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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (June 15, 2022)
PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID PORTLAND, OR PERMIT NO. 700 Community Fund surpasses $89 million mark in giving — pg. 5 June 15, 2022 Floral Parade reblooms Casino float ‘Returning to Our Roots’ depicts camas harvesting By Dean Rhodes P Smoke Signals editor ORTLAND — For the first time since June 2019, a Spirit Mountain Casino float trundled out of Veter- ans Memorial Coliseum during the return of the Grand Floral Parade on Saturday, June 11. The parade was can- celed, like so many other events, in 2020 and ’21 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The casino’s float, “Re- turning to Our Roots,” featured a Native girl wearing dentalium ear- rings and harvesting cam- as bulbs. On her back was a large gathering basket made of corn husks that had been christened with real camas seeds. On the rear of the float were a Spirit Mountain Casino’s float “Returning to Our Roots” depicts a mother and baby deer ob- young Tribal woman harvesting camas bulbs. The Grand Floral Parade serving the girl’s activity. was held in Portland on Saturday, June 11. Spirit Mountain Casi- Leloo Quenelle, Veterans Junior Queen KaLea no Public Relations Administrator Jocelyn Liebelt and Little Miss Grand Ronde Ila Mercier Huffman said the design of the float was – walked in front of the float through Memorial a collaboration with Cultural Resources Coliseum and outdoors to the VIP seating area Department employees Bobby Mercier and before the float started unaccompanied on the Travis Stewart, who provided 19th-century parade route proper. photos of Native women gathering camas. However, Huffman said, the casino want- See PARADE ed the float to depict a modern woman to continued on page 7 reinforce the fact that Grand Ronde Tribal members are still here. From left, Veterans Little Miss Queen Leloo Grand Ronde Royalty – Senior Miss Grand Quenelle and Little Miss Grand Ronde Ila Mercier Ronde Kaleigha Simi, Veterans Senior Queen Tasina Bluehorse, Junior Miss Grand Ronde lead the Grand Ronde Royalty as they accompany Marie Quenelle, Veterans Little Miss Queen the Spirit Mountain Casino float. Photos by Timothy J. Gonzalez Krehbiel elevating Native art in Oregon City By Danielle Harrison Smoke Signals assistant editor/staff writer O REGON CITY — Tribal arti- san Brian Krehbiel is taking his work to new heights – literally. The 42-year-old Grand Ronde Tribal member has been commis- sioned to paint his first mural near Photo by Timothy J. Gonzalez a major intersection in downtown Oregon City and directly across the street from the Tribe’s property at the former Blue Heron Paper Mill. The 75-by-20-foot painting on the outside of White Rabbit Books & See MURAL continued on page 10 Tribal member Brian Krehbiel works on a mural he was commissioned to paint on the side of the White Rabbit Books & Black Ink Coffee building in Oregon City on Thursday, June 9. The mural is across from the Blue Heron site and is intended to be a mirror of Willamette Falls.