12
S moke S ignals
AUGUST 1, 2016
'I’m so grateful to be here today'
AFRICA continued
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Tribal campus in Grand Ronde
who are part of a cultural exchange
program through Portland State’s
Civic Leadership Institute.
The lead professor on Olson’s
project is Dr. Rachel Cunliffe and
due to Olson’s project and others,
she has visited the Reservation sev-
eral times. She approached Olson
with the idea of bringing the group
to Grand Ronde.
Olson put his professor in touch
with Riggs and the visit was put
together for this summer.
“Any time you get to experience
people from another culture and
people who live another way of life,
I’m definitely game for that,” said
Riggs. “How often do you have an
opportunity like this? I think it’s
awesome.”
“She said they wanted to see a
Tribe out here in Oregon and see
how it operates,” said Olson. “She
(Cunliffe) needed an avenue into
our Tribe; I was very happy to pro-
vide that connection.”
Cunliffe, and her colleague, Dr.
Vandy Kanyako, are involved with
a program called the Young African
Leaders Initiative launched by
President Barack Obama in 2010.
The initiative looks to support
young Africans between the ages
of 25 and 35 who are considered
leaders in their communities. The
initiative looks to provide growth
and avenues to prosperity as well as
strengthen democratic government
and enhance peace and security
across the continent.
The flagship program for the ini-
tiative is the Mandela Washington
Fellowship. The young leaders
selected to visit the United States
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal Council member Ed Pearsall, left, talks with one of the young African
leaders during the delegation’s visit to Grand Ronde on Friday, July 15.
and Grand Ronde were part of a six-
week exchange designed to provide
leadership training and mentoring
in business, civic leadership and
public administration as part of the
fellowship.
The group’s tour of Grand Ronde
started when everyone gathered in
the Tribal Governance Center for
a performance by students in the
Tribe’s Chinuk Immersion class.
Riggs and Chinuk Teacher Jeff
Mercier lead the children in three
songs for the guests who came from
21 African nations.
The group moved to council cham-
bers to meet with Tribal Council
Chairman Reyn Leno, who was
joined by Tribal Council Secretary
Cheryle A. Kennedy and Tribal
Council members Chris Mercier,
Tonya Gleason-Shepek and Ed
Pearsall.
“I’m so grateful to be here today,”
said Cunliffe as she introduced her
colleague Kanyako.
When: August
17th @8:30-4pm
(a light breakfast & lunch will be
provided)
Where: YED covered area
“Thank you so much for inviting
us,” said Kanyako. “These are 25
fellows that are young profession-
als with a proven track record of
change in their communities. For
me, it’s the classic citizen exchange
program. This is really exciting. We
are honored to be here and we look
forward to this exchange.”
Leno welcomed everyone and
introduced the other members of
Tribal Council.
“We are always honored to have
people come here,” said Leno.
“Our job is to develop laws and
policies and to establish our govern-
ment since we were terminated,”
said Kennedy. “We’re building a
nation. We have been doing that for
35 years now. It’s a great pleasure
to host you here today.”
One young leader from Ugan-
da asked council members about
the Tribe’s treaties and another
young leader from Zimbabwe asked
about the Tribal Constitution in
relation to the U.S. Constitution.
Another young leader from Chad
asked about the Tribe’s language
programs.
After meeting Tribal Council,
the group went to the plankhouse
for singing and dancing and then
back to the Education building for
lunch with Riggs, Gleason-Shepek,
Tribal General Manager Dave Ful-
lerton, Natural Resources Manager
Michael Wilson, Tribal Historic
Preservation Department Manager
David Harrelson, College Program
Coordinator John Harp, 477/VR
Program Supervisor Michael Her-
rin and Domestic Violence Program
Coordinator Anne Falla.
Riggs provided the invocation for
the lunch and staff members took
turns going around the table to edu-
cate guests on what their individual
Tribal programs were all about.
“I felt like I learned so much that
I didn’t know,” said Cunliffe, who
is from England. “This was a very
different experience. I thought it
would be interesting if these people
got together for cultural exchange.”
One of the young leaders spoke
about the many common issues he
sees between African Tribes and
Indian Tribes that were to him pro-
found. “My view of what I thought I
knew about Native Americans is now
challenged by what I see,” he said.
Once the luncheon was concluded,
the group toured the Tribal muse-
um and cultural center, Chachalu.
“In general, people know very
little about Tribes,” said Mercier
following the visit. “Within the
United States people know little
about Tribes and when you go out-
side of the United States they know
even less. I was hungry to know
more about what goes on in those
countries after talking to them. I
want to get a better comparison of
how it relates to Tribal people in
the United States.”
Mercier, who has traveled the
world often, said cultural exchange
is important and necessary for a
well-rounded Tribal government.
“I think there is so much oppor-
tunity there,” said Mercier. “Both
sides can only benefit from it.”
Olson, whose master’s project
was successful, said he was happy
to play a small part in the bigger
picture of things.
“I want Tribal folks to understand
it is awesome to encourage other
cultures to visit out here because it
makes us grow,” said Olson. “I love
those things when we get together
with other people like that.”
Who: 9-14 year old girls & boys
Get hands-on experience building a BMX
bike while learning the science and
engineering behind BMX racing and of
course having fun!
PRE REGISTRATION IS
REQUIRED
Space is limited to 30 youth. Registration
forms can be found @ Adult Education or on
the Adult Education Facebook page. Grand
Ronde Tribal members registration opens
August 1st through the 5th. Open registration
for all other remaining applicants begins
August 8th, on a first come first serve basis.
Please return registration forms to Adult
Education.
Youth who are not registered will
not be able to attend.
Contact Mercedes Reeves for more information
503-879-2282
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