Yuroks ponder the possibilities

January 30, 2008

By Kelley Atherton and Nicholas Grube

Triplicate staff writers

KLAMATH — When Yurok Tribe members voted in December to keep for themselves 90 percent of more than $92 million from a settlement with the federal government, Scott Gibson saw a lot of smiles around Klamath.

A 29-year-old Yurok fisherman, Gibson said the grins came from the knowledge that soon tribal members would each receive approximately $15,500.

"It was almost like New Year's for everybody," Gibson said.

A week after the checks were sent, the sudden influx of money was noticeable to many tribal members as they saw new cars dot the driveways in Klamath and around the reservation.

But not everyone is quickly spending the money that was received as part of a timber resources settlement from the federal government.

"I'm just putting it in the bank and letting it soak," Gibson said with a smile of his own.

He's not quite sure what he wants to do with his share, and he wants the money to continue to earn interest until he makes his decision.

One thing Gibson does know is that this large sum of money has the ability to change people's lives.

"It's like a restart for everybody," Gibson said. "Even if times were hard it was a fresh start for them."

A better boat

While some bought cars, others use the money to pay down debt, put a down payment on a new home, pay back child support and buy new furniture.

For Per-Gish Carlson, the decision was easy.

"I'm in the process of buying a jet boat," Carlson said. And not just any jet boat. He wants a custom-made one from River Wild Boats in Grants Pass , Ore.

The Carlson family owns and operates Blue Creek Guide Service in Klamath. Carlson works part-time on the weekends as fishing guide. He currently use a drift boat, which only seats two and is unbearably slow. A jet boat, however, allows for optimal fishing. It can fit up to six people and zips up and down the Klamath River .

"It's a necessity on the Klamath because it's so big and there are so many places to fish," Carlson said on his cell phone while drifting down the river trying to catch a few fish.

Salmon are the holy grail of fish—everyone wants to catch one, he explained. Right now, business is slow though. Carlson can only take out a few people a week and has to turn down customers because of the limited space on the drift boat.

The vote for the 90/10 split was a good decision, he said, because it puts money into needy hands. People can now pay bills or buy merchandise they couldn't afford before.

Furniture sales up

Sales at local furniture stores have been boosted as tribal members buy home furnishings outright rather than financing and paying interest.

Terry Adams, one of the owners of Barron's Home Furnishings in Brookings, said some tribe members are decorating their entire house.

"They come in in family gatherings a couple times a week," Adams said, sometimes spending $2,000 to $10,000. "We've fully furnished a whole house."

Barbara Pearson, a sales associate with Roxco Furniture in Crescent City has also noticed an increase of tribal members in the store and recognizes their cheerful demeanor.

"It's a real joy to see them smiling and happy," she said.

Mickey's Quality Cars in McKinleyville offered a $500 coupon for any used car in light of the sudden appearance of new money. Mickey's brings a selection of used cars to Crescent City every four months for about a week, said Store Manager Lonnie Johnson, and was recently in town.

He said that most retailers have probably seen an increase in business since the settlement checks were disbursed, including Mickey's.

"Anytime there's money brought into the economy, everybody feels it a little bit more," Johnson said.

Possible abuse

But there are also some concerns about the sudden surge of money.

"There is that possibility of elder fiduciary abuse," said Yurok Tribal Police Chief Dave Parris about people taking advantage of the elderly population.

Before the checks were sent, Parris said he notified financial institutions around Arcata and Eureka to warn of the possibility of elders being bilked.

"We're quite thrilled that there were very few incidents of concern" regarding fiduciary abuse, Parris said.

He said there is also concern over how some tribal members choose to spend their money when it comes to substance abuse, particularly with methamphetamine and marijuana.

"When you have an influx of cash into the community, you have those people coming in to make those sales," Parris said. "(But) it's always a concern whether there was a check issued or not."

So far, Parris said there has not been a spike in crime related to substance abuse, but he added that only time will tell.

"As people begin to spend those checks," he said, "that's when we're going to see any positive or negative incidents going up."

A new village

Aside from the individual choice of how to spend $15,500, some tribal members are deciding to pool their funds to make a deeper impact in the Yurok community.

Recently elected Yurok Tribal Council Member Dale-Ann Frye Sherman said she sees a lot of tribal members trying to pull themselves out of poverty by purchasing necessities, such as car insurance or new tires—things that were once out of reach.

"From a personal perspective, I have been seeing people use the money to their best advantage," Sherman said. "When you're at or below the poverty level, you're going to use your money wisely."

The amount of time Yurok members waited for the settlement funds could be a contributing factor for this, she added, because it allowed people to think of the best way to spend their money.

For Sherman and a group of relatives, this involves building a traditional Yurok village along the Klamath River near Blue Creek.

"We were looking forward to this money coming in," she said. "This (village) has been a long-time dream and goal for us as private tribal members. We know where we belong and we're reclaiming that identity."

Sherman said it creates a place where non-Yuroks can come to learn about the tribe's culture while also preserving the rich heritage for members of the tribe.

"We need to make it a place where people come back and reconnect and feel empowered about being Yurok people," Sherman said. "We're motivated because we see the need for this type of resource in our community ... It's very spiritual."

Pooling funds

Another grass-roots movement that has sprung up is the Yurok Capital Fund, which will attempt to get tribal members to put their resources toward a common cause—economic and community development.

Janet Wortman, a tribal member who heads the fund, said the money gathered from tribal members will be used on yet-to-be-determined projects. Some of the ideas include a revolving loan fund to help tribal members get low-interest home loans, and collective business ventures that will have the profits split among participating Yuroks.

"We're hoping for at least 200 people to come forward with $2,500 apiece so we can have half a million dollars," Wortman said. From there, she said she would be able to apply for matching grants that could generate even more money for the fund.

"It's exciting in the potential of where we can go with this," Wortman said. "But probably the most exciting thing for me is the belief that the Yurok people have in themselves."

The Yurok Tribe is California 's largest with more than 5,200 members, but it is also considered one of the state's poorest tribes.

Wortman says that self-identification needs to go.

"We need to take that self-moniker off," she said. "We are not the poorest tribe in California . We can believe in ourselves and have financial success."

Individual choice

Scott Gibson, the Yurok fisherman who put his settlement check in a savings account, does have some ideas about how he'll spend it.

He contemplates buying a motorcycle to make his life in Klamath a little bit more enjoyable. However he has some other thoughts on how to unify tribal members and their money to make a lasting symbol for all Yuroks.

"I know a lot of people worked really hard for that money," he said. "It's good to respect that and spend it wisely."

Gibson suggested putting some of the money toward a carving or statue that represents his culture.

"I'd like to see something for the community come of it."

Reach or Kelley Atherton at katherton@triplicate.com  or Nicholas Grube at ngrube@triplicate.com.

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