Reflection by Cindy Garibay and Molly Grimshaw
Today was our last morning in Portland. Although our wakeup time was the earliest so far, everyone was eager to get on the move. Over the past three days, we had heard from seven different organizations who shared their stories of environmental justice and advocacy in an urban setting. Although their perspectives were impactful, we felt as though there was a piece missing in the narrative. In search of this missing component, we traveled an hour east to Hood River, and could finally put a setting to the stories we had just learned about.
We began our day with an introduction to the Colombia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC). Their headquarters was located along the river, with gorgeous views of the Washington side of the gorge and the pristine water below. CRITFC is an organization that not only focuses on fish, but also community. They provide both technology and management to the four major tribal nations of the Columbia River: the Yakama, Warm Springs, Umatilla, and Nez Perce. The Executive Director of CRITC, Jaime Pinkham, emphasized the importance of recognizing the sovereignty of these nations, something we all tend to forget. This acknowledgement of their presence is directly connected to outsider activities in the river. Many of the livelihoods of the indigenous river peoples have been disrupted and destroyed by these activities, which in turn has been a direct threat to the core values of their culture. The construction of dams and railroads, as well as the seizing of native homelands, are some of the most impactful instances of these persisting problems. This was the perfect set-up for the rest of our day, where we continued to learn about the environmental and cultural impact of unwanted government intervention, as well as the deep connection the river has to the tribal nations.
Continuing our journey, we drove along the river to some different river access sites used by the tribal citizens. We learned about their fishing systems and the role CRITCF has in the processing stage of the operation. Our first stop also had gorgeous views of the river and the gorge, which further contextualized the information communicated to us throughout the week. Several of us had not previously viewed the river as anything other than a body of water, but this quickly changed when we got an up-close view. Standing at the edge of the bluff presented a vast, breathtaking view of the land, but a closer look revealed the details often overlooked by the common passerby. Scattered alongside the riverside were several fishing platforms, exposing the historical and persisting reliance of the tribal nations on the Columbia River. It was an eye-opening, yet peaceful moment for our entire group, which helped us transition into our final leg of the day’s adventure.
We arrived at the Celilo Village mid-afternoon. Jaime, who had been leading us on our jaunt around the Columbia River Gorge, introduced us to a community who had been living along the banks of the river for thousands of years. We were escorted into the village’s longhouse, their central meeting place for all important events. Inside, we met four generations of tribal citizens who shared the history of their society, as well as their individual testimonies about what life was like growing up removed from the modern world. Family, we learned, is the core of what they believe in. Their children are raised in the traditions of their ancestors, and it is expected of them to continue their way of life. When reflecting on this, our group became aware of the prevalence of individualism in American culture, and the stark contrast in ideologies that are taught to us by our society. However, for this tribal community, the preservation of their customs is crucial to their survival. Language also plays an important role in the safeguarding of their identity. The chief of Celilo Village explained to our group that there was so much more to what he was teaching us, but the lack of direct translation from their native language to English made it impossible to fully encapsulate its true meaning. With this in mind, we more clearly understood the significance of preserving their culture, and the dire consequences if it was lost. After listening intently for three hours, we were all feeling the effects of a long day, but one of the elder women, Gloria, sent us on our way with a piece of uplifting knowledge. She explained that, in her native language, there was no direct translation for the word “goodbye”. Instead, they part ways with a word meaning “I love you”. This was a simple but highly profound way to form a connection between us and them, and a really nice end to our long day. With our hearts full of knowledge and our bellies full of salmon, we went on our way, reflecting on what we had been taught, and our understanding of the role we play in this ongoing story.
In community,
Cindy and Molly