Herald & News
Klamath Falls, Or.
May 25, 2003
CHILOQUIN - A community gave its farewells Friday to Edison Chiloquin.
People from around the Klamath Basin filled the Big Gym in the town named after Chiloquin's great-grandfather to pay tribute to a man remembered for a variety of reasons.
Chiloquin, 79, a full-blooded Klamath Indian, died May 17 at his Chiloquin home.
During open casket ceremonies, interspersed with traditional Native American drumming and dancing, Chiloquin was remembered for his heroics as an Army scout during World War II, his ability to discard alcoholism, his love for his extended family and his refusal to accept payment for ancestral lands when the Klamath Tribe was terminated.
"He stood up for what he believed in," said tribal Chairman Allen Foreman, Chiloquin's first cousin, during remarks that included the presentation of a blanket to Chiloquin family members.
Chiloquin earned international attention during the 1970s when he refused to accept a $273,000 payment and, instead, burned a sacred fire at the site of his great-grandfather's village along the banks of the Sprague River.
After five years of negotiations, President Jimmy Carter signed the Chiloquin Act in January 1980 that gave Chiloquin and his descendants title to 580 acres of what is now known as Pla-ik-ni Village. Until his death, there had been plans for a work party at the village this weekend in anticipation of a celebration for Chiloquin's 80th birthday on Aug. 31.
Instead, several hundred people gathered in the Big Gym to celebrate Chiloquin's life.
A framed copy of the Chiloquin Act was among items displayed, along with a collection of photographs and sampling of his art. For several decades, Chiloquin painted cartoons on trash cans and also sold paintings and pen and ink drawings. Many were published in his occasional community newspaper, "The Teetotaler."
Several people spoke about Chiloquin's stubbornness, especially during the years he, family and friends maintained a sacred fire at the village site. Some urged fellow Klamaths to use Chiloquin's example in the Tribes' current efforts to obtain former tribal lands that have been part of the Winema National Forest for nearly 50 years.
Others spoke of Chiloquin as a role model, especially for Klamaths and other Indians afflicted by alcoholism.
Carla Cranewalker, who was married to Chiloquin during the 1980s, told about his insistence on being mentally and physically strong.
"The message he said was be strong. Don't walk, run. Don't sit down," Cranewalker said. "He was a sacred man, a medicine man. I came back to pay my respect to the man who made me the best woman I could be."
Cranewalker drew laughs when she admitted she was late in arriving at Friday's ceremony, "but he was late for our wedding - four hours."
Punctuating the mood were the evocative sounds of the Steiger Butte Drum and the controlled frenzy dances by Garrold and Irwin Wilson and Westlee Whitcraft.
Chiloquin's Army service, for which he won the Silver Star, Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts, among other medals, was honored through a series of dances and Veterans of Foreign Wars honor guard and gun salute. An American flag, which was placed alongside Chiloquin in his casket, was also presented to the family.
Friday afternoon the casket, which included photographs of family members, a jar of Tabasco sauce, a blanket, a painting of a raven and his straw cowboy hat, was buried at the nearby Friendship Cemetery.
Edison Chiloquin, a full-blood Klamath Indian who became internationally known for his struggle to preserve his great-grandfather's village along the Sprague River, will be remembered by different people for a variety of reasons.
Chiloquin, 79, died Saturday at his home in Chiloquin, the town named for his great-grandfather, Chaloquin, a signer of the Treaty of 1864.
Memorial services will be held 11 a.m. Friday at the Big Gym in Chiloquin with burial at the Friendship Cemetery in Chiloquin. Immediately following burial services a meal will be served at the Chiloquin Assembly of God Fellowship Hall. In respect of his firm beliefs, no alcohol or drugs will be allowed.
Chiloquin was born Aug. 31, 1923, in Chiloquin, the son of Kilda and Margaret Chiloquin. He lived his entire life in Chiloquin, except for his years in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1943 to 1945.
He became known as the "conscience of the Klamaths," a title he disdained, for his refusal to accept a $273,000 payment for Klamath Tribal lands when a trust account was closed in 1974.
"It would be like selling a part of you, or a part of our ancestors," Chiloquin ex-plained of his action. "This is sacred land where my grandfather lived. His bones are here. I belong here."
