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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2017)
S moke S ignals NOVEMBER 1, 2017 Tribal Council appoints Youth Council member By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Tribal Council had a light agenda with only two decisions – appoint- ing a new Youth Council member and approving the enrollment of an infant into the Tribe – during its Wednesday, Oct. 25, meeting. Tribal Council appointed Willami- na High School junior Aspen Wilson, 16, to the Youth Council with a term expiring in March 2018 or until she graduates from high school. Wilson joins Payton Smith, Raven Harmon, Isabelle Grout, Madalyn Volz, Dominik Briant and Jason Page on the Youth Council. Membership on the Youth Council is open to enrolled Tribal members, direct descendants of enrolled Trib- al members or an enrolled member of a federally recognized Tribe that receives services from Grand Ronde. Applicants have to be in sixth grade or higher and have a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average. Tribal Council appointed the first group of Youth Council members in August 2016 after finalizing the bylaws for the new entity in May of that year. Wilson received a certificate and necklace from Tribal Council Chair- woman Cheryle A. Kennedy in hon- or of her appointment during the meeting. The infant was enrolled into the Tribe because, based on the evi- dence submitted, he or she meets the requirements outlined in the Enrollment Ordinance and Tribal Constitution. Cultural Resources Department Manager David Harrelson gave a brief presentation about wapato collection by Tribal ancestors to open the meeting. Also included in the Oct. 25 Tribal Council packet were approved au- thorizations to proceed that appoint Tribal Council member Brenda Tu- omi to the Spirit Mountain Gaming Inc. Board of Directors, Tribal Coun- cil member Lisa Leno to the Oregon Youth Authority and Tribal Council member Jack Giffen Jr. as the Tribal representative to the Willamette Falls Locks Commission and Affil- iated Tribes of Northwest Indians. Another approved authorization to proceed instructed staff to create an update on Spirit Mountain at Wood Village for the Sunday, Nov. 5, General Council meeting and not to spend more than $8,500 in creating the presentation. Under other business, Tribal Council also approved a resolution to release a copy of the investigatory report on the Spirit Mountain Com- munity Fund coordinator interviews to the parties in the Knight v. Har- vey matter as long as the names of the job applicants not involved in the case are redacted, the report only is given to the parties involved and their legal counsel, and that the report remains sealed from public access. The entire meeting can be viewed by going to the Tribal website at www.grandronde.org and clicking on the News tab and then Video. Tribal Elders seek reparations for bulldozed site near Mount Hood PORTLAND – Three Northwest Tribal Elders, including Grand Ronde Elder Carol Logan, argued in federal court on Monday, Oct. 23, that an expansion of U.S. Highway 26 near Mount Hood violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act by destroying Ana Kwna Nchi nchi Patat, or the Place of Big Trees. Logan was joined by Yakama Nation Elders Wilbur Slockish Jr. and Johnny Jackson in filing the lawsuit in U.S. District Court. The Tribal Elders contend that the federal government violated the act when it allowed the Oregon Department of Transportation to bulldoze the site, remove trees and install earthen berms and a guardrail that block access. The Tribal Elders were joined in the lawsuit by the Cascade Geo- graphic Society and the Mount Hood Sacred Lands Preservation Alliance. They are asking that the berm and guardrail be removed and the trees replanted. Before the five-acre parcel on the north side of Highway 26 was widened in 2008, the area was home to a rock altar estimated to be hundreds of years old. There also were a dozen stone monuments marking burial sites and a clearing that served as a campsite for traders headed to the once-great Celilo Falls. Logan said she worshipped for decades at the site. “This is where our ancestors rest, and yet they rip the soil apart like an open wound,” she said. The Elders contend that Tribal members with cultural interests in the area were not notified during the planning stages and their voices were ignored when they learned of it before construction. The U.S. Department of Justice countered that the Elders were not substantially burdened by the expansion of U.S. Highway 26 and lacked standing to sue. Judge Youlee Yim You will decide whether the case filed nine years ago will move forward. She did not indicate when she will rule. Includes information from The Associated Press. Are you frustrated with your diabetes control? Do you have questions about diabetes? Do you need help managing your diabetes? If so… Call the Medical Clinic today at 503-879-2002 To schedule an individual diabetes education appointment CTGR Youth Education Annual Fall Community Service Project SOCKtoberfest 2017 Accepting donations through December 1 st SOCKtoberfest is a youth service project to assist the Grand Ronde Community Clothes Closet Bring your donations to the Youth Education Building, the Wellness Center, the Elders Activity Center or the Governance Building The G.R. Clothes Closet is in need of new socks for all seasons. For kids, teens and adults, work socks, dress socks, all sizes, styles and colors would be greatly appreciated. Only new items, please Registration Information $50 for conference $25 for plank house dinner $25 for workshops Free for Tribal Members and Staff Rooms are available at Spirit Mountain Casino for $69 per night if you reference the History Summit Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Gymnasium 9615 Grand Ronde Rd. Grand Ronde, OR 97347 Further information at www.grandronde.org/hcsummit Join us for two days of interdisciplinary lectures and discussions. Sessions will include topics on anthropology, culture, history, archaeology, and environment. Each day there will be a light breakfast and lunch provided. There will be an evening event at the plank house for the first 150 guests who register. The event will include a dinner. 7
