First Advisor
Max Nielson-Pincus
Date of Award
Spring 6-15-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Environmental Studies and University Honors
Department
Environmental Science and Management
Language
English
Subjects
Celilo Falls, Pacific Northwest, Indigenous Rights
DOI
10.15760/honors.1712
Abstract
This thesis examines the historical, cultural, and ecological significance of Celilo Falls (Wyam), a once-sacred Indigenous site on the Columbia River, and the profound impacts of its submergence by The Dalles Dam in 1957. It looks into the history of the area as well as the potential for a return of the falls in the future. Drawing from a mixed-methods approach that includes a systematic literature review and qualitative interviews with Indigenous scholars, elders, and community members, the study explores how the loss of Celilo Falls disrupted Indigenous governance, economies, and spiritual practices. It further investigates how Celilo continues to inform contemporary Indigenous activism--particularly in efforts to restore salmon populations, protect treaty fishing rights, and reassert sovereignty. Special attention is given to the concept of legal personhood for rivers, considering its potential as a model for ecological and cultural restoration in the Columbia River Basin. Grounded in Indigenous knowledge systems, this research contributes to broader conversations about environmental justice, settler-colonial infrastructure, and the decolonization of natural resource governance. Ultimately, it argues that meaningful restoration of this area must begin with and be led by the Indigenous nations historically connected to Celilo Falls.
Rights
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Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/43819
Recommended Citation
Senn, CJ, "Indigenous Cultural Healing in the Pacific Northwest: The Columbia River Tribes and the Potential Return of the Falls" (2025). University Honors Theses. Paper 1679.
https://doi.org/10.15760/honors.1712