Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. (Wisdom) and The Northwest Indian Storytellers Association (NISA) warmly invites our friends throughout the Pacific Northwest for an evening of Native American storytelling. A series of events will be held in Portland on Friday, February 17, 2017. The agenda and locations of this time-honored tradition will be announced shortly.
Wisdom will hold a one-day cultural arts and science conference in conjunction with our annual evening tribal storytelling event. Tribal storytellers are increasingly realizing the link between their stories and songs to traditional First Foods and the critical importance of restoring threatened and endangered First Foods species. We will include presentations from Native science educators and scientists as well as Native storytellers, song carriers and basket weavers at this conference.
We are requesting that Native elders, cultural leaders and scientists share science as well as traditional stories and songs about salmon, lamprey eel, camas roots, and other threatened and endangered First Foods species. Their traditional ecological knowledge is integral to First Foods restoration. Presenters will emphasize the importance of these foods to our way of life and connection to our ancestors and the land.
We will also take a look at how climate change is affecting the web of life. Our traditional stories reflect this vital relationship and teach the younger generations how to respect the gift of life that it gives us.
“Advisory Council members of the Northwest Indian Storytellers Association at the 2015 festival event at Portland Community College’s Moriarty Auditorium at the Cascade Campus”
Wisdom formed the Northwest Indian Storytellers Association (NISA) in 2005 to encourage, preserve and strengthen traditional storytelling among Northwest tribes and to share oral cultural art with the regional community. NISA became its own non-profit recently, and is based in Seattle, Washington, with continued support from Wisdom. We had a record 175 people in attendance at last year’s event at the Portland Art Museum and would love to see even more interest this year!
Enrolled tribal members and those who self-identify as Native American are also invited to become a NISA member and discover how storytelling can enrich your life. For a membership form, stories, and other great information, please email Janessa Colina (Cherokee) at janessa@wisdomoftheelders.org.