Umatilla Confederated Tribes

Umatilla Confederated Tribes
Name	Umatilla Confederated Tribes
Caption	Seal of the Confederated Tribes
Location	Columbia River Plateau, Oregon, United States
Established	1855 (Treaty of Walla Walla)
Population	~3,200 enrolled (estimate)
Languages	Umatilla language, Nez Perce language, Walla Walla language, English language

Umatilla Confederated Tribes are a federally recognized confederation of Native American peoples in northeastern Oregon, formed by the union of the Cayuse people, Umatilla people, and Walla Walla people. The confederation administers tribal affairs on the Umatilla Indian Reservation near Pendleton, Oregon, maintains cultural programs tied to the Columbia River, and engages in legal and political advocacy involving treaties such as the Treaty of Walla Walla (1855) and cases before the United States Supreme Court. Tribal initiatives intersect with regional entities including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Park Service, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and conservation organizations like the Nature Conservancy.

History

The tribes trace ancestral presence to the Columbia River Plateau and seasonal rounds documented in ethnographies by Edward S. Curtis, Alfred Kroeber, and fieldwork housed at institutions such as the American Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution. Contact-era history involved interactions with explorers and officials including Lewis and Clark Expedition, John Jacob Astor's Pacific Fur Company, and missionaries linked to Marcus Whitman and Samuel Parker. Mid-19th century pressures culminated in the Cayuse War and the Yakima War, and federal negotiations produced the Treaty of Walla Walla (1855), signed by leaders like Piupiumaksmaks and representatives of Isaac Stevens. Subsequent policies under the Bureau of Indian Affairs and rulings from the United States District Court for the District of Oregon shaped land allotments, termination-era debates echoing national disputes such as Klamath Termination, and sovereignty assertions litigated alongside cases involving the Bonneville Power Administration and United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Tribes and Governance

The confederation unites the Cayuse people, Umatilla people, and Walla Walla people under a tribal constitution modeled after federal frameworks established in the 20th century and administered through a tribal council that engages with bodies like the National Congress of American Indians, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, and the Indian Health Service. Leadership interacts with state institutions including the Oregon Legislative Assembly and federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency. Governance addresses legal matters influenced by precedents like Washington v. Washington State Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel Ass'n and agreements with utilities including BPA and regional commissions such as the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.

Reservation and Land

The Umatilla Indian Reservation lies in Umatilla County, Oregon adjacent to Pendleton, Oregon and includes parts of the Blue Mountains and tributaries of the Columbia River such as the Umatilla River. Land base issues reference historical instruments like the Homestead Acts, the General Allotment Act (Dawes Act), and subsequent land restoration efforts similar to those by the Yakama Nation and Nez Perce Tribe. Contemporary land management coordinates with federal programs such as the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and regional initiatives tied to the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail and the Oregon Trail corridor.

Culture and Language

Cultural life preserves languages of the Plateau Penutian and Sahaptian language family including Umatilla language, Nez Perce language, and Walla Walla language, with revitalization programs drawing on linguists from University of Oregon, Washington State University, and archives at the Library of Congress. Ceremonial and daily practices engage with salmon runs central to treaties adjudicated in cases like United States v. Washington and feature regalia and songs comparable to those documented by Franz Boas and James Teit. Cultural partnerships include the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, collaborations with museums such as the Pendleton Round-Up Museum, and exchanges with other nations including the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and international indigenous bodies like the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Economy and Enterprises

Economic enterprises range from tribal enterprises operating casinos similar to Spirit Mountain Casino and partnerships with gaming compacts modeled after Indian Gaming Regulatory Act frameworks, to agriculture, forestry, and fisheries linked to regional markets like Port of Umatilla and commodity networks involving Bonneville Power Administration transmission. Enterprises include tribal corporations engaging with investors, legal counsel versed in Indian Law, and joint ventures with entities such as the Oregon Trails Company and regional utilities. Economic development also involves federal funding from programs like the USDA Rural Development and infrastructure investments consistent with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 projects.

Natural Resources and Environmental Stewardship

Stewardship priorities center on salmonid restoration involving Chinook salmon, Sockeye salmon, and Steelhead populations impacted by projects like the John Day Dam, The Dalles Dam, and operations by the Bonneville Power Administration. Natural resources collaboration spans agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and non-governmental organizations like the Pacific Salmon Commission and the World Wildlife Fund. Programs address water rights litigated in frameworks similar to Winters v. United States, habitat restoration akin to Columbia River Basin recovery plans, and climate adaptation initiatives partnering with research centers such as the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute and universities like Oregon State University.

Notable Members and Contemporary Issues

Prominent members and leaders have engaged with treaties, education, and activism, including elders and contemporary figures who have worked with institutions like the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Ford Foundation. Contemporary issues include litigation over salmon restoration seen in suits involving the Bonneville Power Administration, debates over resource management paralleling disputes faced by the Nez Perce Tribe and Yakama Nation, public health challenges addressed through the Indian Health Service and regional hospitals, and cultural revitalization efforts supported by grants from the National Science Foundation. The confederation remains active in regional politics with stakes in federal policies under administrations engaging with tribal consultation standards exemplified by executive orders and engagements with congressional committees such as the House Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.

Category:Native American tribes in Oregon Category:Federally recognized tribes in the United States