8 FEBRUARY 1,2012
Smoke Signals
Smoke Signals 9
FEBRUARY 1,2012
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By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
SALEM American Indians from
Tribes across Oregon and the Unit
ed States celebrated their shared
history during the fourth annual
Gathering of Oregon's First Nations
Powwow held at the Oregon State
Fairgrounds on Saturday, Jan. 28.
With tables in the atrium of the
fairgrounds' Salem Pavilion, many
of the five sponsoring western Or
egon Tribes showed their histories
and cultures as hundreds came by
for the powwow inside. About 50
vendors all with Native-made
goods dotted the outside circle
with their wares.
Grand Ronde Tribal Elders ar
rived in a Tribal bus and many
participated in the afternoon Grand
Entry.
Tribal Elder Patsy Pullin attended
the powwow, visiting family and
friends from her home in Carson
City, Nev., where three of her chil
dren and six grandchildren reside.
She did not come to sing or dance, she
said, because she remains in mourn
ing for a year to honor the recent
passing of her husband, Gene, who
was "a wonderful, honorable man."
Tribal member and Staff Sgt.
Frank Hostler also came back to
visit during the powwow. Stationed
at Fort Lewis in Washington, he is
recovering from a number of medi
cal issues and also working with
environmental concerns for the 21
Bravo combat engineers, where he
is a squad leader. Hostler expects to
be released from the Army within
the year, after 19 years of service,
and study urban planning.
People from the general public also
attended. George and Myrna Marks
drove from Vancouver, Wash., for
the event.
"I have an interest in Indian folk
lore," said Myrna. "I just like to come
and watch the dancing."
"And the music," said her hus
band, George. "It's pretty amazing
to see that the founders of our land
are still active."
"It's been an amazing partner-
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Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Junior Veterans' Queen Isabelle Grout, left, dances with her sister, Tribal
member Sophie Grout, during an Intertribal dance at the fourth annual
Gathering of Oregon's First Nations Powwow at the Oregon State Fair & Expo
Center Pavilion in Salem on Saturday, Jan. 28.
ship with Oregon State Parks," said
Grand Ronde Public Affairs Director
Siobhan Taylor, who has focused the
efforts of the sponsoring Tribes since
the event began in 2009.
The Tribes- receiye free useof the
Salem Pavilion each year in late
January in return for participating
"with songs, dances and traditional
technologies" at the opening of the
Oregon State Fair each summer.
The event began during Oregon's
150th anniversary. Then-Gov. Ted
Kulongoski asked Oregon's Tribes
west of the Cascades and east of the
Cascades to create separate events.
The western Tribes created the First
Nations Powwow to demonstrate
sovereignty and culture.
Western Oregon's five federally
recognized Tribes the Confeder
ated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua
and Siuslaw Indians, Coquille In-
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Feb. 15 and 29, 2012
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Ad created by George Valdez
dian Tribe, Cow Creek Band of the
Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Confed
erated Tribes of Grand Ronde and
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indi
ans annually host this event.
The inaugural First Nations pow
wow in 2009 coincided with the state's
150th birthday celebration and the
Tribes used the moment to remind
Oregonians that American Indians
have lived on this land for thousands
of years before it became a state.
"And that we are still here," noted
Grand Ronde Tribal Chairwoman
Cheryle A. Kennedy at the time.
Former Cow Creek Chairwoman
Sue Shaffer, one of the driving forces
behind the event, said, "The Tribes
have done exceptionally well in
sharing the work for this event."
The effort to help the general
public better understand the culture
and traditions of Oregon Tribes has
been helped, she said, by the success
of gaming as much as by the ongoing
powwows.
"Let's face it: more people have
been paying attention since our suc
cess with gaming, but I don't think
that John Q. Public understands
yet how much we've been giving
back to our communities," Shaffer
said. 'This is our homeland. As we
do for the citizenry, we're helping
ourselves and all around."
"All of us have endured many
hardships," said Kennedy. "But
we're still here and through our
culture, we're helping our people
become successful."
"We've become stronger as Tribal
peoples," said Klamath Tribes Tribal
Council member Frank Summers.
