Smoke Signals 7
JUNE 1,2013
Lewis elected chair of Oregon
Heritage Commission
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals alaff writer
Tribal Historian David Lewis
was elected chairman of the
Oregon Heritage Commission
after four years of service on the
board.
The unanimous vote came dur
ing the May 9 meeting at the Or
egon Historical Society, making
Lewis the first Native American
to serve in that capacity.
"It's a great opportunity to
continue to pursue progressive
programs in Oregon," said Lewis,
"including linkages to education.
I also want to make sure that
the Tribes are well represented
in the heritage of Oregon. The
commission has been very good
to make this an important part of
Oregon's heritage and so I want
to continue to support that."
"I am so delighted because Da
vid is thoroughly equipped with
knowledge and expertise to infuse
the commission with new energy,
insight and leadership," said
Tribal Council member Cheryle
A. Kennedy. "All of Oregon will
benefit from David's appointment
to this prestigious position and I
rest assured that Oregon Tribes
will be well-informed of commis
sion activities."
"I have been impressed by
David's advocacy for the place of
the Tribes in accurately portray
ing Oregon's history, including
the ugly and painful early stories
that today's Oregonians might
rather not remember," said out
going Chair Jan Mitchell.
"As museum curator and cul
tural liaison for the Confederated
Tribes of the Grand Ronde, David
has a great skill set to offer the
commission," said Vice Chair Jon
Tullis. "He has firsthand knowl
edge of the profound importance
of preserving collections of ar
tifacts, and understanding and
celebrating history.
"The Tribal history and per
spective that David brings to the
commission is essential to our
mission, and, of course, reminds
us of the depth and profundity of
Native culture."
Board member Kimberly Jen
sen said that Lewis is "absolutely
committed to preserving the
diverse heritage in our region,
and is especially interested in
taking the vital next step of edu
cating all Oregonians about the
challenges and successes in our
collective past. Everyone in our
region will be enriched by his
service.
The Heritage Commission, an
arm of the Oregon Parks and
Recreation Department, meets
quarterly and provides archeo
logical services and, through
grants, supports programs honor
ing Oregon's historic cemeteries,
trails and main streets.
As chair, Lewis said, "I want to
continue to pursue collaborations
between various institutions in
Oregon with education. We have
noticed for awhile that heri-
tage has been
somewhat
separate from
education.
"We want
students to
understand
their local
history and
the various
David Lewis
cultures of their community. We
want to inspire people to form
collaborations that are mutually
beneficial to the whole state."
"David is a scholar," said Mitch
ell, "and he contributes actively
to discussions of a broad range of
topics covered in the work of the
commission. He is credible and
respectful of others.
"The Heritage Commission,"
she continued, "includes a bunch
of intelligent, well-educated and
professional people representing
all facets of heritage work. Chair
ing such a passionate group for
four or more hours takes energy
and focus."
Lewis said he feels a sense of
accomplishment from his selec
tion as chair.
"It's important that a Tribal
member is now at the chair
level," he said. "It's a testa
ment to the work we have done
throughout the state on increas
ing the average Oregonian's
knowledge of the Tribal history
of the state.
"It also tells me that the work I
have done in the first four years
on the commission has been no
ticed and well-supported by the
whole commission to the point
where they want me to take a
leadership role."
He also credits his University
of Oregon education, up to and
including his Ph.D. in 2009, and
his role in Tribal heritage is
sues for "helping me gain broad
experience directly applicable to
the discussions and work of the
commission."
Previously, Don Ivy, retiring
Cultural Resources coordina
tor of the Coquille Tribe, was
Heritage Commission vice chair.
He recently received an Oregon
Heritage Commission Excellence
award for his years of work, said
Mitchell.
Currently serving on the com
mission board with Lewis is
Dawnielle Tehama, a Klamath
Indian.
"I will watch the work of the
Heritage Commission with inter
est to see what he brings to the
role," said Mitchell, "and what
he learns from the job of leading
the commission. I expect that it
will be a positive experience on
both counts."
