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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2009)
Smoke Signals 9 JUNE 1,2009 Sell-Sherer handed the Grand Ronde flag to Bobb State St V'-' ' to W Wnt V ''! I and Leno, who connected it with latches. When instruct ed, Leno hoisted the Grand Ronde flag as Sell-Sherer saluted and Bobb watched it rise into the air. "The Tribal Government Day celebration was impor tant and a very significant event to me," Sell-Sherer said. "Not just because I was honored with the privi lege of representing our Tribal veterans by carrying in our flag at the flag rais ing ceremony. "But because now after 150 years, the state has declared and officially rec ognized all of the Oregon Tribes as sovereign na tions. It is a major step forward and a long time overdue." After the flags were raised, Uma tilla Tribal Chair Antone Minthorn performed a bell song. "We have been on this land for thousands of years, lived on this land for thousands of years, fought on this land and died on this land," he said. 'Today, we come here to raise our flags as nine Tribes and nine sov ereign nations. We raise the flags because of the people who were here before us. We will continue with our traditions, language and customs under these flags." After Mike Rondo of the Cow Creek Tribe sang the national an them a cappella, Minthorn recog nized state officials in the audience, including Gov. Ted Kulongoski, Secretary of State Kate Brown, Attorney General John Kroger and state Sens. Chuck Riley, Ted Ferrioli and Rick Metsger. It was Metsger's 2008 measure that au thorized the Tribal flags and monu ments, which were paid for by the Tribes and the Oregon State Capi tol Foundation. "Welcome to your state Capitol," Brown said. "With the installation of these nine flags, it is truly your Capitol. And I look forward to work ing with you in the future. This is truly a historic occasion and I hope it's an opportunity for all of us to work together under these flags for the betterment of each other, all Oregonians and future genera tions." These nine flags have been miss ing from this park over the past sev eral years," Kulongoski said before reading a proclamation declaring May 14 as Tribal Government Flag Day and May 16-23 as American Indian Week. "I'm proud to live in a state that respects and admires its nine sov ereign Tribal governments, and proud to lead a state government that engages its Tribes as sovereign equals. "Oregon is blessed that these nine Tribes enrich our culture, serve as stewards of the land and contribute so much to this state that each of I State Capitol r J 4 3 2 1 N 1. BurraPaaue 2. Coot 3. Coquille 4. Cow Creek J. Grand Ronde 6 Klamath 7. Silett 8. Umatilla 9. Warm Springs .;JV!.'-'..ikV,..r.'. Court St NE us holds so dear." After Kulongoski's speech and proclamation reading, representa tives from the nine Tribes addressed the crowd: Tribal Chairman Dean Adams from the Burns Paiute; Chairman Bob Garcia from the Coos, Lower Umpqua & Siuslaw; Chairman Ed Metcalf from the Coquille; Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy from Grand Ronde; Chairwoman Sue Shaffer from the Cow Creek; Chairman Antone Minthorn from the Umatilla; Vice Chairwoman Aurolyn Stwyer from the Warm Springs; Chairman Joe Kirk from the Klamath; and Chair woman Delores Pigsley from the Siletz. This was truly a historic event," Kennedy said. "What I see here today in recognizing this historic moment is really an action of the heart. You can legislate things. but it is only when a changing of the heart occurs that you can embrace each other, and that is what I see here to day. And I am very grateful that this is happening for the Tribes and the state of Oregon." These flags rep resent honor, sacri fice, history, culture and perseverance," Metcalf said. "We are no lon ger in a hostile, adversarial rela tionship," Antone Minthorn said. The flags signify a great government-to-government re lationship." At 11:40, the event ended and at tendees adjourned across the street to Water Fountain Park to eat a bar becue lunch provided by the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians and its Seven Feathers Casino. "It was great," Bobb said about the day's events. "A great day in that the pain and suffering of our ancestors whose footprints on this land were washed away by a stroke ' of a pen and ignored as an invisible people now share a place of honor on the grounds of the Capitol of this great state. The Grand Ronde people proudly stand beside our brothers and sisters of the eight other Tribes of Oregon, as sovereign people, and hopefully free the anguished spirits of our ancestors. "As a Tribal member and a vet eran, I wear my emotions very close to my heart. Whenever I represent our people, it is with overwhelming joy and the utmost pride." "I think it's good to honor the Graphic created by George Valdez presence of people who have been here forever," Tribal Council mem ber Chris Mercier said. "I think it matters because we are sovereign nations, we were here before and we will always be a part of Oregon's history. We each have our unique history and story to tell.' I think it's quite appropriate." "It was so historic," said Tribal Council member Kathleen Tom. "It was such a pleasure to be here with my Dad (Tribal Elder Leon "Chip" Tom), who was the third generation of Tribal Council and I'm the fourth generation. Sharing that memory with him will always last in my heart. "And seeing our flag fly at the Capitol because I remember the times before Restoration that there weren't really any good memories at the state Capitol. Today meant a lot to me." D - Grand) Bond Honor Guard mambara, from laf t. Tribal mambar Stava Rlf a, Norria Manilt, Tribal mambar Gana LaBonta and Chria Tinnay wait for tha start of tha provision during Tribal Govarnmant Day In Salam on Thursday, May 14.
