Yesteryears -- Oct. 15, 2019

2014 – The Tribe was seeking community help in catching the person or persons responsible for flooding the Early Childhood Education building with a garden hose, causing an estimated $40,000 in damage. Tribal Council was offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. “There is an ongoing investigation and any leads that come in will be followed up on by officers from the department,” said Grand Ronde Police Chief Al LaChance.

2009 – The Tribe retained its ceremonial hunting rights after the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission unanimously readopted a rule granting ceremonial hunting rights across the Trask Hunting Unit. The rule was first adopted by the state on April 18, 2008.

2004 – Tribal Youth Spencer Olson, 14, was awarded a scholarship to attend a creative writing workshop at Kalamazoo College in Michigan. “The main goal of the workshop is to have students write about who they are, where they come from and where their imagination can take them,” Olson said. “The most important thing that happened was my discovery that I loved writing poetry. I’ve always liked to write stories and comedy, but have never been too interested in poetry. All of that changed while I was at Kalamazoo.” Olson was one of two Native youths from Oregon to be selected for the program, and the youngest from all those across the United States who were selected to attend.

1999 – Spirit Mountain Community Fund, a philanthropic arm of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, gifted the Oregon Garden in Silverton a $266,000 grant. The Community Fund’s gift was to be used to preserve the trees for future generations, create nondestructive trails and educational signage. “Our people believe that all living things are related,” Tribal Council Chair and Community Fund Trustee Kathryn Harrison said. “The Tribe is deeply honored to be able to protect these ancient trees and restore this portion of the Grand Ronde homeland to the way it looked to Native Americans for centuries.”

1994 – The Grand Ronde Tribal Youth Crew assisted rangers with the Willamette National Forest in working on a trail at the Yukwah campground located east of Sweet Home. Crew members included Meadow Wilds, Jake McKnight, Dustin Leno, Joe Hostler, Jason Mercier, Chris Bailey and Stephanie Ussing. Bill Moreland served as crew leader and Karen Larsen as chaperone.

1989 – The membership of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde increased to 2,496 members. To be enrolled at the Tribe, applicants were required to furnish birth documentation and, if approved, were eligible to receive Tribal benefits such as health services. Eligibility requirements included being descended from a Grand Ronde Tribal member, possessing 1/16th or more Indian blood from a federally recognized Tribe and not already be enrolled in another Tribe.

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