Chiloquin gained national and international attention during the 5 1/2 years he negotiated with government officials to keep 580 acres of Winema National Forest land. During most of that time, he and family and friends maintained a "sacred fire." Chiloquin said the fire was maintained to "have the smoke from the fire carry prayers for the land to the Creator."
In 1980, shortly before leaving office, President Jimmy Carter signed the Chiloquin Act into public law. It took another four years, until April 8, 1985, to finalize the boundaries for what is now known as Pla-ik-ni Village. For many years regular gatherings were held on the land.
Chiloquin shared his love for the land by hosting school children, college groups, people from other tribes, visitors from foreign countries and people who showed interest in cultural activities.
Few people knew Chiloquin was regarded a hero for his time as an Army scout during World War II. During combat in the South Pacific, he became a lead scout who walked ahead of his group of soldiers, searched out enemy positions and gave hand signals to the trailing soldiers.
Chiloquin saw action at Bougainvillea and the Philippines, including Manila, where he individually helped rescue several prisoners of war. He was a member of A Company, 129th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division.
"I'd rather be a warrior because I look back at the years I was a scout and a rifleman, and I wouldn't exchange that for anything," said Chiloquin. "All the buddies I had - I'm proud of that."
During his two years in the Army, Chiloquin won several military honors, including the Silver Star, an award given for gallantry in action, along with the Bronze Star and Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf cluster.
After returning to Chiloquin, where he was not allowed to buy alcohol because he was an Indian, Chiloquin became an alcoholic.
"A lot of (Indian) vets, we couldn't buy liquor at that time, so a lot of us began to drink because we couldn't get it legally, I guess," he later explained, remembering the city's 13 bootleggers. "When I decided to quit drinking was when I did some serious thinking about how my ancestors lived here without all these things now … I decided I had a great inheritance here."
After quitting drinking, he married Leatha "Doris" Hamilton in 1969. In addition to adding a wife, he gained six daughters and 13 horses in his life.
During those years, Chiloquin also became known as a celebrated artist.
Leatha, who greatly assisted him during his struggles to receive title to the village land, died in 1979, on the couple's 10th wedding anniversary. Although devastated by her death, Chiloquin carried on his quest to receive title to family land.
He later remarried Carla Cranewalker, adding Charlie, Ely and Victoria to his family. The couple also had a daughter, Margaret Chiloquin. The couple later divorced.
For many years during the 1980s and 1990s, Chiloquin served on the Chiloquin City Council.
Unknown to many, Chiloquin also possessed a deep love for his family, children and animals, and had a lively sense of humor. An indication of his devotion is reflected by Leatha's daughters, who always called him "Dad."
In March 2001, Chiloquin suffered a severe stroke that robbed him of his independence. His daughter, Deanna, moved into his home to care for him.
Chiloquin was preceded in death by his wife, Leatha; brothers, Eveland and Winfield; sisters, Ruth and Rosetta.
Survivors include his daughters and their spouses, Margaret Chiloquin of Ashland; Deanna and Glen Wilson of Chiloquin, Cheryl Kennedy of Klamath Falls, Laurel and Marcus Robinson of Klamath Falls, Laura Koungoujinov of Sparks, Nev., Maureen Chiloquin of Sparks, Nev., Clara Belding of Alturas; brother, Melvin Chiloquin; 18 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He also leaves a host of friends and loved ones, and his beloved horse, "Miss Pure Delight."
Klamath Falls, Or.
May 25, 2003
CHILOQUIN - A community gave its farewells Friday to Edison Chiloquin.
People from around the Klamath Basin filled the Big Gym in the town named after Chiloquin's great-grandfather to pay tribute to a man remembered for a variety of reasons.
Chiloquin, 79, a full-blooded Klamath Indian, died May 17 at his Chiloquin home.
During open casket ceremonies, interspersed with traditional Native American drumming and dancing, Chiloquin was remembered for his heroics as an Army scout during World War II, his ability to discard alcoholism, his love for his extended family and his refusal to accept payment for ancestral lands when the Klamath Tribe was terminated.
"He stood up for what he believed in," said tribal Chairman Allen Foreman, Chiloquin's first cousin, during remarks that included the presentation of a blanket to Chiloquin family members.
Chiloquin earned international attention during the 1970s when he refused to accept a $273,000 payment and, instead, burned a sacred fire at the site of his great-grandfather's village along the banks of the Sprague River.
