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PERMIT NO. 700
Tribe dedicates new employment building — pg. 5
JULY 15, 2015
Charnel House
meeting slated
for July 15
New cemetery building
will house Tribal remains
By Brent Merrill
G
Smoke Signals staff writer
enerations of Grand Ronde
Tribal members have en-
dured many indignities
throughout modern times.
Living Tribal members mourn
not only the loss of ancestors, but
at times our people have been
troubled by the treatment of their
ancestor’s remains as well.
Much of that will change now that
the Tribal Historic Preservation
Office has brought forward the idea
of building a charnel house on the
cemetery grounds.
“A charnel house is a vault or
a building where human remains
are stored,” says Tribal Historic
Preservation Program Manager
See BUILDING
continued on page 20
Tribe to
remain
drug-free
By Dean Rhodes
A
Smoke Signals editor
lthough recreational mar-
ijuana use became legal
in Oregon on July 1 when
Measure 91 took effect, the vot-
er-approved law did not affect the
Grand Ronde Tribe, which is a sov-
ereign nation and has decided that
use or cultivation will continue to
be banned at Tribal enterprises
and on Tribal land.
Tribal Council issued a statement
on Friday, July 10, reminding Tribal
members and Oregon residents that
just because the use and possession
of recreational marijuana has been
decriminalized in Oregon, Measure
91 does not apply to the Tribe.
“In 2014, the Tribe began looking
closely at the question of recre-
ational marijuana use, believing
the issue would be on the Novem-
See DRUG-FREE
continued on page 18
Arbor
ardor
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal Elder Deitz Peters smudges the new arbor at Uyxat Powwow Grounds during its dedication ceremony on
Friday, July 10.
Veterans Powwow christens new powwow grounds structure
By Brent Merrill
T
Smoke Signals staff writer
he new arbor at Uyxat Powwow Grounds
was the star of this year’s Marcellus Nor-
west Memorial Veterans Powwow held in
Grand Ronde on Friday, July 10, through Sunday,
July 12.
This year’s powwow culminated four days of
honoring veterans in Grand Ronde that started
on Thursday, July 9, with the third annual Native
Veterans Summit.
Just before Friday’s 7 p.m. grand entry, Tribal
Council Chairman Reyn Leno asked everyone
involved with building the new arbor to come out
on to the powwow grounds to be honored. Leno
started with Tribal Engineering and Public Works
Manager Jesse White.
“Jesse is the guy that council said, ‘Build us an
arbor, have it ready by Veterans Powwow and
make it your number one priority’,” said Leno,
who then presented White with a framed picture
of the arbor.
Leno also said Chris Scholten of Chris Scholten
Construction and Scholten’s timber framer, Justin
Stritzke, played key roles in the building of the arbor.
See POWWOW
continued on pages 10-11
Tribe hosts third Native Veterans Summit
Workshop aims to improve health care for Native veterans in rural areas
By Dean Rhodes
T
Smoke Signals editor
he ultimate goal of the
Native Veterans Summit,
which was held for the
third consecutive year on Fri-
day and Saturday, July 10-11,
at Uyxat Powwow Grounds as
a complement to the Marcellus
Norwest Memorial Veterans
Powwow, is to provide resources,
benefits coordination, health care
and opportunities for healing and
networking for veterans.
To help in that effort, the Con-
See SUMMIT
continued on page 14
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Mark Johnston,
former head of
the Grand Ronde
Health & Wellness
Center and current
deputy executive
director of the
Coquille Tribe, talks
about veterans’
health care during
a Native Veterans
Summit pre-
summit workshop
held in the Tribal
Community Center
on Thursday, July 9.