe, which shares affiliation along the Columbia
River, is certain to benefit from this as the Tribe moves forward in their
own plans for a museum. Meanwhile, the $6.2 million dollar exhibit is
educating the public, with the likes of this quote from Chief Meninock of
the Yakama, taken in 1915:
"My strength is from the fish; my blood is from the fish, from the roots
and the berries. The fish and game are the essence of my life."
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This display is part of the "Hall of Plateau Indians" - a new exhibit
at the High Desert Museum. photo by Tanyia Johnson