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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2008)
Smoke Signals 3 JUNE 1,2008 Tribe hosts Rose Court princesses on May 19 By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor So many princesses were at the Tribal Governance Center on May 19, one could easily have thought they were at Disneyland. Eleven out of 14 prin cesses of the 2008 Rose Festival Court visited Grand Ronde and met Tribal royalty Little Miss Grand Ronde Prom ise Rimer, Junior Miss Grand Ronde Goldie Ely, Senior Miss Grand Ronde Mary Lopez, Junior Vet erans' Queen Nakoosa Moreland and Veterans' Royalty Queen Miranda Provost. Rose Festival Court princesses who attended included Tonita Cabre ra, Wilson High School; Chelsea Deloney, Jeffer son High; Dulce Saiga do, Roosevelt High; Vy Nguyen, Parkrose High; Marshawna Williams, Cleveland High; Taylor Allen, Grant High; Dia mond Zerework, Franklin High; Monica Rischiotto, Central Catholic High; Brenda Olmos, David Douglas High; Jill Tremblay, Madison High; and Molly Ronan, Lincoln High. Two Rose Festival Court prin cesses were sick and St. Mary's Academy representative Taylor Smith was mourning the May 13 death of her father. After exiting two buses, Rose Festival Court princesses mingled in Tribal Governance Center lobby, talking with Tribal Elders, Tribal staff, Tribal royalty and Tribal Council members Steve Bobb Sr., Kathleen Tom, Wink Soderberg and Valorie Shekcr. Tribal Public Affairs Director !vi ; O 0 " c s ""J The 2008 Rose Festival Court with Tribal Royalty Photos by Michelle Alaimo Siobhan Taylor welcomed the Rose Festival princesses, pointing out that since they attend Portland area high schools that they grew up in the ceded lands of the Confeder ated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Lopez, Rimer and Bly then signed The Lord's Prayer, sung by Aaron Neville, and Tribal Elder Kathryn Harrison gave the invocation, ex pressing her thanks that in the last 25 years the Grand Ronde Tribe has gone from not having enough room for an office to being able to welcome visitors in a building such as the Governance Center. Tribal Council members then greeted the Rose Festival Court princesses. "It's a real honor to have the Rose Court here," Soderberg said, mentioning that he was raised in Lake Oswego. "It's a great honor and pleasure to have you here," Tom said, also not ing that she used to live in the Port land area and that Rose Festival was always "the greatest time." Sheker said it was a privilege to share the Grand Ronde campus, Elders and Tribal heritage with Rose Festival Court members. "It is also an honor to have a float in the parade and showcase our history," Sheker said. Bobb called the collection of roy- H I Xa - ill alty a "good looking group" and complimented them for being involved, motivated and concerned teenagers. "We are honored to have you here today," Bobb re iterated. After a lunch of fruit, rolled sandwiches and cookies, the Tribal Ca noe Family performed two songs, including an Honor Song for Tribal employee and descendant Nick Faas, who died May 14. The emotional moment continued as Tribal Council members presented Rose Court Chairwoman Mere dith Park with a traditional Pendleton blanket for St. Mary's Academy's Taylor Smith, whose father died unexpectedly in May and had lost her mother to ovar ian cancer in 2003. "Wrap Taylor in our love and best wishes," Siob han Taylor added after a tearful Park received hugs from Tom, Soderberg, Sheker and Bobb. "(Taylor) will feel very blessed," Park said about receiving the blanket. And then the entertainment began. Rose Festival Court princesses performed a dance to K.T. Tun stall's "Suddenly I See" and Elders Committee Chairwoman Louise Medeiros and Harrison presented gift bags made by Tribal Elder Mar cella Selwyn to the Rose Festival Court princesses. In return, Rose Festival Court princesses distributed gift bags to their Tribal counterparts and Elders. The event wrapped up with a Round Dance and Taylor inviting the Rose Festival Court back to Grand Ronde in August for the an nual Competition Powwow. "This was fabulous," said Dia mond Zerework, Franklin High's representative on the Rose Festival Court. "There was so much hospi tality, so much love. My father is a Crce native. They treat you like you are family. "Fabulous is the understatement I can give this experience." B A Tribal Council member Valorie Sheker gives Rose Festival Court Chairwoman Meredith Park a hug after herself and fellow Tribal Council members, counterclockwise from right. Wink Soderberg, Steve Bobb Sr. and Kathleen Tom presented her with a traditional Pendleton blanket for St. Mary's Academy's Taylor Smith whose father died unexpectedly In May and had lost her mother to ovarian cancer in 2003.
