Tulalip News

Photographers caught Tulalip culture of early-20th century

A century ago, photographers recorded the tribal culture

By Gale Fiege, The Herald

Everett Public Library Northwest History RoomEverett photographer Norman Edson made this picture of himself with two Tulalip elders in 1905. — Everett Public Library Northwest History Room
Everett photographer Norman Edson made this picture of himself with two Tulalip elders in 1905.

TULALIP — There he is.

In 1905, Everett photographer Norman Edson, then 26, jumped into the middle of his shot, knelt on one knee and squeezed his shutter release.

With his newsboy cap, dapper suit and bowtie, Edson’s attire contrasts with the heavy shawls of the Tulalip women at his side. They are weavers, sitting cross-legged on mats on the ground. One smiles, the other concentrates on her work.

Edson was one of several pre-World War I photographers who captured life on the reservation, creating a valuable record of the Tulalip people more than 100 years ago.

Everett Public Library’s resident historian David Dilgard plans to talk about the photographers at a presentation set for 6 p.m. Thursday at the Hibulb Cultural Center.

The lecture examines the work of Edson (1879-1968), Marysville-based photographer Ferdinand “Ferd” Brady (1880-1967) and J.A. Juleen (1874-1935) of Everett. In addition, it was at Tulalip that the well-known Seattle photographer Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952) began his nationwide quest to photograph all the North American Indian tribes.

“Each of these men left important bodies of photographic work, remarkable images of the Tulalip tribal community a century ago,” Dilgrad said.

Of the three photographers featured in Dilgard’s presentation, Juleen’s work survives most prominently in prints at Hibulb and in the collection of his glass negatives at the Everett library.

Juleen was known for his four-foot panoramas of Northwest landscapes.

Everett Public Library Northwest History RoomJ.A. Juleen's portrait of Tulalip artist and activist William Shelton was taken in 1913. — Everett Public Library Northwest History Room
J.A. Juleen’s portrait of Tulalip artist and activist William Shelton was taken in 1913.

At Tulalip, Juleen took photos of important events: the celebration at a newly completed longhouse and the dedication of a story pole by artist William Shelton, as well as portraits of Shelton and many others.

“Unlike Curtis, however, Juleen didn’t put people in tepees or pose them with other trappings,” Dilgard said. “He took pictures of people as they were and left us photographs of high quality.”

Edson was a student of Bert Brush, who had a photography studio on Wetmore Avenue. Dilgard calls Edson a renaissance man. He played the violin, studied birds and hand-tinted his black-and-white photos.

Brady was known in Snohomish and Skagit counties for his commercial work and his photo records of industry and development.

“There are wonderful images by Brady of the paper mill at Lowell, full of women employees who wore white blouses and their hair tied up in big bows,” Dilgard said. “Brady is one of the forgotten masters of the craft. He used available light at Tulalip, instinctively shooting photos that would become historically and culturally important.”

Mary Jane Topash, tour specialist at Hibulb Cultural Center, said that most of the photos in the museum from the early part of the 20th century are by the photographers Dilgard plans to talk about.

“It’s great to have the photos of special events such as Treaty Days, canoes landing at Tulalip Bay, important funerals,” Topash said. “They provide a time capsule and offer a wealth of information the tribes would not have without these photos.”

Dilgard said he is pleased to present information about the photographers.

“Hibulb is all about the families, language and culture of the Tulalip people,” he said. “To be invited in as an outsider, as these photographers were, is flattering, as I’m sure it was to Juleen, Brady and Edson.”

Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.

Tulalip’s early photographers

A presentation about the photographers who captured life on the Tulalip reservation in the early 1900s is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at the Hibulb Cultural Center, 6410 23rd Ave. NE, Tulalip.

The program is free with museum admission, which is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, $6 for students, $6 for military personnel and veterans and free to members of the Tulalip Tribes.

Coal-export impact study loses steam in Legislature

$150,000 in funding removed from budget to avoid political fray

A coal train is heading north through the old Georgia-Pacific site in Bellingham, Washington. Rail lines that few people noticed for years are suddenly busy with trains, and the increased traffic has generated a backlash in communities across the country.
Philip A. Dwyer — Bellingham Herald/MCT

By BRAD SHANNON — THE OLYMPIA

Published: April 12, 2013 on the Bellingham Herald

A House Democratic budget proposal to spend $150,000 to study the larger economic impact of coal-export facilities on Washington state was dying just one day after majority Democrats introduced their proposed $34.5 billion operating budget plan on Wednesday.

Rep. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle, had asked to include the money in the budget, saying it “recognizes the need for Washington to thoroughly evaluate the economic impacts of coal exports in our state.” But Thursday evening the money was on its way to being removed at Carlyle’s request.

