Oregon, Part 5

We were going to visit a logging museum and a Lewis and Clark site, but due to a couple of delays this morning (don't ask!), we decided to visit the Warm Springs Indian Museum instead.
The Warm Springs Reservation houses three distinct but connected tribes: the Wasco (originally from the state of Washington), the Warm Springs People, and the Northern Paiute. The Paiute in particular have a more Plains Indian background than the other two, but all three groups inhabited what is now Western Oregon for hundreds of years, and had a mostly friendly relationship.

The Museum houses a collection of artifacts and displays on ways of life in the area. For exampled, at right is a summer dwelling of the Paiute. These were simple structures that could be built in a day. Items on display include woven baskets, stone points, and hide blankets.






At left is a Wedding Exchange. The families of the bride and groom meet before the wedding and exchange gifts. The bride's family usually offers food, woven goods, and decorative items like beaded belts and clothing. The groom's family provided horses and tack, and leather goods. The idea was that each proved they could provide for the other and were capable members of the tribe. (Although the display did mention that if the bride's family disapproved of the match, the groom's family might find holes in the blankets, or worms in the food....)




We drove up Mount Hood on the way to and from the reservation. We started out in 50+ degree temperatures. At the 1500-foot mark on Mount Hood, it was 32 degrees and snowing. At right is a picture of Mom "Singin' in the Snow" at the rest stop.