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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 2004)
2 AUGUST 1, 2004 2004 Pow-wow i '-- ft S 23 M ft 1$ Native Pride Veterans were a force at this summer's powwow held in their name. Seen almost everywhere at the powwow, they were reminiscing and talking about the future. They performed in the Color Guard and bestowed medallions to honor their fallen comrades. Shown above are Norris Merrill, Marce Morwest, Gene LaBonte, Steve Kife and Ron Richison. 2004- Veterans' Fowwow "It was awesome seeing all the Veterans." By Ron Karten Colleen Payne (Athabascan) and her daughter, Rebecca (Athabascan), ar rived at the summer's traditional Vet erans' Pow-wow with 17 students from the Native American Youth Association for the weekend. For her, the non-competitive nature of the pow-wow was the winning feature. "It was so relaxing. The whole family came down," she said. "It was awesome seeing all the vets," said Rebecca Payne, a former Miss NIVA (Northwest Indian Veterans Association) from the Portland Vancouver chapter. If the crowds were not gigantic, the weather certainly cooperated with sun and cooling breezes on and off all week end. "We had a good time," said vendor artist Lisa Brown (Siletz). Veterans turned out to be a major force over the weekend. Nobody had exact numbers, but Gene LaBonte said, "There were 117 last year," and Viet nam Veteran and Tribal member Steve Rife, at LaBonte's side, added, "but there were a heck of a lot more today." Many medallions were presented to Veterans over the weekend. Rife made one touching presentation to Grand Ronde Tribal member Sacheen Houck, whose brother, Tribal member and Navy Vet Greg Houck, had served on the Kittyhawk, an aircraft carrier, but died ten years ago. Also receiving the medallion were Houck's wife, Kim, and sons, Greg Junior, now 17 and Geoffrey, 15. Three groups of Vets arrived on mo torcycles. "We think it's great to be part of it," said Keith Travis (Arapaho), a Viet nam vet who was part of the Veterans Motorcycle Club. Twelve members of the club showed up over the weekend. In addition, he said, members of the Oregon Veterans Motorcycle Associa tion and In Country Veterans also were on hand over the weekend. "In the 1940s after World War II, see the unveiling of the World War II Memorial, it was attended by 5,800 vet erans on Harley Davidson motorcycles. Among other pow-wow chatter, Tribal member Lydia Logan talked ,0 uj rA fO 1 .... Honored Tribal member and Vietnam Veteran Steve Rife presented a Veterans Medallion to Tribal member Sacheen Houck in honor of her brother, Tribal member Greg Houck. As an E-4, Greg served with the Navy on the USS Kittyhawk but passed away 10 years ago. With Sacheen is, from left Greg's sons, Greg Jr. 17, and Geoffrey, 15, and Greg's wife, Kim Houck. all the Veterans were outcasts when they came back," said Tribal member and Vietnam Vet Steve Bobb. "That's where the outlaw (motorcycle) gangs came from." He added that when a friend went back to Washington, D.C. recently to about how her brother, Tribal mem ber Frank Hostler, had changed on re turning from Iraq. "Things that were frivolous before, like visiting family, are not now. He's doing the 'Run to the Rogue,' and things that bring him closer to the Tribe. Family's impor tant to him now," she said. Protecting the rodeo grounds, the Natural Resources division staffed a wildland fire engine at the rodeo for most of the day on Saturday and Sunday. Nick Sixkiller (Cherokee) and Tribal Elder Bob Tom served as announcers. Host drum Eagle Beak Drummers were joined by the Northwest Con nection, Warner Austin, the White Wolf Singers, Redland and the Chet Clark group. They provided a penetrating backbeat for the Dow-wow's many events. New royalty, crowned at the pow wow, included Tribal youth Miranda Provost, Queen, Halona Butler, Jun ior Queen, and for the first time, the Tribe crowned a "young warrior," Tribal youth Leland (Brother) Butler. Tribal Elders Kathryn Harrison and Diane Lane and Tribal member Bobby Mercier served as judges. Outgoing royalty included Miranda Provost, who was last year's Junior Queen, and Tribal youth Stephanie Duran, who was Senior Queen. A small group of indigenous Hawai ians attended and danced at the pow wow's center in what Hawaiian Club president Bobby Archuletta of Grants Pass called "an exchange of cultures." Five-year-old Ashley Meanus, an Oglala Lakota from Portland, in Fancy regalia, participated in the Tiny Tots dance. She has been dancing since she was three, said her mom, Gina. Jetaime James, 7, of Yakima Nisquilla Cowlitz descent, of Portland, also in Fancy Regalia, danced for her grandmother. "My mom lives through her granddaughter," said Jetaime's mom, Lynn James. "(Her mom) never danced at a pow-wow." "Everybody did good," said Gene LaBonte.
