Columbia River Sunset

Sunset over the Columbia River, near Inchelium - Saturday.

El anochecer sobre el Río Columbia, cerca de Inchelium - Sábado. 

Sisyikst

Elders and community members recently gathered on the Colville Indian Reservation for Sisyikst, a cultural event where traditional craftspeople and artists imparted their knowledge to anyone who wanted to learn. Local experts offered classes in hide tanning, obsidian arrowheads, cedar baskets, beadwork, baby boards, and much more.

As the event unfolded, I was fortunate to attend most of the days, though the hardest part was choosing the sessions. I wanted to do them all. In the picture above, I was learning to make arrowheads from obsidian. The shape was beginning to form perfectly, but right after this picture, the arrow broke in half - all part of the learning process. 

The original event poster gives a more complete picture of who attended and what skills they offered to their learners. 

One elder from Canada taught us how to make twine bags. 

I learned to make beaded earrings. 

Inchelium was my home for the week. 

On the last day of the event, a group of teachers and learners went up into the mountains to gather cedar roots for basket making. 

The cedars are quite majestic. 

Last year, I took a basket-making workshop, but I forgot some of the basic processes. I was thankful for the reminder. 

Another reminder of the process. 

Shelly splitting cedar roots. 

During the week, we shared meals in a variety of locations in the community, including the local longhouse. A friend told me that the longhouse was made from a converted bowling alley. 

Longhouse door. 

The cultural, linguistic, and spiritual skills are equally important. On the Colville Reservation, their dialect of Salish is different than mine. Even so, I was surprised at how quickly it started to make sense. 

In the longhouse, this prayer was posted on a bulletin board:

k'ʷl'ncutn,

kʷu p'ixʷłt ikłxʷił,

mi wikn ikscxʷuy,

kʷu kʷul'łt i spuʔus apna tsxlxʕalt,

mi xast iks cxʷuy,

kʷu xʷic'xtt ikspəxpaxt, 

mi lut iksnłiptm,

kʷu xʷic'xt t iksk'ʷəck'ʷact.

mi niʕ'ip ctxt'mist.

iʔ tl yayʕat iʔ tl k'ast.

xast t'iʔ c'x̌ił.

Creator, 

Light the way for me, 

so I can see where I'm going.

Today, make my heart, 

So my conduct is good.

Give me wisdom

So I don't forget. 

Give me strength

So I can always protect myself

From all evil. 

So be it.  

Barnaby Island on the Columbia River.

The Columbia River is a massive cultural 

and spiritual presence in the region. 

When we weren't learning new skills, 

we went upriver and picked service berries. 

The service berries were especially abundant this year. 

Bird nest in the service berries. 

At the end the week, I was driving home and found this eagle feather on the highway. It was a perfect ending to a beautiful experience. 

Inchelium

Not long ago, I spent a couple days in Inchelium and slept in the Language House. At one point, I stepped outside and noticed the road was lined with beautiful white flowers that sort of resembled water hemlock. I thought it would be a dreadful thing, especially considering that water hemlock is highly poisonous and that thousands of these plants were lining the street and surrounding the local childcare center. Fortunately, I did my homework and discovered that these flowers are Queen Anne's lace, which is much less toxic. 

Mural at the Inchelium Community Center. 

Community art is important to me. 

Across the street from the community center is a baseball diamond lined with hand-painted advertisements for local businesses. I was happy to see this old sign for the Steem Uss Spaoos cafe - meaning "What is in your heart?" Sadly, they went out of business, but I always thought the name should be resurrected. It's a great concept. 

Cedar Baskets

Our basket-making class reconvened for the second weekend, but I was unable to attend the first day. Unfortunately, my alternator gave up the ghost, and I was stuck at home until I could get my car to the mechanic. I was able to borrow a car for the second day and at least get my basket started. 

Some pictures from the second day. 

This was as far as I got on my basket. I'm very disappointed that I had all the car troubles and missed the first day, but I'm still thankful for what I got to experience. I suppose the incomplete basket is simply an invitation to re-enter the process at some future date. 

Got to see some cool things in nature on my drive, 

like this family of geese. 

...and this little blue bird. 

Does anyone know the name of this species? 

...and the clouds descending over the mountain. 

...rain clouds over the Columbia River. 

...and the sun.

Salish Gathering

My friend Shelly Boyd organized a Salish language gathering at the Louie Longhouse in Inchelium, WA. Fluent speakers from throughout the Salish cultural region gathered to speak the language, to sing, and to tell traditional stories. Young and old alike dressed in traditional clothing and glimpsed an old way of life.

LaRae Wiley sang several songs on the drum.

Arnie Baptiste told coyote stories and sang traditional songs.

In some ways, the event reminded me of my childhood when I used to hear the elders speak at community gatherings. But even more than the past, the Salish event gave me hope for the future. A group of children listened to the stories and spoke to one another in the language.

Samteetsa is an elder from Canada who also told traditional stories in the language.

Andy Joseph and Herman Edward shared their knowledge with the group.