Eighty Native American students and leaders in the community left the Many Nations Longhouse on Nov. 3, 2014 at the University of Oregon and walked en masse to the Erb Memorial Union.
They carried nine flags with them, each representing one of the confederated tribes in Oregon. Youth and elders from the same tribes then raised each of them at the EMU Amphitheater.
This was a culmination of two and a half years of cross-cultural collaboration on the part of students and leaders in UO’s Native American community, but it started with one class.
The Nine Flags Project started in a winter 2012 business leadership and communication class run by senior business instructor Ron Bramhall.
“I loved the project because it was so different,” said Bramhall.
The project has addressed sentiments felt by many about the lack of representation and acknowledgement of Native Americans on campus, according to Dr. Jason Younkers, tribal liaison at UO.
“Especially for tribal youth that come to campus, it’s very difficult to find someone who looks like you,” Younkers said. “You feel lonely, you try to adjust from the difference in the community you came from. To see that UO recognizes their tribe on campus is very empowering. It’s very supportive.”
In fall 2013, there were 147 Native American students on campus, out of about 24,500 total students.
Orion Falvey was one of those students in Bramhall’s class, and the project he would lead began as an assignment: Create a proposal for what the ASUO should do with its excess money to enhance culture on campus.
“I had the idea to enhance Native American culture on campus because of my upbringing in Alaska,” said Falvey, who became a lead project manager.
Falvey quickly recruited Gordon Bettles, director of Native American Initiatives and steward of the Many Nations Longhouse at UO.
Inspired by the flag project in Salem, Oregon that recognized all nine sovereign tribes in Oregon, Bettles thought UO’s could be a double project that would bring recognition to all nine tribes at the university. Bettles got involved in the project as the advisor to the group.
After some research, they discovered that the project was too expensive and needed additional funding from ASUO. The group began lobbying in order to gain support to request extra finances.
They received support from groups such as the Native American Student Union, the Native American Law School Student Association and the Native American Advisory Council. Additionally, the President’s office and the Museum of Cultural History made financial contributions.
Bettles contacted all nine tribes and gained their support. After this, Falvey went to the Commission of Indian Services in Salem and earned unanimous state support. The ASUO approved the project and gave them a beginning budget of $23,000.
Falvey said one of the biggest obstacles was convincing ASUO to put the flags at the center of campus, outside the EMU.
“If the flags would have gone over by the Longhouse, it would have been great,” he said. “But, for the other 20,000 visitors to campus every day, they wouldn’t know about it. They wouldn’t learn about the local people and the cultures.”
After two years and nine months of work, the flags were raised in the ceremony on Nov. 3, making the UO the first university in the Pac-12 to have flags representing the states’ native tribes on campus.
“It’s just amazing,” said Younker. “To think that this could happen is almost an impossible dream.”
Bettles said that the flags symbolize to their ancestors that Native Americans are still here.
“We are here, and we will always be here,” Bettles said.
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
Information from Sally Switzler, director of Culture and Heritage for the Warm Springs tribe.
-Blue represents the “Great Spirit Land,” the way of survival of the tribes.
-Green represents the reservation standing “as long as the grass grows.”
-The teepees represent the tribe’s old way of life: “Rejoicing, singing, dancing and happy celebrations,” Switzler said.
-The round war shields represent the secret circle of life, gift of life and rebirth of life.
-The three stars represent the confederated tribes — the Warm Springs, the Wasco and the Paiute.
-Mount Jefferson in the background represents Mother Earth and Indian land.
-1855 on the flag is the year of treaty with the U.S. government.
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation
Information provided by Leo Stewart, vice-chair of the Umatilla Board of Trustees.
-The stripe along the bottom is akin to beads on chiefs’ blankets that are carried or worn by horses or tribe leaders.
-The butterfly design / hourglass represents the people of the Umatilla Reservation.
-The cross represents a star, or the cardinal directions, or the four elements.
-The small ovals represent the tribe’s lodges.
-Red symbolizes sacrifice and bloodshed.
Confederated Tribes of Grande Ronde
Information provided by Grande Ronde Public Affairs.
-The spirit mountain at the center has been a cultural site for the Confederated Tribes of Grande Ronde since before the reservation was settled.
-The five feathers represent the principal tribes of the reservations who signed seven ratified treaties: Chasta, Kalapuya, Molalla, Rogue River and Umpqua. More than 30 tribes and bands were moved to the reservation between 1855-1875.
Confederated Tribes of Coos and Lower Umpqua
Information provided by Bob Garcia, chair of the Confederated Tribes.
-When the tribes were terminated in 1954 by Harry Truman’s Termination Act, old flags and shields were mostly forgotten. This new flag is an amalgamation of “clip art, essentially”–a product of the people who were involved in the restoration putting the things they felt were most important to the tribe.
-The seals and salmon are vital food sources and cultural symbols.
-The salmon is a centerpiece because of the celebrated symbiotic relationship between the Coos and Lower Umpqua and the “salmon people.”
-Beavers and elk on either side are regularly featured in tribal stories.
Siletz Tribe
Information provided by Delores Pigsley, tribal chair of the Siletz.
-Flag depicts the local area of the Siletz tribe.
-Euchre Mountain, in the background, is a local landmark. The river in the front is the Siletz River.
-The trees were the only source of income for the Siletz tribe when it was restored in 1977. The tribe had nothing at the time, but in 1980 it was given forested land for economic development and in 1982 the tribe made its first timber sale. The tribe has purchased land since, but still has a timber harvest once a year.
Cow Creek Tribe of Umpqua Indians
Information provided by Donna Fields, administrative assistant for the Cow Creek Tribe of Umpqua Indians.
-The eagle represents power, strength and spirituality.
-The mountain represents lands which help sustain people.
-The huckleberries represent an important food and are also used to gather families.
-The years 1853 and 1982 represent when the treaty was originally signed and when the tribe was again federally recognized by the U.S. government.
Coquille Indian Tribe
Information provided by Denni Hockema, anthropologist for the Coquille Indian Tribe.
-The Western Cedar Tree represents what is used for clothes, baskets and houses.
-The rock represents the sacred “Grandmother Rock.”
-The plank house represents where members of the tribe used to live.
-The leister spear is used for salmon fishing.
Klamath Tribe
Information provided by Gordon Bettles.
-The round shape represents the belief that things come full circle.
-The three tribes, the Klamath, the Modoc and the Yahooskin represent a shared land base.
-The trees represent shelter, heat and medicine.
– The quail bird represents family.
-The basket with the quail design represents all families, strength and survival through change.
Burns Piaute Tribe
Information provided by Gordon Bettles.
-The bow and arrow represents surviving and hunting by using what’s available.
-The peace pipe represents harmony and agreements and is also used for medicine.
-The headdress represents leaders in the tribe.