Chalon Indian Council of Bakersfield. Founded October 10, 2010 Original date of Establishment - April 1993

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1 Chalon Indian Council of Bakersfield The Chalon Indian Council of Bakersfield is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that provides the : a means to develop its resources to protect and preserve Native American Indian Heritage and Cultural traditions, to seek Federal Recognition for our descendants, to assist Native Americans in pursuing higher education and seeking information of their tribal affiliation, to promote and provide health care services by referrals or other means for Native Americans, and serves as our Tribal Council. April and May 2015 NEWSLETTER Chalon Board of Directors Chalon Elders Council Staff: Tim Lomas, Chairman Yvonne J. Blank, Vice-Chairwoman, Sonya Dorado, Secretary Elizabeth A. Arriaga, Treasurer Lena Valdovinos, Sergeant At Arms Peggy Alvarez, Member At Large Louise Appodaca, Chalon Elders Representative Founded October 10, 2010 Original date of Establishment - April 1993 Gloria Medina, Chairwoman Irene Soto, Vice-Chairwoman Louise Appodaca, Secretary Tom Valenzuela, Purser Betty Castro, Sergeant At Arms Page 3 Dr. Charles Ettner, Tribal Anthropologist Dr. Ken Hansen, Tribal Legal Consultant Sam Castro, Webmaster Happy Mother s Day Message from Chairman Leading is not an easy job but, it s been an honor doing so. Knowing that I m not a perfect person, I pray to Creator to give me the tools to inspire and motivate. Being a Chalon has opened a chapter in my life that was once always more questions than answers in regards to who we are. But now that we know, I strive to become a voice for our people past and present. I pray to Creator to keep my mind spiritually clear so I may hear my Creator s words. I lastly ask my people for continued prayers to Creator so we may tap into the strength of many, the strength of a nation. Blessings. Tim Lomas, Chairman The last Board meeting May 2015, the Board re-visited the Tribal Constitution which was voted on in the General Meeting. Again we want to Thank Dr. Ken Hansen and Dr. Charles Ettner for their time and energy. We are so pleased with their excellent work. Dr. Ken Hansen also composed the letter to the U.S. Department of Interior - National Parks Service - which was approved by the Chalon Indian Board. The letter is available should you want a copy, call Tom at or Louise at , 1

2 C H A L O N I N D I A N N A T I O N Financial Information - April 2015 Beginning Balance in Checking Account Ending Balance after Expenses!! Beginning Balance Savings Account - Ending Balance Savings Account $102.28!!!! $8.63!!!! $3, $3, Minus Expenses!!!!!!! $12.00 service charge-debit Credit $ raffle $45.82 ins.payment -debit Credit.38 $ for plaques-debit Returned check-$35.00-debit $ for check reversal -credit $ for plaques-debit Election April 2015 Tim Lomas - Chairman Incumbent was re-elected for 2015 Elizabeth A. Arriaga - Treasurer Incumbent was re-elected for 2015 Sonya Dorado will serve as Secretary until position is filled by Appointment Congratulations to our Chalon Indian Council for continuing to serve our Nation. We appreciate the time and commitment you have given to our people. Tribal Constitution 2015 Calendar of Events Board of Directors Meeting are held Monthly on the second Saturday at 11:00 a.m. ether at 113 S. Chester or 1124 Baker Street Chalon Elders Meetings are held on the second Sunday of each Month at 1:00 p.m. at 1124 Baker Street, Bakersfield, Ca A GENERAL MEETING IS SCHEDULED ON JUNE 13, 2015 AT 1:00 P.M. It will be a Potluck and Raffle! Tentative Dates for the following Event/Ceremony OUR NEXT TACO SALES IS proposed for August 8, 2015 The Chalon Indian Tribal Members approved the Tribal Constitution at our General Meeting held in April 19, The vote was 99% in favor and 1 nay vote. FALL EQUINOX CEREMONY IS SCHEDULED SEPTEMBER 19, held at Pinnacles. our homelands 2

