Smoke signals., July 01, 2013, Page 16, Image 16

Smoke Signals
JULY 1,2013
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16
ORAL HISTORY continued
from front page
Museum's archive collection of oral
histories.
With 200 and more already in
the can - some being stories alone,
most being histories, some used in
the 2006 Nysayka Ikanum presen
tation on the Tribal Web site the
Tribal Museum is now looking to
complete oral histories for the .350
Tribal Elders who were listed on
the Termination Roll and are still
living.
"We're trying to do a couple hun
dred in the next year," said Lewis.
"It's pretty ambitious."
The project aims to secure copies
of every recorded history or story
found in every Tribal archive for
editing and better access by today's
Land and Culture Department
staff, members of the Tribe and the
general public.
The Land and Culture digital
archive will be the most compre
hensive on campus, said Depart
ment Manager Jan Looking Wolf
Reibach.
To help accomplish the job, a
cross-section of Tribal employees
are working on the project. Land
and Culture Department Realty
Specialist Teresa Clay and Voca
tional Rehab staff member Tiffany
Clark will be trained to operate the
cameras. Also participating in the
interview process is Cultural In
terpretive Specialist Julie Brown,
who has curated award-winning
museum exhibits for the Tribe.
Lewis and Reibach also are inter
viewers. Tribal Elders Sequoia Raya and
Alan Ham will both conduct inter
views and do data entry. Raya has
been hired on a temporary basis
for the project and Ham has volun
teered his skills.
Other videos, such as culture
classes, also will be filmed and
made available on the Tribal Web
site and YouTube as part of the de
partment's educational outreach.
Land and Culture is enlisting the
help of more volunteers, based both
locally and across the state.
The plan moved into high gear
Rv3
HA-
Happy Sweet 1 6 to the sweetest
16 year old we know...
ChyAnne Schlappie. Who could
have guessed that you'd grow
up to become such an amazing
young lady?! You are very beau
tiful person inside and out! We
love you so much and are very
proud of you ChyAnne!
We hope you enjoyed your
birthday week!
Love, Mom, Dad, Dakotah,
and Austin.
f J
Alan Ham
in March
when the
Land Man
agement and Cultur
al Resources
departments
merged and
began an as
sessment of
programs,
Reibach
said.
With Tribal Council encourage
ment, the project moved forward,
first securing the vacant Black
Bear Lodge as a studio and then
developing plans to provide mobile
service to Elders out of the area
or otherwise unable to travel to
interviewers.
Staff then began an inventory of
the oral histories in 2006, which
was completed in 2011, and cur
rently in one Tribal archive or an
other while the Tribe broadly has
many other oral histories which
will be gathered by the department.
"Connecting with everybody," is
how Reibach described it.
"I could see us using these in films
later on," said David Lewis.
The oral history project also
includes outreach to the Publica
tions Department as stories or
ad-worthy events come up. Along
with that, a direct mail component
will target Tribal Elders with news
of the project and an invitation to
participate.
And, finally, the Elders Com
mittee will play a part in helping
facilitate.
In 2014, outreach to Elders
throughout the Willamette Valley
will begin with the help of vol
unteers in Portland and Eugene.
Tribal Elders farther afield will be
asked for oral histories they already
have recorded at home and Land
and Culture staff will examine a
variety of recording options, includ
ing through Skype.
Footage will be edited and en
hanced as necessary.
"One of our great priorities,"
said Reibach, "is to protect and
preserve the stories of our Elders.
These stories are more than just
memories. They tell of who we are,
where we've come from and why
we're here."
Reibach said that this will become
an ongoing project, "a permanent
part of our cultural programs."
Priorities for the oral histories
include stories about Termination,
Restoration and everyday life on
the Reservation.
Lewis began his personal quest
to build an archive of the Tribe's
oral histories while working on his
2006 doctoral dissertation at the
University of Oregon.
Lewis said one interview does
not always cull enough information
during an oral history.
