18
S moke S ignals
JULY 1, 2016
Meteorite has been at museum since 1906
TOMANOWOS continued
from front page
Ham, Louise Coulson and Jennie
VanAtta; Little Miss Grand Ronde
Kaleigha Simi and her mother,
Shannon Simi, and Kaleigha’s
brother, Dominik Briant; Junior
Miss Grand Ronde Isabelle Grout
and her mother, Genifer Grout;
Veterans Special Event Board
Junior Queen Amaryssa Mooney
and her grandmother, Tribal Elder
Susie Lash; Angela Fasana, her
husband, Ariah, and daughter,
Cheyanne; Tribal Elder Barbara
Steere and her son, Doug Steere;
Jordan Reyes; and this year’s muse-
um interns, Justin Fasana, Michael
Reyes and Jonathan Tasa.
The ceremony was led by Stewart
and opened with drumming and
singing by him, George and Justin
Fasana.
George gave an invocation in
which he thanked employees at
the museum for taking care of To-
manowos. Stewart introduced the
Tribal youth who are interns at the
museum and they each recited part
of Tomanowos’ history.
Justin Fasana told facts about
Tomanowos, such as it weighing
15.5 tons and that it originally
was about 21 tons, but lost about
six tons from rust and erosion that
caused the craters in its surface.
Michael Reyes explained how the
meteorite became part of Grand
Ronde’s history, landing in what
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Elisabeth Werby, left, Strategic Advisor and Senior Director, Foundation
Support for the American Museum of Natural History, talks with Tribal Elders
Louise Coulson, second from left, Jennie VanAtta, second from right, and Dan
Ham before the private ceremony with Tomanowos held at the museum on
Wednesday, June 22.
is now Canada 13,000 years ago,
and then being transported by the
Missoula Floods to the Willamette
Valley, where Tribal ancestors
venerated it. The Clackamas Chi-
nooks dipped spearheads in the
water that pooled in the meteorite’s
craters, investing it with divine
qualities.
Tasa told the history of how it
ended up in New York City. It was
“discovered” in 1902 on land owned
by Oregon Iron and Steel Co. and
was eventually sold to New York
philanthropist Mrs. William Dodge,
who donated it to museum.
The museum has been the mete-
orite’s home since 1906. In 2000,
the museum and Tribe entered into
an agreement that allows the Tribe
to conduct an annual private cere-
mony with Tomanowos in exchange
for letting Tomanowos remain in
New York City.
Justin Fasana added that on be-
half of all of the interns that they
are happy to participate in the
ceremony and be in the presence
of the meteorite.
Tribal Council Chair Reyn Leno
said it was great to see everybody
and to see the meteorite. He talked
about how he was part of Tribal
Council when the Tribe made its
original Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act
claim, and negotiations and an
agreement were worked out. He
added that it was his first trip to
New York City and to the ceremo-
ny.
Leno said it is great to be part
of a Tribe that gets to recover its
heritage and that the membership
needs to know what that means to
recover culture as opposed to the
many that lose it.
‘“It’s part of our culture regard-
less if we’re in Grand Ronde or if
we’re here in New York City,” he
said referring to Tomanowos.
The ceremony followed. Tribal
members cleaned the dust and
dirt from Tomanowos with rose hip
water and wiped it down with cedar
boughs, both of which were brought
from Grand Ronde.
Stewart said that it was time for
Tribal members to say whatever
prayers they have, to spend their
own personal time with Toma-
nowos and to leave gifts, including
TOMANOWOS continued
on page 19
This year’s delegation from the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde was one of the largest ever for the private ceremony with Tomanowos. Those who
attended are, front row from left, Jordan Reyes, Tribal Elder Barbara Steere, Tribal Council Chairman Reyn Leno, Veterans Special Event Board Junior Queen
Amaryssa Mooney, Junior Miss Grand Ronde Isabelle Grout, Little Miss Grand Ronde Kaleigha Simi, Dominik Briant, Genifer Grout and Tribal Elder Alan Ham;
second row from left, Tribal Elder Dan Ham, Michael Reyes, Angela Fasana, Justin Fasana, Cheyanne Fasana, Doug Steere, Tribal Elder Susie Lash, Tribal Elder
Jennie VanAtta, Tribal Elder Louise Coulson and Tribal Council member Chris Mercier; third row from left, Ariah Fasana, Liz Leno, Shannon Simi and Tribal
Chief of Staff Stacia Martin; and back row from left, Tribal Cultural Youth Activity Specialist/Tribal Artisan Travis Stewart, Tribal Council member Jon A. George,
Jonathan Tasa and Public Affairs/Publications Administrative Assistant Chelsea Clark.