Tribal member’s regalia stolen in Salem

By Danielle Harrison

Smoke Signals staff writer

SALEM -- When Tribal member Auburn Logan walked out of her apartment on Saturday, Nov. 20, and saw that her car was gone, at first she tried to be optimistic.

“I thought maybe I might have parked too close to the mailbox and it had been towed,” she said.

After confirming with the towing company that was not the case, Logan had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. What made the theft even more of a violation, however, was that most of her regalia was inside the vehicle.

“I was in the middle of moving and got back to the apartment late at night, and just figured I would finish in the morning,” she said. “When I realized my car had been stolen, my stomach just dropped. I could care less about my stolen car (however), I care about the traditional regalia pieces that are in it.”

Logan quickly posted the information to her various social media channels and called the Salem Police Department to report the theft. Within a few hours, her posts had spread and Logan was contacted by various media organizations to share her story.

Her car was found two days later on Monday, Nov. 22, abandoned on a road near Chemawa Indian School. The regalia was not in the trunk where she had left it.

“There were my grandfather’s shell necklaces from his Tribe, my shawls, otter boots, several pair of earrings, leggings and moccasins,” Logan said. “I just want someone to see it and hopefully someone can recognize it. I don’t want anything else but my regalia back.”

Logan said that in the days since her story has been shared online, she has started to receive a backlash of racist and misogynistic comments, while others have blamed her because the regalia was in her vehicle.

“I want people to know this could happen anywhere and to anyone,” she said. “Someone could break into your home and steal it.”

Logan works at Spirit Mountain Casino and said it has been challenging to focus on work when she feels as if a piece of herself has been taken away.

“People don’t understand the importance or really about Native culture at all,” she said. “I’ve been trying to pull it together, but I need to find my regalia.”

If anyone has seen any of the items, Logan asks for them to call her at 503-569-2169.