Page 8 Spilyay Tyrooo, Warm Springs, Oregon December 14-, 2011 Chieftainship question inspires history research
By George W. A guilar Sr. unite against a common enemy. Columbia River area, Washing twenty years. (Second paragraph All these groups spoke the ton Governor Isaac Stevens and of the Treaty provision, Article Hamilton Greeley has remight be recognized as chiefs. To the remaining descen same language, but often differ Oregon Indian Superintendent 4 of the 1855 Treaty.) searched the question o f the Wasco Since the early twentieth dants of Kiksht Chinookan from one another as geographi Joel Palmer threatened, bribed, chieftainship. At The Dalles hecentury a “salmon chief” has speakers of the Columbia River, cal area extends farther down and persuaded friendly tribal Joe Stwire is an individual of visited the Wasco County Histori been recognized at Celilo several people of this group river... leaders like Lawyer of the Nez interest. cal Museum, Columbia Gorge Falls. His authority included have approached me concern In early time the Columbia Perce’s to part with nearly 90 Stwire was raised from a Discovery Center. There, Greeley declaring fishing seasons ing information regarding the River Peoples’ religion was all percent of their bands ancestral small child at the Wascopum made copies from some of the open and closed and order vacancy of the chieftainship of guardian spirit inspired (primal homelands in exchange for res missions at The Dalles. books on file. ing that fishing stop for pur the Wasco. religions). ervations. Stwire was sent to the East One of the books was The poses of escapement or when It is my hope excerpts from Individuals with specific The article four, second para Coast for further education to Handbook of North Ameri ritual required (e.g. for funer my next book, The Shattered Civi guardian spirits were the deci graph of the 1855 mid Oregon attend the Columbia College. He can Indians, vol. 12: Plateau. als). The antiquity of this role lisation, will quell many misun sion makers, like: root digging Treaty may have had (conjec then became an ordained min Another was The Southern is not clearly attested.... derstandings about chieftainship worker, guardian spirit inspired ture) the same influence with ister. Plateau: An Ecological Analy among Eastern Kiksht war chief, a noble of each some of the headhouse hold Returning to Oregon he was sis of Intergroup Relations From The Southern Pla Chinookan speakers and lower household was a chief and de chiefs, of the Wasco and the al then assigned a position to pas (revised from Northwest An teau: An Ecological Analysis Chinookan civilizations. cision maker... lied Tenino. tor the Portland Presbyterian thropological Research of Intergroup Relations come This project was primarily Any individual who rose to a Church. When there was dissen Notes, vol. 6, no. 2 1972). these statements: designed for informational pur prominent noble by acquiring Contemporary chief:The sion on the Yakama Reservation For the sake of community The village had a leader poses for my people the Kiksht wealth was considered a chief. 1855 Treaty lists Chinook as one he was assigned by powerful discussion, Greeley wishes to share variously identified in the Wasco of Warm Springs, my It was his responsibility to pro of the principal chiefs of The men to be the Head Chief to excerpts from the research . At sources as a headman, chief, relatives, and grandchildren. The vide for those who were not Dalles band of Wascos. In 1859, quell the troubles. his request the Spilyay is reprint or subchief. His duties con staged events of these tales were quite as fortunate as he, and he Chinook was employed as inter Chief Stwire’s Indian name ing some of the information. Forsisted of such things as de created from the use of ancient relished the position because he preter at Warm Springs for is “White Swan” and there is a instance, an excerpt from the Pla ciding the movement of the known Indian names. considered it an honor to help $500 a year. small town named after him on teau volume, regarding Wasco unit if on the move and de With the loss of many Na others who were without. He In the Rattle Snake War cam the Yakama Reservation. groups at the Columbia, includes ciding on a time to open hunt tives during the epidemics who expected nothing in return... paign activities of 1866-1867, the following: ing and gathering seasons, if had Indian names, the utilization (Response to these questions in Chinook was a member of If the Wasco archaic tradi necessary, to give all members of the few existing ones of my volved the Chinookan speaking Darragh’s command. It appears tional heritage is considered for The winter lodge was oc an equal chance. He was ancestries will be used for illus peoples. The comments made on these he may have held a noncommis the chieftainship, then some cupied by an extended fam knowledgeable in the ways of tration with the The Shattered questions were based upon the earli sioned officer’s grade or at least nominated candidates would be ily unit under the recognized his group and in the every Civilisation project. est observations made by Gabrial a temporary one as indicated by ineligible... Utilizing Wasco ar leadership of a household day activities of the members Franchere, an Astor fur trapping ofthe Louis Simpson’s narrative. chaic traditional custom head, a senior man. Little of his group. He set the ex A large amount of the his ficial during the era o f 1811.) (Ref. Sapir ethnohistory.) method, however, is not practi specific information exists as ample for good behavior by torical events in the project of In 1870, A.B. Meacham