2
si ;i i imbir ivi, 2002
POIV WOW 2002
Pow wow Highway Leads To Grand Ronde
People come from all over, say they like it here.
By Peta Tinda
Tjhe Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde's Annual Con
test Pow-wow, held August
16-18 in Grand Ronde, has become
one of the most well-liked and best
attended pow-wow's around.
The combination of a beautiful
setting, clean pow-wow grounds
and traditional Indian hospitality
had people coming from far and
wide to attend the celebration.
There were 309 registered dancers,
22 of whom were Grand Ronde
Tribal members, and about 15,000
spectators on Saturday.
"It's become a well known pow
wow," said Tribal member Dana
Ainam, Chair of the Pow-wow Com
mittee. "We try to do the little
things to help our dancers and
drum groups. The community
comes out to welcome everyone too."
Jared Kipp, a Shoshone-Bannock
from Ft. Hall, Idaho, came to the
three-day event with six of his rela
tives in two fully loaded pow-wow
vans. Colorful shawls were hung
from the coat racks in the van.
"Last time we came, we liked it.
It was nice and clean. The people
here are really nice and friendly,"
said Kipp.
With hundreds of dancers and
many drum groups from all over
Indian Country and as far away as
Canada and New York, the Grand
Ronde celebration is becoming on
of the premier stops on the pow
wow highway.
John Mesplie, traditional dancer,
drove five hours from Yakama,
Washington.
"It's a real good pow wow," said
Mesplie. "Everybody I've met has
been friendly. Nice people here."
There were over 30 drum groups
at the pow-wow, from all over the
United States and Canada. They
had fantastic names like Soaring
Hawk, z, Four Directions, Red Wil
low, Northern Cree, Southern Cree,
Black Stone, Spirit House, Eagle
Thunder, Wandering Boys, Cree
Star, Screaming Eagle, and War
rior Society.
The chance to hear some of the
best drum groups around was what
brought Henry Ray Aleck, 20, of
Yakama.
Aleck sings with the drum group
"Small Town Singers" and drove all
day to hear two of his favorite
groups, Black Lodge and Bear
Creek.
"That's what I'm into," said Aleck.
"I heard they were here last year,
but I missed it. So I thought I'd
check it out."
"It's a nice pow-wow," said Algin
ScabbyRobe of the Black Lodge
Singers, who came from White
Swan, Washington to sing at the
pow-wow.
The Black Lodge Singers, who
have released over 25 albums and
"The community comes
out to welcome everyone. "
Dana Ainam (Leno)
Chair of Pow-wow Commitee
are one of the most well-known
drum groups in Indian Country,
were at the pow-wow for their fifth
year in a row. It's the hospitality,
ScabbyRobe said, that keeps his
group coming back every year.
"We're always impressed a lot,"
said ScabbyRobe. "They always
take good care of us here, see that
we have water to drink and a place
to stay and vouchers to eat at the
casino. These guys know what it
T"1
C -i'VO. 1-4 "V ' ' 1
V
i (o)
j h rt -
tl 2
1
5
takes to take care of a drum group.
It's always a pleasure to be here
in Grand Ronde."
"We take the best care of the
drum groups as we can," said
Tribal member Bobby Mercier, a
Pow-wow Committee member. "A
lot of the drums are champion
drum groups. To be able to bring
that kind of talent to Grand Ronde
is awesome."
Another attraction was the first
annual Grand Ronde stick game
tournament, organized by Jeff
Brisbois (see sidebar). Stick game
teams came from across Indian
Country to compete for cash prizes
and fine embroidered jackets.
The weather was beautiful on
pow-wow weekend, contributing
to the all time high turnout of
dancers and spectators. A Parade
was held on Saturday, with the
newly elected Tribal Royalty, Vet
erans' Royalty and Elders riding
on floats and throwing candy to
the kids.
The Grand Ronde Tribe has come
a long way since the first pow
wow's were held down at the school
grounds. Through a combination
of good planning, hard work and
community spirit, the Grand
Ronde Pow-wow has become one
of the top pow-wow's in the North
west. B
FVN- J
r n,
1
CO
! 1 J Jl
3 4
Sr. Miss Grand Ronde Emma Leno
Jr. Miss Grand Ronde Sheena Johnson
Little Miss Tiny Tot Victoria Rios
J.
-
MiMjkiikiiW. a .. I
bvi v !f
t 1 .WR F ... .1 ItL I 1 ,111 l.lt,l
J wit- t ,
Dittr-Hc-l
a riff 11 ;t;
' V Tin -ll I
il IMI I
'.si i''':3 '1-4 A
J Tf
I 1
''V, 1
l! if; ,
LLjU
V