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