Letters to the Editor -- August 15, 2014

Dear Smoke Signals:
A big thank you to everyone who supported the Willamina Logging Show again this year! We are proud to have Bare Farms as our lead sponsor this year. Coastal Fibre and Boise Cascade joined as repeat timber donators as well.
We would also like to thank NW Logging, L&L Equipment, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Doug Eddy, Don Risseeuw Excavating, Wildwood Hotel, Peterson Caterpillar and Davison Auto as major contributors. Several of our local businesses also supported us by donating gift certificates, merchandise and expertise. After the event, all of the wood was donated to the Willamina wrestling team to sell as a fundraiser.
It truly does take a community to pull this off. It was such an honor to be able to award Roy Zimbrick the Honorary Logger gift this year with a beautiful plasma cut trophy made by local alumnus Mark Scott. Roy has without question had his hand in most every aspect of our community from supporting our schools to community service projects, employing local timber professionals and being a major leader of our timber industry. We thank you for your continued efforts to better our little "Timber Town USA."
Matt Saucy, Ryan Mehlhoff and Jesse Leavitt continue to enhance this event with their skill and craftsmanship in milling lumber and chain saw carving -- you are awesome guys. 
Finally I have to say our committee is just incredibly talented and devoted. We can't thank you all enough. Ramon Torres stepped in as foreman, creating an incredible playing field and event lineup finally bringing back the pole climb. Tom Mills, Jeri St. Onge, Joe Steere, Jilene Mercier, Shad Wagler and Amanda Mehlhoff each presented their special talents to create a phenomenal event this year.
We look forward to another great year in 2015. Of course, none of this would be possible without the blessing and grounds of Walsh Trucking. We would love to have your help, too. Please contact any one of us to get involved. We do have a special project of creating a forestry club for our youth that is in need of volunteers. If interested, call 503-550-0923. Thank you again.
Janelle Justen
Whistle Punk Adventures

Dear Smoke Signals:
Klahowya nayka tilixam,
I have received the latest news from home, the Tilixam Wawa and the July 15 edition of the paper. What caught my attention was the actions council took to absolve itself of responsibility on the disenrollment issue. At first I thought this selfish and underhanded, but after giving it more thought found the positive aspect of it. They are doing the right thing by staying out of it.
This is actually more in line with "true tradition." An issue as sensitive as enrollment has always been the responsibility of the Elders, honored and respected leaders of the community. Cultural matters, moral issues, the ceremonies and teachings all are the responsibility of these people.
I have said in the past that we struggle so much because we have strayed away from that and no longer rely on "traditional wisdom," the ways.
Tribal Council's main role is the business end, to put it simple, and all major issues affecting the membership must be brought before the people for final approval.
Two years ago when the enrollment audit issue first came up, I wrote a letter completely opposing it and that council had ordered it. But what's done is done and we must learn as much from this as we can, make necessary changes and move on.
I thought this process would be a little easier if the people had more traditional understandings about enrollment, and what it really means to become an enrolled member.
In the past, members were made through adoption. This was taken with the understanding that this person was now a full blood relative. These were oral contracts, vows that could not be broken except by mutual agreement; a good reason why I tell newer people to be more careful about who you call brother or sister. You take on that responsibility when you do.
Today's enrollment practice as it is is no different than the old adoption, or making one a relative. You accepted them, and that's it. It does not matter if this was done according to our Constitution, in error or not. The agreement was made. We cannot break that vow.
As for the Constitution and bylaws, we have so much difficulty and struggle because we have become dependent on relying on what is a nonNative tool. I am not saying throw it out; I'm saying follow tradition to correct them. I promise you, do this and the time will come when these nonNative tools will collect dust. The people will walk strong on their own with only Creator and the tradition of our culture to guide them.
I would like to share this analogy I used once to help a spiritual adviser see what they could not see. Imagine an ancestor has appeared before you. He places in your left hand a golden eagle tail feather, in your right he gives you their rule book (in this case, Constitution and bylaws). Then says, "By which do you follow?"
Walter F. Simmons
Roll #2317