Tribal member starts Weed Warriors program

By Nicole Montesano

Smoke Signals staff writer

Buoyed by her success in convincing Tribal Council to ban the use of herbicides around housing or the campus, Tribal member Amber Eastman is trying to convince Tribal members to join her in taking ownership of maintaining the grounds with a new program called Weed Warriors.

“We pull weeds by hand, drop them in the marked bins and show what real stewardship looks like together,” Eastman said in a social media post. “Why volunteer? Because we’re not going backward. Because we want to keep moving forward with Facilities in partnership, not protest. Because if we show up, there’s no excuse to ever go back to chemical spraying. Because we are the first stewards of this land.”

She is encouraging members to weed from 6 to 8 p.m. weeknights, Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon or any other time they find convenient. Eastman wrote that she plans to hold a monthly raffle for handmade beaded earrings for people who submit photos of themselves weeding. The earrings were donated by Carmon Morelese of Singing Bird Creations.

“Message me if you want to meet up and weed (or if) you’ve got a spot that needs help,” Eastman said.

The group’s mission statement declares it is “is a community-led movement rooted in Indigenous stewardship, dedicated to protecting and restoring the lands of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde without the use of harmful chemicals. We honor our ancestors by caring for our homelands through hands-on, toxin-free methods that promote health, biodiversity and cultural resilience. By reconnecting with the land and each other, we reclaim our role as first stewards one weed at a time, one prayer at a time, one generation at a time.”

However, the response so far has been disappointing, Eastman said in an email.

“This past month, only my niece, Kiah Runningbird, and my neighbor’s daughter were able to help,” she said. “I myself have dedicated two hours a night and 9 a.m. to noon the last couple of weekends. Their commitment means everything, but overall, I’ve been feeling discouraged. Still, I remain hopeful. Movements like this take time to grow roots and I believe in the power of community to rise when called upon.”