After five years of negotiations, President Jimmy Carter signed the Chiloquin Act in January 1980 that gave Chiloquin and his descendants title to 580 acres of what is now known as Pla-ik-ni Village. Until his death, there had been plans for a work party at the village this weekend in anticipation of a celebration for Chiloquin's 80th birthday on Aug. 31.
Instead, several hundred people gathered in the Big Gym to celebrate Chiloquin's life.
A framed copy of the Chiloquin Act was among items displayed, along with a collection of photographs and sampling of his art. For several decades, Chiloquin painted cartoons on trash cans and also sold paintings and pen and ink drawings. Many were published in his occasional community newspaper, "The Teetotaler."
Several people spoke about Chiloquin's stubbornness, especially during the years he, family and friends maintained a sacred fire at the village site. Some urged fellow Klamaths to use Chiloquin's example in the Tribes' current efforts to obtain former tribal lands that have been part of the Winema National Forest for nearly 50 years.
Others spoke of Chiloquin as a role model, especially for Klamaths and other Indians afflicted by alcoholism.
Carla Cranewalker, who was married to Chiloquin during the 1980s, told about his insistence on being mentally and physically strong.
"The message he said was be strong. Don't walk, run. Don't sit down," Cranewalker said. "He was a sacred man, a medicine man. I came back to pay my respect to the man who made me the best woman I could be."
Cranewalker drew laughs when she admitted she was late in arriving at Friday's ceremony, "but he was late for our wedding - four hours."
Punctuating the mood were the evocative sounds of the Steiger Butte Drum and the controlled frenzy dances by Garrold and Irwin Wilson and Westlee Whitcraft.
Chiloquin's Army service, for which he won the Silver Star, Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts, among other medals, was honored through a series of dances and Veterans of Foreign Wars honor guard and gun salute. An American flag, which was placed alongside Chiloquin in his casket, was also presented to the family.
Friday afternoon the casket, which included photographs of family members, a jar of Tabasco sauce, a blanket, a painting of a raven and his straw cowboy hat, was buried at the nearby Friendship Cemetery.
Edison Chiloquin, a full-blood Klamath Indian who became internationally known for his struggle to preserve his great-grandfather's village along the Sprague River, will be remembered by different people for a variety of reasons.
Chiloquin, 79, died Saturday at his home in Chiloquin, the town named for his great-grandfather, Chaloquin, a signer of the Treaty of 1864.
Memorial services will be held 11 a.m. Friday at the Big Gym in Chiloquin with burial at the Friendship Cemetery in Chiloquin. Immediately following burial services a meal will be served at the Chiloquin Assembly of God Fellowship Hall. In respect of his firm beliefs, no alcohol or drugs will be allowed.
Chiloquin was born Aug. 31, 1923, in Chiloquin, the son of Kilda and Margaret Chiloquin. He lived his entire life in Chiloquin, except for his years in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1943 to 1945.
He became known as the "conscience of the Klamaths," a title he disdained, for his refusal to accept a $273,000 payment for Klamath Tribal lands when a trust account was closed in 1974.
"It would be like selling a part of you, or a part of our ancestors," Chiloquin ex-plained of his action. "This is sacred land where my grandfather lived. His bones are here. I belong here."
Chiloquin gained national and international attention during the 5 1/2 years he negotiated with government officials to keep 580 acres of Winema National Forest land. During most of that time, he and family and friends maintained a "sacred fire." Chiloquin said the fire was maintained to "have the smoke from the fire carry prayers for the land to the Creator."
In 1980, shortly before leaving office, President Jimmy Carter signed the Chiloquin Act into public law. It took another four years, until April 8, 1985, to finalize the boundaries for what is now known as Pla-ik-ni Village. For many years regular gatherings were held on the land.
Chiloquin shared his love for the land by hosting school children, college groups, people from other tribes, visitors from foreign countries and people who showed interest in cultural activities.
Few people knew Chiloquin was regarded a hero for his time as an Army scout during World War II. During combat in the South Pacific, he became a lead scout who walked ahead of his group of soldiers, searched out enemy positions and gave hand signals to the trailing soldiers.
Chiloquin saw action at Bougainvillea and the Philippines, including Manila, where he individually helped rescue several prisoners of war. He was a member of A Company, 129th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division.
"I'd rather be a warrior because I look back at the years I was a scout and a rifleman, and I wouldn't exchange that for anything," said Chiloquin. "All the buddies I had - I'm proud of that."
