Warm Springs leaders explain their declaration of sovereignty and urge city to pair recognition with policy

Members of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs described the tribe’s Declaration of Sovereignty and discussed how the City of Bend might recognize Warm Springs sovereignty in place of, or alongside, a traditional land acknowledgement.

Bobby Bruno, introduced in the meeting as a Confed­erated Tribes of Warm Springs representative, said the declaration is central to tribal identity and is the product of years of community drafting and legal collaboration. Howard Arnette, a tribal lawyer who provided a historical overview, said the declaration was shaped through community meetings and editorial work with the late University of Oregon law professor Charles Wilkinson.

Arnette noted the drafting process included multiple longhouse meetings where elders and community members contributed language reflecting how the tribe views its inherent, time-immemorial sovereignty. He said Wilkinson listened, drafted and revised the text through community input so the document could express the tribe’s perspective in English for audiences outside the reservation.

“[The declaration] is original. It goes back to time immemorial... it’s a national sovereignty,” Arnette said, describing the declaration as an effort to convey the tribe’s self-definition to outside institutions.

Tribal leaders described why a conventional land-acknowledgement statement can be limiting. Josh Newton and other tribal members told Bend officials the tribe sees a declaration of sovereignty as a more complete statement that recognizes ongoing governance and cultural connections, not only historical presence. Newton described discussion with city staff about pairing the declaration with a council-supported policy that would guide how institutions and the city reference the tribe.

Carlos Calika, a Warm Springs Tribal Council member, emphasized intergenerational transmission of law and the nonwritten cultural practices the tribe carries forward. He said the declaration reflects teachings carried by elders and tied to songs, seasons and local place-based law.

City response and next steps Bend officials thanked tribal leaders for the history and asked for guidance. City staff said they had paused use of a previously drafted land-acknowledgement statement and would seek further advice. Officials framed the next step as seeking additional guidance from tribal leaders about an appropriate recognition approach, including the possibility of a city policy that acknowledges tribal sovereignty in the tribe’s terms.

What officials did not decide No formal city policy or endorsement was adopted at the meeting. The item was presented for discussion and tribal leaders requested continued consultation on appropriate wording and institutional practice.

Ending Tribal leaders asked the city to engage with the declaration’s full language and to return with recommended next steps for how the city can acknowledge and respect Warm Springs sovereignty in official contexts.