Willamette Falls. Courtesy Oreg. Hist. Soc. Research Library, OrHi96754

Tribes of the Pacific

Northwest

This collection of resources includes information about Native American communities in the Pacific Northwest, historically and in the present day.

Guiding Questions:

How have social, political, and historical events impacted Native American communities in the Pacific Northwest, both in the past and in the present?
How have Native American individuals and tribes continued to preserve, adapt, and celebrate their heritage and identities despite the challenges they've faced?

Place Matters: The History of Native Americans in West Linn

Our Connection to Willamette Falls - Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde

A brief video from the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde illustrating the important role of Willamette Falls both historically and in the present. This video includes interviews with several tribal members as well as footage of the falls.

While viewing this, consider: How has the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde preserved their traditions and heritage at Willamette Falls?

Important Wildlife and Plant Species by Habitat Type: A Resource for Willamette Valley Farms - Oregon State University

This index of local plants and animals, curated by the horticulture department of Oregon State university, provides an overview of plants and animals native to our geographic region. Explore this index to gain a better understanding of the landscape and food sources historically present throughout Oregon, and that Native American tribes lived with before the industrialization of the region.

While reading this, consider: What insights do these local plants and animals provide about the Native American tribes that have lived in Oregon for centuries?

Willamette Valley Treaties - Oregon Encyclopedia

This secondary source explores the series of treaties signed between the United States and multiple Native American tribes living in Oregon during the 1840s and 1850s. It describes Native American's presence in Oregon before these treaties, shows how the treaties were forged and agreed upon, and explores the impact of these treaties on Native American tribes and individuals up to the present.

While reading this, consider: What do these treaties reflect about what these parties (the Native American tribes and the United States government) valued and believed in the 1840s and 1850s?

Drayton, Joseph (1841). Courtesy Oreg. Hist. Soc. Research Library, OrHi 46193

"Tribal fishermen return to Willamette Falls" (2019). https://www.smokesignals.org/articles/2019/06/04/tribal-fishermen-return-to-willamette-falls/

Language & Culture

Stories from the River: Language The Confluence Project

This documentary short video includes six Native Americans from the Columbia River basin area talking about their indigenous languages and share their efforts to preserve them. They share the important role that these languages play in the preservation of their cultures.

While watching this, consider: Why is language an important part of a culture? What is lost if a language disappears?

Elizabeth Woody - Poetry Foundation

Elizabeth Woody is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and a former Oregon Poet Laureate. This short biography provides an overview of her life and a brief introduction to her writing. Woody's poetry provides insight into her connections to the Pacific Northwest and her experiences as a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs. At the bottom of this page, find links to explore some of her most notable poems, including "Home and the Homeless" (1994).

While reading this article and Woody's poetry, consider: What can you learn about a culture from poetry that is different than what you can learn from an informational article?

Boarding Schools

U.S. Indian Boarding School History - The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition

This short article provides a general overview of the history of Native American boarding schools in the United States. This is a good source to begin your exploration of the history of Native American boarding schools and to see the broad context of this topic. Use this as a starting point, and then continue to explore the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition website and the articles below to learn more about the history of Native American boarding schools.

While reading this, consider: How would these boarding schools have impacted the overall health and strength of Native American tribes and communities?

Chemawa Indian School families seek answers, healing through federal investigation - Salem Statesman Journal

This longform journalism article (published in 2021) explores the history and current status of the Chemawa Indian School, which continues to operate to this day in Salem, Oregon. This article provides an in-depth account of the history of this school. Further, it reports on a current federal investigation into the past of this school, the legacy of death and loss there, and the continuing impact that this board school has on the families of students at Chemawa.

While reading this, consider: What can be done now, in the present, to address the wrongs of the past at boarding schools? Is it possible repair the harm caused by these schools, and if so how?

Student Biographies: Forest Grove Indian School - Pacific University

This page tells the stories of six students who were enrolled in the Forest Grove Indian School (the predecessor to the Chemawa Indian School). Each story presents a different background and experience of one of the 310 individuals who went to this school. These biographies pull from historical records, such as letters written by school officials and census information, to reconstruct the stories of the students.

While reading these biographies, consider: What do the stories of these six individuals reveal about the Forest Grove Indian School as a whole?

Contemporary Issues

Rondeau, C. (October 7, 2015). The REDress Project at Acadia University. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REDress_Project.

‘They just didn’t care’: families of missing Native women call out indifferent police - The Guardian

This news article (from 2021) explores the cases of several Native American women who have recently gone missing. These specific cases illustrated the broader issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), which the article explains. Read this article to gain an understanding of the impact each individual case has on a family and community, and for a little bit of broad context for MMIW.

While you're reading, consider: Are there disparities in how organizations (law enforcement, etc.) respond to missing Native American women in comparison to other groups of women?

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls: A snapshot of data from 71 urban cities in the United States - Urban Indian Health Institute

This report compiles a variety of data about missing and murdered indigenous women and girls across the country. It includes some analysis of this data to help illustrate broader trends. While the report is long, it is well-organized into different subjects, so this could be a good source to focus on just a few of the specific sections included if you don't have time to read the whole thing.

While you're reading, consider: What broader trends do the specific data points suggest?

Indigenous activists fight British Columbia’s pipelines to the last mile - Cascade PBS

This news article reports on the Trans Mountain Expansion Project in British Columbia and the work of Indigenous groups in opposition to the pipeline. Specifically, it explores the various reasons that individuals and groups oppose the pipeline and how it will impact them. The article also provides a look at contemporary conflicts surrounding Indigenous land rights and connections to the land that would be disrupted by this pipeline project. Overall, this article provides valuable insight into contemporary conflicts that are arising between Indigenous and Native American tribes and pipeline projects across North America.

While you're reading, consider: What does this conflict reveal about current issues over treaty rights and connections to specific geographic areas?

Tribal fishermen return to Willamette Falls - Smoke Signals

This story reports on contemporary fishing that happens at the Willamette Falls. This recent practice is a continuation of the historical practices of members of the Clackamas and Clo-We-Walla Tribes, who have historically fished for sustenance at the falls. This article discusses some of the modern adaptations made to allow for fishing to continue, as well as some of the details around what this fishing looks like. Read this short article to learn about how our local tribes are maintaining the traditions and cultural practices in the present day.

While you're reading, consider: Why is the practice of fishing (even just the 15 fish that are allowed annually) important?

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