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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2009)
Smoke Signals 9 8 FEBRUARY 15, 2009 FEBRUARY 15, 2009 &j Smoke Signals FIRST NATIONS continued from front page Oregon's 150th year of statehood acknowledges Oregon's nine fed erally recognized Tribes, the first people and their rich heritage, tra ditions and stewardship of cultural and natural resources, residents on these lands from time immemo rial," the proclamation says. "Tribal governments existed here before there was a State of Oregon and stand side by side with the State as continuing and viable gov ernments in Oregon today." Grand Ronde Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy, Tribal Coun cil Vice Chair Reyn Leno, Tribal Council Secretary Jack Giffen Jr. and Tribal Council members Wink Soderberg, Kathleen Tom, Valorie Sheker, Steve Bobb Sr. and Chris Mercier attended the proclamation reading. Other Tribal members in the crowd included Spirit Mountain Community Fund Director Shelley Hanson, Tribal Elder Carol Logan and Tribal Executive Officer Chris Leno. Also in attendance were repre sentatives from the other four west ern Oregon Tribes, including Tribal Chairs Bob Garcia, Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw; Sue Shaf fer, Cow Creek Band of Umpqua; Ed Metcalf, Coquille; and Delores Pigsley, Siletz. Representatives from several eastern Oregon Tribes also attended. After reading the proclamation, Kulongoski mingled with Tribal representatives, posed for numer ous photos and shook hands with Tribal digjfataries. Video debuts At 1:30 p.m. Friday, the five western Tribes unveiled a 55 minute video at the Oregon State Fairgrounds that tells the com bined history of the Tribes. Cow 7-Tr ! ! rvf V I A' " u-. h i 1 j .S O ... ' ... ,M Z W&'i - ... ,; 1 1 1 111 mi miiniMiiniMin n Above, Grand Ronde Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy, second from right, sits with other western Oregon Tribal leaders before the debut of a 55-minute video that told the combined histories of the five western Oregon Tribes. With Kennedy are, from left, Siletz Chairwoman Delores Pigsley, Coos, Lower Umpqua & Siuslaw Chairman Bob Garcia, Cow Creek Chairwoman Sue Shaffer and Coquille Chairman Ed Metcalf. Left, Kulongoski reads a proclamation before more than 1 00 attendees, including a large contingent of Grand Ronde Tribal members, at the State Capitol on the morning of Friday, Jan. 30, that named Jan. 3 1 Oregon Tribal Nations Honor Day. Photos by Dean Rhodes Creek's Creative Images created the video, which was supervised by video producer Carl Metzler. Tribal member and Cultural Resources Department Manager David Lewis supervised the Grand Ronde Tribe's section. Kulongoski attended the pre miere, as did many political figures, including State Sen. Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day), newest member of the Oregon Commission on Indian Services; former Gov. Vic Atiyeh; and representatives from the con gressional offices of Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio. Shaffer, who introduced the video, stressed the talking point "Before Oregon" to the approximately 150 people in attendance. Grand Ronde m , wr 7 ,k r mx " .fz' ir m i ..... . v jf (i 1 Photo by Ron Karlen At the end of the first Grand Entry of the Gathering of First Nations Powwow on Saturday, Jan. 3 1 , Tribal members from across Oregon and the country filled the pavilion at the State Fairgrounds In Salem. Drum groups spread across the front of the pavilion, at bottom in the photograph. Tribal Council member June Sell Sherer attended the video's debut along with the aforementioned members of Tribal Council. Grand Ronde Tribal Elder and former Tribal Chairwoman Kath ryn Harrison was featured in the video's introduction dressed in regalia before the film broke into five segments, telling the individual and intertwined histories of the five western Oregon Tribes. "I loved it," Kennedy said. "It was just excellent." After the video was shown and re ceived a round of applause, Shaffer said that Kulongoski had requested a copy. Powwow draws 5,000 to Fairgrounds On Saturday, Jan. 31, about 5,000 people watched and partici pated in the Gathering of Oregon's First Nations Powwow held at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion in Salem. "The intent of the five western Oregon Tribes was