Tribe hosting fifth annual History & Culture Summit

If you go

Grand Ronde History & Culture Summit

When: 8 a.m. to about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 1-2

Where: Grand Ronde Tribal gym, 9615 Grand Ronde Road

Cost: $50 for conference, $25 for plankhouse dinner and $25 for workshops; free to Tribal members and Tribal staff

More info: www.grandronde.org/hcsummit

More than 100 people will be delving deeply into Grand Ronde Tribal history and culture during the fifth annual History & Culture Summit scheduled to be held Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 1-2, in the Tribal gym.

This year’s incarnation features new wrinkles, such as TED talks – short, informative and entertaining talks – on Thursday morning.

The summit will open at 8 a.m. Wednesday with registration. Grand Ronde drummers will perform an opening song at 8:30 a.m. and Tribal Elder and longtime Tribal Council Chair Kathryn Harrison will give the invocation.

After opening comments from Historic Preservation Office Manager Briece Edwards, the sessions will begin.

“We want to continue to bring understanding of what we do in Historic Preservation and the Cultural Resources Department back to the community,” Edwards said. “We are trying to be a bit more local and regional focused in highlighting some of the partnerships and bringing some of that information back into the community.”

On Wednesday, sessions will include multiple presentations on land and water issues, traditional gatherings (powwow, round dance, plankhouse and canoe journey) and breakout sessions will survey such Native American topics as first foods, weaving, records research and indigenous experimental films.

A dinner will be served beginning at 5:30 p.m. at achaf-hammi, the Tribal plankhouse adjacent to Uyxat Powwow Grounds on Hebo Road.

Thursday’s events kick off at 8 a.m. with remarks by Edwards and an opening song by Lands Department Manager Jan Looking Wolf Reibach.

The TED Talks will follow. Seven are scheduled, including a talk by Tribal Environmental Resources Specialist Meagan Flier, who will discuss her work in ocean planning both for the Tribe and West Coast Tribes as part of the West Regional Planning Body and West Coast Ocean Partnership.

“The idea was to provide a venue and an opportunity for people who have short presentations and are looking to have input,” Edwards said. “So the idea is to have short presentations that start a dialogue.”

After the TED Talks, Edwards will lead a discussion on historic preservation issues and the afternoon breakout sessions will cover beading, traditional games, technology and repatriation. Afternoon sessions will be led by Cultural Resources Department employees Flicka Lucero, Brian Krehbiel, Jessica Curteman and Sibyl Edwards.

Cost for the conference is $50 and the plankhouse dinner is $25. Events are free to Tribal members and Tribal staff.

A light breakfast and lunch will be served both days.