3 S E Q U O I A C L U B Annual Tribal Appreciation Dinner - held April 25, 2015 at 1124 Baker Street, Bakersfield, CA Betty J. Castro, Sergeant At Arms for the Chalon Elders Council Pete Soto Sr. - Elder and spouse of Irene Soto. A great helper and Elections Committee volunteer. Robert Alvarado - Elder and spouse of Ramona Alvarado very supportive of our people and always at our events. Richard Chow, Elder and Elections Committee Volunteer. Shown with Suzanne Chow s Certificate and His Certificate. He is keeps all smiling with his hilarious sense of humor. Pictured are: Left to Right. Dr. Ken Hansen, Tribal Public Consultant, Elaine Ettner, spouse of Dr. Ettner and two Board members: Lena and Sonya. Nullam arcu leo, facilisis ut 3

4 S E Q U O I A C L U B U. S. Department of the Interior - National Park Service We received the proposed Federal Regulations governing the U.S. National Park Service that will allow only the Federally Recognized tribes be allowed to gather traditional materials, such as plants for medicine, instruments, and for ceremonial uses etc. Our response to these proposed regulations is the following: Dr. Hansen did this letter and the Board approved the letter at the last Board meeting in May. For more than 20 years, our tribal community has been incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (until 2010, as the Chumash Council of Bakersfield), for the purpose of seeking federal recognition. As you know, the process takes some 30 years or more, and we are currently working very diligently to document and meet all federal requirements concerning formal acknowledgement of our government-to-government relationship with the United States of America. Besides the BIA, this also includes interactions with other federal agencies. In recent years we have developed a fantastic working relationship with the National Park Service, at our traditional homeland of Pinnacles National Park. Park rangers and docents have been extremely helpful and welcoming whenever our people and tribal staff have visited the park. On September 20, 2014, we held our first traditional Fall Equinox ceremony at the Pinnacles. This was an historic event, since it had been over 200 years since Chalon people had held a traditional ceremony in our homeland. Following the event, park rangers interviewed our Tribal Chairman, Tim Lomas, at a nearby sacred site. We came back for a Spring Equinox ceremony on March 21, 2015, again with substantial assistance and good will from the NPS. Going forward, we intend to continue to hold these semi-annual events for our people, with the good graces of the Park Service. After our Spring Equinox gathering, Ms. Elizabeth Liz Arriaga, who presently serves as Treasurer for the Chalon Tribal Council, presented Cultural Resource Specialist Denise Louie with two baskets that she had made by hand, using traditional ways and materials. Ms. Louie accepted the baskets on behalf of 4 the National Park Service so that they can be displayed to the general public. Like the first equinox ceremony, this exchange was also an historic event. It was hard for Ms. Rios to give up her labor of love to the Park Service, but she made the personal sacrifice for our people. Now everyone who visits Pinnacles National Park and stops in at the museum will know that the original inhabitants of the area were in fact the Chalon people, and that there is a de facto government-to-government relationship between the National Park Service and the of California. We relate these events to you, not only because we have found the relationship with the Park Service to be satisfactory, but also because we are undergoing a period of cultural revitalization. It would be a great boon to the if we could engage in limited gathering of plants and plant parts for traditional purposes, such as basket-making, among other things. We would do this under the same permissions as other tribes, according to the rules posted in the Federal Register. We believe the park rangers would allow us to do this, unless it was expressly prohibited which it currently is but only because our relationship with the government has not been acknowledged by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In the words of the National Park Service: Cooperation in the continuation of tribal traditions is at the heart of this proposed rule change. The NPS has a long history of encouraging Indian arts and crafts in national parks for the education and enjoyment of the public, and to support the continued practice of cultural traditions. The teaching and sharing of tribal traditions associated with national parks is an important part of the NPS mission. The proposed rule would provide new opportunities for the NPS and tribal governments to work together in support of the continuation of sustainable Indian cultural traditions that make up a unique and irreplaceable part of our national heritage (Federal Register, Vol. 80, No. 75, April 20, 2015, pp ). Disallowing the participation of nonrecognized tribes with historic connections to Park Service units would contradict the spirit of the policy, and set up barriers to the education and enjoyment of the public, and to support the continued practice of cultural traditions, as desired by the Park Service itself. Additionally, the exclusion of nonrecognized tribal communities by the recognized tribes is an incredibly narrow and self-serving policy aim. It is contrary to the public interest as well as to NPS interests in enhancing communication with and learning the traditional practices of traditionally associated peoples. It represents the nontraditional politics of exclusion, and contributes to continuing the cultural genocide of California s mission tribes. The National Park Service has an opportunity to reverse these trends and to serve the greater good as it concerns the edification of the general public and the revitalization of traditional cultural practices. We hope that the National Park Service will allow non-recognized tribes, such as the, that have historic ties to service units, such as Pinnacles National Park, to be included in the rule change to allow the gathering and removal of plants or plant parts for traditional purposes (Federal Register, pp ). If the rule change is indeed intended to continue Indian tribal cultural traditions that are rooted in the history of specific parks (Federal Register, pp ), the Park Service should make the addition of unacknowledged tribes to the proposed rule change. Leaving out nonrecognized tribes that are attempting to revitalize traditional practices is a loss for everyone concerned. Sincerely, The Chalon Council of Bakersfield, Chalon Indian Nation of California

