Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde are hosting more than 1000 guests at a powwow and banquet Friday. The tribe is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its restoration.

That's the  the moment when the U.S. government officially re-recognized the tribe and gave it reservation land near Salem. From Grand Ronde, Ethan Lindsey reports.

I bet you didn’t know this: Spirit Mountain Casino is Oregon’s number one tourist destination.

Nearly three million visitors lose close to $100 million every year playing slot machines, blackjack, and bingo at the casino -- on the Grand Ronde tribal reservation.

But drive just two miles north to the reservation’s government headquarters, and a completely different Grande Ronde emerges.

Wink Soderberg

Twenty-five years ago, the U.S. government ‘restored’ the rights to the 5000 member tribe. And this weekend a thousand friends and family will return to the reservation for a concert, banquet, and powwow.

Wink Soderberg is an elder, and one of 9 tribal councilmembers – the governing council for the the Grand Ronde.

Soderberg says the drive from the casino brings back 25 years – and more – of memories.

Wink Soderberg: “When we first started, we had just a cemetery, a couple of acres, and that little out building over there. To see what we have now, it’s really been a transformation.”

And what came out of that little tool shed, in the middle of a 2.5 acre plot of land and a cemetery?

First the casino – and from that, a tribal government, with a $125 million budget, a health clinic, a school system, and a functioning government.

Chris Mercier also sits on the tribal council.

Chris Mercier: “I do wonder sometimes if this what they anticipated. I don’t really know what, nationally, the sense was of Indian gaming back in the late 70s and early 80s. Because the introduction of gaming has been one of the defining moments for modern day tribes, because it has given them the resources to do all these other things.”

Congress passed the Western Oregon Indian Termination Act in 1954, eliminating recognition of the Grand Ronde, Cowlitz, and Siletz tribe among others.

Six Oregon tribes have been restored, and each has opened a casino to provide funding.

The Grande Ronde's Spirit Mountain  has been the most successful.

In addition to funding its schools and health programs, the tribe has spent money on trying to restore salmon to local rivers.

Kelly Dirksen, left, and assistants

Kelly Dirksen is the fish and wildlife program manager for the Grand Ronde.

He says the tribe designed a brand-new, multi-million-dollar fish passage on a nearby stream, which is helping salmon swim back through the reservation.

Ethan Lindsey: "So this is a good sign that this fish is here?"

Kelly Dirksen: “Yeah it’s a good sign. But he’s looking a little tired, I would guess he’s already spawned out, and he came 230 miles to get to this spot, but his journey and his path is pretty much done.”

And Dirksen says the tribe’s restoration, and subsequent casino money, was critical to this salmon restoration.

Kelly Dirksen: “Initially this land was in the possession of the bureau of land management. And so when the tribe was restored, we didn’t know much about it. 26 mile of stream is open that weren’t open before. It is a connection to the land that is important and has been talked about for ages.”

But the future of all this is by no means assured.

Spirit Mountain Casino

Oregon tribes, including the Grand Ronde, have long been worried about depending entirely on gambling money. Many tribes have looked at diversifying into other industries.

Tribal council member Chris Mercier says today’s recession has proved those concerns are founded.

For instance, the Coquille Tribe in North Bend cut 30 jobs at its Mill Casino.

For the first time since the Spirit Mountain casino opened 13 years ago, it's seen a sustained dip in gaming revenue.

Chris Mercier: “From the tribe’s point of view, gaming has solved a lot of problems, but it has also created some problems as well. They are like these one-trick ponies, they are these entities that base everything on gaming. I am worried that tribes will come to be viewed as that, they’ll think of that, they won’t think of this reservation that’s really poor, high unemployment, high alcoholism, meth problems, poor educational facilities. That is something I worry about.”

At an all staff meeting this week ahead of the restoration celebration, tribal members opened the ceremony with a traditional drum song.

Over 300 staff members gathered in a brand new gym. Tribal council reflected on  how far they’ve come – and reminded those gathered about the restoration powwow and other events.

But, afterwards the tribe’s accountant laid out the finances, and noted the recession and the dip in revenues.

Tribal council members assured everyone there would be no layoffs, but the tone was somber.