Coquille Indian Tribe

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For other uses, see Coquille.

The Coquille Indian Tribe is the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs-recognized Native American tribal entity of the Coquille people, who have traditionally lived on the southern Oregon Coast.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Pre-contact through the mid-1800s

Main article: Coquille people

[edit] Treaty with the United States

In 1855, Joel Palmer, Oregon Superintendent of Indian Affairs, negotiated a treaty with the Coquille and surrounding tribes that set aside 125 miles (201 km) of coastline that extended from the Siltcoos River to Cape Lookout to form the Coastal (or Siletz) Indian Reservation near present-day Florence. [1] The Coquille people were forcibly marched to the reservation in 1856; however, the treaty was never ratified by Congress. [2] Disease and overcrowding were problems on the reservation, which was eventually reduced to a fraction of its former size.[2] The remnants of the original Coastal Indian Reservation are contained in the Siletz Reservation and associated tribally owned lands. Over the years many Coquilles returned to their traditional homeland and fought for the acknowledgement of the Treaty of 1855.

[edit] Termination and restoration

The U.S. federal government terminated its recognition of the Coquille as part of the Termination Act of 1954.[3]

In 1989 the tribe regained its federal recognition.[4] With restoration came tribal sovereignty, which gives the Tribe authority to form its own government and have jurisdiction over Tribal lands, businesses and community members.

[edit] Coquille Indian Reservation

The Confederated Tribes of Siletz, based in Siletz, Oregon, recognize that the Coquille people are one of the tribes that make up their confederation.[5] The Confederated Tribes of Siletz continue to live on the Siletz Indian Reservation. In addition, by an Act of Congress in 1996, the Coquille Tribe now has reservation area totalling 6,512 acres (26 km²).[4] The United States Census Bureau reported the Coquille Indian Reservation's land area as 26.947 km² (10.404 sq mi) and the 2000 census official resident population as 258 persons. The reservation's lands are located in numerous non-contiguous parcels of land in southern Coos County, mostly in and to the southeast of the Coos Bay-North Bend urban area. Parts of the communities of Bandon, Barview, Coos Bay, and North Bend extend onto reservation lands.

[edit] Government

The tribal government is based in North Bend.

[edit] Economy

The Coquille Tribe owns several businesses, including the The Mill Casino • Hotel in Coos Bay, an organic cranberry growing and packing operation in North Bend, Heritage Place assisted living center, and ORCA Communications, a telecommunications provider.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Oregon Coast Tribes Treaty of 1855. Center for World Indigenous Studies. Retrieved on 2006-11-20.
  2. ^ a b The Coquille Tribe. Coquille Economic Development Commission. Retrieved on 2006-11-20.
  3. ^ The Isaac I. Stevens and Joel Palmer Treaties, 1855–2005. Oregon Historical Quarterly (Fall 2005). Retrieved on 2006-11-20.
  4. ^ a b Indian Tribes in Oregon. Oregon Blue Book. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on 2006-10-08.
  5. ^ Kentta, Robert. Siletz History Part I. Confederated Tribes of Siletz. Retrieved on 2006-10-08.

[edit] External links