During his two years in the Army, Chiloquin won several military honors, including the Silver Star, an award given for gallantry in action, along with the Bronze Star and Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf cluster.
After returning to Chiloquin, where he was not allowed to buy alcohol because he was an Indian, Chiloquin became an alcoholic.
"A lot of (Indian) vets, we couldn't buy liquor at that time, so a lot of us began to drink because we couldn't get it legally, I guess," he later explained, remembering the city's 13 bootleggers. "When I decided to quit drinking was when I did some serious thinking about how my ancestors lived here without all these things now … I decided I had a great inheritance here."
After quitting drinking, he married Leatha "Doris" Hamilton in 1969. In addition to adding a wife, he gained six daughters and 13 horses in his life.
During those years, Chiloquin also became known as a celebrated artist.
Leatha, who greatly assisted him during his struggles to receive title to the village land, died in 1979, on the couple's 10th wedding anniversary. Although devastated by her death, Chiloquin carried on his quest to receive title to family land.
He later remarried Carla Cranewalker, adding Charlie, Ely and Victoria to his family. The couple also had a daughter, Margaret Chiloquin. The couple later divorced.
For many years during the 1980s and 1990s, Chiloquin served on the Chiloquin City Council.
Unknown to many, Chiloquin also possessed a deep love for his family, children and animals, and had a lively sense of humor. An indication of his devotion is reflected by Leatha's daughters, who always called him "Dad."
In March 2001, Chiloquin suffered a severe stroke that robbed him of his independence. His daughter, Deanna, moved into his home to care for him.
Chiloquin was preceded in death by his wife, Leatha; brothers, Eveland and Winfield; sisters, Ruth and Rosetta.
Survivors include his daughters and their spouses, Margaret Chiloquin of Ashland; Deanna and Glen Wilson of Chiloquin, Cheryl Kennedy of Klamath Falls, Laurel and Marcus Robinson of Klamath Falls, Laura Koungoujinov of Sparks, Nev., Maureen Chiloquin of Sparks, Nev., Clara Belding of Alturas; brother, Melvin Chiloquin; 18 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He also leaves a host of friends and loved ones, and his beloved horse, "Miss Pure Delight."
Herald & News
Klamath Falls, Or.
May 25, 2003
CHILOQUIN - A community gave its farewells Friday to Edison Chiloquin.
People from around the Klamath Basin filled the Big Gym in the town named after Chiloquin's great-grandfather to pay tribute to a man remembered for a variety of reasons.
Chiloquin, 79, a full-blooded Klamath Indian, died May 17 at his Chiloquin home.
During open casket ceremonies, interspersed with traditional Native American drumming and dancing, Chiloquin was remembered for his heroics as an Army scout during World War II, his ability to discard alcoholism, his love for his extended family and his refusal to accept payment for ancestral lands when the Klamath Tribe was terminated.
"He stood up for what he believed in," said tribal Chairman Allen Foreman, Chiloquin's first cousin, during remarks that included the presentation of a blanket to Chiloquin family members.
Chiloquin earned international attention during the 1970s when he refused to accept a $273,000 payment and, instead, burned a sacred fire at the site of his great-grandfather's village along the banks of the Sprague River.
After five years of negotiations, President Jimmy Carter signed the Chiloquin Act in January 1980 that gave Chiloquin and his descendants title to 580 acres of what is now known as Pla-ik-ni Village. Until his death, there had been plans for a work party at the village this weekend in anticipation of a celebration for Chiloquin's 80th birthday on Aug. 31.
Instead, several hundred people gathered in the Big Gym to celebrate Chiloquin's life.
A framed copy of the Chiloquin Act was among items displayed, along with a collection of photographs and sampling of his art. For several decades, Chiloquin painted cartoons on trash cans and also sold paintings and pen and ink drawings. Many were published in his occasional community newspaper, "The Teetotaler."
Several people spoke about Chiloquin's stubbornness, especially during the years he, family and friends maintained a sacred fire at the village site. Some urged fellow Klamaths to use Chiloquin's example in the Tribes' current efforts to obtain former tribal lands that have been part of the Winema National Forest for nearly 50 years.
Others spoke of Chiloquin as a role model, especially for Klamaths and other Indians afflicted by alcoholism.
Carla Cranewalker, who was married to Chiloquin during the 1980s, told about his insistence on being mentally and physically strong.
