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All the United States Oregon Pendleton Tamástslikt Cultural Institute
AO Edited

Tamástslikt Cultural Institute

The only Native American museum along the Oregon Trail, run by the peoples who have lived on the land for generations.

Pendleton, Oregon

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Kavya Ram Mohan
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Tamástslikt Cultural Institute   Don and Melinda Crawford/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
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The Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, situated on the Umatilla Reservation outside Pendleton, Oregon, is the only tribal-run Native American museum along the Oregon Trail, and it's a wonderful cultural gem.

Developed and operated by members of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla peoples that have lived on the land for 10,000 years, the museum is a rare chance to get the Native American perspective on the history of the region and on the clash of cultures and wars caused by settlers in the Pacific Northwest. 

A feeling of immense pride runs through the entire museum:  pride in the tribes' unique customs and traditions and in the strength that has helped them stand until today and share their cultures and traditions with the world. The name, Tamástslikt, neatly encapsulates the institute's vision: It means "interpreting our own story." 

The three permanent exhibits—broken up into “We Were,” “We Are,” and “We Will Be”—include interviews with tribal warriors, ancient tools, traditional artwork, and tribal music sung across generations. Visitors learn about the different aspects of everyday life on the vast stretch of land: the kind of food people ate, the tools used in hunting, and the devices created for various daily tasks.

Related Tags

Native Americans Cultures And Civilizations Culture History Museums And Collections Museums Indigenous

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Added By

Kavya Ram Mohan

Edited By

erjeffery, Collector of Experiences, Michelle Cassidy

  • erjeffery
  • Collector of Experiences
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

August 12, 2017

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  • https://books.google.com/books?id=ztsvpG6u_rgC&pg=PA76&dq=Tamastslikt+Cultural+Institute&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjo8JSctenWAhVCxYMKHUI_DuEQ6AEIQjAF#v=onepage&q=Tamastslikt%20Cultural%20Institute&f=false
  • http://ctuir.org/history-culture/history-ctuir
  • http://bluebook.state.or.us/cultural/history/organizations02.htm
  • https://tamastslikt.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/what%E2%80%99s-in-a-name/
Tamástslikt Cultural Institute
47106 Wildhorse Blvd
Pendleton, Oregon, 97801
United States
45.654179, -118.66325
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