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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2022)
6 NOVEMBER 1, 2022 RSVP to attend RESTORATION continued from front page Since then, the Grand Ronde Tribe has gone from having little money and only five acres of land to operating a successful casino that generates millions in revenue every year, having its hunting and fishing rights restored, and rebuild- ing Tribal institutions and culture. Now, after two years of virtual celebrations, the Tribe is gearing up for its first big indoor gathering when it will host the 39th Resto- ration celebration at Spirit Moun- tain Casino, 27100 S.W. Salmon River Highway, on Tuesday, Nov. 22. Doors open at 11 a.m. Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy remembers the devastating effects of Termina- tion and was one of the first Tribal employees. “As a Tribal people, community gatherings are a core component of who we are,” she said. “We sit down and enjoy a meal together. I believe that our milestones, like Restoration, should embrace that part of who we are.” Tribal Communications Director Sara Thompson said the specific agenda is still being developed, but it will definitely include a pow- wow sponsored the Tribe’s Culture Committee. Tribal members who plan to attend were required to RSVP by Monday, Oct. 31, using an online form at www.grandronde.org/an- nualrestorationday/. “Also, we hope people will stay for the Restoration Powwow that the Culture Committee is currently planning,” Thompson said. Tribal member Francene Am- brose chairs the Culture Commit- tee. Other members are Shayla Myrick-Meyer, Sarah Ross, Kelly Tarr, Lorena Rivera, Jesse Peone III, Leah Brisbois and Tribal Coun- cil liaison Jon A. George. “We are excited to host this year’s 39th annual Restoration Powwow at Spirit Mountain Casino,” Am- brose said. “Being able to come together once again with family, friends and community is won- derful. We are able to renew our social and community ties, continue building Tribal kinship and lift our spirits, while enjoying dancing and drumming.” Restoration will be a hybrid event for Tribal members and their fam- ilies, so those unable to attend in person or who missed the deadline to RSVP can still participate in the virtual raffle event. Thompson said people should check the Tribe’s Facebook page or www.grandronde. org/annualrestorationday for up- dates. “We will have the in-person event at the casino, but will include every Tribal member, no matter where they live, in part of the raf- fle drawing,” Thompson said. “We began doing this during our online Restoration celebrations and are looking forward to continuing that into the future.” Kennedy said that Restoration is about recognizing how far the Tribe had come since the dark days of Termination. “Our Restoration Celebration is about recognizing how far we (have) come as a resilient people, honoring those that fought for us to be where we are today, and taking a moment as family, friends, and a community to honor that,” she said. Every year since the Tribe was restored, it has held a celebration that includes a meal, giveaways, speeches, dancing, drumming, sing- ing and a Restoration Powwow. Ap- proximately 200 Tribal members, family, friends and elected officials traveled to Grand Ronde in 2019 for the last in-person event, which was held in the Tribal gym. Smoke Signals Educational meetings clarified proposed amendment By Kamiah Koch Social media/digital journalist Grand Ronde Tribal staff host- ed the first of four educational meetings on Thursday, Oct. 13, to discuss the proposed consti- tutional amendment of limiting disenrollment from the Tribe to cases of proven fraud or dual enrollment. Approximately 15 Tribal mem- bers and eight Tribal staff, in- cluding Tribal Council members, attended the hybrid meeting at Portland State University and over Zoom. Tribal Council members in attendance included Vice Chair Chris Mercier, Secretary Mi- chael Langley, Kathleen George, Denise Harvey, Lisa Leno and Brenda Tuomi. Mercier co-hosted the meet- ing with Tribal Council Chief of Staff Stacia Hernandez and Senior Staff Attorney Holly Partridge. Hernandez and Partridge be- gan the meeting with a brief summary of the proposed amend- ment, important dates and fre- quently asked questions. “I think with a clear conscience it is important we pass this amendment because why would we want to leave future gener- ations with an issue like this?” Mercier said. Several Tribal members asked questions clarifying what quali- fies as “fraud” and the process of determining a case of fraudulent enrollment. Partridge said that fraud was an intentional misrepresenting of the facts in the enrollment process. “The person being enrolled intentionally provides false in- formation to get enrolled in the Tribe, that would be an example of fraud,” she said. Partridge added that with the suggested amendment, the Tribe would have to prove false infor- mation was provided intentional- ly, which is difficult to do. Mercier said he doesn’t think there are going to be many fraud cases, but it has happened in the past. Mercier and Partridge reiterat- ed that the proposed amendment is intended to keep Tribal mem- bers in the Tribe, not a new way of kicking members out. One Tribal member expressed concern that members enrolled at the time of Restoration with a signed affidavit could be consid- ered fraudulently enrolled with today’s criteria. Partridge said the Tribe would only apply the enrollment criteria established at the time they were enrolled. Mercier coaxed a few more questions from the small group of attendees and offered to hear arguments against the amend- ment. There were no challenges and Tribal members continued to make statements supporting the amendment. Questions petered out after one hour and Tribal Council members made closing remarks. “It is time to begin the heal- ing,” Leno said. “Tribal members should feel safe and confident in being Tribal members.” The second educational meet- ing was held Tuesday, Oct. 18, in Tribal Council Chambers in Grand Ronde and on Zoom. The third meeting was held Thursday, Oct. 20, at the Salem Public Library, 585 Liberty St. S.E., and on Zoom. The final meeting was held Wednesday, Oct. 26, in Trib- al Council Chambers in Grand Ronde and on Zoom. Supaman performs Photo by Kamiah Koch Apsaalooke Nation Tribal member and artist Supaman addresses the audience after his first dance on the stage in the Grand Ronde Tribal gymnasium on Friday, Oct. 21. Akimel O’odham Tribal member DJ Element joined Supaman on stage to mix music. This show was provided by Grand Ronde Behavioral Health Department and was the first stop on the artists’ nationwide Medicine Bundle Tour.