Grand Entry occurred right on
time at 1 p.m., with Oregon Tribal
representatives and veterans lead
ing the procession. The five Tribes
invited the four federally recognized
Tribes in eastern Oregon to attend,
as well as all American Indians and
the general public, and plenty took
advantage.
During Grand Entry, veterans re
ceived special recognition. American
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Indians traditionally serve in the
military in far greater numbers pro
portionately than any other ethnic
group. For the first time, the 911
Remembrance flag was carried in by
Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw
Tribal member and Tribal Police
Officer Colin Roberson.' i
Vendors sold exclusively Native
made goods at the powwow. Woven
hats were available at the Grand
Ronde crafts booth, and many ex
amples of fine carving were on
display.
Confederated Tribes of Coos,
Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indi
ans and the Confederated Tribes of
the Coquille Indian Tribe each dis
played canoes that Tribal members
built and use in canoe journeys and
other cultural events.
Coos artist and teacher Pete
Knowlton manned a vendor booth
for the atlatl and darts, precursors
to the bow and arrow, once used by
aboriginals worldwide for hunting.
Knowlton teaches the skill to the
younger generation and said he can
throw the darts 200 yards.
'This is a good place to learn about
American Indians in contemporary
time," said Nick Sixkiller (Siletz),
master of ceremony at the event.
Sixkiller has emceed the last three
powwows; Grand Ronde Tribal El
der Bob Tom emceed the first one.
State Rep. Arnie Roblan, D-Coos
Bay, who is co-speaker of the Or
egon House of Representatives,
attended.
'This is one of the great events to
happen in western Oregon," Roblan
said. "Most people in Oregon don't
understand the long history of Na
tive Americans here, but we need to
understand the relationship between
the Tribes and Oregon. It's important
for us to listen to each other."
Traditional dance specials for men
and women were held during the
afternoon and on into the evening
for both northern- and southern-style
dancers. Two more specials, father
son and mother-daughter dances,
also were held. Tribal blankets and
baskets filled with gifts were prizes.
L
Tribal member Jordan
Mercier weaves a
cedar hat at the
Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde's cultural
demonstration table
at the fourth annual
Gathering of Oregon's
First Nations Powwow
at the Oregon State
Fair & Expo Center
Pavilion in Salem on
Saturday, Jan. 28.
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As at previous powwows,
"Standing Strong," a video doc
umenting the histories of the
five western Tribes, showed in
a side room at the pavilion.
Among six contest specials,
Grand Ronde, in the name of
Tribal member Leah Brisbois,
won the Women's Northern
Traditional.
"It was awesome," said
Sixkiller. "I know the word is
overused, but everything came
off so well. There was a good
healthy feeling to the powwow.
It was a clean and sober Saturday
night. There were a lot of good danc
ers, songs and prayers."
An incredible 23 drums participat
ed in the event, including host drums
The Woodsmen from Grand Ronde,
Star Horse from Warm Springs,
Little River from Eugene and Thun
dering Water from Cow Creek.
In addition, the following drums
also attended and performed: CSB
from Grand Ronde; Autumn Creek
and Mee Hock Pride from Warm
Springs; Turquoise Tribe, Bulls
and Bears, Wy'East and Northern
Blackhorse from Portland; Young
Society and Top Fox from Chiloquin;
Johonaaii, Ahnii Nijii, Wind Danc
ers and Snake Singers from Salem;
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Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy greets Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians
Chief Warren Brainard before Grand Entry of the fourth annual Gathering of Oregon's First Nations Powwow at the
Oregon State Fair & Expo Center Pavilion in Salem on Saturday, Jan. 28.
Malheur from Burns Paiute; Decep
tion Pass from central Oregon; High
Rock from Yakima Valley; Signal
Butte from Springfield; Splacta Alia
from Yoncolla; and Blue Sky Boys
from Chemawa Indian School.
Grand Ronde Royalty's Junior
Miss Iyana Holmes participated on
crutches. She was joined by Grand
Ronde Senior Miss Nakoosa More
land, Little Miss Amelia Mooney,
Princesses Elizabeth Watson-Croy
VisitJtheJHbefr
page to see more photos
and Amaryssa Mooney, and Junior
' Veterans' Queen Isabelle Grout, all
members of the Tribe.
Jason Stacona (Warm Springs)
served as arena director.
