Tribal Elder Marta Lu Clifford honored by Springfield with History Maker Award

By Dean Rhodes

Publications coordinator

SPRINGFIELD – Grand Ronde Tribal Elder Marta Lu Clifford received the History Maker Award as part of the second annual Springfield Heritage Awards that were handed out during the Tuesday, Sept. 5, City Council meeting by Springfield Mayor Sean VanGordon.

The Heritage Awards were developed in 2022 by the Springfield Historic Commission and the Springfield History Museum to recognize an array of stewardship activities that increase awareness, appreciation and support of an inclusive perspective regarding local heritage.

There are two award categories – the Preservation Excellence Award and the History Maker Award. The latter “celebrates a person or entity that demonstrates leadership in shaping, preserving and fostering appreciation of local heritage – past, present and future.”

Clifford, 71, has helped guide the city of Springfield and Willamalane Parks in crafting a land acknowledgement. She also supported a mural focused upon Indigenous history in the mid-Willamette Valley and designed and organized the annual Red Dress Poetry in the Park event that honors missing and murdered Indigenous women.

“Marta has devoted her life’s work to bringing awareness of Native American issues in and around the city of Springfield and strives to be a good caretaker of Kalapuya Illihi,” said Stephanie Tabibian (Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley Indian Reservation), an education assistant director at the University of Oregon’s College of Education, in her nominating letter, citing Clifford’s work on Poetry in the Park held at Springfield’s Heron Park.

Tabibian said that Clifford juggles her volunteer activities while also working a full-time job.

“Marta also collaborates with Willamalane, providing guidance on appropriate land acknowledgements and park signage, and conducting Kalapuya Talking Stones tours for staff. In addition to all this, and a full-time job, she is the Elder-in-Residence at the University of Oregon Theatre Department and the Native American and Indigenous Studies Academic Residential Community. Whenever there is a community discussion regarding making improvements for Indigenous and Tribal representation in Springfield, Marta is there – always willing to assist, teach and provide feedback. She leads with joy, empathy and compassion for all those around her.”

In addition, Clifford and Theresa May, University of Oregon professor of Theatre Arts, co-founded the Illioo Native Theatre, which celebrates and showcases Native, First Nations and Indigenous dramatists and artists through productions, concert readings and workshops.

Illioo recently received $52,000 from the Oregon Community Foundation to support “BlueJay’s Canoe,” a new form of play developed in collaboration with Oregon Indigenous community members and knowledge holders, and focusing on water-related lifeways of Oregon’s Indigenous peoples.

Clifford, who works full-time as a government procurement specialist for the Government Contract Assistance Program, lives in Springfield with her husband, Al.