NW tribal fisheries leader dies from COVID-19
PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A Yakama tribal member and leader of Celilo Village, a fishing community on the Columbia River, died Friday night from COVID-19 complications, officials announced Saturday.
Bobby Begay was lead fish technician for the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and "was dedicated to his family, the Celilo community, salmon, the river and tribal culture," the commission said in a post to its Facebook page, which went on to say:
"He was a bridgebuilder who connected many groups and individuals across cultural divides. His example of intertribal brotherhood embodied the hopes and values envisioned by tribal leaders from the Yakama, Umatilla, Warm Springs, and Nez Perce tribes when they came together to form CRITFC.
"He was an incredibly generous person and had a willingness to share not only his harvest, but the message of why salmon, lamprey, and the river are central to our culture. He did so for countless groups with enthusiasm and humor.
"We extend our thoughts and prayers to his family Megan, Daisy, Steven, Henry, and Jackie, and the entire Celilo Village and mourn with them the loss of a remarkable man," the statement concluded
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs had warned Tuesday of possible exposure to COVID-19 for anyone who attended the Celilo Village salmon feast over Easter weekend. Since then, the tribes on Friday reported four COVID-19 cases, along with 65 negative results and four pending results.
If anyone on the reservation experienced COVID-19 symptoms (cough, fever or shortness of breath) they were urged to call the Warm Springs Health and Wellness Center to get instructions from nurses, and to call: Warm Springs Public Health at 541-553-2460 or Warm Springs Health and Wellness nurse line at 541-553-5512 or after hours line at 866-470-2015.
The area of Celilo Village was once a major cultural and trading center for Native Americans, until Celilo Falls was inundated by The Dalles Dam in 1957.
Back in 2015, KGW interviewed Begay, who was captain of a hazing boat that used pyrotechnics from a shotgun to push as many sea lions as possible back down river from Bonneville Dam, to protect the salmon.
