Smoke Signals
Smoke Signals 9
DECEMBER 1,2012
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8 DECEMBER 1,2012
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29 years marked during Nov. 18 events at plankhouse, gym
By Ron Karten
Smoke Sigiuili &lnff writer
Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 22
this year marked the official 29th
anniversary of the federal govern
ment restoring recognition of the
Grand Konde Tribe, giving the hope
of renewal to 850 Tribal members
recorded on the Grand Konde Ter
mination rolls and for their heirs
going forward.
This year's celebration of that day
came four days early on Sunday,
Nov. 18.
Events started at Achfa-Hammi,
the plankhouse, "a home built of
cedar planks," at 10 a.m. Tribal
Culture & Language Specialist
Bobby Mercier led a 25-member
group from the Grand Ronde Canoe
Family, who sang and drummed
for another 75 attendees who were
bunched and scattered throughout
the holy building.
"I could feel what a spiritual place
it was," said Kathy Cole, Tribal
Cultural Resources manager.
"I could feel the ancestors there,"
said Mariann Mell, wife of Tribal
GIS Coordinator Volker Mell.
The mixture of drums and voices
gave goosebumps to Willi Becker,
father of Tribal forestry intern
Felix Becker. Willi and his wife,
Beate, had included the Restora
tion celebration in their first visit to
the American West. Tribal Council
member Steve Bobb Sr. and his
wife, Connie, have been hosting
Felix during his internship and
hosted Felix's parents during their
visit from Germany.
"I didn't understand all of it," said
Beate, with her son translating, "but
I felt the respect for (Tribal) ances
tors in the building. It's important to
have respect for Elders and to pass
that on to the children."
The smoke from two fires inside
the plankhouse also was passed
on to the children. At one moment
before the start of the plankhouse
ceremony, a group of Grand Ronde
Royalty poked their faces out of the
building's round opening. "I can
breathe again," one said.
Even with fans blowing upward
at the front and back of the plank-
Tribal Elder Jolanda Catabay
sings the national anthem at tha
beginning of tha 29th Restoration
Calabration Powwow at tha Tribal
gym on Sunday, Nov. 18.
house, smoke in the building was
thick enough that Mercier told the
group as it headed out to lunch at
the gym, "You guys going there
smelling like smoked fish, don't let
anyone tell you you didn't bring
anything."
Smoke or not, the hearts of Grand
Ronde Tribal members were filled
with thanksgiving.
'This is a good way to start out
the day," said Bobby Mercier, "with
song and a prayer for our ancestors,
who are the reason why we are here
today. Think of those in our nursing
home who would like to be here.
It's not always about us. There's
always work for others that needs
to be done."
The Canoe Family sang in wel
come for those who walked 1856's
Trail of Tears, for veterans, for
change and for the Thunderbird, a
sacred animal whose wings make
the "cracks of thunder."
Mercier compared the planning
and building of the plankhouse
with the work it takes to bring a
people back from Termination.
"We wanted a good founda
tion, just like we want to give our
people," he said.
Just before noon, celebration ac-
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page to see more photos
tivities moved to the Tribal gym. A
shuttle transported people from the
plankhouse to the Tribal gym for
the afternoon and evening events.
Tribal Council Chairman Reyn
Leno said Restoration was about
"a mistake of the U.S. government,
and making them acknowledge and
correct their mistake. We need to
be proud of being Grand Ronde,
even though our blood lines may
be thin."
Of the original 850 members on
the Termination roll, Leno said that
only 375 are left.
Tribal Council member Jon A.
George served as master of ceremo
nies for the third year. He presided
over the afternoon's activities.
The noon meal included salmon,
elk stew, salad, vegetables, fry
bread and pie for dessert prepared
by the Health and Wellness staff
under the culinary guidance of
Tribal Food Services Coordinator
Kristy Deloe.
Carolyn Long, interim vice
chancellor for Academic Affairs
at Washington State University,
Vancouver, called the plankhouse
ceremony "fabulous."
"It's great to see all that positive
energy, especially among children,
and it's nice to see generations
represented," Long said.
