S moke S ignals
JULY 1, 2018
Tribal crews help tame
season’s first fire
WILLAMINA – Eight Tribal Natural Resources Department em-
ployees helped fight the first fire of the 2018 season on Thursday,
June 21, in the East Creek area near Willamina.
The approximately 10-acre fire was reported at about 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 20, on Hancock property and then spread to nearby
property.
The Oregon Department of Forestry was contacted by Tribal Silvi-
culture & Fire Protection Manager Colby Drake, who was informed
about the fire by Tribal Police Chief Jake McKnight.
Drake offered Tribal firefighting resources to assist with the fire
and the Oregon Department of Forestry requested the aid arrive that
evening. Eight Tribal employees helped combat the wildland fire
over the night after arriving at about 2 a.m. Thursday, June 21. The
employees – Jim Pinder, Andrew Puerini, Jeramy Trammell, Dustin
Hawks, Jordan Utti, Kenny Rioux, Max Lynn and Gabe Synegal –
were treated to breakfast at Coyote Joe’s by the state Department
of Forestry.
Personnel from the Department of Forestry, local rural fire districts
and the Forest Grove Fire District also helped fight the fire.
The cause is under investigation, West Oregon District Forester
Mike Totey said.
“We’re used to seeing this type of activity in late July, not late June,”
Totey said. “We’re early this year.”
Community Fund receives
New Day Award on June 18
PORTLAND — Spirit Mountain
Community Fund received the
inaugural New Day Award from
the Volunteers of America Oregon
during a program held Monday,
June 18, at Northwest Natural’s
downtown Portland offices.
Community Fund Director My-
chal Cherry and Tribal Council
member Denise Harvey accepted
the award on behalf of the Grand
Ronde Tribe’s philanthropic entity.
“This award is presented in rec-
ognition of their dedicated com-
mitment to our community and for
their generous support of domestic
violence prevention and family
support programs,” the event’s
program stated.
The Community Fund has donat-
ed almost $78 million to nonprofits
in 11 western Oregon counties
since its founding 21 years ago.
The keynote speaker at the New
Day Award event was Multnomah
County Chair Deborah Kafoury.
Also attending from the Com-
munity Fund were Program
23
‘Our ancestors have been
here for 500 generations’
SUMMIT continued
from page 18
Indians and Coastal Indians. That
didn’t fit with my people. All Tribes
are very unique.”
Harrelson said that Tribal people
have been in Oregon since “time
immemorial.”
“We have oral histories about
the floods that came through here
18,000 years ago,” he said. “Our
ancestors have been here for 500
generations.”
Harrelson also talked to educa-
tors about how they could incorpo-
rate Tribal history into different
lesson plans by using the example
of the Willamette Meteorite, known
to Tribal members as Tomanowos.
It is currently housed at the Amer-
ican Museum of History in New
York City, and has cultural and
religious ties to the Tribe.
“It was in West Linn for thou-
sands of years,” he said. “People
wonder how there is not a gigantic
crater in that area, but it’s because
the meteorite didn’t land there ini-
tially. It was brought down by the
floods. That is something you could
work into your lesson plans in more
than one context.”
Harrelson also discussed the
different Tribes and bands that
comprise the Grand Ronde con-
federation, the Termination of the
Tribe in 1954 and subsequent Res-
toration in 1983.
Education Northwest Indian Ed-
ucation and Special Projects Leader
Shandiin Garcia and University of
Oregon Assistant Professor of Indig-
enous Studies in Education Leilani
Sabzalian discussed Senate Bill 13.
Senate Bill 13 calls upon the
Oregon Department of Education
to develop curriculum relating to
the Native American experience
in Oregon. This includes Tribal
history, sovereignty, culture, treaty
rights, government, socioeconomic
experiences and current events.
Curriculum will be implemented in
school districts for required teach-
ing in the 2019-20 school year.
There is a committee in place to
support implementation of Senate
Bill 13, and it includes 18 rep-
resentatives from Oregon’s nine
federally recognized Tribes and is
led by Portland-based Education
Northwest Consultants, a nonprofit
organization working with the De-
partment of Education to support
implementation of Senate Bill 13.
“As teachers, you will have stu-
dents with varying histories and
some of what you teach is very
personal to us,” Sabzalian said.
“While Senate Bill 13 has specific
deliverables, it is so much more,”
Garcia said. “It gives a full, honest
complete story of Oregon. It is a
huge movement in education.”
Garcia and Sabzalian discussed
phase I, which is essential under-
standing that Oregon is Indian
Country and how that curriculum
can be implemented in various
lessons.
“It is important that you see your-
selves invested in this implementa-
tion,” Sabzalian said. “Otherwise
the most beautiful curriculum in
the world means nothing.”
After lunch, participants received
a guided tour of Chachalu Museum
& Cultural Center, discussed mean-
ingful Native American curriculum
and learned about the Confederated
Tribes of Siletz Indians as well.
Honoring the Flag
Coordinator Angela Sears and
Administrative Assistant Jesse
Knight.
Harvey presented the award to
Tribal Council during the Tuesday,
June 19, Legislative Action Com-
mittee meeting.
Wednesday | July 4 | DROP in TIMES 8 a.m.- 5 p.m
Smoke Signals photo reprint policy
See a photo you like in Smoke Signals?
Want a copy, or several copies?
Want to see if a photo that was taken but not printed in Smoke Signals
because of space limitations might be something you’d like hanging on
your living room wall? Tribal members can order 8-by-10-inch copies of
photos taken by Smoke Signals staff members regardless of if they were
published in the newspaper. Charge is $1 for each print ordered. Reprint
orders must be pre-paid with a check made out to Smoke Signals. A photo
reprint order form is available in the Publications Office of the Tribe’s
Governance Building in Grand Ronde, or can be mailed upon request.
All photos contained in Smoke Signals’ current archive are available for
purchase, but people interested in going through the archive must make
an appointment to review photos for possible purchase.
No rush orders are permitted and requestors must allow 30 days for de-
livery. Requestors must be Tribal members. In addition, reprint requestors
must agree that the reprint is for personal use only, and not for use in an
ad, or for commercial, political or promotional purposes.
Smoke Signals reserves the right to decline a reprint request. To request a
reprint order form, write to Smoke Signals at 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand
Ronde, OR 97347, or call Michelle Alaimo at 503-879-1961 or 800-422-0232.
Join us in honoring the American Flag on this
special day. Help raise / lower this beautiful
symbol of freedom while bugle calls fill the air.
Fort Yamhill
State Heritage Area
Information: 503-879-5814 | www.oregonstateparks.org