Page 8
Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
Canoe Journey: Paddle to Celilo 2023
Courtesy photo
Jefferson Greene (fourth from left) with Canoe Family.
(Continued from page 1)
Other host tribes suc-
ceeded “in collaboration
with surrounding com-
munities and towns, and
they succeeded in
partnering and pursuing
these types of opportu-
nities year after year,”
Jefferson said in his
Council report. “It takes
planning, persistence,
optimism, consistency,
relations and presenta-
tion.”
The N’chi Wanapum
Canoe Family of Warm
Springs began in 2009,
when the Confederated
Tribes and Manage-
ment—atwai Jody Calica
was Secretary-Treasurer
at the time—purchased
the 36-foot canoe. For-
mal dedication and naming
was in 2010 at Indian Park,
with sponsorship from the
Museum at Warm Springs.
Three-hundred and fifty
people were on hand for the
dedication.
Since the start of the
program the family has
been on the past 11 jour-
neys, involving close to 400
participants, raising approxi-
mately $350,000 to help
cover expenses. The N’chi
Wanapum mission and vi-
sion statements explain:
“The Warm Springs Ca-
noe Project is for Native
American youth of the
Warm Springs Indian Res-
ervation to connect, inter-
act and bond with their
adult community in a posi-
tive way inspiring and en-
couraging one another.
“The project is led by
Native American youth of
the Warm Springs Indian
Reservation while adults
and young adults serve as
the advisors to encourage a
sustainable and empowering
project for generations to
follow.”
And so far the project has
been a success: This year
twenty-three full-time par-
ticipants—and another 35
supporters who joined along
the way—made the Paddle
to Lummi. Their commu-
nity fundraising and Mu-
seum at War m Springs
helped cover the travel
costs, with a grant through
Health and Human Ser-
vices.
As a way to help explain
the goal of the Canoe
Family, Jefferson con-
cludes with a brief tribal
story:
“For thousands of
years our people of the
big river used canoes to
travel up, down and across
the river as part of our
livelihoods. The canoes
were carved from ancient
cedar trees, or woven us-
ing tule reeds for navigat-
ing lakes and small bodies
of water. In the midst of
moving inland to the res-
ervation… our people
slowly began to lose touch
with our ancient art in the
canoes and the spiritual
journeys within.”
The Paddle to Celilo
2023 will help to meet this
challege.
September 11, 2019
More community notes...
Funderal arrangements
for Bertson Simtustus are
Private Dressing this
Wednesday, September 11;
Viewing and Services follow
at 2 p.m. at the Madras Bap-
tist Church, 85 NE A Street
(across from the bowling al-
ley). Open denomination.
Burial will be this Thurs-
day, September 12, leaving
Madras at 7 a.m. Go around
Island Home in Simnasho,
then to Wolfe Point Cem-
etery.
A Jefferson County Vic-
tims Assistance advo-
c a t e comes to War m
Springs on the third
Wednesday of every month
at the Victims of Crime Ser-
vices office located at 1108
Wasco Street.
You can get help with
things like case assistance,
paperwork, and other re-
sources.
Appointments can also
be made for other times.
For information call Ken
Clark 541-475-4452 or
VOCS 553-2293.
A Jefferson County Vet-
erans Service Outreach
officer will be in War m
Springs at the Warm Springs
Senior Center on the third
Tuesday of each month.
Appointments are avail-
able for the morning by call-
ing 541-475-5228.
Otherwise the Veterans
Service Officer will be avail-
able to answer questions
during and after the senior
meal that day.