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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2020)
sNok signflz FEBRUARY 15, 2020 7 ‘I fell in love with the country’ SPAIN continued from front page as the mosaic floors, exposed wood beam roof and outdoor drying clothes line.” And considering her interest in the ancient past, McKenzie couldn’t be in a more perfect city. Barcelo- na’s earliest inhabitants date back to Neolithic times and the city itself was founded by the Romans in the first century B.C. The remains of the original defensive wall can still be found in the city’s old town area. McKenzie, who will turn 29 in May, is Tribally descended from her grandmother, Karleen Parazoo, and father, David McKenzie. “My father’s family kept me im- mersed in the culture by teaching traditional food recipes and regalia construction, in addition to attend- ing powwows and other Tribal events,” she says. McKenzie first visited Spain after completing her degree in archaeol- ogy at Portland State University in 2016. She backpacked through France and Italy and then arrived in Spain. “I fell in love with the country,” she says. “The historical preserva- tion, architecture and archaeologi- cal artifacts were like nothing I had seen before. Although the city itself was impressive, the most remark- able part was the Pyrenees moun- tain range, which is a beautiful divide between Spain and France.” She visited paleontology and nat- ural history museums in Barcelona to find out more about the excava- tions and discoveries found in the Pyrenees, which preserved fossils from millions of years ago. From those visits, her interest was sparked in pursuing a degree e Grand Rond 5,586 Miles Barcel o na Spain Map created by Samual Briggs III Contributed photos Tribal member Sharrah McKenzie lives in Barcelona, Spain, which gives her plenty of opportunities to see snow by visiting the nearby Pyrenees Mountains that separate Spain from France. SO FAR AWAY Gr a nd R onde Trib al Members Living Abroad in paleontology and Spain’s educa- tional system offered many oppor- tunities in that academic field. “I applied to a paleontology pro- gram and was accepted into the master’s program in Barcelona,” Tribal member Sharrah McKenzie stands in front of the Tarragona Cathedral outside of Barcelona, Spain, with her golden retriever, Gypsi. she says. “After completion of my master’s in paleontology and fossil reconstruction, I was invited to continue on to complete by Ph.D.” McKenzie says she has two years remaining until then and may move back to the United States after- ward. “Many decisions depend on job opportunities and other unpre- dictable forces,” she adds. McKenzie says that besides the obvious differences of language and food between the United States and Spain, one of the biggest adjust- ments she has had to make is in how the Spanish interact with one another. Spaniards typically do not engage with strangers or even colleagues on a social basis. “They have a tendency to group only with close friends and family,” she says. “Although they will almost al- ways be friendly, it is hard to become close as an outsider to these groups.” Another difference is the work- life balance. In Spain, there are 12 national holidays and a mini- mum of 22 vacation days annually compared to America’s 10 federal holidays and no legally required vacation time. She also appreciates the public transportation that allows her to travel to far and remote locations. “The train, bus and metro systems are impeccable,” she says. “For as long as I have lived here, I have not had the need for a car.” When people find out that she is an American, as well as a Native American, McKenzie says she often finds herself dispelling stereotypes promulgated by Hollywood. In addition, considering that Spain was one of the major New World colonizers in the 15th and 16th cen- turies, schools mostly teach from the European perspective when it comes to Native Americans. “When I speak with my friends or colleagues, they tend to relate America to what they have seen in movies,” she says. “This is not surprising since it is their only real reference, but it creates a lot of stereotypes, like thinking all Americans are big consumers, own guns and love to have barbecues. … The Hollywood influence has created a lavish, modernized type of image that most people think of when they imagine life in America. “The first thing I noticed on the topic of Native Americans was the lack of knowledge that most people had. Very few were aware that Na- tive Americans still existed, or that their languages and culture were still practiced today. They are not at all familiar with any type of Na- tive American culture or traditions. The misrepresentation of Native Americans can be seen throughout Spain in the improper use of Native art patterns and traditional designs on products, such as dreamcatchers and moccasins. All this ignorance is due to the lack of education on the history of Native Americans. “Although there is an unfortunate lack of education on Native Amer- icans and their history, everyone that I have encountered has been very interested in learning about it. They are very open-minded when it comes to learning about other cultures, but the information regarding Native Americans seems to always catch their attention. It almost appears as if Native Amer- ican culture is this mysterious and secretive thing, so when I talk about it it gives them such a culture shock of interest and amazement.” McKenzie, however far from home, works to remain attached to her Tribe. She receives Smoke Sig- nals in Spain and visits the Tribal website frequently to stay updated on Tribal affairs and activities. Those connections take the place of traveling back to Oregon, which is a 12- to 15-hour flight and pro- hibitively expensive for a student. “I return to the United States once a year,” she says. “In order to make the trip worth the travel, I save and use all my vacation days in order to spend three to four consecutive weeks back home. This approach is the most time-cost effective, and allows me more days back home with my friends and family.” McKenzie says she sees an im- portance in traveling and strongly suggests that other Tribal members try their best to make it part of their lifestyle. “The experiences I have under- gone from living abroad have al- lowed me to learn about myself and the world,” she says. “Through curiosity and willingness to try new things, I have learned about different cultural surroundings, teaching me about people and real happiness. I have pushed myself to incredible limits that have made me a stronger and more self-aware individual. Every day I feel more complete and in tune with my po- tential. I thank the Tribe for giving me the opportunity to create a bet- ter life for myself.” (Next issue: Two Tribal mem- bers live on the Emerald Isle of Ireland.)
