Santa Cruz resident Larry Sanders and his brother, James Dunlap, of Sacramento launched YurokVoices.com in mid-January in an effort to provide off-reservation tribal members with information -- particularly updates the brothers say aren't finding their way from the tribal headquarters in Klamath to members living elsewhere.
The most recent example of that information void, Dunlap said, was the result of the vote on how the settlement monies would be dispersed. While the result of the vote could have been placed on the tribe's Web site, Dunlap said it hasn't been updated for more than a year.
In fact, the impetus for the site -- launched Jan. 11 -- was a discussion on the Times-Standard Web site comment section related to the story on the settlement vote.
”A lot of us who live off reservation never get any information,” Dunlap said. “Anything with deadlines is always late.”
With YurokVoices.com, the intent is to get the information and share it with others on the Web site.
The lack of information shared is an ongoing issue for tribal members who live out of the area, the brothers said.”It's frustrating for everybody,” Dunlap said.
Sanders agreed.
As it is now, he said, if a tribal member wants to send a flier or letter to the all of the tribe's members, the information and the cost of postage must be submitted to the tribe for mailing.
”With the forum,” he said, “we'll be able to talk among ourselves.”
Yurok Tribal Chair Maria Tripp described several ways in which the tribe attempts to keep its membership informed about important issues.
For starters, the tribal council meets twice a month, with the gatherings open to the public and time allotted for tribal member comments.
In addition, she said, district representatives hold meetings in their home areas, and the tribal council calls community meetings to address a variety of different topics. Other communication efforts include a quarterly newsletter and special mailings two to three times a year.
Tripp estimated the tribe spends between $30,000 and $40,000 per year communicating with members. Currently, efforts are underway to prepare DVDs on issues -- such as the removal of damns on the Klamath.
”We do try to communicate,” Tripp said. “We really do try to address individual calls and letters if we can.”
Jessie Faulkner can be reached at 441-0504 or
jfaulkner@times-standard.com.