Velma Walsey, left, and daughter Vivian Walsey, take in the Willamette Falls on their boat tour provided by the Willamette Falls Trust. (CRITFC Photos/Gavin)
OREGON CITY – The Yakama Nation invited the region to Oregon City on the banks of the Willamette River to celebrate the 2024 Willamette Falls Lamprey Celebration. The event honored both Willamette Falls and the Pacific lamprey. The site holds a profound cultural significance for the Yakama Nation, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla, and the Nez Perce Tribe, all of which still maintain treaty-reserved access to harvest at Willamette Falls.
The Willamette Falls as seen from the boat tours provided by the Willamette Falls Trust.
The July 12 event drew over 600 attendees to Clackamette Park to honor the Pacific lamprey, a sacred First Food for the region’s tribes. This gathering celebrated the enduring relationship between the tribes, Pacific lamprey, and Willamette Falls. Supporting sponsors for the day included Yakama Nation Fisheries Program, CRITFC, Metro Regional Government, Willamette Falls Trust, and Meyer Memorial Trust.
Tribal leaders from Yakama, Umatilla, Warm Springs, Nez Perce, and CRITFC welcomed visitors at the opening ceremony, all highlighting their connection to the place and the continued importance of Willamette Falls to the treaty tribes.
“I’m grateful this celebration brings together representatives and members from both tribal and non-tribal communities to honor and acknowledge asùm [the Sahaptin word for lamprey],” said Yakama Nation Tribal Council member Terry Heemsah, Sr. “Thank you to each and every one of you who were able to attend and learn something new. Here, we’re speaking with representatives and community members who we can form educational and meaningful partnerships that can create opportunities for our communities and youth. We’ll look to connect more representatives and members, especially as we look to grow this event each year.”
Royalty and the Little Swans performed several dance demonstrations for attendees of the Lamprey Celebration. They performed a welcome dance, the swan dance, and led an eel dance that pulled in everyone watching the dance unfold.
“I appreciate all the effort and support the Yakama Nation has done to bring everyone together today here on the Willamette River,” said CRITFC’s Executive Director Aja DeCoteau (Yakama). “Willamette Falls is one of the last areas where the four Columbia River treaty fishing tribes can still gather together to harvest lamprey. We take great honor in providing stewardship of these waters and expend great resources protecting the First Foods within them. This event is a celebration of that connection and an invitation for others to get to know the land we live on and honor its First Foods and inhabitants.”
Local and regional leaders were also invited to the event, highlighting the shared responsibility and duty everyone has to protect natural resources for current and future generations.
Willamette Falls Trust’s new president, former Oregon Governor Kate Brown spoke about the Trust’s goals and involvement. “[Willamette Falls Trust’s] goals are to help work with all of you to restore the health of the river, to work to rebuild our community spaces, as well as reconnect all people to the river,” Brown said of the Trust’s support and sponsorship of the event.
Metro Councilor Christine Lewis, representing District 2 which includes West Linn, Oregon City and Willamette Falls, said “This year’s Lamprey Celebration was an incredible opportunity to gather in community, share a meal, engage and learn. I was honored to be one of the local elected officials welcomed by Tribal Leaders and am grateful for the partnerships our agencies have been developing in lamprey conservation and restoration initiatives.”
A Learning Opportunity
Tribal cultural values and connections to the place and its foods were shown by the many demonstrations and activities available to visitors throughout the day. Information booths provided important context and information on the scientific data regarding lamprey, live lamprey and other biological exhibits highlighted the unique characteristics of the ancient fish, and information on how local organizations are working to protect Pacific lamprey throughout the region.
A highlight was the lamprey filleting demonstration led by Elaine Harvey, CRITFC’s Watershed Manager. This was more than just a lesson in preparing lamprey to eat; it was a powerful connection to the tribes’ cultural heritage and enduring relationship with the land and waters. Harvey, alongside her mother and a group of experienced helpers, showcased the traditional butterfly filet. The method gets its name from the flared slices that resemble outspread butterfly wings when hung to dry. “The way it’s cut spreads out the flesh, allowing the wind to dry it faster,” explained Harvey.
