Celebrating Native Voices

A Conversation with New Coquille Indian Tribe Chief Jason Younker

“I'm not a leader of my tribe. I am a servant of Coquille citizens.”

Jason Younker spent his childhood in Coos Bay where he learned how to dig clams, herd ducks and fish, and canoe as part of the Coquille Indian Tribe. Today, he is chief of his tribe holding one of seven seats on the tribal council, and is the tribe’s leader in cultural and spiritual matters.

In this interview, UOAA Board member Tana Atchley Culbertson, BA ’00 (electronic media production), an enrolled citizen of the Klamath tribes, and of Modoc, Paiute and Karuk descent, talks with Younker about finding identity as part of a terminated tribe, attending the UO, and building a legacy for the next generation of Native Ducks on campus.

Younker, who received his master’s and doctorate degrees in anthropology from the university, looks to preserve and restore Coquille culture for future generations and be a voice for his people in Oregon.

“I'm enjoying serving my tribe,” Younker says. “I'm not a leader of my tribe. I am a servant of Coquille citizens.”

View Younker’s election page

Younker also serves as assistant vice president and advisor to the president on sovereignty and government-to-government relations at the UO. His role is critical to bringing together the nine tribes of Oregon to advise President Schill on university initiatives that directly impact Native populations. He says that the relationship and trust built over the years has allowed the UO to stand out among other colleges and universities.

“We are the only institution in the United States that has every single chair of the state’s federally recognized tribes as an advisory board to the president,” Younker says.

Younker has long been an advocate for Native voices in Oregon, but he knows that a huge part of his job is preparing the next generation for leadership. As an associate professor of anthropology, he will be teaching Native Oregonians this year in the Department of Anthropology. While the classes are educational to all students, he knows that having an Indigenous perspective taught in the classroom will have a huge impact with students who have never heard their history taught beyond their reservations. He also points out that the historical narrative of the class will open the eyes of students about how the university respects tribal governance and enjoys good consultation and relations with the nine tribes.