OCTOBER 15, 2018
S moke S ignals
7
‘We like to walk our talk’
SUMMIT continued
from the front page
“Today is an example of how sup-
ported I am at work,” John said.
“Mayor (Ted) Wheeler has backed
me 100 percent and has a genuine
commitment to Tribal people and
Tribal nations.”
Tribal government officials, Trib-
al employees and Portland em-
ployees also joined the opening
ceremony as the canoes ferrying
Wheeler and Commissioner Chloe
Eudaly came ashore.
Grand Ronde choose to partici-
pate in the welcoming portion of the
ceremony to ensure proper protocol
was followed.
Tribal Council Sec-
Tribal member Nicolas
retary Jon A. George,
Atanacio, left, greets
Interpretative Coor-
Portland Mayor Ted
dinator Travis Stew-
Wheeler during the
art, Cultural Advisor
opening ceremony of
Bobby Mercier, Cul-
Portland's first Tribal
tural Protection
Nations Summit at Tom
Specialist Nicolas
McCall Waterfront Park
Atanacio, Tribal El-
on Friday, Sept. 28.
der Greg Archuleta,
Cultural Resources
of assistance from the
Manager David Har-
nonTribal communi-
relson and Cultural
ty, and today we are
Education Coordina-
continuing to forge a
tor Jordan Mercier
good relationship with
led the singing and
Portland.”
drumming.
Chris Mercier added
Bobby Mercier wel-
Photos by Timothy J. Gonzalez
that
with civility seem-
comed the canoes in
Siletz
Tribal
member
Tammy
Fisher,
from
left,
Tribal
Council
ingly having “gone out
Chinuk Wawa and
Secretary Jon A. George, second from left, and Travis Stewart,
the window” at the
then English.
national level, it was
“I want to thank our center, sing and drum as canoes from the Warms Springs and
refreshing to attend
relatives for bringing Cowlitz Tribes come ashore at Tom McCall Waterfront Park on
events such as this
the canoes today and Friday, Sept. 28. Portland hosted its first Tribal Nations Summit.
one.
to bring them ashore
“It is not a pleasant
and have a good time
time, but Tribes can be leaders in
today,” he said.
bringing civility and decorum back
Also attending the waterfront
to government,” he said. “We like to
opening ceremony were Tribal
walk our talk.”
Council Vice Chair Chris Mercier,
Wheeler said he enjoyed the ca-
Tribal Attorney Rob Greene and
noe
ride to the beach and joked that
Historic Preservation Manager
hosting
this
event
and
our
drum-
he really appreciated those who had
Briece Edwards.
mers and singers who kicked this
to tolerate his paddling.
The riverfront delegates, flanked
off,” Chris Mercier said. “Portland
“The theme of this inaugural
by members of the Royal Rosarians,
is a part of our ancestral home-
event is ‘Coming Together as One,’”
came ashore for the second portion
lands, and we have been coming
he said. “This summit is a mon-
of the ceremony, which included
here long before this was known
umental event built on a culture
welcoming remarks from represen-
as
Portland.
…
After
Grand
Ronde,
of trust and reconciliation. … Our
tatives of the Grand Ronde, Yaka-
Portland
is
our
biggest
concentra-
time to deliver on a meaningful
ma, Siletz, Cowlitz, Umatilla, Nez
tion of Tribal members. When our
relationship has come. Our hope is
Perce and Warm Springs Tribes.
Tribe was restored, we had a lot
that this Tribal Nations Summit
“I want to thank Portland for
can rebuild trust
between the city
of Portland and
Tribes.”
After the open-
ing ceremony
concluded, Tribal
representatives,
including Grand
Ronde Tribal Coun-
cil members Kath-
leen George, Jon A.
George and Chris
Mercier, met with
city government
officials to continue
the summit. John,
the city’s Tribal
relations coordina-
tor, moderated the summit.
“I want to welcome everyone to
City Hall,” she said. “Seeing all of
you here is truly an amazing sight.
… I want you to get to know what
the city does and talk about oppor-
tunities to partner with the city.”
The morning session included
presentations from Government Re-
lations Director Elizabeth Edwards,
as well as Eudaly, and directors
from the city’s water, parks and
recreation and finance bureaus.
Jon A. George noted that as ur-
ban areas expand, it is important
to have opportunities to gather
traditional Native plants.
“With some of the Native plants,
it is very important to have clean
water so we can access Native
foods,” he said. “If you develop an
area, our Tribal Historic Preserva-
tion Office should be contacted. If
you remove items, there are oppor-
tunities for us to gather these types
of things so we don’t have to go into
other areas. It helps us with cultur-
al education projects and gives us
opportunities to gather cedar for
hats and basket making.”
After the morning session conclud-
ed, delegates took a trolley to the
Portland Opera to enjoy a first foods
luncheon that included salmon, bison,
green salad, rice, succotash, elderber-
ry teacakes and sweet grass tea.
They were joined by approximate-
ly 100 employees from the city who
attended a Confluence Workshop at
the Oregon Museum of Science and
Industry in conjunction with the
Tribal Nations Summit. Confluence
is a community-based nonprofit
connecting people to a broader story
of the Columbia River ecosystem.
Participants had the opportunity
to learn more about the history of
Tribes in the region and the Canoe
Family culture.
Grand Ronde Tribal member and
Native history researcher David
Lewis was one of the three guest
speakers, which included Nation-
al Indian Education Association
President Patricia Whitefoot of the
Yakama Tribe and Potlatch Fund
co-founder Aurolyn Stwyer of the
Warm Springs Tribe.
Lewis said via e-mail that the
panel discussed Native issues
with city employees and that
Wheeler attended part of the
session.
“Basically we discussed what the
rivers meant to the Tribal people,”
he said. “I discussed the history of
the Grand Ronde Tribes, the Clack-
amas people who lived at the falls
and their removal to Grand Ronde,
how deeply these removals affected
all Native people and how we still
feel that loss today even if we are
now restored. The lack of rights to
fish and practice our cultures was
talked about a lot.”
In the afternoon, Wheeler met
with Tribal representatives back at
City Hall. A closing ceremony and
Tribal flag exchange were held at
the end of the summit.
The opening ceremony for the city of Portland's first Tribal
Nations Summit was held at Tom McCall Waterfront Park on
Friday, Sept. 28. Members of the Grand Ronde, Cowlitz and
Warm Springs Tribes participated in the summit.