An important tribal tradition was renewed Thursday with the swearing in of the Warm Springs Youth Council.
The council’s purpose is to advocate for and support the youth of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.
The Warm Springs Youth Council was established in 2014 with the goal of empowering youth voices. Their duty is to engage their peers, listen and learn about challenges young tribal members face and work with the Tribal Council to help solve those concerns.
“I am going to show my best leadership. I’m going to have them show to me ideas that we can do to make our tribe better. We are going to make sure that voices that have not been heard, be heard,” said Kahmussa Green, Warm Springs Youth Council President.
“I think they are going to bring us into meetings. We’ll probably propose ideas there, give feedback to them. I figure that’s how we’ll talk to the big tribal council, at the meetings,” said Dasan Begay, Warm Springs Youth Council President.
RELATED: Little Did I Know: Perspectives on the history of Chief Paulina (Part 1)
RELATED: Little Did I Know: Perspectives on the history of Chief Paulina (Part 2)
Most of the new youth councilors are students at Madras High School, which puts them in a unique position of living and learning in two worlds.
They include:
- Kahmussa Green, President
- Dasan Begay, President
- Arthur Miller, Vice President
- Keith Charley III, Secretary
- Charlene White, Treasurer
- Katelyn Tanewasha, Communications Director
“It’s been awhile since we’ve been that age and things have changed a lot,” said Alfred Smith, Warm Springs Tribal Council, Wasco Chief. “These guys were elected to represent not only Madras High School, but all the kids, all the youth and see what direction we need to go.”
“They (youth) face a lot of things. One is not having something to do or not knowing what to do. I want to change that. I want to start down here in Warm Springs and build all the way up,” said Miller.
After being sworn in and honored by family members and friends, the Youth Council went into a closed door meeting with Tribal Council representatives to learn about their roles and responsibilities.
They now represent the youth of the Warm Springs, Wasco and Paiute tribes that have lived in the Columbia River basin and high desert plateau for thousands of years.
