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A Publication of the Grand Roode Tribe
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JUNE 1,2008
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Memorial Day 2008 features governor, speeches
and first Tribal Ceremonial Harvest Feast
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
Since early on Memorial Day, the
Tribal cemetery on Grand Ronde
Road was adorned with bright flow
ers and fluttering flags.
Beginning before 8 a.m., some 50
Tribal and family members and veter
ans from across West Valley gathered
for the first in a series of events.
It was the start of an on-again,
off-again chilly, rainy and sunny
day that included an address by
Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski and
the first Tribal ceremony held with
fresh ceremonial meat.
The weather prompted Kulongos
ki's wife, Mary Oberst, to keep a
hood over her head throughout the
afternoon ceremony. Among a few
quick-thinking Tribal Elders, Val
Grout parked facing the Veterans'
Memorial and enjoyed the ceremo
ny from the comfort of her car.
"It was cold outside," Grout said.
"I was warm and could hear every
thing." The 3 p.m. ceremony honored vet
erans of all wars and coincided with
the unveiling of inscriptions of some
53 new names, including Kulongoski's
on the Marine wall of the Veterans'
Memorial. I le served in the Marines
during the Vietnam War.
"The true test of our national
character," Kulongoski said, "is not
that we have sacrificed one day in a
foreign land for our country, but it is
making sure that they have benefits
every day when they come home.
"I would not be where I am if the GI
Bill had not given me the opportunity
to go to college and law school."
Kulongoski used his speech to
support the Democratic version of
a new GI Bill passed recently with
a veto-proof majority in both houses
of Congress.
In Oregon, Kulongoski said he is
working with the Legislature on a
GI Bill supplement that "will do all
I can to honor Guard members."
Kulongoski's policy adviser Paul
Evans said that the effort will seek
to supplement education, employ
ment, health care and housing needs
for Oregon's 359,000 veterans.
The Grand Ronde Honor Guard,
busy all day, started at the morning
ceremony, along with other West
Valley veterans and a 21-gun salute
honoring those who have fallen in
service to country. They went next
to ceremonies in Sheridan and Wil
lamina before returning for the 3
p.m. event in Grand Ronde.
At Grand Ronde, Tribal Elder
and Army combat veteran Marce
Norwest served as master of cer
emonies. 1 le has long been a driving
force in keeping veterans' issues on
the Tribe's agenda.
With his wife, Sharon, Norwest
See MEMORIAL DAY
on pages 8-9
1 r"
wl n ' 7
9l v
I
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski delivers the keynote speech during the
Memorial Day ceremony at the West Valley Veterans' Memorial in Grand
Ronde on Monday, May 26.
TirolbaD iDufoirmaGDOira Day a csy afffaoi
Try- r. p f?x
Youth have chance to meet the governor
Photo by Mil belle AUieno
By Ron Karten
iinwk Signal Utf( wrilrr
Grand Ronde Tribal member True
Rimer, 10, naked Gov. Ted Kulon
goski if he could be governor for a
day on Friday. May 1(5, during Tribal
Information Day activities.
The governor is an old hand nt this
game and Mid right into storytelling
mode, but more about that Inter.
Along with Kulongoski's slightly
more formal address to Oregon's
4 Senior Miss Grand Ronde Josie
Faris dances as she leads other
Grand Ronde Royalty at the closing
of the Tribal Information Day
ceremony on May 1 6 in Salem.
nine federally recognized Tribes, a
training nession for state employees
who deal with Native American is
sues and Tribal information tables
set up on the second floor of the state
Capitol in Salem, this year's Tribal
Information Day was cozier than in
the past.
The state's nine federally recog
nized Tribes made good use of the
Capitol building, where the Grand
Ronde Tribe and Spirit Mountain
Casino sponsored breakfast and the
Cow Creek Hand of Iiwer Umpqua
sponsored lunch for 100.
Guests, principally from theTrilies
and state agencies, spilled down the
See INFORMATION DAY
on page 5