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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (July 15, 2000)
JULY 15, 2000 Contribution to Art Museum Continued from front page "We welcome the chance to be part ners with the talented people at the Portland Art Museum who are also committed to sharing the stories of Native people," said Harrison. "The Portland Art Museum is hon ored to be a recipient of the Grand Ronde Tribe's generosity and we are inspired by their support of our efforts to build the museum for the enlight enment of future generations," said John E. Buchanan, Jr. Buchanan is the executive director of the museum. "By funding the installation of our permanent collections in the new cen ter, the Grand Ronde have provided all Oregonians with the unique oppor tunity to experience and learn about the art and culture of Native American people first hand," added Buchanan. LtoR: Little Tribal members Riley Mercier, Cheyenne Fasana, and Zoey Holsclaw busily sketch the most important things in the world. Photos by Brent Merrill HMHMHliaaiaiM r A Community Day .1 to celebrate the Jvw JjjX v, Grand Ronde Center for . x, Native American Art will be held Saturday, August 26. -v-'. 1 t The new center is part of the museum's two-year "Project for the Millennium." There will be a new center for Northwest art, new galler ies for special exhibitions, a commu nity education center, a state-of-the-art auditorium and a newly reno vated outdoor sculpture garden as part of the project. A community grand opening cel ebration is planned for August 19 and 20. A Community Day to celebrate the Grand Ronde Center for Native American Art will be held Saturday, August 26. Tribal member Christian Trimpe, 4, contemplates his next choice of colors during preschool art time. "This donation really is a gift from each of our 5,000 Tribal members," said Harrison of the donations. "It makes me proud that we were able to help bring this recognition to the achievements of Native Americans past and present." The message is clear; today's smears of paint are tomorrow's cher ished works of art. Tribal Elder honored by Benton County Historical Society Former Tribal Council member Merle Holmes contributes to the history and cultural record of Benton County. By Brent Merrill I ometimes he feels he's on the i outside looking in at his own "Tribe. Grand Ronde Elder Merle Holmes watches as his Tribe grows, evolves and rewrites its own his tory. Holmes said the most impor tant factor in establishing and maintaining Tribal history is accu racy. He wants the Tribe's story to be told but he wants it to be told correctly. Recently, the Benton County His toric Resources Commission hon ored Holmes for his commitment to preserving the area's historical record and for making a commit ment to share his knowledge with young people. Holmes was honored during Benton County's annual Historic Preservation Awards Ceremony. Holmes has been involved with the Benton County Museum since the early 1980s when the museum asked the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde for input on their Kalapuya Tribal exhibit. At that time, Holmes was the Tribal histo rian. Holmes received a similar award in 1997 for his work with young people. Since his initial involvement nearly 20 years ago, Holmes has donated his time to countless stu dents and researchers striving for an accurate picture of Tribal life in Western Oregon. One student cre ated a memorial to the Kalapuya with the help of Holmes. The me morial will be placed at Shawala Point where the Willamette River and the Marys Rivers meet. "I live on a military pension, so I have a lot of time to spend," ex plained Holmes. "So, when I get a call from the museum or from a school it gives me something to do. I go down and answer questions and take my personal research materials with me. Whatever the project is, I tell them what I know about it and help them with whatever they need." Holmes assisted students from Crescent Valley High School work ing on reintroducing camas to their area. Holmes said he was impressed by the young people's willingness to learn all they could and stay true to what they knew to be right. "It is important to me (working with students)," said Holmes. "I think the right information needs to go to these young people." Holmes offered the students camas seeds that he had cured. The stu dents politely declined when they found out the seeds were not from their area. "Their (the students) dedication amazes me," said Holmes. "They were going to reintroduce some camas down in that area. I got to thinking that I had some camas seeds that I har vested up here. They were all dried and cured, so I called them and of fered it if it would help them. They told me 'if it is not from our area down here, then we don't want it down here. We want indigenous seeds.' I thought that was great integrity and I respect those young people for not taking the easy way. I had these seeds and they could have sowed them around and reintroduced them, but they were from up in this end and they weren't going to accept that. I admired them for that." Holmes is admired by the folks at the Historical Society for his contri butions. "He's such a great man," said Benton County Historical Society Assistant Director Judy Rycraft Juntunen of the man she has known for nearly 20 years. "The thing that I really appreciate about him is that You have to have a touch with the old line of people to really establish the old history like it was. It is really critical now because there is only a handful of Elders left that we can extract this knowledge from.9 Merle Holmes This photo of Merle was taken in 1989 by Brent Merrill he is always so open to sharing his knowledge with other people. The information that he has given us is so important. It is a gift and it is so precious." According to Juntunen, Holmes was also instrumental in the estab lishment of the Fort Hoskins Historic Park. Holmes helped a committee find and secure property for the park as well as provide valuable historic perspective to the project. Juntunen said the society honors individuals involved in local historic preservation. "We value not only those who help preserve historic buildings, but also those who gather the information and materials that help us under stand what makes our particular part of the world unique," said Juntunen of Holmes' award. She said the soci ety seeks to honor those who continue to make history. "It is not possible to estimate the value of the numerous contributions Mr. Holmes has made to the history and cultural record of Benton County," said Juntunen. Holmes was born in his parent's home on the left bank of Agency Creek in Grand Ronde in 1933. Holmes was one often children born to Abraham and Mildred Holmes. Holmes' grandparents were David Holmes and Mary Shangretta. Mary was the daughter of Chief Joseph Sangretta. Holmes currently lives in Salem and has two sons, David and Jim. Holmes said that even though he feels detached from the Tribe at times, he said he understands the evolution of a modern-day Tribe trying to cling to its remaining cul ture and at the same time find pros perity to benefit its members. Still, Holmes insists that putting accu rate information out about the Tribes is paramount. "I will be up front with people who ask me things and I will tell them what I remember," said Holmes. "You have to have a touch with the old line of people to really establish the old history like it was. It is really critical now because there is only a handful of Elders left that we can extract this knowl edge from." For now, Holmes will just con tinue to share his knowledge and memories of the past with a select few here in the present. He will continue to talk to the Elders who are older than him and he will con tinue to look for young people wor thy of his knowledge. He will lis ten carefully soaking in every word. And he will find some in spired young person to mentor and motivate. This will be his legacy. Benton County Historical Society and Museum in Philomath Judy Rycraft Juntunen - Assistant Director and Librarian (541) 929-6230 - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC - CALL FOR HOURS
