In 1954, the government refused to honor the 1855 treaty with the members of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, of which the Kalapuya natives belonged to.
The Kalapuya and other tribes worked hard to make the United States government honor the treaty again. In 1983 they were recognized by the government once again and received much-needed health and human services benefits for tribal members.
Ester Stutzman, tribal elder (2014)
Esther Stutzman, storyteller & elder
Today, many Kalapuya continue to live in and around the Willamette Valley, not just on the reservation. The tribe is still recognized as part of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde located about 30 miles south-east of McMinnville, Oregon.
Although Kalapuya natives live much like other Oregonians, many continue to practice and honor their traditional ways of life. One way the Kalapuya are remembered and recognized is with the Talking Stones. These are 15 stones inscribed with Kalapuya words that are placed in Eugene and Springfield parks.
- Kalapuya Talking Stones at Alton Baker Park web | brochure | video
- 2012 Whilamut Passage Bridge Naming video
- 2012 Lampray (eel) harvesting video
- More about the Kalapuya Native Americans
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