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On Wednesday, May 26, representatives from the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and authors John A. Brown and Dr. Robert H. Ruby of Wenatchee and Moses Lake, Washington, received the 1999 Castles Heritage Award. Representing the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute were Roberta Conner, Director; Malissa Minthorn, Archival Coordinator; Leah Conner and Cecelia Bearchum, Elders and original members of the Planning Committee for Tamstslikt. Following the award ceremony at the Columbia Arts Center, storyteller Ed Edmo presented the Portland/Vancouver area premiere of his compelling one-man performance Celilo Falls: A Place, a Memory. The James B. Castles Heritage Award honors individuals or organizations who have made significant contributions to foster a deeper understanding of Columbia River Basin history through education of the general public, preservation of heritage materials, or contribution to community life through cultural interpretation or social service. John A. Brown and Robert H. Ruby, who have worked as a research and writing team for nearly forty years, have made notable and lasting contributions to Columbia River Basin history through their many outstanding books and articles. The pair have written and published books about the Spokane, Cayuse and Chinook Indians, as well as A Guide to Indians of the Pacific Northwest (1986) and John Slocum and the Indian Shaker Church (1996). Their collaborative works have produced an unequaled record of historical documentation about Native people in the Columbia Basin that is accessible to individuals throughout the region and the nation. The Tamastslikt Cultural Institute, which opened to the public in July 1998, is a multifaceted facility that serves Tribal members, visitors and scholars. The building includes exhibits, archives, artifact storage space, classrooms, a Native language program and living history programs that offer tribal members training in traditional skills and stories and provide visitors with an introduction to and appreciation for Indian lifeways. Exhibits tell the story of the Umatilla, Cayuse and Walla Walla Tribes, giving voice to the people through three central themes: We Were, We Are and We Will Be. The institution and its many programs are the result of years of hard work, careful and thoughtful planning, and a commitment to expanding Columbia River Basin history by creating a place for teaching, learning and understanding. The Center for Columbia River History offers the annual Castles Heritage Award as a memorial to James B. Castles, who throughout his life enthusiastically supported public participation in regional history. The award is made possible by a generous endowment from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust and carries a $1,000 honorarium. Nominations are open to any individual or non-profit organization in the Columbia River Basin. Previous Castles Heritage Award winners are Ted Strong, former Director of the Columbia River Inter-tribal Fish Commission; William Layman, local historian in Wenatchee; and Irene Martin, local historian in Skamakowa. |
