Spring Celebration fetes relationship between state and its nine Tribes

By Danielle Frost

Smoke Signals staff writer

SALEM -- Since time immemorial, Tribes have lived on and used the lands and waterways of Oregon, and been stewards of the state’s natural resources.

To honor and protect that long heritage, the state established the Legislative Commission on Indian Services and then an executive order created a government-to-government relationship between the state and its nine federally recognized Tribes.

That relationship was celebrated with the LCIS Spring Celebration held on Thursday, May 16, at the state Capitol Rotunda. This year’s theme was “Moving Forward Together: Being Good Stewards of Our People, Lands and Culture.”

Representatives from all nine federally recognized Tribes attended. Tribal information tables were on display at the upstairs Senate Gallery.

Grand Ronde’s table was staffed by Tribal Council Chief of Staff Stacia Hernandez, Deputy Press Secretary Sara Thompson and Public Affairs Administrative Assistant Chelsea Baranski. It included ceded lands maps, pens, note pads, lanyards, chocolates, highlighters, key chains and information on Spirit Mountain Community Fund.

The Spring Celebration began with a song from Grand Ronde Tribal drummers, which included Interpretive Coordinator Travis Stewart, Historic Preservation Technician Nicolas Atanacio, Cultural Resources Department Manager David Harrelson, Tribal member Brian Krehbiel, Cultural Advisor Bobby Mercier, Cultural Education Coordinator Jordan Mercier and K5 Tutor/Advisor Santi Atanacio.

Flags representing the nine Tribes were brought in by Tribal government leaders and led by the Siletz Color Guard. Also included were the American flag, Oregon flag and POW/MIA flag.

Tribal Council member Denise Harvey carried in the Grand Ronde flag. Other Tribal Council members in attendance were Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy, Vice Chair Chris Mercier, Jack Giffen Jr., Lisa Leno and Michael Langley. Also attending were Historic Preservation Manager Briece Edwards and Finance Officer Chris Leno.

Klamath Tribal Chair Don Gentry gave the invocation.

LCIS Interim Director Danny Santos welcomed attendees to the Spring Celebration.

“We have many Tribes here today, some who have traveled a great distance,” he said. “We also welcome our non-Native friends.”

Several legislative members of the Commission on Indian Services addressed the crowd.

Sen. Bill Hansell said he built valuable relationships with the Umatilla Tribe near Pendleton while serving for 30 years as a Umatilla County commissioner, and he continues that positive relationship today.

“I continue to help develop that government-to-government relationship and friendship with all of the nine Oregon Tribes through LCIS,” he said. “I have learned so much from them about what is important. I appreciate your sovereignty, what you stand for and with all of your success today.”

Tribal youth enrolled in the Chinuk Immersion Program perform a Paddle Dance during the Legislative Commission on Indian Services Spring Celebration held at the Capitol in Salem on Thursday, May 16. The theme for this year's event was Moving Forward Together: Being Good Stewards of Our People, Land and Culture. Gov. Kate Brown also signed a proclamation declaring May 18-25 as American Indian Week.

Senate President Peter Courtney said he loves walking by the Tribal flags every morning on his way to work.

“It’s the first thing you see when you walk out,” he said.

Courtney also mentioned House Bill 2625, spearheaded by State Rep. Tawna Sanchez (Shoshone-Bannock, Ute and Carrizo), which directs Oregon State Police to study how to increase and improve criminal justice resources regarding missing and murdered Native American women in Oregon and report the findings to a legislative committee no later than Sept. 15, 2020. Gov. Kate Brown signed the bill into law later that afternoon.

“We’re not just saying we honor them, we are going to try to make the lives of those who were here first better,” Courtney said.

House Speaker Tina Kotek said that Oregon legislators have a long history of working with the nine Tribes.

“We all believe in a healthy and safe Oregon, and have worked on issues regarding the environment, education and public safety,” she said. “It is a commitment we have at our Capitol.”

Speaker of the House Tina Kotek, D-Portland, speaks during the 16th Legislative Commission on Indian Services Spring Celebration held at the Capitol in Salem on Thursday, May 16. The theme for this year's event was Moving Forward Together: Being Good Stewards of Our People, Land and Culture. Gov. Kate Brown also signed a proclamation declaring May 18-25 as American Indian Week.

After the legislative speakers finished, children from the Grand Ronde Chinuk Wawa Immersion Program performed a Canoe Song.

