Smoke Signals 3
APRIL 1, 2011
Fncrstt Foods celefoiraftioin) draws more ttlhain) 50
By Ron Karten
Smoke SignaU itaff writer
The foods were on the table to be
honored, the way Tribal Elder and
Culture Committee member Carol
Logan said they should be served.
The menu included fresh caught,
wild salmon, clam chowder, crab
legs, huckleberries from Indian
Heaven on Mt. Adams, wild rice
from the Great Lakes area, harvest
ed by members of the Onishanabe
Nation, with golden chanterelle
mushrooms, camas baked with
ceremonial deer meat, boiled lam
prey, ceremonial elk stew and fry
bread.
"You have people sit down and
their food is there," Logan said.
"Honoring the food, letting people
sit down, taking the time to feel
good and respecting the food the
way it needs to be respected."
That was the first lesson taught
at the First Foods Celebration held
Saturday, March 19, in the Tribal
Community Center, which drew
more than 50 attendees this year.
"Lining up for food is what we
learned in the Depression," said
Logan. "We don't want to look at
our food that way."
She started the ceremony with
thanks for each food and asked
that everybody start their meal
with water.
"Our sacred water which gives
life to all living things," she said.
'Tribal people need to understand
that it's important to pray for their
food," said Tribal Elder and Culture
Committee Chairwoman Kathleen
Provost. "Our Tribe needs to be
more aware of the ceremonies for
the salmon, the deer, the elk, the
roots and the berries."
The annual event was put to
gether over months by the Culture
Committee, said committee and
Tribal member Perri McDaniel.
Q Q
Tribal member and Culture
Committee member Perri McDaniel,
left, and her daughter, Tribal
member Delia Sanchez, check the
food before serving.
Before the crowd arrived, Tribal
Council member Chris Mercier
took pictures of the First Foods
Celebration table. The food was
ready when celebrants sat down, as
intended by the Culture Committee,
which sponsored the event on
Saturday, March 19, in the Tribal
Community Center.
Photos by Ron Karten
For Tribal Council member Chris
Mercier, who made a video with a
running commentary of the numer
ous dishes, the celebration was a
good example of the latest move
ment in food circles from farm
to fork.
"Natives were the original farm-
TT-
m imi .V . Wr
to-fork people," Mercier said. "Our
people knew how to thrive, and
make do with what was around
us."
"Our Tribe needs to understand
that these foods were the first
foods that we found when we were
first introduced to this area," said
Provost.
"I'm just so proud of Grand Ronde
for keeping tradition alive, and
glad that my children can be part
of it," said Tribal member Sarah
Ross, whose whole family attended.
"We live this. It's part of our daily
life."
Tribal Elder Julie Duncan, who
came with her husband, Bob, said
that this was her second First
Foods Celebration. "I come to meet
other people and listen to them."
She was a little surprised that
the camas reminded her more of
potatoes than onions, which is what
she thought looking at them before
tasting.
Her husband said he enjoyed "the
camaraderie with everyone."
Tribal Elder Nora Kimsey, 102,
was out for the first time in three
months, said her daughter, Tribal
Elder Margaret Provost.
"I want to add a huge special
thanks to The Wy'East singers
for the blessing song honoring the
food," said McDaniel.
Wy'East Singers of Portland
opened and closed the event. On
hand from the group were Teewah
nee (Tygh), Norm Michelee (Grand
RondeWarm SpringsCowichan
Yurok), James Butler (Siletz), Peter
Ponce (Zacatecas), Bryce Grandbois
(SiouxOjibwe) and Ron Belgard (Si
letz, Grand RondeOjibweCree).
Kathleen Provost, Vice Chair
Betty Bly and committee members
Logan and McDaniel attended.
Other committee members are
CeCe Kneeland and Linda Bran
don, all members of the Tribe.
Special thanks went to Tribal
member Delia Sanchez and Shay
leen Macy, who helped with the
cooking and cleanup; to Glenn
Lamotte, for his "muscle" and
Tamarro Gabbert for her cooking
expertise; and to Tribal member
Joe Hostler, his wife and daughter
who come up from California each
year to be a part of this special
ceremony.
Special thanks from Kathleen
Provost also go to Monica Garcia
and Don Hendricks.
Tribal Elder and former Tribal
Chair Kathryn Harrison attended
as did Betty Bly's granddaughter,
Tribal member Goldie Bly.
"The people that didn't come
missed a lot," said Bob Duncan. B
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