Edwin Leroy Sondenaa – 1943-2016
Ed was born in Toledo, Ore., on May
22, 1943, to Raymond and Viola (Logan)
Sondenaa. He returned to the creator on
Feb. 29, 2016, when he passed away at his
home along the Siletz River.
Ed grew up with his two brothers
on Ojalla Road north of Siletz, Ore. He
remained a resident of the Siletz area his
entire life.
During high school, he was an out-
standing athlete with a particular talent for
football. It was in high school that he met
Brenda Tindall, whom he married shortly
after graduation. They had four children
together but the marriage sadly didn’t last.
After their divorce, Ed married Kim-
berly Shepard and became stepfather to
her son, Bruce. This marriage too ended
in divorce after which Ed remained single
for the rest of his days.
During the ’70s, Ed worked alongside
many others to bring federal recognition
back to the Confederated Tribes of Siletz.
He served on the first Tribal Council
elected in 1973. He also served on the
Siletz Tribal Economic Development
Committee for several years.
Ed spent his whole life in the log-
ging industry and was one of the many
“damned fine loggers” that Siletz is known
for. He was particularly talented at run-
ning heavy machinery, which is a trait he
shared with his father and youngest son,
Jeffrey.
Ed was always happiest when out in the
forests of Lincoln County. He liked to fish
but his biggest passion in life was hunting
big game. Ed was a lifetime member of
the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and
enjoyed attending their banquets. He also
loved to pick berries, go clam digging,
mushrooming and otherwise foraging for
nature’s bounty.
He lived his life on his own terms and
remained fiercely independent and strong
willed until the end, just like he wanted.
A celebration of life was held at the
Siletz Tribal Community Center on March
12, 2016. Following the potluck dinner,
Ed was laid to rest in the Paul Washington
Cemetery next to his son, Loney. Many
thanks to the Elders Program for provid-
ing the meal and beautiful flowers, and to
Stuart Whitehead for his excellent help.
As a tribute to Ed, the family requests
that you plant a tree in his memory.
Courtesy photo
Edwin Leroy Sondenaa
Siletz Tribal Prints & Gifts LLC (STPG), formerly Imprints Print Shop, is seeking products from
Tribal members who wish to sell their products through its retail location at 1520 NE Highway 101
in Lincoln City, Ore., as well as its online store located at store.stpgifts.com.
Please contact Casey Cox, interim manager of STPG, at 541-996-5550 or manager@stpgifts.com
for more information.
Please come by the store or visit our website at stpgifts.com to see the other products and services
we offer.
GMO concerns? What are they? Where do they come from? Are they safe?
By Nancy Ludwig, MS, RD, LD, Siletz
Tribal Head Start Nutritionist
As part of my role as a consultant
nutritionist to Siletz Tribal Head Start, I
offer information for families. This seg-
ment focuses on potential health concerns
about genetic engineering (GE), also
known as GMO or genetically modified
organisms or genetic modification (GM).
What is a GMO?
According to the World Health
Organization, genetically modified
organisms (GMOs) are “organisms in
which the genetic material (DNA) has
been altered in such a way that does not
occur naturally.” 1
This technology also is referred to as
“genetic engineering,” “biotechnology”
or “recombinant DNA technology” and
consists of randomly inserting genetic
fragments of DNA from one organism to
another, usually from a different species.
What problems are created through
genetic engineering of food and crops?
Genetic engineers continually
encounter unintended side effects. GM
plants create toxins, react to weather dif-
ferently, contain too much or too little
nutrients, become diseased or malfunc-
tion and die.
When foreign genes are inserted,
dormant genes may be activated or the
functioning of genes altered, creating
new or unknown proteins, or increasing or
decreasing the output of existing proteins
inside the plant. The effects of consum-
ing these new combinations of proteins
are unknown.
What foods are genetically modi-
fied (GM)?
In the U.S., three major commodity
crops are raised predominantly from GMO
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Siletz News
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May 2016
seed – field corn (92 percent*), soybeans
(94 percent*), and cotton (94 percent*).
