Siletz High School - Warrior Yearbook (Siletz, OR)

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FROM INDIAN RESERVATION TO PRESENT DAY CIVILIZATION The Siletz Reservation, at one time comprising one and one-third million acres is gone, but a few relics remain on what is called Government Hill, named by the early Indians, Tyee Ililhe, which means high land. A few of the older Indians re- member hearing of the times before the coming of the white man, when different tribes living in the valley had their own hunting and fishing grounds and lived always peacefully, for the Indians in this valley were never warlike Perhaps it was for this reason that the government brought many Rogue River Indians here, so that they might learn more peaceful ways According to the older living immigrants, the natives were the Flatheads Among the immigrants from the Rogue River were the Chetcos, To To To neys, and the Coquelles, who were moved unwillingly from their native lands over a hundre years ago, about the year 1855 They had been promised land, a home made of lum ber, horses, cattle, and necessary machinery if they would go In spite of p o tests they were put on board ship at Port Orford, Oregon by soldiers of the govern ment Each person was allowed one package, generally a basket, and most of the people took food, knowing nourishment would be needed first They left behind all hides, canoes, and good houses, with little hope for the future After several days at sea, they sailed into the Columbia River and were eventually taken south to Grand Ronde Some of these tribes stayed there, and others wandered southward, looking for a place to build a home Measles struck, killing many people, but e ventually sixteen reached the Siletz Valley, where they settled, finding friendly natlves already here These natives called the river the Se la gees, but the first government agent to record the word called it Siletz, by which name all the Indians in the valley, including the natives and lmmigrants, were called Eventually, the Reservation was also named Siletz The school, the city, the valley, and the river are unique, not only in name but in the way that the many peoples have learned to live together in harmony, each re specting the other's right to be different Few of the Indians who live 1n Siletz Valley today try to preserve early dress and customs Below are Archie Ben and his brother, who take pride in their heritage They also dance with a group on many occa sions if O . . - - - d . 0 T - . i . . - - . . Af' IN . Z1 A . is o A A, .!' i Q! , ,, K b N -4 by A , , I , v ,, I 7 If 15 I If , f ' fv ,R V A , 3 f 'f f' ' V 6 fc nf M. , A I fs ' qj PJ ,ffl flfff' ' I , X f. 1, 1 I 'xy I A V A , , r lyk., -A A ,-

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Dancers are Archie Ben, Pauline Ricks, Arthur Bell, Herman Bell, Dennis Bostwick, Steven Brown, Shirley Ben, Maxine Rilatos, Bob Rilatos, Paul Youngman, August Simmons, Clark John, Patrick Ben Robert Simmons, and Gaylene Towner Only a few of the young people have learned to perform the tribal dances Thi group, however, still practices, and is one of the most entertaining features for half time at football games NKLAT NAAGAW THE MHISTLE MAN Belief in the power of the Whistle Man has not disappeared from this valley, for many Indian families have great respect for this legendary figure whose eerie whis tle has been heard at night in recent years It is an awful sound, they say, like nothing else ever heard, and when he hears it, one can make a positive identifica tion Come believe that the Whistle Nan has the power to bring either a sudden or lingering death, others think he merely torments his subgects, stealing their catch or disturbing their sleep and scaring their children This power is an evil one, gained by much practice in running, Jumping, and whistling, and is located in a charm, actually a bone from the graveyard, which he must protect with his life, lest the power be lost A favorite practice ground for an aspiring Vhistle Man is a falls in the river about four miles upstream from Siletz According to the belief, one who has this power can stay at home in bed, sending his evil self out to do his bidding This evil self mav remain in the spirit, or may take a physical form, but with this form is mortal A favorite physical being is that of an owl for a such he can perch in a tree, whistling and tormenting his victim The story of the Whistle Tan was confirmed by Grandma Collins, 87 who lives on Government Hill, but her ver ion differs in some particulars NKlat Naaga carri s poison wrapped in gauze under belt, part red and part white, the red for blood and the white for bone,W she said W'hen one hears him, sounds like nothing ever heard and it makes the nose to bleed and the hair to stand straight up W She has not seen him recently, but has heard his whistle Fear of the Whistle Man is one reason for keeping clean, for cleanliness helps to defeat him, the fear of this man was Grandma Collins' explanation for the stear bath which is more cleansing than a swim in the river 'Indians must keep clean like fi h,W she remar TRIP BACK TO ROGUB RIVER Iany of the people from the Rogue River country were homesick and wished to return When she was a- bout 7 years old, Grandma Collins made the trip down the beach with her Grandmother, who packed eel and dried fish in a basket for supplies They walked all the way down the coast, many days, each night sleep- ing behind logs on the beach Vhen they came to a river, they made friends with the people who would take them across in a boat or casket Few of these Indians who had been moved into the Ciletz Valley stayed here all the time, movin? to Devil'c Lake or over into the Villamette and back to Siletz BURIAL CU TOL NThe early Qiletz Indians were buried with a knife in one hand and a Q25 :fold piece in the other, pre- , f ' i pared to fight or buy entrance into the next world, .lg lk' ' says Gregon, -Ed of the Trail, aBhisgoryfbogk whiih ' l was prepared Ore on Ctate oar o ontro GPANDMA COLLENQ WITH CRADLD Grandma ACollinsy agregd to that statement, but ex- BOARD HE 'ADL plained that the money might have been silver or money beads.