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.