JUNE 1,2008
MOKE SIGNALS
Tirolbes seti oajp SmilfeirinfiianoirD tobies
INFORMATION DAY
continued from front page
long and wide Capitol steps, where
they sat to eat and talk while a pianist
played in the building's rotunda.
In concert with the buffets, Tribes
set up tables with Tribal information
and provided giveaways casino
playing cards, key chains, coasters,
shoulder and shopping bags to the
hundreds in attendance.
" Grand Ronde Public Affairs Direc
tor Siobhan Taylor and her secre
tary, Tribal member Kristen Ravia,
staffed the Tribe's information table
with the help of Spirit Mountain
Community Fund employees Shelley
Hanson, Jilene Mercier and Kluane
Bear. Tribal member and Spirit
Mountain Casino employee Angela
Sears conducted casino giveaways.
"Welcome to Tribal Information
Day," said master of ceremonies Jay
Minthorn, an at-large member of the
Umatilla Board of Trustees. "Today
is about who we are as Indians and
what we mean to the state of Oregon.
I mean, what the state of Oregon
means to the Tribes."
The Grand Ronde Honor Guard
and representatives of each Tribe
planted Tribal flags at the west-side
Capitol steps, among the existing
"Walk of Flags" where next year
Tribal flags will be added to the
permanent collection. The Cow
Creeks' Michael Rondo sang "The
Star Spangled Banner."
"It's wonderful that the state of
Oregon honors these flags," said
Armand Minthorn, also an at-large
member of the Umatilla Board of
Trustees. "We need to work with one
another to protect what is important
to all of us. Pray in your heart how
you've been taught.
"A long time ago, there were no
boundaries and no (geographic)
lines. We should not let them sepa
rate us now."
"I want to emphasize the incred
ibly long history that this day rep
resents," said Secretary of State Bill
Bradbury.
"This year's theme," said Kulon
goski, " 'Honoring, Protecting and
Enhancing Cultural and Natural
Resources' is a theme that should
guide all of our actions inside this
building.
"Since time immemorial, the first
Oregonians have been faithful stew
ards of water and other natural
resources, and as Oregonians, we
should be working to continue that
legacy for future generations."
Kulongoski took the opportu
nity to seek help from the Tribes on
questions of "water quality, water
supply and conservation. ... Global
warming and climate change pose
serious threats to our water supply
and water quality.
"To address this threat, we need
to adopt a comprehensive water
strategy that allows us to sustain
the region's economy and sustain
our way of life.
"In February, we were successful
in working together to pass Senate
Bill 10G9 to nddress water shortages
in the Umatilla Basin. That is only
the first step.
"Water issues are among my top
priorities for the 2009 legislative
session. The state's close coopera
tion with the Tribes will be a crucial
part of any successful
water strategy."
Kulongoski then
signed a proclama
tion naming May 12
18, 2008, American
Indian Week.
State Senate Ma
jority Leader Kate
Brown reflected on
being a member of
the Legislative Com
mission on Indian
Services since 1991.
Brown, a longtime
friend of Oregon
Tribes, won the Dem
ocratic primary race
for Secretary of State
on May 20. She pre
sented a certificate
of appreciation to Jay
Minthorn and Cow
Creek Chairwoman
Sue Shaffer.
"When you live this
long," Shaffer said,
"nice things happen
to you."
State District 29
Rep. Chuck Riley
read Senate Concur
rent Resolution 10.
'That we, the mem
bers of the Seventy
fourth Legislative
Assembly, mourn the
flooding of Celilo Falls
and recognize the falls' great impor
tance to the native peoples of Oregon
in providing sustenance from the
salmon and a gathering place for all
Tribes," Riley read.
For state employees, a session on
Native graves, looting, treatment of
Native American remains and what
may be the shortcomings of Oregon's
statutory scheme, specifically imple
mentation and enforcement of the
statutes, was offered.
After playing a 1981 Oregon Public
Broadcasting story about the issue, a
panel of experts found many reasons
for future Tribal-state cooperation in
this area. Experts included Grand
Ronde Tribal member and Cultural
Resources Department Manager
David Lewis; State Historic Preser
vation Archeologist Dennis Griffin;
Oregon State Police Lt. Steve Lane,
who specializes in archeological sites
and issues; Burns-Paiute Tribal
Council Secretary Barbara Sam;
and Klamath Tribal Council member
Perry Choktoot Jr.
On the question of progress, State
?r-
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski checks out a bracelet worn by Little Miss Grand Ronde Promise
Rimer during Tribal Information Day in Salem on Friday, May 1 6. Grand Ronde Royalty visited
with the governor after the ceremony.
Police see a continual increase in the
looting of artifacts. Choktoot said,
"Not much has changed since 1981."
Griffin argued that while problems
continue to exist, "We've come a long
way."
Still needed, Griffin said, is a
statewide curriculum to teach stu
dents cultural awareness.
The Grand Ronde Tribe has devel
oped guidelines for such a curricu
lum, said Lewis, but they have not
made it to the state level yet.
Meanwhile, the Grand Ronde
Tribe, Lewis said, is working to re
patriate artifacts and maintain them
for future generations.
"It's a pretty vast problem," Lewis
said. "The Grand Rondes have a
huge land base to oversee and no
manpower to cover the whole area.
Things slip by even today. A lot of
small county museums don't even
know the law."
Lane blamed some of the increase
in looting on "meth users who
would do anything to get money
for meth."
Tribal Council Chairwoman Chtryle A. Kennedy watches the Tribal Information
Day ceremony on the steps of the State Capitol building In Salem.
The issue stems from Termina
tion, Lewis said, and efforts continue
among the Tribes to re-establish a
(productive) relationship with state
authorities.
In another meeting room, the
Umatilla's Jay Minthorn, who chairs
the Legislative Commission on In
dian Services, showed a 20-minute
film about Celilo Falls and led a
discussion about the meaning of the
falls to Indians, and what the loss of
those falls has meant.
But back to Kulongoski and True
Rimer.
There was a moment, in Kulongos
ki's ceremonial office on the Capitol's
second floor, when the governor, en
tertaining children who had come for
the festivities, turned to see Tribal
member Promise Rimer, 9, sitting
in his ceremonial chair behind his
ceremonial desk.
"Perfect," Kulongoski said.
He asked Promise's name. She
gave him her's, and her brother, True
Rimer, who is 10, and her brother,
Future Leno, who is 4, and even
Courage Leno's name, who passed
on in February 2007, not yet a month
old. All but Courage, who was not yet
enrolled, are Tribal members.
"I love those names," Kulongoski
said.
He told the children the story of a
young eagle on his property that had
been pushed out of its nest, and it
didn't quite know how to glide yet.
"You could hear it screeching,"
he said. Meanwhile, the apparent
parents flew above, watching. And
a few clays later, the governor said,
he saw all three flying by, and all
were gliding.
"He was nice," True said. "He let
us go to his office through a secret
door, and sit in his chair."
Still pending, however, is word
on that governor-for-a-day busi
ness, n