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
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"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
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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-
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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."