Article August 24, 1992 Issue

Second Thought

Looking again at news and commentary

"Back From Oblivion, a Tribe Forges a Future" by Timothy Egan—November 25, 1991

The New York Times

"Deep inside the coastal forest of Oregon, a small American Indian tribe is building the reservation of the future.

"After clearing a swath in the woods, the Siletz Indians have constructed a new community of big homes and broad streets. Unemployment is well below the national average. Drugs and alcohol are not allowed. And the budget, enriched by tribal businesses and a portfolio of outside investments, is showing a healthy surplus.

"But what is most remarkable about the Siletz is the simple fact that they exist, still holding millennium-old ties to this land. The Siletz, like nearly 70 others tribes and bands of American Indians, were officially abolished in the 1950's as part of Government policy known as termination, which took their land, their sovereign status and their tribal identity.

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