More Than a Fish: Stories of Salmon and Sovereignty in the Pacific Northwest with Dylan Hedden-Nicely

Jan 7

Written By Columbia Community Connection

From Sense of Place:

By Sarah Fox

Hood River, Ore., Jan. 7, 2026 — Sense of Place begins the new year with More Than A Fish: Stories of Salmon and Sovereignty in the Pacific Northwest with Dylan Hedden-Nicely. The conversation will take place at the Columbia Center for the Arts in Hood River, Oregon, on January 21st. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., and the show begins at 7:00 p.m. A livestream option is available to all ticket holders.

The event takes audience members on a journey that begins with the question: How did salmon become an icon of our region — and why should we care? It will build on the Hear in the Gorge podcast episode, Tribal Fishing in the Pacific Northwest, which features Hedden-Nicely along with local fisherwoman, Terrie Brigham. The podcast episode can be heard at hearinthegorge.com.

In the 1960s and 70s, while the U.S. grappled with civil rights turmoil, the Pacific Northwest saw a unique struggle over tribal fishing rights—with salmon caught in the middle. Activists staged “fish-ins” instead of sit-ins, and the story of Northwest salmon ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

This conversation will explore the long arc of cultural and legal history, beginning with the first tribal fishing rights case before the Supreme Court in 1905, and continuing through multiple returns to the Court leading up to the fish-ins, the landmark decisions that followed, and the present-day effects of this complex history.

Beyond fishing rights—the conversation will explore tribal sovereignty, the enduring role of treaties between the United States and Tribal Nations, and the ways in which salmon and sovereignty continue to shape the natural landscape of the region.

Join us for a conversation with Dylan Hedden-Nicely (Citizen of the Cherokee Nation and Director of the Native American Law Program at the University of Idaho) as we explore how the story of salmon became the story of so much more here in the Pacific Northwest.

About the Speaker:

Dylan R. Hedden-Nicely, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is Associate Dean and Professor of Law at the University of Idaho College of Law.

Professor Hedden-Nicely graduated from the University of Idaho College of Law, magna cum laude, with an emphasis in Native American law, as well as in natural resources & environmental law. Concurrently, Professor Hedden-Nicely earned a master's degree in water resources (science & engineering). While in private practice, Hedden-Nicely focused on litigation and negotiation of issues related to Native American natural resources and water rights. Professor Hedden-Nicely’s research interests include Native American natural resources and water law, tribal treaty rights, tribal civil and regulatory jurisdiction, water rights law, legal history and Constitutional law. He continues to consult with tribes on issues related to Native American natural resources and water rights.

Event Details:
More Than a Fish: Stories of Salmon and Sovereignty in the Pacific Northwest with Dylan Hedden-Nicely

When: Wednesday, January 21, 2026. Doors at 6:00 p.m., show from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. PDT.
(If the event is sold out, unclaimed seats will be released to the waitlist at 6:45 p.m.)

Where: Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave., Hood River, OR 97031

Tickets: Available online at senseofplacegorge.org. Advanced purchase is encouraged.

About Sense of Place:
Sense of Place is a program of Mt. Adams Institute, a Gorge-based nonprofit that strengthens the connection between people and the natural world through education, service, career development, and research. For more information on the series and Season 16, visit senseofplacegorge.org or follow us on Instagram @senseofplacegorge. Subscribe to the Sense of Place Newsletter for event updates and behind-the-scenes stories.