The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs has a new Chief on its Tribal Council. Rafael Queahpama was officially sworn in on May 20 in a ceremony at the CTWS Tribal Administration Building in Warm Springs, filling a leadership role that carries deep cultural and governmental significance for the tribe's three constituent peoples.
A Community Call Answered
Queahpama's path to the position followed a period of deliberation within his district. District Representative Carlos Calica confirmed in mid-May that after consultation with district elders and members, Queahpama accepted the call to serve. The swearing-in ceremony on May 20 formalized his place on the 11-member Tribal Council.
The Warm Springs Tribal Council includes representatives from the tribe's three bands — the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Paiute peoples — along with positions for Chief, a title that carries specific traditional authority alongside the elected governance structure.
Family Legacy
The Queahpama name has deep roots in Warm Springs leadership. Frank Queahpama Sr. previously served as Warm Springs Chief, giving Rafael Queahpama's appointment a generational dimension that was not lost on those who attended the ceremony.
Context for the County
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is a sovereign nation with reservation lands spanning portions of Jefferson County. Its Tribal Council governs a community of several thousand members and oversees enterprises, natural resources, health services, education, and government-to-government relationships with federal and state agencies. New leadership on the Council has direct implications for those relationships and for ongoing issues affecting both the tribe and surrounding Jefferson County communities.
Queahpama now joins a council navigating a full agenda, including budget priorities, treaty rights, housing, and the recently expanded Cascade East Transit routes connecting the reservation with Madras.