Smoke Signals 9
8 JUNE 15, 2008
JUNE 15,2008
Smoke Signals
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FLOAT continued
from front page
Rose to marry him in 2003, he
inquired about the traditional way
of doing so in the Shoshone Tribe.
He was told to build a teepee out in
the woods and then take Rose there
to propose.
So he did just that outside of Wil
lamina, and one day picked Rose up
from work and told her they had to
go for a drive.
"When I saw the teepee, I kind of
knew. I went in and he proposed,
and played his flute for me," Rose
recalled.
On Wednesday and Thursday,
June 4-5, about 55 Tribal Elders,
youth and members, as well as
Spirit Mountain Casino employees,
helped decorate the float at Studio
Concepts in Portland, Bland said.
This year's float featured an arch
over Deitrich and Rose that con
tained 850 red and yellow roses,
said Studio Concepts Projects Man
ager Kendra Comerford.
The creek running through the
float was created with 500 white,
purple and blue irises, and the float
was dotted with sculptured tree
frames covered with cedar bark
nuggets and noble fir branches.
"Native Oregon flowers and
greens included eremuris, del
phinium, peonies, salal, bear grass
and leather fern," Comerford said.
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Tribal Elder Kathryn Harrison waves to the crowd as the float rolls down
Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in downtown Portland during
the 2008 Key Bank Grand Floral Parade on Saturday, June 7. Behind her is
Fernando Little Singer (Navajo).
For those who missed the parade either in person or
on TV, you can catch footage of the Tribal float at www.
kgw.comvideorosefest-index.html?nvid252640
The Grand Floral Parade started
at 10 a.m. Saturday under cloudy,
but rainless, skies at Memorial
Coliseum on the east side of the
Willamette River and snaked its
way down Martin Luther King Jr.
Boulevard, across the Burnside
Bridge and through downtown
Portland to Lincoln High School.
Spirit Mountain's float compactly
told the story of the Peters' court
ship, engagement and wedding.
Tribal members Marcel Orin
John Allen and Veterans' Royalty
Queen Miranda Provost portrayed
Deitrich and Rose at the front of
the float performing the Owl Dance
during their courtship.
Tribal Veterans' Powwow Warrior
Peter Nelson played the flute and
Junior Miss Grand Ronde Lindsay
McCue stayed in the teepee in the
middle of the float.
"The teepee decorated with the
bison represented him (Deitrich)
coming to my home to play the
flute," Rose said.
At the back were Deitrich and
Rose wrapped in a single blanket,
representing their union in 2004,
with family friends Don Moccasin
(Sioux) as officiant and Fernando
Little Singer (Navajo) as the drum
mer. Also on the float were Tribal El
ders Kathryn Harrison and Marga
ret Provost and Senior Miss Grand
Ronde Josie Faris and Little Miss
Grand Ronde Promise Rimer.
"Deitz was so proud to be there,"
Rose said. "Proud to be doing things
to represent his Tribe."
The Grand Ronde Tribe has
participated in the Grand Floral
Parade since 1996 and entered a
float every year except for the 2002
and 2003 parades. B
Photos by
Michelle Alaimo
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Junior Miss Grand Rond Lindsay McCue, left, watches as Grand Rond Senior Young Warrior Peter Nelson plays the flute while riding down Northeast Weidler Street in downtown Portland on Spirit Mountain Casino's
float "Romancing Rose" during the 2008 Key Bank Grand Floral Parade on Saturday, June 7. The float won the Rose Festival Court Award.
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A Spirit Mountain Casino
employee Pauline Polk
covers an area of the float
with flax seeds as she helps
build it at Studio Concepts
in Portland on Wednesday,
June 4.
"Romancing Rose," Spirit Mountain Casino's float rolls through the Memorial
Coliseum in downtown Portland at the beginning of the parade.
Tribal member Marcel
Orin John Allen, left, and
Grand Ronde Veterans'
Royalty Senior Queen
Miranda Provost perform
the Owl Dance on the
Spirit Mountain Casino
float during the parade.
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