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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 2000)
DECEMBER 15, 2000 (I iftcilpi It in Smoke Signals m If tifPgM Continued from front page est beginnings of the people who were seeking Restoration and what the Tribe has achieved over the years in relatively short time -1 mean we're talking 17 years. That is less than a genera tion to work this complete transformation of the Tribe and its outlook. Smoke Signals: One of the things I noticed is when your name is mentioned, folks around here got real excited about your visit. How does that make you feel to know that you are an important person to the community? Wharton: Well, I don't know about being an important per son. It's nice to know that people remember you from the days when you worked together and the work that you did together. There is a certain kind of bond that comes out of people who share struggles. You have to recall that this is a time when the Grand Ronde people supported what they did with bake sales and trying to sell beads and crafts. Smoke Signals: And passing the hat. Wharton: And passing the hat. There was a real sense of mission. A real sense of struggle and commitment among the people who were there. These are people who showed up because they believed in who they were and what they were doing. There was no other incentive. These were people that showed up be cause they wanted their grandmother's medicine to be paid for. These people had very simple needs. And the foundation of all of that was to remove the insult that the United States had put upon them about not being a Tribe anymore. Not being one of the Indian Nations amongst the great circle of Indian Nations. That ' was first and foremost. And it is all the sweeter that it turned out so grandly successful. But, it also would be sweet just the same if there were nothing more than those programs that they had wanted at the time. Smoke Signals: Because that would be a victory. Wharton: Absolutely. Restoration of itself was a victory. That the Grand Ronde people deserved to have it happen, but it wasn't essential to the initial vision and goals that the people were think ing about. So, it was a terrific bonus. They deserved it. They needed to have it, but they could have survived without it. The gaming was beyond anybody's vision or dreams. In the early days I mean. Those dreams and visions evolved over time. Smoke Signals: What do you think is the most important thing for our folks to remember about the transition that has gone on over the 17 years just from your perspective? What do you wish people would consider important? Wharton: I think it is always important for people to remem ber their own story. To understand their own history and to rec ognize the contributions made by the people in their community who went before them. It is important for people to know who those people were that kept the flame alive when there was little reward for doing so. These are the people who didn't end up being the elected leadership of the Tribe... You know I think about people like Dean Mercier I mean he was there and he was committed and he added a lot of grit to that. . . You know he is not the kind of guy who goes back to D.C. and testifies before Con gress although he certainly could have. And he is not the guy who sits down and negotiates with the bankers over what the debt service rate will be on a gaming enterprise. But, he is an intregal part of the community that held together the belief that the Tribe existed and had a right to exist and ought to be restored. That contribution, by itself, is a really important piece of under standing that all of the Grand Ronde people are part of doing what happened here. Smoke Signals: Not a lot of people know that information. Wharton: There are others too. Mrs. (Eula) Petite who didn't outlive this process. She was there too. And, there are the people who provided so much support in context to what was go ing on like, Candy Robertson. There was never a meeting, there was never a gathering, there was never anything going on that she wasn't behind the scenes making sure that the food was there, that the lights were on, that the heat was on. Candy is the kind of person who even though she's not up on the podium speaking, you couldn't be there without her. It couldn't happen, it wouldn't happen without her. Smoke Signals: I appreciate that perspective. Wharton: There is one other thing and it has to do with the courage. The raw, gut courage. In addition to the commitment and the showing up and the putting their own money in the tea pot and the bake sales and the rest of it. These people, and these are just the down home Grand Ronde people. Smoke Signals: It's not just about the money either. Wharton: It has nothing to do with money. Smoke Signals: It's not even the benefits and all the things it's about the community. It's about the sense of family. It's about the sacrifices that people made and the ideal they had. Wharton: More than anything else, it's about righting a ter rible wrong. 