MISSION — It was a quiet, ceremonial changing of the flags.
Outside the Nixyáawii Governance Center on the morning of May 20, Flag Day, the ceremony took place with no fanfare. There were no songs or speeches. The changing of the flags was brief and swift.
Five people gathered for the moment, including Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) General Council Chairman Lindsey X. Watchman, Board of Trustees Trustee Lisa Ganuelas, General Council Vice Chairman Boots Pond and Building Our Life Skills Training & Employment Readiness lead David Wolf.
Together, they lowered and replaced the flags in a simple act of recognition and respect.
Martina Gordon, Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center human resources information systems clerk, accepted the flag on behalf of her niece, Airman Serena Satterwhite, the daughter of tribal member Jeanine Gordon.
Satterwhite serves in the U.S. Air Force as a special missions aviator. She was honored during a Longhouse Ceremony on Jan. 4 and graduated from basic military training on March 5.
On April 29, Satterwhite received the Air Education and Training Command Distinguished Graduate Award in Aircrew Fundamentals after finishing at the top of her class in academic achievement.
Jeanine and her family traveled to attend Satterwhite’s Special Mission Aviator Fundamentals graduation on May 27 at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
During the ceremony, Jeanine said she was able to pin her daughter’s first pair of wings, describing it as “pretty special.”
“My daughter is a descendant of our ancestral warriors and leaders,” Jeanine said. “She’s the sixth great-granddaughter of Chief Piokimoxmox and the seventh great-granddaughter of old Chief Joseph. I guess I just really believe that those grandfathers are very proud of her too, so it’s just really cool.”
While reflecting on the meaning of the flag, Watchman said several years ago, community members and local veterans formally adopted a local Air National Guard unit stationed at the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport before its deployment to Iraq. During the ceremony, they presented the unit with a tribal flag.
“That flag became their beacon of home,” Watchman said. “When they returned from deployment and came back to Tent City, they would see that flag and know they made it home. All the troops made it back.”
Watchman credited the blessings placed on the flag for helping protect the service members during their deployment.
As a veteran, Watchman said he often connects his military service with the history and symbolism of the tribal flag when speaking about his people.
“It represents this small community and our commitment to protecting our people,” he said.
Jeanine said the flag is now at home and will be placed in a keepsake display box with a glass front to preserve it for Satterwhite. She also expressed her gratitude and was honored that CTUIR leadership gave this year’s retired flag to her daughter.
