Smoke Signals
May 1993
Page 7
HISTORIC CAMPAIGN
JosephShangarettawasaKalapuya
Chief, a soldier in the Cayuse Wars, and
he signed the Treaty of 1855. He was
E resident of the first Indian Council and
eld many of his elected offices in the
Grand Ronde community over the course
of his lifetime.
This prominent tribal leader is
buried in the Holmes family cemetery in
an unmarked grave.
Recently, his descendants
organized a campaign to gather funds for
a headstone to mark this site for future
generations. The goal is to raise
approximately $3,000 by Memorial Day.
Special thanks to the initial contributors:
Cheryl Brooks, Daniel Haller, Linda
Murphy, and Bud Davidson, husband of
Manon Haller Davidson.
Ifyouwouldlike to makea financial
pledge or to obtain further information
contact June Olson at 1 -800-422-0232 or
897-2279.
Wellness Component Activities
On April 3, 1993 the Alcohol and Drug Prevention
Program and the Wellness Component sponsored an Easter
Egg Hunt for tribal and community children. Activities
before the hunt included a coloring contest and making
bunny ears. Over 100 children, parents, and grandparents
attended festivities.
In other news, Tribal Chairman Mark Mercier
officially opened the Tribal Community Center for use as the
Senior Mealsite on April 6, 1993. Members of the Siletz
Tribe from Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Siletz traveled to
Grand Ronde to help celebrate the opening of the new
location. The Community Center will seat approximately 80
people comfortably, which is double the amount at the old
location.
Activities included games: Pass the Orange, Pass
the Lifesaver, and the Potato Race were enjoyed by everyone.
The Easter Bunny gave chocolate eggs to each elder.
Volunteers worked to make the day a special one for
our guests and elders. A special thanks to: Ivanetta &
Howard Cook, Bill Wilson, Emma Russell, Myrna Brandon,
Chip Tom, Buddy Haskins, Verna Jim, Cindy Martin
Butler, Tammy cook, Chris Leno, Trevor Aaron, Mark
Cook, Jerry Brandon, Darlene Aaron, Linda Smith, Tracy
Hubbell, Tammy Garrison, Elaine Smith, Shelly Kent, and
Cherie Butler.
Tribe Supports Senate Bill 61
Senate Bill 6 1 , a proposed amendment to the Oregon
Archeological Protection Act , is currently being deliberated
by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The proposed Bill,
which is a consolidation of Senate Bills 60, 6 1, 495, and 497
would strengthen the protection of Native American remains
and artifacts in Oregon. It would also give tribes more
control over the destiny of burial sites discovered on private
property.
Five tribes appeared at the Senate Judiciary
Committee meeting in support of the bill on March 31,
including members of Grand Ronde Tribal Council. Vice
ChairKathryn Harrison gave her testimony. (Printed below.)
Other tribes publicly supporting Senate Bill 6 1 are:
Confederated Tribes of Siletz, Confederated Tribes of the
Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated tribes of Warm
Springs, and Coquille Indian Tribe.
Another meeting will be held April 28 to determine
the outcome of this proposed Bill.
If passed, Senate Bill 61 will:
Change state law to recognize that the state does not own
Native American remains, objects of cultural patrimony,
sacred objects, or burial objects.
Gives tribes authority to regain and control Native American
remains, objects of cultural patrimony, sacred and burial
objects, regardless of where they are located, consistent with
the Native American Graves Protection Repatriation Act
(NAGPRA).
Includes authority to designate archeological sites as worthy
of protection.
Gives tribes authority, with the State Historic Preservation
Office, to approve any archeological permit on state lands.
Stops casual collecting of Native American artifacts on
state lands.
Includes sufficiently old shipwrecks in archeological sites.
Gives tribes authority to select, with the state Museum of
Anthropology, facilities for curating Native American
artifacts (except for sacred objects, burial objects, and objects
of cultural patrimony).
Sets up a process for settling disputes over permit issuance
and disposition of Native American remains and burial
times.
The Tribe encourages all members living in Oregon
to write their state senators and representatives in support of
Senate Bill 61.
Tracy Hubbell and Chris Leno help serve up
the food during the Elders ' Luncheon.
Kathryn Harrison's testimony before the Senate Judiciary
Committee in Salem, Oregon March 31, 1993
Good afternoon, Chairman Springer. My name
is Kathryn Harrison, Vice-Chair of the Tribal Council of
the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community
of Oregon, located 25 miles in-land from the beautiful
Oregon Coast I'm proud to be here today to address this
sensitive and emotional subject Thank you for providing
the opportunity to tell you about my Tribe's thoughts
about these bills.
It's hard for me to express our feelings to you
about burial disturbances, so-called digs. The subject of
studying the Native Peoples' remains. Having gone
through the major Canby burial disturbance years ago
before we were restored as a Federally recognized tribe,
I can't tell you the feelings that my people had when
some of the earth had been removed from a sacred burial
place and taken over to a horse arena. Once the earth
was spread, to have seen the remains, whether it be a
thigh or foot bone. But they were the remains of my
ancestors. There were no words to describe the hurt It
pierced my heart And I know it pierced the heart of the
Grand Ronde Nation. This is the United States of
America, land of the free, home of the brave. But
Oregon 's laws don 't do enough to protect that, to protect
us or our sacred objects that are buried, put down with
ancestors.
Now we sued Mr. Koch, the owner of the land that
containedourpeople'sgravesbackinl982. We protected
some of the graves and obtained some money for his
desecration. But we need stronger laws to help prevent
our ancestor's bones from being scattered arounda horse
arena or a construction site.
And we need to make sure that Indian people
can prevent the so-called legitimate disturbances, the
digs bypeoplewith archaeological permits. Thesecan be
just as harmful to our people's graves and to our spirits,
as the desecrations of the unfeeling.
We have more and more applications now that
come to us for digs. They come in weekly during most
of the year. But it's always hard to grant permission, to
know there's so little protection. There's no guarantee
there won't be more destruction, not only of the sacred
objects but of history itself
I think some of our young people here today
think this is a new subject but it is not This has been
going on as long as I can remember. We look to the
Committee today Chairman Springer, your committee
and you to work with Indian people in the state of
Oregon. The Oregon Tribes, even though we are
sovereign nations in this area of archeological
disturbances and the law, we have all come together.
Even though our tribal customs and traditions are all
different as are our ways of governing the tribes as
sovereign nations, we all come together in support of this
law and look to you today for your support and passage
of this law, revised Senate Bill 61 which is a combination.
The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
Community of Oregon supports the basicprwciplebehutd
all four bills before this committee today,' it is past time
that the state of Oregon provided greater protection to
Native burials and artifacts. The combined effect of
these bills would be to strengthen and clarify the Oregon
Indian Graves Protection Act But the bills are overlapping
and somewhat inconsistent
For this reason the Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde, working closely with other Tribes in
Oregon, has developed a bill combining all the best of the
four. Westarted with Senate Bill 61 and added to it from
Senate Bills 60, 495, and 497. We present our revised
Senate Bill 61 as part of this testimony and urge the
Committee's support of it
Wethankyoufor your support andyour attention
to this and hearing me today as I speak for the
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Please vote for
Senate Bill 61 with the amendments the Confederated
Tribes of Grand Ronde has proposed. Thank You.