Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2007)
2 MAY 1f 2007 Smoke Signals Plankhouse The Grand Ronde plankhouse will be east of the new pow-wow grounds, 2(X) feet up when you cross the bridge, according to Tribal Elder Don Day. "Hopefully, it will be finished this year by the end of October," said Day, who is leading some 25 volunteers in the development of the three-year-old project It will be east of the new pow-wow grounds, 2(K) feet up when you cross the bridge, according to Tribal Elder Don Day. "Hopefully, it will be fin ished this year by the end of October," said Day, who is leading some 25 volunteers in the development of the three-year-old project. He expressed his thanks to all who have helped. "I have material (trees) down, felled," he said, "but I'm weathered out right now." Folks at the Willamette National Forest in the Sweet I lome area tell him that he might not get into the forest to retrieve the wood until the end of April. Waiting for Day, his volunteers and the Tribe are three western red cedars already cut down, that "we're talking about for wall planks. We might not get posts and cross members out of that. Maybe we'll need an additional couple of trees" but the U.S. Forest Service has promised him all that he needs. Overall, the length of the planned longhouse is 50-60 feet. To make it more of a longhouse and less of a square house, Day plans to add 20 feet to the length, though there is nothing formal drawn up yet for the design. "It will be as close to a Kalapuyu structure as possible," said Day. "It will be a ridge house." In 2004, Tribal Council allotted $40,000 for the project and that amount still stands, said Day. "We'll probably need about that." Day has taken the opportunity to teach Tribal members how to split the wood. "Those who feel like they can't do it right at the moment, I give them a little practice and it all comes back," he said. , Below: pounding a wedge into the cedar log, splitting it in the traditional way. ' 1 ' V'- rSf 3 (vj Tribal Elder Don Day, above, gets a plank positioned for what soon will be a Native plankhouse right here at home. . i " " V. HIM .WHIM -wM' t V if'.;, Always in need of volunteers, skilled and unskilled, Day asked that those interested call him at: 503 769-3290. "Yesterday, the University of Oregon (UO) contacted me. They want to bring a Primitive Technology class up to learn to split the wood. Likewise, OSU contacted me regarding bringing classes in." Day, a graduate student at the UO, traveled far north to Haidayguwaii, Canada, up in Prince Edward Province and 100 miles out in the ocean where he studied the plank structures and the history of the Haida people. Beyond their plankhouses, the Haida were world famous for their ocean going ca noes. They were 70 feet long, 8-1 0 feet in diameter, and carried 40 warriors and their gear, said Day. The Haidas also were famous for their plankhouse structures. Some are 1 50-200 feet wide and 400 feet in length, said Day. His Masters thesis is on plankhouse construction using western red cedar and split plank housing. Interpretive Museum On Tribal grounds at Fort Yamhill State Park, the Tribe has been planning, since 2003, to build an interpretive his tory museum. The work so far has been funded principally by a federal Administration for Native Americans Social and Eco nomic Development Strategies (ANA SEDS) grant, with most of the work coming from Tribal Cultural Resources staffers. The effort from 2003-05 de veloped a master plan and site analysis, and the Tribe's application for a 2007 09 grant aims to develop an economic feasibility study and a business plan scheduled for completion this fall. Interpretive design has been a part of the project from the beginning and will continue all through development of the project, said Cultural Collections Coordinator Lindy Trolan. "The bulk of the work has been done by Cultural Resources staff," said Tro lan, "but this is a community endeavor and every step included Tribal staff, Tribal Council and several community meetings." Elders and pre-schoolers are on the list to add their input to the project. "We're also hoping to do some out reach for Tribal members who live far away or can't get to meetings," said Trolan. Fort Yamhill State Park Although no activities are planned for this spring at the newly built park, the on-going project promises new developments in the years ahead. An thropological digs and the rebuilding of existing structures will continue. The mile-long trail with interpretive markers will be expanded in the years ahead.