“We felt it was a gesture to avoid the potential of a political battle that would not be constructive,” he explained in a text as the House Appropriations Committee was starting work on a series of amendments to the budget measure, Senate Bill 5034. Carlyle said it was he who asked to remove the funds.

The proposal had offered Washington a chance to gain additional information on an issue that is intensifying politically, and Carlyle had initially said lawmakers did not want “to let the project proponents and the federal government be the only sources of information on this issue.”

The coal industry’s attempt to restore its flagging fortunes by shipping much more of the fossil fuel to China and India by way of Washington and Oregon is attracting growing objections.

As McClatchy Newspapers reported last week, the industry has dropped proposals for export terminals in Coos Bay, Ore., and Grays Harbor. The surviving four proposals call for coal exports from the Gateway Pacific terminal near Bellingham, the Millennium Bulk Terminals of Longview, the Morrow Pacific Project at Port of Morrow, Ore., and the Port Westward Project at Port of St. Helens, Ore.

The exports could hit 100 million tons of coal a year and increase carbon emissions by some 240 million tons a year.

Gov. Jay Inslee campaigned on a clean-energy platform and has talked a lot about the economic opportunity in moving away from fossil fuels.

Last month, he joined Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber in asking the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality to consider climate-change and air-pollution impacts of exporting coal from federal lands to Asia.

“We cannot seriously take the position in international and national policymaking that we are a leader in controlling greenhouse gas emissions without also examining how we will use and price the world’s largest proven coal reserves,” they said.

The House budget proviso called for the Office of Financial Management to look at the “potential cumulative economic impacts of proposed coal-export projects in the Pacific Northwest.”

It specified that the agency must take into account impacts to transportation infrastructure, economic development opportunities “forgone in favor of coal-export projects,” global carbon emissions, the state’s major economic clusters, and taxpayers.

The Republican-dominated Senate Majority Coalition Caucus was unlikely to go along. It watered down Inslee’s signature bill on climate change, reducing him to the role of non-voting chairman and stripped the legislation of language spelling out Washington’s vulnerability to global warming and acidifying oceans.

Carlyle said that “given Inslee’s deep reluctance” about the coal exports and a regional economic study by Puget Sound Regional Council, that impacts from the export projects will continue to be assessed.

Tribe brings house from South Dakota to U.S. Capitol to highlight poor housing conditions on reservations

WASHINGTON, April 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The Trail of Hope for Indian Housing is carting a house 1500 miles from South Dakota and displaying it next to the U.S. Capitol Building to highlight the terrible housing conditions on Indian reservations.

The facades of an actual house from the Lakota Pine Ridge Reservation will arrive by motorcade and be placed at Union Square (3rd Street NW) on Wednesday April 17, 2013. The site adjacent to the U.S. Capitol will be open to the public from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D – ND) and John Barrasso (R – WY) will both speak as will Kevin Gover , Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. Several tribal officials will also be on hand.

The dilapidated structures are typical of the overcrowded and sub-standard housing conditions where Northern Plains Indians are forced to live. Many Indian reservations have the worst housing in the United States. Tens of thousands of Indians often have to live three families to a unit with as many as 18 people crowded into aging two-bedroom houses.

“Since Washington cannot come to the reservation, we will take the reservation to Washington,” said Paul Iron Cloud , Executive Director of the Oglala Sioux Housing Authority. “Washington and America will learn of the current conditions on many of our largest and most preeminent reservations.”

More information is available online at:
https://www.facebook.com/TrailofHopeforIndianHousing

Hopi masks snapped up after French court allows sale

The Hopi masks displayed at the Paris auction house before the sale, which was condemned by Hollywood actor Robert Redford as a 'criminal gesture'. Photograph: John Schults/Reuters — The Hopi masks displayed at the Paris auction house before the sale, which was condemned by Hollywood actor Robert Redford as a ‘criminal gesture’. Photograph: John Schults/Reuters

By Tara Oakes on Reuters.com

PARIS | Fri Apr 12, 2013 1:30pm EDT

PARIS (Reuters) – An auction of ancient masks revered as sacred by a Native American tribe fetched more than 750,000 euros on Friday, disappointing prominent opponents to the sale after a French court ruled it should go ahead.

The Hopi tribe of northeastern Arizona and supporters including the U.S. ambassador to France and actor Robert Redford had urged the Paris auction house to suspend the sale due to the masks’ cultural and religious significance.

But the court rejected a motion from the tribe and Survival International, a non-government group representing its interests, arguing that it could only intervene to protect human remains or living beings.

The auction went ahead in front of a standing-room only crowd, raising about 752,000 euros ($984,500) in pre-tax proceeds as collectors snapped up dozens of lots in a sale that lasted more than two hours.

A buyer who acquired four masks said he was delighted to be adding to his collection of Hopi artefacts.

