Northwest Indian Storytellers Association (NISA)
We welcome Washington, Oregon and Idaho tribal members, along with the region's urban Indian storytellers from other nations around Turtle Island Question?NISA was formed in 2005 to encourage, preserve and strengthen traditional storytelling among tribes and urban Indian communities in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. In the spirit of race reconciliation, NISA shares tribal cultural arts with the entire regional community at our annual storytelling festivals.
You don’t have to be a master storyteller to join NISA. Emerging tribal storytellers and those who would like to start learning their tribe’s stories are also welcome to join NISA. You will have opportunities to get acquainted with master storytellers and fellow storytellers and learn from them during the storytelling workshops we hold annually as part of our storytelling festival weekends.
We welcome Washington, Oregon, and Idaho tribal members, along with the region’s urban Indian storytellers from other nations around Turtle Island, to join the Northwest Indian Storytellers Association (NISA).
We are in communication with Washington and other PNW tribes to see who is interested in serving as an annual sponsor and host so we can hold annual NISA Tribal Storytelling Festivals in the state of Washington.
We are also asking Northwest tribes to appoint a traditional storyteller who will serve as NISA Advisory Council members and be your tribe’s representative to NISA. We also ask that if funds are available, tribes sponsor them to join us during the festival and retreat weekends and provide their fee and travel expense.
Northwest Indian Storyteller Association
Archive of past eventsTurtle Island Storyteller Roy Wilson
What I'm All About My name is Roy Wilson. I am an enrolled member of the Cowlitz Indian tribe. I was born with an Indian father and a non-Indian mother. I have Cowlitz blood, Chinook blood, Yakama blood, and Iroquois blood. In my tribe, I served for thirty-two years...
Turtle Island Storyteller Carlos Calica
Our Songs Have Meaning Hello, my name is Carlos Calica. I come from the Confederate Tribes of Warm Springs. I was asked to come here to share today on the Tribal Rhythms program on Native American drumming and the history of the drumming and singing of the Warm...
Turtle Island Storyteller Vernon Kennedy
Hi, this is Vernon Kennedy, Paiute from the Burns Paiute tribe. I'd like to share this coyote story. Coyote was with Esha who was going to be in a fight. As Esha was getting ready he told his brother don't watch me even though you hear a lot of fighting. Don't even...
Turtle Island Storyteller Spider Mocassin
A Convention of Satyrs My name is Spider Moccasin and I'm an enrolled tribal member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. I'm a Wasco/Warm Springs person. I'm a cartoonist and a rock and roll musician I'm currently collaborating with a Yakama tribal member, Jay...
Turtle Island Storyteller John Bevis
Remember your Weyakin My name is John Bevis. I'm a member of the Umatilla tribe. I'm Umatilla /Walla Walla ancestry. My Indian name is Mowitit, which comes from my grandmother's side the Barnhardt side. Born and raised on the Umatilla Reservation. I was exposed to a...
Turtle Island Storyteller Gerald Primeaux
Gerald Primeaux Senior, I am a Huntawa Lakota from the Yankton Sioux Reservation. My name is Chactawa which means Twin Eagle Boy. I was born in 1963 in Yankton, South Dakota, my dad was Asa Primeaux Senior. His dad, my grampa, was Harry Primeaux Senior. My great...
Turtle Island Storyteller Lillian Pitt
It Feeds My Soul My name is Lillian Pitt and my Indian name is Wakamu and my ancestry on the BIA papers is Warm Springs, Wasco, and Yakama. The memories of the elders are very special because they are the last of the quote-unquote traditional type of people who saw...
Turtle Island Storyteller Pat Courtney Gold
Weaving History My maiden name is Courtney and I was born and raised on the Warm Springs Reservation. The Wasco people were known for fishing and for trading. The salmon runs produced enough fish for us so that each family could catch hundreds and hundreds of pounds....
NORTHWEST INDIAN STORYTELLING GATHERING TO BE HELD FRIDAY, FEB. 17, 2017
Northwest Indian Storytelling Gathering was held Friday, February 17, 2017 Friday, February 17, 2017 at Portland Community College - Cascade Symposium is 2:30 – 5:00 PM Storytelling Gathering 7:00 – 9:30 PM Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. and the Northwest Indian...
Native American Storytelling Gathering
Friday November 20, 7:00 - 9:30pm Zenger Farm, Urban Grange 11741 SE Foster Rd Portland, OR 97266 Wisdom and the Northwest Indian Storytellers Association raise our hands in thanks to everyone who helped to support the Northwest Indian Storytelling Association at our...
Contact and Questions
For more information, e-mail us at tim@wisdomoftheelders.org