Smoke Signals
JANUARY 1, 2003
Smoke Signals
IBEnnagj A Yean? IF JcmpMsIhM2inLfe9 EseasaDnns Tod (S&ts THhsHste
JANUARY 1, 2003
Review continued from front page
land.
Also, for those who would make a case that
education is worthwhile, Smoke Signals pub
lished a letter of thanks from Valorie Sheker
Robertson, when she earned her Bachelor's
Degree from George Fox University. As 2002
came to a close, Robertson moved from Member
Services to Tribal Council.
Throughout the year, Smoke Signals keyed
in on many other Tribal scholars from
Claudette Parazoo to Leslie Riggs, from Tamie
Spitzer to Kevin Simmons all who worked
hard and earned the benefits of an education.
Count also among that group Tribal members
Darci Warren, Jessica Juran and Tim Nelson.
Northwest Tribal Youth found another way
to extend their education this year they at
tended the Leadership Academy held at the ca
sino. The Community Fund got some well-deserved
kudos both early in the year and again later, as
its gifts to the larger community exceeded $17
million. In February, Smoke Signals reported
on the Fund's grant which brought artist Rick
Bartow's work to the Hallie Ford Museum in
, Salem.
Smoke Signals also honored the 265-mile walk
of Marine Veteran and Tribal member Steve
Bobb (the fund-raising for the Veterans' memo
rial, that locals will have noticed is now almost
completed).
February also was the month when Smoke
Signals extolled the success of such Tribal in
vestments as Gregory Lofts in the Pearl District
in Portland.
This year, Smoke Signals honored Tribal El
ders, the late Ila Dowd (February) and
Wilmadene Butler (March). Tribal Elder Hubert
Mercier (May) was honored as "one of the last
remaining links to the past" by his great grand
son, reporter Chris Mercier, and honors also
went to Tribal Elder Don Simmons (October),
who at 60, may be in the best shape of his life.
In March, reporter Peta Tinda covered the
- s?A'$,S ?' "v:-, si.'.cV' .i -Jrt- -- c1' y " f ? ? Jfv.
Pow-wow Colors Colorful regalia was one of
the many highlights of this year's pow-wow season in
Grand Ronde. The annual pow-wow was the largest
ever, drawing dancers, both amateur and professional,
to the event from all over the country. The Veterans'
Pow-wow was again one of the main highlights for Vet
erans in the area as the three-day event just gets big
ger and better each year.
Rodeos Can Be Fun Youngsters participated in several events at this year's 7th Annual 2002
Spirit Mountain Stampede on Saturday and Sunday, June 23 and 24 in Grand Ronde the second
event held on the new permanent rodeo grounds.
Smoke Signals reported on the success of
Tribal scholars throughout the year, and in
August, the Tribe underscored its commitment
to education with the new $6.8 million educa
tion campus. Tribal members also pursued edu
cational perks on a trip to New York City to visit
Tomanowos, the largest meteorite found in the
U.S. and the sixth largest in the world.
Also in August, a Community Fund gift
turned sour when the Sheridan Library balked
at accepting the $75,000 gift because it stipu
lated that the new library not be named for Gen
eral Phil Sheridan, namesake of the town, but
nemesis of Indians everywhere.
As the fall rolled around, Smoke Signals sup
ported the Lummi effort to ferry a gift Healing
Pole across the country. It was installed in New
York in honor of the victims and to help speed
healing for all impacted by the 911 terrorist
strike. The paper also paid tribute to this his
torical event with Willie Mercier's photo collage
and this reporter's collection of views of the event
' V
-V-vr 3&,., .-. , ......
J"
. f ' J
'
V1 .'
Vv , "
I AM
Portland appearance of Spokane Indian
Sherman Alexie, the writer and director whose
movies include Smoke Signals and The Business
of Fancy Dancing.
In April, reporter Chris Mercier covered the
adventures of Tribal member Dustin Brooks, a
foreign exchange student who made waves in
New Zealand. The Community Fund also was
back in the news in April with a $250,000 grant
for the area's first Native American Student and
Community Center at Portland State University.
Also that month, Tribal Elder Kathryn Harrison
helped dedicate a Heritage Tree, a white oak, at
the Oregon Garden in Silverton.
May brought about news of the Tribal Appeals
Court, an important addition to the still young
Tribal judicial system. Also in May, Governor
John Kitzhaber and other state of Oregon offi
cials met in Grand Ronde with leaders of all nine
Oregon Tribes in a government-to-government
summit. And Willie Mercier reported on the ar
rival of buffalo in Grand Ronde.
In June, Smoke Signals brought
Tribal members Matt and Caitlin
Zimbrick to the front page for their out
standing track and field exploits at the
state championships. Also in June,
Tinda explored some of the Culture De
partments efforts from teaching the
stick game to grass dancing. And speak
ing of sports, the Grand Ronde Tribe got
together in June with Golden Boy Pro
ductions to produce "Fight Night" at
Portland's Rose Garden. It was brought
to you in living color in Editor Brent
Merrill's photo shoot. Later in the year
Smoke Signals reprised the effort with
Fight Night II.
