Page 3 - September 2010

DEPOSITION OF CHEHALIS ELDERS: 3 March 19, 1927, Oakville, Washington from Mary Heck, Dan Secena, Marion Davis, and George Ben Submitted by Elaine McCloud, Heritage Coordinator These excerpts are taken from the wild spinach around here. They had beaver and otter and ink and fsher. We deer. When he goes hunting now; I go deposition of Chehalis Tribal Elders. kinikinik berries, black berries, wild had lots of birds, grouse, ducks. four or fve miles. I never see nothing, For brevity, we have taken the liberty raspberries, crab apples, salmon berries, only the game warden. This game of extracting only portions of their salal berries, another kind of berry they Marion Davis was produced as warden told him “You go right back, testimony and other editorial privileges. call “kamotlk”. There was so much a witness for the claimant and sworn right back on your same track and go I have the deposition in its entirety at strawberries that you could smell it from to tell the truth. His occupation is that right to your house. You can’t kill no deer today out here. I will put you in jail. a distance, thimble berries and “chesch” of a farmer, that he is 76 years of age, my offce. or June berries, wild currants or “spoka”, that his residence is the Upper Chehalis I will arrest you”. wild black caps, blue berries, 2 kinds. Reservation and a member of the Upper When asked if they was any other FOOD/SUBSISTENCE They gather the acorns and put them Chehalis Tribe. matter relative to the case, he answered in black mud and prepare it for food. The prairie produced roots that the that he would like to have full privilege Mary Heck was produced as a There was all kinds of game here, right Indians used to dig to use for food and of fshing and hunting in the tribal witness on behalf of the claimant and on the prairie was deer, just like sheep roast them in the ground. It was just full territory of older times without being was sworn through an interpreter, to and cattle is now. During the time of her of berries… all over, strawberries on interfered by authorities of the State and tell the truth. Her occupation is making father; there was elk right here on the every prairie. It was well stocked with Government, for his own use – food. Indian baskets, that she is 92 years prairie. There was all kinds of fsh but game. Fish was – oh, lots of them in the He asks information about this fve mile of age; that her place of residence is mainly the royal Chinook salmon. There rivers and creeks. limit. He’d like to know the truth of Chehalis Indian Reservation and a was all kinds of beaver. She speaks of In the early days, of course – that was his situation as an Indian here, as to his member of the Upper Chehalis Tribe of a latter day when they catch the beaver, in my boyhood – they used these roots rights in fshing and hunting as he did Indians. She was one of the spectators dry the meat for food. Another animal of ferns, berries, dried salmon, fresh and his grandfather. and onlookers when Governor Stevens they used a good deal was what we now salmon and so on, meats and all kinds of tried to make a treaty with her tribe. call the mountain beaver. The meat is berries. Governor Stevens promised, “That as This was a land of plenty; there was used for food and the skin is used and long as that river (referring to the Chehalis all kinds of food to be had. That is the sewn together and made into blankets George Ben was produced as a River) is fowing downstream, so long will reason they lived here all the time. What and cloaks. They have otter and mink witness for the claimant and sworn to I protect the Indians.” Governor Steven, in we call the sunfower root; they take it and muskrat. She said nobody from this tell the truth, through an interpreter. his promise said, “That as long the sun rises up and bake it and use it for food. Don’t tribe ever go get the mountain sheep. His occupation is that of a farmer, that from the Cascade Mountains and goes over know what the name of it is English; he is 70 years of age, that his place of the sky, so shall I look after the interest of it is a kind of wild onion and lacamas Dan Secena was produced as a residence is Oakville, WA, and that he is the Indians.” was the chief food. They had other roots witness for the claimant and sworn to a member of the Upper Chehalis Tribe. The Government hadn’t made that were three to four times bigger than tell the truth. His occupation is that of a The prairies were full of things that good what he had promised, still lacamas, but they were the same shape, farmer, that he is 69 years of age, that his the Indians eat. The character of the land the authorities of the State and the same form, only they go by another place of residence is the Upper Chehalis outside the prairies was good and rich. name “oquila”. They dig up the fern root Reservation and a member of the Upper The food plants the Indians eat grow Government are interfering with our and they make a kind of four and bread Chehalis Tribe. good. The same way with the hill lands; rights. If he catches a trout a little bit out out of it. They grind it up and make it There was lots of deer and lots of they were very fertile. of line, he will get arrested. That is all, I into loaves. fsh, all kinds of fsh. They had elk and There were times when they can just guess. They had lots of wild rhubarb, bear and a whole lot of little game – go out a quarter of a mile and have a Staff Profle: CTWC Doctor Program Available to Assist Dr. Gene Sine, the medical Hospital in Olympia as a Building Native Communities’ doctor for the Chehalis ‘First Surgical