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Spring Break camp
— pg. 11
APRIL 1, 2018
Tribe schedules
three community
input meetings
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
T
he Grand Ronde Tribe has
scheduled three meetings in
April and May to ascertain
how Tribal members envision the
Grand Ronde community and Res-
ervation through 2028.
The community input meetings
are part of a community develop-
ment planning process that also
will include updating the Tribal
Strategic Plan.
“Your input will help guide us as
we consider new housing, new eco-
nomic development, environmental
and cultural resources protection
and other important future growth
needs,” a statement released by
Tribal Council on Friday, March
23, said. “Your participation in
community development planning
will help staff identify fundamental
needs and priorities.”
The first meeting will be part of
the General Council meeting sched-
uled to be held at 11 a.m. Sunday,
April 8, in the Many Nations Long-
house on the University of Oregon
campus in Eugene. There will be a
brief overview presentation of the
Strategic Plan update and com-
munity development planning and
then time for Tribal member input
and recommendations.
There also will be a meeting devot-
ed to the Strategic Plan update and
community development planning
to be held Wednesday, April 18, in
the Tribal gym in Grand Ronde.
The final meeting will be held
following the Sunday, May 6, Gen-
eral Council meeting to be held in
the Community Center in Grand
Ronde. It will mirror the agenda
for the April 8 General Council
meeting. n
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy talks during a joint meeting between Grand Ronde Tribal
Council members and the Metro Council during Metro Council's meeting held at the Metro Regional Center in
Portland on Thursday, March 22. On the left is Metro Council President Tom Hughes and on the right is Tribal
Council Vice Chair Chris Mercier.
Tribal Council consults with regional government
By Danielle Frost
Smoke Signals staff writer
P
ORTLAND — Developing partnerships,
stewardship of environmental and economic
resources, and preservation of cultural heri-
tage are common goals for the Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde and regional government Metro.
Members of the two entities gathered in a gov-
ernment-to-government consultation meeting at
Metro’s Portland office on Thursday, March 22.
The Tribe has participated in many govern-
ment-to-government meetings before, but this was
the first with Metro. However, staff members from
the two groups have met informally before.
Metro consists of a regionwide elected president
See MEETING
continued on page 9
Collective healing and historical wisdom
By Danielle Frost
If you go
Gathering of Grand
Ronde Tillixam
Where: Grand Ronde Tribal gym
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday
through Friday, April 11-13
More info: 503-879-4533 or gona.
eventbrite.com
H
Smoke Signals staff writer
istory. Healing. Wisdom. Those are some
of the takeaways organizers of the first
Gathering of Grand Ronde Tillixam
are hoping attendees will have when the event
concludes.
“Tillixam” means “full of people, crowded,” in
Chinuk Wawa. Tribal Social Services Manager
Dana Ainam is spearheading the effort along
with the Cultural Resources Department and
the Native Wellness Institute of Gresham.
“Through our work to expand our services and
learn more about trauma-informed practice, we
have been working on more collaboration with
many of our Tribal programs,” Ainam said.
“Last fall we met to talk about grief and loss in
our community, and how we could provide more
support and training.”
The Native Wellness Institute’s mission is to
promote the physical, mental, emotional and
spiritual health of North America’s indigenous
peoples, and to bring about positive changes. It
See TILLIXAM
continued on page 10