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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2001)
Smoke Signals 4 FEBRUARY 1, 2001 BIA Issues Final Determination on the Recognition of the Duwamish The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has issued a final determination to acknowledge the Duwamish Tribal Organization, hereafter referred to as the Duwamish of Renton, Wash ington, as existing as an Indian Tribe within the meaning of Federal law. The Duwamish first filed a let ter of intent to petition for Federal acknowledgement on June 7, 1977. The Bureau made, its final determi nation based on documentary and in terview evidence, which formed the basis for a 1996 proposed finding not to acknowledge the Duwamish, and an analysis of information and argu ments received in response to the pro posed finding by third parties and the Duwamish themselves. In addition, the Bureau reached factual conclu sions after a review and analysis of the existing record in light of the ad ditional evidence. Today's final de termination reverses the negative proposed finding issued 1996. The review established that the Duwamish Tribal Organization (pe titioner) has satisfied the criteria under the 1978 regulations on rec ognition (25 CFR Part 83). The Bu reau concluded that while the peti tioner meets the criteria for recogni tion throughout the period of first contact to the present, as an alter native basis for recognition, the pe titioner has also demonstrated prior Federal acknowledgement in the form of numerous statutory ref erences of the "Duwamish Tribe" or the "D'wamish Tribe" beginning with the United States Senate's ratifica tion of the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott in 1859 up until the final ap propriation statute in 1923, and that the petitioner further meets the cri teria for the period from 1923 to the present. Express statutory refer ences also were found in an unbro ken series of appropriations statutes beginning in 1860 and ending in 1923. The Bureau further concluded that the Duwamish met 1994 regulations requiring that a petitioner demon strate historical continuity for the pe riod commencing from the time of pre vious acknowledgement to the present. In light of the additional evidence, the Duwamish were deter mined to have met the criteria under both the 1978 and 1994 regulations. The final determination will become effective 90 days after being pub lished in the Federal Register. V " fc V. w A Visit to Washington, D.C. Kathryn Harrison, Tribal Council Chair of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde attended the American Indian Inaugural Ball. Tribe Gives $100,000 to Build Long House on Lane Campus The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde will give $100,000 to Lane Community College's (LCC) Long House project from the Tribes' Spirit Mountain Community Fund. The grant will help finance the project, which will create a long house on main campus.. The long house is a traditional meeting place for Na tive Americans. The new long house will provide permanent space for educational and cultural gatherings. "The people at Lane Community College have worked hard to reach out to Native American students over the years," said Kathryn Harrison, Chair of the Grand Ronde Tribal Council. "I'm pleased that our Tribe is able to share our good fortune with the Eugene and Lane County com munity by joining with LCC on this exciting Long House project. As a graduate of Lane Community Col lege, I know firsthand how impor tant the education they provide can be in turning lives around." Harrison is a 1972 graduate of At the long house, students can experience a sense of belonging and community when they may be a long way Angela Ellis, Community Fund Advisor from home.' LCC, earning a degree as a licensed practical nurse. Lane Community College currently has 643 enrolled students who identify themselves as Native Americans. The Spirit Mountain grant comes in two phases a $50,000 grant that will be given immediately, and a $50,000 challenge grant that will be given to the college when the school raises an equal amount from other donors. "Lane Community College is very grateful to Spirit Mountain for the generous donation for the Long House " said Mary Spilde, LCC's Vice President for Instruction and Student ServicesBuilding a Long House at Lane has been a dream for a number of years. We appreciate that Spirit Mountain is willing to step forward to help us fulfill this dream. We will be actively seeking additional fund ing to meet Spirit Mountain's chal lenge. Meanwhile, we are develop ing a detailed site plan and will con tinue to work with Lane's Board of Education as the project progresses." LCC's Native American Student Program provides students with an environment that supports tradi tional values and promotes academic achievement, said Angela Ellis, Com munity Fund Administrator. Staff members for the program help stu dents maintain contact with their Tribal, academic and financial aid advisors. "At the Long House, students can experience a sense of belonging and community when they may be a long way from home," Ellis said. IMS Director Visits Tribal Council Dr. Michael Trujillo, Director of the Indian Health Service, recently visited the Grand Ronde Tribal campus and spent some time meeting with the Tribal Council. Trujillo was in the Northwest and took some personal time to visit the Oregon Coast and spend some time in Grand Ronde. It was his first visit to Grand Ronde. Trujillo and the council discussed issues of concern about the direction of Indian Health Care under incoming President George W. Bush. r 7 Ir- i i" 1 "i ii r V V ii Ill ! ft ' - 3 Council members, from left to right: Secretary Reyn Leno, Cheryle Kennedy, Chair Kathryn Harrison, Vice Chair Ed Larsen, Dr. Michael Trujillo, Butch LaBonte, Bob Haller and June Sell-Sherer. Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Hosting Indian Nations at 2002 Winter Olympics The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes has formally accepted an offer from the Native American 2002 Foundation to host all Indian Nations during the XLX Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah in February 2002. The Shoshone-Bannock Official Tribal Host Committee, Winter Games 2002, has- been established and would like to attract interested members throughout the U.S. The committee is helping American Indians during the Olympic events and is establishing sub-committees for information; education; market ing of traditional fine arts and Na tive merchandise; marketing of tra ditional foods; performances; hous ing; and transportation. Interest parties wishing to assist, please contact: Garth Towersap, Chairman . E-mail: litsageyahoo.com Phone: 208-478-3936 Toll Free: 888-297-1378 Committee Fax: 208-478-3933