"The second and third inter
views give a lot more information
Your family is very proud of
your accomplishments Mindy!
We love you, your Aunt Sonya.
f 4
Sequoia Raya
and more
details. It's
a process
at its best
when we
develop a
long-term
with
Elders," he
said.
"Getting
the history
down is important," said Montano,
who will soon take family leave, but
later return to take a prominent
role in the interviewing process.
Tribal Council Chair Reyn Leno
added a few more values. "Hearing
people speak and put into words
what went on here in Grand Ronde,
maybe some that they experienced
and some that they just heard," he
said. 'That's for the Tribe.
"There's also the personal value
where families take a lot of pride
in the stories their family tell, and
having that history down. The value
for younger ones, in this fast-paced
world, is helping them understand
what our ancestors went through
here. Everybody is all about the
casino today, and they don't realize
how poor this community was and
how rich in family commitment."
"I started riding in the truck with
dad at 9 years old," said Larsen, sit
ting under the lights on a lounger
in Black Bear Lodge. "I was mostly
opening gates."
Larsen later had a career in the
woods logging, driving a truck for
many years, and from 1992-2004
he was a member of the Tribal
Council.
Back in the early days, Larsen
said, "Dad used to talk about Indian
politics, but nobody in the fam
ily understood it. The Tribe didn't
mean anything to me at the time."
And when Termination came in
1954, he said, "I never knew any
thing about it."
Still, he adds, life had value in
Grand Ronde. "We were lucky to
be able to stay here. Many had to
move."
He told how he used to hunt while
his parents picked berries. He told
how he fished for trout on the Res
ervation. He told logging stories that he
said were "clean, and some of them
even true."
"We're not studying our culture,"
said Reibach. "We're a living part
of our culture."
For more information or to sched
ule an appointment, contact Julie
Brown at 503-879-2186 or Dan
Ham at 503-879-2233, or send an e
mail to CEAPgrandronde.org. H
Sunday, Aug. 1 1, 2013, at Wild Cat covered bridge, Highway 126 and Siuslaw
River Road (former home of Ira Jeffers).
From Eugene, take Highway 1 26 west toward Mapleton. At approximately mile
marker 27.5, turn left on Siuslaw River Road.
From Mapleton to Eugene, turn approximately at mile marker 26.5 to the right
on Siuslaw River Road. Look for signs with balloons for your turn off. Bring
lawn chairs and favorite food dish. Eat at noon.
Call Joyce at 541-647-0460.
Director of Finance and Administration
The University of Oregon Office of the Vice President for Equity and Inclusion
seeks a Director of Finance and Administration (DFA). The DFA will provide
financial and administrative leadership for the Office of Equity and Inclusion
and its affiliate units, including the Center on Diversity and Community, the
Many Nations Long House, and the Center for Multicultural Academic
Excellence. The DFA oversees an annual budget of approximately $2.3
million, provides administrative oversight for the OEI and its affiliate units,
and otherwise supports all of OEI. Heshe advises the VPEI and Chief of
Staff Associate VP on strategic planning related to the allocation of financial,
personnel and office resources to achieve the goals of the OEI and its affiliate
units.
Position requires Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business Administration
or related field. Three or more years of progressively responsible experience
in organizational level budget, finance andor accounting andor personnel
management and administration. Three years leadingsupervising
professional staff with finance or administrative responsibility in an
institution of higher education or other similar organization. Demonstrated
ability to work effectively with faculty, staff and students from diverse
backgrounds.
For complete job description with all minimum and preferred qualifications
and application procedures, please refer to job posting 13194:
http:iobs.uoregon,eduunclassificd.php?id4324.
To ensure consideration, application materials must be received by 5:00 p.m.
on, Wednesday, July 3, 2013. Position will remain open until filled.
Women and candidates from historically under-represented groups are
strongly encouraged to apply. The University of Oregon is an equal
opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and
compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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