Emcee Fred Hill Sr., left, gives Helen Sanders, of the Chehalis Tribe, a Pendleton saddle blanket Sept. 9, 2022, in recognition of being the eldest female attendee of the Elder’s Day event at Wildhorse Resort & Casino, Mission.

MISSION — “Honoring Fisher Women of Celilo Falls” was the theme of Elders Day on Sept. 9 at Wildhorse Resort & Casino near Mission.

About 500 tribal elders gathered for the event. Visitors traveled from nearby Yakama, Warm Springs, Nez Perce, Colville, Coeur d’Alene reservations. They also traveled from and as far away as Tulalip and Chehalis, Washington.

They were welcomed by opening remarks delivered by Wildhorse CEO Gary George, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Executive Director Donald Sampson and the Nicht-Yow-Way Senior Advisory Group. Members of the advisory group include Chair Mary Halfmoon, Vice Chair Lorena Thompson and Secretary Susan Sheoships. Members of the group thanked the many donors, volunteers and contributors to the day.

Department of Children and Family Services Director Julie Taylor along with DCFS office manager Brittney Eickstaedt led fellow DCFS staff members in planning the day’s agenda, including new employee, Katrina Burnside, the senior activities coordinator.

Kathryn Brigham, CTUIR Board of Trustees chair, delivered the keynote address.

“The river was my home, and you love your home,” she said.

Brigham recounted her younger days at Celilo Falls.

“No matter how much Celilo Falls is portrayed in videos and photographs, the real experience is indelible,” she said.

Brigham was a witness to the importance of Celilo Falls to tribal history and culture. Brigham said she returned to the reservation strengthened with the teachings of the river. She values her work and service to the four member tribes of Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. Lastly, Brigham praised the wisdom of elders present in the room and encouraged young people to talk with them.

Jesse “Buck” Jones III made comments about life on the river and how he is following in the steps of his father, the late Chief Jesse Jones.

Pendleton saddle blankets were presented to the two eldest attendees” Helen Sanders of Chehalis Tribe and Ronald Halfmoon of CTUIR.

Honorees Roberta Kipp and Delphine McFarland Woods, CTUIR fisher women, were presented with Pendleton saddle blankets as well. Woods could not attend, but Kipp described how Woods had undergone a ceremony to be permitted to ply her dipnet from her father’s scaffold. Mary Halfmoon read off a list of other Celilo fisher women whose names she had collected from the audience.

Corinne Sams, board member, urged elders to participate in the initiatives to remove the Snake River dams. Nizhoni Toledo, of the CTUIR Youth Leadership Council, reiterated the pressing need of restoring fish runs on the Snake River.

Dionne Bronson asked elders of all tribes to sign up with her to become resources to the Family Engagement Program of DCFS, which she manages. The program will collect oral histories and teachings from elders. The scope of the program is broad and open to many aspects of traditional life ways ranging from survival skills, language and arts and crafts. Taking cultural excursions and learning traditional skills that will help families build healthy foundations are also cornerstones of the program. Members of other tribes rose and spoke in support of the program, even wanting to replicate such a program at their sites.

Frederick A. Hill Sr. emceed Elders Day with fun and humor alongside of Anson “DJ Big Wispr” Crane, Thomas Morning Owl and Damien Totus. Hill and Kelsey Burns took turns improvising serenade songs on the hand drum. CTUIR Language Program donated a hand drum, painted rawhide cylinder “xaxanii,” and a scale model tule mat house and a teepee fashioned by Pendleton High School student Xavier Van Pelt. Language Program donations were won by a Chehalis visitor.

Guests enjoyed table decorations created by Dorothy Cyr, Jackie Barkley and Verna Johnson. Marie Dick, Vicki Star, Delphine Woods and Mary Halfmoon made 276 beaded necklaces. The necklaces were presented to guests during registration, along with T-Shirts and totes with artwork done by local Native American artist Ellen Taylor.

Thomas Morning Owl and Alberta Fuentes finished the program with their duet of “Indian Love Call.”