Last week, Governor Tina Kotek and First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson visited the Burns Paiute Tribe. The visit is part of Governor Kotek’s commitment to meet with all of Oregon’s nine federally recognized sovereign Tribal nations in 2024.
“The First Lady and I are incredibly grateful for the hospitality shown by the Burns Paiute Tribe, especially during such a dynamic and challenging fire season,” Governor Kotek said. “We had a great time seeing up close the tribal nation’s commitment to the health and prosperity of their communities, their families, and the environment.”
“This visit was both meaningful and impactful. Highlighting the history of the Burns Paiute Tribe, while discussing current success and barriers, is vital for maintaining and strengthening our government-to-government relationship with the State of Oregon,” Chairperson Kennedy said. “Involving our youth in such a hands-on way like doing a culturally significant activity like making tule decoy ducks was a very special moment, creating a positive and memorable experience for everyone involved.”
The visit started at the Burns Paiute Tribe’s Gathering Center with the Tribal Council. The conversation focused on government-to-government collaboration and the many essentials to economic development for the Tribe – from the need for accessible child care in the region to addressing aging water infrastructure. The Governor and First Lady went on a tour of the Burns Paiute reservation, visiting the Tribe’s housing developments, seeing new projects and expansion plans to add housing for the community.
Following the tour, the Governor and the First Lady toured the Tribe’s Wellness Center/Prevention Department. In 2018, the Burns Paiute Tribe acquired the Burns National Guard armory from the Oregon Military Department and developed it into the Wellness Center. The Burns Paiute Tribe’s Prevention Department provides alcohol and drug prevention programs and services by collaborating with tribal and local communities and focusing on cultural restoration.
Back at the Gathering Center, the Governor and First Lady learned how to craft tule ducks, decoys that help encourage ducks to land in waterways where they can be hunted. Burns Paiute youth presented the Governor and First Lady with Indian tacos and chokecherry pudding.
After lunch, program directors from the Wadatika Health Department, Tribal Housing, Natural Resources and Fish and Wildlife, Emergency Management, Social Services, Information Technology (IT), and Administration shared information about the Tribe’s services and partnerships with the State of Oregon.
Note to editors: The Burns Paiute Reservation is located north of Burns in Harney County. Today’s tribal members are primarily the descendants of the “Wadatika” band of Paiutes of central and southern Oregon. The Wadatika, named for the wada seeds collected near Malheur Lake shores, lived on seeds, berries, roots and vegetation they gathered and wild animals they hunted. Their territory included the area from the Cascade Mountains to Boise, Idaho, and the Blue Mountains to Steens Mountain.
