[OR_Archaeology] GRAND RONDE HOSTS NEW KALAPUYAN EXHIBIT

[Susan White]

GRAND RONDE HOSTS NEW KALAPUYAN EXHIBIT

A free traveling exhibit that chronicles the lives and culture of Native Americans living in the Willamette Valley is now on display at the Spirit Mountain Casino in Grand Ronde. The exhibit, "This Kalapuya Land," was produced by the Washington County Museum and will be on display through Sept. 5.

 *The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde are pleased to host this exhibit at Spirit Mountain Casino,* said Tribal Council Chairman Chris Mercier. *We are even more pleased that it has traveled throughout our ceded homelands, bringing a glimpse of our history and culture to our
neighbors.* Spirit Mountain Community Fund, a charitable foundation of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, is the exhibit*s major sponsor. Other supporters include the Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon Cultural Trust, PGE Foundation, Juan Young Trust, Trust Management Services, Stimson-Miller Foundation, U-Haul of Hillsboro, and the Washington County Arts, Heritage and Humanities Coalition. The Oregon Heritage Commission also helped fund the project.

Washington County Museum worked closely with Grand Ronde*s Cultural Resources Department to ensure the accuracy of the panels.  The museum hopes that the exhibit will help to educate people about the diverse cultures that have existed in Western Oregon since before Euro-American settlement and continue to thrive today. The traveling exhibit, which the museum expects more than one million people will see as it travels to libraries, universities, malls and other public venues, includes 16 panels that detail aspects of Kalapuyan life including food, clothing, housing and trading practices. Visitors will also learn how treaties with the U.S. government and removal of the tribes to the Grand Ronde Reservation affected traditional Kalapuyan lifestyles. 

Spirit Mountain Casino is located 1/4 mile past the Valley Junction on Highway 18 in Grand Ronde.