1 July
2002
Media Contact:
Charles Hudson, CRITFC,
(503) 731-1257
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Wy-Kan-Ush-Pum? Fish commission
asks, 'Why not?'
Annual salmon celebration
has new partnership to go with new name
Portland, Oregon
- That Wy-Kan-Ush
Pum replaced "Jammin' For Salmon" as the name of the annual cultural
celebration at Tom McCall Waterfront Park shouldn't seem unusual.
After all, Wy-Kan-Ush-Pum means "salmon people" in the native Sahaptin
language of many Columbia Basin Indian tribes. And should warm weather
prevail for the Aug. 3 and 4 event, you'll likely see at least a few
people splashing around along the park's riverbanks like Chinook battling
upstream.
Wy-Kan-Ush-Pum, which celebrates the cultures and traditions of Columbia
River Basin tribes, is from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, and
from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, at the south end of the park.
A suggested $5 donation benefits the Spirit of the Salmon Fund, which
supports restoration projects of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish
Commission (CRITFC), the event's organizer.
Festival highlights include live music featuring local and Native
American artists, dance performances and guest speakers, and interactive
exhibits and activities focusing on Columbia River watershed issues.
Salmon, frybread and other traditionally prepared food will be served.
The family-oriented event will mark the return of Indian Art Northwest's
art market, last offered over Memorial Day Weekend 2000 in Portland's
Park blocks. With paintings, pottery, weaving and other fine art,
the show will add another artistic element to the festival's offerings.
Among the featured artists are Jim Jackson, Klamath/Modoc; James Lavadour,
Walla Walla; and Lillian Pitt, Warm Springs.
Don Sampson, CRITFC executive director, said the addition of Indian
Art Northwest as Wy-Kan-Ush-Pum partner made sense.
"This community appreciates events focusing on tribal cultures, and
Indian Art Northwest responds well to that demand," he said. "The
art market is a perfect complement to the already great food, music
and dancing that people will experience this year."
Among the musical highlights is the Sunday's performance of the All
Star Band, featuring local favorites Mark Bosnian, Sandin Wilson,
Carlton Jackson, Bobby Torres and Tim Ellis. Others making special
appearances are Linda Hornbuckle, Dan Reed, Nancy King, Duffy Bishop,
Nico Wind, Tom Grant, Patrick Lamb and Steve Kristoferson.
The weekend's musical line-up also will feature performances by Arigon
Starr, Charmaine Neville, Curtis Salgado, Native Roots, Bobby Torres
Big Band, Boka Marimba, Jim Basnight and Obbo Addy.
CRITFC's four member tribes Ð the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla
Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation
of Oregon, the Yakama Nation and the Nez Perce Tribe Ð will be represented
as well. The Umatilla, Warm Springs and Yakama museums each will have
exhibits, and Nez Perce Appaloosa horses will be on display.
Jet boat rides will be available between Waterfront Park and the Oregon
Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), where there will be a teepee
display and interactive watershed exhibits.
"Salmon Pack" festival packets are available in advance for $20 each.
The packet contains a two-day admission sticker, coupons, a raffle
ticket, an event postcard and a Wy-Kan-Ush-Pum collectible pin. For
more information, call (503) 238-3570, or visit salmonpeople.com.
# # # #
About CRITFC
The Portland-based Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission is
the technical support and coordinating agency for fishery management
policies of the Columbia River Basin's four treaty tribes: the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes
of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes
and Bands of the Yakama Nation and the Nez Perce Tribe.
CRITFC, formed in 1977, employs biologists, other scientists, public
information specialists, policy analysts and administrators who work
in fisheries research and analyses, advocacy, planning and coordination,
harvest control and law enforcement. |
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