Smoke signals., February 15, 2011, Image 1

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FEBRUARY 15,2011
A Publication of the Grand Rondo Tribe
www.grandronde.org
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IMOIjATiTiA. Ea BOQUE EIVER ta KAXAPUYA ta CHASTA
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Tribal mambtf Kavin Simmons, holding tha drum, sings thanksgiving song during the Plankhousa Naming
Ceremony in Grand Bond on Sunday, Jan. 30. Bafora ho sang tho song that ho croatod and gavo to the plankhouse,
Simmons asked members of his family to stand with him. The plankhouse was officially named Achf a-hammi, a
Tualatin-Kalapuya word meaning "a house built of cedar planks," translating to simply "plankhouse."
Tribal Elder Kathryn Harrison shakes hands
with Joe Herrle as she thanks him for the
work he put into building the plankhouse
during the Plankhouse Naming Ceremony
in Grand Ronde on Sunday, Jan. 30.
Workers who were present at the ceremony
were honored for their time and work. They
were gifted Pendleton blankets and people
approached them and shook their hand. In
addition to Herrle, from left, David Rogers,
Tribal Elder Don Day, Tribal member
Devere Eastman and Jay Robinson, right, .
also were thanked. Rogers is the owner of
Logs and Timbers out of Rhododendron,
which was the contractor for the job, and
Herrle and Robinson worked on his crew.
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Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Tribe, other
entities oppose
Cowlitz decision
Lawsuits contend site is not
connected to Cowlitz Tribe,
violates Supreme Court decision
and other federal laws
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
The Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde filed a lawsuit
in U.S. District Court in
Washington, D.C., on Feb. 1, asking
that a U.S. Department of Interior
decision to grant the Cowlitz Tribe
reservation land near La Center,
Wash., be vacated.
In a separate lawsuit filed in the
same court, Clark County, Wash.,
the city of Vancouver, Wash., Citi
zens Against Reservation Shop
ping, two nearby landowners and
owners of card rooms in La Center
asked for the same ruling.
The Tribe's lawsuit says Grand
Ronde is challenging the decision
because "the land is not located
within the Cowlitz Tribe's aborigi
nal territory, is not historically or
culturally significant to the Cowlitz,
and would be taken in trust for a
Tribe that was neither 'recognized'
or 'under federal jurisdiction.' "
Grand Ronde's lawsuit says that
the Department of Interior's deci
sion is not authorized under the
1934 Indian Reorganization Act,
violates the Indian Gaming Regula
tory Act and fails numerous times
to comply with requirements of
the National Environmental Policy
Act.
Defendants are the Department
of Interior, Interior Secretary Ken
Salazar, Assistant Interior Secre-
See COWLITZ
continued on page 11
Oregon's Firsft Nations gatther ffor third year
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
Grand opening at the third annual Gath
ering of Oregon's First Nations on
Saturday, Jan. 29, put the spotlight on
hundreds of Indians.
They danced in, walked in, came with walkers
and in wheelchairs.
Although the program was sponsored by Ore
gon's five western Tribes, representatives of all
nine federally recognized Oregon Tribes carried
Eagle Staffs to lead the grand opening.
Among the nine were Grand Ronde Tribal El
der Steve Rife, a veteran of both the Army and
the Marines, who often carries the Eagle staff at
Grand Ronde events. Following were Tribal rep
resentatives carrying Tribal, Oregon, POW-MIA
See POWWOW
continued on page 9
Little Miss Grand Ronde lyana Holmes
participates in an Intertribal dance during the
third annual Gathering of Oregon's First Nations
Powwow at the Oregon State Fair & Expo Center
Pavilion in Salem on Saturday, Jan. 29.
Photo by Michelle Alaimo