Smoke Signals 1 1
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SEPTEMBER 1, 201 1
SEPTEMBER 1,2011
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Smoke Signals
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
One hundred-ninety com
petition dancers, almost
20 visiting drums and five
in-the-money finishes for Grand
Ronde Tribal dancers.
That's the short version.
There also was a traditional wed
ding and a 50th wedding anniver
sary party at the 201 1 Grand Ronde
Contest Powwow this year held at
Uyxat Powwow Grounds near Fort
Yamhill State Park.
Dances honored Elders who have
walked on. The Tribe hosted guests
from as far away as Costa Rica, and
the Tribe's only member living in
Vermont came for a visit.
Saturday afternoon for Grand
Entry, dancers circled until they
were three deep under the tent
at Uyxat Powwow Grounds. The
stands were so packed, not a seat
was available. The temperature hit
95 degrees.
Tribal Culture Committee Chair
woman Kathleen Provost and com
mittee member Carol Logan, both
Tribal Elders, staffed the commit
tee's vendor booth, back again with
information about the international
Peace & Dignity Journey, which is
inspired by an ancient prophecy of
the Eagle and the Condor coming
together.
Willy Towner, a Siletz Tribal
member with Vivette, Logan and
LaBonte families in his bloodline,
displayed traditional crafts and
materials in the booth. He offered
background information to the
many people who came by.
"How does one learn to make a
hat like this?" asked one visitor, re
ferring to a cedar flat-topped hat.
"Find a good teacher," Towner
told her.
The Culture Committee also
staffed the wire recycling bins
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throughout the powwow grounds,
recycling what they could and re
turning deposit bottles to add to
the committee's budget.
"The support accounting crew, fa-
m
I
rfu-
cilities crew, community and Tribal
members who volunteered, the
Grand Ronde Color Guard, Kristi
DeLoe and her crew, preparing
and serving meals during powwow
it takes all of us to make this a
success," said Dana Ainam, a Tribal
member and longtime organizer of
the Contest Powwow.
Ainam went on to add her thanks
to West Valley Fire District employ
ees, Polk County Sheriffs Office
personnel, ProStar staff, Susan
Reyes and the valet group at Spirit
Tribal mtmbtr Marcel Allan Jr.
dances his way to first plac in tha
Junior Boys Grass category during
tha Confadaratad Tribas of Grand
Ronda 201 1 Contast Powwow
at Uyxat Powwow Grounds on
Saturday, Aug. 20.
Mountain Lodge "who are excep
tional during powwow," running
shuttle buses to the powwow, as
well as Carter Tollas, Marketing
production assistant, and Tribal
member Jocelyn Huffman, spon
sorship coordinator, both for Spirit
Mountain Casino.
Patrolling the powwow grounds
and Reservation this weekend
were Luke Puerini, Jeremy Bailey,
Bryan Fendall, John Koonce, An
drew Puerini, Brooks Wakeland,
Jim Pinder and Richard Nelson.
Members of the patrol group drove
the engine in the parade at Fort
Yamhill State Park on Saturday.
"We don't thank these people
enough," said Ainam.
"Everything!" said Bonnie Merci
er, a Tribal Elder and leader of this
year's Royalty, in answering what's
special about this year's group.
Grand Ronde 2011-12 Royalty
Court includes Nakoosa Moreland,
Senior Miss; Iyana Holmes, Ju
nior Miss; Amelia Mooney, Little
Miss; and princesses Amaryssa
Mooney, Elizabeth Watson Croy
and Makenzie Aaron, all members
of the Tribe.
"It's definitely a teamwork group
of girls," said Reina Nelson, a Tribal
member and longtime Royalty
leader. 'They're all special girls and
they all deserve it. They worked
hard all year, travelling and rep
resenting their Tribe, and making
their Tribe proud."
Community member Christina
Mercier made crowns for Royalty.
"It's always an honor to bead
the crowns for the Royalty," she
said. "This year, I really wanted to
make the girls proud to wear them.
Holding back the sorrow of Dean's
passing, I needed to put a lot of
prayer into them. With the vision of
the girls wearing them, I was able
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Tribal member Ethan Sabin dances during the 1 p.m. Grand Entry of the
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde 201 1 Contest Powwow at Uyxat
Powwow Grounds on Saturday, Aug. 20.
to complete the crowns just in the
nick of time."
Nakoosa's mother, CeCe Knee
land, also a Tribal member, and her
family invited Tribal members to a
Prayer Song Giveaway on Saturday
afternoon.
Also that afternoon, powwow
leaders held a dance special in
honor of the late Patricia Ike (Yaka
ma), who passed on just before last
year's powwow.
A dance honored Korea and Viet
nam veteran Louie Pacheco, who
passed on during powwow week
end. That night, the Canoe Family
held a full dress exhibition in the
Tribal Plankhouse. Those who par
ticipated included Tribal members
Kyoni Mercier, Andrea Grijalva,
Kayla Grijalva, Kimberly Roybal,
Santiago Atanacio, Nick Atanacio,
Kalene Contreras, Kimberly Con
treras, Bobby Mercier, Kai Kanim
Mercier, Jacob Holmes, Tammy
Fisher, Nakoa Mercier, Izaiah
Fisher, SuSun Fisher, Cristina
Lara, Carmella Rojas, Lisa Leno,
Mataya Holmes, Tianna Holmes,
Dana Leno-Ainam, Justice Ainam,
Nya Ainam, Anesia Ainam, Janel
Lara, Jenevieve Davis, James
Davis, Alexis Contreras, Damien
Findley, Chris Contreras, Beryle
Contreras, Brian Krehbiel, Kai
liyah Krehbiel, Ali Holsclaw, Zoey
Holsclaw, Teri Mercier, Kaleigh
Simi, Shannon Simi, Dominik Bri
ant, Shannon Stanton, Lio Norwest
and Shantell Ulestad.
At the Tribal Housing Authority
booth, Housing Services Special
ist Deborah Kroeker had the site
plan for Elders' Housing Phase II
available.
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Wearing Traditional regalia, Tribal member Deitrich Peters dances during Grand Entry of tha Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronda 201 1 Contest Powwow at Uyxat Powwow Grounds on Friday, Aug. 19.
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
The Community Health Plan's
Diabetomic Health Group tested 75
members from the Shasta Health
Plan at the powwow over the week
end, said Wellness Program Man
ager Bonnie Mercier, wearing yet
another hat at powwow.
Diabetomic tests read momen
tary and long-term blood sugar
levels, but also provide information
on overall kidney, pancreas, heart
and liver functions in a convenient,
easy-to-read report that can be
shared with your primary care
physician.
At the Wellbriety Movement
booth, Tribal Elder Margo Ordaz
reported that a local Recovery
Talking Circle is almost ready to
start providing services in Grand
Ronde.
"We hope to be treating families
by the first of the year," she said.
The group has temporary quar
ters in the Saddle Club building,
where the Grand Ronde Food Bank
used to be, beyond the community
garden at the end of Bunnsville and
over the little wooden bridge.
Related, the Portland-based Na
tive American Rehabilitation Asso-
See POWWOW
continued on page 12
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Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy gives a welcome speech to a full arena during the 1 p.m. Grand Entry of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde 201 1
Contest Powwow at Uyxat Powwow Grounds on Saturday, Aug. 20.