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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2008)
6 DECEMBER 1,2008 Smoke Signals By Ron Karten Smoke Signals staff writer "Once you got inside," said Tribal Elder Cherie Butler, "it was fabu lous." ...... The overflow crowd at Che Tribal celebration honoring and remem bering 25 years of Restoration was more than the Tribe anticipated. As many as 1,500 crowded the Events Center at Spirit Mountain Casino on Saturday, Nov. 22. While Rita Coolidge's band did its sound check, folks outside in the hallway, admittedly happy about munching on lamprey, venison, elk and smoked salmon appetizers, were nevertheless a little antsy, crowded wall to wall outside the venue. Inside, said Tribal Elder Debbie Giffen Marrington, daughter of Tribal Elder Diane Giffen, "It was nice seeing people you hadn't seen in awhile." She mentioned Tribal member Tom Misfeldt and Tribal Elder Cheryl Carl, Dean Mercier's daughter. "The food was fabulous," Butler said. "We need to write a special note to the chef. The salmon was the best ever." Marrington, whose husband, Lyle, is a commercial fisherman, agreed. "I loved it," she said. Diane Giffen doesn't drive at night anymore, her daughter said, "So she loved getting out and seeing everybody." "It brings more families together, just being there," said Butler. Tribal Elder Ruth Rickard, who, now lives with her daughter, Tribal member Laurie Cathcart, in Port land, attended with her children. 'Time flies, doesn't it?" she said. Tribal Elder Jimmie Pichette walked on in February. At the time, Photos by Michelle Alaimo Tribal Elder and past Tribal Council member Buddy West goes through the buffet line as other Tribal Elders follow during the 25th Restoration Celebration on Saturday, Nov. 22. his wife, Micki, received a plant to honor Jimmie's passing from fellow Tribal Elders. "It's still thriving in her garden, Butler said, "and she wanted to say thanks to all the Elders." Tribal member Roxanne Teeter recalled that the eagle she ordered through a government program four years ago had finally arrived this recent summer, and the fam ily got a salmon stuffed to go in the eagle's talons. Roxanne's uncle, Tribal Elder Tom LaChance and his wife, Char lene, sat at the same table, along with Roxanne's mother, Tribal El der Sharon Beard. Tom and Sharon remembered visiting the Grand Ronde home of their grandparents, Tribal Elders Edwin and Alvina LaChance. "We used to play with the horses and milk the cows," Tom said. --V- "We used to jump off the chicken coops," Sharon said. Sharon also remembered hitchhiking to the general store and back. "In the winter," Tom remem bered, "I used to hide the eggs in the lawn for the cousins to find. As far as I know, there are still eggs out there in the yard." Tribal Elder and former Tribal Council member Bob Haller, at tending with his wife, Kathy, said u a o o o 0 o o o Vsr o o is'" , ;v . v i . . . , ' 4 the family was really torn apart by Termination, and scattered across the country. In 1978, Haller super vised a crew working on the Guri Dam in Venezuela and, in 1983, he worked on the Libby Dam in Montana. Many family members have come back. Hundreds show up for the annual Haller picnic, he said, and recalled that he won his first term to the Tribal Council in 1994, the year he returned to Grand Ronde. "Back in those days," Haller said, "100 votes would get you elected." Health care and per capitas were approved, with Haller's support, during his first term on council. Those are what he con siders his biggest suc cesses for the Tribe. His biggest regret is that "I wished I had got more Tribal members working. I believe that any Tribal member that wants to work should be able to." Tribal Elder and Tribal Council Chair woman Cheryle A. Ken nedy remembered Ray McKnight, former Tribal Council member and a Tribal Elder who has walked on. "He used to sign checks and add a stamp of a cow with ud ders to each," she said. Tribal member Wendell Olson, senior network ad ministrator for the Tribe, declined the opportunity to set up and keep track of the sound system for the event. "I wasn't go ing to work tonight," he said. Vendors, who lined the Tribal member Jan Michael Looking Wolf Reibach, left, and Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy, right, gift George Noriega a 23th Restoration blanket after he performed with Reibach during the 25th Restoration Celebration. See CELEBRATION continued on page 7
