The Heritage Museum is proud to host Oregon Is Indian Country, a special traveling exhibition of Oregon’s Native American heritage, December 1, to January 31, 2023.

​

First exhibited in 2009 at the Oregon Historical Society (OHS) in Portland, Oregon Is Indian Country represents a groundbreaking project that brought together all nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon to present information, never-before-assembled in one exhibit, on contemporary Indigenous cultures. These rich stories are now available for museums and cultural institutions across the state as a traveling exhibit.

​

The exhibit is a direct result of the Oregon Tribes Project, a multi-year collaboration between the Oregon Historical Society’s former Folklife Program and Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes. Tribal members documented their contemporary traditions and worked with OHS staff to create a series of heritage resources, including the Oregon Is Indian Country Traveling Trunk that is available for educators to rent from the Oregon Historical Society.

​

The exhibit consists of three 20-foot panels. The museum, library, and city hall are each displaying a panel.

​

The Land examines the ways the physical environment has and continues to influence tribal cultures, the importance of natural resources, and the enduring ties that tribes have with the land. [LIBRARY]

​

Federal Indian Policies explores policies that changed lives since the first official exploration by the U.S. government into the territory by Lewis & Clark in 1805. This section helps the public to better understand the complexities of current issues affecting Indian Country through an examination of significant historical events and policies such as sovereignty, treaties, the reservations system, termination, and restoration. [CITY HALL]

​

Traditions that Bind investigates the rich cultural heritage of Oregon’s tribes, including their oral traditions, material culture, art, and traditional lifeways. Many American Indian traditions are experiencing a revival via the traditional passage from one generation to the next as well as through research of oral recordings and historic documents. This section highlights ceremony and tradition, language, and how traditions are important in the survival of people and their cultures. [MUSEUM]

Support for this exhibit is generously provided by the following organizations: Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation; Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund and the Siletz Tribal Council; Spirit Mountain Community Fund; Wildhorse Foundation; Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Oregon State Library; National Endowment for the Arts; Oregon Arts Commission; Oregon Heritage Commission; Collins Foundation; Jackson Foundation; PGE Foundation; and Oregon Council for the Humanities.