November is Native American Heritage Month: A Guide to Engaging with Tribal Partners

More than 50 tribes once stewarded the land now known as Oregon. Proud descendants of those first people make up nine federally recognized tribes of Oregon: the Burns Paiute Tribe; the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians; the Coquille Indian Tribe; the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians; the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde; the Klamath Tribes; the Confederated Tribes of Siletz; the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation; and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

Today, the Oregon Coast is home to tribal nations that are each separate and sovereign nations with deep cultural and historical connections to the Oregon Coast, who continue to steward this land and its resources alongside growing communities and industries. 

November is National Native American Heritage Month— but how can we recognize Indigenous history, values, and culture year-round? How can we combine efforts to work towards the resiliency of this land that we call home? As a tourism industry leader for the Oregon Coast, we often encounter questions like this. So, how should businesses, organizations, and local governments engage in working with Tribes on tourism activities? 

At the 2024 People’s Coast Summit this October, we heard an incredible keynote address from Lisa Norton, Chief Administrative Officer of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, and Jesse Beers, Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians. Over dinner, they shared their unique and shared perspectives on tourism’s impact on Tribes, and perspectives on how we can work together on shared values for the betterment of the land and the future sustainability of this place. 

Perhaps most importantly, Lisa and Jesse stressed the importance of building relationships. Trust is built over time, and comes out of mutual exchange. The best way to begin building these partnerships is to offer your time – to show up, and engage. 

Where Can I Show Up?

One way to begin, Lisa shared, is by attending public Tribal events, such as the Nesika Illahee Pow-Wow – a public event with traditional dancing, drumming, and singing from all over Indigenous America and further.

Volunteering your time is another great way to start and deepen relationships. For example, the CTSI Siletz Tribal Community Health Clinic has started a Garden Program to provide healthy food options and cultural opportunities for Tribal members. Volunteer days are held on the 4th Friday of every month, and all are invited to join. 

You should also mark your calendars for the annual Yachats Peace Hike, which honors the memory of a blind Native American (Coos) woman named Amanda, who in 1864 was forcibly marched 80 miles to the Alsea Sub-agency prison camp (present-day Yachats). As part of the ceremony, cedar sprigs, a sacred tree for many tribes of the Pacific Northwest, are provided for anyone to explore prayers and set intentions with cedar. The Peace Hike is a wonderful opportunity to begin the New Year in community with people who share the intention for peace in our world, and reverence for those who have suffered in the past.  

A Guide to Relationship-Building 

Relationships are a living organism. To thrive, they take ongoing, dedicated effort. It’s important to always remember that when engaging with Tribes and working on Tribal land, we are guests and there is a respectful way to enter these spaces. Here are some general guidelines: 

(From: Points of Protocol for Working with Tribes: Developed by Salmon Corps, modified by Tamastlik Cultural Institute, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation)

  1. Listen. Be Patient. Sometimes your enthusiasm, your needs, and your commitment to your ideas prevents you from hearing or being an active listener.
  2. Learn that each community or tribe has its own timeline for getting things done. It may not be the same as yours. Adjust. Start earlier. Keep going back. Follow-up. Share your target dates and be willing to change them.
  3. Each community or tribe has its own definition of success. It may differ from yours. We are rebuilding nations. Your priorities may not be ours, but they may intersect on a mutually beneficial project.
  4. Respect – earn it every day. Do your homework. Learn about your potential partner. Usually the burden of educating new partners about us is left to us. Remember fundamental human courtesies and be aware that Native people have been de-humanized (by museums, literature, movies, and policies) for centuries.
  5. Relationships are built on points of agreement. Make lists; document what you agree to/on. Live up to agreements, every day. Formally seek permission to record, photograph, edit or use the name of the person or tribe in a proposal. If collaborating, offer review, edit and approval well before the product deadline.
  6. Be direct, be straight, and tell the truth. Most Tribes have had at least 200 years of someone trying to sell us goods we don’t want. Know what you are seeking and recognize that whatever “it” is, is subject to negotiation.
  7. Solve problems together. Define a way to do it together. Accept that we all arrive with biases and they may not help solve problems. Do not make assumptions.
  8. You are a guest in the community or tribe. We have been here a long time against terrible odds. We are not going away. Many with good intentions have come and gone. You may become familiar but remain a guest.
  9. Serve elders. They are the heart of the community/tribe. Don’t ask if someone needs help. If you see that someone needs help, do it. Get chairs, water, coffee… Don’t make elders stand, wait, or let them serve you.
  10. Understand turnover. Cultures that have had stability for millennia are recovering from a two centuries of privately and federally subsidized attacks on that stability. Cultural and community recovery takes a long time.
  11. Have a sense of humor. It has helped us survive and endure unbearable times. Be respectful when appropriate but be willing to laugh at yourself and joke with others.
  12. Thank people and organizations. Some cultures believe that you should thank seven times. Doing so keeps the focus on the good.

Research & Resources

When looking for language to talk about Tribes in your own materials, begin with tribal websites. Each tribe has dedicated extensive time and effort to putting out public information and resources to help you dive deeper into your learning about the individual history and cultures. Travel Oregon has also collected tribal history and cultural information on their Native American Culture webpage.

Individual websites for all nine of Oregon’s Tribes can be found below:

Indigenous-led exhibits

The numerous museums and exhibits along the coast are another great wealth of information. Coastal partners and visitors can explore these exhibits to better engage with Indigenous knowledge, history, and culture. 

  • The Columbia River Maritime Museum recently opened the Cedar and Sea exhibit, which spotlights Indigenous traditions.
  • In Grand Ronde, visitors can explore Chachalu Museum and Cultural Center, which also offers a series of classes open to the community. 
  • At the Coos History Museum, the Coquille Tribe provides sponsorship for the Maritime exhibition, which ties art together with the intrinsic nautical culture of the South Coast. 
  • In Siletz, support the Siletz Tribal Arts and Heritage Society, which promotes the practice, conservation, and restoration of the tribal cultures of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. You can also donate to Ghii Dee-ne Dvn (A Place for the People), to help fund future exhibits and outreach. 
  • If you are in Lincoln City, you can also stop by the new Wind Wall art piece which honors the Siletz. 

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