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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2003)
i V NOVEMBER 1, 2003 Smoke Signals 7 mmmyoity Confer Opens Photos by Peta Tinda "V ; .?fiirjrfef rffeL, v" wfj ' ' , t''- II 1 rill jif j, ; , . -I'V.-r-' ' Jf ,i iff : ji i 1 i r ? i ' . Slfe taiif E f i.f r 'I 'iff' III ! I f' !l ' !( ' ' ,i-,.r.m,ii..,. .....n. r fc--. .- : - .. , :. .. . ,t ,1. , .f Special Guest Former Grand Ronde Tribal Chairwoman and respected Tribal Elder Kathryn Harrison cuts the ceremonial ribbon, officially opening the Student and Community Center. The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde's Spirit Mountain Community Fund donated $250,000 to the building of the center, which will be a place of respect, cultural identity, common ground and a beacon for the 20,000 Native Americans and Alaskan Natives who live in the Portland area. Gathering Place to the outside. The Gathering Place is a space for celebration and sharing un der a prism of glass telegraphing the rhythms i of the day. The building tells many stories; ref erencing teepees, Columbia River fishing scaffolds, longhouses, mound houses and rolling hills. "The roof is a sky catcher, re flecting the pat terns of the sky with a rooftop gar den (eco-roof) that displays, native plants and inter prets the tradi tional ways that individual species play a role in Na tive life. The cul mination of the procession up the ly. j ,Si mwiir mJ roof is the place of honor where graduates will be forever recog nized for their achievement." The stairs up to the rooftop courtyard start outside the Civic Side with a succession of turns and risers taking one up to the facility's high point above the Gathering Place. Stairs down from there emerge just off the Gathering Place to complete the circle. Within are a scattering of artworks from the likes of Lillian Pitt (Warm SpringsYakama) and Jim Jackson (Klamath) although more are coming, $500,000 worth in all. In addition, from a kitchen off the Gathering Place volunteers served up fry bread and other appetizers for visitors who also were invited to a salmon dinner set up in the parking lot across the street. "Indians started flocking here for the (Native Studies) program when it was in a little house," said Tom Ball. "Now we have this beautiful new center. We're hoping that Indian people will continue to come here." The school enrolls some 250 Indian students from a Native population of some 14,000 in the Portland area. Many Tribal members and Tribal Education employees attended. Tribal youth Eric Sabin came "to be involved in Tribal activities," and Tribal youth Nathan Mueller said, "I like get ting involved in all the Native American stuff." Tribal member Ashley Tuomi, now a PSU stu dent and former coordinator of the United In dian Students of Higher Education, was part of a team of students who introduced State Sena tor Ben Westlund. The Office of Indian Education in the federal Education Department announced a two-year $400,000 grant to the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde during the opening. The Special Projects Demonstration grant for Indian Chil dren will enable high school students to teach math and science to elementary school students in the Native language, according to director Victoria Vasques. B trr; ; 1 4 i,.,. if- - It If, --IS- 4 1 MiM ifltei itsKfev Restoration Governor Former Oregon Governor Victor Atiyeh, the Governor in 1 983 when Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde was restored, has always been a vocal and active supporter of the Tribe and it's efforts towards self-sufficiency. Atiyeh spoke to the crowd gathered at PSU for the opening of the Native American Student and Community Center.
