12
S moke S ignals
JULY 1, 2018
Tomanowos originally was in Oregon
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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.
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