Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde; Grand Ronde, OR
About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 1984)
FIRST RESTORATION CELEBRATION A BIG SUCCESS.1!! If you were one of the 1,000 olus that attended our first Restoration Celebra tion, October 6, 1984, in Grand Ronde, OR. you are probably still able to hear the beat of the seven drums who came to our powwow; or still taste the delicious fry bread, baked salmon, and desserts that were served at the St. Michael's cafeteria after the orocession of speakers and presenters that 'receded the feast.'! It was awesome, wasn't it???? Our keynote speaker, U.S. Renresenta t ivw Les AuCoin, was right on time and had some special words of nraise in regards to the accomplishments of this Tribe. After his presentation of the framed and mounted Restoration Bill to the Tribe, he was given a re sounding, standing ovation as he left the crowded hall to continue on his camp aign trail. Everyone certainly was most appreciative of his taking the time to come to be with us and to share this first celebration of our restoration, of which he was an important .a rt ic ipant .' .' ! As exnected, the gifts ran out before the names of all those who assisted in this great effort but, we did the best we could and vowed to plan better for next year. Of those who were given gifts wero: Sen. Dell Isham; Area Director, Portland Bureau of Indian Affairs: Stan Sneaks; John Weddell, Tribal Operations, B.I. A.; Judge Carl Francis, Dayton, OR.; Elizabeth Furse, Gary Forrester, Sande Schmidt and Stephanie Richards, all of Native American Program, Oregon Legal Services, Portland, OR.; Dr. Barbara Lane, our Tribal Historian, Victoria, B.C.; Cordon MacPherson, Atty., Newport, OR. Barbara Millikan, of Statesman Journal, Salem; and Phyllis Turner, Sheridan S';n, who was honored later in the p.m. at the now wow; Anna & Rudy Clements, Warm Springs, OR.; Dee Pigsley, Chair, of Siletz Tribal Council; Pauline Ricks, Treas . Af f i lia ted Tribes of N.W. Indians, and, of course, Ren. Les AuCoin and Sen. Mark Hatfield who was unable to attend. Many gifts were bestowed unon the Grand Ronde Tribe, also, in the spirit of this occasion such as: the beautiful framed R. Bill from U.S. Rep. AuCoin; a very old bound ledger on Grand Ronde B.I. A. employees, from Stan Speaks of B.I. A.; the maps and inform ation gathered and used for our R. Bill from Dr. Lane; A lovely green foliage plant from Delbert Frank, Pres. & Pauline Ricks, treas. of Affiliated Tribes of N.W. Indians; and, a colorful group of helium-filled balloons saying "Congratulations!" from Kathy Corospe, Exec. Officer of Commission on Indian Services. Suzanne Harjo, Exec. Dir. of National Congress of American Indians, Wash. D.C. sent a Congratulations via Mailgram, and, Cindy Darcy of Friends Committee on Nat'l Legislation, Wash. D.C. sent the same via letter. Following the feast which everyone agreed was so tasty, it was on to the pow-wow! The imnressive Crand Entry led by the visiting tribal royalty from many tribes was a mass of color and ageantry as dancers wound their woy ns fq' lowed a ho rocession into and filling the Crand Ronde Elem. School gym. Gifts, again, were exchanged, like Pot latches of old, as the dancing and' drumming continued on into the nite, with the voice of M.C. Les Thomas calling out the nart.es of those being honored or the drum to be used. It was, indeed, a n.ite of celebration and everyone came to participate in every way. So, as the last song was sung and Rudy Clements took the mike to announce the Honor Dance for the Crand Ronde Interim Council, it was a reminder of the reason for our being and how this event had begun earlier, with the Seven Drum sacred ceremony from the Warm Snrings Tribe. l iJa.i" 7 reminder that, rot only had we gathered to share our food and goodwill towards one another, but, also, to give thanks to our Creator for all blessings bestowed AW . especially during this past year.