The Columbian interviews Bill Iyall, the new chairman of the Cowlitz Tribe of Washington.

Iyall, 61, replaces the late John Barnett, the tribe's longtime chairman who died on June 15. "He has been the glue that has held the tribe together for his term," Iyall said of his predecessor.

Iyall said preserving the tribe's history is one of his most top priorities. His great-uncle was a chief and his grandfather was a tribal leader who was at the White House when president Calvin Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924.

“I take it as a personal obligation because of my family ties,” he said. “I look at my grandfather as an inspiration.”

Iyall said the tribe is working to rebuild its homeland, a process that includes a casino that has drawn opposition from other tribes in the area.

Get the Story:
New Cowlitz Tribal chairman stresses history (The Columbian 7/20)

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