Rodgers Brings Proud Heritage To City Council Dozens Of Native Americans Attend Ceremony As Neighborhood Activist Joins Council

Members of Spokane’s Native American community rejoiced Friday when Cherie Rodgers was sworn in as a Spokane City Council member.

“This is a special tribute to Native Americans, who often call themselves the invisible people,” said Buzz Desjarlais, chairman of The Native Project.

Rodgers, who is one-eighth Blackfeet Indian, was appointed to the council last week to fill Chris Anderson’s vacant seat.

At least 100 people - nearly half of them Native Americans - attended the swearing-in ceremony at City Hall.

Vaughn Lodge sang an honor song to Rodgers while beating on his hand drum. Desjarlais presented her with sweetgrass, symbolic of blessing someone “with good spirits,” he said.

Toni Lodge, director of The Native Project, hailed Rodgers’ appointment as a rare step toward inclusion of Native Americans in local government.

“I think we’ll be treated with more consciousness by city government,” Lodge said. “We’re like the silent, invisible minority.

“We’re so happy.”

While city records don’t track council members’ heritages, several past and present officials think Rodgers may be the first person of Native American descent to sit on the council dais.

Former Councilman Bob Dellwo, a tribal attorney, said he’s known every council person since he opened his practice in 1948.

“I can’t remember anyone that had any Indian blood,” Dellwo said. “I would say she’s the first.”

Rodgers was born and raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana, as were her father, her grandmother and great-grandmother before her.

Her father, Earl Barlow, a Native American educator, watched tearfully as his daughter took the oath.

Rodgers said when news of her appointment reached the Native American community, she was flooded with congratulations.

“I just told them I wished I was more (Native American),” Rodgers said. “This shouldn’t be such a rare thing.

“I represent all of Spokane, but I’m extremely proud of being Native American.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo