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Bernie and Marilyn Sieber circa 1970s. Photo courtesy UIATF

which cost $750. The house had electricity but no running water. A water pump was located right next to the house. An outhouse stood behind the house. It was small but it was a home they could call their own.

In 1951, Bernie and Lawney decided to go to Tacoma to visit their mother and sister. Their mother had married Harry Wong, their longtime family friend, and had three children of their own. They hitchhiked, taking rides from five different strangers and made it in 11 hours. Bernie met his three step-siblings for the first time--five-year-old Junior (Harry), four-year-old Teresa, and three- year-old Laura. Bernie and Lawney stayed the summer, getting to know their new extended family.

In 1953, sixteen-year-old Bernie had saved enough money to buy his first car, a 1934 Ford Coupe. He had grown to be a gregarious, popular young man. Even though he often was the only Indian in his classes, Bernie was very popular. His easy-going manner, warm personality, and self-deprecating humor attracted people to him. Having a car helped as well, especially in the fifties.

Like many teenagers of the day, Bernie was interested in learning how to dance-- at the Sawdust Maker’s Hall in Omak, the Riverside Hall, Brewster Open Pavilion, Maple Hall, or hanging out at the Daisy Mae Drive In, serving the greatest hamburgers in the Okanogan Valley. And especially, checking out members of the opposite sex.

Almost all of Bernie’s high school friends were white. He made friendships that lasted his entire life. He was treated as one of the crowd. But it was their parents who looked down on Bernie. They did not want their sons and daughters associated with a “Siwash,” a derogatory term that whites used against Indians in stereotyping them as dirty, lazy, and shiftless.

Bernie knew that he and his white friends lived in different worlds.

When he was invited by his friends to their homes, he found they lived

with running water and indoor plumbing, oak floors, chandeliers,

well manicured lawns, and lush drapes which covered large picture

windows. It was so different to what he had grown up with.

Bernie’s first girlfriend was an attractive girl - a blonde blue-eyed girl

named Marilyn Hodgson. He spent a lot of time with her during his high

school days. They were an item yet he was not welcome in her home.

In fact, her parents tried their best to break up their relationship, and

later it eventually ended. Later, Bernie met the love of his life--Marilyn

Sieber. Bernie met Marilyn, a member of the Nit Nat tribe located near

Victoria, British Columbia, during the early days of the United Indians of

All Tribe Foundation. They were together for ten years. At one time,

Bernie announced plans to marry Marilyn but they never did. She

eventually moved back to Canada.

In 1955, Bernie graduated from Okanogan High School. Good

paying jobs in the Okanogan Valley were scarce for young Indians.

He decided to go to the coast to see if he could find a job. He

moved in with his mother Mary and her second family in Tacoma.

After weeks of searching for a job, he gave up and went back to

the Okanogan Valley. With his father Julian’s help, Bernie found a

summer job with the Great Northern Railroad. He saved enough

money for tuition to enter the UW in the fall.

In the summer of 1956, after just one year of college, Bernie decided

not to return to the UW. He hadn’t done well in his studies and had

not found a field of study that interested him.