5 A PPRECIATION D INNER The Chalon Board of Directors presented Certificates of Appreciation to the Tribal Members who are the most active in attending our monthly meetings and activities throughout the year. Without the involvement of our people the would not have existed for the past 20 years. Again thank you to: C H A L O N I N D I A N N A T I O N Tribal Members - Honored at Appreciation Dinner Irene Soto, Elders Vice-Chairwoman Pictured below: Juanita Lomas TIm Lomas, Chairman Yvonne J. Blank, Vice-Chairwoman Pictured below: Gloria Medina, Elders Chairwoman Sonya Dorado, Secretary Elizabeth A. Arriaga, Treasurer Lena Valdovinos, Sergeant At Arms Peggy Alvarez Pictured Below: Ramona Alvarado, Tribal Elder Board Members were presented with Certificates for their commitment and dedication to the for the past two years. Board Members Pictured below: Left to right: Lena Valdovinos, Sonya Dorado, Elizabeth A. Arriaga ad Louise Appodaca Pictured below left to right: Dr. Ettner and Dr. Ken Hansen - and Elaine Ettner & Lena Valdovinos Pictured Below: Vivian Canez, Tribal Elder 5

6 Pictured Above: Yvonne J. Blank, Vice-Chairwoman Pictured Above: Sonya Dorado, Secretary Pictured Above: Elizabeth A. Arriaga, Treasurer Our Youth Tribal Members pictured below: Jonathon Bo Rodriguez Pictured Below: Spouse of Sonya Dorado Frank Dorado. Always Helping our people. Pictured Below: Anthony Washington Valenzuela Our Chalon Tribal Board and Guests: Elaine Ettner, Dr. Ken Hansen and Dr. Charles Ettner

7 CHALON INDIAN NATION 2015 ANNUAL APRECIATION DINNER & ELECTIONS Seats available Are: 1. Chairman 2.Secretary 3.Treasurer AGENDA 12:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.! VOTING RESULTS AT THE END OF THE DAY!SATURDAY APRIL 25, 2015!1124 BAKER STREET (CORNER OF BAKER & MONTEREY) Voter s Eligbilible to Vote: 1. Must be an enolled member of the 2. Must be Must be 18 yrs of age The Chalon Indian Council will provide Indian Tacos as the Main Dish. Side dishes and desserts are welcomed. Tim Lomas has agreed to run as the incumbent for Chairman. Eligibility for Board 1. Nominated (accept nomination and sent or called to the Secretary 15 days before the elections) 2.Must be 25yrs by the date of the election 3.Must be an enrolled member of the Chalon Tribe 4.Must be a member in good standing (be bondable) 5. Must have participated in activities of the Call Tim Lomas at