Yesteryears -- Sept. 1, 2019

2014 – Six grants brought in more than $573,000 for phase II work on the Chachalu Tribal Museum & Cultural Center. The museum, long a dream of the Tribe, received a jump-start in the summer of 2011 when the Tribe purchased the former Grand Ronde Middle School site from the Willamina School District. After almost three years of renovation work, phase 1 was complete.

2009 – The Tribe’s longstanding effort to be recognized by the federal government as a Columbia River Tribe received a significant boost when U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader introduced House Resolution 3514, which would amend the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Act to include the Grand Ronde. “I was approached by Tribal Chair Cheryle Kennedy and other members of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, who asked for my support of their effort to be recognized as a Tribe with historic ties to the Columbia River,” Schrader said.

2004 – The Tribe opened a new Portland satellite office to better assist the membership by providing several on-site services. These included vocational rehabilitation, employment and training, education services, behavioral health counseling and cultural classes. A $95,913 Administration for Native Americans grant was awarded to the Tribe for its satellite offices in both Portland and Eugene. The new offices included a classroom, small conference room and computer lab.

1999 – The three-day second annual Chinook Language Conference was held in Grant Ronde, and attracted 30 participants ranging in age from preschoolers to Elders, and included both Tribal members and outside academics. Elder and Tribal Council Chair Kathryn Harrison recalled that her father often spoke Chinook at home. “Some of those stories I remember are still dear to me,” she said. “Then I went to boarding school and you know what happens there, they don’t allow you to speak Indian. Maybe, I tell my grandchildren I will study it when I retire.”

1994 – Tribal Council adopted three changes to the Elections Ordinance, two of which would take effect that year. The changes were that in the event of a tie between third and fourth place for a Tribal Council seat, the two candidates would have a runoff election, which would take place in November. Also, names on the ballot would no longer be in alphabetical order if there was more than one person with the same last name. The third change would be that walk-in voters were no longer required to register. Only a Tribal identification card would be required.

1989 – Several Tribal youth participated in a “Survival Hike,” which left from Hebo Lake and included an eight-mile trek. Tribal Operations Manager Greg Archuleta offered advice to the young hikers. The group went fishing after reaching South Lake, and Fish and Wildlife Committee member Rick McKnight took time to teach youth about hunting safety.

1984 – The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde held its first annual Powwow. Rudy Clements served as emcee. Matilda Mitchell, Sylvia Wallulatum and Minty Showaway from Warm Springs gave the invocation. “Thanks also goes out to all of the dancers in the Grand Entry and throughout the celebration,” Smoke Signals Editor Pat Gray said. “You all did your best and we succeeded in pulling off the greatest powwow yet.”

Yesteryears is a look back at Tribal history in five-year increments through the pages of Smoke Signals.