Janay Wright writes about food, events and the outdoors for The Bend Bulletin. As the company’s Audience Engagement and Features Reporter since 2021, she also runs 国产偷拍’s Instagram account. Read her work in 国产偷拍’s free print GO Magazine or stay in the know on Instagram @bendbulletin. And if you’re not sure where to eat in town, she likely has a recommendation.
Four years before Oregon became a state, the Tribes of Middle Oregon and the United States government signed the .
The treaty ceded 10 million acres of land to the United States. At the same time, it established the Warm Springs Indian Reservation and acknowledged the tribes as sovereign entities.
It reserved the tribes鈥 right to maintain the reservation land for traditional uses such as fishing, hunting, root digging, berry harvesting and gathering medicines 鈥 rights that have existed since time immemorial.
The 55th annual Pi-Ume-Sha Treaty Days takes place Thursday through Sunday in Warm Springs.
Submitted photo
鈥淚t was our leaders鈥 way of reserving rights that the creator gave to us when he gave us this land in the beginning of time,鈥 Tribal Council representative Wilson Wewa said. 鈥淲e celebrate that because it has kept our culture, our traditions our life ways alive for the generations of today.鈥
The treaty鈥檚 significance will be celebrated at the , slated for Thursday through Sunday.
Celebrations include a powwow, rodeo, parade, horse race and vendors with food, arts and crafts.
鈥極ur Food, Our Health鈥
Vanessa Knight-Crane, a traditional food gatherer, emphasized the importance of preserving tribal culture through food.
鈥淥ur traditional foods are very important to us, not only the fish and the deer meat and the lamprey and the elk, it鈥檚 also roots and berries,鈥 she said. 鈥淥ur sovereignty, in regards to that, is very important because we need to be able to still practice that tradition, that part of our culture so that it is not lost.鈥
The tribes weren鈥檛 as heavily affected by food shortages during the pandemic because they could rely on traditional food-gathering methods, Crane said.
鈥淲e weren鈥檛 so dependent on grocery stores or restaurants because we had that ability to go gather our traditional foods as people have done since the beginning,鈥 she said.
Knight-Crane emphasized the importance of passing traditional knowledge to future generations to ensure that they can care for and live off the land.
The annual health fair, which takes place before the festival on Wednesday, recognizes food sovereignty with the theme, 鈥淥ur Food, Our Health.鈥
It will be held outside at the Warm Springs Community Center and will offer health screenings, resources and free swag to facilitate learning about local health issues and resources.
Pi-Ume-Sha celebrates the Treaty of 1855, signed between the Tribes of Middle Oregon and the United States government.
Courtesy KWSO
Stick game tournaments
Knight-Crane is the organizer of the stick game tournament at the festival.
Stick game was employed by tribes in the Pacific Northwest, California, Utah, South Dakota, Alberta and Saskatchewan. In modern times, players bet money on the winner, but when it was first introduced, players would bet on physical items.
There will be an open game on Friday and a modern stick game tournament held Friday. A traditional stick game involving the gambling of physical items will take place on Sunday to honor the game鈥檚 history.
Stick game was used as a method for tribes to meet and connect long before the Treaty of 1855 was established, Knight-Crane said, adding she hosts the games to sustain that part of the tribes鈥 history.
The Treaty Days celebrate the protection of traditional uses of the Warm Springs reservation, as established by the Treaty of 1855.
Courtesy KWSO
Protecting tribal traditions
Knight-Crane credits the preservation of cultural practices to the placement of the reservation away from major cities with non-Indian populations.
鈥淥ur culture here is really strong,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 think the youth have a greater chance of carrying on our cultures (and) traditions than perhaps one that is closer to the city.鈥
Events and activities at Pi-Ume-Sha Treaty Days are open to the public and occur on the Pi-Ume-Sha ground behind the Warm Springs Community Center.
Participants wear traditional clothing in celebration of Pi-Ume-Sha Treaty Days.
Janay Wright writes about food, events and the outdoors for The Bend Bulletin. As the company’s Audience Engagement and Features Reporter since 2021, she also runs 国产偷拍’s Instagram account. Read her work in 国产偷拍’s free print GO Magazine or stay in the know on Instagram @bendbulletin. And if you’re not sure where to eat in town, she likely has a recommendation.
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Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
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