by Hood River Latino Network and Gorge Resisters
We are not surprised but deeply disappointed in the options listed for this mural fest from The Dalles. We continue to witness a deep lack of respect and acknowledgment for the land we occupy and the communities we build here in the Columbia River Gorge. The real folks who live, work and love here include thousands of women…. Particularly of Indigenous, Latinx, Chinese, Black and Japanese heritage, many of whom are also immigrants. Yet we see a glaring lack of representation of the people of this land, of the people who birthed and built our communities, during a festival made to honor the exact people who continue to be blatantly ignored.
We will only be able to make changes when we are honest with ourselves about who has been left out, ignored, silenced… and the very real effects these actions have on people and our communities over the years. Let’s look at Colonel Wright Elementary School for example.
Colonel George Wright was hired specifically to come to this area and slaughter the people who are truly native to these lands. Specifically the Yakima and Palouse, as well as the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene tribes.
His was a mission to “punish those who dared to kill white people” in battles over land that was rightfully Native land. When these people surrendered to avoid further conflict, they were tortured and murdered anyway by this Colonel. Yet, one of our elementary schools still bears his name and genocidal legacy.
The history of this area we call home is not centered around white men in reality, although this selection of murals certainly continues to represent these falsehoods. We would like to ask that this list be tossed and a new committee formed to choose selections representative of ALL of our communities here along the beautiful lands of the Wasco, Wishram and many others who called this place home for thousands of years.
Let us include stories of incredible people who nurtured and farmed theses lands, as well as those who were forcibly removed from their homes, separated from their families and had their lives changed forever at the hands of our very own people.
We would like to see our rich agricultural legacy honored, our beautiful community of migrants and immigrants recognized, our lgbtq+ friends who have built families, businesses and community (we are many!) appreciated and respected.
Our community wants to see women who fostered children, who opened medical clinics, who healed our sick, built our homes and fought for these lands be valued and painted on walls for generations to come.
Let us move from the mentality of honoring those who stole this land and caused harm to many, to a conversation about the true history of where we live, what has passed and who has kept it going throughout all of the challenges and changes.