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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2003)
SEPTEMBER 1, 2003 Smoke Signals 3 "Honoring Pole" Stops In Grand Rondo Lummi continued from front page the 13-foot pole had an effect on people equal to the majesty of the 650-year-old Western Red Cedar from which it was carved. "It's real spiritual when you carve on it," said carver Fred Simpson (Thinglet and Tsimpslean). "It's a shame to paint this one, the grain was so tight." "Words can't de scribe it," said Tribal Elder and former Tribal Chairwoman Kathryn Harrison after praying at the pole. "You have to be here." "I'll remember this all of my days," said Bob Hobart, who came to see the pole with his 8-year-old daughter, Geneva. "It was beautiful," said Harrison's daughter, Tribal member Patsy Pullin. "Jewell's a powerful speaker. He has a lot of pas sion." "We are all one people with one mind and one heart," said James. "If we can only get the religions of the world to understand that we're all one people." "I have begun to learn about some of the cul tures that brought America to what it is today," said Bill Ward, representing Congresswoman Darlene Hooley. "Indian culture is what life is 1 1 : l'.ln-4 T FUi i 4 A IT jr. j - - s. i Xir,., -vsw -jr sm ' --- ' Vi . II 5. i J " 3f 1 wBto" " . y t i '.. .r 5 ;(aTTi .. , -, ji t , . 4 iil Y:X':JsJ.:.'.: : t w. yr- A "We Are One" Master Carver Jewell 'Praying Wolf James addresses more than 100 who turned out to view and touch the Honoring Pole (in the background), the Lummi Nation's latest gift to all those who mourn the losses of 911. The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde were honored to be the first stop on the Lummis cross-country trip to Shanksville, Pennsylvania where United Airlines Flight 93 went down during the 911 attacks and where on September 7, the Lummis will plant the pole. all about." Tribal Elder and Veteran Marce Norwest gave Veterans' Memorial pins to members of the Lummi group, and also presented Kurt Russo, a Vietnam-era Special Forces Veteran hi nself, and organizer of the event for the Lum:nis, $100 "from me and my wife to help you on j our way." After wards , Tribal member Kristy Sur imers ap proached Russo, who was utill hold ing the cl eck from the Norwe sts in his hand, and opened her wallet . "Itis i't much," she said, "but it's all I have." She pulled out all of the bills ir. her wal let and handed them to R asso w 10 had tears f rming in his eyes. The trip was just about star ed when the pole a Tived in Grand Ro ide, b at already, people along the way had read about the pt le and contacted the Lummis to nay th ai lk you, to say -hat thjy wished th ;y could see the pole, or to toll the Lumnis that their relath es will t )e in Shanks rille for the ceremo ly. It was an overcast morning in Grand Rc nde un il the moment when James described the 60,000 people who over the last year went to Sh mksville to grieve. And then the sun came out. 1 1 I lib Hall of Legends Dedicated At Spirit Mountain Casino Hall continued from front page "Our primary goal was to honor our ances tors and their stories," said LaBonte. "It's not our interpretation of history. It's theirs." "We wanted to create a space that shared the history of the Grand Ronde people with casino guests as well as Tribal members," said Lindy Trolan, Cultural Collections Specialist who worked for several months on the project. The hallway, now brighter with a more spa cious feel, consists of five different informa tion panels, each addressing a specific period in the Tribes' history, from pre-contact to present day, each with its own display case for artifacts from the period. "I think they did a fantastic job," said Tribal member Deitrich Peters, who was surprised to find his grandmother's beaded purse in one of the cases. "This is what we should have had in the first place instead of the old Hall of Legends. This is the real Hall of Legends." Rosetta LaBonte, a Tribal Elder who at tended the opening, had her own special con nection to the hall. With a trembling voice, LaBonte pointed to a collection of military medals and said, "That's my brother's medal. He was killed on Biak Island in New Guinea in 1944. That's his Purple Heart," she said. "Have you ever felt the Purple Heart? It's very heavy." One of the goals of the new installation was to show the connection between historic and modern day Grand Ronde. Showing history, the display included lots of pre-contact arti facts like stone tools, baskets and dentalia necklaces all traditional trade items. Among newer artifacts was Tribal member Linda Murphy's beaded bottle. It represented a contemporary style of beadwork with a tra ditional running stitch instead of the more com- v .A ; ' ' ' -J ..v.'., "mpwwraH til. i 1 nil ft1 sit fv ' f ,1 v' "" I ' ' ' ... mimm Mvrn.un, , I. un (in I 1IHW1IH mon peyote stitch. A lot of Tribal members did not know what to expect, but they were pleased and very moved to see these artifacts displayed in such a respect ful setting. Murphy was moved to tears at see- Historical Collection Tribal Management Mentee Elai ie LaBonte is honored for her work on the Hall of Legends by Tribal C tuncil members Bob Haller, Valorie Shaker Robertson and Casino Guest Services Manager Randy Dugge The hall is the result of a close collaboration between the casini and the Tribes' Cultural Resources Department, which LaBonte helped facilitate. Many Tribal members contributed items to the display, ike this collection of military medals. Photos by Peta Tinda ing her work displayed. "I'm so proud of our Tribe and government for making the decision to invest (in ;his) wisely," said Murphy. "It's made a differ ence for all of us."
