The 3-judge Grand Ronde Tribal Court of Appeals recently reversed the mass disenrollment of 66 living lineal descendants of Chief Tumulth, who signed the 1855 Treaty with the Kalapuya, thus establishing the Grand Ronde Reservation in Oregon. The Chief Tumulth descendants were classified as “provisionally disenrolled” Grand Ronde members in July 2014. That ruling stripped them of most of their tribal rights, including voting rights in the Grand Ronde elections. The next tribal council elections are set for September 10, and the descendants expect full status will be restored immediately so they can vote.
Russell Wilkinson, spokesman for the Tumulth descendants, said, “We belong at Grand Ronde. This ruling is incredible news that we hope sets a new precedent for not only our tribe but also for all tribes engaged in the self-destructive practice of disenrollment. This is the first ruling in our case that was issued by native judges and that made the difference.”
Gabriel S. Galanda, the Tumulth descendants’ attorney, added, “This is a watershed decision for all of Indian country. Longtime tribal members can take comfort in this opinion. It protects them against a belated, politically motivated assault on their existence.”
The Appeals Court ruled, on a technicality, that the “heirs, next-of-kin and lineal descendants” of six deceased Grand Ronde members, who were posthumously disenrolled without notice in 2014, could not challenge that disenrollment on the deceased’s behalf. Wilkinson noted, “While we remain devastated for our ancestors and it is unfathomable that they have been disenrolled from the next life, we are overjoyed and blessed that our disenrollments have been resolved in a fair and just way.”
