Smoke Signals 7
APRIL 1,2012
HISTORY continued
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cil chairwoman; Tribal Council
member Kathleen Tom; and Tribal
Elder Margaret Provost, who was
instrumental in the Tribe's Resto
ration effort.
'This exhibit allows us to explore
issues that have plagued the Tribe
for 160 years, including how Ameri
can society has privileged man, how
women have served as culture bear
ers and worked to help the culture
and Tribe survive through Termi
nation and develop in Restoration,"
said Tribal member David Lewis,
the Tribe's Cultural Resources De
partment manager.
"Without the work and leadership
of women, I don't know that we
would have many of the cultural
programs we have today, including
a vibrant language education pro
gram. This has all occurred despite
efforts by the federal government
to disempower women through
genocide and the forced steriliza
tion of American Indian women
at Chemawa Indian School. It is
really the passion of women that
has led the Tribe through its most
trying era."
"Women have always held vital
and varied roles among the Confed
erated Tribes of Grand Ronde whose
members descend from western
Oregon," according to a Willamette
Heritage Center introduction to the
exhibit. 'Tribal women are artists,
entrepreneurs, teachers, doctors,
and council and religious leaders,
as well as mothers, grandmothers,
daughters, aunts and sisters. This
exhibition celebrates the women of
the Grand Ronde community, past,
present and future."
Willamette Heritage Center and
the Grand Ronde Tribe's Cultural
Resources Department are plan
ning a series of educational offer
ings that focus on key aspects of
Grand Ronde culture highlighting
the importance of women to the
Native community in western
Oregon.
This exhibit is the latest in a
growing partnership between Wil
lamette Heritage Center and the
Grand Ronde Tribe.
'This partnership started with the
'Grand Ronde Canoe Journey' last
spring, and now it continues this
spring with 'shawash-ili?i tuchmen
Photo by Michelle Alalmo
Photos of Tribal member Perri McDaniel in traditional regalia are just a
couple of the photos that will be used in the "shawash-ill?f luchmen
ntsayka ikanum: Grand Ronde Women Our Story exhibit.
If you go
What: The exhibit "shawash
ili?i tuchmen - ntsayka ikanum:
Grand Ronde Women - Our
Story"
When: Friday, April 6, through
Monday, May 28.
Where: The Willamette Heri
tage Center at The Mill, 1313
Mill St. S.E., Salem, Ore.,
97301.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday through Saturday. The
center is closed Sundays and
some holidays.
Admission: $6 for adults, $5
for seniors 55 and older, $4 for
students with ID, $3 for youth 6
to 17 years of age and free for
children 5 and younger. Admis
sion is free on Tuesdays. :
More information: 503-585-7012.
ntsayka ikanum: Grand Ronde
Women Our Story,' " said Peter
Booth, executive director of the
Heritage Center.
"Women's history in general,
and definitely in regard to Native
peoples, is a topic that has not
received its due attention. Women
have played a very significant role
in society, both historically and
contemporarily. It isn't by accident
' iff -T-Va '
V Hi l ifMM. '
A 1
ft V "i
If you have any questions, contact
Brian Krehbiel at 503-879-4639
Ad created by George Valdez
that the Grand Ronde Tribal Coun
cil has been led by some very ca
pable women since Restoration."
Since the partnership began, the
Heritage Center has expanded its
mission "to address the larger story
of the Willamette Valley commu
nity," Booth said. "Grand Ronde's
leaders, and especially the Cultural
Resources Department's staff, led
by David Lewis, have provided in
valuable help in telling this part of
our community's heritage."
Cultural Resource's Cultural In
terpretive Specialist Julie Brown
led a group including Cultural Re
sources Program Manager Kathy
Cole, Secretary Veronica Montano
and Hermila Chavez, as well as
University of Oregon graduate
student Stephanie Wood (all are
members of the Tribe) in putting
the project together.
In addition, master weaver
Margaret Matthews, and Tribal
members Brian Krehbiel, Bobby
Mercier, David Harrelson and
Melisa Chandler participated. Kre
hbiel is Cultural Education special
ist, Mercier is Cultural Language
specialist, Harrelson is Cultural
Protection specialist and Chandler
is a Cultural Site monitor.
Elders voted to allow the exhibit
to use cultural materials hanging
on the walls of the Elders' Activity
Center.
A video for the project is being put
together by Information Systems
staff members.
Additional coordination is com
ing through Public Affairs Director
Siobhan Taylor and a map of the
Trail of Tears produced by Tribal
Graphic Designer George Valdez
will be part of the exhibit.
"It's a full Tribal effort," said
Lewis.
The partnership will continue with
development of a permanent gallery
dedicated to the history of the Kala
puya and Molalla peoples of the Wil
lamette Valley. Lewis will curate this
exhibition, scheduled in the Heritage
Center's Parsonage building (1841)
in the spring of 2013.
The current roster of events follows:
1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April
7, in the Church. Book signing
and presentation by Tribal El
der June Olson, author of "Great
Circle, The Grand Ronde Reser
vation 1855-1905." (Free)
3 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 7, in
the Church. Panel: Grand Ronde
Women Leaders. Always impor
tant to the Native community of
western Oregon, women were es
pecially instrumental in securing
Grand Ronde's Restoration of Trib
al recognition. They continue to
provide valuable leadership for the
community today. This discussion
about the triumphs and challenges
they and the people encountered
will include former Tribal Chair
Kathryn Harrison, current Grand
Ronde Tribal Chairwoman Cher
yle A. Kennedy and Grand Ronde
Tribal Council member Kathleen
Tom. Former U.S. Congresswoman
Elizabeth Furse will moderate.
(Free to Tribal and Heritage Cen
ter members, $2 students with ID,
and $5 non-members.)
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April
24, in the Church. Presented by
Dr. Henry Zenk, University of
Oregon, and Tribal member Kathy
Cole, CTGR Cultural Resources
Program Manager. The Tribe's
Cultural Resources Department is
working to preserve the language
that was once a common trade lan
guage among the western Oregon
Native peoples Chinuk Wawa.
In the first hour, Zenk will speak
about the recently published Chi
nuk Wawa dictionary. In the sec
ond hour, Cole will lead a Chinuk
Wawa class with Elders and youth
in a school-like setting. (Free)
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May
12: Grand Ronde weaving dem
onstration, as part of Sheep to
Shawl. Weaving has long been a
tradition among the Northwest
Native peoples. This art form
survives among the Grand Ronde
community. Native weavers Con
nie Graves, a Tribal Elder, Mar
garet Mathewson, Stephanie
Wood and others will demonstrate
contemporary basket weaving at
the Heritage Center's 28th an
nual Sheep to Shawl. Examples of
their work also will be available.
(Free)
1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 19:
Grand Ronde Dance demonstra
tion and presentation. Led by
Tribal Language and Cultural
Specialist Bobby Mercier, com
munity members will demon
strate the beauty and rhythm of
western Oregon Native dance and
music. ($2 students, $3 Heritage
Center and Tribal members, $5
non-members.)
This exhibition is created and
sponsored in part by the Confeder
ated Tribes of Grand Ronde. It is
also sponsored in part by the city
of Salem Transient Occupancy
Tax Grant with additional help
provided by Salem Weekly, Bank
of the Cascades, Jennifer Jopp and
Bill Smaldone, Gretchen and Mike
Moon, Anne and Everett Mozell,
and Ellen Eisenberg and Ami Kor
sunsky. B