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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 2019)
PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 700 Happy Holidays NOVEMBER 15, 2019 Second summit Grand Ronde delegation attends Portland’s Tribal Nations event By Danielle Frost Smoke Signals staff writer P ORTLAND — Tribal officials from across the Pacific Northwest traveled to Portland for the city’s second annual Tribal Nations Summit held on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 7-8. The event date was chosen in conjunction with November being Native American Heritage Month. The goal of the summit is to build part- nerships, strengthen collaborations and enhance diplomacy between Tribal nations and the city of Portland. It included tours of watershed restoration project sites, a First Foods luncheon, discussions on how to best strengthen government-to-government rela- tions, a formal acknowledgement of Tribal leaders during a City Council meeting and a day of training for city officials to learn best practices when working with area Tribes. “Our newly established Tribal Relations Program is doing an exemplary job of con- necting the city of Portland with our Tribal government partners,” Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said. “This summit continues our commitment to nurturing and deepening that connection, so we can listen and learn from Tribal leaders about how we can more effectively work together.” The event, coordinated by the city’s Tribal Relations Director Laura John (Blackfeet/ Seneca), marks the second time in the United States that a city government has engaged with its neighboring Tribes to establish local partnerships. During the opening ceremony held at the Photo by Dean Rhodes Tribal Council Secretary Jon A. George and Tribal Council member Denise Harvey talk with Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler before the start of the second annual Tribal Nations Summit held on Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Leftbank Annex near the Moda Center in Portland. Leftbank Annex near the Moda Center that drew more than 200 people, Grand Ronde Tribal Coun- cil Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy welcomed attendees to the Tribe’s ancestral homelands and introduced fellow council members and staff in attendance. These included Vice Chair Chris Tribal Council approves compact amendment to allow sports wagering By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor S pirit Mountain Casino is one step closer to offering sports wagering. During a special meeting held on Wednesday, Oct. 30, Trib- al Council approved a compact amendment with the state that will allow the casino to offer bet- ting on sporting events. In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a 1992 federal law that banned sports betting in most states. In October, the Oregon Lottery started offering sports betting and the Siletz Tribe’s Chi- nook Winds Casino in Lincoln City started offering it in late August. Tribal staff have been negotiat- ing with the state of Oregon on an amendment to the Tribe’s gaming compact for about a year. Tribal Attorney Rob Greene thanked Tribal Council members, Spirit Mountain Casino General Man- ager Stan Dillon, Grand Ronde Gaming Commission Executive Director Michael Boyce and Tribal See WAGERING continued on page 5 Mercier, Secretary Jon A. George, Denise Har- vey, Kathleen George and Michael Langley. Staff included Cultural Policy Analyst Greg See SUMMIT continued on page 9 Local school districts prepare to implement Senate Bill 13 By Danielle Frost Smoke Signals staff writer A fter an almost three-year process, school districts across the state are pre- paring to implement curriculum based on the Native American experience of Oregon history. In 2017, the Oregon Legisla- ture passed Senate Bill 13, now known as Tribal History/Shared History. It required the Oregon Department of Education to de- velop curriculum relating to the Tribal experience in Oregon, and to provide training to ed- ucators in the areas of Tribal history, sover- eignty, culture, treaty rights, Mercedes Jones g o v e r n m e n t , socioeconomic experiences and current events. Tribal Curriculum Specialist Mercedes Jones and her staff have See CURRICULUM continued on page 8
