TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS
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Tribe Showcases Elders with
Honor Day
by Brent Merrill
Norma Kentta and Jean Garrett (above) help sell raffle tickets
at the Elder’s Honor Day celebration while Nick Sixkiller and
Shirley Walker (below) confer about the day’s events.
Sandcastles by the Sea was the theme
of this year’s annual Elder’s Honor Day
celebration on April 7 at Chinook Winds
Casino Resort in Lincoln City. Elders
from Tribes throughout the Northwest
made their way to the coast to participate
in this gathering known as the Circle
of Wisdom.
Tribal Elders registered throughout
? the day as they arrived and received blood
i pressure and blood sugar checks all morning
and into the afternoon. The health checks
¿ were given by Community Health Advocate
Sharon Mason and Darcy de la Rosa, case
manager in the Diabetes Program.
Siletz Tribal Elder and Elder’s Coun
cil Chairman Shirley Walker welcomed
one of the largest crowds ever to attend the
Tribe’s Elder’s Honor Day ceremony.
Nick Sixkiller acted as master of cer
emonies and kept the day easygoing with
his laid-back style and comical stories.
Tribal Vice Chairman Bud Lane gave
the welcoming invocation in the Athabas
can language and Native Veteran Tony
Molina led the Color Guard presentation.
Tribal Royalty gave The Lord's Prayer
and then all Veterans in attendance were
honored as they introduced themselves
and mentioned their time and place of
service to the country.
Many Tribal members took in the
event at the craft and vending tables set
up outside the main room.
The Tribal Cultural Department pro
vided many historic items for display,
basket hats and carved elk spoons.
Siletz Tribal Elder Calvin Van Pelt
made the trip to Lincoln City from
Portland with his family as did William
“Chewescla” DePoe, who came all the
way from Seattle for the event. Siletz
Tribal Elder Ed Ben and his wife, Delores,
came in from Salem.
Grand Ronde Tribal Elder Herman
Hudson Jr. led a delegation of Elders
from Grand Ronde who made their way
to the celebration and several Tribes from
throughout the Northwest also gathered in
Lincoln City for the celebration.
After lunch, Tribal Chairman Delores
Pigsley addressed the gathering and talked
about the importance of honoring Elders.
The big entertainment for the day was a
group of Polynesian dancers and then
Bingo was called by Joe Padilla.
Many Tribal Elders were seen shop
ping in local stores and eating in the res
taurants after the event concluded around
4 p.m. Many discussed next year’s event
and were making plans to get together
then with family. We look forward to see
ing you living treasures again next year.
Tribal Elders Benefit from OSU
Community Service Center
by Bonnie Petersen
On March 26, Ann Wright, Parks,
Recreation and Environmental Director
for Oregon State University’s Community
Service Center, brought 14 OSU students
to the Tribal Mill site in Toledo to split
wood for the Tribal Elders.
OSU’s Community Service Center
provides community service learning
experiences for college students and this
year contacted the Tribe to see if there was
a project on which they could work. I told
them there was always a need to split wood
for Elders, so a date and time was set.
I greeted the students upon arrival,
escorted them on a brief tour of the admin
istration building and council chambers,
and described some of the Tribe’s history
and accomplishments to date.
Natural Resources Director Mike
Kennedy guided the students to the To
ledo Mill site, where Natural Resources
Crew Foreman Reggie Butler Jr. and Crew
Member Tristen John were waiting to
oversee the students’ work.
For many students, this was their first
time using an axe - let alone a hydraulic
wood splitter - and they expressed some
surprise and satisfaction at handling these
tasks. Tristen estimated the students split
about two-and-a-half cords of wood for the
Elders or about five pickup loads. Pretty
good for just a couple hours of work!
The students went from the mill site
to the Tribal Community Center to enjoy
some food and learn about pow-wows.
Several students joined me in the kitchen to
heat up the elk stew and vegetable soup and
learn to shape and cook fry bread dough.
While the meal was readied, Tribal
members Darin Rilatos and Fish Martinez
talked to the students about pow-wow
drumming, singing and dancing. Some
Oregon State University students take
part in an elders' woodcut, with many
using such equipment as axes and hy
draulic wood splitters for the first time.
students sat in on the drum while the rest
joined in some round dances.
Fish also demonstrated different
men’s styles of dance. He encouraged the
students to attend the annual OSU pow
wow and to visit in August for the Tribe's
annual pow-wow.
The students thanked their Tribal
hosts for the food, drumming, singing
and dancing. In turn, the students were
thanked for the great service they pro
vided to Tribal Elders. It was an enjoyable
experience for both hosts and guests.
May 2009
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Siletz News
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