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A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe
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What the Committee is, what they do and who is the key contact.
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ne hundred years ago the term "the Tribe" probably carried a different meaning than that of today.
It meant a group, one with chiefs, warriors, shamans, medicine men, rituals, a language and tradi
tions. These days "the Tribe" has taken an all-new significance. Here we think of Grand Ronde, or more
extended, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Economically, a corporation. Culturally, an orga
nization bent on preserving. Politically, affluent and ever changing.
The Tribe of years age was more complex than one would think, a hierarchy, a clan, a conglomerate of
individuals banded together in mutual support, guarding each other against rival Tribes, either through
blood or fellowship. Usually both.
But the complexity of old hardly compares with today, wherein we have this confederation. In that
confederation, there are sects within sections, subdivisions within divisions, all boiling down to each
and every individual, the production specialist, the administrative assistant, and the secretary.
Just how complicated is CTGR? To be succinct, very. But the point of this article is not to dissect the
Tribe, instead we're going to look at some of the support mechanisms of Grand Ronde, those groups
that exist on the periphery but have yet to be explained in full to membership.
One can't work at the Tribe without having heard of them the boards, the committees, and the
commissions. But just what do they do? Here are some answers.
Boards and commissions are often paid, while committees sometimes are not.
CTGR knew the value of committees early on, passing the General Committee Ordinance (Tribal
Code 230) December 22, 1986, with the goal being "to form a more efficient and cohesive government."
With that ordinance passed, the foundations were laid for creation upon inception upon birth of a wide
variety of committees, some specific, some not.
Though some Tribal members grumble at the proliferation of committees and boards, what they don't
understand is that these groups are essential to Tribal government. Essential in that they represent
research. Essential in that they take the complaints and the suggestions. Essential in that they pro
vide answers. Essential in that not everything at the Tribe can be a full-time paid position. Somebody's
got to do the footwork, make the phone calls, and attend the conferences in Portland. Somebody's got to
call the drummers, review the timber sales and book the tickets.
Here they are, an exhausting and comprehensive look:
Pov-vjoi7 Committee
BACKGROUND: When one considers the
amount of planning and organizing necessary
to put on the Pow-wows these days, one shouldn't
be shocked to learn that a committee existed
whose sole duties were to do just that. But not
until March 17, 1993 did an official Pow-wow
Committee come into existence via the Pow-wow
Committee Ordinance.
PEOPLE INVOLVED: Under most circum
stances seven (7) members staff the committee,
though five (5) run the show these days. Coun
cil appoints each and every
member, serving two-year
terms. Committee members
work for free. Meetings are
held once per month during
the off-season, without any set
days. As the Pow-wow nears,
meetings are more frequent,
usually once per week. Tribal
Member Dana Ainam serves
as Chair and Vice-Chair.
There is no Secretary position.
MEMBERS: Dana Ainam
(Chair & Vice-Chair), Joe
Brisbois, Patrick Galligher,
Florene Hoff, Bobby Mercier,
and Jackie Provost.
FUNCTION: In the words of committee mem
ber and Tribal member Bobby Mercier, their
duty is "doing the Pow-wow." But doing the Pow
wow is a process that goes beyond setting up
the microphone. Planning, preparing, adver-
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tising, soliciting, fund raising, budgeting, or
ganizing, reporting, raffling, accounting, con
tracting, cleaning, setting up, parking and
even drumming make up the core of their
functions. And that's just paraphrasing.
Though the committee operates on a council-approved
budget, according to Mercier and
Tribal member Dana Ainam (formerly Leno),
they do solicit donations. They also recruit
vendors, speakers, and even parking staff.
But more importantly they recruit for ideas,
always looking for
something origi
nal, something
that will bring
people back for
more.
"Most of our
ideas depend
upon what has
happened during
the year," said
Ainam. "But we
do try to do some
thing different."
Truth is that the
Pow-wow Com
mittee will have a
hard time improving upon their most recent
successes. The drumming and dancing con
" tests have secured Grand Ronde a reputation
deep in Indian Country.
Pow-wow continued on page 2
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Traditional Regalia On Display -
Tribal member Daniel Haug, wearing traditional rega
lia, dances at the Tribe's 1992 Pow-wow in Grand Ronde.
The Tribe's Pow-wow Committee formalized in 1993.