“One day I might give some back,” said the collector, who declined to be identified. “But if it had not been for collectors in the 19th century who contributed to the field of ethnology, there would very little knowledge of the Hopi.”

Some disagreed. A man with Hopi origins studying in France was kicked out of the auction room for interrupting the sale with an angry speech. Several people trying to take photographs were also removed.

“We have lots of art that can be shared with other cultures, but not these,” said Bo Lomahquahu, 25. “Children aren’t even supposed to see them.”

The Neret-Minet, Tessier and Sarrou auctioneers said their collection of masks, priced between $2,000 and $32,000 apiece, was assembled by “an amateur with assured taste” who lived in the United States for three decades.

A spokeswoman for the auctioneers was not immediately available for comment.

“This decision is very disappointing,” said Pierre Servan-Schreiber, the lawyer for Survival International, a London-based advocacy group. “Not everything is necessarily up for sale or purchase, and we need to be careful.”

A visitor looks at antique tribal masks revered as sacred ritual artifacts by a Native American tribe in Arizona which are displayed at an auction house in Paris April 11, 2013. REUTERS/John Schults

‘CRIMINAL GESTURE’

A chorus of opponents had weighed in on the dispute, arguing the Paris auction house should provide legal justification for selling the masks.

“To auction these would be in my opinion a sacrilege, a criminal gesture that contains grave moral repercussions,” Robert Redford wrote in an open letter.

The U.S. ambassador to France, Charles Rivkin, had urged the auctioneers to reconsider, saying in a statement late on Thursday: “A delay would allow the creators of these sacred objects the chance to determine their possible rights.”

Rivkin, who said that the auction house had yet to provide the Hopi Tribe with essential information about the objects, voiced his dismay in a Twitter message.

“I am saddened to learn that the sacred Hopi cultural objects are being put out to auction in Paris today,” he wrote.

The tribe’s legal advocates had sued the auctioneers at the Drouot-Richelieu auction house in central Paris on grounds that auctioning the masks would cause the Hopi “profound hurt and distress”.

Lawyer Quentin de Margerie bought mask 13, a design which mocks tourists, on behalf of Servan-Schreiber to give to the Hopi. He told Reuters few of the collectors understood the significance of the artefacts they were buying.

“It’s a symbolic choice,” de Margerie said. “What the Hopi have said about this auction is that people don’t understand their culture.”

($1 = 0.7618 euros)

(Reporting by Nick Vinocur, Chine Labbe, Lucien Libert; Writing by Nick Vinocur; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

Five to be inducted into Chickasaw Nation Hall of Fame

“Established in 1987, the Chickasaw Nation Hall of Fame honors Chickasaws who have made significant contributions to Chickasaw people or the Native American community.”

Date: April 12, 2013

Dana Lance dana.lance@chickasaw.net

From the Chickasaw Nation Hall of Fame

NORMAN, Okla. – A protector of tribal archives, a generous philanthropist, a decorated military hero, an early tribal official and a progressive Chickasaw rancher and politician comprise the 2013 class of the Chickasaw Nation Hall of Fame.

Hall of Fame ceremonies will take place at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 7 at Riverwind Showplace Theater in Norman.

Established in 1987, the Chickasaw Nation Hall of Fame honors Chickasaws who have made significant contributions to Chickasaw people or the Native American community.

The 2013 Chickasaw Hall of Fame inductees are Betty Ruth Kemp, of Norman; Colbert Latimer “Bud” Baker, of Marco Island, Fla.; Gene “Nashoba” Thompson, of Austin, Texas; Thomas Benjamin Thompson, Sr.; and Benson Pikey.

Mr. Thompson and Mr. Pikey will be inducted posthumously.

Governor Bill Anoatubby will participate in the 2013 induction ceremonies.

“It is our privilege to honor these individuals who have made significant contributions to the Chickasaw Nation and the larger community,” Gov. Anoatubby said. “Their commitment to protecting tribal history, promoting education, and serving others epitomizes the spirit and dedication of the Chickasaw people.”

Betty Ruth Kemp

Betty Ruth Kemp has dedicated her life and career to protecting and preserving ancient archives and serving as a modern day Chickasaw conduit between the Southeastern homelands and Oklahoma.

Miss Kemp was born May 5, 1930 near Tishomingo, Okla., to Raymond Herrell Kemp and Mamie Melvina Hughes. Her paternal grandparents were Joel Carr Kemp and Elizabeth Minerva Perry, and her maternal grandparents were Austin Brittie Hughes and Mamie Cravatt. Her great-grandmother was Mariah Colbert.

Miss Kemp began her career in 1952 as an extra loan librarian with the University of Texas Library. She later worked as the librarian at Dallas Public Library and lead manager for two new branches from 1956 to 1964. After receiving her master’s degree, she was appointed Director of Cherokee Regional Library, a three-county regional library with headquarters in Lafayette, Walker County, Georgia.

