NOVEMBER 1, 2018
S moke S ignals
7
Champoeg Celebration attracts 100 attendees
By Danielle Frost
Smoke Signals staff writer
ST. PAUL – The area known as
Champoeg State Park was once a
thriving community where mem-
bers of many of Grand Ronde’s
French-Indian families lived.
Translated into Chinuk Wawa,
“Champoeg” also means “place to
dig yampah.”
With these historical connections,
it made sense that the park was
the location for the first Champoeg
Celebration, a Saturday, Oct. 13,
event sponsored by the Confederat-
ed Tribes of Grand Ronde, Oregon
Parks and Recreation Department
and the Institute for Applied Ecol-
ogy.
More than 100 Tribal and com-
munity members attended and
learned about first food plants of
the Willamette Valley, planted
yampah and camas, participated
in cultural activities and sampled
traditional foods.
Tribal Council members Kath-
leen George, Denise Harvey and
Secretary Jon A. George attended,
along with past Tribal Council
chairwoman and Tribal El-
Photos by Timothy J. Gonzalez
der Kathryn Harrison.
Cultural Education Specialist Brian Krehbiel, right, helps remove
The celebration was not
carrots and potatoes from an earthen oven during the Champoeg
only an opportunity to learn
Celebration held at Champoeg State Park on Saturday, Oct. 13.
more about Tribal culture
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Oregon Parks and
and customs, but also to
Recreation and Institute of Applied Ecology sponsored the event
participate in the “Plants
where attendees participated in learning about first foods plants
for People” restoration proj-
in the Willamette Valley, as well as planted Native plants and took
ect that the Tribe started
part in cultural events.
in 2014, said Cultural Ed-
Attendees were served a lunch
ucation Coordinator Jordan
of salmon, elk stew, carrots and
Mercier.
potatoes, and salad.
“This area is a part of the
Harrison’s favorite part of the
Tribe’s history,” he said.
event was meeting a woman from
“Several years ago, we came Carrots and potatoes are removed from an earthen oven
her mother’s Tribe, the Eyak of
out with Tribal Elders and during the Champoeg Celebration held at the Champoeg
munity.”
Alaska. She also enjoyed watching
they said they want this to State Park on Saturday Oct. 13.
Tribal Elder and past
the cooking demonstration of car-
be a gathering area for camas
learning about Native plants,” he
Tribal Council member Brenda
rots and potatoes in the earthen
and yampah.”
said. “The main goal is to allow
Tuomi came with her husband Ron,
oven that was supervised by Cul-
During the event, 800 camas and
Tribal members to harvest yampah
daughter and two grandchildren.
tural Education Specialist Brian
800 yampah bulbs were planted on
and camas here. It will be a learn-
“It’s my first time out to Cham-
Krehbiel.
45 acres that the Tribe has been
ing
experience,
but
so
far
it
feels
poeg,”
she
said.
“I’ve
really
enjoyed
“That was brand new to me,” she
preparing for more than a year.
like
a
success.”
the earthen oven cooking and
said. “It makes you really appreci-
“This has been a very successful
Ojua was joined by wife, Malee,
having the opportunity to plant
ate your ancestors.”
partnership with State Parks and
who came to the event to support
camas. When we come here again,
Kathleen George said her favorite
the Institute for Applied Ecolo-
him.
the plants will be flowering. I re-
part of the event was the “many
gy,” Mercier said. “This is what I
“I like celebrations like this and
ally enjoyed the elk stew and am
different beautiful aspects of a long
wanted. … It benefits the broader
the First Foods one,” Malee said.
looking forward to next year. I hope
cultural tradition.”
community, but the intention is for
“It’s
nice
to
see
this
out
in
the
com-
this grows.”
“I love the diversity,” she said.
our Tribal members to come see
“We have basket weaving, jewelry
this place in our history.”
making, cooking demonstrations
Native Plant Nursery
in an earthen oven and natural
Supervisor Jeremy Ojua
foods. People can come and learn
has been spearheading the
about them.”
Tribe’s “Plants for People”
Her son, 11-year-old Sean Ger-
program with the help of
brandt, enjoyed talking with ev-
nonprofit partner Oregon
eryone and going to the nearby
Watershed Enhancement
Willamette River.
Board. The program aims
“They have really good food here,”
to familiarize Tribal mem-
he said. “My favorite was the elk
bers with Native plants,
stew.”
their cultural uses and how
Several different departments
to grow them.
within the Tribe were involved with
“They showed us what
hosting the event, including Cul-
we needed to do to get
tural Resources, Natural Resources
started and helped us by
and Public Affairs.
providing the materials,”
Ojua said.
Esther LaGoy, 7, weaves bear
Four years after the
project began, Ojua was
grass under the watchful
excited to lead 25 people
eye of her grandmother and
out to plant 1,600 bulbs at
former Tribal Council member
the new restoration site at
Brenda Tuomi during the
Champoeg.
Champoeg Celebration held at
“I really liked seeing
the Champoeg State Park on
all of the people out here
Saturday, Oct. 13.
enjoying themselves and