Smoke Signals 7
MAY 1, 2008
Tribal member wins national essay cotroftestt
Lauren Soderberg receives $2,500 scholarship for 'Knowing Who You Are' composition
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Tribal member Lauren Soderberg,
an 18-year-old senior at Sierra Vista
High School in Las Vegas, Nev., is one
of 10 winners of a $2,500 scholarship
in the nationwide Reconnecting the
Circle essay contest.
Lauren's essay, "Knowing Who You
Are," was inspired when she visited
Grand Ronde for her grandfather's
(Arthur F. Soderberg) funeral held
Oct. 1, 2007. She picked up a flier
about the contest at Tribal offices
and wrote an essay inspired by the
prompt question, "Why is reconnect
ing the circle with Native Americans
important today?"
The Reconnecting the Circle essay
contest is held in conjunction with
national Native American Indian
Heritage Month and is run in con
junction with the National Congress
of American Indians, Boys and Girls
Clubs of America and the Boys and
Girls Clubs of Indian County.
Its mission is to encourage people
to learn about Native American
people and cultures, and to develop
a more meaningful and complete
perspective on Indian Country.
Eight reviewers scored submitted
essays for originality and creativity,
relevance to topic, grammar and
structure. The finalists were submit
ted to four judges who picked the top
10 winners.
Lauren is the daughter of Arthur
W. "Butch" and Patti Soderberg.
"We are very proud of Lauren," Pat
ti said via e-mail, "and her insights
on the importance of reconnecting
the circle of Native Americans." (See
Lauren's essay at right)
Lauren is the grand niece of Tribal
Council member Wink Soderberg.
After graduating from high school,
Lauren plans to use the $2,500 schol
arship to attend Dickinson State
University in North Dakota and
pursue a double major in education
and theater.
"She has had her heart set on this
college ever since one of her instruc-
1 V a.
Tribal member Lauren Soderberg
tors, an alumnus, had the college
come to her school," Patti said.
Lauren is active in her high school's
theater department as a performer
and a "techie" doing lights, sound,
and set and costume design.
"She reads Shakespeare and Plato
for fun," Patti said. "She is always
reading a book, usually one of the
classics. Lauren is moved by 'period'
movies ... the days of kings and
queens. She is well-read on mythol
ogy as well. She can tell you anything
you need to know about history in
these areas."
Because of her father's job with
Bechtel, the largest construction
company in the world, Lauren has
moved often in her life.
She attended elementary school
in Portland and Ontario, middle
school and high school in Kennewick,
Wash., and is completing high school
in Las Vegas.
"She has adapted well with each
move and maintains her friendships
from afar as she makes new friends
with each move," Patti said. "She is
a truly remarkable individual with
a kind heart."
For more information about Recon
necting the Circle, visit the Web site at
www.reconnectingthecircle.com.
Teaching foosftoiry
Photo by Michelle Atoimo
Tribal Cultural Protection Coordinator and Tribal member Eirik
Thorigard teaches a Grand Ronde Tribal history class on Thursday,
April 24, In Grand Ronde to about 30 attendees. Classes also will be
held In the Eugene satellite office from 6 to 7 p.m. May 6 and from 6
to 7 p.m. May 1 2 at the Portland satellite office.
Knowing Who You Are
I am 18th Native American, but you wouldn't know it by looking at me.
Though my eyes and hair are dark, my facial structure and pasty skin tone
broadcast my European side.
Regardless, I'd consider myself Native American more so than European.
From the time I was born, I was taught to love and embrace my heritage,
to be proud of who and what I was. Every time I went through a unit on
Native Americans in school, I'd bring in my dolls, my dream catchers and
pictures of my ancestors. I'd carefully recite the name of my Tribe, Grand
Ronde, and a few tidbits of fact I had been told over and over.
As I grew older, however, my classmates' reactions changed. There
were no longer "oohs" and "ahs," but rather questions that tread the line
between ignorant generalizations and racism. I began to understand that
my culture was one of the most misunderstood in the nation.
If you ask an average high school student what comes to mind when he
or she thinks of Native Americans, they are most likely to reply with words
and phrases such as feathers, Pocahontas, arrows, the Trail of Tears,
corn, face paint and teepees. Such a short list to describe such a vast and
varying race! Sadder still is that a lot of people who actually have Native
American blood will think the same thing.
It seems as if the different cultures of Native Americans have disappeared
in the background. All that is taught in schools seems to pit us either as
the barbaric villains, who routinely massacred the European immigrants
until they finally had to take action, or the tragic victims who fell prey to
the greed of the Europeans.
While the preference of each individual dictates whether the first or
second is more true, it's certainly disheartening to know that this period
of genocide is the main thing Native Americans are remembered for. Just
as the Jewish are associated almost solely with the Holocaust, so, too,
are the Native Americans overshadowed by great happenings of sadness,
such as the Trail of Tears.
Personally, it bothers me when people only associate my heritage with
the things listed above, or with illnesses such as diabetes, alcoholism
and obesity. These generalities bother more people than just me, and
it's important for the sake of respect and understanding for them to be
demolished.
Yet, how can we, as a whole, encourage people of other races to de
velop a better understanding of Native American cultures if we as a whole
do not believe in what we are trying to encourage? If so many of us are
too preoccupied with championing our own Tribes that we become blind
to the ways of other Tribes, then we can't very well expect other races to
see us any clearer.
Some may say that culture isn't that important, that your race shouldn't
define you. No, not solely. But I say that race is an important defining point
in someone's life. It gives you people to relate with, people you can trust.
Especially being Native American, it gives you a family, a Tribe. The history
of the Native Americans is one of the most detailed and far reaching out
of any culture one can think of. To know what you are is a vital step into
knowing who you are.
I don't live near a reservation, so every time I get the chance to visit one, it
seems extra special. My most recent visit was for my grandfather's funeral.
Traditional songs were sung, drums were played and a prayer was said in
the native language. It was a truly touching experience. I feel so grateful
to have the opportunity to witness things like this and know they are a part
of who I am. This is why I feel so badly that some people who could have
these experiences, don't. A person being able to experience their culture
upfront and personally can benefit immensely. There is a richness that
comes with it, a feeling of contentment. To be able to stand, watching a
ceremony and being able to say to yourself, "This is my culture, these are
my people," that is a gift.
You ask why it's so important to reconnect the circle. This essay may
read complicated, but the answer is simple: a circle that is unconnected is
not whole. A person who does not know about their heritage is not whole.
A culture that cannot accept each other for their differences is not a whole.
A society that bases its knowledge of a culture on media-fed stereotypes is
not whole. In order for society to be whole, we need to first make sure that
we, as individuals, are whole. That is why it is so important to know who
you are, and that is why it's so important to reconnect the circle.
Tribe changes health plan
The Tribe hna made changes to the Tribal Member Health Plan, ml
ministered by UMH. Effective immediately, the health plan will assist
eligible Tribal mcmWrs and spouse in payment to the (5 rand Rondo
Adult Foster Cnre Program. Members needing assistance with their
activities of daily living due to n recent illness or hospitalization may
now qualify for the Tribe's health plan to pay the first 100 clnyn of stay
in the Adult Foster Cnre Program. Services are only covered when per
formed nt the Confederated Triles of (5 rand Hondo Adult Foster Care
facility, and will be payable nt SK) percent of charges.
For further information, contact UMK nt lKKK-CTC.It-HF.N or CTC.lt
Risk Management nt 60.'l-H79-2332.