Exhibit focuses on important work of Grand Ronde women

A celebration of western Oregon Native women is coming up in April with follow-up exhibitions and demonstrations continuing into May at the Willamette Heritage Center at The Mill in Salem.

The exhibit, "shawash-ili?i tuchmən - ntsayka ikanum: Grand Ronde Women - Our Story," runs Friday, April 6, through Monday, May 28.

On Thursday, April 5, an invitation-only Tribal opening will feature Grand Ronde Tribal women Cheryle A. Kennedy, Tribal Council chairwoman; Tribal Elder Kathryn Harrison, former long-time Tribal Council chairwoman; Tribal Council member Kathleen Tom; and Tribal Elder Margaret Provost, who was instrumental in the Tribe's Restoration effort.

"This exhibit allows us to explore issues that have plagued the Tribe for 160 years, including how American society has privileged man, how women have served as culture bearers and worked to help the culture and Tribe survive through Termination and develop in Restoration," said Tribal member David Lewis, the Tribe's Cultural Resources Department manager.

"Without the work and leadership of women, I don't know that we would have many of the cultural programs we have today, including a vibrant language education program. This has all occurred despite efforts by the federal government to disempower women - through genocide and the forced sterilization of American Indian women at Chemawa Indian School. It is really the passion of women that has led the Tribe through its most trying era."

"Women have always held vital and varied roles among the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde whose members descend from western Oregon," according to a Willamette Heritage Center introduction to the exhibit. "Tribal women are artists, entrepreneurs, teachers, doctors, and council and religious leaders, as well as mothers, grandmothers, daughters, aunts and sisters. This exhibition celebrates the women of the Grand Ronde community, past, present and future."

Willamette Heritage Center and the Grand Ronde Tribe's Cultural Resources Department are planning a series of educational offerings that focus on key aspects of Grand Ronde culture highlighting the importance of women to the Native community in western Oregon.

This exhibit is the latest in a growing partnership between Willamette Heritage Center and the Grand Ronde Tribe.

"This partnership started with the 'Grand Ronde Canoe Journey' last spring, and now it continues this spring with 'shawash-illʔí luchmən - ntsayka ikanum: Grand Ronde Women - Our Story,' " said Peter Booth, executive director of the Heritage Center.

"Women's history in general, and definitely in regard to Native peoples, is a topic that has not received its due attention. Women have played a very significant role in society, both historically and contemporarily. It isn't by accident that the Grand Ronde Tribal Council has been led by some very capable women since Restoration."

Since the partnership began, the Heritage Center has expanded its mission "to address the larger story of the Willamette Valley community," Booth said. "Grand Ronde's leaders, and especially the Cultural Resources Department's staff, led by David Lewis, have provided invaluable help in telling this part of our community's heritage."

Cultural Resource's Cultural Interpretive Specialist Julie Brown led a group including Cultural Resources Program Manager Kathy Cole, Secretary Veronica Montano and Hermila Chavez, as well as University of Oregon graduate student Stephanie Wood (all are members of the Tribe) in putting the project together.

In addition, master weaver Margaret Matthews, and Tribal members Brian Krehbiel, Bobby Mercier, David Harrelson and Melisa Chandler participated. Krehbiel is Cultural Education specialist, Mercier is Cultural Language specialist, Harrelson is Cultural Protection specialist and Chandler is a Cultural Site monitor.

Elders voted to allow the exhibit to use cultural materials hanging on the walls of the Elders' Activity Center.

A video for the project is being put together by Information Systems staff members.

Additional coordination is coming through Public Affairs Director Siobhan Taylor and a map of the Trail of Tears produced by Tribal Graphic Designer George Valdez will be part of the exhibit.

"It's a full Tribal effort," said Lewis.

The partnership will continue with development of a permanent gallery dedicated to the history of the Kalapuya and Molalla peoples of the Willamette Valley. Lewis will curate this exhibition, scheduled in the Heritage Center's Parsonage building (1841) in the spring of 2013. 

The current roster of events follows:

• 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 7, in the Church. Book signing and presentation by Tribal Elder June Olson, author of "Great Circle, The Grand Ronde Reservation 1855-1905." (Free)
• 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 7, in the Church. Panel: Grand Ronde Women Leaders. Always important to the Native community of western Oregon, women were especially instrumental in securing Grand Ronde's Restoration of Tribal recognition. They continue to provide valuable leadership for the community today. This discussion about the triumphs and challenges they and the people encountered will include former Tribal Chair Kathryn Harrison, current Grand Ronde Tribal Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy and Grand Ronde Tribal Council member Kathleen Tom. Former U.S. Congresswoman Elizabeth Furse will moderate. (Free to Tribal and Heritage Center members, $2 students with ID, and $5 non-members.)
• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 24, in the Church. Presented by Dr. Henry Zenk, University of Oregon, and Tribal member Kathy Cole, CTGR Cultural Education Programs manager. The Tribe's Cultural Resources Department is working to preserve the language that was once a common trade language among the western Oregon Native peoples - Chinuk Wawa. In the first hour, Zenk will speak about the recently published Chinuk Wawa dictionary. In the second hour, Cole will lead a Chinuk Wawa class with Elders and youth in a school-like setting. (Free)
• 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 12: Grand Ronde weaving demonstration, as part of Sheep to Shawl. Weaving has long been a tradition among the Northwest Native peoples. This art form survives among the Grand Ronde community. Native weavers Connie Graves, a Tribal Elder, Margaret Mathewson, Stephanie Wood and others will demonstrate contemporary basket weaving at the Heritage Center's 28^th annual Sheep to Shawl. Examples of their work also will be available. (Free)
• 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 19: Grand Ronde Dance demonstration and presentation. Led by Tribal Language and Cultural Specialist Bobby Mercier, community members will demonstrate the beauty and rhythm of western Oregon Native dance and music. ($2 students, $3 Heritage Center and Tribal members, $5 non-members.)

This exhibition is created and sponsored in part by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. It is also sponsored in part by the city of Salem Transient Occupancy Tax Grant with additional help provided by Salem Weekly, Bank of the Cascades, Jennifer Jopp and Bill Smaldone, Gretchen and Mike Moon, Anne and Everett Mozell, and Ellen Eisenberg and Ami Korsunsky.