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DECEMBER 1,2008
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Photos by Michelle Alalmo
Tribal Elder Dean Mercier, left, says a few words as Elders Margaret Provost and Russell Leno look on during the 25th
Restoration Celebration on Saturday, Nov. 22. The three, along with Tribal Elder Marvin Kimsey, who was not present,
were recognized at the celebration for their Restoration efforts.
RESTORATION continued
from front page
two-day 25th Restoration celebra
tion, which began Friday night with
a powwow coordinated by Tribal
Elder Bob Tom.
For Saturday's reception and ban
quet, the Events Center was booked
to capacity with almost 1,500 Tribal
members and their family members
and guests in attendance.
While Tribal members waited for
Restoration Celebration headliner
Rita Coolidge (Cherokee) to finish
her sound check inside the Events
Center, they feasted in the Events
Center hallway on traditional ap
petizers of lamprey, venison, elk and
smoked salmon prepared by Spirit
Mountain Casino's Executive Chef
Richard Burr and his staff. An ice
sculpture of the Tribal logo accented
the ceremonial food offerings.
When Tribal Council members
and Elders entered the Events
Center, 140 tables that had 10 seats
each greeted them. A giant Tribal
logo overlaid with the words "25th
Anniversary" dominated the stage.
Seats featured a Tribal gift bag,
which included the long version of
the Tribe's 25th Restoration video,
a poster created by Tribal member
Jon George, Spirit Mountain Ca
sino watches, chocolates covered in
silver foil that honored past Tribal
chiefs and other goodies.
While waiting for the official fes
tivities to begin, Tribal members
watched on six screens a "Walking
On" slideshow that honored Tribal
members who have passed away
since Nov. 22, 2003 the 20th an
niversary of Restoration.
At 4:02 p.m., drum group Star
Horse (Warm Springs) opened the
Restoration celebration and the
Grand Ronde Honor Guard, followed
by current Tribal Council members,
entered the Events Center.
The Grand Ronde Canoe Family
performed two honor songs before
an invocation offered by Tribal
member Ken Haller.
Tribal Royalty signed 'The Lord's
Prayer," sung by Aaron Neville, be
fore Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A.
Kennedy took the stage to welcome
Tribal members.
"It is truly a pleasure to be here
today," Kennedy said, "to know that
we have come through an era of
rejoicing. I will say that there were
some pretty dark times for us when
we were terminated during the '50s
on up until Nov. 22, 1983.
"But we are a people who are
strong; who are courageous and we
are survivors.
"I also believe that Creator was
greatly in charge of our destiny and,
because of that, helped us, helped
the leaders that he had touched
and spoke to their hearts and asked
them to come together, and gave
them the wisdom and direction so
that we can be here tonight, sitting
here together as a great, strong,
proud Nation. ... We're very blessed
and very glad to be here tonight in
celebration of this great occasion."
Kennedy honored all 40 Tribal
members who have served on Tribal
Council since the first post-Restoration
Tribal Council took its seats in
1984. They, or their descendants,
received commemorative 25th Res
toration Pendleton blankets.
"We want to recognize that there
is a path that has been laid down
for us," Kennedy said.
Tribal Council members recog
nized were Angie Blackwell, Steve
Bobb Sr., Larry Brandon, Wilmad
ene Butler, Jack Giffen Jr., Dorothy
Greene, Val Grout, Bob Haller, Frank
Harrison, Kathryn Harrison, Merle
Holmes, Andy Jenness, Cheryle A.
Kennedy, Marvin Kimsey, Bradley
Kowing, Earl LaBonte, Eugene La
Bonte, Ed Larsen, Merle Leno, Reyn
Leno, Russell Leno, Ray McKnight,
Rick McKnight, Bob Mercier, Chris
Mercier, Darrell Mercier, Dean Mer
cier, Mark Mercier, Ed Pearsall, Eula
Petite, Henry Petite, Margaret Pro
vost, Jan Reibach, Candy Robertson,
June Sell-Sherer, Valorie Sheker,
Wink Soderberg, Leon "Chip" Tom,
Kathleen Tom and Wesley "Buddy
West. "Thank you for all the service
that you have provided to the Con
federated Tribes of Grand Ronde,"
Kennedy said.
Kennedy then turned the crowd's
attention to surviving Tribal mem
bers who worked on Restoration in
the 1970s.
"Many of them gave all that they
had, using their own finances and
own resources to make the attempt
of Restoration," Kennedy said. "I
want to give honor where honor
is due."
Kennedy called up Tribal Elders
Marvin Kimsey, Margaret Provost,
Russell Iieno and Dcnn Mercier to
receive special recognition for their
early work on the Tribal Rontons
tion effort. (Kimsey did not attend
the event.)
"I was glad to help, but I didn't
think we could help out this much,"
Mercier said. "I'm sure glad to sec
everybody here celebrating our
Restoration, and many more to
come."
"I'm glad to be here celebrating
V
Tribal Elder John Ullard and hit guest Janice Whltehurs t look at a ceded lands map that was In gift bags given to most
everyone who attended the 25th Restoration Celebration.
See RESTORATION
continued on page 4