The Chinook Indian Nation will have to wait a little longer in a decades-old fight for recognition by the federal government.
A judge in Tacoma said Monday he needs a few more weeks to decide whether to let the tribe's lawsuit demanding recognition proceed. Judge Ronald B. Leighton could dismiss the case entirely or allow parts of it to continue.
"It's just really unbearable to be put in this situation of having to put your hand out all the time for something that's our inheritance," said Tony Johnson, Chairman of the Chinook Indian Nation.
The Chinook people have been fighting for federal recognition for more than a century.
"I'm saying out loud, Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, you guys could fix this do it through Congress recognize the Chinook tribe."
In order to be recognized as a tribe, members of Congress or the president would have to sign off on it. It was supposed to happen in 2001 but George W. Bush never put the ink to paper.
Getting recognized as a tribe is crucial to helping members thrive.
Anette Bryan, Puyallup Tribal Council Member and supporter of the Chinook People spelled out why, "They have access to what the government promised them in their treaty. That is access to education, access to housing and access to food and the things we need and healthcare for their people and without that federal recognition they don't have access to programs that the government, when they opened up their treaty negotiations with the Chinook people - when they took the land from the Chinook people, were promised to the Chinook people," said Bryan.
"If I want to feed my own family from my own river in my front yard, I risk going to jail. I mean it's not something we're allowed to do. Fishing is not really what drives us but these rights, our inherited rights, need to be respected," said Johnson, "I get tired of watching politicians slam their hands on the table and say all the stuff about social justice and injustice in the world when it's their own constituents. They need to look down to us at the mouth of Columbia river they need to do right by us."
