Four decades of Restoration

If you go

40^th Restoration Celebration

When: Doors open at 10 a.m., a meal will be served at 12:30 p.m. and a powwow will follow at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome

Where: Spirit Mountain Casino, 27100 S.W. Salmon River Highway

Questions: publicaffairs@grandronde.org

By Dean Rhodes and Danielle Harrison

Smoke Signals staff

Nov. 22, 1983, is a day that will forever be etched in Grand Ronde Tribal history because it was the day that President Ronald Reagan signed House Resolution 3885, restoring the Grand Ronde Tribe to federal recognition.

The Tribe had been terminated 29 years before and his signature on the bill officially ended that dark time.

Now, the Tribe is preparing to celebrate 40 years of Restoration and all of the accomplishments that have come with it. 

“I can’t help but be in awe of the growth we have made as a Tribe, a community and in our cultural landscape over the past 40 years,” Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy said. “I look forward to gathering with all our loved ones to celebrate how far we have come, but also where we are going.”

The 40^th anniversary events will begin at the Tribal Cemetery off Grand Ronde Road at the atudship rock mound on Sunday, Nov. 19. The sacred ceremony usually features prayers and singing, and will be led by Tribal Council member Jon A. George.

Events at Spirit Mountain Casino begin at 10:30 a.m. Sunday with a Restoration Program. A meal will be served at 12:30 p.m. and a break will start at 2:30 p.m. The evening powwow will start at 5:30 p.m. The Grand Ronde Canoe Family will serve as the main entertainment.

The event is being held three days ahead of the actual 40^th anniversary date because of the convergence of Restoration Day falling the day before Thanksgiving.

More information about the history of Restoration will be provided in the Nov. 15, 2023, edition of Smoke Signals, also available on the web at www.smokesignals.org.