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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (July 15, 2014)
S moke S ignals july 15, 2014 11 Photos by Michelle Alaimo Veterans Senior Queen Savannah Ingram shakes hands with Korean War veteran Bob Watson of Sheridan after gifting him a dentalium necklace as Korean War veterans were honored during the 201 Marcellus Norwest Memorial Veterans Powwow held at Uyxat Powwow Grounds on Saturday, July 12. Oldest veteran in attendance was age 90 POWWOW continued from page 10 entries over the weekend including those held at 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Nick Sixkiller, a familiar face at powwows in Grand Ronde, was again the master of ceremonies. Albert Summers was Arena Direc- tor and two other familiar powwow faces, Deitz and Rose Peters, served as Head Man and Head Woman. Deitz Peters and LaBonte led the first Grand Entry carrying Eagle staffs. Veterans, drummers and dancers arrived from all over – from the Nez Perce Tribe in Lapwai, Idaho, to the Dine (Navajo) people spread across parts of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. They came from the Lummi Nation in northern Wash- ington and from the Burns Paiute Tribe north of Burns in eastern Oregon. Deitz Peters sponsored the Men’s Traditional won by Irvin Tso and Rose sponsored a drum contest on Saturday evening that was won by Northern Black Horse. The family of Marcellus Norwest sponsored a Tiny Tot special. Gourd dancing was held on Sat- urday and Sunday mornings, and Intertribals were held every day and three times on Saturday. A blanket dance earned $134.57. Exhibition dancing and com- mittee specials included Women’s Basket Cap, won by SuSun Fisher; Teen Girls Jingle Jackpot won by Destiny Summers; and Teen Boys Grass Jackpot won by Josiah Bar- ney. Raffle winners were Jerry Bark- ley, 70-inch TV; Tribal Vice Chair Jack Giffen Jr., Traeger grill; and Fran Hartsfield, Spirit Mountain Casino package. Oldest veteran in attendance was 90-year-old Don Cook, a World War II Army Air Corps veteran who served in Okinawa. Oldest woman veteran in at- tendance was 83-year-old Dorothy Ackerman, who served as a chap- lain’s assistant in the Women’s Air Force during the Korean conflict. She wrote letters that were sent to the families of airmen killed in action. “It still gets to me today,” she said. Both Grand Ronde and Veterans Royalty were introduced Friday evening and they helped all week- end. The young ladies in their re- galia included Savannah Ingram, Veterans Queen; Amelia Mooney, Junior Veterans Queen; Goldie Bly, Senior Miss Grand Ronde; Iyana Homes, Junior Miss Grand Ronde; Kaleigha Simi, Little Miss Grand Ronde; Promise Rimer, Grand Ronde Princess; Elizabeth McRae, Grand Ronde Princess; Hailey Little, Grand Ronde Princess; Elizabeth Watson Croy, Grand Ronde Junior Princess; as well as two members of Royalty from other Tribes. Drums were All Nations, Me Hock Pride, Little River, Big Eagle, Woodsmen, Johonaaii, Wondering Boy, Turquoise Pride, Northern Black Horse, Ani Ni Gi and 4 Di- rections. Bobb gave the invocation and Leno gave a welcome speech that talked about how meaningful this “very sacred ground” is to the Tribe. He added that the powwow is “not just about honoring veterans this weekend, but honoring them every day.” Multiple Native American Music Awards recipient Jan Looking Wolf Reibach played taps and “Amazing Grace” on Native flute. Trumpeter Loren Corpuc, as he has for many years, bugled the songs of each of the different branches of the U.S. armed forces. “It’s a good life,” Sixkiller said. n Goldie Bly competes in the preliminary round of the Teen Girls Jingle Jackpot during the 201 Marcellus Norwest Memorial Veterans Powwow held at Uyxat Powwow Grounds on Saturday, July 12.