Smoke signals., December 01, 1992, Image 1

1992
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THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE GRAND RONDE COMMUNITY OF OREGON December 1992
Kennedy Receives
IHS Award
On October 2, kdian Health Services held an
awards banquet in Portland and honored Cheryle Kennedy
as Outstanding Portland Area Tribal Health Administrator.
The banquet was held at the Holiday Inn in Portland and was
attended by about 250 health care workers in the Portland
area.
Cheryle is the Grand Ronde representative to the
Native American Indian Health Board in the Portland area
which serves about twenty tribes in Oregon, Washington,
and Idaho. She has worked in the Grand Ronde Health
Department for eight yeaiM and was one of the very first
employees.
Said Cheryle, "Itwaswonderfultobenominatedfor
this award. When I got the invitation to the banquet, I didn't
know I'd won. Then a couple of weeks later I received a letter
of congratulations from the NAIHB Area Director. I wasn't
expecting it." .
Tribal Leaders Gain Agreement on Burial Protection
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Cheryle Kennedy
General Meeting
Restoration Pow-Wow
Christmas Party
On Sunday, December 6, beginning at
11:30 A.M. All tribal members and
family welcome!
General Meeting held at Community Center,
Pow-wow and Christmas Party held at Grand
Ronde Elementary.
Tribal Council members met with representatives
of Northwest Pipeline Corporation on October 21, 1992, to
work on an agreement to protect ancestral burials from
pipeline construction. The Council demanded the meeting
after learning of a burial disturbance at the natural gas
pipeline worksite south of the Calapooia River near
Brownsville.
Kathryn Harrison, Council Vice-Chair, began the
meeting by speaking of the importance to the Tribe of
protecting the remains of ancestors. She told Rob Hawksworth,
a manger of Northwest Pipeline, that she would support
shutting down the project if it continued to threaten burials.
Mr. Hawksworth replied that the Corporation was
very unhappy about the disturbance and that it would not
happen again. Construction Supervisor Jerry Porter, said
this disturbance was outside of the authorized work area and
the person responsible had been let go. That person had
widened a ditch beyond the limit set by project archaeologists
andexposedNative American remains (probably Kalapuya).
John Fagan of Archaeological Investigations Northwest
(AIN) reported that the remains were left in the ground and
recovered, at the Tribe's request.
Mr. Hawksworth agreed with the Tribe's requests made by
Vice-Chair Harrison, Council member Merle Holmes and
Chairman Mark Mericer, that Northwest Pipeline would
sign a written agreement to prevent disturbing and desecrating
burials and sacred items. Northwest Pipeline agreed to
having tribal monitors on site at Corporation expense and to
work with the Tribe to avoid all burials and to have security
on site. They also agreed to pay all costs of reinterment of
tribal ancestors remains that were disturbed.
Jo Reese and John Fagan of AIN agreed to try to
convince private landowners to turn over all artifacts found
on their land to the Tribe.
Kathryn Harrison was pleased with the outcome.
"If the pipeline company honors the agreement, we can
protect our ancestors from disturbance. If not, we should use
the courts to stop their project." Executive Officer, Jim
Willis, sees the agreement as "a model for protection of
burials from construction and development projects
throughout Oregon." The Tribe expects to complete the
written agreement by the end of the year.
Medicine Wolf Alumni: A New Organization Worth Knowing
Medicine Wolf Alumni is a
new organization that has been active
in the Grand Rondecommunity since
it was founded last May. The non
profit organization has an executive
body along with voting and non
voting members who meet every
Monday to discuss the business of
the week which largely consists of
the promotion of sobriety.
Medicine Wolf is very
serious about promoting wellness in
thecommunity.and has demonstrat
ed their intentions by hands on
volunteer work and fundraisers tol
sponsor sober events in the Grand'
Ronde area. The new sign in front of the A&D Building was made by members
Although the members are 0ft he Medicine Wolf Alumni It is only one of their projects.
uivuivcu in group prujeus uiey ail
r Tu rn . y
i , w i
take on tasks of a more personal
nature such as speaking with people who may need help with
drinking, drug, and otherproblems stemmingfrom addiction.
None of the members of Medicine ffopretend to have all
the answers for these problems, but they all have a great deal
of strength, experience, and hope to share.
Medicine Wolf 'proves by example that people can
recover from chemical dependencies and have a great deal of
run doing so.
Medicine Wolfwill be raffling off a load of firewood,
beaded-leather gun case, and bookends at the Christmas
Party.
Any questions regarding the group may be answered
by any member, or by writingto Medicine Wolf Alumni, P.O.
Box 102 Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347.
Rest assured, you will be seeing and hearing more
from Medicine Wolf as the organization continued to grow.
Until then the people of Medicine Wolf Alumni wish you a
safe and sober Christmas. Current members are: Tom Bean,
Efvin Butler, Mychal Childers, Simone Copery, Kelly Grenia,
Frank Hostler, Walt Breuster, Michael Reibach, Lisa Schmitt,
and Butch LaBonte.