March 20, 2013
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Sponsored by
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FredMeyer
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H ealth
pages 4
C alendar
Native community
works to reconnect
with nature, land
L a w &J ustice
O pinion
pages 8-9
[ by C ari H achmann
T he P ortland O bserver
Native American elders gathered
for a house meeting at southeast
Portland’s Kelly Butte House re­
cently to discuss plans on how to
move forward with plans to revital­
photo by C ari H achmann /T he P ortland O bserver
ize the traditional connections to
A hillside near Kelly Butte in southeast Portland is slated to
food, culture and the land.
Part of the discussion was to become a Wisdom of the Elders garden to reconnect Native
secure future funding for the non­ families and youth with traditional food, culture and land.
profit organization, Wisdom of the
“Over time, our people have lost
A n d erso n , a se lf-e m p lo y e d
Elders, which provides cultural out­ connection not only to place, but to Tualatin environmental engineer
reach, radio broadcasts and com­ our plants, foods and culture,” said and recent vegan, is working on a
munity healing through storytelling Vanessa Cooper, who runs the Co- project to reverse diabetes among
programs to Portland’s 40,000 Na­ operative Extension and Traditional Native peoples through the Physi-
tive members.
Plants program at Northwest Indian cians Committee for Responsible
A priority for the organization, College in Bellingham, Wash.
Medicine, which promotes preven-
founded in 1993 by Rose High Bear,
She said the garden is a reminder tati ve medicine research and reform,
who is Deg Hit’an Dine (Alaskan to Native people of that connection.
Cooper said diabetes prevention
Athabascan) and her late husband, “It is reminding us who we are as through native plants was the main
Lakota medicine man Martin High Native American people and giving focus at a conference hosted last
Bear, is the transformation o f one- us our identity back. When Indian year by the Northwest Indian Col-
third-acre parcel at the Kelly Butte people are disconnected from their lege, which is an institute o f indig-
location into a garden.
culture, they are disconnected to enous foods and traditions,
The garden grew out of a need to their spirit. Food is our medicine,”
This year in September, the col-
address health issues among the said Cooper.
lege will hold a second gathering in
local tribal community. Native fami­
Wisdom Elder members shared Seattle, Washington, focused on
lies also share space at a nearby experiences and traded knowledge policy changes and other strategies
organic garden plot at Earl Boyles and resources.
prom oting access to traditional
Garden provided by Portland Parks
Marc Anderson of the Oklahoma foods.
and Recreation.
Seminal tribe, said he felt culture
High Bear announced that Wis-
According to High Bear, a lead shock when he returned home to re- dom of the Elders has applied for
voice at the meeting, the Native connect with family in 2009, “The several grants, including with Eco-
American population is at the bot­ food was all fast food,” he said. Trust of Oregon, to have Native
tom of the list when it comes to Even at the Native casino nearby, families to come work on the Wis-
healthy outcomes in Portland, from he could find nothing vegetarian to dom Garden this summer,
poverty and education to healthcare eat. The big joke, he said, was “I
bought a watermelon at Wal-Mart.”
continued y f on page 5
and the environment.
Sick Leave Benefits Made Law
C lassifieds
F o o d
y
C o iin P lI
M P tio n tilV p n f o r
a v l l U l l IdK C ll 1UI
D llh llP h P 'llth
■C
The Portland City Council voted unani­
mously to enact standards requiring all
businesses to provide sick leave for em-
ployees who work more than 240 hours in
a calendar year within the city of Portland.
Businesses with six or more employees K b
will have to provide up to 40 hours of paid ■
sick leave annually, earned at one hour of
sick time oerthirtv hours worked Sm aller
Amanda
Fritz
‘