Community Fund surpasses
$62 million — pg. 14
PRESORTED
STANDARD MAIL
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
SALEM, OR
PERMIT NO. 178
july 1, 2014
uyxat Powwow Grounds to host
two veterans events July 10-13
Summit, powwow promise
gathering of Native warriors
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
F
or the second year in a row, the Grand
Ronde Tribe’s Uyxat Powwow Grounds
off Hebo Road will be home to veterans
from Thursday, July 10, through Sunday, July
13, as it hosts the Native Wellness Institute’s
“Gathering of Warriors II” Veterans Summit
and the annual Marcellus Norwest Memorial
Veterans Powwow.
Like last year, the two events will segue into
each other on Friday, July 11.
The Gresham-based Native Wellness Institute
is holding the second annual Native Veterans
Summit. Last year’s inaugural event, which
lasted four days, attracted more than 300 vet-
erans and their relatives.
“The gathering is in your honor to help you
on your healing journey,” the institute says in a
brochure advertising the gathering. “We want
to honor you, care for you, lift you up and be of
service to you and your families so that you can
live in balance and harmony.”
The event will open on the evening of Wednes-
day, July 9, with dinner served at 6 p.m. followed
by a 7 p.m. opening fi re ceremony and 8 p.m.
cultural sharing.
On Thursday, July 10, breakfast will be served
See EVENTS
continued on page 4
Nine vying for
Tribal Council
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
N
ine Tribal members were
nominated to run for three
open Tribal Council seats
and all accepted at a special Gen-
eral Council meeting held in the
Community Center on Sunday,
June 29.
As of the day of nominations for
Tribal Council, 3,996 Tribal mem-
bers were eligible to vote in the
election slated for Saturday, Sept.
6. Last year, 1,205 ballots were
cast out of 3,924 Tribal members
eligible to vote.
Eligible voters must be registered
to vote and can register up to and
including Election Day on Sept. 6.
Each eligible voter is entitled to
vote for up to three candidates.
Of the nine nominees, the top
three vote-getters will fi ll three va-
cancies, which are seats currently
held by Tribal Council members
Reyn Leno, Kathleen Tom and June
Sherer. All three incumbents are
seeking re-election.
Following are the nominators fol-
lowed by the nominees:
• Tribal Elder Ed Larsen nominat-
ed Leno, current Tribal Council
chairman who is wrapping up
18 years on Tribal Council. He is
seeking his seventh consecutive
three-year term.
• Tribal Elder Leon Tom nominat-
ed his daughter, Kathleen Tom, a
Tribal Council incumbent who is
wrapping up nine years on Tribal
Council. She is seeking a fourth
consecutive three-year term.
• Tribal Elder Steve Rife nomi-
See NOMINATIONS
continued on page 15
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Travis Stewart, Tribal Cultural Youth Education specialist, lights sage to smudge Tomanowos during the private
ceremony with the meteorite held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City on Monday, June 23.
Meteorite mission
Tribal members visit Tomanowos
By Michelle Alaimo
Smoke Signals photographer
N
EW YORK CITY — The
Confederated Tribes of
Grand Ronde and the
American Museum of Natural
History in New York City entered
into an agreement in 2000 that
allows the Tribe to conduct an
annual private ceremony with To-
manowos, the 15.5-ton Willamette
meteorite that was found in 1902
in modern-day West Linn near
Willamette Falls.
The 14th private ceremony with
Tomanowos occurred on Monday,
June 23, at the museum, which
has been the meteorite’s home
since 1906.
The ceremony was led by Tra-
See METEORITE
continued on pages 10-11