Elder and Grand Ronde Tribal
Council member Steve Bobb Sr.
gave the invocation.
Caitlynn Heskett of Salem is part
Cherokee. She attended with her
friend, Kiowa Natividad of Keizer,
and her dog, Miley.
"My grandma is half-Indian and
she wanted me to experience a
powwow," said Heskett. "I think
it's pretty cool. Next time, I'll dress
up."
'Chris is always available to talk to Tribal members'
MERCIER continued
from front page
Mercier, who is serving his third
three-year term on the Grand
Ronde Tribal Council, was nomi
nated for the award by Tribal El
der Marilyn Portwood and fellow
Tribal Council member Kathleen
Tom, Tribal Attorney Rob Greene
and Tribal Public Affairs Director
Siobhan Taylor.
"Besides his full-time job as
councilman, Chris is very active
in groups that contribute to the
county and the Willamette Valley,"
Portwood wrote on her nomination
form, citing Mercier's chairmanship
of Spirit Mountain Casino's Board
of Directors and being a member,
as well as past-president, of the
Mid-Willamette Valley Council of
Governments.
Portwood also listed Mercier's
membership in the Yamhill Com
munity Action Partnership, Yam
hill County Transit Authority and
Mid-Willamette Valley Area Com
mission on Transportation.
"Chris is always available to
talk to Tribal members," Portwood
added.
The Tom-Greene-Taylor nomina
tion said Mercier "is a tireless advo
cate for his Tribe and the people of
the mid-Willamette Valley" and that
he has embraced "the responsibili
ties of being an active partner with
our neighboring governments."
The nomination listed the numer
ous organizations on which Mercier
represents the Grand Ronde Tribe.
In addition to the ones mentioned
by Portwood, Mercier serves or has
served on the National Congress
of American Indians, the Oregon
Tribal Gaming Alliance, National
Indian Head Start, Yamhill County
Parkway Committee and as the
Tribal representative to the Oregon
Department of Transportation and
the Willamette Partnership.
"Chris is a leader in promoting re
gional intergovernmental relations,"
the Tom-Greene-Taylor nomina
tion says, citing his involvement in
helping secure $4 million in Tribal
funding for the proposed New-berg-Dundee
bypass, concern for
transportation safety improvements
along the highways 1822 corridor
and his work to bring public transit
from Salem to Grand Ronde.
Mercier, 36, is a graduate of the
University of Oregon School of
Journalism. Before being elected to
Tribal Council for the first time in
2004, he was a contributing writer
for the Tribal newspaper and re
ceived awards for his work from the
Native American Journalists Asso
ciation. He served as the youngest
Tribal chairman ever in the history
of the Tribe during the 2006-07 ses
sion of Tribal Council.
Mercier has said that this term
will be his final one, an indication
of his continuing support for term
limits on Tribal Council. He is look
ing forward to pursuing his love of
writing and travel.
Attending the awards ceremony
were Mercier's brother, Bryan, and
mother, Pat, as well as Tribal Ex
ecutive Officer Chris Leno, Public
Affairs Director Siobhan Taylor,
Tribal Attorney Rob Greene, Tribal
Council Senior Administrative
Assistant Lauri Smith and Tribal
Council member Kathleen Tom,
who all stood and created the Uni
versity of Oregon "O" sign with
their hands as he received the
award.
"Honestly, I never thought that I
would be doing this," Mercier said
in his acceptance speech. "I never
thought that I would get into poli
tics, much less Tribal politics. I did
not know that I would serve three
terms on the Grand Ronde Tribal
Council. It was kind of tough at
first ... but I learned a lot from be
ing on COG.
"I think the tendency is for people
to assume that Tribal politics and
Tribal government are vastly differ
ent from mainstream' politics and
mainstream government. I think
there are differences, but I think
there are more similarities than
differences. So getting to serve with
the people on COG and hearing
their stories of the challenges they
face, it's taught me a lot. . . . I'm hon
ored to not only be recognized by
you guys, but to work with you."
Mercier thanked Greene, Taylor,
Smith, Tom and Leno for their as
sistance. "I'm just honored to receive this
award," Mercier said.
The Mid-Willamette Valley Coun
cil of Governments includes 32 Or
egon cities and towns, three county
governments, five special districts
and the Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde. B