Summer
20
Tamkaliks powwow, feast returns after 2-year hiatus
CELEBRATING THE HISTORY
OF EASTERN OREGON
By Jeff Peterson
Go! Magazine
WALLOWA — The land of winding wa-
ters will again reverberate with drumbeats
and songs this summer.
After two years of being canceled
because of the COVID-19 pandemic and
concern for community safety, the Tam-
kaliks Celebration and Friendship Feast in
Wallowa returns July 22-24 for its 30th an-
niversary. About 500 people including 200
dancers and 10 drum groups are expected.
The reunion is not only for descendants
of the original inhabitants of Wallowa
country. Area residents and visitors are also
welcome.
The event, culminating Sunday, July 24,
with the Walasit Service and Friendship
Potluck, will take place at the Nez Perce
Wallowa Homeland, 70956 Whiskey Creek
Road.
Emcees are Fred Hill Sr. and Thomas
Morningowl.
“We’re looking forward to having an
enjoyable time of rekindling old friendships
and making new ones,” Hill said.
While high gas prices may discourage
some travel, Hill expects to see friends
from Nevada, the Boise area, Yakima and
Nespelem, Washington, Lapwai, Idaho, and
Warm Springs.
The gathering off ers the opportunity to
honor family members who have passed in
the pandemic, Hill said.
Another highlight is Slick dancing, a style
refl ecting dressing for battle, with head-
CULTURE & HERITAGE
Wallowa County Chieftain/File
Mary Harris performs the Shawl Dance at
the 2016 Tamkaliks Celebration at the Nez
Perce Wallowa Homeland, Wallowa. The
event returns in 2022 on July 22-24.
dress, loin cloth, weaponry and bells.
An orange dress special will honor the
memory of missing children who attended
residential and boarding schools and were
discovered in mass graves throughout the
U.S. and Canada, Hill said.
“It’s to bring awareness to that issue,” he
said. “It’s a contest special but also a way to
raise awareness.”
Friday, July 22, includes 7 p.m. roll call
and then social dancing, including the Cir-
cle Dance of friendship.
Saturday, July 23, begins with a 9 a.m.
horse procession. Grand entries are at
1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
“An eagle feather staff is carried out
front to represent all the native nations.
Sometimes we’ll elaborate on how at one
time staff s were representative of individual
warriors and feats they accomplished,” Hill
said. “Then comes Old Glory representing
the U.S. with stars and stripes. Many Indian
people enlisted or were drafted in earlier
wars and left families behind to defend not
only reservation lands but their country as
a whole.”
Contests and social dancing follow. The
categories include men’s and boy’s tradi-
tional, women’s and girls’ traditional, men’s
fast and fancy, grass dance, women’s fancy
shawl and women’s jingle dress. Winners in
JULY 2027, 2022
2019 came from as close as Pendleton and
as far away as Peshastin, Washington, and
Chiloquin in Southern Oregon.
On Saturday night, veterans will be
honored.
“Instead of playing the national anthem,
we have our own renditions of fl ag songs
that were once called smoke songs and
pipe songs,” Hill said. “It will be a time of
refl ection and remembrance of veterans
of long ago and contemporary veterans of
today.”
Sunday, July 24, starts at 9 a.m. with the
Walasit Service at the longhouse. People
are asked to bring a dish to share for the
noon Friendship Potluck featuring barbe-
cued salmon at the dance arbor.
The grand entry at 2 p.m. will be followed
by contest and social dancing and the con-
test dance fi nale.
Free camping is off ered, with RVs and
tents welcome. Dancer registration is free.
Heritage Station Movie Night
August 9th 6pm
Summer 20
Electric Sundown
14 SE 3rd Street, Pendleton
2006 4th St. La Grande, OR 97850
541-962-1339
Pendleton’s premier party house and event
space! Follow our regular weekend events or
book your own at electricsundown.com
7
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