Smoke Signals 3
Tribe to Visit Willamelteieteorite in New York
MAY 1, 2001
By Justin Phillips
Several representatives from the
American Museum of Natural
History in New York visited Grand
Ronde recently. Museum staff con
firmed the Tribal Council's planned
May 16 visitation and first blessing
of the 10,000 year-old, 15 and a half
ton meteorite "Tomanowos."
The Tribal Council met with Myles
Gordon, Vice President of Education;
Dr. Peter Whiteley, Associate Curator
in Anthropology; Martha Graham,
Director of Cultural Resources and Lisa
Gugenheim, Vice President of Govern
ment Relations and Community Affairs
at the museum.
The museum will be closed for all
other visitors during the Tribe's visit
and blessings from Tribal members.
The Tribe signed an agreement with
the museum in New York last June
that gave Tribal access to Tomanowos.
Tomanowos is the largest meteorite
ever discovered in the United States.
It was found in the Willamette Val
ley of Oregon, and was acquired by
the American Museum of Natural
History in 1906. It is a rare and im
portant scientific specimen an ob
ject that long ago fell to Earth from
space, carrying with it many secrets
of the history of our solar system and
of the planets within it.
It is said to weigh 15 and a half
tons now, but large portions of this
meteorite weathered away before it
was found. About 1,000 meteorites
fall to Earth each year.
According to Tribal legend,
Tomanowos was sent to Earth as a
representative of the "Sky People."
The meteorite represented a union
of sky, earth and water. Tribal hunt
ers would dip their arrows in rain
water collected in its basins.
A new plaque has been installed
in front of the meteorite to inform
visitors of its importance to the
Clackamas and their descendants.
The Tribe believes the meteorite has
healed and empowered people since
the beginning of time.
The Tribal Education Committee
also met with the museum represen
tatives. "What we talked about was the op
portunity for local Tribal member stu-
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New Yorkers in Indian Country Representatives from the American Museum of Natural History in New York
recently visited the Tribal Council and members of the Tribe's Education Committee to discuss the Tribe's planned visit to
the meteorite "Tomanowos." The museum has agreed to close the site to all other visitors while the Tribe visits and
conducts a blessing. There will be internships at the museum for Tribal youth beginning in July of this year.
Pictured here (from left) front row: June Sell-Sherer, Kathryn Harrison, Myles Gordon, Cheryle Kennedy, Bob Haller and
Rob Greene. Back row: Butch LaBonte, Jan D. Reibach, Martha Graham, Lisa Guggenheim and Peter Whiteley.
dents participating in an internship
at the museum in New York," said
Marion Mercier, Tribal Education
Manager. "What we decided is for our
high school youth to participate
rather than our college students at
this time. There are a lot of opportu
nities for our students to participate
in similar programs. We don't really
have this type of opportunity for high
school students. We are going to fo
cus this year on a two to three week
internship program participation for
our local high school youth."
The Youth Education program is
working on identifying a couple of
young people that may want to par
ticipate in the program. Astaffchap
erone would accompany the youth.
While the youth participate in the
internship, the staff will also partici
pate in training and development
about museum programs and differ
ent activities the museum is doing.
Mercier said she is very excited
about this new opportunity.
The internship is called "Inside
View." This is a program for students
who may be able to
work on a special
project with a men
tor or one of the
museum's scientists.
They will learn to
lead tours in the mu
seum. The museum
will pay for housing
and a stipend.
"This is how we are
going to start out
with the partnership
between the mu
seum and the Tribe,"
said Mercier. "We
anticipate that our
partnership will ex
pand in the future to
include other staff development or
other intern opportunities for our
college students as well. Right now,
we are shooting for the first week in
July to start the first phase."
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INTERN INFORMATION:
Lisa Leno 503-879-2224
Richard Sohappy t 503-879-4534
It Fell From Outer Space -
The 10,000 year-old meteorite
"Tomanowos" currently sits in the
American Museum of Natural Science
in New York. Several thousand visi
tors view the meteorite each year at
the museum and a plaque has been
placed near the meteorite to explain
its significance to the Tribe.
Connie Holmes Takes a Seat on the School Board
Tribal member looks to make a difference in the lives of local young people.
By Justin Phillips
It feels good to make a difference
in a child's life.
Tribal member Connie Holmes has
been doing that for years with her
daughter.
Soon she will be able make a dif
ference for all kids throughout the
Willamina School District.
Holmes was elected to the Wil
lamina School Board on April 9.
Holmes will be filling the seat of Jeff
Biller, who resigned.
"I was not supposed to start my term
until July 1, but I received an early
appointment to the school board on
April 9," said Holmes. "We are start
ing labor negotiations so this (new
opportunity) will definitely be jump
ing in with both feet. I am looking
forward to the opportunity of repre
senting my fellow community mem
bers, working with the other school
board members and staff members of
the Willamina School District."
Holmes' daughter Melanie Monson,
a fourth grade student, attends the
Math and Science program at the
Willamina Middle School.
"This program is usually a target
when it is time for budget cuts," said
Holmes. "Those of us who have chil
dren in this class feel it is important
to retain this program. It challenges
my child and is providing her with a
good foundation for college. Many
parents have said that if this pro
gram is done away with then they
will either move out of the district or
send their child to another school.
"You would need to visit this pro
gram to get a better understanding
of what they provide their students,"
said Holmes. "It is a tough program
that really challenges the kids aca
demically." Holmes also said that the top issue
affecting many school programs is
budgetary constraints due to a local
tradition of declining financial sup
port for local education needs.
"This (lack of financial support) lim
its spending for much needed school
supplies and equipment," said
Holmes. "I will work diligently to find
new ways to get additional funding
for our schools."
She added that the number one
priority is to provide a quality edu
cation for all the students in the dis
trict. The district is losing money
with enrollment declining.
"We need to find ways to improve
the overall education our children are
Connie Holmes
receiving and attract students to the
district as well as retain the students
we already have," said Holmes.
Holmes is the daughter of the late
Elmer Holmes and Karen and Norris
Merrill. Her brother is Tim Holmes.
"I would like to extend a thank you
to all of you that have supported me
in my efforts to be elected and espe
cially to my family for all the ways
they support me in everything I do,"
said Holmes.