Smoke Signals 3
JUNE 1,2012
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Grand Ronde Tribe
unhappy that Tribal
education ignored
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
The Oregon Board of Education
voted 5-1 on Thursday, May 17, to
ban Native American-themed mas
cots by 2017 or schools risk losing
state funding.
The decision, which runs contrary
to the stated wishes of some of the
state's nine federally recognized
Tribes, requires Oregon public
schools eliminate names, such as
"Indians," "Chiefs" and "Braves."
"Warriors" can still be used, but
school logos cannot reference Tribal
customs or traditions.
The Board of Education report
edly received about 750 comments
on the new policy and about 400 of
them were in favor of the ban.
The high schools directly affected
by the decision are Banks, Mohawk,
Molalla, Reedsport, Rogue River,
Roseburg, Scappoose and Dalles
Wahtonka. The seven high schools that use
"Warriors" as their mascot that
will have to drop logos and mascots
depicting Native Americans are
Amity, Lebanon, North Douglas,
Oakridge, Philomath, Siletz Valley
and Warrenton.
Chemawa Indian School, which
is operated by the federal Bureau
of Indian Affairs and uses "Braves"
as its mascot, will not be affected by
the new state rule.
The Grand Ronde Tribe's stand
on the Native American mascots
issue was that the mascots actually
were compliments to Native Tribes
and that their use should be settled
on a case-by-case basis between in
dividual schools and their nearest
Native American Tribe.
Anglers will be allowed to keep up to five trout a day on the South Yamhill
River, a rule that started on May 26 when the late trout season opened in
many streams and lakes throughout Oregon.
The Yamhill River is one of the few in the state stocked with hatchery
trout because of a program now in its fourth year. The state Department
of Fish and Wildlife released 1,900 hatchery trout in a three-mile stretch
of the Yamhill in preparation for the season opening, according to Tom
Murtagh, district fish biologist for the department's North Willamette
Watershed. The fish range in length from 8 to 14 inches.
'There's going to be a lot of hungry trout in a short stretch of river and
you'll be able to keep up to five of them," he said. The first were released
along Yamhill River Road from Gold Creek Road Bridge crossing down
stream to Willamina Creek. There are multiple access points and places
to park along the road in this location. However, anglers are advised to
respect private property adjacent to the river in some locations.
The South Yamhill River is open to trout fishing - fin clipped rainbow
trout and non-fin clipped cutthroat trout - through Oct. 31. Anglers can
keep five trout per day, of which no more than two may be non-fin clipped
cutthroat trout, 8-inch minimum length for all trout. In addition, bait is
not allowed. Anglers must use lures and flies only. B
Committee & Special Event
Board meeting days and times
Below is the most current information on the meeting days and times for
Tribal Committees and Special Event Boards:
Ceremonial Hunt Board meets as needed. Chair: Shonn Leno.
Cultural Trust Board meets at 4 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month
in Modular No. 2. Chair: Perri McDaniel.
Culture Committee meets at 1 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month
in Modular No. 3. Chair: TBD.
Education Committee meets at 5:15 p.m. on the first Monday of the
month in the Adult Education Building. Chair: Jon George.
Elders' Committee meets at 1 0 a.m. the third Wednesday of the month
in the Elders' Activity Center. Chair: Gladys Hobbs.
Enrollment Committee meets quarterly in Room 204 of the Governance
Building. Acting Chair: Robert Schmid.
Fish & Wildlife Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of
the month at the Natural Resources Building. Chair: Harold Lyon.
Health Committee meets at 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of the
month in the Tribal Wellness Center. Acting Chair: Patti Tom-Martin.
Powwow Special Event Board meets at 5 p.m. the first Thursday of
the month at the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Dana Ainam.
Rodeo Special Event Board meets at 6 p.m. the first Thursday of the
month at the Tribal Rodeo Office. Chair: Harold Lyon.
Social Services Committee meets at 4 p.m. the second Monday of the
month in the Social Services Conference Room. Chair: Jenny Sanchez.
Timber Committee meets at 5 p.m. the second Thursday of the month
at the Natural Resources Building. Chair: Bob Mercier.
Veterans Special Event Board meets at 4 p.m. the first and third
Tuesday of the month in the Tribal Community Center. Chair: Dakota
Whitecloud.
Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A.
Kennedy recently said that mascots
are supposed to be inspirational
and, therefore, it was a compliment
that schools would use a Native
American mascot.
The Tribe also opposed a one-size-fits-all
solution to the issue.
Vice Chair Reyn Leno said he was
disappointed that the Board of Edu
cation missed the entire point that
the Grand Ronde Tribe supported
teaching Oregon children about
Tribal history is a more important
issue than the use of Native mas
cots by high schools.
Leno said he also was disap
pointed that the government-to-government
process created by Gov.
John Kitzhaber was overlooked in
the process that brought about the
Native mascot ban.
"The Tribe is very disappointed
that they've trampled our sover
eignty and have ignored something
that our Tribes in Oregon have
been calling for for years, which
is curriculum that accurately de
scribes Oregon's Native history,"
said Tribal Public Affairs Director
Siobhan Taylor.
The Grand Ronde Tribe has
consistently pushed for a proac
tive solution: Inclusion of Oregon
Tribal history in state curriculum
requirements as a way to honor Or
egon Native American Tribes and
educate Oregonians about Tribal
history in the state.
"Why are our children going to
school and teaching their teach
ers about Oregon Tribal history?"
Leno has consistently asked in
meetings.
Tribes should have been able "to
address these issues within their
territories," Taylor said.
"Instead, they moved ahead with
a policy that really is a mandate
without any funding," she said.
Bernando teaches Wawa
in Portland office
Tribal member Eric Bernando teaches weekly Chinuk Wawa lan
guage classes from 5:30 to 8:20 p.m. Wednesdays at the Portland
office, 4445 S.W. Barbur Blvd., Suite 101.
For more information, contact Bernando at ChinukWawagmail.
com or at 503-709-3017. H
Transportation
for Tribal members
The Portland Office has transportation
day to Grand Ronde once a month for
medical, dental appointments or
enrollment cards. We need a minimum
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Please call in advance for the scheduled monthly date
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