"The message he said was be strong. Don't walk, run. Don't sit down," Cranewalker said. "He was a sacred man, a medicine man. I came back to pay my respect to the man who made me the best woman I could be."
Cranewalker drew laughs when she admitted she was late in arriving at Friday's ceremony, "but he was late for our wedding - four hours."
Punctuating the mood were the evocative sounds of the Steiger Butte Drum and the controlled frenzy dances by Garrold and Irwin Wilson and Westlee Whitcraft.
Chiloquin's Army service, for which he won the Silver Star, Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts, among other medals, was honored through a series of dances and Veterans of Foreign Wars honor guard and gun salute. An American flag, which was placed alongside Chiloquin in his casket, was also presented to the family.
Friday afternoon the casket, which included photographs of family members, a jar of Tabasco sauce, a blanket, a painting of a raven and his straw cowboy hat, was buried at the nearby Friendship Cemetery.
Edison Chiloquin, a full-blood Klamath Indian who became internationally known for his struggle to preserve his great-grandfather's village along the Sprague River, will be remembered by different people for a variety of reasons.
Chiloquin, 79, died Saturday at his home in Chiloquin, the town named for his great-grandfather, Chaloquin, a signer of the Treaty of 1864.
Memorial services will be held 11 a.m. Friday at the Big Gym in Chiloquin with burial at the Friendship Cemetery in Chiloquin. Immediately following burial services a meal will be served at the Chiloquin Assembly of God Fellowship Hall. In respect of his firm beliefs, no alcohol or drugs will be allowed.
Chiloquin was born Aug. 31, 1923, in Chiloquin, the son of Kilda and Margaret Chiloquin. He lived his entire life in Chiloquin, except for his years in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1943 to 1945.
He became known as the "conscience of the Klamaths," a title he disdained, for his refusal to accept a $273,000 payment for Klamath Tribal lands when a trust account was closed in 1974.
"It would be like selling a part of you, or a part of our ancestors," Chiloquin ex-plained of his action. "This is sacred land where my grandfather lived. His bones are here. I belong here."
Chiloquin gained national and international attention during the 5 1/2 years he negotiated with government officials to keep 580 acres of Winema National Forest land. During most of that time, he and family and friends maintained a "sacred fire." Chiloquin said the fire was maintained to "have the smoke from the fire carry prayers for the land to the Creator."
In 1980, shortly before leaving office, President Jimmy Carter signed the Chiloquin Act into public law. It took another four years, until April 8, 1985, to finalize the boundaries for what is now known as Pla-ik-ni Village. For many years regular gatherings were held on the land.
Chiloquin shared his love for the land by hosting school children, college groups, people from other tribes, visitors from foreign countries and people who showed interest in cultural activities.
Few people knew Chiloquin was regarded a hero for his time as an Army scout during World War II. During combat in the South Pacific, he became a lead scout who walked ahead of his group of soldiers, searched out enemy positions and gave hand signals to the trailing soldiers.
Chiloquin saw action at Bougainvillea and the Philippines, including Manila, where he individually helped rescue several prisoners of war. He was a member of A Company, 129th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division.
"I'd rather be a warrior because I look back at the years I was a scout and a rifleman, and I wouldn't exchange that for anything," said Chiloquin. "All the buddies I had - I'm proud of that."
During his two years in the Army, Chiloquin won several military honors, including the Silver Star, an award given for gallantry in action, along with the Bronze Star and Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf cluster.
After returning to Chiloquin, where he was not allowed to buy alcohol because he was an Indian, Chiloquin became an alcoholic.
"A lot of (Indian) vets, we couldn't buy liquor at that time, so a lot of us began to drink because we couldn't get it legally, I guess," he later explained, remembering the city's 13 bootleggers. "When I decided to quit drinking was when I did some serious thinking about how my ancestors lived here without all these things now … I decided I had a great inheritance here."
After quitting drinking, he married Leatha "Doris" Hamilton in 1969. In addition to adding a wife, he gained six daughters and 13 horses in his life.
During those years, Chiloquin also became known as a celebrated artist.
Leatha, who greatly assisted him during his struggles to receive title to the village land, died in 1979, on the couple's 10th wedding anniversary. Although devastated by her death, Chiloquin carried on his quest to receive title to family land.
He later remarried Carla Cranewalker, adding Charlie, Ely and Victoria to his family. The couple also had a daughter, Margaret Chiloquin. The couple later divorced.
