Chief Seattle's grave desecrated
By James May
Today staff
(Visit http://www.indiancountry.com for photos, or email me at
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Photos Courtesy of George Krauss   Revered Chief Seattle rests beneath this
memorial in St. Peter's churchyard in Suquamish.

SUQUAMISH, Wash. - Chief Seattle's grave was damaged early this month in
what authorities characterize as a hate crime. Apparent motivation behind
the act was a proposed low-income housing development for tribal members.

Tribal leaders say the 3-foot marble cross atop the grave was knocked over
and broken into three pieces and a news story regarding the proposed housing
development was left at the scene. Tribal police say this is no coincidence.

Reports say a Suquamish elder was visiting the gravesite, located near a
shopping district on Puget Sound, May 4 and discovered the wreckage. Police
investigators say they have not established a specific time or date of the
vandalism. Tribal police confirm they called in the FBI to assist in the
investigation.

The proposed development is a hot topic of debate in the area.

Local non-tribal members have complained that the 24-home, 14-acre "Angeline
Project" development will bring increased traffic and storm runoff to the
area.

Construction is slated to begin this summer. In recent weeks debate flared
with extensive coverage in local newspapers.

The Suquamish reside on the Port Madison Reservation about a 20-minute ferry
ride from downtown Seattle, the city named for the famous leader.

Ivy Cheney, elder liaison for the tribe, said the elders are saddened by the
incident. She said there are many memories surrounding the grave site as it
is a focal point for many tribal ceremonies, especially the annual Chief
Seattle Days in August.

"We are shocked to see that someone would damage the grave of one of our
most beloved and respected elders, a great man who meant so much to our
tribe," Cheney said.

"In the last few days I've seen about every emotion here you can think of,"
tribal member Scott Crowell said. "Every emotion ranging from being furious,
to shock to being irate to disbelief. It's just terrible."

Crowell said police are holding the individual pieces of the broken
headstone. The tribe has contacted a marble company to see if the
90-year-old memorial can be repaired. If not, Crowell says the tribe will
have to have a replacement made.

Chief Seattle, or Sealth as he is known to the Suquamish, was a 19th century
Suquamish leader widely revered by both whites and American Indians. His
speeches regarding the environment have become standard gospel to modern-day
environmentalists and his sayings have been reprinted in several languages
worldwide.

Before his death at 80, in 1866, Chief Seattle was widely respected in the
Puget Sound region by not only other American Indian tribes, but white
settlers as well. Still he held steadfastly to his tribe's age-old beliefs
and refused to sell Suquamish land to the United States government.

In a famous speech he pondered the impossibility of the land belonging to
any human.

If the suspects are apprehended, the charge will be enhanced by Washington
state's hate crime law, which could add additional jail time and increased
fines to the individual or individuals involved in the crime.

Brian Stockes reports from Washington, D.C. He can be reached at (202)
783-2012 or by e-mail bstockes@IndianCountry.com.




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