men cal because of the many mod to the precise composition of living up to the accepted stan The Shattered Civilization were The people of the Wascopum tions Billy Chinook for his mis ern issues that need to be ad winter lodges other than the dards. He knew the behavior documented by anthropologists, had developed a variety of com sionary work and for taking a dressed. repeated assertion that all of his people in detail and ethnologists, missionary’s pio plex cultures, each with its own leading part in the progress of According to early, occupants were of one “fam where each person was. Gen neers, explorers, trappers, and complex history and unique way the tribe. documenters a democratic sys ily” and that all co-resident erally, he did not interfere but early settlers. For that reason and of life. They were divided into In December 1871, when tem in the early River people’s families freely shared all food stood by with his knowledge accordingly so are the archaic several major groups, and had A.B. Meacham visited the way of life was never a concern. consumed within the house. to advise when asked, or ad documented Native River politically independent house Warm Springs Agency, he made So, the next Wasco Chief may Membership in such winter monish when necessary. people’s customs of that time. holds, bands, and villages. mention of how the U.S. gov have to be elected and a voting lodge groups varied from The headman would en I must reiterate the project The River people were not ernment reneged on a special method utilized. year to year, with nuclear tertain visitors and obtain of The Shattered Civilisation is to ruled by leaders who could agreement in the Treaty coun Our past along the great Co families or hearth units free news of the outside world show the reader of how the speak for anyone but their own cil: lumbia River was the founda to realign themselves with kin which he passed on to his Chinookan civilization may particular household. These “At this time certain members tion for our current success as who were resident in other people. He might have as a have flourished before the ar people of the Columbia River of the Tenino (Wasco?) Band traders and business peoples. It lodges or in other villages... duty the task of arbitrating rival of the Whiteman who later had developed a sophisticated was in possession of, and had is my hope the next Wasco One to a dozen such disputes and of punishing came to West Coast and the culture such as: a ladder of sta made improvements of value Chief will assist in thrusting the lodges erected in close prox violators of obligatory Oregon Territory. tus; techniques to harvest and near, ‘The Dalles.’ Under spe Warm Springs Confederated imity constituted a winter vil norms... The called attentions of this store large quantities of food; cial agreements in Treaty Coun Tribes into many successful ven lage. One or more outstand Inheritance of leadership writing are about the Kiksht specialized occupations; a wide cil these improvements were to tures. Whomsoever he may be, ing men in each such village in the Plateau was subject to Chinookan customs, and the spread system of trade; and be paid for by the Government. he will need all the lay tribal were recognized as “chiefs.” the conditions of the bilateral Kiksht way of life. The Shat large, permanent homes. Nineteen years have passed, and memberships support for the Chiefs (more accurately, kinship system, which lacks tered Civilisation project was for Mission John (sic) and Billy Confederated Tribes to succeed “village headmen”) were ex the structure to permit a real and they were well docu There are about 150 Signa Chinook have not yet received during this distressing era. pected to exhort their people clear-cut line of descent for mented and authentic. tures on the 1855 Treaty Docu one dollar for the aforesaid im- For a hundred and fifty snow to hard work and proper con more than a few generations. Some of these traditional ac ment. These are all household provements.” (Ref. Warpath and melts the Columbia River People duct, yet to do so in an ap The order of inheritance can tivities are still used at Warm headpersons or chiefs from dif the Wigwam.) stood afar and watched the propriately dignified, quiet be tentatively outlined. A son Springs Reservation to this day. ferent parts of the Columbia Great River, landscape, and way manner. To this end, each in order of birth from the The audiences for this drama River System. Among the Kiksht Native of life as River People languish. chief was assisted by a eldest most frequently suc is intended to be the general people are men who became Today, we, the Wasco are almost spokesman, who repeated the ceeded the chief, a brother reader and younger generations, N obles: The Columbia very powerful through the white no more, and we have learned chief’s exhortations in a com less frequently, and some whom I hope will find the tales River People prided themselves mans educational and political to live differently. As a result manding voice. The village times a brother’s or sister’s irresistible and entertaining. on how far away a marriage tie structure. These men reportedly of this change we must also chief’s authority was based son or son-in-law. A person This Indian storyline is for was well-known. Chief’s sons took a leading part for the change and conform to modern on proven talents and abili could refuse to accept office. those who have some curiosity married Chief’s daughters, progress and advancement into technology and social structure ties, ideally combining gener A chief could be deposed or about our people, the Eastern nobles married into