PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 700 DECEMBER 1, 2017 Remembering Restoration Tribe celebrates 34th anniversary of regaining federal recognition By Danielle Frost Smoke Signals staff writer F rom recognition of aging Res- toration Elders to a powwow featuring the youngest Tribal members, the Grand Ronde Tribe’s 34th Restoration Celebration of regaining federal recognition was feted with respect, reverence and joy on Wednesday, Nov. 22. Despite being the day before Thanksgiving, almost 300 Tribal members, community members, employees and others joined togeth- er in the Tribal gym to recognize a people coming together. “Thirty-four years ago today, President Reagan signed our Resto- ration Bill into law because of those who worked on it,” Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy said during an afternoon speech that honored key Restoration fig- ures Marvin Kimsey, Margaret Provost and the late Merle Holmes. “Thank you for putting people together and to our young ones, remember what Restoration is,” Kennedy said. “To know what it is to have what we do today. Before Restoration, the cemetery was the only place we had. Today, we have many things because of Res- toration.” Provost, one of the key figures in early Restoration efforts, which Photo by Michelle Alaimo Tribal Elder Margaret Provost talks about her work on the Tribe’s Restoration effort during the 34th Restoration Powwow held in the Tribal gym on Wednesday, Nov. 22. Standing behind her is her daughter, Tribal Elder Jackie Many Hides. began in the 1970s, recalled her experiences. “After Termination in 1954, we had nothing and were stripped of our identity,” Provost said. “But some families stayed in contact and every Memorial Day, we met at the cemetery.” After moving to Lebanon for work, Provost learned about Resto- ration efforts occurring regionally and across the country. She, Kim- sey and Holmes attended a meeting held by the Association of Urban Indians in Lebanon and were in- spired by other Tribal restoration efforts, such as the Menominees in Wisconsin, who became the first re- stored Tribe in the nation in 1973. “As time went on, people kept bugging me to do something,” Pro- See RESTORATION continued on pages 10-11 Wellness Center responds to ‘opioid epidemic’ Opioid-based medications, such as hydrocodone, will be more difficult to acquire starting in 2018 because of increased nationwide concern about abuse and overdoses using the addictive drugs. In reaction, the Tribe’s Health & Wellness Center will be changing its pain medication procedures to reflect the changing attitudes regarding opioid use and prescribing. Photo by Michelle Alaimo Updated policies on chronic pain medication use are underway By Danielle Frost Smoke Signals staff writer B eginning Tuesday, Jan. 2, many in Grand Ronde who use opioid medications to relieve pain will no longer be able to access them due to mandates from federal and state govern- ments, as well as rising concerns over a nationwide “opioid epidemic.” Earlier this year, the Oregon Health Plan, which many Tribal members use as their primary insurance provider, announced that it will no longer cover opioids for chronic back and spine condi- tions as of New Year’s Day. “Prescribers must establish a tapering plan for patients currently prescribed opioids for these conditions,” the memo states. The Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center is working to align its practices as state and federal regulations are continually changing. For example, the U.S. Drug Enforce- ment Administration published a notice in the Federal Register during the first week in November, stating that it would reduce the supply of many commonly prescribed schedule II opioid painkill- ers. These include oxycodone, hydroco- done, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, morphine, codeine and fentanyl, citing decreased demand for the medication. See OPIOID continued on page 13