By CHRIS AADLAND
MISSION – Dozens of community members gathered Monday morning to recognize the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) holiday recognizing the tribal flag.
The annual event – the only holiday the tribe recognizes that isn’t shared by anyone else – was held outside Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center this year. About 70 attendees heard remarks about the significance of the flag to the CTUIR and witnessed a procession that was opened and closed by the big drum to mark the 14th year the day has been observed.
While the ceremony is typically held outside of the Nixyaawíí Governance Center, Yellowhawk CEO Aaron Hines said during opening remarks that this year’s recognition outside of Yellowhawk was to reinforce that the flag represents all tribal entities.
General Council Vice Chairman Michael Ray Johnson provided a dedication for the flag, while tribal member Jeanine Gordon gave the main address.
Gordon, who leads Native American outreach efforts at Whitman College, spoke about and how the design reflects CTUIR culture and history and serves as a “beacon of determination and hope for our future,” and is displayed across the country in local, state, federal offices and at colleges – including Whitman.
“It reminds us that we are a strong people and that we persevered. It reminds us that we have endured and thrived in the face of adversity,” she told attendees. “The CTUIR flag is more than a piece of cloth; it is a living testament to our identity, our unity and our resilience.”
CTUIR military veterans led a procession and posting of the colors – raising a new flag and retiring the old one flying outside Yellowhawk.
The retired flag is presented every year to a CTUIR tribal member for exceptional service to the tribe. This year, it was given to former General Council Chair Alvina Huestes.
The CTUIR flag was adopted by the General Council in May 2001 and by the Board of Trustees on May 20, 2002. The CTUIR Board of Trustees designated May 20 as Flag Day in 2010.
