NEW Native Heritage Tour Focuses on Moses Coulee
We are thrilled to be able to offer a new Native Heritage tour this season. Explore significant cultural sites of the Sinkiuse people including paint gathering, projectile manufacturing and cave locations with guide Randy Lewis.
Randy Lewis grew up with a strong understanding and sense of place within Native American Columbia Plateau indigenous society. Lewis traces his roots to the Wenatchi band. His life experiences include fishing at Celilo Falls before waters from the construction of The Dalles Dam inundated the Columbia River site, and putting an end to an 11,000-year-old, 9-mile-long indigenous fishery. In addition to Wenatchee Heights and Celilo Falls, Lewis lived with extended family in Okanagan County and Ellensburg. All these experiences contribute to the wealth of knowledge he is eager to share. Lewis’ enthusiasm for the history of his people, the stories of his ancestors and their relation to the surrounding landscape comes from a hope for deeper understanding and respect of ancient cultures.
He hopes that deeper appreciation will transcend to how people approach the discovery of Native American artifacts.
The Moses Coulee is significant for several reasons. It is believed to be the birthplace of Chief Moses. In addition, significant cave locations throughout the coulee were places to gather. The Coulee is the site of standoffs between Chief Moses and the Cavalry. Tribes used the fishing sites near Rock Island at the mouth of Moses Coulee, they gathered roots, and they gathered minerals used in pictograph painting along the Coulee. There are also lithic sites where projectile points were manufactured.
Using the mouth of the Moses Coulee as a backdrop, Lewis will explain the significance of the Colockum area to tribes.
This special tour is being conducted in cooperation with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.
