After 50-Years Plus Two WWII Veterans Were Reunited
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INSIDE Colville Bulk Rate ~ U.S. Postage Paid - Permit No. 2 ~ Nespelem, Washington 99155 Council...........................................2 Tribal Voices ..........................12, 13 Graduate Return Service Requested - P.O. Box 150, Nespelem WA 99155 Administration News ..................3, 4 Community News ..................14, 15 Resources .................................5, 6 Regional News ............................16 Photo CTEC Update ..............................10 Photo Album ................................19 Drum Beat ...................................11 Directory ......................................20 Album Please see pages 8, 9 First Class ~ U.S. Postage Paid - Permit No. 8 ~ Nespelem, Washington 99155 VOLUME 26, No. 6 -- JUNE 2000 Edition -- July 3, 2000 Return Service Requested - P.O. Box 150, Nespelem WA 99155 COLVILLE INDIAN RESERVATION The Official Publication of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation WASHINGTON <l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l><l> Twelve Tribal Members KELLER, WA.—Twelve-people who (San Poil) and John Marchand (Lakes), who participated in the “Traditional Cultural are not longer with us, were also honored at Properties Study” were honored at the the Luncheon. Tribal “Elders Luncheon” held here at the It was in 1939 that the water behind Grand After 50-years plus Two Community Center on Thursday, May 25. Coulee Dam started to rise and as the days, The Study is referred to as the “Grand weeks, months, etc. passed...this rising water Coulee Dam Project ‘99”, and is part destroyed fishing grounds, towns, grave of a 15-year contract with Bonneville sites, etc. Power Administration and the Bureau of During the Study, each of these 12-Tribal WWII Veterans were reunited Reclamation. Elders described how these rising waters By Sam Sampson The twelve Tribal Elders who participated affected them ...and how it caused pain, in the study and the tribes or bands they suffering, heartbreak, etc. Their statements After World War II, there were combat belonged to are: Cecilia Smith—Collville; were recorded and documented. Their veterans who refused or didn’t want to Lester Herman, Alice Irey, Joe Marchand, information will help Tribal Members who describe what happened to them or the people Bertha Matt, Eva Orr, and Charlie didn’t experience this destruction...realize they served with during the war. Quintasket—Lakes; Paul James, James how it affected those Tribal Members who One of these veterans was Glen Nirk, Monaghan, and Alex Sam—San Poil. The experience and lived through this destruction a non-Indian, who was born and raised on family members of Nettie Frances-Covington that Grand Coulee Dam caused. a farm by Potlatch, Idaho. His daughter, Carolyn Nirk Janzen, was born in 1947 and she grew up knowing that her dad had served in World War II. When Glen talked to his daughter, he never went into great detail about what happened when he was stationed in the Philippines. However...he would tell her stories about a Colville Indian named Yellowwolf, who for some reason became a good friend of Glen. Carolyn’s favorite story about Yellowwolf was how he saved her dad. Glen and Yellowwolf went out on a patrol one day, and they were walking along a road when they both hit the deck after they heard enemy troops advancing through the jungle toward them. Glen was on one side of the road, and Lester was on the other side. As it turned out, (L to R) Glen Nirk and Lester Yellowwolf Yellowwolf could see that they would end up son Vaughn, Kay Carrier, and Butch she He always felt that he would never see walking over the top of Glen. Yellowwolf made arrangements for her dad to meet gave Glen hand signals to stay down...he then Yellowwolf again, but that he would find fired his machine gun over the top of Glen at Yellowwolf at Nespelem, WA. Kenny. the enemy. There were other times during Plans were made to have the news media Later, everybody went to Butch Stanger’s the War that Yellowwolf saved Glen’s life. cover the event, but when Yellowwolf found mother’s house for dinner. When Japan surrendered and World out about it, he put a stop to it. He wanted Carolyn said that Yellowwolf kept telling GRAND COULEE DAM DID THIS TO US!