3 ay Leno Brings Stand Up Comedy to Grand Ronde Audience The Tribe's Spirit Mountain Casino showcased one of the big names in Hollywood on Monday, January 17 when Tonight Show host Jay Leno performed back-to-back stand-up comedy shows. Leno, who takes his act on the road annually, poked fun at the news, joked about the differences between men and women and their pets, told stories about his many airline adventures, shared intimate details about a unique relationship with his parents, waxed poetic about his love of old cars and still managed at times to be raw and edgy with his humor. Before the show, the question on many people's mind was why does an "A" list performer like Jay Leno need to go on the road when he has a long-running hit television show that pays him extremely well. After the show he answered that question. Leno: It's like working out with weights or something, you can't be a weightlifter and not train. The way you keep sharp is you go out and you learn something each show and you get an other ad lib that you can turn into a joke or something. Smoke Signals: Is there anything you miss about the early days of your career? Leno: No. I learned from those early days. We all started out together, me and (David) Letterman, Robin Williams, Jerry Seinfeld. We all started out working in clubs. You learn from every experience. During the interview, Leno was informed than one of the larger families in the Tribe has the name Leno as well. The difference in pronunciation was explained to him Lenno for him and Leeno for the local family. Leno said everyone in his Italian family, except his dad, pronounces the name Leeno. Leno: That is how everybody in my family pronounces their name except my dad. My dad changed it to Leno (Lenno). You know when he was a kid everybody wanted to be American no body wanted to be Italian or whatever. So, he made it more anglo sized Lenno instead of Leeno. It actually is pronounced Leeno." Smoke Signals: Tell me about your car collection. Leno; Well, I never sell anything. I have every car I've ever owned since I came to California. I like to work on them and drive them around and crash them and fix them. Smoke Signals: Do you ever take a tour of your own cars to see what you have? Leno: No. Saturdays and Sundays I just work on my stuff in the garage; sometimes for a couple of hours after work. It's great fun. Great fun. Tribal Elder Joe Mercier Shares Memories, Survives World War II Tribal Elder Joe Mercier, 77, thought growing up in Grand Ronde during the 1930s was tough. But, life on the Reservation was cake compared to surviving in the jungles of New Guinea and the Philippines during World War II. "I remember we pinned down these (Japanese soldiers), but they had caves and we didn't know it," said Private First Class Joseph Arthur Mercier of his memories of war. "I was the lead. I was always the scout. I came up out of a moor and there was a (Japa nese soldier) and he began to shoot. He was using an automatic rifle and he shot our sergeant five times in the legs. We finally got him out of there and that is how I got my Bronze Star." As his battalion's scout (Rifleman), he was on the point. He would scout an area out before the other troops would come in. He was always the first one to get into the action. He said he could remember many times when the war raged around him. The fear the young men felt in their battles held them together said Mercier, who was 20 years old at the time (1943). "Damn right we were scared," he remembered. Mercier returned to Grand Ronde and resumed hunting in the woods with his friends. "I did most of the shooting," said Mercier of his frequent hunt ing trips. "Those deer didn't hardly ever get away from me." Mercier remembers one hunting trip, with best friend Fremond Bean, in which he needed more than a gun to make the kill. "He (Fremond) came by and wanted to go hunting," said Mer cier. "He said I should drive because he wanted to do the shoot ing. So, I drove. We went up the hill and halfway up the butte, he shot this deer that was fairly close. Fremond started out down the hill after the deer and left me up top. I didn't have a gun. I went over to where I thought the deer was and damned if it (the deer) wasn't standing there looking at me." What Mercier didn't know at the time was that Bean had shot the deer through the ear and the deer was near death, but still on all fours. "I looked around there until I found a good-sized limb and I hit it (the deer) in the head and knocked it down," said Mercier. "It would get up and I would knock it down and it would get up and I would knock it down." turn: i ' Hi W , -'). IV y : 'i i ; , .