The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs closed out five days of celebration Sunday, marking 171 years since the treaty signing that has defined tribal sovereignty in Central Oregon for generations.
The annual Pi-Ume-Sha Treaty Days celebration, which translates from Sahaptin as “celebration,” ran from June 23 through June 28 and included a rodeo, community barbecue, vendor fair, and three days of powwow competitions. The Treaty of 1855 was signed on June 25 of that year, bringing together the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Paiute peoples under the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and securing their rights to fish, hunt, and gather on ancestral lands outside reservation boundaries.
Dance, Regalia, and Generations
The powwow’s dance and regalia competitions were a centerpiece of Pi-Ume-Sha, drawing competitors ranging from “tiny tots” six years old and younger all the way to men and women 60 and older. Cash prizes were awarded in each category.
Sharon Katchia, secretary of the confederation, said the celebrations carried deep meaning for tribal members old and young alike.
“It takes a lot of work, but it’s well worth it when you see all the smiling faces,” Katchia said. “One of the things our grandparents taught us growing up is, you know, take care of one another.”
Katchia noted that weeks of organizing went into the event, and that family members and visitors from far away made the journey back to the reservation for the occasion.
More Than Competition
The powwow grounds were lined with vendors selling handmade jewelry, traditional clothing, food, and drinks. In a post-competition speech, the winner of the men’s 60-and-older dance category reminded the crowd that the day’s meaning runs deeper than prizes.
The celebration, he said, is about being together and honoring their treaty and the protection of tribal culture.
Pi-Ume-Sha was founded in the late 1960s by community leaders to honor Native military veterans and to educate the public about tribal history. Today the event draws visitors from across the region and serves as one of the largest cultural celebrations in Jefferson County each year.
The Treaty’s Ongoing Significance
The Warm Springs Reservation encompasses roughly 640,000 acres in Jefferson, Wasco, and Jefferson counties. The 1855 treaty remains the legal foundation for tribal rights recognized in federal and state courts, including fishing rights on the Columbia River and its tributaries that tribal members continue to exercise today.