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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2005)
4 MARCH 1, 2005 Smoke Signals Grand Ronde Tribal Elders Show Off Their New Jackets in Iff mm If Treasures Elders gathered in the Community Center for a group photo on Thursday, February 17, to show off their "Elder" jackets. For more information on how to get an Elder jacket, contact Elder Committee Chair Louise Coulson at 503-879-2678. Ww $ ' ('K Joint Session Of The Oregon State Legislature Honors The Past CAPITAL DAY continued from front page For openers, Tribal Elder and former Grand Ronde Chairwoman Kathryn Harrison stood before the assembly and offered the invoca tion. The Honor Guard of the Confed erated Tribes of the Grand Ronde posted the colors. Coyote Creek drummers from Grand Ronde brought in the Honor Guard. "It was nice to see old friends from the political world," said Kathryn Harrison afterwards. Governor Ted Kulongoski and Senator Kate Brown each stepped up on the dias to greet her before the ceremony began. The day included a reception for the state's birthday along with guest speakers. One, Michael Carrick, discussed the weapons and tools of the Lewis & Clark entou rage. Old time fiddlers played, and of course, a proclamation of the day was signed. On Tuesday, the capitol hosted basket weaving demonstrations and a display of the 1855 Tribes of Middle Oregon Treaty. A lecture by Warm Springs Chief Delvis Heath described how Native Americans perceived Lewis & Clark. Another, by Grand Ronde Tribal member and Tribal Tourism Project Coordinator Elaine LaBonte described the impact of Lewis & Clark on Native peoples here. Vernon Kennedy (Burns Paiute) played the Native flute and partici pated with an exhibition drum group and dancers. Tribal member Claudia Leno pro vided frybread and Indian tacos. While Native participation cer tainly appeared to be "a recognition of our sovereign status as a nation," in LaBonte's words, she was not alone among Native participants who felt a level of tokenism in the effort. "It was nice," said Kathryn Harrison, "but they whisked us in and whisked us out. Something that important, they should have taken more time." "We were called in at the last minute," said LaBonte. At that time, the Capitol staff was already prepared for a costume party in which Capitol staffers would dress as Indians. It had become some thing of a tradition for Oregon's birthday celebrations. "It's disrespectful," said LaBonte, and she told the Capitol planners to put an end to the practice. "They're not costumes," she said af terwards. "They're traditional re galia with spiritual significance. To have our Honor Guard and drum group wearing regalia (in the face of such a costume party) would have been a mockery of all we stand for." LaBonte noted the importance of having the Tribes brought into the planning process from the begin ning. School children arrived from all over the state for the Capitol's activi ties. Many sat with folks from the Grand Ronde and Warm Springs at tables set up with displays. "That was most important," said LaBonte. Throughout the week, the Lewis & Clark related presentations con mm w 1" 1 ;; - - A : . .: V-' A 2 3 2 Grand Entry The exhibition drum group, playing on Tribal Elder Dale Langleyfc drum takes up a modest portion in the Capitol's rotunda.
