AUGUST 1, 1999
3
yfanraD workshop emphasizes
inks .-between -past and present
By Oscar Johnson
Grand Ronde's Cultural Resources
department last month hosted a
workshop drawing tribal members
and specialists both locally and from
as far afield as Vermont and
Canada.
The day-long Cultural Heritage
Workshop brought about 25 partici
pants to the new Governance Cen
ter to learn about tribal efforts to
recover ancestral artifacts and re
mains, revive Native language, and
the link between Grand Ronde and
Iroquois tribes.
"We were very pleased, not only
with the turnout but with the en
thusiasm," said June Olson, Cul
tural Resource manager. "We are
currently talking about doing half
day sessions maybe once or twice a
month."
The idea for the workshop came
from the need for Cultural Re
sources and the Tribe's language
program to update members on cur
rent projects and solicit input.
: Hands-on demonstrations on flint
knapping (chiseling traditional
stone arrowheads) and Native carv
ing were also available.
Lindy Trolan, the Tribe's cultural
resource specialist, gave a presen
tation on the Native American
Graves Protection and Repatriation
Act. The 1990 federal law mandates
that museums return stolen Native
remains and artifacts to their tribal
descendants. . ,
"It's a good opportunity for those
interested in the community to learn
about some of the projects and ac
tivities the Tribe is doing to revital
ize culture and heritage," said
Trolan. "There's also a lot of interest
I just want to know
some of the history.
I want to know
) if someone knew
my grandmother,
my mother and
my dad."
Charlene McMainis
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from people wanting to find out '.
about their family and tribal history."
Charlene McMainis was one of
those people.
Before attending the workshop,
she had not seen Oregon for more
than 30 years and says the chance
to learn about her Grand Ronde
tribal heritage is a Godsend.
"I just want to know some of the ;
history," she said.. "I want to know
if someone knew, my grandmother,
my mother and my dad."
When the Tribe was terminated in
1955 her father, Sidney Willing,
moved his family to Los Angeles as
part of the federal relocation pro
gram. He died in 1988 never know
ing the Tribe survived termination
and it took McMainis another seven
years to find out. . 1
Cultural Resources had the Tribe's
genealogy database on hand during
the workshop to help members such
as McMainis learn more about their
family tree. -
Tribal members also shared infor
mation about their
family histories
helping to paint a
more complete por
trait of Grand Ronde
history.
The workshop also
brought history and
contemporary cul
ture together.
Olson outlined the
Tribe's plan to soon
repatriate the re
mains of at least 18
Grand Ronde ances
tors and a variety of
cultural artifacts be
ing held in Museums
around the country.
Scott Byram,
archeologist,
demonstrates
flintknapping
to workshop
participants and
tribal members.
Photo by Tracy Dugan .,-.
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June Olson, cultural resource manager, and Ed Pearsall, Tribal Council
Secretary, watch Bill Child demonstrate carving techniques.
While the remains will be rebur
ied, she encouraged tribal members
to play an active role in the process
of repatriating sacred artifacts.
"There is a wide variety of sacred
objects like sacred pipes, medicine
bundles, ceremonial regalia and
masks," Olson said.
She stressed that the Repatriation
Act stipulates that tribes must have
contemporary ceremonial needs for
the items in order to reclaim them.
Like the Pueblo Indians of the
Southwest, Olson says many tribal
members over time have merged
older cultural traditions with more
contemporary religious beliefs.
"We need to think about if we want .
these items, and if we do, do we
need certian items to complete or en
hance traditional beliefs or spiritual
growth? Tribal members need to
make a request to this program to
let me know and we'll be looking for
the items when we do inventories (at
museums)," she said.
Traditional language also took the
stage at the workshop.
Tony Johnson answered ques
tions about Chinook Wawa (Jargon)
after explaining its early use by
Northwest tribes and Grand Ronde's
current language program.
As the Tribe's language specialist,
Johnson is researching the lan
guage, compiling a Chinook Wawa
dictionary and teaching Grand
Ronde youth and adults how to
speak it. ;
Bruce Watson, a researcher, his
torian and instructor at British
Columbia's Vancouver College, gave
a detailed presentation on Iroquois
trappers who made their way to the
Northwest taking up residence in
Grand Ronde.
At least six Iroquois independently
employed by the Northwest Fur
Trading Company came from Sault
St. Louis in present day Canada dur
ing the early 1800s, according to
Watson who is writing a book on the
subject.
They married members of local
tribes living out the remainder of
their lives in close proximity of one
another on the Yamhill River, Olson
added.
The show of appreciation for the
workshop was overwhelming and
many members called to express
their thanks and interest in future
cultural workshops, Olson said.
McMainis is an example of such
appreciation.
She was happy to learn her own
tribe was doing so much and said
that although her father "never new
he was legal again he would be
amazed."
Qateii)Q Gum tEHB (tag)
Chinook is important to the Grand Ronde community and the Pacific
Northwest. Learn more about its Native origin and help to
re-integrate this important shared language.
RATES: $30.00 per attendee will cover workshop materials and the Saturday night
banquet. Tuition will be paid for the first ten tribal members who sign up.
MORE DETAILS: Tribe's Language Program at 1800-422-0232 x2084 or
tony.johnsongrandronde.org