"I have always been impressed
with his perspective, his thought
ful leadership and his ability to
solve problems, often with a
fresh approach," said Tullis. "I
think he'll make a fine chairman,
and I believe he has the entire
commission's enthusiasm and
confidence." B
Community members wanted
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde's 477 Employment and
Training Program and Land and Culture Department have resources
that can be utilized along with community members who have a
passion for gardening or want to learn the art of agriculture. If you
are a Grand Ronde Tribal community member and want to be a part
of the planning, preparation and cultivation of the Tribal garden
and orchard site for next year's planting season, contact Barbara
Gibbons at 800-242-8196, ext. 2135, or e-mail barbara.gibbons
grandronde.org. D
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Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal Council member Kathleen Tom, right, hands smoked salmon, which
was caught, smoked and packaged by the Tribe's Natural Resources
Department, out to attendees of the First Salmon Dinner at the McLean
House in West Linn on Wednesday, May 1 5.
'We appreciate you coming here
and sharing this meal with us'
SALMON CEREMONY
continued from page 6
ciate you coming here and sharing
this meal with us."
After Kennedy's and Tom's speech
es, the drum group played a blessing
song as attendees returned to the
interior of the McLean House for
dinner. Inside, a copy of the Tribe's
Willamette Valley Treaty was hung
to reinforce that West Linn is part
of the Tribe's ceded lands.
The dinner continued the ap
petizer theme of combining tradi
tional Native foods with a modern
culinary approach. Appetizers
included venison bresoala, elk
mortadella and hazelnut-foie gras
truffle, camas-acorn crisps and
pickled fiddleheads.
Other courses included nettle
soup, Chinook salmon, gathered
greens and, as a nod to Tribal ef
forts to raise money to send repre
sentatives to Washington, D.C., to
push for Restoration in the early
1980s by selling huckleberry jam,
a honey-buttermilk sorbet with
huckleberry preserves served in a
lidless Mason jar.
"This celebration of the first
salmon features the traditional
foods of the original Oregonians,"
chef Matt Bennett said. "It is not
an anthropological study; it is as
modern as the Confederated Tribes
of the Grand Ronde are today. With
that said, it is hard to cook and eat
these foods without thinking of
those that came before."
A 2006 painting, "Sea Lion &
Salmon," by Greg Robinson (Chi
nook) adorned the menus placed at
each table setting.
The event was attended by em
ployees of Willamette Partnership
sponsors Wildwood Urban Design
no fD
I
EO k -
and Development, Mahonia Vine
yards & Nursery, CleanWater
Services, the Freshwater Trust,
Capital Pacific Bank and the law
firm of Perkins Coie.
In addition, Oregon Attorney
General Ellen Rosenblum, Gov.
John Kitzhaber's chief of staff,
Curtis Robinhold, and Troutdale
Mayor Doug Doust attended. Rep
resentatives from the U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service, Oregon Depart
ment of Fish & Wildlife, the state
Department of Environmental
Quality and U.S. Forest Service
also attended.
"I really want to thank the Con
federated Tribes of Grand Ronde
for telling their story," said Dick
Pedersen, director of the state De
partment of Environmental Qual
ity. "It is such a powerful story. I'm
just really humbled to be in this
place where you celebrated so much
so many years ago and a week ago
restored that tradition.
"What I learned in my busi
ness, as environmental director,
from that story is how important
it is that everything is connected
and that we are so connected as
humans to the air we breathe, the
water we depend on and the land
we live on, and you can't separate
those connections today from the
generations on into the future. It's
a great lesson and you have to keep
teaching it to us."
Other Tribal employees who at
tended included Fish & Wildlife
Program Manager Kelly Dirksen,
Ceded Lands Manager Michael
Karnosh and Public Affairs Acting
Administrative Assistant Chelsea
Clark, who, with Portland area
staff Lisa Archuleta and Hernan
dez, helped Taylor organize and
work the event. D