Smoke Signals 9
MAY 1, 2004
Learn more about The Confederated Tribes of Grand Rondo's
history with the 20 year Restoration video.
Copies on VHS are available for $10. Copies on DVD are now
available for $15.
If you would like to purchase a video, please contact
Marty George at 503-879-1453.
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Orville A. Leno
1919 2004
Funeral for Grand Ronde Tribal Elder and
longtime West Valley resident Orville A. Leno
of Sheridan was held Wednesday, April 14 in
the Tribal gymnasium. He passed away on April
10, 2004, in his home, accompanied by family
members. He was 85.
Interment was in the Tribal cemetary. He was
born January 9, 1919, son of David and Emma
Leno. He was a member of the Confederated
Tribes of Grand Ronde, as were his parents, and
lived the majority of his life in the Grand Ronde area. He attended
school in Grand Ronde as well as Chemawa Indian School near Sa
lem. During World War II, Mr. Leno served four years with the Army
Air Forces, including duty in Africa and Europe. He and Ramona
McKnight married June 20,1947. She preceded him in death. Mr.
Leno worked as a logger for many years until his retirement. He
enjoyed spending time with his family, hunting, fishing and base
ball, his family said. Survivers include two daughters, Darlene Aaron
of McMinnville and Barbara Steere of Willamina; three sons, Reyn
Leno of Willamina, Lonnie Leno of Grand Ronde and Marty Leno of
Sheridan; two brothers, Russ Leno of Grand Ronde and Wilmer "Bud"
Leno of El Monte, Calif.; a sister, Margaret Peters of Lebanon; 11
grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. He also was preceeded
in death by four brothers, Cedric Long, Elery Leno, Arnold Leno and
Merle Leno. Arrangements were made by Dallas Mortuary Chapel.
Janice Norwest Knight
March 21, 1946 April 27, 2003
The Broken Chain
We little knew that morning that God
was going to call your name.
In life we loved you dearly,
in death we do the same. It broke
our hearts to lose you, you did not go
alone; for part of us went with you,
the day God called you home.
You left us peaceful memories,
your love is still our guide;
and though we cannot see you,
you are always at our side.
Our family chain is broken,
and nothing seems the same;
but as God calls us
one by one, the chain
will link again.
t
Son-
Gary Jackson of Warm Springs
Brothers -
Marce Norwest of Grand Ronde
Oscar Norwest of Salem
Gregory Norwest of Klamath Falls
Duane Wheller of Neotsu
Sisters -
Marilee Norwest-Davis of Grand Ronde
Marcella Selwyn of Sheridan
Vernita Harris of Washington
Nephews, great nephews, nieces, great nieces, grandchil
dren and cousins.
She joined those that passed, Leo Norwest (dad), Mary Duvall
(mom), sisters Jeanette and Juanita and brothers Richard and
Frankie.
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ARTISTS WITHOUT BARRIERS
Who, What: A Non-Profit Organization has been set up to teach chil
dren art. We charge $15 a month for art lessons, all supplies included.
We take children ages 5 to 16 years old. Lessons include, drawing, pencil,
pen & ink, watercolor, acrylic, goush (a water base) and some calligraphy.
Where: Grand Ronde Church and Willamina Church
When: Mondays at Grand Ronde 1-3 p.m. Mondays at Willamina 4-6
p.m.
Teacher is Richard Fenwick. Our goal is to reach as many children as
possible. If you are interested please call Elverta Hayden Administra
tor at 503-390-4615.
Group Revives Northwest Language
Chinook Jargon Workshop
Native Americans, linguists and historians will meet from May 14 to 16 at
the Native American Center at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon
for the Sixth Chinook Jargon Workshop. The Workshop consists of language
classes, discussion groups and presentations in hopes of encouraging the use
and preservation of Chinook Jargon in the Pacific Northwest.
Tony Johnson, the Cultural Education Coordinator for the Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde in western Oregon, uses the language's term for itself Chinuk
Wawa when referring to Chinook Jargon Johnson explains. "The indigenous
term Chinuk Wawa translates as 'Chinook Speech or Chinook Talk.' Chinuk
Wawa is not merely a jargon (a simple collection of words with no grammar). It
was instead a language that served as a powerful communication tool in a vari
ety of environments from bare bones communication between different ethnic
groups to a daily language used by many Native Americans in their homes and
communities. The language as we know it has a Native sound system and gram
mar, and was used as an important vehicle for communication, artistic expres
sion and cultural transmission."
Chinuk Wawa was the primary Native language of many Native Americans
along the northwest coast. This is especially true for the Grand Ronde commu
nity. In addition to running a Chinuk Wawa immersion preschool for Tribal
youth and a university sponsored adult education class, Johnson is busy pass
ing the language on to his four-year-old son. "Chinook Wawa is an important
part of my heritage and the heritage of Grand Ronde," Johnson explains, "as a
second language speaker of this language I am bound to its being passed along
to a new generation." Johnson serves as a resource to the Tribe where efforts
from the preschool to new construction, roads and Tribal departments continue
to utilize Chinook Jargon.
According to Dave Robertson, a linguist from Victoria, British Columbia, who
runs an Internet group dedicated to the study of this language, "100,000 people
spoke Chinook Jargon in Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska
before the turn of the century. Like Cajun French in Louisiana or Hawaiian in
Hawaii, Chinook Jargon lost out in favor of English. And like these other lan
guages, there are people looking to change that."
"Chinook Jargon is based on the language of the Chinook people whose home
land is along the lower Columbia River," Robertson explains. "It has loan words
from English and French, as well as, other Native American languages. Re
member, during the 1800s, the Northwest was an area where over 100 different
languages were spoken. The various groups, Native Americans, fur traders
and settlers needed to communicate with each other so they adopted the Chi
nook Jargon. Today people still use Chinook Jargon when they refer to many
places in the Northwest, but most people don't know they are using it. Alki,
Skookumchuck, Tumwater, and Olallie are all Chinook Jargon. So is the ex
pression 'high muckamuck or big muckamuck when referring to a big shot."
The goal of the group is to increase people's knowledge of Chinook Jargon.
Workshop details are available on the web at (www.adisoft-inc.comlulu) or by .
contacting Jim Holton (510-483-3725). Robertson's discussion group is also avail
able on the Web (listserv.linguistlist.orgarchiveschinook.html).