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THE REVIEW September 15, 1998 "DUD GMgiOOil Ms) 2 6a ODSQfcSGD Off Most tribal members know that the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon consists of five separate tribes whose members lived in the western part of the state. The five tribes that make up the Grand Qonde Confederation arc: Rogue River, Kalapuya, Chasta, Umpqua, and Molalla. Each of these tribes were made up of many different "bands." (The Mary's River band of the Kalapuya Tribe, for example.) Members have often expressed an interest in learning more about their specific tribe and its history. how their ancestors lived, and how they came to Grand Rondc. In this issue of The Review, vc have begun a five-pa- rt series of in depth articles on each of the tribes Part One: the Molalla Tribe. anything explains Olson. "All Native people But Olson says what pioneers thought was an army ' H else," Olson offers an interesting addendum to this ed By November adapted to the region they were in. Molalla of the of male warriors "was really a group of women, war. She says the Daughters of the Ameri- of that same IN THE BEGINNING ... mountain region adapted to hunting the larger game Elders and children." She notes the mailman prob- can Revolution, a group that commemorates pio- year diminishing n From a place near the summit of Mount Hood, that and those the more simi- ably thought he saw a band of Indian men because te "War of area in valley were neer patriotism with on-si- monuments, honored resources and Coyote scattered the heart of Grizzly Bear whom lar to the Kalapuya people who primary diet was Molalla men, women and children traditionally the alleged "battleground" with a plague on a stone mounting con- 6 he had just willfully slain. To what would become roots and small game, common in the valley." wore deer-hid- e trousers. marker. The farmer who owns the land says that flicts helped IA Molalla Country threw the and said, "Now hunting small he heart Whether large or game, the prow- (Savage's records also confirm that while Mola- after the stone was rolled into the creek a number Superintendent, 1 the Molalla will be good hunters; they will be good ess of Molalla hunters, as foretold by Coyote, was lla women occasionally wore hide skirts, they most of times by vandals, it seemed pointless to return Joel Palmer, men, thinking and studying about hunting deer." duly noted by Savage who was also an ardent Na- often wore buckskin pants and shirts distinguished its place on the bank. Olson says, "In my opinion, persuade South- Grizzly's demise, and hence the birth of the tive culturalist. In addition to mastery of the bow only by the beads that might decorate the female it was not vandals at all, but the spirit of the woman ern Molalla Molalla Nation came about when he met Coyote and arrow, he details rope traps used by Molalla attire and the feathers that might be donned for warrior who continuously pushed the stone into tribal leaders to who was on his way to "make the world," accord- hunters to catch deer in small passes along the trails. ceremony or by chiefs.) the water. Eventually the plaque was removed from move to the ing Great de- to an old Molalla story. The Bear Hunters also camouflaged themselves with dear Blinded by fear and ignorance, the settlers took the stone and the rock was left to rest in the creek Umpqua Reser- manded a fight but Coyote cunningly challenged heads while stalking their prey and were renowned arms and attacked the group killing about 13 and bed. The plaque is housed in Silverton's museum vation where him to a red-h- ot rock swallowing contest instead. amongst neighboring tribes for their use of skill- wounding one. Olson says the Elders, women and and hopefully the spirit of the woman warrior is at treaty negotiat- But Coyote cleverly swallowed strawberries while fully trained dogs for tracking and hunting. children fled as the aggressors pursued them to peace. ions began. Grizzly gulped down hot stones that burst his heart. Molalla expertise also extended to fishing salmon the Abiqua Creek. One month later a treaty endorsed by Chiefs Top: The Daughters off the American After much thought Coyote skinned and and steelhead. The cut up tribe developed a tradition both Before dying a warrior's death, "one of the STRIKING AN AGREEMENT Steencoggy, Lattchie, Duggins and Counisnase (12 Revolution mounted this plaque near Grizzly and while scattering his body to the winds of spear and basket fishing. The latter used 10-by-- women defended the group With a bow and WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT Stat. 981, ratified March 8, 1859) ceded Moun- the site off the Battle off the Abiqua. he foretold that the Molalla people "will think all foot baskets vine suspended on poles to catch wounded a soldier in the shoulder," narrates On May 6 and 7, 1851 Indian Affairs (IA) Su- tain Molalla lands to the United States and the band Now it is on display at Silverton the time they are on the hunt. " fish the under waterfalls as they were herded into the Olson. But when the attackers caught up with the perintendent, Anson Dart, secured treaties with the of about 30 Molallas agreed to relocate, along with museum. Much has transpired amongst this nation of good baskets with brush fences or by throwing stones. band at the river, she says "they realized what they Northern Molallas (10 Stat. 1143, ratified March the Kalapuya and Upper Umpqua Tribes, to the men and thinking hunters since their emergence The Molalla emphasis on hunting skills was also had done so and were ashamed that they rode 3, 1855) at Champoeg, Oregon as part of a U.S. Grand Ronde Valley. Bottom: A recent photo off Abiqua from the land where Grizzly's heart was sown; to embodied in competitive target practice games such off leaving the women to care for campaign to acquire the entire Willamette Valley. Some Molalla Indians, unhappy with their new Creek. a mid-19t- h century treaty the U.S. govern- with as Kakalinpasa where the object was to hit a roll- the wounded." The original intent was to relocate all Native tribes life on the reservation, tried to return to their tra- ment; and their relocation to a reservation in the ing wheel maple and of bark grass with an arrow. east of the Cascade Mountains but Molalla peoples, ditional lands near the Molalla River only to find ing bread in spite of her near blindness in old Grand Ronde Valley. Like a number of other traditional Molalla like many other Western Oregon nations, refused the landscape so changed by the fences and ploughs age. But what Harrison says she remembers most By the time Stephen Lambert Pasis Savage was games, Kakalinpasa involved with betting to move so far from their traditional homelands. of white farmers that they could no longer call it about her name sake was how she made her feel as serving as Grand Ronde legislative representative stakes as Quai-eck-et- Yal-uk- such money, skins or slaves, The treaty shows that Chiefs e, us home. a young girl. in 1876, the Northern, Upper or Valley Molallas, according to Savage. (Yelkis) and Crooked Finger signed on be- On April 3, 1950 the Court of Claims awarded "She was so interested in us kids. When we as the band is intermittently called, had winter vil- half of the Molalla River band and the Southern Molallas $34,996.85 for reservation would visit her, we used to have to line up so she lages from their legendary birthplace near Mount THE ARRIVAL WHITE OF SETTLERS ta Chief Coast-n- o signed for the 65 members of the lands the 1855 treaty mandated they would share could feel our faces because she couldn't see us," Hood to present day Oregon City and just east of By the mid-180- Molalla the tradition of Santiam River. These were two of six treaties with the Umpqua. The amount was awarded, but recalls Harrison. "She always made us feel kind Salem to the foot of Mount Jefferson. hunting and fishing became seriously threat- signed at Champoeg that comprise 19 pacts initi- the Molallas only lived there for two months be- of special. It gives you a lot of During the warmer months, these mostly no- ened by encroaching white settlers and it iivi ated by the U.S. government with Willamette Val- fore being removed to Grand Ronde. In addition to living links to Molalla history and madic people left their mud, cedar and hemlock would be long not before their very lifestyle ley Tribes that year. Four years and a new IA tradition in Grand Ronde and throughout the North- bark homes to freely roam parts of the Willamette was siege. under As more pioneers pushed superintendent later, Congress finally acknowl- MOLALLA COUNTRY TODAY west, there are also a number of historical points Valley. Like their neighbors to the north, the Up- westward, Native hunting grounds began edged the agreements. Despite a May 1955 federal register showing that of interest. Some of these include the McLaughlin per Chinook, the Upper Molalla used dugout ca- shrinking ! "r yA causing Indiansettler tensions to However, Congress was quick to recognize and 141 of the 882 members then enrolled in the Con- Museum in Oregon City which houses a few items noes and were also using horses by the 1800s.