Like the University of Oregon,
Oregon State, Portland State and
Willamette University, Washington
State is making connections among
Tribal peoples, Long said, both to
ensure Tribal people have oppor
tunities, but in Washington State's
case because the school's hospital
ity programs can be a good fit with
many Tribal casino operations.
Dr. Twyla Burns, Washington
state Educational Service District
superintendent for District 112,
said she "especially enjoyed the
drumming and dancing." It re
minded her of her acquaintance
with Tribes in Alaska - Tlinget and
Haida - from her time there.
"I'm happy to be here with these
generous people," said Educational
Service District 112 board member
Trish Kellog.
St. Helens Mayor Randy Peterson
presented Leno with a belated key
to the city. He had initially intended
to present it to the Tribe during the
Maritime Heritage Festival held
in mid-July when Tribal Council
member Cheryle A. Kennedy was
chairwoman, but the Mayor's Office
had run out of keys at the time. St.
Helens City Councilor Susan Conn
also attended.
"I think it will open a lot of doors,"
said Leno in accepting the newly
minted symbol of friendship.
Richard Bubba Sohappy and
Chuckie Fryberg traveled from
Washington state to drum for the
Grand Ronde Tribe at the plank
house and the gym during the
day. Sohappy also came to share
the Thanksgiving holiday with his
family.
Tribal 477 Employment & Train
ing and Vocational Rehabilitation
Supervisor Leslie Riggs attended
with his wife, Heather, their new
boy, Rhys, and older daughter,
Ashtyn.
Elder Una
Birchum and
7, f
Aleena Westley, 8, performs a jingle dress dance during an Intertribal dance of
the 29th Restoration Celebration Powwow at the Tribal gym on Sunday, Nov. 1 8.
Tribal Council member Jon A. George reads a raffle ticket number during the
29th Restoration Celebration at the Tribal gym on Sunday, Nov. 18. George
was master of ceremonies for the celebration and helping him are Grand
Ronde Royalty princesses Makenzie Aaron, left, and Amaryssa Mooney.
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Senior Miss Grand Ronde Kiana Leno, left, and Peter
Nelson dance an owl dance during the 29th Restoration
Celebration Powwow at the Tribal gym.
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her son, Lonnie Martinson, cel
ebrated seven years since reuniting
to Grand Ronde.
Grand Ronde and Veterans Roy
alty performed 'The Lord's Prayer"
and the Grand Ronde Canoe Family
performed canoe dances.
Tribal Lands Manager and Na
tive American Music Award-winning
musician Jan Michael Looking
Wolf Reibach, back from a recent
trip to Northern Ireland, compared
the worldwide interest in his music
with the Grand Ronde Tribe.
'This is the greatest honor of my
life," he said, "to be part of this
Tribe."
He played "Forgiveness," a piece
he wrote for his last album, "Wind
Dreamer," on his flute with his own
guitar work pre-recorded.
Raffle prizes were given away all
afternoon. Intern Felix Becker won
a 65-inch television only five weeks
before he is scheduled to head back
to Germany. Michaeli Mercier and
Isaiah Fisher won a girl's and a
boy's bike, respectively.
Elders Buddy White, Oscar Nor
west, Leona Jeffers, Jimmy Shaw,
Leo and Evelyn Seidel, along with
Brenda Tuomi, Jammie Iverson,
Tim Trempi, Petite family creations,
Heather and Kristina Dreamers
Crafts, Michael and Faith Bolton,
and Frank and Laurie Hostler do
nated raffle items.
The Restoration Powwow started
at 4 p.m. in the gym.
The Grand Ronde Color Guard,
led by Elder Wayne Chulik with the
Eagle staff and Marcus Gibbons car
rying the staff of his uncle, Marce
Norwest,
posted the
ft j
colors. Norwest
walked on in
2011.
"It's an honor," said Gibbons. "He
was such a vital part of the com
munity. We dance his spirit into
the ceremony every time we dance
in with his staff."
Sharon Norwest, Marce's widow,
donated the staff to Tribal Council
just before this year's Restoration
celebration, said Tribal Council
member Steve Bobb Sr., who accept
ed the staff on behalf of council.
