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Show School Building Destroyed In Whiterocks Blaze Tribal and Bureau of Indian Affairs firemen, assisted by fire departments of nearby communities, battled a blase in the building housing the cafeteria and dining room of the old Whiterocks School March 31. 1 Firemen were seriously hampered by water pressure in their eight-hoattempt to save the building which was totally destroyed. The fire apparently began in the basement of the vacant y kitchen and building under the low ur one-stor- spread to the attached two-stor- y structure housing a dining room and classrooms. The cause of the fire has not vet been determined and it is still under investigation. The building was valued at $15,000. The structure, believed to be about 56 years old, was one of three remaining buildings of the original Whiterocks Indian Boarding School. Though used as an elementary school by the Uintah County School District since 1952, the buildings were vacated last spring when the Whiterocks students were transferred to Todd Elementary School. At that time the facilities were returned to the tribal control. FIRE-Engul- Onondaga Nation Seeks Removal Of A) The WASHINGTON, Council of Chiefs of the Onondaga Nation in New York state in a meeting there on April 2 reaffirmed their earlier decision -- D.C.-(AIP- from the to remove dll reservation after June 30. According to one Onondaga chief who asked not to be named, a storm of protest from affected residents of the reservation to removal orders issued on Mar. 12 led to a series of Tuesday night meetings where the protesters could make their feelings known. non-India- Although there had been indications that a majority of the chiefs were receptive to the idea of modifying the expulsion order to permit long-tim- e residents on the reservation to remain, according to the chief, at the last meeting some of the protesters came on too heavy and bitter, they made demands and threatened, and didnt offer any compromise. This made the council more adamant than ever to stick by its original order." The original order would remove all from the reservation includspouses of tribal ing members and children of male members married to Indians. Since the Onondaga Nation is traditionally a matriarchal society, where membership is reckoned only through the female line, the children of female tribal members married to could remain. The order did not include spouses of tribal members who belonged to another Indian tribe or Indians their children, or living on the reservation. non-India- non-India- ns non-India- non-memb- er According to most sources on the Onondaga Nation, the removal order stringently enforced would affect about 30 families. The June 30 date was chosen because it coincides with the end of the school year term. Two reasons were given for the removal by various sources in the tribe-fe- w of whom would allow their names to be used. The reason most cited was that Indian lands should be only for Indian use. Second, according to the Onondaga chief, a copy of a federal law was given to us which declares that if a that is the word it preponderance-a- nd uses, Preponderanee'-- of accumulate within the lands of a sovereign Indian nation, then that land is no longer an Indian reservation." non-India- f . ns the Whiterocks Elementary School until it was dosed last fell and the students transferred to Todd School. Fireman from Fort Duchesne, Roosevelt and Vernal worn dispatched to the site but the building was completely destroyed. (Photo by Robert Galvin) fed A RAGING the cafeteria and dining hall of School last month. The building old Whiterochs Boarding the which remained after the BIA school four of was one bnOdings was closed and the campus was transferred to the Uintah School District in the 1950s. The building had been used by Non-India- ns i Two types of opposition continue against the council order. The first type, being exercised by tribal member Veronica Papineau and a group of about 40 women she works with, will continue to work between now and June 30 to try to get the council to modify the order. Since both she and her husband are tribal members they are not affected by the order. We are not objecting to the law, said Mrs. Papineau in a statement in behalf of ehr group. We believe in the law. We just don't believe it should be implemented in this number. We think the older people who have established homes here and lived here for over 25 years should be permitted to remain until nature takes its course and they die. Others, such as one family that has seven mall children and a crippled father, should not be forced to move. Furthermore, children who have mothers should be permitted to remain so they have a chance to marry back into the tribe. If they have to leave, they wont be able to. non-Indi- an Mrs. Papineaus group will not, however, go outside the tribal law to fight the council order. We would not take any action outside our Indian law. We are relying on our own chiefs and their humaneness. We don't want to go to any white court. Some of the people who will be affected by the order have threatened to go to state or federal officials to fight the order. According to the Onondaga chief, one girl said at the meeting if anyone comes onto her property she will call the state police. That wont do her any good. The state doesnt have any jurisdiction on our reservation. When asked if he thought these people might avail themselves of the 1968 Indian Civil Rights Act to prevent their removal, he replied: That wont help either. We dont believe in that civil rights junk here. Sources on the Onondaga Nation said that most of the protesters used the wrong tactics with the council. .Said one The attitude of these people was very bad, its all because of AIM .(the Americna Indian Movement). Now every time something happens that people don't like, it triraers them (to militant action). They think the only way to bring about change is with one big shot, instead of working gradually to change minds. Concerning the removal order, the chief said: It can be changed because it is not one of the Great Spiritual Laws of the nation, it is only a council law. The Onondagas, according to sources there, wil lemphatically not permit any more to locate on the reservation. Apparently other nations of the Iroquois non-India- ns resigroup already enforce dency laws or statutes as the Onondagas are beginning to do now. non-Indi- an The law that the Onondaga chiefs began to enforce in early March was actually enacted in 1919 and has been only sporadically implemented. One chief said it had been considerably relaxed after World War II, when tribal members were bringing home war brides. However, he said, increasing number of taking up residency on the reservation and increasing marriages to forced the tribe to put teeth into the law. non-India- Roy LaRose ns non-India- Mitchell Bush, a tribal member who works for the central office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA;, told AIPA he did not feel the law or its enforcement was too harsh. First, Indian land should be for Indians. Second, we all know, we are born and raised to know, that if we men marry outside the tribe our children loose their rights in the tribe. The Onondagas interviewed are not concerned that the tribe will lack the means to enforce its order. They have enforced it before against individuals, according to some members, but never in a wholesale manner such as will be attempted in June. Ute Officer Graduates From Police Acade: Patrolman Roy LaRose of the Ute Tribe Police Department graduated April 17 from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Police Academy at Brigham City. During the extensive two month course, Patrolman LaRose and his classmates studied federal and Indian law, report writing, defensive driving and fish and game regulations. Proceed -- The tiny six by four square miles Onondaga reservation is located in western New York state. The 1970 census shows a population of 752. However, one chief said the federal census is highly inaccurate. One time they said we had 400 members. I have more clan members than that. We never tell exactly how many members we have because one time we did and the enemy came in and slaughtered us. The Onondagas are one of six members of the Iroquois Confederacy, which now .includes St. Regis Mohawks, Tuscaroras, Oneidas, Cayugas and Tonawanda 'Senecas. i ures for investigating car thefts, narcotics violations and traffic accidents were also included in the schools curriculum. Visiting F.B.I. agents taught classes in while riot control training was administered by federal marshalls. The police cadets alw received firearms instruction, target practice and first aid training. self-defen- se Patrolman LaRose is the son of Norman and Juanita LaRose of Fort Duchesne. He and his wife, Rosemary, have three children and also reside in Fort Duchesne. |