Almost 98 percent of Canadian-
grown canola is genetically engineered
for herbicide resistance. U.S. sugar beet
production is estimated to be more than
95 percent genetically modified for her-
bicide resistance.
GMO sweet corn, papaya, zucchini
and yellow summer squash are also for sale
in grocery stores, but in far lesser amounts.
Genetically modified alfalfa is grown for
use as hay and forage for animals.
NEW: ‘White Russet’ brand potatoes,
genetically modified to resist bruising,
were introduced to some grocery stores
in 2015, but are not yet widely available.
Genetically engineered non-browning
“Arctic” apples have been deregulated by
the USDA and are expected to be on the
market in 2016.
What are other sources of GMOs?
Products derived from the above,
including oils from all four, soy protein, soy
lecithin, cornstarch, corn syrup and high
fructose corn syrup among others. Also:
•
•
•
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Meat, eggs and dairy products from
animals that have eaten GM feed (the
majority of GM corn and soy is used
for feed)
Dairy products from cows injected
with rbGH (a GM hormone)
Food additives, enzymes, flavorings
and processing agents, including the
sweetener aspartame (NutraSweet)
and rennet used to make hard cheeses
Honey and bee pollen that may have
GM sources of pollen
Why are children particularly sus-
ceptible to the effects of GM foods?
Children face the greatest risk from
the potential dangers of GM foods for the
same reasons they face the greatest risk
from other hazards like pesticides and
radiation. These include:
•
•
•
•
•
Young, fast-developing bodies are
influenced most
Children are more susceptible to
allergies
Children are more susceptible to
problems with milk
Children are more susceptible to
nutritional problems
Children are in danger from antibiotic
resistant diseases
View additional information at IRT,
the Institute for Responsible Technology,
at responsibletechnology.org/gmo-educa-
tion/higher-risks-for-children/.
How dangerous, or potentially
dangerous, are GM foods relative to
other food dangers, e.g., pesticides,
irradiation, additives, preservatives?
Since so little research has been done
on the safety of GM foods, it is not pos-
sible to rank its risks. Unlike the others,
GM crops persist in the environment
and may continue to pose risks to health
for centuries.
In addition, transfer of transgenes
to gut bacteria may present long-term
chronic exposure since the foreign protein
may continue to be produced inside of us
after we no longer consume the GM food.
Is there a connection with autism?
There is concern about the associa-
tion with autism and GMO foods. These
usually are related to gastrointestinal
problems or digestive issues and often
are described as holes in the gut leading
to intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and
compromised gut flora.
For more information, visit respon-
sibletechnology.org/gmo-education/
autism/.
Why is there a dramatic rise in
gluten intolerance?
There is an excellent 25-minute inter-
view with Jeffery Smith and Tom Malterre
discussing GMOs and gluten at responsi-
bletechnology.org/gmo-education/gluten-
disorders/.
There appear to be many contributing
factors to the rise in gluten sensitivity. For
the Tribal population, the incidence is
compounded by the fact that grains (and
gluten-containing grains like wheat, rye
and barley) are not traditional foods.
Jeffrey Smith has written a com-
prehensive book (and there is a movie)
Genetic Roulette: The Documented
Health Risks of Genetically Engineered
Foods. I had the privilege of hearing him
speak in person in early 2000, when I was
an inspector for organic certification. He
is collecting a tremendous amount of sci-
ence to address the issues.
For more information on how to avoid
GMOs in your food, check out the follow-
ing link – nongmoshoppingguide.com/
why-should-i-avoid-gmos.html.
* Percentages are based on U.S. acre-
age as of 2015 (USDA)
References
1. World Health Organization. (Inter-
net). (2002). Foods derived from
modern technology: 20 questions on
genetically modified foods. Available
from: who.int/foodsafety/publications/
biotech/20questions/en/index.php
Smith, JM. Genetic Roulette. Fairfield:
Yes Books. 2007.
Siletz Tribal Head Start offers my
time at no cost to you to support family
nutrition over the telephone. Please con-
tact me if you have nutrition concerns
about your Head Start child.
