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PERMIT NO. 178
Tribal Canoe
Journey — pg. 10
august 15, 2014
Council releases
statement on
enrollment
O
ver the years our Tribal
membership, through con-
stitutional amendments,
has consistently pushed for tighten-
ing our Tribal enrollment. An en-
rollment audit was a task assigned
in the Tribal Strategic Plan for
2010, which was adopted in August
of 2009. That plan was formulated
after nearly two years of develop-
ment that began with a Strategic
Futures conference in 2007 involv-
ing Tribal leaders and members.
The plan directed Enrollment to
audit all enrollment files and appli-
cations, track reasons for denials,
and audit blood quantum records
with the goal of strengthening the
Grand Ronde Family Tree.
Over the last year Tribal Council
meetings have become increasingly
contentious and non-productive
– largely due to the ongoing dis-
agreements over loss of member-
ship issues. The Tribal Council
therefore proposed amendments
to the Enrollment Ordinance that
remove the Tribal Council from
the process for involuntary loss
of membership. Specifically, the
amendments give the Enrollment
Committee the authority to issue
decisions regarding involuntary
loss of membership. The council
believes removing such decisions
from the influences of the political
process and leaving it to respected
members of the Enrollment Com-
mittee is a more appropriate way
of addressing these sensitive and
difficult matters. It is the goal of
council to ensure these cases are
See ENROLLMENT
continued on page 6
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal members Greg Archuleta, left, and Reina Nelson, the Tribe’s Land and Culture Department administrative
assistant, helped reveal the name of the new park that is being developed at Northeast Alberta Street
and Northeast 52nd Avenue in Portland’s Cully neighborhood on Thursday, Aug. 7. The park was named
Khunamokwst Park, which means “together” in Chinuk Wawa.
Portland park receives
Chinuk Wawa name
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
G
rading on the 2.4-acre cor-
ner plot at 52nd Avenue
and Northeast Alberta
Street had begun on Thursday,
Aug. 7, when a ceremony unveil-
ing the Chinuk Wawa name for
the park to be located there was
held.
Khunamokwst Park (pro-
nounced KAHN-ah-mockst) came
from a suggestion by Tribal cultural
consultant Greg Archuleta, with
technical support from Tribal His-
torian David Lewis and Cultural
Education and Outreach Program
Manager Kathy Cole through the
Native American Community Ad-
visory Committee of the Portland
Parks and Recreation Department.
It is the name that the committee
recommended to the Naming Com-
mittee.
Translated as “together,” it
offers hope that this new greens-
pace will bring the Cully neigh-
See PARK
continued on page 9
Kitzhaber sits down with Tribal Council
Governor briefed on myriad Grand Ronde concerns
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
I
n the midst of his campaign for an un-
precedented fourth term as Oregon’s
governor, John Kitzhaber sat down
with the Grand Ronde Tribal Council for
50 minutes on Monday, Aug. 4, to listen
to current Tribal concerns.
He heard about Grand Ronde educa-
tional efforts, public safety issues and
Tribal consternation about other Tribes
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
attempting to move into Grand Ronde’s
ceded lands in the Willamette Valley,
among other issues.
Tribal Council Chairman Reyn Leno
welcomed Kitzhaber to the council’s con-
ference room and gifted him a necklace
made by Tribal Council member Jon A.
George. Leno also invited Kitzhaber to
See GOVERNOR
continued on page 14
Gov. John Kitzhaber shakes hands with Tribal Council member Cheryle A. Kennedy as he
arrives for a meeting with Tribal Council on Monday, Aug. 4.