Celebrating Indigenous People’s Day in the Gorge
Bronsco Jim Jr. (BJ) the Chief of the Rock Creek Band (Yakama Nation) leads dancers around the field at Goldendale Community Days 2022.
By Cole Goodwin
Hood River, OR- The City of Hood River offices was closed today, October 10th, 2022 in observance of Indigenous People’s Day.
For the past six years, the City of Hood River has officially observed Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day, joining a growing movement to honor Indigenous communities and to commemorate their history, culture and resiliency.
In 2021 Oregon officially began celebrating Indigenous People’s Day, making it one of 14 states in the nation to do so.
In 2021, President Biden officially recognized holiday saying, “We must never forget the centuries-long campaign of violence, displacement, assimilation, and terror wrought upon Native communities and Tribal Nations throughout our country. Today, we acknowledge the significant sacrifices made by Native peoples to this country — and recognize their many ongoing contributions to our Nation.”
How to Celebrate Indigenous People’s Day
Attend an event.
Attend an event hosted by a group of Native Americans or a Native American organization. CCCNews looked around online for events happening locally we weren’t able to find any in time for this story. But regardless of whether it’s Indigenous People’s day or any other day, attending events and exhibits where you can learn more about Indigenous culture in your area from individuals who are actively engaging in their culture, such as the exhibits shown at the 2022 Goldendale Community Days is invaluable.
“A lot of people don’t know that there are Native people here and that our culture is very alive,” said Bronsco Jim Jr. (BJ) the Chief of the Rock Creek Band at the 2022 Goldendale Community Days.
Bronsco Jim Jr. (BJ) the Chief of the Rock Creek Band (Yakama Nation) shared the history of his family at the 2022 Goldendale Community Days.
Jim spoke of his families history and the resilience of local Indigenous families.
“The people were moved from the mouth of Rock Creek when the John Day Dam was completed, they told the Indians you have to move or you’ll be flooded. The other part was from Pine Creek, after Pearl Harbor took place, the military came in and told the Indians the George family and the Jim family, you have to get out. We’re going to use this canyon for war plan target practice. So my father’s family and the George family had to get out of Pine Creek canyon for that purpose. I do not know if any of you know that, but this is the displacement that took place. But we’re still here. And we’re still resilient and we’re still alive.”
Mariah Slickpoo, of the Rock Creek Band dressed in traditional regalia shared her families history and culture with the community at the 2022 Goldendale Community Days. Photo Credit: Cole Goodwin
Support local
Support Indigenous artisans, organizations, businesses, and nonprofits. Learn more about how you can be of assistance to Indigenous peoples in your community and support their efforts.
Nch’iwana Housing is an emerging non-profit focusing on housing and community development for native people living on and near the Columbia River area.
Nak-Nu-We-Sha is a program of the Yakama Nation that works to prevent the disintegration of native families through early intervention and remediation services.
Columbia Gorge Education Service District Title VQ/JOM Indian Education Program provides supplemental educational and supportive services to eligible Title VI/JOM students residing in school districts in Wasco and Hood River counties.
In September the Johnson O’Malley (JOM) Indian Parent committee partnered with Columbia Gorge Educational Service District's Native Education program and The Next Door, Inc.’s (TNDI) Native Supports program to offer a Native American Youth Culture Camp, which was free for youth in the Columbia River Gorge. JOM worked to build cultural youth activities and connections with youth throughout the school year and was thrilled to offer this camp to the community. Throughout the two weeks, activities like sewing, drumming, singing and dancing helped empower youth to feel comfortable to join in their closing activity Mini Powwow. Read more here.
Learn what tribes traditional lands you live on.
Click here to be taken to the interactive map.
Unlearn colonial narratives and myths about Christopher Columbus.
Read this article from Vox.
Read and listen to histories told from Indigenous perspectives.
Many of the history books tell the story of the nation from the viewpoint of the colonizer, and as a result, paints history from a certain perspective. However, as with most things, there is usually more than one side of the story.
Most people know that the dominate culture in United States of America is one built upon the foundation of colonialism in which one country violently invaded and took control over the Indigenous people’s resources, land, and governance. In this process, entire cultures and societies were invalidated, displaced, systematically dismantled, enslaved and destroyed.
However it’s also important to remember that all of this happened only a few generations ago, and many families here in the Gorge are still experiencing the impacts of the nation’s colonial roots and the resulting ongoing systemic issues rooted in racism, white supremacy, and colonialism. Colonial problems haven’t gone away, and in fact still exist to this very day. These systemic issues have lead to a lack of housing, poverty, lack of clean running water, and diminished supportive family networks.
Learn more about LANDBACK.
LANDBACK is a movement that has existed for generations with a long legacy of organizing and sacrifice to get Indigenous Lands back into Indigenous hands.
Read or listen to indigenous storytellers
Storytelling is an ancient human tradition, that spawns connection, the passing of wisdom and collective witnessing. So, what better way to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day than to listen to their stories?
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Ten Little Indians, Thunder Boy Jr, War Dances, Flight, Blasphemy: New and Selected Stories, Reservation Blues, The Toughest Indian in the World, You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me, by Sherman Alexie, of the Salish Indians.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Children’s Fiction, Literature, Short Stories, Essays, and Poetry
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation
Genre: Indigneous teachings and plant ecology meet.
How We Become Human, by U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation
Genre: Poetry.
Heart Berries, by New York Times bestseller, Terese Marie Mailhot of the Seabird Island Band
Genre: Memoir, Coming of age
Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse of the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo
Genre: Urban fantasy meets the rez.
Host a movie screening.
Invite friends and family to gather round and watch content created by, for, and in partnership with Indigenous peoples. Click the following links to view trailers for each film.
Reservation Dogs, From Co-Creators and Executive Producers Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, Reservation Dogs is a half-hour comedy that follows the exploits of four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma who steal, rob and save in order to get to the exotic, mysterious and faraway land of California.
Smoke Signals is recognized as one of the first films directed, written, and acted by Indigenous people to receive widespread acclaim in the United States.
Wildhood tells the story of Link (Phillip Lewitski), a Two-Spirit teen — defined as “a [Indigenous] person who identifies as having both a masculine and a feminine spirit,” which can relate to sexual, gender, and/or spiritual identity.
Mohawk Girls is a dramatic comedy about four Mohawk women trying to find their place in the world and, of course, trying to find love. But in the small world of the rez, where you or your friends have already dated everyone else or the hot new guy turns out to be your cousin, it ain’t that simple.
Awake: A Dream From Standing Rock.
In Their Element, this film spotlights Indigenous leaders addressing the climate change crisis.
Gather, learn about traditional food gathering.
Decolonize Mental Health, Drs. Dan and Rebecca Crawford Foster believe no identity of self can exist without a social context. They embrace Native belief in the relational circle to help people heal so they can be part of a joyful community bond.
There’s Heart Here, Roller derby champion. Activist. Cyclist. Follow three indigenous members of the Two Spirit and LGBTQ community as they journey toward self-acceptance, supportive healthcare, and communities that celebrate them.
And above all: show love, gratitude, and appreciation to your Indigenous friends, family, coworkers and neighbors. (And if you don’t know anyone who is Indigenous, ask yourself why that is, and see what wisdom springs fourth.)
A picture of local Indigenous people from the Rock Creek Band, sharing their culture with the community at Goldendale Community Days 2022 Photo Credit: Cole Goodwin
