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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 2018)
8 OCTOBER 1, 2018 S moke S ignals Annual event held since 2012 COFFEE continued from front page there, all are important to us. … I took my grandma to Table Rocks in 1997 and she told me stories, and always talked about the importance of the plants. I always remembered that. Many are in danger now and what can we do to revive them? These are the things we want to talk about.” Upper and Lower Table Rock have significant cultural and his- torical importance to the Grand Ronde Tribe because Rogue River ancestors lived in the area since time immemorial and were held there temporarily before they were force-marched to the current Res- ervation during the February and March 1856 Trail of Tears. Since the signing of the 2011 agreement, the Tribe has held an annual event in Medford to maintain relationships with fed- eral, state, county and local area officials, and then participate in cultural activities during the after- noon near Table Rocks. This year’s event at the Courtyard Marriott attracted 15 people, includ- ing representatives from the Bureau of Land Management, The Nature Conservancy, Lomakatsi Restoration Project, Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou Monument, Oregon Parks and Rec- reation Department and Jackson County Board of Commissioners. The Grand Ronde contingent included Kennedy, Tribal Council Secretary Jon A. George, Tribal El- der Greg Archuleta, Tribal Council Archuleta said that today’s scientific community is start- ing to realize the positive ef- fects of traditional burning. “Those fires and how the Tribes used them is import- ant,” he said. Darren Borgias of The Na- ture Conservancy said he want- ed to express his gratitude to the Tribe’s Cultural Resources Manager David Harrelson for helping the nonprofit with a recently published scientific paper about the use of fire in forest management. It found that the burning of forestlands before Euro-Amer- ican settlement of southern Oregon was better than mod- ern-day forest management practices. After introductions and questions were complete, Hernandez and Clark gifted attendees with necklaces and sage bundles. Photos by Timothy J. Gonzalez George explained the mean- Tayatt Holmes, 9, collects acorns for acorn soup at TouVelle State Recreation Site ing behind giveaways. in Central Point on Friday Sept. 21. The acorn gatherings were part of cultural “In our culture, when you visit someone’s home you bring activities offered by the Tribe during the annual Coffee & Conversation event. a gift,” he said. “That is part of Archuleta gave an overview of our tradition.” Chief of Staff Stacia Hernandez, the Rogue River peoples, which Coffee & Conversation attendees Tribal Attorney Rob Greene, Ceded included history, treaties and the also were invited to participate in Lands Program Manager Michael importance of Native plants. cultural activities afterward. Karnosh, Public Affairs Adminis- “Many different Tribal groups This year, activities were expand- trative Assistant Chelsea Clark, lived in this region and many dif- ed throughout the weekend and Historic Preservation Manager ferent Tribal members have con- included free camping and meals at Briece Edwards and Archeologist nections to this place,” he said. “We nearby TouVelle State Recreation Cheryl Pouley. always say our people have been Site along the Rogue River in an George and Archuleta opened the here since time immemorial and we effort to increase interest for Trib- meeting with a drum song, backed have lots of stories connected to Ta- al members to make the 225-mile by Karnosh and Clark. ble Rocks. For our people the land journey southward. was very important; the acorns, the Early Friday afternoon, Tribal white oaks, all have connections.” Council member Lisa Leno and other Archuleta also discussed how Tribal members gathered acorns for some of the Tribes were enemies at making soup. Other activities includ- the time they were removed from ed beading, maple bark skirt making, their Native lands to the Grand basket weaving and reading books on Ronde Reservation, and their sub- Tribal history and culture. sequent decisions to make peace “I love the connection,” Leno said. with each other. He also touched “Coming back here was important on the Tribe’s Termination in 1954 and gives me a chance to reflect. and Restoration in 1983, along with The opportunity to go up hiking “The Rise of the Collectors” exhibit (Table Rock) and the history of and currently on display at the Tribal how important it is to our people is museum, Chachalu. beautiful. I’m also glad our youth “We are still a very young Tribe, get to be here.” but definitely interested in partner- Cultural Education Specialist ships,” Archuleta said. Flicka Lucero cooked for the en- Kennedy said that she has been campment. It was her first time in privileged to help lead the Tribe the Table Rocks area. as a council member during the “I am pretty excited about this,” Restoration era and today. she said. “It is just beautiful here “I have four treaty signers in my and it is also a chance to connect family, so I don’t think it is out of to our ancestral homelands and line that I have been able to lead history, and share our stories when the people (serving on council) for we return home.” two decades now,” she said. Saturday’s cultural schedule in- After everyone in the room intro- cluded a hike with Tribal youth to duced themselves, Belinda Brown the top of Upper Table Rock and a of the Lomakatsi Restoration Proj- continuation of Friday camp activ- ect asked about traditional Native ities. Tribal staff involved in the American burning to help manage efforts included Clark, Lucero, Cul- forests. tural Education Coordinator Jordan “How much is fire coming back Mercier, Cultural Education Spe- into your community?” she said. cialist Brian Krehbiel, Youth Pre- “We are trying to get fire on the vention Supervisor Nicole Hewitt ground as both prevention and and Youth Prevention Coordinator medicine.” Cristina Lara. A tree with a multitude of holes, believed to be caused by woodpeckers, are filled with acorns at TouVelle State Recreation Site in Central Point on Friday Sept. 21. Tribal members gathered acorns during cultural activities at the site.
