Smoke Signals
6 JULY 1,2013
Tribe protests event honoring PDiiD Sheridan
By Dean Rhodes
Smiike SiHnula editor
It's not surprising that a Na
tive American Tribe would take
um brace about an event honoring
the man credited with saying "the
only good Indian I met was a dead
Indian."
Add to that that the event was
held only 15 miles from the Tribe's
Reservation and you'd understand
why the Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde was not happy about
Sheridan Days returning to its for
mer name, I'hil Sheridan Days.
Between 1934 and 1995, Sheri
dan celebrated I'hil Sheridan Days,
named after the career U.S. Army
officer who was stationed in the
Oregon Territory before becoming
a celebrated Civil War general.
After a three-year break in the
celebration, the event resumed in
1999 with a new name, Sheridan
Days, which celebrated the town
more than the general. References
to Gen. I'hil Sheridan were dropped
at the joint request of the Grand
Ronde Tribe and Spirit Mountain
Casino.
However, between June 20-23,
I'hil Sheridan Days returned.
Committee President Bob White
said he and Vice President Ted
Mayfield made it official when they
registered I'hil Sheridan Days with
the Secretary of State's Corporate
Division in April.
White called Sheridan a "great
American general" and wore a
replica Sheridan uniform during
the Days' grand parade.
In a letter to the editor following
the event, White wrote, 'The new
name and return to our beginnings
caused a lot of excitement in some
quarters. Our intention was never
to offend our good neighbors who
are such a dynamic influence in
this neck of the woods. Our sin
cere apologies if we damaged some
egos."
Sheridan Mayor Val Adamson
was quoted as saying he supported
the return to Phil Sheridan Days.
Tribal Council Chair Reyn Leno
8aid it was a "sad commentary
on the local community." He said
it showed a lack of respect for
Sheridan's neighboring Tribal com
munity and insensitivity to Gen.
Sheridan's well-documented mis
treatment of Native Americans.
"We find it disturbing that the
organizing committee would want
to change the name back to Phil
Sheridan Days," Leno said. "The
Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde are convinced there is much
to celebrate about today's Sheridan
community and the strong people,
both Tribal and nonTribal, who
built it and continue to make it
thrive today.
"We are happy to support many
projects in the community, from
Little League to wrestling teams,
but Phil Sheridan Days is some
thing we cannot in good conscience
endorse. If anyone wants to learn
what history has to say about Gen.
I'hil Sheridan, a simple Internet
search will provide countless texts
that document his actions against
Native Americans."
It is Gen. Sheridan's post-Civil
War genocidal resume that remains
offensive to modern-day Native
Americans.
After the Civil War, he prosecut
ed a war on the buffalo in an effort
to deprive Plains Indian Tribes of
a vital food resource.
When the Texas Legislature con
sidered outlawing bison poaching
on Tribal lands, Sheridan testified
against it, suggesting that the Leg
islature should give each of the hunt
ers a medal, engraved with a dead
buffalo on one side and a discouraged-looking
Indian on the other.
As head of the Department of the
Missouri, Sheridan attacked the
Cheyenne, Kiowa and Comanche
Tribes in their winter quarters in
1868-69, taking their supplies and
livestock and killing those who
resisted.
While stationed in Oregon before
the Civil War, he took a Native
woman as his mistress and then left
the fact out of his memoirs.
Previous to his tenure at the
Grand Ronde Agency, Sheridan
then a lieutenant helped capture
Cascade Indians assumed to have
committed the Whitman Massacre
because their gun barrels smelled
of having been recently fired. They
were eventually hung in Oregon City
in the first public hanging in Oregon
for crimes they did not commit.
"I think it is a step backward for
any gains that we might have had
in the healing process," said Tribal
Council member Steve Bobb Sr.
about the name change. "I grew up
here and there was lots of tension
and stuff between Grand Ronde
and Sheridan in the 1950s and '60s.
It was pretty bad.
"With the contributions that
Grand Ronde has made to the over
all community in keeping them in
volved, we had gone down the path
of healing. Taking Phil's name off
of Phil Sheridan Days was a step
forward. Now what it really is is a
step backward. I don't know that
people sometimes really care about
our feelings. It's unfortunate." D
Includes information from the
Yamhill County News-Register.
Beading, moccasin making class offered
A beading and moccasin making class is being offered to the first five
youth between the ages of 8 and 15 to call.
For more information, contact Kim Contreras at 503-879-3425. H
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