LAPUSH — A 7-year-old’s drawing that is now part of permanent Senate record started with a child’s worst fear.
Damon Allen Jones, 7, was drawing what he imagined might happen when he heard a tsunami might arrive in LaPush.
He told the Quileute Tribal Council members that he drew his friends playing on the school grounds — which sit on First Beach in a tsunami zone — with their dogs by their sides.
“He said the waves looked like they would eat them up, and they are scary,” the tribe said in a prepared statement.
“He drew emergency fire truck to help little girl get to higher ground and children running for the getaway bus — cops trying to help out.”
Traveled to Washington, D.C.
Chairwoman of the Quileute tribe, Bonita Cleveland, knew his picture would express the fear tribal members feel and took it to Washington, D.C., when she testified earlier this month before the Senate’s Committee on Indian Affairs on the importance of legislation that would give the tribe higher ground.
“During the Senate hearing, it was important to include the voice of the children, and children express themselves through art,” Cleveland said.
“We wanted them to be a part of this and to have their voices heard.
“The children are very aware of the devastation in Japan and that they live and go to school in a tsunami zone.
“They are a significant component to this legislation, as a move to higher ground means their school would be out of danger.”
Once she showed committee members the picture, they requested that she make a copy to become part of the permanent record.
Since Cleveland showed it to the committee, the picture has not been shown publicly.
Damon is the son of Zachary Allen Jones and Bay Smith and is an enrolled tribal member and a student at the Quileute Tribal School.
Legislation introduced
Legislation introduced in both houses of Congress on March 17 would transfer 772 acres of Olympic National Park land to the Quileute tribe, which lives on a 1-square-mile reservation at the mouth of the Quillayute River.
The legislation also would transfer 492 acres at the northern part of the reservation to resolve a long-standing boundary dispute of more than 50 years with Olympic National Park, which surrounds the reservation.
The Senate bill, introduced by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Mountlake Terrace, was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
The House bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, is identical to the bill in the Senate.
It was referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. Dicks represents the 6th Congressional District, which includes the North Olympic Peninsula.
___________
Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