She led a successful campaign for passage of a bond issue to construct a new 18,000 square- foot headquarters library.

Motivated by a drive to appreciate her Chickasaw heritage and encouraged by library users and local history buffs, Miss Kemp organized the Walker County Historical and Genealogical Society during this time.

In 1974, she was appointed director of the Lee-Itawamba Library System, in Tupelo, Mississippi. During her 18-year tenure as director, the library budget increased from $50,000 to $800,000 and the staff of eight increased to 25.

The Northeast Mississippi Historical and Genealogical Society and the Friends of Lee County were both organized under her direction. She helped raise funds for the renovation of the Lee Country Library when a Chickasaw collection was established for the Helen Foster Local History Room. She retired from the directorship in March 1992.

During the 1970s Miss Kemp spoke often on Chickasaw history and Native American genealogical research to organizations in the Tupelo area. Her research and her efforts to promote the Chickasaw origins in northeast Mississippi culminated in an official invitation from Pontotoc County, Mississippi to then-Chickasaw Nation Governor Overton James to celebrate with anniversary of the singing of The Treaty of Pontotoc. She also co-wrote a grant to fund archaeology research into Chickasaw habitation in the region.

Miss Kemp has served on various boards and has been involved with many organizations including: Purcell Community Council, Secretary of Oklahoma City Senior Group, President of the American Indian Cultural Society – 2001, League of Women Voters, American Association of University Women – John J. Hart Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy – Hugh Quinn Chapter, Daughters of the American Colonists, and Dames of the Court of Honor.

She has held many positions in the American Library Association and remains a member today. She is a member of United Methodist Church.

Miss Kemp graduated from Norman (OK) High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Library Science from the University of Oklahoma in 1952, and a master’s degree from Florida State University in 1965.

Miss Kemp has lived in Norman, Okla., since 1993 and participates in many Chickasaw activities and has taught many cultural craft classes.

Gene “Nashoba” Thompson

Retired U.S. Army Col. Gene “Nashoba” Thompson has dedicated his life to serving and protecting the United States and the Chickasaw Nation.

Col. Thompson was born in 1937 in Oklahoma City to Thomas and Thelma Thompson. He is the grandson of the late Thomas Benjamin Thomson, Sr., also a 2013 Hall of Fame inductee. His aunt is the late Te Ata Thompson Fisher, a 1990 Hall of Fame inductee.

Col. Thompson joined the Oklahoma National Guard at the age of 16 and retired in 1983. He was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, presented to senior officers who perform “superior meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility.”

While in service, Col. Thompson obtained both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Oklahoma State University.

He was one of 13 students to be chosen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to attend its entomology program. With help from the USDA, he later became a faculty member through the University of Nebraska Entomology Program.

A world leader in the field of entomology, Col. Thompson served as executive director of the Armed Forces Pest Management Board. This board recommends policy, procedure and offers guidance on all matters related to pest management. He developed the first program used by the Department of Defense to protect its worldwide food and clothing stockpiles.

Following his Army retirement, Mr. Thompson conducted field studies for the Texas Department of Health.

Col. Thompson is active in the Austin, Texas area as a Chickasaw Nation ambassador and an advocate for Native American culture and history. He speaks at civic organizations, seminaries and schools throughout Texas and Oklahoma about Chickasaw beliefs and practices.

He was selected to participate in the “I Am Very Proud To Be Chickasaw” commissioned painting project completed by Chickasaw artist Mike Larsen.

The subsequent artwork and biographical sketch of his life were featured in the book “Proud to Be Chickasaw,” published in 2010.

Col. Thompson is an active member of the Chickasaw Community Council of Central Texas and resides in Austin with his wife, Vivian.

Colbert Latimer “Bud” Baker, Jr.

Born in 1924 to Colbert Latimer Baker and Martha Lois Brunt, Colbert Latimer “Bud” Baker, Jr. has distinguished himself in his profession, in military service and through outstanding contributions to the Chickasaw Nation.

A University of Oklahoma graduate, Mr. Baker exemplifies the Chickasaw entrepreneurship spirit. Among other businesses, Mr. Baker founded Chickasaw Distributors, Inc., in 1979. Officially recognized as an American Indian company, the entity specializes in tubular goods and drill pipe distributed exclusively to Shell Oil’s Gulf region. Today, the company generates more than $200 million in annual sales and continues to be family operated.

Bringing honor to the Chickasaw people, Mr. Baker served as a U.S. Navy officer during World War II and the Korean War. He served aboard the USS Los Angeles and USS Toledo. He rose to the rank of ensign and was decorated for his wartime service.

