S moke S ignals
NOVEMBER 1, 2018
Tapping into potential
Photos by Timothy J. Gonzalez
First Nations Grammy Award winner Star Nayea sings her song "TAPP
Into Your Potential" as students from Willamina Elementary School
dance along with her on Wednesday, Oct. 24. Nayea is visiting all nine
Oregon Tribes and recording children dancing and making signs. She
will record girls singing lyrics to replace her voice and boys doing the
rap. The Oregon Legislature allocated funding to operate pilot projects
with the goal of reducing chronic absenteeism among Native students
in nine preselected Oregon schools. The project is referred to as the
Tribal Attendance Pilot Project (TAPP).
First Nations Grammy Award winner Star Nayea, left, records Grand
Ronde Tribal member Gracee Allen, 10, as she dances in regalia for
a music video for her song "TAPP Into Your Potential" at Willamina
Elementary School on Wednesday, Oct. 24.
2013 – The Confed-
erated Tribes of Grand
Ronde was honored
with a prestigious con-
servation award by one
of the state’s premier
conservation groups.
The Portland-based
Lower Columbia River
Estuary Partnership
addresses environmen-
tal challenges in the
File photo
lower 146 miles of the 2013
Columbia River. At its
annual gala, the group presented the Tribe with its annual Stew-
ardship Award. It was the first award the Tribe had received from
the partnership.
2008 – Tribal Council adopted a new labor law guaranteeing em-
ployees the right to work on the Grand Ronde Reservation without
mandatory requirements that they join a labor union or pay dues,
fees or other financial support to a labor union. “Tribal Council has
determined that it is in the best interest of the Tribe to maximize
individual freedom of choice in the pursuit of employment opportu-
nities and to promote an employment climate conducive to economic
growth,” the ordinance said.
2003 – The Tribe was gearing up to celebrate 20 years of Resto-
ration with a special section in Smoke Signals detailing the tribu-
lations of 30 years of Termination and subsequent efforts to restore
the Tribe, featuring Sen. Mark Hatfield, former U.S. Rep. Elizabeth
Furse and Tribal Elder and past Tribal Council Chairwoman Kath-
ryn Harrison, among others.
1998 – Tribal Council voted to change the name of the Tribal
newspaper back to “Smoke Signals.” It had been changed to “Grand
Ronde Review” earlier in the year and feedback wasn’t positive. “If
the majority of the members want ‘Smoke Signals,’ then it will stay
the same … If the majority want ‘Grand Ronde Review,’ or another
name … it will be changed at that time. But for now, we are going
back to the original name. Your vote does matter to Tribal Council
and the newspaper staff!”
1993 – Tribal member Mike Reibach and his partner Simone Copley
talked about their business, Red Thread Designs, which was dedi-
cated to the promotion of wellness and recovery. Red Threads was
a line of apparel designed and sewn by Copley, while Reibach was
responsible for the business operation. The couple had a booth at the
Tribe’s Contest Powwow, where the clothing was a popular addition.
1988 – An estimated 300 Tribal members and friends gathered to
celebrate a new beginning with the re-establishment of the Grand
Ronde Reservation. “I am confident, in every way, that the creation
of this Reservation will contribute to an improved standard of living
for the entire area,” Tribal Council Chairman Mark Mercier said.
He and Tribal Council Secretary Kathryn Harrison accepted a letter
and pen from President Ronald Reagan, who signed the bill, that
was presented by Oregon Rep. Les AuCoin. “I don’t think there is
a Tribe in the land that has compromised more,” AuCoin said at
the ceremony. Tribal Council presented special plaques to AuCoin,
Sen. Mark Hatfield and others who had worked on the Reservation
effort with them.
Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year in-
crements through the pages of Smoke Signals.
Ad created by George Valdez
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