sNok signflz
MAY 1, 2021
11
Watchlist: The ‘Indian Problem’
By Kamiah Koch
Social media/digital journalist
(Note: To supplement the coverage Smoke Signals provides, we
are going to start sharing a video from our “Watchlist” with each
edition of the paper. On the first and the 15th of every month,
we will share a short summary and a link to a Native Ameri-
can-themed video we think you should watch. We are leaving the
content and sourcing for our “Watchlist” open-ended; sharing
historical documentaries from museums, current events from
other news sources or features from Native organizations. The
only factor being it’s a Native American story we want to share.)
Smoke Signals screenshot
Health & Wellness Executive Director Kelly Rowe gives an update on Tribal
vaccinations and vaccination events to combat COVID-19 during a Facebook
Live event held on Wednesday, April 21.
Health & Wellness Clinic has
vaccinated more than 18,000
COVID-19 continued
from front page
the coronavirus and almost 100
students were exposed and asked
to quarantine at home. The district
returned to some in-person instruc-
tion on Tuesday, April 27.
Rowe told attendees that April 21
also was likely the last mass vacci-
nation clinic to be held by the Tribe.
“We have 1,000 doses and a lot
of capacity open,” she said. “People
are getting it elsewhere or are not
ready yet. We believe we can now
reach enough people through our
clinic.”
Rowe said that all Tribal mem-
bers and those who live in their
households, other Natives and
their household members, as well
as employees and their household
members 18 and older can get
scheduled for a vaccination by
calling the clinic at 503-879-7032.
“I fully support and implore peo-
ple to get this vaccine,” she said.
Rowe added that the Tribe has
had one confirmed death of an
enrolled member from COVID-19,
but that person did not live in the
community.
Kennedy said she wants to send a
clear message about the importance
of getting the COVID-19 vaccine if
eligible to do so.
“I want to appeal to our commu-
nity members who aren’t sure yet
to take the vaccine,” she said. “Our
bodies are not equipped to combat
this disease and are not able to ac-
climate to it. It affects older people
aggressively because there is no
immunity to it built in. Now we
know it also affects younger people
so we need to deal with it in a very
aggressive and thorough way. My
goal is to make sure we are all OK
and my message is to please vacci-
nate. We will be OK if we consider
each other’s health.”
Since the pandemic began, the
Health & Wellness Clinic has test-
ed 2,148 people for COVID-19. Of
those, 82 have been positive results,
including the 13 active cases.
The clinic also has vaccinated
more than 18,000 people and 9,300
of the shots have been given to
those 55 and older, Rowe said.
During the Facebook Live event,
Dillon said that due to the combi-
nation of vaccinations and public
health measures such as sanitizing,
social distancing and mask wear-
ing, there have been a very low
number of positive COVID-19 cases
despite thousands of people visiting
the casino every day.
Dillon said there are thermal
imaging cameras that automati-
cally scan people’s temperatures
throughout the casino, along with
security cameras that track their
movements. Employees are tem-
perature checked before the start of
every shift, just as they are at the
Tribal government campus.
“Masks and vaccinations are a
huge benefit,” Dillon said. “There has
not been an outbreak at any casino
table even though there is a dealer
and customers together and they
are all touching cards, due to mask
wearing and using hand sanitizer.”
Kennedy closed the Facebook
Live event by again imploring
people to adhere to public safety
measures and to get vaccinated.
“We want each of us to work to-
gether so we can come together and
enjoy each other’s company again,”
she said. “We do have the answer
and it is the vaccine.” 
Health & Wellness
Center entrance
Reminder: The drive-through entrance at the Health & Wellness Center is
for loading and unloading only. The entrance was built with our Elders and
those with mobility issues and their ease of access in mind.
If you are coming to the center to pick up prescriptions, please park in
one of our regular parking spaces.
Thank you,
Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center Administration
The “Indian Problem” was controversially known in the 19th century
as “Native nations getting in the way of white settlers acquiring all
the land.”
This “problem” and its ramifications were explored as the central
video in the 2016 “Nation to Nation: Treaties Between the United
States and American Indian Nations” exhibition in the Smithsonian’s
National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.
The “Indian Problem”” video is narrated by actor Robert Redford and
shares the historical tactics used in stealing Indigenous homelands;
mainly one-sided treaty deals and the Removal Act of 1830.
This 12-minute video produced by the National Museum of the
American Indian and Interface Media Group recounts the experience
of removal from Sallie Farney (Muscogee) along with commentary from
historians and reflections from contemporary Native voices.
The video cites that at the time, the tragedy of displacement was felt
in every Native nation in America and through the use of animations
of historical events, documents and images, viewers can sense the
heartbreak of displacement for themselves. To watch the video, simply
search for “Indian Problem” on YouTube.
Link to video: https://youtu.be/if-BOZgWZPE
NATIVE
AMERICAN
WATCHLIST
Fee assistance
Enrolled Tribal members can request assistance with test fees (i.e. GRE,
SAT, LSAT, ACT) and admissions application fees.
Contact Higher Education for more information at 1-800-422-0232, ext.
2275. 
May