Through generous donations to the Chickasaw Foundation, Mr. Baker has helped many Chickasaw students fulfill their educational dreams and better their lives. In 2000, the Colbert “Bud” Baker Scholarship was established through the Chickasaw Foundation. Mr. Baker was honored for his philanthropy in 2003 and 2004 when he received the “Outstanding Philanthropist” award presented by the Chickasaw Nation. He is a true Chickasaw in spirit and soul.

Mr. Baker is also involved in the community. He has and continues to offer leadership and guidance to civic and business organizations. He has served as president of a number of organizations including: Dallas North Texas Rotary Club, University of Oklahoma Alumni Club, and the Car and Truck Leasing Association of Texas. He has served as executive secretary of the National Truck Leasing System Dallas Executive Association, the Sales and Marketing Executives of Dallas and Executive International. He currently is a member of numerous clubs, boards and associations in the fields of petroleum, real estate and civic duty.

Mr. Baker lives in Marco Island, Florida where he enjoys tennis, swimming, calisthenics, music and reading.

Thomas Benjamin Thompson, Sr.

1865-1939

The last elected treasurer of the Chickasaw Nation, Thomas Benjamin Thompson, Sr., is best known for working with former Chickasaw Nation Governor Douglas H. Johnston to protect the Chickasaw people during the years immediately before and after the Chickasaw Nation was “terminated.”

An original enrollee, Mr. Thompson spent endless hours helping fellow tribal citizens register with the Dawes Commission.

Born May 20, 1865 in Emet, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory, Mr. Thompson was born to Thomas Jefferson Thompson and Millenium “Lena” Bynum.

As a child he was known as Loksi Iskunosi, or “Little Terrapin.” After a brief stay with his maternal grandmother at the age of 10, he attended Burney Institute in present day Lebanon, Okla. As a teenager, he left Burney Institute to live with his aunt Nellie Bynum Johnston and her husband and future Governor of the Chickasaw Nation, Douglas H. Johnston.

Mr. Thompson began his service with the Chickasaw Nation in 1888. As a clerk of the Chickasaw Supreme Court, he worked closely with his uncle, Judge Overton “Sobe” Love, a fellow Chickasaw Hall of Fame inductee.

His personal and professional career put him in contact with many fellow inductees.

During the years following his official service to the Chickasaw Nation, Mr. Thompson continued a close relationship with Governor Johnston. They engaged in several business partnerships, including successful general stores.

Mr. Thompson’s greatest legacy to the Chickasaw people has been his descendants. He encouraged his children and grandchildren to be proud of their Chickasaw heritage and to never forget the traditions of the tribe. He emphasized to them the importance of giving back to the tribe and always working for the betterment of the Chickasaw people. His heirs include Chickasaw Hall of Fame inductees Te Ata Fisher, daughter; Helen Cole, granddaughter; Eugene Thompson, grandson; and U.S. Congressmen Tom Cole, great-grandson.

Thomas Benjamin Thompson, Sr. died April 23, 1939 in Oklahoma City, at age 74.

Benson Pikey

1837-1895

Benson Pikey was known as a man of integrity and embodied what it means to be Chickasaw.

Born in Mississippi about 1837, Mr. Pikey came to Indian Territory during the time of Chickasaw Removal.

Active in the Chickasaw House of Representatives, Mr. Pikey was elected as a representative prior to the War Between the States and honorably severed as Speaker of the House.

He continued public service as a representative until circa 1890.

Mr. Pikey ran a successful ranch that covered more than 1,000 acres, the largest in the Silver City area on the south side of the South Canadian River. He raised cattle, hogs and horses. He trained horses and traded with the U.S. Cavalry.

A prominent Chickasaw landowner, Mr. Pikey was granted permission by the Chickasaw Nation to help build a 50-mile fence along the South Canadian River. The fence helped protect Chickasaw lands during a time of livestock thefts and other criminal activities throughout the lands bordering the river.

During the War Between the States, Mr. Pikey served the Confederacy as Captain of Company G, Shecoe’s Chickasaw Battalion Mounted Volunteers.

After the War he established Pikey’s Crossing, one of several important cattle crossings for the Chisholm Trail. With the land run and the creation of Oklahoma City, Pikey’s Crossing became the main crossing point on the South Canadian River between Chickasha and Oklahoma City until 1932 when highway bridges made the ferry obsolete.

Benson Pikey died July 1895 at his home on the South Canadian about 18 miles east of Minco.

Mr. Pikey’s obituary in the Minco Minstrel newspaper said, “He served his people well throughout his long and useful life. He was an honest man, straight as a line in his dealing with all men and though a man of strong convictions, he kept them for his own conduct and spoke gently of the failings of others.”

Mr. Pikey is buried at Clopton Cemetery, Newcastle, Oklahoma.

