A federal court has restored hunting, fishing, and gathering rights to the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, ending restrictions that tribal leaders fought against for more than 40 years.
The ruling, celebrated at the tribe's annual powwow in Oregon earlier this month, marks a significant victory in the Siletz's struggle to reclaim sovereignty over Native American practices.
"We're back to the way we were before," said Delores Pigsley, chair of the Siletz Tribe. "It feels really good."
The restrictions, imposed as part of a 1980 federal deal, capped how much wildlife the tribe could harvest for ceremonial and subsistence purposes and subjected members to state hunting and fishing rules.
While the 1980 Agreement and Consent Decree allowed the tribe to recover 3,600 acres of its ancestral lands, this came in exchange of risking arrest for upholding their traditions.
Oregon's Tribal 'Termination' Policy
"Giving up those rights was a terrible thing," said Pigsley, who has led the tribe for 36 years. "It was unfair at the time, and we've lived with it all these years."
The Siletz Tribe, a confederation of more than 20 bands and tribes, traditionally occupied lands across western Oregon, northern California, and southwestern Washington.
In the mid-1800s, the U.S. government forcibly relocated the tribes to a reservation on Oregon's coast, consolidating them under a single federally recognized entity.
By the mid-20th century, the federal government's "termination" policy led to the revocation of recognition for more than 100 tribes, including the Siletz. The policy, aimed at assimilating Native Americans and reducing federal obligations, stripped tribes of land, funding, and services.
"The goal was to try and assimilate Native people, get them moved into cities," said Matthew Campbell, deputy director of the Native American Rights Fund.
"I think there was certainly a financial aspect to it. I think the United States was trying to see how it could limit its costs in terms of providing for tribal nations."
'Biased and Distorted' Laws Halted Traditions
The Siletz regained federal recognition in 1977, but the accompanying restrictions on their traditional rights endured for decades.
Attorneys for the U.S., Oregon, and the Siletz acknowledged in a joint filing that the 1980 agreement reflected outdated biases against tribal sovereignty and traditions.
"The Governor of Oregon and Oregon's congressional representatives have since acknowledged that the 1980 Agreement and Consent Decree were a product of their times," the filing stated.
It noted the restrictions represented a "biased and distorted position on tribal sovereignty, tribal traditions, and the Siletz Tribe's ability and authority to manage and sustain wildlife populations it traditionally used for tribal ceremonial and subsistence purposes."
A new agreement with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife now grants the Siletz Tribe greater authority to manage tribal hunting and fishing, ensuring their practices align with day-to-day and ceremonial needs.
Preserving the Culture of the Siletz Indians
The tribe once inhabited a 1.1-million-acre reservation in 1855, much of which is lost forever. Pigsley said the restoration of rights is crucial for preserving cultural practices and ensuring the well-being of future generations.
"There's a lot of youth out there that are learning tribal ways and culture," she said. "It's important today because we are trying to raise healthy families, meaning we need to get back to our natural foods."
At the powwow, Tiffany Stuart, a tribal member, reflected on the significance of the victory while dancing with her 3-year-old daughter.
"You dance for the people that can't dance anymore," she said.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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