FEBRUARY 1, 2004
MAE,
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A Publication of the Gra-;-'; -;.
www.grandronde.org
WOU
POW-WOW
Back To The Past
Sarah Demmert, a Tlingit
Native from Klawock,
Alaska, dances in her
grandfather's double
raven crest button blanket
and a traditional red cedar
hat at the Western Oregon
University Pow-wow.
Demmert, a student at
Southern Oregon University,
says she wears the blanket to
honor her grandfather and " to
keep it dancing." Richard
Sohappy, (above) a member of the
Grand Ronde drum group Eaglebeak,
waits to sing with his son, Grand Ronde
Tribal member Kale Sohappy. Kale's
mother is Grand Ronde Tribal member
Diana Sohappy. Natives from all over the
Northwest attended the January 24 celebra
tion, which drew 1 0 drum groups, 50 dancers
and hundreds of spectators.
More photos on page 4.
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Photos by Peta Tinda
Tribal Member Sees The War In Iraq From The Front Row
As a Medical Corps Specialist in Baghdad, Erik Estrada was on hand following the firefight with Saddam's sons.
By Ron Karten
Tribal member Erik Estrada en
listed in the Army following the 9
11 attack in 2001, a few months
after graduating from Edison High
School in Huntington Beach, California.
"Just keep your eyes open and
don't trust too many people," ad
vised his grandfather, Tribal Elder
Bud Leno, before Estrada left.
The family knew he'd look the
part of a great soldier since Erik had
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
Community of Oregon
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Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347
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tried on his
grandfather's World
War II uniform during
a recent Grand Ronde
Pow-wow.
"It fit him like a
glove," said Bud Leno,
who wore the uniform
while serving in the
Air Force in the Pacific
Theater in the 1940s.
Still, according to
Erik's mom, Tribal member Debbie
Estrada, "We tried to talk him out
of (going)." Debbie is a hospice
worker in California's Orange
County.
"He wanted to travel when he
Estrada continued on page 3
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Ready For Duty As a member
of the Army's 30th Medical unit, Erik
Estrada performed a range of duties
in Kuwait and Baghdad. This photo
supplied by the family was taken in
Kuwait with Estrada in front of a
Blackhawk helicopter.