CRITFC Watershed Manager Elaine Harvey, left, and Rosalind Johnson demonstrate the butterfly fillet. The technique is used by tribes to dry and preserve lamprey. Historically, this worked best for long trips and winters. Harvey was joined by several others, including Johnson, in demonstrating the technique.
The butterfly filet method, passed down through generations, was a necessity in times when long journeys required efficient preservation methods. “A long time ago, you couldn’t travel with a gunnysack of eels,” Harvey said. (Lamprey are sometimes referred to as “eels” although they are not in the same fish family. Learn how these fish differ here.)
“My grandma used to go to Shears Bridge, far from her home,” continued Harvey. “She would stay there for weeks to dry them.”
Her mother’s experience harvesting lamprey for elders at Willamette Falls, starting in the 1980s, gave Harvey a strong relationship with the celebration grounds although the decline in lamprey and harm done to the rivers and fish have escalated rapidly since those days. The damage to the lamprey populations and the cultural erosion that comes with it motivated Harvey and her team to use the opportunity to teach and preserve the ancient lamprey drying technique.
Other fileting demonstrators were Willa Cloud from Lyle, Wash., Eunice Matthias from Wanapum, and Rosie Johnson from Warm Springs. “Each of these ladies have their own unique style, reflecting the different traditions of their communities.” Harvey said of the variety of styles featured in the demonstrations.
“The reason why the cultural knowledge of filleting its dying is because our fish are going away,” Harvey lamented. “Climate change, dams, and pollution are causing a loss in our culture because the fish aren’t there. It’s important to share with non-natives that we are still harvesting the oldest fish on earth and think of them in high regard. It’s our medicine and food, and we want to protect the rivers and waters.”
Lamprey are twice as old as dinosaurs, predating the appearance of beetles and even trees!
A Celebration of Culture
The Yakama royalty, including princesses and the youth council, participated in the event to show their respect and represent their community’s ongoing presence at the falls and expressing their gratitude to the land. The Little Swans dance group demonstrated the swan and welcome dances, leading all attendees in social dances, including owl dances, round dances, intertribals, rabbit dances, and a large eel dance that kept everyone on their feet and in communion with one another. The big drum kept the day moving to the beat, with dancers showcasing various pow wow styles in their regalia.
CRITFC Chair Corinne Sams, left, receives a gift from Miss Yakama Nation Analynn Olney after providing comments on behalf of CRITFC and the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla.
Guided boat tours to the falls were arranged by the Willamette Falls Trust, where tribal leaders shared the significance of the falls and offered cultural interpretation to the tour participants.
Derek Red Arrow Frank, interim Tribal Affairs Director of the Willamette Falls Trust, emphasized the cultural importance of the falls. “Willamette Falls holds profound cultural significance for many Northwest tribes, serving as a cultural hub and sacred site for fishing, gathering, and intertribal trade since time immemorial.”
Yakama Nation Tribal Council Vice-chair Christopher Wallace, right, and CRITFC Commissioner Bill Yallup, Sr. on a boat tour to Willamette Falls. The tour was provided by the Willamette Falls Trust, one of the event sponsors.
“[The Lamprey Celebration] reminds us that we as tribal people will continue our traditions forever, while highlighting our interconnection and the enduring heritage that Willamette Falls represents. The Trust is proud to have been a part of this moment and hopes to provide many more through its Intertribal Public Access Project,” Red Arrow said of the event.
The Lamprey Celebration honored ancient cultural traditions and brought new friends together to join the work to ensure Pacific lamprey endure and thrive for future generations to enjoy, too.
“Our culture is to spend time in these areas and take care of the food right there, not just harvest and leave,” Harvey emphasized. “Spending time on the river or mountain where you’re getting your food is important. When people can connect, they care more about it.”
By Jill-Marie Gavin, CRITFC Communications