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April 10, 2022 — Today marks the 167th anniversary since the Kalapuya Treaty of 1855 was officially proclaimed. To learn more about how the treaty impacts the rich history of the tribe and connects us to the Salem area, read a letter from Cultural Resources Director, Robert Kentta, below:

My name is Robert Kentta and I am an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon. I live in Siletz, Oregon. I am a member of the Siletz Tribal Council and serve as Treasurer. I am also employed by the Siletz Tribe as the Siletz Tribe’s Cultural Resources Director.

The Siletz Indian Reservation was conceived — in line with federal policy at the time — as the reservation for all of the tribes and bands of Indians in western Oregon. The Siletz Indian Reservation was first set aside on a preliminary basis on April 17, 1855, by then Oregon Indian Affairs Superintendent Joel Palmer and later confirmed by the Department of the Interior, for the Coast, Willamette and Umpqua Tribes of Indians. Three days later, it also became federal policy to remove the Rogue Valley Tribes and Bands from the Table Rock temporary Reservation, and also to place them upon the Siletz Coast Reservation as their permanent home. The Siletz Coast Reservation was to be the single Indian Reservation to house Western Oregon Indians (and included Tribes and individuals removed from a bit beyond western Oregon).

The November 9, 1855 Executive Order by President Franklin Pierce that created our Siletz Reservation specifically stated that it was for the Coast, Willamette and Umpqua Tribes. When it was debated in Washington D.C. as to whether the President or Congress should act on the request to establish the Siletz Reservation, it was stated that the treaties already ratified with Tribes in Western Oregon “amply clothe the President” with the power to establish the permanent resident asked for. As stated, three days after the Executive Order was signed, the federal government approved federal policy to remove the Rogue Valley and other nearby tribes and bands to the Siletz Reservation, thereby adding additional ratified treaty Tribes to those to be confederated on the Siletz Reservation. The federal government then, through ratified treaty stipulations as well as unratified treaties and as a matter of Interior policy, “confederated” all of the various tribes and bands into one “Tribe” recognized by the federal government as the tribal government on the Siletz Reservation. The Interior Department started referring to this consolidated tribal entity as early as 1857 as the Confederated Siletz Tribe.

Today there are many families of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians who are of Kalapuya, Mollala, and Chinookan ancestry and whose ancestors signed the Willamette Valley and Kalapuya Etc. Treaty of 1855. The Siletz Tribe includes Kalapuya and other Willamette Valley Tribe blood quantum in its definition of “Siletz” blood and includes that blood quantum in determining a person’s eligibility to be a Siletz enrolled member. The Salem area is also the Siletz Tribe’s treaty-ceded territory.

The Confederated Tribe of Siletz Indians has well over 1,000 members who are descended from Kalapuya, Mollala, and Chinookan peoples who belong under the Willamette/Kalapuya, Etc. Treaty of 1855.

In 1992, Secretary of the Interior Manual Lujan issued his favorable determination on the Siletz Tribe’s Section 20 Application for the exact 20-acre parcel of land the casino project will be built on. That approval by the Secretary also included acknowledgment of the Siletz Tribe’s historical and legal ties to the Salem area. This 20-acre parcel of land went into trust for the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in 2000 for economic development purposes — further acknowledgment of the Siletz Tribe’s historical and legal ties to the Salem area.

The Siletz Tribe has a long and storied history in the Willamette Valley and Salem area and we celebrate the historical milestones that connect us to this land.

February 15, 2022 – Since 1995, we have served our Tribal members and Oregon communities with revenue from our property in Lincoln City – Chinook Winds. Over the past twenty-five years we have taken pride in being a good neighbor and creating a deep relationship with the Lincoln City community. We’d like to thank this community for their outpouring of support as we are now taking these best practices and expanding our footprint to Salem.

In a recent letter, the Lincoln County Commissioners shared their support for our plans to open a second entertainment property. They said, “We are grateful for the support, resources and collaborative nature the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians provide to the regional community.”

The commissioners commended us for our “tradition of sharing” by distributing more than $19.7 million through the charitable fund and other Tribal resources. Chinook Winds has donated more than $6.5 million in cash and fundraising items to Lincoln County-based community groups specifically over the last two decades. The casino also provides in-kind donations of convention space for fundraisers as well as technical support, advertising and manpower for many events in the county.

Chinook Wind’s efforts to support the community in times of need such as providing a safe haven during the devastating Echo Mountain wildfire and recent power outages were praised by the commissioners. They also noted, “Throughout COVID Chinook Winds has been a community leader in COVID safety practices such as shutting down immediately when the pandemic first struck our nation and requiring safety measures such as masks, temperature checking and vaccination for their staff.”

The Lincoln County School District also shared their support for our plans to expand in Oregon. In a recent letter, the Superintendent of Schools said, “The Lincoln County School District is grateful for the continued support of the Confederated Tribe of Siletz Indians and their commitment to us and our community.”

The commissioner noted, “In November they provided an outstanding 300 meals to the students of North Lincoln County. They provide donations to many of the non-profit groups within our county that have a direct impact on the student in our district. When a need arises, the Confederated Tribe of Siletz Indians is a partner we can count on.”

John Iwamura, one of the top relators in Lincoln County, also expressed his support of our new project. He cites Chinook Wind’s positive impact on the community and real estate values.

Mr. Iwamura has worked with many clients who have purchased homes in Lincoln City specifically to be close to Chinook Winds because of the vast entertainment options we offer. In fact, he notes that prospective buyers “ask to buy as close to the casino as possible” and that “areas adjacent to the casino have some of the highest price per square feet and our casino is one of the positive attributes for this reason.”

Mr. Iwamura also praised Chinook Winds for managing important natural resources including forests, local wildlife, the fishing hatchery, locally grown oysters in the Yaquina Bay and protecting indigenous animals.

Finally, Lieutenant Jeffery Winn of the Lincoln City Police Department shared his praises for our cooperative partnership saying “In the twenty-seven years of a cohesive collaboration, the Lincoln City Police Department and the Chinook Winds Casino Security Department have fostered and developed a positive working relationship. The Chinook Winds Casino Security Department has developed a professional team and our department has been able to count on their informative and dependable team members.”

To download the letter from the Lincoln County Commissioners, click here. 

To download the letter from the Lincoln County School District, click here. 

To download the letter from the Lincoln County Police Department, click here.

To download the letter from John Iwamura of JKI Realty, click here.