CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF GRAND RONDE

Lincoln City Portland

Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde

Based in the foothills of the Coast Range, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde comprise a multitude of Native tribes from the Pacific Northwest. They include the Kalapuya of the central river valleys; the Chinook along the Columbia River; the Tillamook along the Coast; and the Molalla, Umpqua, Rogue River, Chasta and others to the south. For generations, their people fished, hunted, gathered, traveled and traded, establishing centuries-old cultures in homelands that stretched across what is now called Western Oregon, Southwest Washington and Northern California.

Their way of life was forever altered in the 1800s with western expansion, when more than 30 tribes and bands were forced from their lands and relocated to a 61,000-acre reservation along the Yamhill River in the Coast Range. Before long, most of that land was taken away too, along with their federal tribal recognition and rights. People whose self-sufficiency and connection to place dated back thousands of years were left without a home in their own homeland. It took a deep toll.

Through decades of injustice, the tribes persevered and eventually triumphed. In the 1980s, they succeeded in reestablishing federal recognition as the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, restoring their tribal rights in the eyes of the federal government and regaining a portion of their lands.

It proved a powerful foothold on the path back to self-sufficiency. Today 11,500 acres of that original reservation allotment is the home of a strong and successful tribal confederation. Among the forested hills and verdant river valleys 60 miles southwest of Portland, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde welcome guests to an array of tribal enterprises and visitor attractions. They include the Spirit Mountain Casino, the Spirit Mountain Lodge, the Big Buck Campground, and the Chachalu Museum and Cultural Center, celebrating a tapestry of cultures and a resilient spirit that defines the tribes today.

TEACHING TRIBAL CULTURE

The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde thoughtfully preserve and share their rich cultures with tribal members and the broader public. Through exhibits, photos and ceremonial artifacts, the Chachalu Museum shares the stories of the tribes’ past losses and inspiring revitalization. A smartphone app lets museum visitors participate in games, quizzes, songs and stories, and hear snippets of the Chinuk Wawa language.

Anyone with access to the internet can delve deeper into tribal language, history and artisan skills thanks to a series of instructional videos and documentaries produced by the Grand Ronde Tribes’ Cultural Resources Department. Viewers can learn the basics of basket making, beading, and how to make percussion instruments like traditional drums and clap sticks.

To improve understanding and accuracy of tribal history, the tribes have developed classroom-ready curriculums for Oregon teachers. These ageappropriate educational materials include lesson plans, maps and videos for students from kindergarten through high school on topics ranging from tribal governance to Native language.

THE PEOPLE OF THE FALLS

The Grand Ronde Tribes have a special connection to Willamette Falls, the village home of their Clackamas and Clowewalla ancestors and a vital site for harvesting salmon and lamprey. They know it simply as tumwata, the Chinook jargon word for waterfall. After the tribes were evicted from their lands in the 1850s, these spectacular horseshoeshaped falls — the most voluminous waterfall in the Northwest — succumbed to development and industrial use.

In 2019 the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde

WILLAMETTE FALLS (TUMWATA)

In 2019 the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde reacquired a portion of this sacred site. They are restoring the ecological health and reestablishing their cultural connections to this historical homeland.

reacquired a portion of this sacred site when they purchased the abandoned Blue Heron Paper Mill at the falls. Now the tribes are restoring the ecological health of tumwata and reestablishing their cultural connections to this historical homeland.

A significant ceremonial first step was erecting a fishing scaffold at the falls to allow the tribes to exercise their traditional tribal fishing rights. Now extensive restoration work is underway: removing industrial buildings and waste, repairing the natural water channels, reestablishing native plantings and restoring riparian habitat for native fish, birds and other wildlife.

Working with state, federal, local and tribal partners, future plans call for a riverwalk that provides public access to the falls, as well as tribal initiatives that may include a tribal center, educational spaces and hospitality venues.

TRIBAL GENEROSITY

Not only do the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde support the local economy as Polk County’s largest employer, the success of their Spirit Mountain Casino and Spirit Mountain Lodge supports millions of dollars in charitable giving each year. The Spirit Mountain Community Fund embodies the Native tradition of the potlatch, where good fortune is shared with others. Through the Community Fund, the tribes have donated more than $89 million to nonprofit organizations in Northwest Oregon, supporting sustainability, inclusion and the advancement of underserved communities.

TRIBAL CELEBRATIONS

July brings together tribal and nontribal veterans from all walks of life — some in Native regalia, others astride motorcycles — honoring them for their service at the Veterans Powwow. The Annual Contest Powwow in August is the biggest event on the Grand Ronde calendar and one of the largest powwows in the western United States. Highlights of the vibrant social event include a communal salmon dinner and tribes from across North America competing in several dance competitions in full Native regalia. The public is welcome to attend both events.

NEARBY VISITOR ATTRACTIONS

Situated between Portland and the Coast, the tribes’ Spirit Mountain Lodge makes an ideal base for exploring the region. Campers also find a welcome spot on tribal lands: Big Buck Campground has sites for tents and RVs along Agency Creek in Grand Ronde, along with access to several miles of maintained trails. It’s a short drive east into the Willamette Valley wine country, where YamhillCarlton wineries have helped build Oregon’s worldwide reputation for pinot noir. Less than a half-hour west, coastal towns like Pacific City and Neskowin invite visitors to explore sandy beaches, forested headlands, fresh seafood and other delights of the Oregon Coast.

Southeast of the Grand Ronde Reservation near Dallas, Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge preserves some of the disappearing native ecosystem of the Willamette Valley, a nutrient-rich mix of marsh and grasslands. The 2,500acre refuge is a magnet for migrating waterfowl. Nearby Black Rock Mountain attracts mountain bikers for a network of free-ride trails that has earned the coveted “Epic Ride” designation from the International Mountain Bike Association.

From top: Annual Contest Powwow; Chachalu Museum and Cultural Center