Dorian Sanchez, Billy, and George Kalama. Image-Nisqually Tribal Archives
“Everyone basically centers on the 50 percent but the more valuable consideration was the right for self-regulation and co-management of the overall resources,” Hank Adams says.
“I think he [Boldt] resolved many of the fundamental questions,” says Mike Grayum, executive director of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (nwifc). “One of the fundamental issues that he addressed was, what’s the definition of conservation? Because the state used that word to justify stopping the Indians. It’s a conservation issue. We need those fish to spawn. The judge wisely said, ‘That’s not how I define conservation. What you were doing, state, was making a wise-use decision. You would rather have the fish caught out there in the ocean than caught at the mouth of the river.’”
During their celebratory feast after the decision came down, Brando returned to the Northwest. “I remember Marlon Brando,” Grayum says. “He was scruffy, wearing old dirty clothes, and had about two weeks worth of beard—he was kind of a nasty old man.”
“I didn’t come here to talk to any white people, I came here to see Indians,” Brando groused.
Grayum retorted, “OK, well I don’t much like you either.”
As they dined on oysters and salmon, attorney Stu Pierson warned, “Don’t think the fight’s over; it’s just started now.” Indeed. The state flat out refused to accept defeat.
Next: Chapter Ten | Storm