‘Save the Date’ for Chickasaw Hall of Fame May 7

Chickasaw Hall of Fame inductees will make a red carpet entrance at 6 p.m., May 7. The banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m.

There is no charge to attend, but reservations are required for the event, which is expected to accommodate approximately 525 guests.

Reservations will be accepted beginning April 13. To make reservations contact Lori Rico at (580) 332-1165 or email Lori.Rico@chickasaw.net.

Induction to the Chickasaw Hall of Fame is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a Chickasaw by the Chickasaw Nation. For more information about the Chickasaw Hall of Fame, visit www.chickasaw.net/hof.

Enrollment dispute has Nooksack tribe in turmoil

April 11, 2013

By JOHN STARK — THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

DEMING – Questions of tribal identity are pitting friends and relatives against one another as the 2,000-strong Nooksack Indian Tribe waits for the tribal court to rule on a move to disenroll 306 members.

Tribal Chief Judge Raquel Montoya-Lewis has scheduled a May 1 hearing on legal challenges to the disenrollment filed on behalf of the affected people.

Meanwhile, Nooksacks who support the disenrollment are circulating recall petitions against two tribal council members, Michelle Roberts and Rudy St. Germain, who are among those facing disenrollment.

One of those affected, Norma Aldredge, said she faces loss of her home in a tribal housing project, where the $150 monthly rent enables her to survive on a $500 monthly Social Security check.

Not the least of her distress comes from the new animosity that divides her and her family from the rest of the community.

“I’m afraid to even talk to anybody because I don’t know who my friends are and who my enemies are,” Aldredge said. “Why do they hate us so much? Why don’t they just leave us alone?”

Nooksacks who support the disenrollment say it is not a matter of hate. They say it’s simply a matter of fixing an old mistake that allowed unqualified people to reap the benefits of tribal membership, including a share in the tribe’s limited resources.

Nooksack tribe member Abby Yates has a marketing business that is doing well right now, but a few years ago she was not doing as well and hoped to get into subsidized tribal housing. There was no room. As she sees it, some of the 306 improperly enrolled people are getting help with housing while real Nooksacks go without.

Yates and another tribal member, Leandra Smith, said elders in their families have never considered members of the Rabang, Rapada and Narte-Gladstone families to have authentic Nooksack ancestry. As they see it, these families are descended from members of the Skway tribe in British Columbia, but not from anyone they consider a true Nooksack.

Tribal council members moved to challenge the families’ membership in 1996. But the families packed the council chambers in a show of strength that some council members found intimidating, aqccording to Yates and Smith. The matter was dropped.

Yates commends Kelly and his allies on the council for taking up the disenrollment issue again.

“Sometimes, doing what’s right is very difficult,” she said. “We have a strong leadership on our council who are willing to do the difficult tasks. … The money that is there should go to the descendants who are truly Nooksacks. Our ancestors fought for that.

“Smith said there is nothing personal in the dispute, and said she has three nephews and several friends among those who may be disenrolled.

The disputed right to Nooksack membership hinges on a woman named Annie George, who died in 1949. The Nooksacks facing disenrollment are descended from her. They insist that Annie George was Nooksack and that her descendants qualify for membership under a provision of the tribal constitution opening enrollment to anyone with one-fourth Native American blood “who can prove Nooksack ancestry to any degree.”

But on Feb. 12, 2013, Chairman Kelly and five of the other seven members of the tribal council approved a resolution that approved disenrollment of Annie George’s descendants, based on a tribal ordinance that limits membership to descendants of those whose names appear on a 1942 tribal census, or those who can prove they are descendants of someone who got an allotment of tribal land in the early days. Annie George does not meet those tests, according to the disenrollment resolution.

On March 1, the council followed up with a vote to start the process of amending the constitution to delete the provision that opens membership to those with “any degree” of Nooksack ancestry. The March 1 council resolution describes that provision as “so ambiguous that it cannot be fairly applied and has potential for abuse.”

Those threatened with disenrollment see the constitutional amendment as evidence that Kelly and his allies will stop at nothing to get them out of the tribe.

In a sworn statement submitted to tribal court, council member Rudy St. Germain also complains that Kelly ordered him and the other council member facing disenrollment, Michelle Roberts, out of the closed council sessions where the issue was discussed. St. Germain contends that was improper because he and Roberts were, and remain, members of both the tribe and the council until the matter gets legal review.

In an email, Chairman Kelly said he could not comment while the matter faces legal review.

Reach John Stark at 360-715-2274 or john.stark@bellinghamherald.com. Read his Politics blog at blogs.bellinghamherald.com/politics or get updates on Twitter at @bhampolitics. Reach JOHN STARK at john.stark@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2274.

