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| Ramona Bennett signs a copy of her new book on Friday, inspiring youths. Photo courtesy Puyallup Tribe. |
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| Inspiring youths, Ramona Bennett talks with youths as she signs her new book, "Fighting for the Puyallup Tribe." Photo courtesy Puyallup Tribe |
(November 21, 2025) The Puyallup Tribe said former Tribal Council Chairwoman Ramona Bennett visited Tribal Administration on Friday to host a book signing event for her recently released memoir, "Fighting For The Puyallup Tribe."
Guests were invited to sit for a brief chat with Bennett during the signing, and were also offered commemorative 1970 community fishing camp T-shirts.
"The book was released in September and is Bennett's firsthand account of the Fishing Wars, the 1976 occupation of the Cascadia Juvenile Diagnostic and Treatment Center on Tribal land and the events that led to the property's return to the Tribe, and other Tribal struggles," the tribe said.
'Fish War' Listen to Ramona Bennett, Puyallup
"My Indian ancestors fought back, some of them paid with their lives, but they fought back," said Ramona Bennett. "My family couldn't resist fighting back."
By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, Nov. 6, 2025
'Fish War.' Listen to Ramona Bennett.
In the early 1900s, her people were divided up between what the U.S. government called "the hostiles," and "the friendlies." Seven hundred of her people agreed to go to Fox Island, where the army promised to protect them. It was a lie. One-hundred died from exposure and starvation.
"Those were our relatives."
Ramona Bennett describes seeing women being beaten in the face by police in Washington D.C. She came home with the realization that her people needed security for their fishermen in 1970. They began to set up a camp. Their friends came from Alcatraz, and from Canada. They came to defend Native rights, and they wanted their children to grow up in a world without racism.
"They had to fish, they had to feed their families." Ramona remembers how tribal salmon fishermen were attacked by law enforcement and vigilantes who smashed their canoes. They were treated like thieves.
They were just harvesting salmon, a right guaranteed in the treaties. There were never any witnesses.
That was about to change.
This was the Fish War.
Listen: One hour and 19 minutes.
Tribal Voices Archive Project
About the book, from the publisher
 Purchase the book: |
| https://uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295753508/fighting-for-the-puyallup-tribe/ |
About the book, from the publisher
A compelling on-the-ground account of Native activism in the Northwest
A relentless advocate for Native rights, Ramona Bennett Bill has been involved in the battles waged by the Puyallup and other Northwest tribes around fishing rights, land rights, health, and education for over six decades. This invaluable firsthand account includes stories of the takeover of Fort Lawton as well as events from major Red Power struggles, including Alcatraz, Wounded Knee, and the Trail of Broken Treaties.
A relentless advocate for Native rights, Ramona Bennett Bill has been involved in the battles waged by the Puyallup and other Northwest tribes around fishing rights, land rights, health, and education for over six decades. This invaluable firsthand account includes stories of the takeover of Fort Lawton as well as events from major Red Power struggles, including Alcatraz, Wounded Knee, and the Trail of Broken Treaties.
She shares her experiences at the Puyallup fishing camp established during the Fish War of the 1960s and 1970s, which led to the federal intervention that eventually resulted in the Boldt Decision. She also covers the 1976 occupation of a state-run facility on reservation land and the lobbying that led to the property’s return to the tribe.
Bennett Bill served for nearly a dozen years as a Puyallup Tribal Council member and ten as chairwoman, organizing social welfare, education, and enrollment initiatives and championing Native religious freedom. Her advocacy for Native children, especially those who had been adopted out of their community, helped pave the way for the Indian Child Welfare Act.
Bennett Bill served for nearly a dozen years as a Puyallup Tribal Council member and ten as chairwoman, organizing social welfare, education, and enrollment initiatives and championing Native religious freedom. Her advocacy for Native children, especially those who had been adopted out of their community, helped pave the way for the Indian Child Welfare Act.
Now in her mid-eighties, she continues to organize for Native rights and environmental justice. The book is full of vivid stories of her fearless testimony in courtrooms and press conferences on issues affecting Indian Country, and of the many friends and comrades she made along the way.
1 comment:
Congratulations on publishing your book. It, as well as a whole bunch of other activist's activities, is badly needed to teach the history to the young who now enjoy the rights you have fought for. Many good thoughts go out to you.
Carole Wright, back at Pyramid Lake
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