Smoke Signals 3
MAY 15,2007
Ted Kulongoski also takes on some Tribal-State issues during his visit.
By Ron Karten
On the sunny morning of May 11,
Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski
arrived in Grand Ronde with a small
entourage of aides. The day included
a little business and a little culture.
The Governor first met in private
with Tribal Council to discuss an
expansion of Tribal hunting and
fishing rights.
Lunch included pesto salmon at the
Community Center and entertainment
by the Tribal pre-school class demon
strating their Chinook Wawa skills.
The Grand Ronde Canoe family,
led by Tribal member and cultural
language specialist Bobby Mercier,
drummed out a welcome for the
guests.
With the temperature outside
heating up, Mercier and Tribal mem
ber Leslie Riggs, a Cultural Educa
tion Specialist, wet down their drum
skins as part of the drums' summer
maintenance.
In Chinook Wawa and English, Mer
cier welcomed the group. 'Thanks for
coming out to see our land and talk to
our people. Welcome."
"I just want to thank all of you for
inviting us out here," said the gover
nor. "I'm always impressed when the
young children are here."
Before sitting down to eat, Kulon
goski walked around greeting children,
staff, adults, and Elders. He was given
a basket made by Tribal Elder Sam
Henny, and a photo of Henny holding
the basket, which was photographed
and signed by Smoke Signals photo
journalist Toby McClary.
Afterwards, Kulongoski toured the
Tribal campus, and had a bunch of
questions everywhere he went.
At the Health Clinic, he asked how
Tribal members are insured, and
if all were eligible. Tribal Council
Vice Chair Angie Blackwell told him
about the Tribe's self-funded health
plan and that all Tribal members are
insured under it.
He asked if the money came from
the federal Indian Health Service and
if the state supplied any money. The
77- -. - , rTT 1
II 'III
Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski spoke with Tribal Youth Eddie Larsen.
answer was yes, we do get money from
the federal Indian Health Service, but
we do not get money from the state.
At the Education Building, he
asked how many Tribal members
were taking advantage of higher
education and child care.
In the Tribal library, Tribal mem
ber Alan Lane, who just finished his
G.E.D. diploma, was working on the
computer to gain his food handlers
license as the Governor entered.
The governor also disclosed that he
had nothing but books on his iPod.
"My wife and I belong to a book
club," he said, "and I asked her, 'Does
it count in book clubs if I read it on
tape?' She said, 'No.'"
Regarding the Tribe's computer
lab, Kulongoski
told the story of a
school that gave
laptop computers
to its students and
found that when
the students took
the computers
home, the par
ents learned to
use them as well.
"The parents
became fluent
with the kids," he
said.
Photos by
Toby McClary
Tribal Council member Wink Soderberg walked with
Kulongoski and staff while on their way to the Tribe's
Health & Welness Center.
i( B If Y Wry
Governor Kulongoski watches as the Tribal preschool students and Grand Ronde's Canoe Family sing an honor song before lunch.