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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2017)
S moke S ignals FEBRUARY 1, 2017 Tribal Council approves new Banks School District mascot By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor The Banks School District is one step closer to retaining its Braves mascot name and adopting a more culturally appropriate Na- tive American mascot image. At its Wednesday, Jan. 25, meeting, Tribal Council approved an amended memorandum of understanding with the Banks School District that calls for end- ing usage of a Native warrior’s profile as its mascot image and adopting a logo with mirrored Bs that form the shape of an arrow- head. The Banks School District Board of Directors approved the original five-year agreement in June 2016 and held an image unveiling open house on Jan. 4. The amended agreement now goes to the State Board of Education for approval before it is formally adopted. The new district logo was created by Nike after it received input on Oregon’s Native American Tribes from Grand Ronde Cultural Re- sources Department Manager Da- vid Harrelson. The agreement gives the Banks School District five years to phase out use of the current Brave profile on uniforms, signs and equipment. It also requires the Banks School District to start using the Grand Ronde Tribe-created Native Amer- ican fourth- and eighth-grade his- tory curriculums no later than spring of 2017, as well as sponsor a Native Club for all students in sixth through 12th grades. Banks Superintendent Jeff Leo said that approximately 3 percent of the district’s 1,100 students iden- tify as Native Americans. The Oregon Board of Education originally banned the use of all Native mascots by Oregon pub- lic schools, but after sovereignty concerns were raised by several Oregon Tribes, including the Grand Ronde Tribe, it allowed exceptions to the rule in January 2016 if school districts using Native American mascots worked with a federally recognized Tribe to create cultur- ally acceptable mascot representa- tions and usage. Banks is the first school district in Oregon to reach an agreement with an Oregon Tribe to retain its Native mascot. Currently, the Grand Ronde Tribe is working with the Molalla and Scappoose school districts regarding their use of Native mas- cots. At the Tuesday, Jan. 24, Legis- lative Action Committee meeting, Tribal Council Secretary Jon A. George thanked the Tribe’s Cul- tural Resources Department for working with Nike’s marketing and design team to create a culturally appropriate mascot image. “I think that is one point that is very important about us,” George said. “When we go and sit on these boards, it is about educating the public about who we are.” In other action, Tribal Council: • Appointed Claudia Leno to the Health Committee with a term ending in March 2018; • Approved three grant applica- tions – two to the U.S. Depart- ment of Energy Office of Indian Energy and one to the state De- partment of Energy – that, if awarded, would help fund solar energy improvements to Tribal buildings and Spirit Mountain Casino; • Approved a contract not to exceed $166,000 with MacKenzie for project management services for assisting in planning for redevel- opment of the former Multnomah Greyhound Park property in Wood Village that the Tribe pur- chased in late 2015; • Approved a request to the Sec- retary of the Interior to remove one Tribal member from the Res- toration Roll because submitted documents prove that the person had not met the requirements for inclusion and approved the enrollment of one infant into the Tribe because the child meets the requirements outlined in the Constitution and Enrollment Ordinance; • Approved a 2017 crushed rock purchases and dump truck ser- vice contract that can exceed $100,000 for the Natural Re- sources Department; • And extended the contract of Tribal Court Chief Judge David Shaw through March 31. His contract was set to expire on Jan. 31, according to Tribal Court Ad- ministrator Angela Fasana. Also included in the Jan. 25 Tribal Council packet were autho- rizations to proceed that OK’d the Tribe’s matching fund commitment on the Tillamook County Trans- portation District’s application to the Oregon Department of Trans- portation for Network-Intercity grant funds, approved submission of an application to the Oregon Rail and Public Transit Division for $100,000 in rural transit funds and OK’d the Tribe’s Records De- partment creating a new section in the Tribe’s online archives for non-confidential directives, autho- rizations to proceed and records of instruction. Tribal Cultural Resources De- partment employees Jordan and Bobby Mercier performed the cul- tural drumming and singing to open the meeting. The meeting, it is entirety, can be viewed on the Tribal website, www. grandronde.org, by clicking on the News tab and then Video. 15 Walking On... Frank Eugene Kowing Jr. April 1, 1944 – Sept. 24, 2016 Frank Eugene Kowing Jr., 72, walked on on Sept. 24, 2016. He was born April 1, 1944, in McMinnville, Ore., to Frank Sr. and Myrtle (Por- ter) Kowing. He attended Sheridan and Ball- ston elementary schools. After grad- uating from McMinnville High School in 1962, he attended Linfield College, where he was the college’s first art major, and participated in the Naval Reserves. Frank graduat- ed from Linfield in 1966. He joined the Navy full-time, serving in the Pa- cific (stationed out of Japan) during the Vietnam War until 1968. Frank studied painting at the Rieveld Academy in The Nether- lands and subsequently obtained a Master of Fine Arts in painting at Pennsylvania State University (1973). He was involved for several years in New York with art galleries and his art. He served in the Peace Corps in Tunisia, teaching art and living skills to developmen- tally disabled students. He settled in Maryland for the remainder of his life, where he continued his lifelong career in art, painting and curating galleries and museums. Frank was a painter whose work evolved from impressionist paintings early in his career to found-object sculpture/painting, political commentary artworks and abstract expressionist paintings throughout his adult life. His later works combine elements of all of these. He lived and traveled throughout the world, and his paintings are owned by individuals in many countries as well as throughout the United States. Frank was divorced once and widowed twice. He was a proud mem- ber and Elder of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. He liked to travel and write about his adventures and thoughts, often working these into his works of art and stories. His book “Monuments, New and Selected Poems” was published in 2009. Frank was pre-deceased by his father, Frank Sr., and his mother, Myrtle. He is survived by his sisters, Judith Nesbit of Rose Valley, Wash., and Nancy Earl of Homedale, Idaho; brothers, Bradley Kowing of Prineville, Ore., and Terry Kowing of Middletown, Calif.; and son, Joel Siemienczuk of St. Helens, Ore. Frank had many friends, cous- ins, aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces. Frank’s advance directives included cremation with final inter- ment and celebration of his life at the Grand Ronde Tribal Cemetery on Saturday, April 1, which would have been his 73rd birthday. A gathering of friends and family will follow. Frank has finally come full circle. He was loved by many and will be sorely missed. Bike helmets available The Tribe’s Social Services Department has bicycle helmets available for distribution. Those needing a helmet need to visit the department and sign a helmet application, as well as get fitted. For more information, contact Social Services at 503-879-2034. Native and Indigenous Student Union 15th Annual Social Pow wow Saturday March 11, 2017 Grand Entry 4pm Men’s Fancy Dance Contest Call 503.370.6265 for information
