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JULY 15,2011
Smoke Signals
JULY 15, 2011
Smoke Signals
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Tribal member Marcus Gibbons dances during an Intertribal dance during the Marcellus Norwest Memorial Veterans Powwow at Uyxat Powwow Grounds.
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
POWWOW continued
from front page
held in recent years at Uyxat Pow
wow Grounds, and the Veterans
Memorial that sits on the Tribal
campus.
Parts of Marce's regalia and
other items were given to those
who wanted something personal
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of Marce's, but Tribal member
T.J. Grefsrud, who is married to
Norwest's granddaughter Nikki,
was gifted an entire set of Marce's
regalia.
Nikki was the first Veterans Roy
alty Princess at the first Veterans
Powwow.
After receiving the regalia, Gref
srud held his own coming out
giveaway for people who
have helped him along
the way.
"The Vietnam War,"
said Sharon, "the pride
that they've been able
to get back by attending
these powwows, it's been
a real honor to do that
all these years."
Marce's two sisters
Tribal Elders Marilee
Norwest-Davis and Mar
cella Norwest Selwyn
sat front and center
in the Elders section on east side
of the tent.
"We're really thankful," said
Marilee. "When they told me about
(giving Marce's name to the pow
wow), I couldn't get over it. It is
neat."
"A lot of tears to my eyes," said
Marcella. "I'm so proud. I never
thought that anything would be
named for anyone in the family.
I'm proud of Sharon, too. I just
wish Marce was here to see this,
but I know that he does. I just knew
when we were out there dancing, he
was there dancing with us."
"We're thankful for what he stood
for and for the time and effort he
put into making this powwow what
it is today," said Tribal Council
Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy
in her invocation.
"Marce set the example of how
to treat our veterans," said Tribal
Council Vice Chair Reyn Leno.
Some 200 veterans came through
in Saturday afternoon's grand en
try, and each received a Marcellus
Norwest Memorial Powwow cap.
Two dance specials were held
Saturday afternoon. Jonny War
ren (Siletz) won the War Dance
Special and Grand Ronde Tribal
member Nakoosa Moreland won
the Jingle Dress Special. More
land also is Grand Ronde Royalty
Queen this year.
In addition, Harmony Paul (Nez
Perce) won a hand drum contest.
On Sunday, Deitz and Rose Pe
ters, the powwow's Head Man and
Woman, sponsored a Change Up
Special, where men and women
switched regalia. Everybody was
a winner there.
New to the powwow this year
was the Avenue of Flags,
a three-year project led by
Tribal Elder Violet Folden.
Supporters had been lobbying
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Flags from the Avenue of Flags surround the tent covering the arena floor at the Marcellus Norwest
Memorial Veterans Powwow.
Grand Ronde Royalty Princess Madison Aaron,
front, Little Miss Grand Ronde lyana Holmes,'
middle, and Junior Miss Grand Ronde Makenzie
Aaron dance during an Intertribal dance during the
Marcellus Norwest Memorial Veterans Powwow at
the Uyxat Powwow Grounds on Saturday July 9.
for flags everywhere until Folden
brought Tribal Council Vice Chair
Reyn Leno and Tribal Council
member Steve Bobb Sr. over to the
cemetery where the few flags they
had were lined up.
As a result, Tribal Council
stepped up and ordered 60 flags
and poles. They were on display
all weekend.
Family members of deceased vet
erans also can buy the right to put
their names and years of service on
the flag poles so that every Memo
rial Day and Veterans Powwow,
the flags will come out with elk
hide feathers and the names clearly
Grand Ronde Princess Amaryssa Mooney dances
in her jingle dress during the Marcellus Norwest
Memorial Veterans Powwow at the Uyxat
Powwow Grounds on Saturday July 9.
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Tribal Elder and Honor
Guard member Gene
LaBonte places the
Tribal flag in its stand
as other Honor Guard
members do the same
after Grand Entry of
the Marcellus Norwest
Memorial Veterans
Powwow at the Uyxat
Powwow Grounds on
Friday, July 8.
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marked. Applications
are in Smoke Signals.
