8 MAY 15, 2012
Smoke Signals
aDeinru goirD dlomiaftes surtifaci to Tiro fee
Biface will be displayed in museum once it is built
Thanks to a 10-year-old Salem
girl, the future Grand Ronde Mu
seum and Cultural Center will have
one more Tribal artifact to display
when it opens.
Micheaylaa Engman, a fourth
grader at Richmond Elementary
School, found the artifact a biface
while digging in the dirt at the
Salem apartment where she lives
with her mother and brother.
The apartment is about 100 yards
south of Mill Creek, which was a
site heavily used by Native Ameri
cans in the pre-contact era.
After finding the item, which
Engman told The Salem Statesman-Journal
looked like a "pretty
weird rock," she showed it to her
mother, Callavinna Simons, who
called the Marion County Histori
cal Society, which referred them
to the state Parks and Recreation
Department.
State Archaeologist Dennis Grif
fin authenticated the item as a
Native American artifact, probably
used by the Santiam band of the
Kalapuya people.
Griffin said it was a biface be
cause the stone is flaked in such a
way as to create a cutting edge that
is sharp on both sides.
Tribal member and Tribal Historic
Preservation Officer Eirik Thors
gard said the tool could have been
used as a cutting implement or a
scraper. He told The Statesman
Journal that he has never seen one
like it from the Willamette Valley.
The estimated age of the artifact
is anywhere from 200 to 2,000
years old.
On Monday, April 30, Engman
and her mother and brother, Devon,
visited the Tribe and signed over
the deed to the artifact. Thorsgard
said that when the museum opens
Chinuk Family Literacy Night sot
A Chinuk Family Literacy Night will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday,
May 23, at the Tribal gym.
Dinner will be provided and each attending family will receive a
translated Chinuk book and compact disc.
Everyone is welcome for a fun, family-friendly evening of Chinuk
language-based activities.
RSVP to Esther Stewart at 503-879-1443 or e-mail esther.stewart
grandronde.org. B
in 2013, her name will be on display
with the artifact as the donor.
In return for the donation, the
Tribe gifted Engman a modern ar
rowhead, a shell necklace made by
Tribal members and a DVD and
book about the Tribe.
"It's good to make sure they are get
ting a fair trade, for children especial
ly, because when they find something,
they have an emotional attachment,"
Thorsgard told The Statesman-Journal.
"It is important when they take
the step to give it back that you cel
ebrate their contribution."
Griffin advised others that if they
find Native American artifacts
while working in the garden or dig
ging that the best course of action is
to leave it in its place, take a photo
and call his office.
"Every Tribe is trying to find ways
to tell the story of who they were to
the general public and future gen
erations," Thorsgard said. "Being
given the opportunity to have arti
facts our ancestors made is impor
tant to help us tell that story." D
Includes information from Thex
Salem Statesman-Journal.
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal number and Tribal Historic
Preservation Officer and Cultural
Protection Coordinator Eirik
Thorsgard displays a biface, the Tribal
artifact that Micheaylaa Engman, 1 0,
found outside the Salem apartment
she lives in with her family.
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( Elders' garage sale seeking donations
I Tribal Elders are regularly seeking donations for fundraising ga-
rage sales. To donate an item or items, contact Tribal Elders Linda
Brandon at 971-267-0918 or Duane Wheeler at 541-992-3254. D
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Program begins at 1 P.M.
This event is free and
open to the public
Honoring our Veterans
CTGR West Valley Veterans :
Memorial S
9615 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, OR 97347
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