Portraits from the Warm Springs Indian Reservation
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Powwow emcee. “Remember a few years ago there was a big party at Little Big Horn? What was that guy’s name? Goldilocks? Well, let’s have a honky dance in his honor — a little half-time entertainment.”
“My Wild Irish Rose” on a hot afternoon.
A former cook at the boys’ dorm at the boarding school, she plays “jejewai” at powwows in her retirement.
An “awesome” Asteroids player who can make a quarter last all day.
“At first it just meant a lot of fun. Then it was like a part-time job. Now jobs are hard to get around here, so I hit the rodeos pretty hard and try to win as much money as I can.”
“When I first started roping, the men laughed. They thought I was a just a dumb girl and should stick with barrel-racing.”
Tribal Council chairman, logger, and avid golfer—his father Charlie taught him to “get along with the white man—he’s here to stay.”
Waiting to take her place on the Tribes’ float at Portland’s Grand Floral Parade. Lucinda learned self-reliance at the boarding school, but had trouble giving up Wasco for English. “I talked broken language, not too straight.”
Powwow champion. Masami can be seen practicing her graceful and lightfooted moves in the aisles of supermarkets.
“Boxing feels like it comes naturally to me.”
His passions: powwow dancing and playing electric guitar in the Full Gospel Church.
