Portraits from the Warm Springs Indian Reservation
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Logging outfit owner who spent half of WWII in a Japanese internment camp and the other half fighting for the U.S.. “I don’t mix much with the people here—I’m always afraid I’ll say the wrong thing. But I’m proud of my Indian blood, no one can deny me that.”
Master beadworker. “I don’t want to be commercialized, making a whole bunch of one pattern. To me each rose or eagle is a challenge to see how real I can make it look.”
Student at Lewis and Clark Law School and legal aide to Tribal Court. She dreams about “getting the little old ladies together to incorporate their traditional values into our law and order code.”
Only tribal member on the off-reservation school board. “The two communities have to meet halfway. Throwing rocks back and forth across the river doesn’t work.”
Rancher, Tribal Council member. “You can call this ‘Silhouette of a Fading Era,” he said. But what an era: land settlements, sawmill loans, and three decades of high political drama. And yes, castrating calves.
Head of Tribal Election Board, committeeman, former police chief, “foot slogger” in World War II.
Executive Secretary for the Tribes’ General Manager. “We try to provide for our people as best we can and we have a strong sense of pride in using our own money for development. But the feeling on the outside is that we’re greedy.”
Chief of Warm Springs Tribe, lifetime member of Tribal Council, delegate to regional and national Indian organizations.
Lifeguard at Kah-Nee-Ta Resort, then co-owner of Charley’s Market in Simnasho.
Fisherwoman and painter. “I want to be part of a new world that’s coming, a world where our people, like artists, can see through the hearts and minds of women and children and find true peace.”
On being a rock-crushing entrepreneur: “It’s not just the money. It’s being a member of the Confederated Tribes, accomplishing the things you set out to do, and feeling like what you do benefits the Tribes as a whole.”
Owners of Warm Springs Chevron, whose main competition is the new Tribal Garage. “They won’t spend a cent on this building.”
Assistant Project Manager for a new tribal hydroelectric enterprise. “They wanted a tribal member running this project one day and they’ve encouraged me the whole way.”
Farmer, livestock owner, tribal committeewoman. “Before the committees, I didn’t even know about the treaty. Now I’m kind of excited about the things that will happen in the future of this reservation.”
Horse ride boss, Tribal Council member, and extension service aide who tells boys, “If you’re wanting a lot of excitement, getting too high and mighty, go ride that colt.”
Deejay at KWSI, blues lover, Vietnam vet. “This job is just right up my alley.”
General Manager of Warm Springs Forest Products Industries. “Private enterprise should be encouraged out here. It’s not necessary that the Tribe has to be in control of the operation of every enterprise.”
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