Washington County Historical Museum: This Kalapuya Land
Full Description:
A new exhibit that chronicles the lives and culture of Native Americans living in the Willamette Valley is now traveling to public venues throughout Washington County and beyond.
The Kalapuya Indians were experienced peaceful traders with a carefully maintained ecosystem controlled by fire and harvest practices. They lived in the Willamette Valley and surrounding areas but traveled throughout the region to gather seasonal foods and trade. By the time the Oregon Trail pioneers arrived in the area, more than 90% of the native population had been decimated by epidemics of small pox and other diseases. Most of the survivors were forced to leave their ancestral lands and move to the Grand Ronde Reservation in the mid-1850s. Today, as members of Grand Ronde, the Kalapuya continue to celebrate and preserve their rich cultural heritage and ecological stewardship based on thousands of years of tradition.
The traveling exhibit includes 16 panels that detail aspects of Kalapuya life including food, clothing, housing and trading practices. Visitors will also learn how treaties with the American Government and removal of the tribes to the Grand Ronde Reservation affected traditional Kalapuya lifestyles. The museum hopes that the exhibit will help to educate people about the diverse cultures that have existed in Western Oregon since before Euro-American settlement and continue to thrive today.
This display is the traveling version of an expanded permanent signature exhibit complete with artifacts, interactive displays and a self-guided audio tour planned for the Washington County Museum's new gallery, slated to begin construction later this year.
Look for the exhibit at the Beaverton City Library through December 2007.