In July, Smoke Signals began cover
age of the Davidson tragedy on High
way 18, and the community-wide effort
to raise money for the family. Smoke
Signals staff cleaned up again at the
Native American Journalists Associa
tion awards held this year in San Di
ego. Tinda and Merrill took home pres
tigious awards for writing and photog
raphy. As the summer moved on, Smoke Sig
nals covered the Veterans' Pow-wow,
the Contest Pow-wow, as well as the All-Indian
Rodeo and the latest chapter in the successful
Spirit Mountain Stampede, both held this year
at the Tribe's permanent rodeo grounds.
Also during the summer, the Tribe hosted an
important conference describing the benefits of
"cool burning." This traditional Native forest
practice is returning to use after years of a failed
national plan calling for fire suppression.
I v
fyy '
A. i -
V ! '
t, if ' " ft y
K a
M 'ft- lJ
v wm.
fL 'til -4 I!
i v
f
I
- - - ww
Re-Elected Tribal members June Sell-Sherer (left) and Reyn Leno (right), shown here at this year's Veterans' Pow-wow in July,
were re-elected to Tribal Council in the year 2002. Sherer serves council as Tribal Council Secretary and Leno serves as Vice Chairman.
Tribal member Valorie Sheker-Robertson was also elected to council for the first time during the September elections.
One Can Karten -
Experienced journalist Ron
Karten joined the Smoke
Signals staff during 2002.
Karten, who lives in Dayton
with his family, has fit into
the community and pro
vides quality, competent
copy for the newspaper.
J
;y m . r tn )(
.. ' . ...
1 r TiT.innh.itiwiimiii.ni " W-.V t n iin--
from many in and among the Tribal commu
nity. Also in the fall, the Tribal Council took on a
new face specifically Valorie Sheker
Robertson's as the Tribe re-elected Reyn Leno
and June Sell-Sherer to their positions during
Tribal Council elections
By October, the Community Fund had passed
the $16 million mark, a milestone that meant
untold amounts of community growth in terms
of helping the hungry, the homeless and so
many others lost in the wash of history.
Along with building a better tomorrow, the
Tribe put a more honest face on history
with its contribution to the opening of the
Fort Hoskins Interpretive Center in Benton
County, and the early work being done to
develop something similar a little closer to
home about two miles north of the ca
sino where Fort Yamhill used to be.
A traditional longhouse project and the
Veteran's Memorial took shape and moved
forward under the watchful eyes (and cam
era) of Tinda. The Memorial got a special
boost in October when the Tribe brought Na
vajo Code Talker Roy Hawthorne to town for a
fund raiser.
'' " .new" '.'-J- .f-riT , ;' t
"
'! 6
.! A
I I MM I 1
Commitment To Education - The Tribe is com
mitted to education and that fact was highlighted in 2002
with the opening of the new Tribal Education Campus a
four building complex designed to house the education
program's staff and participants. The main building, shown
here under construction during last spring's rain, was com
pleted at the end of summer just in time for the new
school year to begin in the fall.
The casino staff celebrated seven years of suc
cess this fall, and the Wellness Center celebrated
five.
In October, Smoke Signals published a spe
cial section dedicated to artists both Indian
and not that are building the community of
tomorrow with their visions and their talents.
The Tribe had many visitors during the year,
and Smoke Signals was there for singers from
the Czech Republic (June), for Oregon's Retired
Educators (November), the Reverend Bryan
Eaglehelper (November) and a State Depart
ment delegation of nurses from Syria (Novem
ber). Smoke Signals also was there when some from
Grand Ronde left for adventures literally around
the world. Marjie Mascarinas, nurse practitio
ner for the Tribal Wellness program, left in Oc
tober for Turkmanistan, her Peace Corps assign
ment. Kevin Simmons, the 2002-03 Mark O.
Hatfield Fellow, left in November to serve on
Congressman David Wu's staff in Washington,
D.C.
Native practice faced off against modern in
surance requirements this year when the Tribal
Council took on the issue of smudging in Tribal
buildings. In one of those buildings, the Be
havioral Health unit earned its second state cer
tification this year.
Late in the year, the Tribe celebrated Resto
ration with a pow-wow on the new Education
gym. The Tribe also celebrated Indian films by
supporting the Native American Film Festival
held in San Francisco.
And if little kids too often get short shrift in
this world that seems to belong to adults, Smoke
Signals dedicated space to them time and again
during the year most recently focusing on
their efforts to learn Chinuk in the Tribe's lan
guage immersion program.
That may be it for 2002, but the tiktik keeps
on tiktikking.
Proud
Memorial
This likeness
of what the
planned
Veterans'
Memorial in
Grand Ronde
will look like
was on
display this
year during
the annual
Veterans'
Pow-wow in July. The memorial was designed
by Tribal member and Marine Veteran Steve
Bobb to honor all Veterans in the Grand
Ronde, Willamina and Sheridan communities
living or past, men or women from any conflict
and whether or not they are Tribal or non-Tribal.
i '
MM ;
i '' 'l iKj
Tough Hitter Tribal youth Nick Kimsey lettered in
basketball and football during 2002 for the Willamina Bull
dogs. Kimsey played both ways for Willamina during the
football season playing fullback on offense and linebacker
on defense.
rtwuw"-" ill " ' ill'11 "' I
it h
ir
New Flag Poles The Veterans' Memorial recently got
new flag poles installed and new guardrails were being installed
at press time. The memorial project was highlighted by Steve
Bobb's 265-mile journey from Table Rock in southern Oregon to
Grand Ronde in February of 2002. The epic walk was part of an
overall effort to raise money and awareness of the memorial
project.