Courtesy photo by
Jamie Mason
Tribal member
Andrew Johanson
receives his Siletz
blanket for
graduating from
Portland State
University with a
bachelor's degree
in communications.
He recently was
hired in the Salem
Area Office as an
assistant in the
new Vocational
Rehabilitation
Program.
Courtesy photo from Katy Holland
Jeff and Brian Holland
Holland brothers work together to
build successful furniture business
By Katy Holland
Siletz Tribal members Jeff and Brian Holland celebrate their years together. They
have a lot in common and with only a few years between them, they have been able
to work and play together.
Jeff and Brian both absolutely love golf, which also brings out their competitive
nature. On their days off, you’ll find one or both of them out at one of Oregon’s golf
courses, even in the rain.
Their brotherliness does not end there, though, because they also have been part
ners and owners of their furniture business for more than 15 years. Their business is
Hollywood Rooms and it’s located at 18330 SW Tualatin Valley Highway in Aloha,
Ore.; 503-642-1693; hollywood-fumiture.com.
They enjoy the time they spend together both in business and play.
Providing Quality Legal Cwt For North Amerien 's Fomitits Since ¡972
Native American students and elders come together for art
By Josey Bartlett, St. Helens Chronicle;
first published April 6, 2011; used with
permission
The Columbia County Art Club is one
way to recreate a village feel - a place
where students can reconnect with elders
and learn traditions of their culture, said
Virgene Blair, a Siletz Indian and assistant
with the Indian Education Program.
Indians have moved away from the
“village” concept, Blair said.
On the reservation it is easier to ask
native elders how to weave a basket tight
enough to hold water or create a traditional
baby board. But without that close com
munity and easy accessibility to ancestral
knowledge some skills are forgotten.
Sharing these skills is one goal the
Indian Education Program is trying to
achieve by creating the Columbia County
Art Club, which met in St. Helens on
April 2.
“[The club] is a way to keep children
interested in who they are,” said Wren
Christopher, part of the Eastern Band of
Cherokee Indians and lead teacher super
visor for the Columbia County Art Club.
Once a month about 25 parents and
children of Native American heritage
convene to work on art projects. Last
month Native American photographer
Joe Cantrell gave students photo tips and
Christopher helped students complete
their traditional shoulder bags.
Courtesy photo from the St. Helens Chronicle
Sophia Smith molded a coyote out of clay at the April 2 Columbia County Art Club,
offered through the Indian Education Program.
On April 2, students created coyotes
out of clay.
“[This program] is getting them
rooted in their culture at a young age,”
said Melissa Perkins, whose children
Nakaya Perkins, 4, and Natanee Perkins,
6, worked diligently on their clay coyotes
during Saturday’s class.
DJ Jackson, a junior at Columbia
River Youth Corps, suggested the forma
tion of the art club a couple months ago.
He is of Potawatomi heritage and said he
wanted to organize something meaningful
for the local Native American community.
The Indian Education Program of the
Northwest Regional Education Service
District - which provides special educa
tion services to the 20 school districts in
Columbia, Clatsop, Tillamook and Wash
ington counties - applied for a grant to
get Jackson’s vision up and running. The
GAPS Foundation awarded the $1,000
grant, which buys supplies for the art club.
Jackson is also working with Beaver
ton High School art teacher Otto Abahazy,
a Flathead Indian, to design the painting
on the traditional powwow drum that will
represent Columbia County at powwows.
The decade-old Columbia County
drum had fallen into disrepair until the
duo began restoring it. Abahazy and
Jackson hope to have it back into tip
top shape by the June 4 Beaverton High
School Powwow. There the drum will be
sung into the ceremonial circle.
Last month Abahazy and Jackson
showed the art club their design.
Showing Native American students
their culture and coming together in a
group is important to their success, said
Abahazy. He said Native American stu
dents have the highest school drop out rate.
Forming a support group - such as the
art club - can help combat that.
“The art club is a way to reinforce
cultural identity and learn a little about
who they are,” said Abahazy. “We are
trying to instill a need to seek out what it
is to be native.”
May 2011
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Siletz News
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