A significant moment of tribal governance took place on the Warm Springs Reservation on Tuesday, May 20, as Rafael Queahpama was sworn in as Warm Springs Chief and joined the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Tribal Council.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Tribal Administration Building in Warm Springs. As chief, Queahpama now holds a lifetime seat on the Tribal Council — a position of enduring leadership within the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, which comprises the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Paiute peoples.
The formal swearing-in is only one part of the transition. A traditional installation ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 30, at the Simnasho Longhouse, where community members are expected to gather to honor Queahpama's leadership in accordance with tribal custom and tradition.
About the Tribal Council
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is governed by an 11-member Tribal Council, which includes both elected representatives and chiefs who hold hereditary or community-designated lifetime seats. The council oversees tribal government, enterprise, natural resources, and community services for the approximately 4,500 tribal members living on and around the 1.1 million-acre reservation in Jefferson and Wasco counties.
The chief position carries deep cultural and spiritual significance within the community, and transitions in tribal leadership are typically marked by both official governmental ceremonies and traditional practices.
Community Invited
The May 30 traditional ceremony at the Simnasho Longhouse is open to community members. Simnasho is a small community in the northern portion of the Warm Springs Reservation, approximately 25 miles north of the Warm Springs town center.
For more information on tribal council activities or upcoming community events, residents can tune to KWSO 91.9 FM, the tribally-owned public radio station that serves the Warm Springs community.