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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2015)
PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 700 — pg. 3 MAY 1, 2015 Willamina to reconsider Tribal flag request By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor W Smoke Signals file photo The Willamina School Board will reconsider a request from the Tribe to hang its flag in the high school gym on Tuesday, May 12. ILLAMINA – The Wil- lamina School Board is scheduled to reconsider a request to hang the Grand Ronde 7ULEDOÁDJLQWKHKLJKVFKRROJ\P on Tuesday, May 12, after tabling the matter at its April meeting. Former Grand Ronde Tribal li- aison to the school district, Tribal Court Administrator Angela Fasa- na, made the original request after visiting Pendleton High School and noticing that the U.S., Oregon and Confederated Tribes of Umatilla ÁDJVZHUHKDQJLQJLQWKHJ\P ´,IHOWWKHSUHVHQFHRIWKHÁDJV sent a good message to students and the community about the partnership between the district and Umatilla,” Fasana wrote in a March 12 e-mail to outgoing Willa- mina School District Superinten- dent Gus Forster. “The Tribe would be happy to provide the district ZLWKD7ULEDOÁDJµ The request was placed on the April 14 School Board agenda as a decision item, Forster said, but it was pulled and moved to a discus- sion item by Chair Craig Johnson. According to the Yamhill County News Register, Johnson proposed charging the Grand Ronde Tribe IRUDÀYH\HDUFRQWUDFWWR See FLAG continued on page 15 Bridging cultures Tribe gifts artwork to TriMet’s Tilikum Crossing By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor P ORTLAND – TriMet’s new bridge across the Willamette River not only has a Chinuk Wawa name – Tilikum Crossing (“Bridge of the People”) – but now has three prominent pieces of Tribal artwork decorating it. On Friday, April 17, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde gifted two basalt carv- ings and a large bronze medallion that will help remind Portland and its residents that Native Americans have lived and continue to live along the shores of the river since time immemorial. The basalt carvings stand 6 feet tall on the east and west side of the bridge and the 5-foot-diameter bronze medallion is hanging on the eastern side of the bridge facing north. Pedestrians and bicyclists southbound on the Eastside Greenway Trail cannot help but notice the medallion. All three pieces, collectively called “We Culture Committee Vice Chair Marcus Gibbons talks about water and its importance during the First Foods Celebration held at Chachalu Tribal Museum & Cultural Center on Saturday, April 25. The event was hosted by the Tribe’s Culture Committee. Have Always Lived Here,” were created by Chinook artist Greg A. Robinson at the Gresham home of Grand Ronde Tribal member Greg Archuleta. The basalt carvings depict Tayi, or head- men, with their people, and the medallion shows Morning Star and her children in the center, which is a reference to the heavens, and Coyote and the first humans on the See ARTWORK continued on page 11 “We Have Always Lived Here,” the artwork that decorates Tilikum Crossing in Portland, includes a large bronze medallion and two basalt carvings. A second basalt carving is at another location on the other side of the bridge. Photo by Michelle Alaimo Feast fetes First Foods By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor T Photo by Michelle Alaimo he more than 100 attendees at the First Foods Celebration held on Saturday, April 25, not only learned about the wild game and plants that Grand Ronde ancestors consumed since time immemorial, they also learned about their own will power and self-control. As Tribal Royalty and Youth Council members distributed the food inside Chachalu Museum & Cultural Center, Culture Committee Vice Chair Marcus Gibbons reminded people not to start eating until all of the food had been served. As clam chowder, deer stew, elk meat- balls, smoked salmon, nuts and berries, See FIRST FOODS continued on page 8
