November is Native American Month, which is meant to call attention to the culture, traditions, and achievements of the nation’s original descendants. Also known as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, the official designation of National Native American Heritage Month was signed into law in 1990 and has been a celebration for about 34 years.
“I wish people would know that our country and a lot of things that we value–a lot of it came from Native American culture,” said Marshfield High School social studies teacher Sam Jones-Beckett.
There are many local tribes on the Oregon coast, including The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians, Coquille Indians, and Siletz Tribe. The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians and The Coquille Tribe are both local to Coos Bay, North Bend. The Siletz Tribe is local to the Cascade Mountains.
“Land is wealth, and when you take somebody’s land base you make it difficult for them to head forward,” said Beckett.
Native Americans are, as their name indicates, native to America; archeologists say they have been in America for 23,000 years and as long as 30,000 years.
“We always say since time and memorials, but we can’t prove it because the water rose and most of our sacred sites are out in the ocean,” said Doug Barrett, Chief of The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians, or CTCLUSI.
In the United States 574 Native American tribes are federally recognized. In Oregon there are just nine federally recognized tribes. Being federally recognized means that the United states government recognizes the tribe as a sovereign entity. Being a sovereign entity means that it is independent and existent. Approximately 400 tribes or more are not federally recognized in the U.S.
“Sovereignty means we are a nation inside of a nation,” said Barrett. “We don’t have a president, we have a chief. We have our constitution; we are just as equal as the United States, but we are only recognized as equal to the state of Oregon.”
At Marshfield High School, there has been talk of a Native American history class, as an elective, but it has not been established yet. The history classes teach portions of Native American history, but students will have to wait for the college level classes to spotlight just Native American history.
“Classes would be nice, just to have people learn and want to learn about it,” said MHS freshman Hunter Corona.
For those wanting to learn more or celebrate their heritage, there is a Native Club at MHS. To learn more about it, contact Coos Bay School District Educational Assistant Bre Landrum at [email protected]. At MHS, Brenda Gesberg in room 147 of the main building can also answer questions.