nobles of the American mainstream. of the White Man. The Kiksht osity, eloquence, self-disci could resign. He might even Kiksht Chinookan (Wasco) Civi other groups. The wealthy The chiefs and headmen that pleasure-seeking society with a pline, and devotion to the accept the chieftainship of lization who now live at Warm household Chiefs who were of fraternized the Indian Agents fondness for entertainment and welfare of his people. another group (De Smet Springs Reservation. a noble family did not marry into who enforced the early estab leisure are almost no more. Our The position of “chief” 1905, Vol. 1:263, 323). During an interview with those of lower standing. Nobles lished policies were given spe former heritage is that of was not strictly speaking he Succession to the role was questions and answers for The married families of nobles. Sla cial privileges, for representing an easygoing, robust thriving reditary, but there was a rec not automatic but was sub O regonian newspaper (about very was an accompaniment to their tribal groups. culture. The once powerful ognized “hierarchy of right” ject to the approval of the 2008) these questions were the Chinookan social structure. The individuals assigned as former civilization of the Co by which the chieftainship group and sometimes even asked by a reader: The nobles controlled and chiefs had received some edu lumbia River Chinookans will would normally pass from a of other groups__ If the How were important tribal ruled all aspects of activity. The cation through the missionaries someday survive only on the father to his sons, in order person in line of descent was and family decisions made? How nobles had the widest family and other sources; some were white man’s talking paper. of seniority, then to a brother not considered capable of was a chief chosen, and by connections far and near along sent to the East Coast and be (or male cousin) (cf. filling the office, another whom? How was a successor Columbia River system. They came aware of the advanced Following is a short histori Murdock 1980:144). How might be chosen, even one chosen? Were family blood ties were well informed and had the and overwhelming civilizations cal account of some of the ever, many eligible individu not related; it was possible for to certain ancestors necessary, skills and knowledge in the trade of the whites. Cases in point Wasco Chieftainships. als declined or were passed an individual to achieve many or was a leader chosen based on system, and they also inherited were: Henry Meacham, Joe During the life span of Chief over for lack of the motiva of the requirements for can an overall opinion of his lead vast wealth through marriage Stwire, Mission John, Rev. Daniel Katchia (Tipsu) he was tion or talent judged neces didacy. Along the eastern and ership qualities? trade connections. Those that Locksqissa and William Chi the people’s choice for the sary to fill the role. It is not southern borders, achieve If the community lost faith owned fishing stations were con nook. Chieftainship. However, govern clear whether women in cer ment was more important in its political structure, could sidered the most powerful of all. Chinook was the White’s ment officials did not condone tain unusual circumstances than inheritance... they be removed from power, It was the nobles who carried choice to be an assigned chief the people’s wishes. or was the honor a life-long en out most of the momentous who would keep Natives of the Chief Daniel was considered titlement? How does the current customs of the Indian name giv older and wilder Wascos in com a hardcore thorn in the flesh by political structure differ from ing, ear boring, first kills, a young pliance with government poli the government officials. Chief that of your ancestors? girl’s first menstruating, and all cies. Daniel and five other practicing other practicing customs of the Chinook held this power be ceremonialists were arrested by Answers given for The Orego Chinookan system. This is when cause of his education and his the U.S. Army and were trans nian: wealth played an important role English-speaking abilities, and as ported to Fort Vancouver Stock Each household or family for establishing their place in the a result he was assigned by the ade. According to an elder group of the Chinookan speak Chinookan high society. Whites to be Chief of the Chief, Daniel spent time in a ers were considered sovereign. The nobles were few. The Wasco. The Treaty provisions dungeon (solitary confine These Chinookan nations nobles suppressed the common state that the chiefs of the Con ment?). branched out into different ers, and kept their children sepa federated Bands were to have a It is my conjecture Henry names. These formed, as it rated; this was done by the head house—one for each for the Meacham may have been consid were, so many sovereign groups flattening system and ear bor upper and Lower Deschutes ered a Chief. The conjecture is belonging to the same way of ing, and there were ceremonies bands of the Walla Walla and based upon his receiving an edu life and customs. for all of these customs. one for the Wascopum band of cation and taking a leading part They were governed by the In the 1855 treaty councils Wascos—and to fence and plow for representing the Warm Springs heads of the.household, which at Hell Gate, Walla Walla, and ten acres for each chief. Tribes during trips to Washington, are, in a manner, independent; Wasco (near the Dalles), which Each chief would also have DC. in the late 1800’s. nevertheless, all were ready to included all the Tribes of the a salary of $500.00 a year for (Continued on page 9)