Johnny Depp thrilled by Native American honor

Updated: 4/11 3:20 pm | Published: 4/11 3:08 pm

Actor Johnny Depp was thrilled to become an honorary member of the Comanche tribe while he filmed The Lone Ranger in New Mexico last year, insisting the ‘adoption’ was “possibly the greatest memento”.

The movie star, who plays Native American hero Tonto in the new film, was thrilled when tribe elders invited him to become a member of their extended family and he jumped at the chance to be a part of a sacred ceremony at the home of activist LaDonna Harris in Albuquerque.

He says, “When the request came in, I couldn’t believe it. It was an honor beyond all honors… The name they chose for me, Mah-Woo-Meh, means shapeshifter, which I suppose is quite apt, and I take great pride in that choice.”

Depp tells EntertainmentWeekly magazine that the honor helped convince him that he’s chosen wisely when it came to creating Tonto for the film.

The actor explains, “Even with what little knowledge I have of the degree of indigenous blood within me, our Native American brothers and sisters gave me the passion and drive to build my character with great care.”

The Lone Ranger hits cinema screens this summer.

Cantwell Congratulates Quinault Leader for Being Named ‘Champion of Change’ by White House

Ed Johnstone of Taholah honored for leadership to address climate change

Source: U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, April 11, 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) congratulated Washington state’s Ed Johnstone for being named a “Champion of Change” today by the White House. The White House honored Johnstone and 11 other local leaders at a ceremony today for their efforts to prepare their communities for the impacts of climate change and extreme weather.

Johnstone, a member of the Quinault Indian Nation who lives in Taholah, earned this recognition because of his leadership in educating the public about climate change’s impacts and readying Indian Country to deal with its consequences.

“This award is well-deserved recognition of Ed’s national leadership in addressing the impact of climate change on Indian Country,” said Cantwell, the Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. “From the first treaties with Indian Nations, the federal government has acknowledged that Native people are the stewards of our land. Ed has continued this proud tradition, bringing together hundreds of coastal Tribal leaders and climate change experts for the inaugural First Stewards climate change symposium last year in Washington, D.C.

“I was honored to speak at the symposium and have been proud to work with Ed over the years on fisheries and climate issues in the Northwest. I congratulate Ed on this significant honor and look forward to working with him in the future on these critical issues for our coastal Tribes and all of Washington State.”

The Champions of Change program is part of President Obama’s “Winning the Future” initiative, which spotlights the extraordinary work that Americans do every day to improve their communities. Each week, the White House names new Champions of Change and invites them to the White House to share their ideas for bettering communities around the country.

Miami Tribe funds school resource officer

“The Miami Tribe is implementing this new officer position in memory of the loss of the 20 children and six adult teachers and staff in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.”

Melinda Stotts / Miami News-Record The Miami Tribe is funding $50,000 for the salary for a school resource officer for Miami Public Schools to promote school safety and in remembrance of Sandy Hook Elementary students and teachers. Attending the presentation were Miami tribal members, Business Committee and Economic Development members, Miami school officials, and center (from left) Miami Police Chief George Haralson, Miami Superintendent Loretta Robinson, and Chief of the Miami Tribe Tom Gamble. — Melinda Stotts / Miami News-Record
The Miami Tribe is funding $50,000 for the salary for a school resource officer for Miami Public Schools to promote school safety and in remembrance of Sandy Hook Elementary students and teachers. Attending the presentation were Miami tribal members, Business Committee and Economic Development members, Miami school officials, and center (from left) Miami Police Chief George Haralson, Miami Superintendent Loretta Robinson, and Chief of the Miami Tribe Tom Gamble.

Posted: 9:58 pm, Wed Apr 10, 2013 in MiamiOk.com

Melinda Stotts melinda.stotts@miaminewsrecord.com

The nation mourned and then rallied to action after the 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School took the lives of 26 students and teachers. Reacting locally, schools, tribes, and the community took a closer look at what could be done to improve the safety of area students. In response the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is funding $50,000 of a School Resource Officer’s (SRO) salary to serve Miami schools.

The position is for a full-time officer who will help patrol the nine public schools in Miami on a daily basis,with emphasis at the Will Rogers Middle School, to allow for a visual deterrent against violence, and bullying, added security and to provide another trusted individual for the students to confide in or look to for security while on campus.

The Miami Tribe is implementing this new officer position in memory of the loss of the 20 children and six adult teachers and staff in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy which shocked and saddened the nation on Dec.14, 2012.

“Our youth are our future,” Chief Tom Gamble of the Miami Tribe said, “It is our responsibility as good community partners, and as responsible individuals, to ensure that our children are protected and feel safe while they are at school.”

Chief Gamble said the Miami Tribe’s Business Committee members first looked at other ways to help, such as locks, cameras, and bullet proof glass, which are useful safety tools, but after discussing the issue decided a presence on campus was much more useful and needed.