Among the vendors on
hand over the weekend,
the Yamhill County
Veterans Services Of
fice as well as state and
federal counterparts
were in attendance.
The biggest news for
veterans, said Veter
ans' Services Officer
Debbie Gill, are three
added "presumptive
conditions" that open
the door to benefits for
Agent Orange exposure.
Those conditions are
hairy cell leukemia, ischemic heart
conditions and Parkinson's disease.
And, says Gill, vets who have
been "stop-lossed" (kept in service
longer than their contracts called
for) have to apply for the extra
benefits due them. Call Gill at 503-434-7503
for information.
In addition, veterans now have
Internet access to their benefits
and records through a Veterans
Affairs and Department of Defense
Web site. (Call 1-800-983-0937 for
information.)
Off in another direction among
the vendors was the Peace and
Dignity Journeys. This group has
sponsored spiritual
runs every four years
since 1992.
Runners start in
Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, on the
south side and Alaska on the north
side. The seven-month run will
bring them together at a still un
named site in Central America. The
run starts in the spring 2012, and
locals are encouraged to join as it
comes through their neighborhood.
Peace and Dignity Journeys were
inspired by an ancient prophecy of
the Eagle and the Condor coming
together, represented by sacred
staffs, according to the group's
brochure. 'This joining represents
the unification of Indigenous people
from the North and South after
centuries of colonization."
The 2012 run is dedicated to the
water that is being contaminated
worldwide. Contact Tribal Elder
Carol Logan (541-921-0388) for
information.
With ceremonial bear and elk do
nated by the Natural Resources Di
vision, Mak Mak Haws provided for
more than 300 diners on Saturday
night. Turning that bear and elk
into chili, however, came from vol
unteers at the Grand Ronde Saddle
Club, who also served the meals,
said Christian Tinney (Lower East
ern Cherokee), who is chair of the
Veterans Powwow Committee and
coordinator of the event. Mak Mak
Haws also provided breakfast on
Sunday morning.
The event was recorded for the
first time in high definition and
digital sound.
Honor Guard for the event includ
ed Tribal Elder Gene LaBonte, Nor
ris Merrill, Alen Lemons (NIVA),
Tinney (Lower Eastern Cherokee),
Al Miller, Grefsrud and Wayne
Chulik (Tlinget).
Drums for the powwow were
Little River, Bull & Bears, 4-Di-rections,
Signal Butte, Woodsmen,
Eagle Warrior, Autumn Creek,
Johonaaii, Turquoise Pride, Wolf
Creed Singers and Ani Ni Gi.
Royalty included Madison Aaron,
Grand Ronde Princess; lyana Hol
mes, Little Miss Grand Ronde;
Makenzie Aaron, Junior Miss Grand
Ronde; Leslie Lundy, Miss Siletz;
Elizabeth Watson-Croy, Grand
Ronde Princess; Amelia Mooney,
Grand Ronde Princess; Amaryssa
Mooney, Grand Ronde Princess;
Nakoosa Moreland, Senior Miss
Grand Ronde; and Kallie Provost,
Senior Veterans Queen, and Isabelle
Grout, Veterans Junior Miss.
Tony Whitehead was whip man
and Nick Sixkiller, with his genial
wit, served again as master of cer
emonies. "There will be a cage fight for
Elders," Sixkiller said on Friday
night.
And Sunday afternoon, Sixkiller
was still at it, welcoming Tribal
Elder and veteran Gene LaBonte
as the Tribe's last remaining Civil
War vet. D
Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy, left, pays her respects to Tribal
Elder Marcella Selwyn, sister of recently walked on Tribal Elder Marce
Norwest, during a time to pay respect to Norwest's family members during
the Marcellus Norwest Memorial Veterans Powwow at the Uyxat Powwow
Grounds on Friday, July 8.
Newly crowned Veterans'
Royalty Junior Veterans'
Queen Isabelle Grout, left,
and Senior Veterans' Queen
Kallie Provost are welcomed
with a lap around the arena
floor at the Marcellus Norwest
Memorial Veterans Powwow
at the Uyxat Powwow
Grounds on Friday, July 8.
Accompanying them is whip
man Tony Whitehead, right, as
family and friends follow.
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