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School Board voted to name its new elementary school after the Kalapuya Tribes of the Willamette Valley, making it the first Salem-Keizer school building name in honor of Oregon’s Native American culture. The Kalapuya Tribe is one of the five principal Tribes of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Salem-Keizer School Board members acknowledged during the meeting that the Kalapuya peoples had a long history in Oregon. 2006 – An icon of the American Indian Movement visited Grand Ronde and talked …

action, Tribal Council: Approved applying to the National Congress of American Indians for a one-year, $84,053 grant that would fund a domestic violence client advocate who would work for the Social Services Department; Approved applying to the U.S. Department of Justice for two $500,000 grants. The first grant would purchase a replacement police vehicle and fund an additional police officer for five years at the Tribal Police Department. The second grant would fund a Tribal Youth Enhancement …

. Now, I have the opportunity to help my community as a Tribal member and give back. It’s very exciting and an awesome opportunity to serve the people who helped me in my development as a person.” Barry, 21, and fellow Tribal member Brandy Bishop, 39, finished fire academy one training recently and now only have to pass final exams. They’re part of a fire station that is rare in the field, one with four women and two men, making it 66 percent female. The other women in the department …

Culture Linfield to exhibit artwork of late Tribal Elder Frank Kowing 02.03.2022 Dean Rhodes People , Art "Cascades" created by late Tribal Elder Frank Kowing in 2004. (Contributed photo) McMINNVILLE – One of Linfield University’s first studio art graduates will have his work displayed in the Linfield Gallery from Wednesday, Feb. 9, through Friday, March 18. Frank Kowing’s paintings, sculptures and sketch books will be part of “Breathing the High-altitude Ether of Discovery.” The Linfield …

Culture Watchlist: ‘Missing in America: Inside Montana’s Native American Community 08.11.2022 Kamiah Koch Watchlist By Kamiah Koch Social media/digital journalist An NBC News series called “Missing in America” was published on TODAY’s YouTube channel, sharing one Native American woman’s efforts to raise awareness for murdered and missing Indigenous people. Chippewa Cree Tribal member Jen Buckley says she felt Indigenous people who have gone missing are not looked for the same way as other …

Culture Watchlist: ‘The Navajo Water Lady’ 09.14.2022 Kamiah Koch Watchlist Navajo member Darlene Arviso, known as the “Water Lady” in the Navajo Nation, stands in Nina Garcia’s home on the Reservation. Garcia, who has never had running water in her life, is one of Arviso’s 250 customers that she delivers monthly water to with her water-tank truck. (Smoke Signals screenshot) By Kamiah Koch Social media/digital journalist In 2015, CBS Sunday Morning featured Navajo member Darlene Arviso, known …

Culture Watchlist: ‘Chinookan Plank Houses - Native American Domestic Architecture & Culture’ 02.14.2023 Kamiah Koch Watchlist By Kamiah Koch Social media/digital journalist As many Tribal members know, wintertime is a time for “ikanum” or storytelling. The Grand Ronde Tribe annually hosts a story night in the achaf-hammi plankhouse to continue this tradition. Other Pacific Northwest Tribes host events in their respective plankhouses during the cold months. One plankhouse in the region belongs …

Culture Agency Creek Round Dance returns after three-year hiatus 02.28.2023 Dean Rhodes Round Dance , Tribal members , People Smoke Signals file photo By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor The Agency Creek Round Dance was one of the first annual Tribal events affected by the March 2020 outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and is now one of the last annual events to return. But return it does. The 19 th annual Agency Creek Round Dance will be held Friday and Saturday, March 3-4, in the Tribal gym …

Tribal Government & News Council approves grant application for two Tribal police vehicles 03.08.2023 Danielle Harrison Tribal Police , Tribal Council One of the current Tribal police vehicles sits in the Tribal Police parking lot on Wednesday, March 8. The vehicles currently in use have at least 114,000 miles on them due to the amount of driving done by Tribal police officers, who patrol the entire Reservation as well as Spirit Mountain Casino. By Danielle Harrison Smoke Signals assistant …

). 2013 – After a decade-long effort by Oregon Tribes, the state Department of Education was advertising for an Indian education specialist. “This was one of our priorities for this session, getting positions of equity for all Oregon students,” said Cindy Hunt, Government and Legal Affairs manager for the Department of Education. The proposal to return an Indian education specialist position had been around since 2003. 2008 – The Tribe donated $4,000 to a reward fund established to help catch whomever …