PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 700 Canoe Journey returns — pg. 11 JULY 15, 2016 Constitutional amendments rejected By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor T ribal voters overwhelm- ingly rejected two proposed amendments to the Tribal Constitution during a Bureau of Indian Affairs-conducted election that concluded on Friday, July 8. The first proposed amendment, which would have changed enroll- ment requirements and expanded the definition of Grand Ronde blood, was rebuffed 639 to 412, or 60.8 percent of voters opposing the idea. The second proposed amend- ment, which would have altered the requirements for initiating a referendum or initiative and the calling of a special General Council meeting, fared even worse, with 670 Tribal members voting “no” and 382 in favor for a 63.7 percent to 36.3 percent split. Of the 1,546 Tribal members who registered to vote with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 68 percent partic- ipated by casting ballots. To change the Tribal Constitu- tion, 30 percent of those who reg- istered to vote have to cast a ballot and two-thirds of those voting must approve of the proposal for an amendment to be incorporated. The two proposed amendments to the Tribal Constitution were sent to voters in identical 5-2 Tribal Council votes on April 6. The first constitutional amend- ment proposed to changed Tribal enrollment requirements. Currently, Tribal membership requirements for new applications include, among other things, that applicants have at least 1/16th Grand Ronde blood quantum, were born to a parent who was a mem- ber of the Tribe at the time of the applicant’s birth and at the time of application, unless the parent is deceased. Grand Ronde blood is currently defined as “all Indian blood derived from a direct ancestor whose name validly appears on the official Trib- al membership roll prepared under the Restoration Act, which may be corrected by Tribal Council with approval from the Secretary of the Interior.” See ELECTION continued on page 10 Photo by Michelle Alaimo Tribal Elder and U.S. Navy veteran Herman Hudson Jr., in striped shirt, and other veterans participate in the 1 p.m. Grand Entry on Saturday, July 9, of the 2016 Marcellus Norwest Memorial Veterans Powwow held at Uyxat Powwow Grounds. Veterans Weekend Powwow honors warriors from Vietnam era By Brent Merrill Smoke Signals staff writer E ven rainy weather in July couldn’t keep veterans from turning out in large numbers for the annual Mar- cellus Norwest Memorial Vet- erans Powwow held in Grand Ronde at the Tribe’s Uyxat Pow- wow Grounds on Friday, July 8, through Sunday, July 10. Friday night’s opening grand en- try featured Grand Ronde Tribal Elder and Marine Corps veteran Alton Butler and Tlingit/Haida Tribal member and Army vet- eran Wayne Chulik carrying in the eagle staffs to the sound of host drum Bad Soul. Tribal Elder and Marine Corps veteran Steve Bobb Sr. See POWWOW continued on pages 14-15 Tribe hosts fourth Veterans Summit By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor T he day before the Grand Ronde Tribe hosted the fourth annual Veterans Summit: Gathering of Warriors at Uyxat Powwow Grounds, the Department of Veterans Affairs released sobering statistics re- garding suicides among the country’s men and women who have served in the military. The first actual count found that 7,403 veterans killed them- selves in 2014. That’s 20 veter- ans a day. The issue was discussed sever- See SUMMIT continued on page 16 Photo by Michelle Alaimo Joe Bertagnolli, left, Suicide Prevention coordinator at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, leads a suicide prevention workshop during the fourth annual Veterans Summit: Gathering of Warriors held at Uyxat Powwow Grounds on Friday, July 8.