6 AUGUST 1,2006
Smoke Signals
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With Respect
Grand Ronde Tribal Elder
Nora Kimsey, 97, honored
as the longest living
Grand Ronde Elder, also
was the longest living
Elder among the Elders
of eight Tribes. She
joined about 200 for this
year's Elders' Honor Day
in the Tribal gymnasium.
Photos by Toby McClary
ELDERS continued
from front page
soup cans and bean cans, according
to Tribal Elder Norma Lee, each
covered with beads and filled with
sprigs of wheat and grass and little
pine branches.
"If I sit down," said Lee, "I can
make three or four a day."
They were so beautiful, they kept
disappearing from the tables.
The Elders also made key chains
and hankies to give out.
Hundreds of gifts were spread
across the front of the Tribal gym
nasium. There were bamboo place
mats and birdhouses, photo albums
and jewelry. Tribal member Jan
Michael Reibach had donated 25
copies of his new compact disc, One
Heart One Spirit, his award-winning
flute music.
The Coos Tribal Elders made a
gift to the Grand Ronde Tribe of a
beautiful flute made by Artist Don
"Doc" Slyter. Baskets of goodies
came from other Tribal Elders.
Tribal Elder Gene LaBonte
presented Dee and Wesley West,
with Medallions of Honor for their
grandson, James Wheeler, who is
now in Iraq, and for three others
in the family who have retired from
military service.
Tribal Elder Kathryn Harrison
invited Shoshone-Bannock Story
teller Ed Edmo to the event. He
told the "receptive" crowd four
legends: a creation legend, a snake
legend ("to show respect fof all liv-
took the day off from work to join
her husband.
Grand Ronde Elders Nora Kim
sey, 97, and Albert Peters, 87, were
the oldest on hand from Grand
Ronde, while Coos Elder Grace
JJ w ' q Y
Little Performers A host of Grand Ronde pre-schoolers regaled the Elders with song.
ing things"), a sun and moon legend
("for the prevention of incest"), and
a Dashkahya legend ("for the pro
tection of children"). Carol Edmo
Brainard, 93, and Coquelle Elder
George Deos, 79, were oldest of
visiting Tribal members.
"I was surprised," said Brainard.
"There always seems to be some
body a little older."
"It kind of fooled me," said Peters,
who also hadn't expected to be the
oldest. But he added that he comes
every year because "you get to see
a lot of people you don't see
everyday."
The tally of participants in
cluded 76 from Grand Ronde,
34 from Coos, 36 from Siu
slaw, 16 from Coquelle, 14
from Umpqua, eight from
Suquamish, six from Siletz
and three from Swinomish.
Altogether, 193 Tribal Elders
signed in and the gym was
filled.
Tribal members Bobby
Mercier and Travis Mercier
and Yakama Tribal member
Bubba Sohappy made up the
drum group, and also led the
preschoolers in song.
Wayne Chulik (Tlinget),
Norris Merrill, and Tribal
Elders Gene and Butch La
Bonte presented the colors.
Tribal member Egypt Leno
served as emcee.
The morning welcome en
ticed the Elders to "laugh as much
as you can. We all know laughter
is what brings us healing."
And so they did.
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Tribal Elder Leon "Chips" Tom
Tribal Elder Gene Hudson
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