2
S moke S ignals
AUGUST 15, 2015
NOTICE — Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings
DATE
TIME
Wednesday, Aug. 26............................................................................5 p.m.
Please note that these times and dates are subject to change if needed.
Letters
Dear Smoke Signals:
The Smoke Signals of July 15 refers to a charnel house for the remains of
our ancestors. My knowledge of our history, as is noted in all printed work of
the Lewis and Clark journals (1804-06), tells of the Chinook Indians referring
to the places set aside for the remains of their dead as Memaloose Illahee.
The areas were located on islands in the Columbia River. These islands have
been flooded over by the waters from the Bonneville Dam.
I suggest it is traditional for us to name our place for the remains of our
people as “Memaloose Illahee” – a sacred place of remembrance.
Claudette Parazoo
Roll #2923
Dear Tribal members:
I found Angie Blackwell’s letter in the July 15, 2015, issue of Smoke Signals
interesting for a variety of reasons, especially the part where Angie tries to
say that disenrollment is a way for the Tribe to practice “gerrymandering.”
Apparently Angie does not remember that there were 34 children and
adults disenrolled on Dec. 3, 2008. After the disenrollment of those 34 there
wasn’t any talk of “gerrymandering.” However, there was talk that the Tribe
should conduct a full-fledged audit of the Tribal rolls to see if there were
others who had been enrolled in error.
In 2010, Penny DeLoe was made Member Services manager. Part of Pen-
ny’s job was to oversee the Enrollment Office. It is my understanding that
over the next few months many errors were found in the enrollment files.
That caused more talk of a full-fledged audit of the Tribe’s enrollment files.
Then in June 2011, the Tribal Council approved an audit for all of the
Tribe’s enrollment files.
In all of this, the concern seems to be toward getting the most accurate
enrollment records possible and that was about it.
When the processing of the findings of the enrollment audit started to take
place in August 2013, I do not recall hearing anything about various people
being targets of the enrollment audit. It wasn’t until specific individuals
started getting their disenrollment letters that there was a cry of foul play
and targeting. Then things got more heated over the next few months and
that seems to continue from time to time.
Now we are at the point where Angie Blackwell has referred to the disen-
rollment of a specific group of individuals as a means for the Tribe to practice
“gerrymandering.” To me that type of thinking is way out of line, to say the
least. I say that because when the audit was approved, no one knew what
the results would be and who would be affected in one way or another.
In regard to the July 1, 2015, Tribal Council meeting, I personally do not
feel that the question asked during that meeting about the status of the
enrollment action before the Tribal Court was out of line or directed at any
specific person or group of individuals. It was a legitimate question that has
been asked in other meetings.
The one thing I am in agreement with Angie Blackwell is the concern she
has regarding the proposed amendments to the Enrollment Ordinance that
would allow names to be removed from the Restoration Roll. If changes con-
tinue to be allowed to be made to the Restoration Roll, we will not recognize
it in the future.
I just wish Angie Blackwell has written a letter sooner in the Smoke Signals
asking Tribal members to read the proposed amendments to the Enrollment
Ordinance and ask Tribal Council or somebody in our Legal Department to
let you see them. The reason I say that is because the first reading of the
proposed amendments to the Enrollment Ordinance took place during the
April 22, 2015, Tribal Council meeting and comments were to be sent to the
Legal Department by June 15, 2015.
Leroy Good
Roll #892
General Council meeting
Sunday, Sept. 13 — 11 a.m.
Tribal Community Center
Smoke Signals
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DEADLINE DATE
ISSUE DATE
Friday, Aug. 21.............................Sept. 1
Friday, Sept. 4............................ Sept. 15
Monday, Sept. 21..........................Oct. 1
Editorial Policy
SMOKE SIGNALS, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Com-
munity of Oregon, is published twice a month. No portion of this publication may be reprinted
without permission.
Our editorial policy is intended to encourage input from Tribal members and readers
about stories printed in the Tribal newspaper. However, all letters received must be
signed by the author, an address must be given and a phone number or e-mail address
must be included for verification purposes. Full addresses and phone numbers will not
be published unless requested.
SMOKE SIGNALS reserves the right to edit letters and to refuse letters that are determined
to contain libelous statements or personal attacks on individuals, staff, Tribal administration
or Tribal Council. Not all letters are guaranteed publication upon submission. Letters to the
editor are the opinions and views of the writer. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the
opinions of SMOKE SIGNALS, Tribal staff, Tribal administration or Tribal Council.
Members of: Native American Journalists Association
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2015 Tribal Council
1-800-422-0232 — tribalcouncil@grandronde.org
Dear Smoke Signals:
I am writing this letter to express my sincere gratitude for the contributions
made by Robert W. Bradley of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
and Kelly Dirksen of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Natural Re-
sources Department and their respective staff members.
They worked together and provided two donations of fresh salmon to iskam
mfkhmfk. I appreciate the time spent by NRD staff Brandon Weems and Jer-
amy Trammell who picked up, cleaned and packaged the fish for distribution.
I feel that they went above and beyond to make this much-needed food do-
nation happen for our community. Protein is the top requested item and also
our most expensive to purchase. This donation was a wonderful surprise and
every family who received a salmon fillet was very appreciative and excited
to take it home. The salmon had a beautiful red color and smelled so fresh.
I am taking this opportunity to express my thanks publicly, so all may
know of their generosity and hard work. I hope this wonderful new partner-
ship leads to more collaboration and more opportunities for iskam mfkhmfk
haws. Haya masi.
Francene Ambrose
Roll #2955
iskam mfkhmfk haws coordinator
Reyn Leno
Tribal Chairman
— ext. 2399
reyn.leno@grandronde.org
Jack Giffen Jr.
Tribal Vice Chair
— ext. 2300
jack.giffen@grandronde.org
Toby McClary
Tribal Secretary
— ext. 4555
Denise Harvey
— ext. 2353
denise.harvey@grandronde.org
Chris Mercier
— ext. 1444
chris.mercier@grandronde.org
Cheryle A. Kennedy
— ext. 2352
cheryle.kennedy@grandronde.org
Tonya Gleason-Shepek
— ext. 1777
toby.mcclary@grandronde.org
tonya.gleason-shepek@grandronde.org
Ed Pearsall
— ext. 2305
Jon A. George
— ext. 2355
ed.pearsall@grandronde.org
jon.george@grandronde.org