Friday, February 17, 2012

The Klamath Tribes

The Klamath Tribes mission is to protect, preserve and enhance the spiritual, cultural and physical values and resources of the Klamath, Madoc and Yahooskin peoples.
'Yahooskin' means a band of Snake Indians comprising a part of the Klamath tribes.
"We are the Klamath Tribes, the Klamaths, the Modocs and the Yahooskin. We have lived here in the Klamath Basin of Oregon, from time beyond memory. Our legends and oral history tell about when the world and the animals were created, when the animals and gmok'am'c - the Creator - sat together and discussed the creation of man. If stability defines success, our presence here has been, and always will be, essential to the economic well-being of our homeland and those who abide here"
Facts
  • The Klamath tribes signed their treaty in 1864 with the United States of America.
  • The Klamath tribes contributes upwards of $25 million dollars into the Klamath County economy each year through goods and services.
  • The tribes are one of the largest equal-opportunity employers in the Klamath County.
  • Kl-mo-ya Casino is the second largest tourist attraction in Klamath County, with approximately 300,000 visitors ech year- second only to Crater Lake National Park.
Economy
The Klamath tribe had for years been living off the timber and revenue from leasing tribal lands. When termination occurred the tribal land was sold and most of the Klamath tribe was considered out of poverty because each tribal member gained $40,000 from the sale of tribal land. While they had escaped poverty for a moment their economy still suffered from termination. Most families quickly spent the money and then had nothing except more lands that they were forced to sell in order obtain food for the family. After just a few years the Klamath tribe was in the same situation as many other tribes that were terminated.
Language
The Klamath language has not been passed on to the younger generations, and consequently it has survived only with those few elders who remember it, and in books where it has been preserved in writing.

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