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PERMIT NO. 178
Clinic strategies increase revenue,
create savings — pg. 3
january 15, 2014
u.s. House passes
reservation Act
amendment
Hearings still awaited in Senate
on measure that streamlines
how Tribe takes land into trust
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
W
ASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House
of Representatives passed on Monday,
Jan. 13, an amendment to the 1988
Grand Ronde Reservation Act that would stream-
line how the Tribe takes land into trust.
Tribal Council Chairman Reyn Leno testifi ed
before the House Subcommittee on Indian and
Alaska Native Affairs in support of the amend-
ment in May 2013 and during the previous
Congress in July 2012.
The legislation, H.R. 841, was introduced by
Oregon Rep. Kurt Schrader and received bipar-
tisan support from the entire Oregon congres-
sional delegation.
See AMENDMENT ACT
continued on page 11
Smoke Signals fi le photo
Maintaining
a connection
General Council briefed on
draft Ceded Lands Plan
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
T
he land ceded by the Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde in seven treaties signed
in the 1850s totals more than 13 million
acres.
The ceded lands encompass most of western
Oregon, as well as part of southwestern Wash-
ington and northern California.
More than 160 years after signing those rati-
fi ed treaties, the Grand Ronde Tribe continues
seeking to maintain a connection to the land that
has existed since time immemorial.
“It was part of the plan of Termination to rip
us apart. It was part of the plan of Termination
to cause a dysfunction within the Tribal commu-
nities. It was part of the plan of Termination to
disconnect us from our actual aboriginal home-
lands,” Tribal Land and Culture Department
Manager Jan Looking Wolf Reibach said.
“Since then, the Tribe has been working very
strongly to connect both internally all of our
people and connect with our external communi-
See GENERAL COUNCIL
continued on page 8
Leah brisbois dances during Grand entry of the fi fth annual Gathering of Oregon’s First nations
Powwow held at the salem Pavilion at the Oregon state Fairgrounds in salem in January 2013.
Gathering of Oregon’s First Nations Powwow back for sixth time
By Ron Karten
The Tribes still co-
operatively planning
ALEM — Na-
and participating in
tive American
the powwow are the
drumming,
Confederated Tribes
“Standing Strong,” the sixth annual
dancing and crafts
of Grand Ronde in
Gathering of Oregon’s First Nations
will return to the Sa-
Grand Ronde, the
Powwow
lem Pavilion at the
Confederated Tribes
When: Noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan.
Oregon State Fair
of Coos, Lower
25. Grand entry occurs at 1 p.m.
and Expo Center
Umpqua and Siuslaw
Where: Oregon State Fair & Expo
on Saturday, Jan.
Indians in Coos Bay,
Center’s Salem Pavilion, 2330 17th St.
25, with the doors
the Coquille Indian
N.E., Salem.
opening at noon and
Tribe in North Bend
Cost: Powwow entry is free; parking
Grand Entry sched-
and the Cow Creek
costs $3.
uled for 1 p.m.
Band of Umpqua
What: Traditional dancing and drum-
The sixth annual
Tribe of Indians in
ming, craft demonstrations, cultural
Gathering of Ore-
Roseburg.
information, Tribal vendors and hands-
gon’s First Nations
Reasons for carry-
on activities for children.
Powwow, called
ing on the powwow,
More information: 800-422-0232.
“Standing Strong,”
Tribal spokespersons
started as a one-time
say, include the suc-
event to coincide with Oregon’s 150th birth-
cess of the original powwow and the recognition
day in 2009.
each successive one has brought to Oregon’s
While Oregon was celebrating 150 years
Native peoples. Previous powwows have at-
of statehood, the fi ve federally recognized
tracted as many as 5,000 attendees.
Tribes of western Oregon wanted Orego-
“The Grand Ronde Tribe has always
nians to know that they have called this land
stepped up to support spreading the message
home since time immemorial.
of Tribal sovereignty and promoting aware-
Of the five Tribes that coordinated the
See STANDING STRONG
fi rst powwow, four continue an event that
continued on page 9
has become an annual tradition.
Smoke Signals staff writer
S
If you go