to educate Or egonians about the Oregon Tribes, and to say that they were here for thousands of years prior to Oregon statehood. And that we are still here," Kennedy said. A group of representatives from the five western Oregon Tribes worked on organizing the event since early in 2008. Kulongoski appointed Shaffer to spearhead the western Oregon Tribes' effort to cel ebrate the state's 150th birthday. Kennedy, Lewis and Grand Ronde Tribal Public Affairs Director Siob han Taylor took lead roles in repre senting the Grand Ronde Tribe on the organizing committee. Nine drums representing urban, rural and Tribal communities included Eagle Beak from Grand Ronde, Round Stone from Siletz, Star Horse from Warm Springs, Red Hawk Canyon from Uma tilla, Thunder Water from the Cow Creeks, 4 Directions from Portland, Red Nation Singers from Salem and Chemawa Indian School, Signal Butte from the EugeneSpringfield area, Dancing Spirit from Ashland and Southern Oregon, and Stagger Butte, a Klamath Tribe group from Chiloquin. Tribal Elder Bob Tom shared an- nouncing duties with Fred Hill, a General Council Interpreter with the Confederat ed Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. "It is really nice that all of the Tribes are here together," said Grand Ronde Tribal Council member Kathleen Tom. She added that she looks for ward to a gather ing one day of all American Indian nations. "I felt so good because we all worked together," Shaffer said. "So often you'll see jockeying for po sition. I saw none of that. Everybody was so help ful in our mission of showing our beautiful homeland, and that we are sovereign nations." The Oregon 150 DVD "Before Or egon" played continually in a room set aside for the project. "Hopefully, through the video, Oregonians will become knowl edgeable that we continue to live today," said Kennedy. "My hope is that Oregon schools will include this in their history lesson about the Tribes." "This is a once in a lifetime thing," said Grand Ronde Tribal Elder Kathryn Harrison, who partici pated in the 1 p.m. grand entry with Kennedy and Tribal Elder Donna Casey. "This was my very first grand entry," said Casey. "I was proud to be there." Grand Ronde Tribal members and employees played a big role in the event, with the Tribe's Prostar Security team augmenting State Fair security. They did such a good job," said Taylor. They understand powwow and grand entry, and they work so well with Tribal people." The Grand RondeChinook Ca- A z Photos by Ron Karten Grand Ronde Tribal Elders participated in the Saturday, Jan. 31, Grand Entry. From left In the top photo were Tribal Elders Donna Casey, participating in her very first Grand Entry, Kathryn Harrison, former Chairwoman of the Grand Ronde Tribe, and Cheryle A. Kennedy, current Chairwoman. In the bottom photo. Grand Ronde Tribal Council members and Tribal Elders, from left, Jack Giffen Jr., Steve Bobb Sr. and Reyn Leno also march in during the Grand Entry. noe Family opened the day with vid Mercier, Greg Archuleta a !l Tribal Elders Pat , - - - . i - - - paddle song and dancers. Grand Ronde craftspeople and merchants, including Tribal mem bers and brothers Bobby and Da- nd Al len, Charlotte Gray, Linda Bean Olson and The Grand Ronde Chinook Canoe Family was first to perform at the Gathering of Oregon's First Nations Powwow on Saturday, Jan. 31, at the State Fairgrounds. From right are Grand Ronde Tribal members Kyonl Mercier and Madison Leno, Chinook Tribal member Mary Johnson and Makah Tribal member Adrianna Rico. sisters Violet Folden and Gladys Hobbs, were among the many ven dors on the floor. Taylor led a group including Trib al members and Cultural Resources Department Manager David Lewis, Public Affairs Administrative Assis tant Krinten Ravin and Public Af fairs temp Jancle Gutierrez-Riggs, who helped answer questions and distribute materials at the Grand Hondo Tribe's information booth in the pavilion's lobby. The event started at 10 a.m. and the pavilion was filled up by noon. The powwow lasted until 11 p.m., with a second grand entry occurring n round 6 p.m. "The 150th Oregon birthday celebration was thrilling. It was fulfilling. It was a mark in history," said Kennedy. "It warmed my heart to witness over 5,000 citizens of Oregon who enme together joining us, the five western Oregon Tribes, nt the Oregon First Nations Pow wow. "It was a very good day." D