For many years during the 1980s and 1990s, Chiloquin served on the Chiloquin City Council.
Unknown to many, Chiloquin also possessed a deep love for his family, children and animals, and had a lively sense of humor. An indication of his devotion is reflected by Leatha's daughters, who always called him "Dad."
In March 2001, Chiloquin suffered a severe stroke that robbed him of his independence. His daughter, Deanna, moved into his home to care for him.
Chiloquin was preceded in death by his wife, Leatha; brothers, Eveland and Winfield; sisters, Ruth and Rosetta.
Survivors include his daughters and their spouses, Margaret Chiloquin of Ashland; Deanna and Glen Wilson of Chiloquin, Cheryl Kennedy of Klamath Falls, Laurel and Marcus Robinson of Klamath Falls, Laura Koungoujinov of Sparks, Nev., Maureen Chiloquin of Sparks, Nev., Clara Belding of Alturas; brother, Melvin Chiloquin; 18 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He also leaves a host of friends and loved ones, and his beloved horse, "Miss Pure Delight."
Klamath Falls, Or.
May 25, 2003
CHILOQUIN - A community gave its farewells Friday to Edison Chiloquin.
People from around the Klamath Basin filled the Big Gym in the town named after Chiloquin's great-grandfather to pay tribute to a man remembered for a variety of reasons.
Chiloquin, 79, a full-blooded Klamath Indian, died May 17 at his Chiloquin home.
During open casket ceremonies, interspersed with traditional Native American drumming and dancing, Chiloquin was remembered for his heroics as an Army scout during World War II, his ability to discard alcoholism, his love for his extended family and his refusal to accept payment for ancestral lands when the Klamath Tribe was terminated.
"He stood up for what he believed in," said tribal Chairman Allen Foreman, Chiloquin's first cousin, during remarks that included the presentation of a blanket to Chiloquin family members.
Chiloquin earned international attention during the 1970s when he refused to accept a $273,000 payment and, instead, burned a sacred fire at the site of his great-grandfather's village along the banks of the Sprague River.
After five years of negotiations, President Jimmy Carter signed the Chiloquin Act in January 1980 that gave Chiloquin and his descendants title to 580 acres of what is now known as Pla-ik-ni Village. Until his death, there had been plans for a work party at the village this weekend in anticipation of a celebration for Chiloquin's 80th birthday on Aug. 31.
Instead, several hundred people gathered in the Big Gym to celebrate Chiloquin's life.
A framed copy of the Chiloquin Act was among items displayed, along with a collection of photographs and sampling of his art. For several decades, Chiloquin painted cartoons on trash cans and also sold paintings and pen and ink drawings. Many were published in his occasional community newspaper, "The Teetotaler."
Several people spoke about Chiloquin's stubbornness, especially during the years he, family and friends maintained a sacred fire at the village site. Some urged fellow Klamaths to use Chiloquin's example in the Tribes' current efforts to obtain former tribal lands that have been part of the Winema National Forest for nearly 50 years.
Others spoke of Chiloquin as a role model, especially for Klamaths and other Indians afflicted by alcoholism.
Carla Cranewalker, who was married to Chiloquin during the 1980s, told about his insistence on being mentally and physically strong.
"The message he said was be strong. Don't walk, run. Don't sit down," Cranewalker said. "He was a sacred man, a medicine man. I came back to pay my respect to the man who made me the best woman I could be."
Cranewalker drew laughs when she admitted she was late in arriving at Friday's ceremony, "but he was late for our wedding - four hours."
Punctuating the mood were the evocative sounds of the Steiger Butte Drum and the controlled frenzy dances by Garrold and Irwin Wilson and Westlee Whitcraft.
Chiloquin's Army service, for which he won the Silver Star, Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts, among other medals, was honored through a series of dances and Veterans of Foreign Wars honor guard and gun salute. An American flag, which was placed alongside Chiloquin in his casket, was also presented to the family.
Friday afternoon the casket, which included photographs of family members, a jar of Tabasco sauce, a blanket, a painting of a raven and his straw cowboy hat, was buried at the nearby Friendship Cemetery.
Edison Chiloquin, a full-blood Klamath Indian who became internationally known for his struggle to preserve his great-grandfather's village along the Sprague River, will be remembered by different people for a variety of reasons.
