Confluence Story Gathering Collection

Confluence Story Gathering Collection

A collection of interview excerpts with indigenous elders and leaders from along the Columbia River system.

First-person story telling has a unique power to deepen our understanding of the histories, cultures and environment that surrounds us. Confluence Story Gatherings are welcoming forums that feature the stories of native elders, told in their own voices, as a way to explore the interconnectedness of people and places of the Columbia River system. Confluence Story Gatherings are story-driven discussions using these interview excerpts to frame a thoughtful discussion by a panel of native thinkers, writers and leaders before a live audience.

Items in Collection: 

Virginia Beavert - Celilo Falls and Fishing

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Lands
Summary
Virginia Beavert talks about the pain that people must have felt when Celilo Falls was flooded and how it changed fishing along the river.

Virginia Beavert - Tommy Thompson and Celilo

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Lands
Summary
Virginia Beavert imagines what Tommy Thompson might have felt watching the flooding of Celilo Falls and describes her own feelings of sadness about the disappearance of the falls.

Virginia Beavert - Young People

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Lifeways
Summary
Virginia Beavert describes her optimism about young native people returning to their cultural roots.

Virginia Beavert - River People

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Natural Resources, Religion
Summary
Virginia Beavert talks about how the river is experienced by indigenous people of the Columbia River. It was created for them but requires them to take care of it for their survival.

Virginia Beavert Speaks to Confluence in Ichishkíin Sɨ́nwit

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Language
Summary
Virginia Beavert speaks in Ichiiskin about Confluence and the importance of education.

Virginia Beavert - Treaties

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Government to Government Relations, Language, Wars/Military/Conflict
Summary
Virginia Beavert talks about her activism with regards to treaty fishing rights, and how her ability to speak multiple languages helped her translate for people who were arrested for "illegal" fishing.

Tanna Engdahl - Grandmother's Confession (Excerpt 1)

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Religion
Summary
Tanna Engdahl tells a story about her grandmother participating in the Catholic sacrament of Confession.

Tanna Engdahl - Preserving Culture (Excerpt 3)

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Economy/Economic Development, Education, Government to Government Relations, Lifeways
Summary
Tanna Engdahl explains how by adopting written languages the Cowlitz were able to keep records that allowed them to preserve elements of their culture and use that ability in the fight for federal recognition.

Tanna Engdahl - Standing up to Discrimination (Excerpt 2)

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Lifeways
Summary
Tanna Engdahl tells a story about her grandmother's strength when they encountered discrimination in a restaurant when she was young.

Tanna Engdahl - Traditional Knowledge (Excerpt 4)

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Lands, Natural Resources
Summary
Tanna Engdahl explains the Cowlitz scientific understanding of water and the skies as well as the land.

Tanna Engdahl - Adapting to New Technology (Excerpt 5)

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Education, Government to Government Relations, Lifeways
Summary
Tanna Engdahl talks about the Cowlitz strengths in adopting new technologies from foreigners.

Wilfred and Bessie Scott - Night Raids

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Natural Resources, Wars/Military/Conflict
Summary
Wilfred Scott tells a story about waking up to law enforcement officials looking to arrest "Jess Greene" during the raids to arrest people for "illegal" fishing activities.

Mike Iyall - Impacts of Disease

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Lifeways
Summary
Mike Iyall laments the loss of language, arts and culture that occured from the impact of disease on the Cowlitz people.

Mike Iyall - History of Loss

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Artistry and Artifacts, Lifeways
Summary
Mike Iyall of the Cowlitz Tribe shares some history that describes the scope of destruction to the tribes by disease.

Mike Iyall - Being Cowlitz

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Lifeways
Summary
Mike Iyall answers the quesiton: "What is it like for you to be Cowlitz?"

Mike Iyall - Trade

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Economy/Economic Development
Summary
Mike Iyall talks about the expansive trade reach of the Cowlitz people.

Mike Iyall - Cowlitz Marriage Traditions

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Lifeways
Summary
Mike Iyall of the Cowlitz Tribe describes cultural marriage traditions and taboos.

Aurelia Stacona - Falling into Celilo Falls

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Lifeways
Summary
Aurelia tells the harrowing story of falling into the river at Celilo Falls.

Aurelia Stacona - Wyam

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Lifeways
Summary
Aurelia describes her connection to Celilo Falls and what it means to be Wyam. She describes the continuity of culture along the river.

Bobbie Conner - Divide and Conquer

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Lands
Summary
Bobbie Conner explains the consequences of divide and conquer tactics used against people who are closely connected along the river.

Bobbie Conner - Treaty Impacts and Property Rights [extended version]

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Government to Government Relations
Summary
Bobbie Connner describes the multiple impacts on indigenous cultures of dividing people into tribal nations, including forced changes to land ownership and segregation into boarding schools.

Bobbie Conner - Treaty Impacts and Property Rights [short version]

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Government to Government Relations
Summary
Bobbie Connner describes the multiple impacts on indigenous cultures of dividing people into tribal nations, including forced changes to land ownership and segregation into boarding schools.

Greg Archuleta - Fishing and Federal Restrictions

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Government to Government Relations
Summary
Greg Archuleta describes efforts to keep indigenous people from fishing at Willamette Falls. Fisheries were strategically placed to deter families from fishing at the falls.

Greg Archuleta - Adapting to Cultural Loss

Digital Heritage
Community
Confluence
Category
Lifeways
Summary
Greg Archuleta shares concerns about the threat of losing cultural knowledge. He describes how The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde have adapted and brought traditional practices into modern uses.