- i ' r v JOt MtRCILR HSU fi OKE.N LYONS JAY LLNO Tribal Elder Orville Leno Logged, Played Baseball, Went to War Grand Ronde Tribal Elder Orville Leno spent most of his years in the woods as a logger. He saw some of the world while in the military and remembers his days of growing up in Grand Ronde fondly. Leno said the state of logging in the Northwest is sad. He said it is hard to watch the industry he grew up in die out. His memories of war are not discussed with family and yet his memories of playing baseball while growing up are shared with excitement and enthusi asm. Baseball was the only game that mattered in Leno's youth. Everybody in the community Indian and non-Indian came to play. Respect was earned and life-long legends were born. After his leaving school after the 11th grade Leno made a name for him self as a logger. Then, he went into the service. "I got some of the guys that I was in the service with there is not many of us left," said Leno, "They still write every Christmas. They still keep track. When I was in the service I used to tell him I lived in a teepee. Yeah, I used to kid them a lot just because I was the only Indian. I had a lot of fun with them just from being an Indian. They all respected that though. "I took infantry training in Arkansas," said Leno. "I was doing communi cations for different outfits. Wherever they needed communication they'd set us up. We went from Casablanca clear up to Rome. "I got to see a lot of it (the world)," said Leno. "A lot of it I didn't like, but it is like I said we were survivors." Leno survived many battles and earned several commendations and honor medals. Leno took part in the Angio Landing near the time of the Normandy Landing. "I think I've got 6 or 7 battle stars," said Leno. "Some of them were good and others were just not what you want to see." Leno said the face of war is not pretty. He said the pictures of war have stayed in his mind, but it is not something he chooses to talk about often. "The hard part was the killing of somebody that you didn't even know for no (apparent) reason. In war nobody gabs anything you both lose. No matter if you win you lose." Leno said he has tried to forget some things. "Oh, I think about them (memories of war), but I try not to," said Leno. Leno's memories of growing up in the woods and spending most of his life as a logger in the Northwest are more pleasant. He said it was tough work, at times nearly impossible, but he learned and he has no regrets. The veteran loggers put the rookie timberjacks through a traditional rou tine of hazing while teaching them the art of logging. Just like in baseball, the veterans wanted to see how much the young rook ies could do. "A little harder," they would say to Leno. "If you can stand er." The memory made him smile. ' J't P 'M t, 1 " OKVILLL LLNO MLKLL MOLMLS KLVIN GOVELR cjribal Elder Merle Holmes was Born II in Grand Ronde, Knows its History Sometimes he feels he's on the outside looking in at his own Tribe. Grand Ronde Elder Merle Holmes watches as his Tribe grows, evolves and rewrites its own history. Holmes said the most im portant factor in establishing and maintaining Tribal history is accuracy. He wants the Tribe's story to be told but, he wants it to be told correctly. 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 Sangretta. Mary was the daugh ter of Chief Joseph Sangretta. Holmes has two sons Jim and David. 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 culture and at the same time find prosperity to benefit its members. "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 knowledge from." Casino Employee, 18, Saves Lives with "Heroic" Rescue Life has been pretty crazy lately for Dallas teenager Russell Irwin. First, he got a new job. Then, he got married. Next, he became a hero. After finishing just his second shift at the Grand Ronde Tribe's Spirit Mountain Casino as a prep cook, Irwin was on his way home when he came across a burning tour bus that also had just left the casino. Irwin acted quickly and began helping passen gers get off the bus to safety. "I came over the hill and when I did, the charter bus was on fire," said Irwin. "In order to miss the bus, I had to pull my emergency brake otherwise I would have hit them. They had cars scattered all over that hill. Irwin said he didn't have time to think. "I got out of the car and ran down to the bus," said Irwin. "I asked (someone) near the bus if they got everybody off the bus and he said there were still people in there. They were pushing to get out. So, I went up over the seats and I got into the back end of the bus where the fire was at and started pulling people out of the bus. The guy that was helping me said after the sixth time I went into the bus I passed out on the stairs and he yanked me off the bus. Then, I went to the hospital." The bus started to deteriorate around him on his last trip into the burning vehicle. "The rubber on the floor of the bus was all gooey," said Irwin of the inferno. "I got chemical burns from the seats. They were pretty hot. I also got chemical burns in my throat and in my mouth because of the toxic fumes. I don't really remember too much after that. I just remember the ambulance came and got me." According to Oregon State Police on scene, a mechanical prob lem in the bus' engine caused the fire. )k 0. ; v . ftp o 1 ri A ssistant Secretary to the Bureau ZrAof Indian Affairs Goes One-on-One The highest-ranking Native American public official in the United States, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Indian Af fairs (BIA) Kevin Gover, took a moment from his schedule to talk with Smoke Signals at this year's National Congress of Ameri can Indians Conference in St. Paul, Minnesota in mid-November. Smoke Signals: Obviously right now the big thing that is on people's mind is the election and I know that without resolution it kind of has people in turmoil. What do you think about that right now and how does it affect Indian Country? Gover. I don't know that it affects Indian Country any differ ently than it does every other American. I think we have to be patient and try to have some confidence in the process. I believe that a clear result will emerge soon. And in Oregon and Wash ington and New Mexico even in places like Iowa and Wisconsin the Indian vote could have been the swing vote. If anybody doubts the impact that we (Natives) can have on elections, this election has proved it. Smoke Signals: It seems like many people felt that a vote for the Green Party would have taken a vote away from Gore. What do you think about that? Gover: As far as I'm concerned, a vote for the Green Party is a vote for Republicans. I respect the integrity of the Green Party, I respect their earnestness, but it is absolutely clear that when you vote green you are basically voting for a Republican candidate. I frankly don't think a lot of people did that in Indian Country. I understand the appeal that Winona LaDuke has, but the reality was that she was never going to be vice president. I hope that doesn't prove to be the decisive factor. Because if it is, then the Greens are responsible for what happens for the next four years. Smoke Signals: What do think are the most important issues on the West Coast and how can Tribes be a part of government maybe in a different way? Gover: Well clearly the salmon issue is first and foremost. If it turns out that the work that the Tribes did in U.S. vs. Wash ington and U.S. vs. Oregon proved to be hollow victories because the resource has been destroyed that would be a sad comment on how the United States stewards the resource. The Tribes have to continue to pound on the door. There are very powerful interests at work on this issue and the Tribes have not yet had their voice fully heard in my opinion. They just have to keep working at it. Smoke Signals: What are some of those powerful interests that you allude to? Gover: The timber companies, the power companies and even the agricultural interests in those states have had more influence to date on the resolution of the salmon issue than have the Tribes in my opinion. If we don't bring policy around to the Tribal per spective I believe the resource will be lost. Smoke Signals: That would be a tragedy. Gover: It would be a crime of historic proportions for those animals to become extinct. ell-known Onandaga Chief wants Native Languages Saved Respected Tribal leader, and veteran of many television projects that have educated the dominant culture about Tribal history, Onandaga Chief Oren Lyons was a central figure in the 57th gathering of the National Congress of American Indians. Lyons took a moment after the awards ceremony to speak with Smoke Signals. Smoke Signals: I noticed one of the things you talked about tonight was the importance of keeping our languages. Lyons: Of course. You know its getting so we heard a couple of good examples today of people who are so intent on getting a good nation that they forget who they are. The more you look like your brother over there, the less you are going to look like your self. It is so important the first foundation for sovereignty is to know who you are and to protect that. Smoke Signals: One of the things we are doing back home is we are teaching our language, our Chinook jargon, to our chil dren because they seem to really retain it and they go home and they teach their older siblings and their parents. . . Lyons: That is what happens. You are not the only ones a lot of Indian nations are teaching the kids and the kids are going home and teaching their parents. The parents have to learn out of embarrassment they can't talk to their kids in their own language. It is a neglect that nations will pay for. And, I will say one more thing about language, language hasn't been lost lan guage was taken. Language was beaten out of the people. Lan guage was a federal program of destruction. I mean we didn't lose language. It was taken from us in the most unjust manner you know it was a crime. It was really a crime what they did. Smoke Signals: Like in the boarding schools . . . Lyons: Well, that is what it was. The whole purpose of the boarding schools was to take the child away from the culture and the language. W x
