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Graphic created by George Valdez
DECEMBER 15, 2012
A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe
III III 111 1 II 1 1 I "V r St - m T -m -iZi-'
www.grandronde.org
ROGUE RIVER
KALAPUYA
CHASTA
Sal rid odd CeDelbcraDom) Bnirnirs 'ireDaftiiwes'
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
The second annual Salmon Celebra
tion started in the rain at the Tribal
fish weir at mid-morning on Friday,
Dec. 7.
"Now, this is fish weather," said Kelly
Dirksen, 17 years a biologist for the Tribe.
Today, he is Fish and Wildlife Program
manager in the Natural Resources Depart
ment. The celebration remembers traditional
ways of honoring the first fish caught each
year. "Harvesting salmon in the sacred
way," said Tribal Council Vice Chair Jack
Giffen Jr.
Traditionally, when the first fish comes out
of the water, said Brian Krehbiel, Cultural
Education specialist, "It is consumed that
day and the bones and remains are returned
to the river (or in Grand Ronde, to Agency
Creek), that same day," effectively thanking
the fish by putting nutrients back
into the water for other fish.
At the start of the ceremony at
the Tribal fish weir, master of cer
emonies Travis Mercier welcomed
"our relatives home for the year."
Toward the end of the dinner pro
gram in the Tribal gym, he encour
aged more than 100 guests to save
the remains from their salmon for
return to Agency Creek.
Greg Archuleta and Jordan
Mercier built the alder fire in the
rain and prepared the ceremonial
See CELEBRATION
continued on page 9
l,"?1'oal
Photos by Michelle Alalmo
The Grand Ronde Canoe Family sings during the
second annual Salmon Celebration at the Tribal fish
weir on Friday, Dec. 7.
Jordan Mercier fixes the fire as salmon is
traditionally cooked to be served at the
second annual Salmon Celebration at the
Tribal fish weir on Friday, Dec. 7.
VjitihftTcihe,'a
page to see more photos
SnuDDIhisoimiiain) atrcDuiivDSti reft id ir mis fto Oregon
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Photo by Michael McDermottcourtesy of University of Oregon
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
EUGENE After four years as head
archivist for the National Museum of
the American Indian in Washington,
D.C., Jennifer O'Neal has come back home to
Oregon.
Jennifer O'Neal is the new Corrigan Solari
University Historian and Archivist at the University
of Oregon in Eugene after having worked for
four years at the Smithsonian Institute's National
Museum of the American Indian.
In June, she was selected Corrigan Solari Uni
versity Historian and Archivist at the University
of Oregon. In September, she got to work.
"I've always considered myself a native Orego
nian," she wrote from her office in Eugene. Born
in Eugene, she grew up there and in Wyoming.
Her mother lives in Springfield and her father
in Bend. "Eugene has always been home to me,"
she said.
While the National Museum of the American
See ARCHIVIST
continued on page 10