Miami’s Police Chief George Haralson said the job position will be posted and he expects from three to five applicants from his department. He said hiring should take place by a review board by July in time for the new officer to be in place by the next school year. The School Resource Officer will work for and under the direction and jurisdiction of the Miami Police Department through memorandums of understanding with the Miami Public School system.

The new School Resource Officer will be the second in Miami, joining SRO Joey Williams who works mainly at Miami High School.

“We’re very excited about it, “Miami Schools Superintendent Loretta Robinson said, “Officer Joey does a great job, but he’s one person. There are 2,551 students in Miami. This gives an opportunity to have the officer presence at the Middle School as well as some support at the elementary schools. We appreciate not only the Tribe, they were the ones that initiated this, but the police department that did come though with additional funds for those other three months when we’re not in school.”

Robinson stressed that this opportunity is an example of community cooperation made possible only through such a joint effort.

“The revenues came through the Tribe’s economic development funds, so one good thing with having our own money, we get to do with it what we want. It’s rewarding to help,” Chief Gamble said.

Education is a high priority for the Miami Tribe who helps fund education for many of its tribal members through scholarships.

“Our children attend school to receive an education as a foot hold towards a prosperous and successful future. They shouldn’t have to worry about anything else but studying while they are in school,” Chief Gamble said.

The Miami Tribal officials said they are proud to commit to this important program to protect all Miami youth, and hope that, following this one year commitment, other resources within the community will continue to fund this important position.

“It is an honor for the Miami Tribe to serve the community in this way,” Chief Gamble said, “We plan to present Sandy Hook Elementary with a plaque commemorating the institution of this important position here in Miami so they will remember that we share in their loss and take responsibility to try to ensure against violence against our children.”

Q&A With Cherokee Counsel for Baby Veronica Case

The Supreme Court decision will impact every tribe in the country

Cherokee Nation Assistant Attorney General Chrissi Nimmo speaks at the April 8 press conference concerning the case Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa. (NICWA)

Brian Daffron

Published April 11, 2013 in ICTMN

After the April 8 press conference at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa in which the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) and the Cherokee Nation shared the latest developments in the case Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl, Indian Country Today Media Network spoke with Chrissi Nimmo, the counsel of record for the Cherokee Nation.

In the “Baby Veronica Case” that has generated significant media interest in the past year, Cherokee Nation tribal member Dusten Brown is fighting to retain custody of his daughter. This particular case has consisted of a vast coalition of attorneys and support from tribes and tribal organizations, including the Native American Rights Fund, the National Congress of American Indians and NICWA. With future implications of the Indian Child Welfare Act on the line, the case will be heard in the United States Supreme Court on April 16, with an actual decision taking place by June of this year.

What has been your involvement?

I represented Cherokee Nation in South Carolina in family court in September 2011 when it went to trial the first time. It was a four-day trial in Charleston [South Carolina]. I then represented Cherokee Nation and presented oral argument at the South Carolina Supreme Court when it was appealed there. I am also counsel of record for the United States Supreme Court.

Do you consider the attention to the Indian Child Welfare Act positive or negative right now?

I think it’s both. This case has grown a lot of attention to the Indian Child Welfare Act. A lot of people who don’t understand it, don’t like it. I also think it’s good in that more people know about it. Once people really understand why the law was passed and what it’s intended to do and what it is doing, it sometimes changes from bad attention to good intention.

If the Supreme Court rules in favor of Dusten Brown and his family, what will this mean for the Indian Child Welfare Act?

There are splits in the state court system. One way or the other, the Supreme Court will answer those questions. If they affirm the lower court decision, it’s a strong statement to state courts across the country that they need to follow the Indian Child Welfare Act to a T.

What would happen if they rule against the Indian Child Welfare Act in the Supreme Court?

It would be devastating for Indian children, but it would be devastating for tribes as well. There are bigger Indian law issues wrapped up in this case. A detrimental decision could call into question several other federal laws that deal with tribes as tribal organizations but also as Natives as individuals.

What has the preparation been like for this case?

For the last four months, I’ve worked on nothing but this case. I was fortunate to have other co-workers that could take over my other duties.

What are you anticipating from the adoptive couple side of the case?

We know what their legal arguments are, because the briefs are already all done. That’s where the oral argument is an hour total. In this case, four different attorneys are speaking. Most of that time is spent with the Justices asking questions. I don’t think there’s going to be anything that’s a surprise.

How will this case change the Indian Child Welfare Act?

I think it’s one of two outcomes. If what we believe happens and what we think should legally happen, it strengthens the enforcement of the Indian Child Welfare Act. The other situation is a loss for a father of the Cherokee Nation. It would undo [over] 35 years of work on the Indian Child Welfare Act. Any adverse decision would impact every tribe in the country. There’s no doubt.