AUGUST 1, 2025
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13
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
Desirae Hernandez, 13, dances during the 2025 Marcellus Norwest Memorial Veterans Powwow at uyxat Powwow Grounds Saturday, July 12.
Veterans Powwow draws
crowd of celebrants
By Nicole Montesano
Smoke Signals staff writer
man danced with his eyes locked on the
tiny newborn cradled in his arms as the
baby slept, oblivious to the pounding
drums. Children danced or walked with their
parents and the youngest simply hopped along-
side, as the dancers made their way around the
arena in grand entry on a blazing hot Saturday
afternoon at the 2025 Marcellus Norwest Me-
morial Veterans Powwow.
The annual event was held at the uyxat
Powwow Grounds Friday, July 11 to Sunday,
July 13.
“I kind of need this today as a bit of a tonic,
because I was in The Dalles yesterday, at
the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(Commission) meeting where everything we’ve
worked on for a long time was kind of taken
away from us again,” Tribal Council Vice Chair
Chris Mercier said. “So, this is a good example
of how powwow can be a very healing experi-
ence, a very rejuvenating experience, and I
think a lot of us need this for our souls right
now. It’s a temporary setback; we’ll get over it
like we get through everything else, but I per-
sonally really needed a powwow mind today.”
Saturday’s grand entry had been postponed a
half hour to accommodate traffic moving slowly
A
See POWWOW
continued on pages 14-15
The Grand Ronde Honor Guard walks in the 1 p.m. grand entry of the 2025 Marcellus Norwest Memorial
Veterans Powwow at uyxat Powwow Grounds Saturday, July 12.