Declaration of Sovereignty
The Walla Walla, Umatilla, and
Cayuse ("Tribes") have always exercised our sovereignty.
We have governed and protected ourselves as well as regulated
our commerce.
The Tribes entered into the Treaty of 1855 with the United States of America ("United States") but not as a conquered people. Both parties negotiated the Treaty and recognized the sovereign authority of all parties to the Treaty.
The Tribes ceded certain aspects of their aboriginal title to more than 6.4 million acres of land to the United States. Yet, we reserved an area as our homeland under full sovereign authority and retained extensive off-Reservation rights. The United States assumed certain trust responsibilities to protect the Reservation and all off-Reservation rights from outside forces. Both sovereigns agreed to honor the letter and intent of all obligations in the Treaty of 1855.
The Tribes declare our national and inherent sovereign authority. We have the absolute right to govern, determine our destiny, provide for tribal members, and manage our property, land, water, resources, rights, and activities throughout our homeland from all interference. We declare that the Treaty of 1855 only alters our sovereignty to the extent expressly stated in the Treaty and that all inherent sovereign rights and authority remain with the Tribes.
In 1949, the Tribes adopted a written Constitution and By-Laws. The Constitution created the Board of Trustees which is elected from the General Council membership. Since that time we have enacted tribal laws and ordinances which include codes for water and land use, judicial enforcement, and economic development. We have also entered into agreements with the United States, other Indian Tribes, the State of Oregon, local governments, private business organizations, and other entities and individuals.
The Tribes assert and exercise sovereign authority over the Reservation's current territory and any future territory that may come within tribal jurisdiction. We protect tribal rights and welfare in all areas. Our complete sovereign power includes the following legislative authority: the power to define individual conduct, to regulate business enterprises, to tax, protect the environment, regulate natural resource uses, to provide for health, education, and welfare, protect religious freedom, and to make laws as any other nation. The Tribes' sovereign powers also includes judicial authority to enforce valid legislation and executive orders. Many progressive actions have occurred to preserve, protect, and strengthen our national sovereignty in line with our songs, dances, prayers, and longhouses. For the Creator and the land itself vests ultimate authority in The People.
The Tribes will always exercise our national sovereignty and preserve our traditional cultural ways in harmonious existence with our homeland. We will always provide for the well-being of our people in the future. We will live in balance with the land and use our natural resources only when traditional and cultural teachings dictate use. We will respect all persons; acknowledge the wisdom of our elders and religious leaders; sustain the hopes of our people; and accept responsibility for our actions realizing that we are accountable to the tributaries. Water is the giver of life, food and the spirit. The Reservation is also an area of sacred foods, salmon, deer, roots, berries, elk, and other plants, fish and game.
Our sovereignty also extends to Tribal off-reservation rights in our prehistoric domain which is a vast region including the Columbia Basin, the Blue Mountains, and beyond. Off-reservation rights attach to our usual and accustomed fishing grounds and stations; to in-lieu fishing sites; burial sites; other sacred sites, to lands where tribal members hunt, gather roots and berries and pasture stock; to usual and accustomed trade routes and commerce; to acquired lands, and to areas the Tribes possess, or may later establish rights of any kind.
As caretakers of our sovereignty, the Tribes praise all of the above and proclaim their protection forever. We do not waive any attributes of sovereignty not expressly stated in this document.
We understand that this declaration may not state the full
extent of our sovereignty because our sovereignty is firmly based
on the Creator's natural laws which are not limited by the laws
of human beings. These natural laws are best expressed in our
traditional languages, customs, traditions and religion. We make
this declaration of our national sovereignty to advise all who
encounter us and for all future generations of Tribal members.
Thus, with pride in our heritage and confidence in our future,
we declare our sovereignty.
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