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Rmoke
A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe
II i
DECEMBER 1,2013
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www.grandronde.org
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Tribe celebrates 30th anniversary of Restoration during two days filled with reverent events
a J
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
am a sacred healing ceremo
ny to a powwow, plankhouse
event and meal and concert
at Spirit Mountain Casino,
the Confederated Tribes of Grand
Ronde marked its 30th anniversary
of Restoration to federal recognition
on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 22-23,
with respect and reverence.
"We have become a great nation,"
Tribal Chairman Reyn Leno said
during an 1 1-minute speech Saturday
afternoon at the 30th Restoration
Celebration held at the casino's Event
Center before approximately 1,200
Tribal members and invited guests.
"Wow, 30 years of Restoration,"
Leno added. "Thirty years of Res
toration is great, but we can't ever
forget almost 30 years of Termi
nation, which actually led to our
Restoration.
"Almost 60 years ago was one of
the lowest points for this Tribe,"
he said, referring to the 1954 Ter
mination forced by passage of the
Western Oregon Termination Act.
"When they told us you can't be
a Tribe, you can't be Indian, we
said, 'We don't care. We're going
to stay here in Grand Ronde and
we're going to be Grand Ronde and
we're going to be a Tribe with or
without your recognition.' I think
that is something we always have
to remember."
Healing Ceremony
Setting the reverent tone for
this year's two-day Restoration
Celebration was the first Healing
Ceremony held Friday morning
at the Atudship Sacred Memorial
north of the Tribal Cemetery.
About 120 Tribal members, em
ployees and guests attended the
ceremony, which was designed
to promote healing for the Grand
Ronde Tribal membership, past and
current, who have endured many
traumas since contact with white
settlers began in the early 1800s.
Tribal Council member Cheryle
A. Kennedy gave the invocation,
Grand Ronde drummers performed
a blessing song and Leno welcomed
those in attendance.
There were speeches by Kennedy,
Tribal Council member Jon A.
George, former Tribal Chair Kath
ryn Harrison, Land and Culture
Department Manager Jan Looking
Wolf Reibach, Culture Committee
....
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Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Kailiyah Krehbiel dances during the plankhouse event of the Tribe's 30th Restoration Celebration on Saturday, Nov. 23.
page to see more photos
and Canoe Family members and
Lighthouse Church Pastor Ken
Haller.
"The people who spoke shared
their feelings and their personal,
sometimes life-changing experi
ences of healing with all present,"
Reibach said. "Everyone was in
vited to come up to the microphone
and speak. Several nonTribal pub
lic officials and guests spoke as
well, sharing their impressions and
experiences, and all expressing awe
at the Tribe for what it was able
to accomplish despite the times of
hardship and oppression."
George and Tribal Cultural Out
reach Specialist Bobby Mercier
blessed the stones that were then
placed at the memorial by those
seeking healing.
Reibach said the heaping of stones
and earth as a spiritual practice is
.. --A v-.T- j v f3
i
s r.v r
Former U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Furse, left, and Tribal Council Chairman Reyn
Leno talk during the Tribe's 30th Restoration Celebration at Spirit Mountain
Casino's Event Center on Saturday, Nov. 23.
shared by all of Grand Ronde's community came together with one
antecedent Tribes and Bands, and ness and unity with recognition of
dates back thousands of years.
"The ceremony was beautiful and
powerful," Reibach said. "The Tribal
See RESTORATION
continued on page 8