The Snoqualmie Tribe is in the press looking stupid and ineffective again. The Worthless BIA is going to get involved! Doesn't that just give you the warm fuzzies?
Locks and heavy chains sealed the administrative offices of the Snoquamie Tribe, and the tribe’s retail store, Paddle, in downtown Snoqualmie last week after a dispute between rival halves of the tribal council paralyzed the tribe’s government.
Tribal Administrator Matt Mattson told the Record that he ordered the offices closed Monday, Aug. 30, three days after the elders of the tribe called for the tribal council to be dissolved and new elections held. Mattson said he was receiving conflicting resolutions from competing quorums of the council, and made the decision after consulting legal counsel for the tribe and the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. The nine-member council includes alternates that allow it to form multiple quorums, or majority votes.
Tribal services continue to function, and Snoqualmie Casino remains open. SHUT IT DOWN
See the rest of the story HERE and more HERE
4 comments:
Many Tribal Services were closed down during the closure of the tribal offices.
BIA forced mediation with selected tribal members.
It is a disgrace what the Snoqualmie Council cannot do its' own business!
fire matt mattson. maryanne heinzmen, and pete connick. thosen three names are always behind the instigating and corrupution of the tribe. get ride of the snakes so we can be a tribe of people and not just victims to snake bites.
Interesting read regarding Matt Matson:
"Tribe's first employee sees and makes history"
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/svr/news/30169304.html
It should be noted that Matson's authority seems to have been derived from this statement:
"elders of the tribe called for the tribal council to be dissolved and new elections held."
If the elders authority is based on tribal tradition and custom and majority will, then there isn't much Matson or the BIA can do about it. If Matson want's to risk taking a dive for the elders to learn that they do not reflect the majority will, then that would be his risk to take.
New point. I have often mentioned that the two components of sovereign authority are self determination and recognition.
Without a clear understanding of the majority will, there is no basis for federal recognition.
The feds can't determine what the majority will should be, but they still need to know what it is.
On the other hand, majority will should not warrant recognition if it constitutes basic human rights violations such as wrongful dis-enrollments or banishments. Since Snoqualmie seems to be on the forefront of this battle, I hope the BIA can make such a statemnt about federal recognition when it "mediates" the political "Civil War" inside the tribe.
A reference:
"...I have had to explain all this to my nine year old, who has been raised to praise Native Americans. We study our heritage, our history, and every month we go to the Snoqualmie Falls and pray on the mist just as our people have done for hundreds of years. She knows our stories. And loves being Indian....Lately, I've had to explain what's going on, and she asks, "Am I not Native American anymore." I tell you, "You will always be Native American....
Chrissie"
April 24, 2008 1:04 AM
http://originalpechanga.blogspot.com/2008/04/bia-allows-shadow-government-to-run.html
Luiseno of the dis-enrolled Pechanga, if I recall, had a similar story regarding a child removed from school. Human Rights abuses can not be condoned as terms of recognition, even if it entails tribal tradition and custom.
Self-determination, internal political strife and recognition, it makes me wonder what would happen if the Pechanga dis-enrolless made the self-determined act of re-instating themselves and demand recognition. What would the BIA do? Would they "mediate" to determine the majority will? I think 'aamokat made clear and can prove what the majority will was and is with regards to dis-enrollments based on the Pechanga Constitution.
Good job Snoqualmie for forcing the issue of recognition and rights in Indian Country.
We'll do more than bring these crimes to public attention. We will persecute thsoe who continue to commit these crimnes against the tribes and our families. We will take action against EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBE that lies, steal, or cheats us. I am speaking with lawyers now, and will sue each and every one of them. How they could lie about the nine who got banished is beyond me. How they could steal from their own tribe is beyond me. How they can continue ignoring our plea for them to step ddown is beyond me. Shame on them. Shame on the BIA for turning a deaf ear to our pain in the first place.
Everyone who was wrong and has wronged will pay for the years of suffering and the damge they have done to this once great tribe,
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