Topic or Question: Indians, why are they really in Walla Walla?

Convenor: Alanna Nanegos

Scribe: Kevin Scribner

Reporter: Kevin Scribner

Names of Participants: Alanna Nanegos, Dave Crabtree, Russ Bergevin,

Judy Johnson, Jed Volkman, Josh Guintoli, Sarah Ogier, Bob Doughtery, Michelle Eames, Kevin Scribner, Jim Burns

1) Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation members do not

have a great amount of presence in the Walla Walla Basin, but there is a

more receptive attitude here than the Tribes felt at the beginning of

the Umatilla Basin Project.

Discussion revolved around how to translate this welcome feeling into presence. Actions are listed below.

Russ Bergevin: CTUIR has political power, which can help the basin a lot.

2) There are deeper, broader cultural traditions than those preserved by

the Treaty of 1855. Thus, more than the Treaty will be required to keep

Tribal culture vital. To be vital, traditional cultural must also blend

with modern ways. The teaching of traditions requires experiencing them,

i.e. cultural traditions are more than concepts, they are life-ways.

3) Alanna expressed the desire to come to know the WW Basin, to become

familiar with the places, the foods, to become part of the Basin, a

member of the community. She expressed the desire to meet Basin

residents in their homes, at small gatherings.

I, Kevin, felt this session to be a most significant one, attested to

by the way it lingered with me throughout the Symposium. For it drew us

to consider how Legal Tender such as a Treaty, and possibly Water

Rights, does not do justice in conveying how deeply we culturally

interact with the Basin. The same could be said for such policies and

laws as the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, and others.

If we limit our Basin efforts to those required by the Treaty, ESA, and

Clean Water Act, how deeply will we integrate ecologically healthy

practices and traditions into our cultural life-ways? If we do not have

this integration, how successful will we be in developing and sustaining

practices which create community and ecological health and wealth?

We identified 8 action items which will help Basin residents develop

ways to experientially learn of cultural traditions which aspire to

maintain community and ecological health and wealth.

1) CTUIR will identify locations within the Basin to conduct ceremonial

events

Responsibility: Alanna Nanegos

2) Revive FRENCHTOWN RENDEZ-VOUS

Responsibility: Russ Bergevin

3) Hold annual SALMON WALK, as a public festival and school educational event

Responsibility: CTUIR and Kooskooskie Commons

4) Samon People: coordinate cooperative riparian and cultural restoration with local non-tribal youth

Responsibility: CTUIR and Kooskooskie Commons

5) US Forest Service Fishing Derby at Jubilee Lake: expand to include cultural activities

Responsibility: USFS and CTUIR

6) JAMMIN‚ FOR SALMON: replicate Portland concert festival in Basin

Responsibility: CTUIR and Kooskooskie Commons

7) Sharings at resident homes

Responsibility: CTUIR and Kooskooskie Commons

8) Develop 2005 strategy: simultaneous anniversary of Lewis & Clark

(200th) and Treaty of 1855 (150th); schedule for first evaluation of

Snake River Biop; date for numerous Columbia River Basin dams to be re-licensed by FERC

Responsibility: CTUIR and Kooskooskie Commons