OSU-Cascades to host cultural celebration of First Peoples of Central Oregon, salmon bake

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oregon State University – Cascades will host a slate of events celebrating the history and culture of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. The First Peoples of Central Oregon – Cultural Experiences will take place Friday and Saturday, Oct. 6 and 7 in conjunction with OSU-Cascades’ Discovery Day.

“OSU-Cascades is honored to host leaders, artists and educators of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and deepen our understanding of the rich and complex history of the Indigenous peoples of Central Oregon,” said Elizabeth Marino, associate dean of academic affairs and an associate professor of anthropology. “The celebration will help demonstrate the intent of OSU’s land acknowledgement and our recognition of OSU as a land-grant institution, and the profound responsibility this history creates in our institution and ongoing partnerships with the Tribes."

Marino is also a member of a campus committee engaged in building relationships with the Confederated Tribes. Leona Ike, a tribal elder and liberal studies student at OSU-Cascades, also serves on the campus committee as a tribal liaison and played a key role in making the event possible.

Community members are invited on Oct. 6 to:

• A showcase of the traditional regalia of the Warm Springs Tribes and reception from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Charles McGrath Family Atrium of Edward J. Ray Hall. The showcase will include a discussion of tribal history and cultures featuring Jefferson Greene, a tribal member and director of the Columbia River Institute for Indigenous Development; Raymond Tsumpti, Sr., a Warm Springs tribal leader; Ike; Thyreicia Simtustus, Miss Warm Springs 2018; and Starla Green, owner of Twisted Teepee, a nonprofit food truck specializing in Native American fry bread and other native specialties. A reception will feature Indigenous foods. The event is free and registration is requested at OSUcascades.edu/rsvp-traditional-regalia.

Community members are invited on Oct. 7 to:

• Opening ceremony and history presentation at 11 a.m. in Edward J. Ray Hall, Room 011. OSU-Cascades Chancellor Sherm Bloomer will officially welcome members of the Confederated Tribes to OSU-Cascades and a tribal member will lead attendees in prayer. A discussion on the history of the Confederated Tribes will follow, led by Greene, Ike and tribal leader Raymond Moody.
• Native artist demonstrations from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the atrium of Edward J. Ray Hall. Bead workers, drum makers, basket weavers, moccasin makers, painters and other artists and artisans from the Confederated Tribes will demonstrate traditional tribal crafts and artistry. They will also show completed works, some that have been handed down for generations through families. Representatives of the Museum at Warm Springs will also be available to discuss the museum’s role in preserving the heritage of its community.
• Alive, Living & The Pursuit, a Discovery Day keynote presentation with Greene at 12 p.m. in Edward J. Ray Hall, Room 011. A leading advocate for the language and traditional arts of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs’ language and arts, Greene will share how these communities lived in harmony with the territory, depending on the health of the environment for survival, and connecting with the spiritual presence and life of all within. He’ll contrast how today, the world witnesses conditions and social noise that disconnect us from the spiritual component of the pursuit of enlightenment, presence and support.
• Native dance presentation from 3 to 4 p.m. in Bruckner Courtyard. Members of the Lincoln’s Pow Wow, a team of native dancers from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs who have performed at regional and national celebrations indigenous cultures, will dress in ceremonial regalia, perform traditional dances and be available to share the significance of their cultural dances.
• Traditional Native Salmon Bake from 4 to 5 p.m. in Obsidian Hall and Bruckner Courtyard. A salmon bake includes salmon caught in the Columbia River by Salmon King Fisheries, a company owned by a member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Spring. The salmon will be cooked on grills and served with traditional side dishes. The salmon bake is $10 per person, and registration is required.  
• Black Lodge Singers from 5 to 6 p.m. in Bruckner Courtyard. The Black Lodge Singers are a Native American, Grammy-nominated drum group with more than 30 albums. The group is led by Kenny Scabby Robe of the Blackfeet Nation and includes many of his sons.

To learn more about the First Peoples of Central Oregon – Cultural Experiences and OSU-Cascades Discovery Day, and to register for the salmon bake, visit OSUcascades.edu/first-peoples.