TDMS explore local tribal history, culture

THE DALLES — Students at The Dalles Middle School (TDMS) have been learning about the history and culture of the local tribes that call the Columbia River Gorge home. Their lessons were amplified recently by a visit from a tribal member to their classrooms. 

Lucille Begay, a member of the Yakama and Navajo nations, spoke to four of Brian Hughitt’s eighth grade classes, totaling about 120 students. She shared the historical importance of life along the Columbia River to her people, specifically the Celilo Wy’am band, drawing on her experiences as a Native American community public liaison and lifelong resident of Celilo Village.

Middle schoolers crowded around to view the pictures Begay shared of Celilo Falls, past chiefs, people fishing at the falls, and the human-made platforms along the Columbia River before the falls were flooded. Begay emphasized that Native Americans today still fish off of those platforms.

Begay discussed how her people still preserve native foods, including drying, canning, freezing, and smoking, and the importance of not just preparing food for one’s self, but also to share at community celebrations or special events. Students learned more about tribal chiefs and the meaning of tribal regalia, including when each item is used and how it conveys deep cultural meanings for each occasion.

Begay also shared the historical background about how tribal members were sent to boarding schools, and how their language, customs, and attire were stripped from them, outlining the long-term harm that those schools caused the students.

Many of the students in Hughitt’s classes eagerly asked questions, which demonstrated how Begay’s visit helped make their studies come alive, and how it and reinforced their understanding that Native American culture is thriving today.