Karuk Leader Amos Tripp Passes

Amos Merrill Tripp was born July 5, 1943 in Eureka, Ca to Amos and Violet Tripp, the second oldest of five boys. He grew up in Klamath and attended Klamath Union Elementary School and graduated from Del Norte High School in 1960 at the age of 16, a year early. While at Del Norte High he was the ASB Student Body President and also attended Boys State. After high school he worked in the local mill while also attending Humboldt State University.

At HSU he waited for, met and then married the love of his life in the fall of 1971. He graduated from HSU in 1972 and then attended UC Davis Law School and received his Juris Doctorate Degree in 1975. He was a partner in the first Indian Law Firm in California from 1976-1979 and then went into private practice for many years.

During his legal career he was very proud of all the work he did on behalf of Indian People, especially on cases where he defend Indian rights. He worked with the Pitt River People to fight against the California Indian Lands Settlement Claim, and he and his wife never did take the California Indian Money refusing to sell their land to the State of California. He worked on fishing rights cases with the California Indian Legal Services and with Eagle Child defending and protecting Indian families through the Indian Child Welfare Act. He also did work to help challenge the GO-Road. He taught Federal Indian Law and Water Law classes for many years at Humboldt State University and College of the Redwoods.

One thing that made him a true Indian attorney is that he was well known for accepting all kinds of payments and his family remembers receiving deer meat and fish, deer hides, crocheted hats and other forms of traditional payment. Although in the early days he would sometimes wear a suit and tie when he had to go to court, his favorite work and meeting look was his short-sleeved plaid shirts which we all know well.

http://lostcoastoutpost.com/2014/apr/12/karuk-leader-amos-tripp-passes-services-redwood-ac/

A very sad day and a huge loss for the Karuk tribe, the family of Amos Tripp and all other friends and acquaintenances!

RIP Amos Tripp!