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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2018)
12 S moke S ignals JULY 1, 2018 Tomanowos originally was in Oregon TOMANOWOS continued from front page “She used to tell us, ‘Be careful or Tomanowos will get you.’ We didn’t even know what that meant, but we listened,” she said. The Tribe and museum have an agreement that keeps Tomanowos in New York City as long as the mu- seum provides ceremonial access to Grand Ronde Tribal members, as well as acknowledgement of the meteorite’s religious importance. On Tuesday, June 19, a delega- tion of employees, Tribal members and family left Portland Interna- tional Airport on Delta Airlines bound for New York City and To- manowos. The flight was indicative of the trip with clear skies, a few wispy clouds and mild turbulence. Tomanowos history Tomanowos is believed to be the iron core of a planetesimal that was shattered in a collision. Pulled in by Earth’s gravity approximate- ly 13,000 years ago, it fell from the sky at more than 40,000 miles per hour and landed, most likely, in the southern Alberta region of Canada. After the Columbia River Gorge was carved in a flood of water, rocks and ice, Tomanowos traveled the hundreds of miles westward, eventually coming to rest outside of what is now West Linn near the Willamette River falls. The meteorite collected water that the ancient Clackamas Chi- nooks believed was invested with divine qualities. It became a sacred site for western Oregon Tribes, particularly the Chinooks, who be- lieved it was sent to Earth by the Sky People. After the Chinooks, along with more than 25 other Tribes, were removed to the Grand Ronde Res- ervation in the 1850s, their connec- tion to the sacred item was broken. Meanwhile, Tomanowos remained in that location for almost 50 years more, partially submerged below ground level. Photos by Michelle Alaimo Tribal Elder Leonette Galligher tosses a cedar bough into the Hudson River that was used to clean Tomanowos during the 18th private ceremony honoring the meteorite at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City on Wednesday, June 20. Tossing the bough into the river returns the energy from Tomanowos to the water. purchased by New York philan- thropist Mrs. William Dodge for $20,600 after she saw it at the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition in Port- land. She donated the Willamette Meteorite, as it was rechristened, to the American Museum of Natural History. In 1902, Tomanowos was “found” For years it sat in the museum, by part-time miner Ellis Hughes, a major tourist attraction but un- who removed it from ceded Tribal beknownst to the Confederated land that then belonged to Oregon Tribes of Grand Ronde, which was Iron and Steel Co. The miner, undergoing its own battles with realizing the economic potential poverty, prejudice, Termination of such a find, removed it without and Restoration. permission. It took more than a In 1999, the Tribe, citing the year to drag the huge meteorite Native American Graves Protec- three-quarters of a mile, where tion and Repatriation Act, sought he built a shed to protect it. Then, return of Tomanowos. The museum Hughes charged 25 cents for people countersued, asking a judge to de- to view it. clare it the owner. In 2000, the two In 1905, by juridical order, Toma- sides reached an amicable agree- nowos was returned to Oregon Iron ment. During Tribal visits, the mu- and Steel and was subsequently seum closes early one day to allow for a Tribal ceremo- ny. Additionally, the museum also estab- lished an internship program that allows young Tribal mem- bers to work at the museum every sum- mer, learning about Tomanowos while living in New York City. The Tribe has sent a delegation every year from 2001 through ’08, but skipped 2009 be- cause of the national recession. Starting in 2010, the Tribe has sent a delegation every other year. Kaleb Reid, second from right, talks during the 18th private ceremony honoring Tomanowos The 15.5-ton me- at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City on Wednesday, June 20. Reid, teorite, which was an intern at the museum this summer, helped lead the ceremony with, from left, Tribal formed billions of years ago, casts an Interpretive Coordinator Travis Stewart, Tribal Historic Preservation Program temporary impressive figure in employee Nicolas Atanacio and Tribal Cultural Protection Specialist Chris Bailey, and Payton the museum’s Doro- Smith, right, also a museum intern this summer. thy and Lewis B. Cullman Hall of the Universe, which opened in Feb- ruary 2000. Due to the meteorite’s weight, the center was constructed around Tomanowos. It was Tribal Council member Brenda Tuomi’s first visit to the meteorite and New York City. After the ceremony, which in- volved singing, drumming, cere- monially washing the meteorite, burning sage and placing cedar boughs and personal effects in various crevices, Tuomi said the experience as “amazing.” “I was a little intimidated to touch it,” she said. “I wondered what the water could do for it and if it could feel our presence.” Ceremony day Wednesday, June 20, was a hot, sticky New York City summer day. The Grand Ronde contingent quiet- ly walked the five blocks from the NYLO hotel through the bustling streets to the museum’s Hayden Planetarium entrance and were escorted in by security. There, the delegation visited with museum officials and noshed on a buffet of cheeses, crackers, bread and fruit. In recognition of the ceremony’s importance, the museum closed early and brown paper was placed on the windows and elevators. Chairs were set up around Toma- nowos and the meteorite also was cleaned by museum staff. The private ceremony began with an honor song and drumming per- formed by Interpretative Coordinator Travis Stewart, Cultural Protection Specialists Chris Bailey and Historic Preservation Program temp Nicolas Atanacio, Tribal intern Kaleb Reid and Public Affairs Administrative Assistant Chelsea Clark. TOMANOWOS continued on page 13