Wasco Chief Process

The KWSO audio archives contain material pertinent to the issue of the Wasco Chieftainship. We continue to do research to provide information on this matter and will add additional material to this article as we discover it. Anyone with additional information that you are willing to share with the community can contact KWSO.

With Autwai Chief Alfred Smith Jr.’s passing – the matter of who will be the next Wasco Chief has not been decided. Autwai Chief Smith did name a subchief, his brother, Wissie Smith in 2016 and his family maintains that the traditional custom of naming a subchief means he automatically becomes the Wasco Chief.

For the prior two times the Wasco Chief passed away – a vote was conducted for the people to elect their Chief. Autwai Alfred Smith Jr. was elected in 2012 and Autwai Nelson Wallulatum was elected in 1959.

There is a meeting of the Wasco People of the Agency District of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Thursday November 10, 2022 at the Agency Longhouse. A meal will be served at 6pm and the meeting will run from 7-9pm. The meeting is to discuss the Wasco Chieftainship. A prior meeting was scheduled but cancelled due to a death in the community.

We did receive minutes from two public meetings held in 1988. The minutes were provided by Lola Sohappy. The meetings were called by Chief Nelson Wallulatum to discuss the Wasco Chieftainship.

1988.Oct 13 Wasco Meeting

1988.Nov 03 Wasco Meeting

Here is KWSO Archival Audio

That includes:

Wasco Chief Discussion Meeting at Agency Longhouse in 2011
KWSO Our People & Mother Earth Program featuring Chief Johnny Jackson in 2011 (5 segments)
KWSO Our People & Mother Earth Program featuring comments from Wasco Chief Meeting in 2012 (5 segments)
Chief Alfred Smith Jr. Interview in November 2012
Wissie Smith Interview 2022

The playlist is not in any particular order – but you should be able to see the audio you are looking for and click on it to play and listen