Voices of the River: the Confluence Story Gathering Interview Collection Author(S): Lily Hart Source: Oregon Historical Quarterly , Vol
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Voices of the River: The Confluence Story Gathering Interview Collection Author(s): Lily Hart Source: Oregon Historical Quarterly , Vol. 119, No. 4 (Winter 2018), pp. 508-527 Published by: Oregon Historical Society Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5403/oregonhistq.119.4.0508 REFERENCES Linked references are available on JSTOR for this article: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5403/oregonhistq.119.4.0508?seq=1&cid=pdf- reference#references_tab_contents You may need to log in to JSTOR to access the linked references. JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at https://about.jstor.org/terms Oregon Historical Society is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Oregon Historical Quarterly This content downloaded from 131.252.96.10 on Thu, 20 Jun 2019 17:06:45 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms Courtesy of Confluence, photograph by Chris Lonigro photograph by Chris Courtesy of Confluence, Voices of the River The Confluence Story Gathering Interview Collection RESEARCH FILES by Lily Hart “We know something everybody else doesn’t know — we’re never leaving. Our people have an intestinal fortitude that nobody else has because this is our country. You can’t get us out of here.” — Roberta “Bobbie” Conner1 ROBERTA “BOBBIE” Conner (Uma- ecology of the Columbia River system. tilla/Cayuse/Nez Perce) shared this Since its beginning in 2011, the Story JEFFERSON GREENE (Warm Springs), Allen Pinkham, Sr. (Nez Perce), and Thomas perspective in an interview arranged Gathering project has conducted inter- Morning Owl (Umatilla) participate in a Confluence Story Gathering at Chief Timothy Park by the Confluence Project as part of views with forty-one Indigenous people in Asotin County, Washington. the Confluence Story Gathering Col- of the Columbia River and, so far, has lection, which has recorded interviews made available to the public sixty-five with Indigenous elders, leaders, artists, excerpts from those interviews, now ers. What Confluence was doing, they Story Gathering collection consists and educators who, like their ances- uploaded to a digital archive, the Pla- pointed out, was gathering personal of interviews with Indigenous people tors, live along the Columbia River. Col- teau Peoples’ Portal at Washington stories, like roots at harvest. who have ties to those artwork sites. lectively, their story is one of resilience. State University (plateauportal.libraries. Confluence also hosts public In organizing the panels, Confluence The history of the Pacific North- wsu.edu), with more excerpts being events, Story Gathering panels, that staff selected interview excerpts that west, and especially of the Columbia continuously added. (Some interviews feature interview excerpts as well as reflected a set of themes that the River, is often centered on the events of in 2016 were assisted by this author, discussion among a panel of Indig- panelists could discuss: Celilo Falls, the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the currently on staff with the Confluence enous thinkers, writers, and leaders an important spiritual and economic pioneers who arrived via the Oregon Project.) Although the recordings fit the before a live audience. The Story site; lifeways, such as traditions and Trail. By collecting Indigenous stories, definition of oral histories provided by Gathering events have a double mean- culture; fishing rights on the Columbia the project organizers aim to present Valerie Yow — “recording of personal ing: people gather together to gather River; the violence of government-to- a broader, more holistic story. Written testimony delivered in oral form” — stories. The region that Confluence government relations; treaties and primary sources from two-hundred Confluence refers to them as “Story covers, which is part of the Columbia sovereignty, which includes the effects years ago provide valuable evidence Gathering Interviews,” because of a River ecosystem, stretches from east- of termination and federal recogni- regarding the Pacific Northwest, yet discussion with the Confederated Tribes ern Washington at the Idaho state line tion; and the resilience of Indigenous they were not authored directly by of Warm Springs Cultural Committee.2 to the mouth of the Columbia River at people. Several stories from the col- Indigenous people. That perspective Members of the committee explained Astoria and Ilwaco. Confluence has lection are offered here, and we also is needed. Through personal narrative, that oral histories within Tribes are often completed five art installations on the invite readers to visit the Washington these interviews provide a window stories related to a particular place or Columbia River, all designed by the State University (WSU) portal and hear into understanding the cultures and event and are told by tradition keep- artist Maya Lin, and the Confluence the original recordings. 