Chiloquin, 79, died Saturday at his home in Chiloquin, the town named for his great-grandfather, Chaloquin, a signer of the Treaty of 1864.
Memorial services will be held 11 a.m. Friday at the Big Gym in Chiloquin with burial at the Friendship Cemetery in Chiloquin. Immediately following burial services a meal will be served at the Chiloquin Assembly of God Fellowship Hall. In respect of his firm beliefs, no alcohol or drugs will be allowed.
Chiloquin was born Aug. 31, 1923, in Chiloquin, the son of Kilda and Margaret Chiloquin. He lived his entire life in Chiloquin, except for his years in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1943 to 1945.
He became known as the "conscience of the Klamaths," a title he disdained, for his refusal to accept a $273,000 payment for Klamath Tribal lands when a trust account was closed in 1974.
"It would be like selling a part of you, or a part of our ancestors," Chiloquin ex-plained of his action. "This is sacred land where my grandfather lived. His bones are here. I belong here."
Chiloquin gained national and international attention during the 5 1/2 years he negotiated with government officials to keep 580 acres of Winema National Forest land. During most of that time, he and family and friends maintained a "sacred fire." Chiloquin said the fire was maintained to "have the smoke from the fire carry prayers for the land to the Creator."
In 1980, shortly before leaving office, President Jimmy Carter signed the Chiloquin Act into public law. It took another four years, until April 8, 1985, to finalize the boundaries for what is now known as Pla-ik-ni Village. For many years regular gatherings were held on the land.
Chiloquin shared his love for the land by hosting school children, college groups, people from other tribes, visitors from foreign countries and people who showed interest in cultural activities.
Few people knew Chiloquin was regarded a hero for his time as an Army scout during World War II. During combat in the South Pacific, he became a lead scout who walked ahead of his group of soldiers, searched out enemy positions and gave hand signals to the trailing soldiers.
Chiloquin saw action at Bougainvillea and the Philippines, including Manila, where he individually helped rescue several prisoners of war. He was a member of A Company, 129th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division.
"I'd rather be a warrior because I look back at the years I was a scout and a rifleman, and I wouldn't exchange that for anything," said Chiloquin. "All the buddies I had - I'm proud of that."
During his two years in the Army, Chiloquin won several military honors, including the Silver Star, an award given for gallantry in action, along with the Bronze Star and Purple Heart with an Oak Leaf cluster.
After returning to Chiloquin, where he was not allowed to buy alcohol because he was an Indian, Chiloquin became an alcoholic.
"A lot of (Indian) vets, we couldn't buy liquor at that time, so a lot of us began to drink because we couldn't get it legally, I guess," he later explained, remembering the city's 13 bootleggers. "When I decided to quit drinking was when I did some serious thinking about how my ancestors lived here without all these things now … I decided I had a great inheritance here."
After quitting drinking, he married Leatha "Doris" Hamilton in 1969. In addition to adding a wife, he gained six daughters and 13 horses in his life.
During those years, Chiloquin also became known as a celebrated artist.
Leatha, who greatly assisted him during his struggles to receive title to the village land, died in 1979, on the couple's 10th wedding anniversary. Although devastated by her death, Chiloquin carried on his quest to receive title to family land.
He later remarried Carla Cranewalker, adding Charlie, Ely and Victoria to his family. The couple also had a daughter, Margaret Chiloquin. The couple later divorced.
For many years during the 1980s and 1990s, Chiloquin served on the Chiloquin City Council.
Unknown to many, Chiloquin also possessed a deep love for his family, children and animals, and had a lively sense of humor. An indication of his devotion is reflected by Leatha's daughters, who always called him "Dad."
In March 2001, Chiloquin suffered a severe stroke that robbed him of his independence. His daughter, Deanna, moved into his home to care for him.
Chiloquin was preceded in death by his wife, Leatha; brothers, Eveland and Winfield; sisters, Ruth and Rosetta.
Survivors include his daughters and their spouses, Margaret Chiloquin of Ashland; Deanna and Glen Wilson of Chiloquin, Cheryl Kennedy of Klamath Falls, Laurel and Marcus Robinson of Klamath Falls, Laura Koungoujinov of Sparks, Nev., Maureen Chiloquin of Sparks, Nev., Clara Belding of Alturas; brother, Melvin Chiloquin; 18 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He also leaves a host of friends and loved ones, and his beloved horse, "Miss Pure Delight."
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