LINCOLN CITY, Ore. — The rhythmic beats of drums resonated through the conference room at the Chinook Winds Casino Resort in Lincoln City, Oregon, accompanied by vibrant singing as hundreds of individuals in tribal attire encircled the space in celebration.
This month marked the 47th annual powwow held by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, an event commemorating the tribe’s restoration of federal recognition. This year’s festivities held particular significance, occurring only two weeks after a federal court lifted longstanding restrictions that had limited the tribe’s hunting, fishing, and gathering privileges—constraints that tribal leadership had challenged for several decades.
“We’re back to the way we were before,” expressed Siletz Chairman Delores Pigsley. “It feels really good.”
The Siletz represent more than twenty bands and tribes, whose ancestral lands historically covered a significant portion of what is now western Oregon. During the 1850s, the federal government consolidated these tribes onto a reservation along the Oregon coast, thus uniting them as a single federally recognized entity, despite their diverse histories and languages.
In the mid-20th century, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s, Congress enacted a termination policy that stripped federal recognition from over a hundred tribes, including the Siletz. This policy resulted in the loss of millions of acres of tribal land and a cessation of federal support and services.
“The objective was to assimilate Native Americans into urban life,” noted Matthew Campbell, deputy director of the Native American Rights Fund. “Financial motivations were also present, as the United States aimed to minimize its expenses related to tribal nations.”
The loss of their land and self-governance was a harrowing experience, prompting extensive efforts from the tribes to regain their federal status. In 1977, the Siletz became the second tribe to achieve this recognition, following the Menominee Tribe’s restoration in Wisconsin in 1973.
To reclaim a mere fraction of their historical land—approximately 3,600 acres from the original 1.1 million acres designated for them in 1855—the Siletz tribe had to consent to a court order that imposed severe limitations on their traditional rights to hunt, fish, and gather. They were one of only two tribes in the nation, along with Oregon’s Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, who had to undertake such measures to restore their land.
The restrictions placed on the tribe curtailed where members could fish, hunt, and gather for subsistence and ceremonial purposes, instituting annual caps on the harvest of salmon, elk, and deer. Pigsley recounted the distressing circumstances, noting that the tribe often had to purchase salmon for ceremonies and members faced arrests due to hunting and fishing infractions.
“Giving up those rights was a terrible thing,” Pigsley reflected, having led the tribe for over three decades. “It was unfair at the time, and we’ve lived with it all these years.”
In recent years, both the state of Oregon and the federal government acknowledged the bias inherent in the previous court orders and have worked in partnership with the tribe to request the lifting of the restrictions.
“The Governor of Oregon and Oregon’s congressional representatives have recognized that the former agreements reflected a flawed understanding of tribal sovereignty and traditions, as well as the Siletz Tribe’s capacity to manage its traditional wildlife resources,” stated legal representatives for the U.S., state, and tribe in a joint court motion.
Finally, at the end of last month, a federal judge ruled in favor of the tribe, vacating the restrictive court order. A new agreement with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has now empowered the tribe to play a significant role in governing their hunting and fishing practices.
Pigsley also took a moment to remember those tribal members who passed away before witnessing the restoration of these vital rights, expressing optimism for the younger generation to uphold cherished traditions.
“There’s a lot of youth out there learning our tribal customs and culture,” she stated. “This is crucial for us as we strive to nurture healthy families, which means reconnecting with our natural food sources.”
Among the celebrants at the powwow was Tiffany Stuart, wearing a traditional basket cap made by her ancestors, alongside her 3-year-old daughter, Kwestaani Chuski, a name that translates to “six butterflies” in the regional Athabaskan language.
Reflecting on the recovering rights, Stuart emphasized the importance of these traditions, saying it was “very powerful for my kids to dance.”
“You dance for the people that can’t dance anymore,” she concluded, highlighting the emotional significance of the celebration.
