On Thursday, June 6th, members of the CTUIR (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation) General Council presented the Athena-Weston School District with a special gift. At a ceremony at Weston-McEwen High School (WMHS), the tribal members presented and helped raise the CTUIR flag on the flagpole at the school. That flag and four other flags given by CTUIR will be flown at AWSD’s three schools and in their two gyms.
Alan Crawford, CTUIR General Council Chairman, spoke briefly at the presentation, saying that the flag is a reminder that all of the region is CTUIR homeland and that it’s important for the tribes to remember and practice their culture, heritage and traditions. “We hope raising this flag serves as a symbol of recognition for the future of the schools and students here and to promote education for all,” Crawford said.
General Council Secretary Martina Gordan explained some of the symbols on the red CTUIR flag, including the horse hooves showing the tribes were horse people, symbols of warriors, courage, protection and spiritual connection, as well as the three different horses that represent the three tribes – Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla. The flag raised at the high school previously traveled to Afghanistan with a National Guard unit.
The flag ceremony also included a welcome song and a prayer song offered by tribal members. The event was a project this year of the newly formed Atina Club at WMHS. The club was founded in 2023 to offer students the opportunity to celebrate their Indigenous heritage or learn more about the area’s Native American culture. Members engage in cultural activities such as feasts, powwows, educational trips and more throughout the school year. This year, club members participated in numerous cultural activities including making ribbon skirts and shirts, hosting a Pow Wow for the Athena-Weston School District, encouraging school participation with Indigenous Week activities and hosting an Earth Day locker-decorating contest.
Manaia, a sophomore at the high school and a member of the Atina Club, said she knew it would be a big deal to have the flag raising event, but once it actually came through it was like, “Whoa, this actually just happened, and now our flag is flying at our school. It’s a great cultural advancement for the school and representation of the tribes.”
Addison, a junior and member of the Atina Club. said she wasn’t sure what to expect from the club at first but is has been cool and fun. She really enjoyed making the ribbon skirts and the basketweaving the group did together. “I think it’s a really great club for all of our Native students to get together and maybe learn some new things,” Addison said.
Amanda Stewart is the Atina Club advisor. She said the club serves as a bridge for students, educators and the community to learn about and celebrate Native American cultures. “We proudly honor the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation by raising their standard at our schools as a reflection of our partnership.”
