Smoke Signals 7
JANUARY 1,2012
Children's InterTribal dances into powwow calendar
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By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
Tribal member and former Roy
alty member Halona Butler and
Washie Squetimkin (Colville), who
teach Native dance to Tribal and
community children, hosted the
first Children's InterTribal Pow
wow on Monday, Dec. 19, in the
Tribal gym.
It seemed to be the logical exten
sion of the Native dance class cur
rently being offered.
'The kids have always been really
interested in dancing," said Butler,
19. "They wanted to show their
families what they could do."
Everyone wore regalia and every
one danced.
Butler hopes to host one powwow
a month.
"To be positive about our culture,
I just wanted to do something that
they can learn, and that they can
teach their family," she said.
For Squetimkin, this was the
third powwow he has had a hand
in producing.
"My special input is on the danc
ing and drumming," he said. "Ha
lona took on getting the venue
together, and getting word out
there."
They also taught children how
the flags come in.
Tribal Elder Bob Tom, in his invo
cation, honored grandparents and
parents who had come to support
the young people.
"This is theirs," said Tribal member
and Language & Culture Specialist
Bobby Mercier. "If they want to have
InterTribals all night, that's what
we'll have. Parents, feel free to come
out and dance with your kids."
Photos by Ron Karten
Above, Tribal children, including
Junior Miss Grand Ronde lyana
Holmes, right, and Tribal member
Jacob Holmes, second from right,
dance during the Tribe's first
Children's InterTribal Powwow in
the Tribal gymnasium on Monday,
Dec. 19.
Left, Grand Ronde Royalty Princess
Elizabeth Watson-Croy dances
during the Tribe's first Children's
InterTribal Powwow in the Tribal
gymnasium on Monday, Dec. 19.
That's what Tribal member Fer
rell Degarmo did with his son, also
a Tribal member, Mahiashlok, 3.
Tribal member Perri McDaniel,
who chairs the Tribe's Cultural
Trust Board, also was out on the
floor with her granddaughters,
Tribal descendants Arianna Nava,
KiiUsh Kimbol and Kiyh Red
hawk. "It makes me very proud and feel
so hopeful for our future genera
tions to see these young people out
there dancing and stepping up to
put on a powwow," McDaniel said.
"Less people, but more fun," said
Little Miss Grand Ronde lyana
Holmes in comparing the children's
event with the larger summer pow
wows. "This is the type of powwow
where kids can show off what they
learn," Holmes said.
"It's a little bit smaller," said
Grand Ronde Princess Lyssa Watson-Croy,
"but it's not rough ground
here. It's fun." On the other hand,
she said the larger powwows have
"so many people from so many
Tribes, and they have wonderful
jerky. The jerky man is always
there."
Although Butler and Squetimkin
had been talking about hosting
the powwow since summer, plan
ning did not begin in earnest until
the beginning of December. In the
crush to put all the details together,
hosting a dinner for families fell
in favor of a table with chips and
cookies.
Next time, there will be dinner,
Butler said.
She also thanked parents and
staff, including Tribal members
Bobby Mercier, Brian Krehbiel and
Sarah Ross, along with community
members Glenda Watson-Croy and
Squetimkin for helping to get the
powwow off the ground. B
Zumba held Monday,
Wednesday in gym
Zumba, an easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired and calorie-burning dance fit
ness party, is held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday and Wednesday in the
Tribal gymnasium. The first class is free and $6 thereafter for drop-ins, or
$5 if participants purchase a punch card. For more information, contact
Tribal Recreation Coordinator Alton Butler at 503-879-1369 or alton.
butlergrandronde.org. B
Exhibits come at the 100th
anniversary of women suffrage
DONATIONS continued
from front page
this event with Willamette Heri
tage Center, we will honor our Na
tive women in our history as well as
our current leaders as we continue
to provide direction and leadership
to our people."
"This exhibit represents the sec
ond cooperative exhibition between
the Heritage Center and the Grand
Ronde Tribe," said Heritage Center
Executive Director Peter Booth.
"I'm extremely excited and thrilled
to see this partnership continue."
The Grand Ronde Women exhibit
is being curated by Tribal member
David Lewis, manager of the Cul
tural Resources Department, Brown
and Tribal member Stephanie Wood,
a University of Oregon student who
is contributing exhibit material and
history related to basketry.
The exhibit will follow another
women's show, the January-March
winter exhibit, "Willamette Wom
en: Our History is Our Strength,"
the museum's second annual Heri
tage Extravaganza. The museum's
heritage extravaganzas invite Mid
Valley heritage, cultural and his
tory museums and organizations to
participate together in one show.
The two exhibits come at the
100th anniversary of women suf
frage in Oregon, Booth said.
"The subject is also extremely im
portant in the Native community, in
that the role of Native women was
essential for the survival of the com
munity. And the Grand Ronde Tribe
has created some very strong and
influential women up to and includ
ing the current Tribal Council."
The exhibit will run from Friday,
April 6, through Monday, May 28.
Brown can be contacted regard
ing donations at julie.browngran
dronde.org or 503-879-2186. B
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
Tribal Court Appointed Special
Advocate (CASA) Program
Wawa pus tenas
"Speaking for ChildrenYouth"
Each year, approximately 780,000 children in the U.S. are caught
in the court and child welfare maze because they are unable to live
safely at home.
Approximately 13,965 children in the state of Oregon have been
in foster care at least once during the past year.
Currently, there are approximately 87 Grand Ronde children in
foster care. Half of those children are wards of the Tribal Court right
here in the Grand Ronde Community.
The Grand Ronde Tribal Court is looking for committed, caring
volunteers who want to help these children by advocating for the
child. The Tribal Court CASA Program will train all volunteer ad
vocates. Give these children a voice during this difficult time, help
these children to receive the services they need, stay connected to
their culture and find safe permanent homes.
If you would like mora Information on how to volunteer and better serve our Tribal Children, please
detach and complete this form and return It to: Tribal Court Programs Specialist, 9615 Grand
Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347. For additional Information, call 503-879-4623 or e-mail:
Julle.boekhofforandronde.org
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please send me a CASA Advocate Application
please send me more information about the Tribal Court CASA Program
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