508 OHQ vol. 119, no. 4 © 2018 Oregon Historical Society Hart, Voices of the River 509 This content downloaded from 131.252.96.10 on Thu, 20 Jun 2019 17:06:45 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms Courtesy of Confluence, photograph by Chris Lonigro photograph by Chris Courtesy of Confluence, Voices of the River The Confluence Story Gathering Interview Collection RESEARCH FILES by Lily Hart “We know something everybody else doesn’t know — we’re never leaving. Our people have an intestinal fortitude that nobody else has because this is our country. You can’t get us out of here.” — Roberta “Bobbie” Conner1 ROBERTA “BOBBIE” Conner (Uma- ecology of the Columbia River system. tilla/Cayuse/Nez Perce) shared this Since its beginning in 2011, the Story JEFFERSON GREENE (Warm Springs), Allen Pinkham, Sr. (Nez Perce), and Thomas perspective in an interview arranged Gathering project has conducted inter- Morning Owl (Umatilla) participate in a Confluence Story Gathering at Chief Timothy Park by the Confluence Project as part of views with forty-one Indigenous people in Asotin County, Washington. the Confluence Story Gathering Col- of the Columbia River and, so far, has lection, which has recorded interviews made available to the public sixty-five with Indigenous elders, leaders, artists, excerpts from those interviews, now ers. What Confluence was doing, they Story Gathering collection consists and educators who, like their ances- uploaded to a digital archive, the Pla- pointed out, was gathering personal of interviews with Indigenous people tors, live along the Columbia River. Col- teau Peoples’ Portal at Washington stories, like roots at harvest. who have ties to those artwork sites. lectively, their story is one of resilience. State University (plateauportal.libraries. Confluence also hosts public In organizing the panels, Confluence The history of the Pacific North- wsu.edu), with more excerpts being events, Story Gathering panels, that staff selected interview excerpts that west, and especially of the Columbia continuously added. (Some interviews feature interview excerpts as well as reflected a set of themes that the River, is often centered on the events of in 2016 were assisted by this author, discussion among a panel of Indig- panelists could discuss: Celilo Falls, the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the currently on staff with the Confluence enous thinkers, writers, and leaders an important spiritual and economic pioneers who arrived via the Oregon Project.) Although the recordings fit the before a live audience. The Story site; lifeways, such as traditions and Trail. By collecting Indigenous stories, definition of oral histories provided by Gathering events have a double mean- culture; fishing rights on the Columbia the project organizers aim to present Valerie Yow — “recording of personal ing: people gather together to gather River; the violence of government-to- a broader, more holistic story. Written testimony delivered in oral form” — stories. The region that Confluence government relations; treaties and primary sources from two-hundred Confluence refers to them as “Story covers, which is part of the Columbia sovereignty, which includes the effects years ago provide valuable evidence Gathering Interviews,” because of a River ecosystem, stretches from east- of termination and federal recogni- regarding the Pacific Northwest, yet discussion with the Confederated Tribes ern Washington at the Idaho state line tion; and the resilience of Indigenous they were not authored directly by of Warm Springs Cultural Committee.2 to the mouth of the Columbia River at people. Several stories from the col- Indigenous people. That perspective Members of the committee explained Astoria and Ilwaco. Confluence has lection are offered here, and we also is needed. Through personal narrative, that oral histories within Tribes are often completed five art installations on the invite readers to visit the Washington these interviews provide a window stories related to a particular place or Columbia River, all designed by the State University (WSU) portal and hear into understanding the cultures and event and are told by tradition keep- artist Maya Lin, and the Confluence the original recordings. 508 OHQ vol. 119, no. 4 © 2018 Oregon