—(Front to back) Paul James and James War II ended, Glen’s unit left (without this meeting with his old friend to be a her dad how glad he was to have his partner Monaghan, both of the San Poil Band, were among the 12-people who were honored at the Yellowwolf) to Japan to become part of the private one. back and twice Yellowwolf looked at her Tribal “Elders Luncheon” held on Thursday, May 25, at the Keller Community Center. They Occupation Forces. Glen’s friend had gotten When Carolyn and three members of her and said: “I’m so happy, I’ve never had a were among the Tribal Elders who described the problems, hardships, and sad feelings they into a fight with the Company Commander family brought her dad to Nespelem...she better day.” felt when the water behind Grand Coulee Dam started to rise in 1939, and the destruction the and was thrown into the brig. Glen and hadn’t told her dad about Yellowwolf. Her Carolyn said: “I want somehow for Ken Dam caused in the years that followed! Twila Desautel (L) was one of the many volunteers Yellowwolf never did see each other again. dad thought they were going to the Colville Stanger to know how grateful I am to him for who helped put on the luncheon. As Carolyn grew up she thought about Indian Reservation to gamble. setting in motion the chain of coincidences Yellowwolf and what happened to him. Her When Glen and Yellowwolf met each that allowed this to happen. We learned a dad told her that he had no idea where he other on March 2, 1996, Glen said: “I’ll lot from him and his family about having could be and he doubted that Yellowwolf never forget how you fanned the brush over respect for elders.” Colville graduates are was still alive. my head with your machine gun that day!” Glen suffered a stroke in January 1995, Glen was brokenhearted to find out Please see REUNITED, Page 7 and because of this Carolyn would travel that Kenny Stanger was no longer alive. from her home in Spokane to visit her Dad recognized at ceremony in Post Falls, Idaho. Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation NESPELEM, WA.—Kanie St. Paul was Degrees; 7 finished their Master Degree In February 1996, while visiting her dad, the Masters of Ceremony as 126-Tribal requirements; and Melissa Compobasso and she asked her dad about another American Colville Business Council Members were honored during the “2000 Theresa Reyes received their Doctorate. Indian that he sometimes would also talk Student Recognition Ceremony” held at the Thirteen-students were awarded Cecilia about...his name was Kenny Stanger! Community Center here on Friday, June 26. Somday Scholarships and received $1,500 Her dad told her that Yellowwolf and 2000 General Election Thirty-three students completed their apiece. Ten-students received CTEC Stanger had grown up together. Carolyn GED requirements; 52 graduated from High Scholarships and 15 obtained Pepsi asked her dad about Stanger that day, because Oficial Returns a good friend of hers at work, Jerry Lobdell, School; 3 received Certificates; 18 obtained Scholarships...each of these students will KELLER DISTRICT Associate Degrees; 11 received Bachelor receive $1,000 apiece. had told her that a Ken Stanger called and said that the Colville Tribe would be doing POSITION #1 Polls Absentee Total business with the grocery wholesaler they Jeanne A. Jerred ..................... 33 85 118 worked for. Carolyn got Ken’s phone number Walt Arnold ............................... 26 44 70 from Jerry, and afterwards gave him a call. Different Tribes from U.S. She didn’t get in touch with him, but she did NESPELEM DISTRICT leave a message on his voice mail asking POSITION #1 Polls Absentee Total him if he was related to the Kenny Stanger Deb Louie .............................. 116 199 315 Attend Timber Conference that was stationed in the Philippines in 1945. Mike Somday ............................ 83 211 294 Her long shot paid off! Ken (Butch) called her back later on and explained to her POSITION #2 Polls Absentee Total LEWISTON, IDAHO—The 24th Annual 770,000 acres. The Nez Perce Tribe has Colleen F. Cawston ................ 95 223 318 National Indian Timber Symposium was held that the man she was asking about was his three categories of ownership: tribal trust, father, who was an Army Sergeant in the Joanne C. Leith ......................... 105 176 281 here on June 11-15. The event was hosted by purchase, and allotted lands...which makes the Nez Perce Tribe, and the theme for the Philippines in 1945. up 12% of the land within the Reservation Butch also told her that his father had been Symposium was: “Modern Management of boundary established by the 1863 Treaty. OMAK DISTRICT killed in car crash a few years ago. Carolyn POSITION #1 Polls Absentee Total Traditional Lands: Sustaining the Future”. Some of the highlights of the tour included: was sad to hear that because it meant that Michael E. Marchand .............. 117 228 345 The Chairman of the Symposium *On a dirt road located in a fairly dense Committee was Reggie Atkins, Forestry, her dad and Kenny wouldn’t be able to meet Dale “wayepi” Clark .................. 125 154 279 forest, the Speaker explained that on one side again. Before she hung up, she said: “By Nespelem, WA., and he is also the Secretary of the road cattle grazed on that land...and POSITION #2 Polls Absentee Total for the Board of Directors on the Intertribal the way, my dad’s very best friend in the that on the other side of the road he showed world was also a Colville Indian, and I think Louella “lou” Anderson .......