"She wanted it to be used during
powwows," Bobb said. "We're going
to try to make that happen."
Tribal Elder Gene LaBonte car
ried the Grand Ronde flag, Michelle
Cooper carried the U.S. flag, Tribal
Elder Wink Soderberg carried the
Oregon flag and Bob Duncan car
ried the MIAPOW flag.
Jolanda Catabay sang the na
tional anthem.
Washie Squetimkin and Halona
Butler, who sponsor children's pow
wows throughout the year, brought
along their young dancers for the
powwow.
Nick Sixkiller was the powwow
master of ceremonies and Deitrich
Peters served as Arena Director.
Host drums included Johanaaiee,
Geary Villa, West Coast Boyz, The
Woodsmen, Autumn Wind and All
Nations.
A light box supper also was pro
vided. A host of volunteers helped make
the 29th Restoration Celebration
happen: Elders Bob and Julie
Duncan, Sam Dala, Darlene Jones,
Gladys Hobbs, Violet Folden, Dar
lene Aaron, Dee Anna Chamberlain,
4
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Shasta Simmons, 7, receives
help from her mother Robin as
she prepares her regalia for the
powwow at the Tribal gym.
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Grand Ronde and Veterans' Royalty performs "Tha Lord's Prayer" during the
29th Restoration Celebration at the Tribal gym on Sunday, Nov. 18.
Claudia Leno, Kathryn Harrison,
Linda LaChance, Louise Coulson,
Georgene Gray and Val Grout. Jon
A. George, Lisa Archuleta and her
son, Miguel Adams, 12, Michelle
Kelly and Destiny Bishop also
helped.
Special thanks went to Tribal
Council, Spirit Mountain Casino,
Nick Sixkiller, Deitrich Peters,
Kristen Ravia, Michelle Alaimo,
George Valdez, Chelsea Clark,
Valerie Cox, Kendra Kuust, Kristy
DeLoe and the Wellness staff, Jo
landa Catabay, the Grand Ronde
Tribal Honor Guard, Cultural
Resources Department, Natural
Resources Department, Facilities
and Maintenance crews and the
Culture Committee, whose help
has been indispensible, said Public
Affairs Director Siobhan Taylor,
who coordinated the event.
The Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde was terminated in
1954 as a federally recognized
Tribe by the Western Oregon
Indian Termination Act. It was
restored to federal recognition on
Nov. 22, 1983, when President
Ronald Reagan signed the Grand
Ronde Restoration Act.
Reagan's signature occurred
after almost a decade of Grand
Ronde Tribal members working
to restore the Tribe. Tribal Elders
Margaret Provost, Marvin Kimsey
and the late Merle Holmes are cred
ited with getting the effort started,
but contributions from many Tribal
members aided in the eventual
restoration of the Tribe.
Elder Kathryn Harrison, who testi
fied before Congress in 1983 in sup
port of Tribal Restoration, gave the
invocation at the Plankhouse, while
Elder and Tribal Council member -Steve
Bobb Sr. and Bobby Mercier
provided invocations during the af
ternoon activities at the gym.
The day's events were streamed
on the Tribal Web site and Eu
gene Tribal Services Representa
tive Andy Jenness punctuated his
Facebook page all afternoon with
captioned photos. Tribal photogra
pher Michelle Alaimo also posted a
photo gallery on the Tribe's official
Facebook page at www.facebook.
com!CTGRgov.
Nov. 22 has been called by Bobb
"the most important day in Grand
Ronde Tribal history."
"Restoration," George said, "is all
about who we are as a people."
In 2013, the Tribe's 30th Restora
tion will be celebrated on Friday,
Nov. 22, and Thanksgiving will
fall six days later on Thursday,
Nov. 28.
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Tribal Council Chairman Reyn Leno speaks about
Restoration.
Selena Ulestad dances with other Grand Ronde Canoe Family girls as they
perform during the 29th. Restoration Celebration at the Tribal gym on
Sunday, Nov. 18.