Grand Ronde Tribal Chairwoman and LCIS Chair Cheryle A. Kennedy welcomed attendees to the Tribe’s homelands.

“I want to thank the drummers for welcoming us, our children for dancing and the Siletz Color Guard,” she said. “I also want to thank our Tribal leaders. Our voices and ideas … we have to be good stewards of the land and be strong on issues that affect our people. We stand strong together as Tribal leaders.”

Kennedy reviewed some of the commission’s work, such as working to remove the derogatory word “squaw” from state landmarks, flying the Tribal flags outside the state Capitol and including Native American curriculum as a learning requirement in Oregon’s public schools.

“This is due to the work these nine nations did,” Kennedy said. “We stand together to address health care needs so our people could better their lives and live with dignity. We move together on into the future. LCIS is a byproduct of what it took to unite us. … Today, we will watch our governor sign a proclamation for American Indian Week and to correct the injustice for those who are missing and murdered. … I raise my hands to all of these leaders.”

Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy, who is also chairwoman of the Legislative Commission on Indian Services, addresses those attending the Spring Celebration held at the Capitol in Salem on Thursday, May 16. The theme for this year's event was Moving Forward Together: Being Good Stewards of Our People, Land and Culture. Gov. Kate Brown also signed a proclamation declaring May 18-25 as American Indian Week.

After representatives from the nine Tribes and the Native American Rehabilitation Association spoke, the ceremony ended with the Grand Ronde singers and drummers performing. Brown closed the ceremony by signing a proclamation declaring May 18-25 as American Indian Week.

“I’d like to first recognize our veterans in attendance today,” she said. “Oregon’s Native American community stepped up in much higher numbers and we are eternally grateful for your service.”

Brown sat at a desk surrounded by Tribal leaders and LCIS members, read the proclamation aloud and distributed commemorative pens to all nine Tribal representatives after signing the proclamation. Following the ceremony, employees of Spirit Mountain Casino served a complimentary lunch of salmon, roast beef, salad, rolls and cupcakes.

House Bill 2625

signing ceremony

Later in the afternoon, a group of legislators, advocates and Tribal leaders gathered in the governor’s signing room to witness House Bill 2625 become law. Tribal Council members Lisa Leno and Denise Harvey were in attendance.

“This bill is a response to a need,” Sanchez said. “I just happen to be the one who gets the privilege of speaking today. I am here because people recognized we didn’t have the voices we needed in this building. Being able to bring this bill forward was a privilege. Many families have struggled with this issue of having no answers (when loved ones go missing). It’s a huge issue all over the country at this point and time.”

Oregon State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton said that when he first met with Sanchez, his initial thoughts were that his department had no jurisdiction on Tribal land, but his conclusion was that could be overcome with a collaboration between local, county, Tribal and state police.

“When I heard the Tribal members speak about the missing and murdered women … these are the people of Oregon,” he said. “This is honorable work. I give my assurance that I will treat these women as if they were my own daughters, and put my best foot forward.”

The proclamation declaring May 18-25 as American Indian Week awaits Gov. Kate Brown's signature during the Legislative Commission on Indian Services Spring Celebration held at the Capitol in Salem on Thursday, May 16. The theme for this year's event was Moving Forward Together: Being Good Stewards of Our People, Land and Culture.

Sanchez thanked Portland Tribal Liaison Laura John (Blackfeet/Seneca) for her assistance, as well as Patsy Whitefelt, a Yakama Nation educator and activist for missing and murdered indigenous women and girls who pushed for a similar bill in Washington state. It was signed into law in April 2019. Whitefoot’s sister disappeared in 1987 when she was 29 and was never found.

Brown thanked everyone who helped make the bill a reality.

“It is rare to see bills on my desk with so many legislators’ names on it,” she said. “Thanks to all of you who worked on this.”

After the bill signing, Leno said it was “a great day.”

“This is an opportunity for the State Police to really start looking at this issue and the injustice that has been happening,” she said. “It’s a chance to right that wrong. We’ll be committed to continue to work on this and be active partners in the work that is to come. I am so excited.”  

Other states that have passed similar legislation include Montana, Arizona and New Mexico. A bill in the U.S. House of Representatives would expand Tribes’ access to federal crime databases, require annual reports and establish standards for handling cases of missing and murdered Native American women.

The federal bill is named Savanna’s Act, after Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, a pregnant woman who was killed by a neighbor in 2017 in North Dakota. Her baby was cut from her womb but survived.