Assistant’ Tribe Wellness Center, has in general, orthopedic, and a long history of working neurosurgery procedures. Personal Finance with the American Native Dr. Sine later trained population. A fourth and graduated from the generation Washingtonian, University of California By Diana Pickernell, Loan Coordinator Dr. Sine’s grandparents at Los Angeles program homesteaded on Whidbey in medical acupuncture Through a partnership with the National Agenda includes: Island where his great Gene Sine, MD and has accumulated more Tribal Development Association, First grandmother was the Clinic Doctor than 1,500 hours of formal Nations Oweesta Corporation, the Chehalis  Building a Health Economy island’s mid-wife. Dr. Sine graduated acupuncture for pain management Tribal Loan Fund is pleased to offer  Developing a Spending Plan from Western Washington University and treatment of chronic degenerative Building Native Communities Financial  Checking and Savings then studied medicine in Guadalajara, diseases. Skills for Families.  Understanding Credit and Your Credit Mexico. He graduated from Rush Dr. Sine weaves the element of Report th Medical College of Chicago, Illinois in acupuncture into his daily medical When: Fridays, starting September 24 ,  Accessing Credit 1980, and completed an internship with practice by helping people with chronic 2010 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. the University of Washington at Tacoma pain from issues like arthritis, back and Who should attend: Community members Incentives will be offered upon General Hospital and Mary Bridge neck pain, and degenerative arthritis wanting to improve their fnancial completion of the entire course. Meetings Hospital. Following his internship Dr. of the joints. While acupuncture does situation and explore the possibilities of include food, and childcare if needed. Sine began a private practice in Tenino, not cure these issues, it works well entrepreneurship. Registration is limited so “Never take for granted what you Washington. in helping elderly patients maintain a preference will be given to Native American have today, as it may be taken from you His frst affliation with tribal healthy, almost pain-free existence. Dr. community members. tomorrow.” medicine was with the Chehalis Tribe Sine’s philosophy is to treat all patients Where: Chehalis Tribal Community Center, Please contact Diana R. Pickernell, in 1981. In 1983, Dr. Sine became as he would treat his own family, with 421 Secena Road Loan Coordinator at 360-709-1631 or email the Medical Director, staff physician, respect and dignity. RSVP: Secure your seat by calling Diana dpickernell@chehalistribe.org. and sponsor for Physician’s Assistant, Aside from his medical 360-709-1631 Charles T. Barret at the Squaxin Island accomplishments, Dr. Sine is a renown Tribe where he remained until August a licensed pilot he loves to get away to Do Your Part in Protecting Your wildlife photographer and naturalist. As of 2007. During his frst 20 years of practice in the Southwest Washington quiet locations to fsh and hike. Dr. Sine area Dr. Sine worked in the emergency says he is enjoying his time here and Community Health: Burn Smart rooms of Centralia General Hospital continues to look forward to working and the old St. Helen’s Hospital in with the Chehalis tribal community to By Glen Connelly, Environmental Specialist Chehalis and assisted in more than 6,500 meet their medical needs. surgical cases at Providence St. Peter’s The Chehalis Tribe adopted new ordinances free, just stop by our offces and pick one up. Chehalis Canoe Family Chehalis River Flood for outdoor burning to better protect You may not burn garbage, furniture, Dinner Program Meetings the health of the community. Now our construction debris or freworks stands. All rules match the Federal Air Rules for of these things cause serious air pollution Thursday, October 14 for Thurston County, Saturday, October 9 Swede Hall in Rochester Reservations, created by the EPA to protect and health problems for your neighbors. Starts at 2 PM Monday, October 18 for Grays Harbor the air quality. Here are a few reminders. Take those objects to the dumpsters at the County, City Hall in Montesano At the Community Center Wednesday, October 27 for Lewis County, You may not use burn barrels in your Hamilton Farm where you can throw them Veterans Museum in Centralia backyard to burn anything. They burn too away for free. Any fres, be they outdoors or Come and enjoy a relaxing event of The US Army Corps of Engineers and the State weakly and emit dangerous pollution like inside in your freplace or wood stove, need drumming, singing and recognition of the of Washington invite anyone to learn about the dioxins. You may burn limbs and brush in to be burned hot, so that you do not produce 2010 Canoe Journey. Everyone is invited. active programs addressing fooding and related small campfres, but not during a Burn Ban. a lot of smoke. Smoke has pollutants in it This is a drug and alcohol free event. concerns throughout the Chehalis River Basin. Smoke houses or small ceremonial fres are that can hurt children, elders and people who Tribal members are urged to attend due Any questions contact Sylvia Cayenne the direct impact of their decisions to our also allowed. If you have a larger pile of are already ill. Please do your part to Burn at 360-888-6638. Canoe Family members reservation. brush, then you need a burn permit from the Smart. Thank you from the Department of need to be there at 10 AM. Any question please contact Glen Connelly Natural Resources Department. They are Natural Resources. at 360-709-1554