Smoke signals., January 15, 2007, Page 4, Image 4

4 JANUARY 15,2007
Smoke Signals
Utorairy Took RF Dim
Donations, visits, borrowings all way up.
By Ron Karten
Shelving for 1,000 now hooks is go
ing to have to wedge its way between
existing shelving to make room for
many of the 1,600 new donations
given to the Tribal Library last year.
The shelving is on order and may
already have arrived by the time this
issue goes to press.
Most donations will join the li
brary's 6,000 existing items, in
cluding books, tapes, CDs, videos,
electronic games, magazines and
other wild and sundry educational
and recreational fare.
Some, that are duplicates, will go
to assisted living centers as well as
Tribal satellite offices; and those
outdated or too tattered to keep, will
be given away.
In addition to donations, the li
brary has budgeted $3,000 for new
purchases "mainly children and
young adult books," said Tribal mem
ber and Madam Librarian Marion
Mercier.
"We concentrate on those age
groups," said Mercier, "because
I mi M I
J
they're the ones coming in regu
larly for seasonal and other special
events."
Three classrooms of Early Child
hood education students come in for
a reading period once a week and the
K-5 group also comes in regularly
every week.
In addition to Tribal funds, the
library has secured grants that al
together will translate into about
200 new books and other items this
year.
By request, the library is going to
concentrate on Oregon Tribal authors
this year, said Mercier. "One of the
best things about the library is we
listen to what the patrons want,"
she added.
That helps explain the 6,880 visits
to the library last year, and the 7,900
circulations. That and the wonderful
policy of not charging overdue fines.
"We want to encourage people to
come," said Mercier.
Early this year, said Mercier,
things will take another leap forward
as Tribal Council approves new li
brary policy.
Also this year, the library and
Smoke Signals are encouraging
those who visit the library to write
book, movie and game reviews for
publication. Leave reviews at the
library or send them straight to
Smoke Signals.
On the currently recommended list is
Bernie Whitebear, An Urban Indian's
Quest for Justice, a book about this
Sin-Aikst Tribal member who was long
a leading voice for Indian rights.
The Sin-Aikst people live along
the Columbia River near the Cana
dian border and north into British
Columbia. Whitebear worked with
the Quinault and Colville Tribes and
founded the Daybreak Star Center in
Seattle. It was his voice, said Mer
cier, that encouraged celebrities like
Jane Fonda and Marlon Brando to
get involved with Indian issues.
1 Where are they now: A Glimpse At The Success Of The 2001-2002 Hatfield Fellow
By Angie Sears, Tribal Mentee
Bodie Shaw, 2001-2002 Hatfield
Fellow, has taken full advantage of
his experience working with Con
gressional staff on Capitol Hill.
Shaw, a member of the Warm
Springs Tribe, is the Deputy Direc
tor of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
- (BIA) branch of Wildlife Fire Man
agement. His primary duties include
: the administration of Federal Fire
Policy Legislation, as well as over
seeing a budget of approximately
$200 million for a number of Tribes
' receiving services from the BIA.
Currently, Shaw is on assign
! ment working with the Australian
Embassy and United States State
Department as a liaison to the
Australian Government. He credits
this opportunity to the political ties
formed during his Fellowship.
"Australia is experiencing ex
treme wildfires, and internally they
. don't have the resources necessary
to contain a lot of these fires. So,
within an international agreement,
which is how we got assistance
from Australian forces during our
wildfire season, the Australian
Government is requesting assis
tance from Canada, Mexico, and the
United States," said Shaw. "Part of
my liaison function will be working
with the Canadian and Mexican
Governments in a facilitative role
as we begin to send firefighting
troops to assist in January."
"We have a very capable firefight
ing force in the United States,"
he said. "Internationally they are
viewed as some of the top firefight
ers in the world."
Shaw, 41, served his Fellowship
in Congressman Earl Blumenauer's
Office, Democrat for the Third
District of Oregon. He holds an As
sociate of Science degree in Forest
Technology from Central Oregon
Community College, a Bachelor of
Science degree in Forest Manage
ment from Oregon State University,
As
Warm Springs Tribal
member Bodie Shaw
and a Masters of Science degree in
Natural Resources Education from
Oregon State University.
