Smoke signals., August 01, 2005, Page 7, Image 7

Smoke Signals 7
AUGUST 1, 2005
Tribal Members Feel The Power Of Tomanowos
Grand Ronde delegation makes annual journey to New York to be reunited with our sacred meteorite.
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Sacred Tribal Elder Pat Allen touches Tomanowos, a
1 5 and a half-ton meteorite housed in the American
Museum of Natural History in New York City, on Wednes
day, July 13. Several Tribal members visit the museum
once a year to bless and cleanse Tomanowos which
attracts millions of visitors each year.
Story and photos by Toby McCIary
r I 1 he American Museum of
I Natural History in New
JL York City closed the doors at
4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13,
2005 and was only open to mem
bers of the Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde.
This year's group included Tribal
Elders Kathryn Harrison, Pat
Allen, Betty Lambert, Patsy Pullin
and Tribal members Bobby
Mercier, Hope Lafferty, Ashley
Bedortha, Denise Harvey, Alicia
Selwyn and Tribal Council mem
ber Angie Blackwell.
The museum houses
"Tomanowos," a 10,000 year-old,
15 and a half-ton meteorite that
holds spiritual significance to the
Grand Ronde Tribe.
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"It holds a lot
of power," said
Tribal member
and Language
Specialist
Bobby
Mercier. "Who
knows how
many genera
tions before us
have touched
it in the same
spots that we
have."
Tomanowos
is the largest
meteorite
found in the
United States. It was found near
Two Worlds, One Place This photo was taken from the front steps of the National Museum
of the American Indian in New York City. The Indian face was printed on a see-through banner and
when the light is just right, the New York buildings can be seen in the background.
what is now known as West Linn,
It's.- '-4 mm'1mm, 1
1 ".
Caretaker Tribal member and Tribal Language Specialist Bobby Mercier
used his fan to blow off the dust that had accumulated on Tomanowos over the last
year. Many Tribal members rubbed water and placed tobacco on the holes that
have formed on the face of Tomanowos.
Oregon and was acquired by the
museum in 1906. It is believed
by scientists that billions of years
ago, Tomanowos was the iron
core of an early planet that was
shattered in a collision during the
epoch of planet formation.
In 2000, Tribal Council signed an
agreement with the executives of
the museum to allow Grand Ronde
Tribal members access to cleanse,
pray and bless Tomanowos once a
year. Only Tribal access is allowed
at this time.
Legend has it that centuries
ago, ancestors of the Grand
Ronde dipped their arrows in the
pockets formed in the meteorite to
ensure good luck during their
hunt. Also, Warriors would rub
the water, accumulated in the
pockets, on their bodies for a
sense of protection, feeling that
the water was blessed.
During the ceremony, Tribal El
der and former Tribal Chair
woman Kathryn Harrison recalled
when she was in a press confer
ence several years ago and a re
porter asked her if she thought
that the meteorite still holds power
in which she responded "it
brought you here, didn't it?"
On Thursday, July 14, execu
tives of the museum gave the
Tribal members a guided tour of
the museum. Tribal members Ali
cia Selwyn, Hope Lafferty and
Ashley Bedortha presented the
group with many facts and de
scriptions of numerous exhibits.
After the tour, the group was in
vited to a luncheon held in the
Margaret Mead Hall of Pacific
Peoples exhibit where everyone
met, laughed and familiarized
themselves with the many beliefs
and meanings of the meteorite.
Tomanowos will remain in the
Rose Center at the museum to
educate the millions of people
that visit each year. But, it will
also remain in the hearts of the
Tribal members that experience
and feel the power that
Tomanowos has to offer.