He worked for the Warm Springs
Tribe as a Forest Manager, as well
as the Federal Government Forest
Service and Indian Affairs, when he
decided to enter into the Fellowship
program to gain knowledge of the
legislative policy framework from a
congressional standpoint.
On his first day in Blumenauer's
office, Shaw took on the responsi
bilities of a "staffer."
The Chief of Staff was getting
ready to leave on maternity leave
and handed him the transportation
portfolio as part of his first duties.
"At that time we were undergoing a
reauthorization of the Transportation
Equity Act of the 21st Century, which
was a multi-million dollar national
Transportation Bill," said Shaw. "So
I kind of hit the ground running."
After introducing the Transporta
tion Bill, Shaw continued working
with transportation, but was also
introduced to Indian Affairs and
Natural Resource Policies. This
was more in his field and created a
good balance for him.
The most important experience
within the Fellowship for Shaw
was learning the appropriations
cycle and seeing the impact it has
on Tribes, as well as the impact on
the executive branch of the Federal
Government. Knowing first-hand
how Congress thinks, and works
an Appropriations Bill through the
various legislative gyrations has
been very beneficial in his current
position with the BIA.
Shaw feels that the Hatfield Fel
lowship is a great success that
provides an unlimited number of op
portunities for Native Americans.
"If I could do it again... I'd do it in
a heart beat," said Shaw. "The Fel
lowship works well not only for the
individual, but for Indian Country
in general. It brings knowledge and
political background back to the
Tribes. It's priceless."
Shaw attributes a large part of
his success to the great reception,
and amount of attention he received
from Congressman Blumenauer
and his staff.
"The first day the Congressman
took me under his wing and contin
ued through the duration of my as
signment. The staff was also beyond
comparison. Some of my closest friend
ships are with a number of folks on the
Congressman's staff," he said.
Shaw had the opportunity to talk
with other individuals serving in dif
ferent Fellowships during the time
of his assignment in Blumenauer's
office and learned that his experi
ence truly was one-of-a-kind.
"I had daily one-on-one opportuni
ties with the Congressman, as his
schedule would permit. Some folks
were lucky to have a face-to-face once
a week, and sometimes once a month
with their assignments," said Shaw.
"Congressman Blumenauer took
what I had to say very seriously, and
we were able to implement a num
ber of legislative strategies. I can't
say enough about the Congressman,
the working environment, and the
staff. Not many people have an
opportunity like that in a Congres
sional office," he said.
"The Hatfield Fellowship program
has provided wonderful opportunities
for professionals and has proven an
important asset for Congressional of
fices. Bodie Shaw was an invaluable
resource on environmental, forestry,
and tribal issues, and continues to
be today as a Deputy Chief with the
Department of Interior," said Con
gressman Blumenauer.
After completion of the Fellow
ship program, Shaw was given an
opportunity to stay on permanent
staff with the Congressman, but
after extensive thought he declined
the opportunity. The BIA had of
fered him the best of both worlds.
His current position would give him
the opportunity to continue to work
with Congressional Affairs, but also
to work within Forestry and Fire
Management. He maintains contacts
with Congressional staff and contin
ues to utilize his experiences within
the Fellowship to his advantage, and
to the success of his career.
Shaw gave a tremendous amount
of thanks to the Confederated
Tribes of Grand Ronde for giv
ing him, and other young Native
Americans the opportunity to gain
valuable experience that is not of
' fered by any other Tribe.
"It just does so much for Indian
country to get young managers out
in the field whether they go back
to the Tribes, or they go to the
Federal Government. The experi
ence you gain out there is beyond
comparison," he said. "Not many
people within this country get this
opportunity. To take advantage
of it is one thing, but to have the
Grand Ronde Tribe present that op
portunity they deserve so much
thanks and appreciation because
it's very important." B