2nd Annual Northwest Indian Storytelling Festival January 4, 2007

You are invited to join us at the 2nd Annual Northwest Indian Storytelling Festival Thursday through Saturday evenings, January 4-6, 2007, and the NISA Apprenticeship Workshop and Tellers Gathering on January 6-7 at Portland State University in downtown Portland, Oregon.

The festival will celebrate tribal storytelling season in the Pacific Northwest, featuring some of the region’s finest traditional and contemporary tribal storytellers, along with tribal drumming, singing and dancing. Those interested in the tribal storytellers events must register in advance as seating is limited to 150. Registration paperwork is available through NISA. Festival tickets must be reserved at PSU Box Office (503) 725-3307, or you can contact Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com. (key word: storytellers festival).

A Live and Silent Charity Auction during the Friday and Saturday evening festival events will benefit the Northwest Indian Storytellers Association. You can find the auction catalogue online at a link at www.wisdomoftheelders.org for those who want to view the catalog or bid ahead of time on Pendleton Woolen Mills blankets & clothing, arts & crafts, getaways, & other items. Most items are available on a “buy now” basis so gifts can be purchased for loved ones in time for delivery during this Christmas holiday season. A raffle will also be held at the end of each evening to benefit NISA, with items including American Indian arts and crafts, and other items.

NISA was formed in October 2005 to encourage, preserve and strengthen traditional storytelling among tribes in Oregon, Washington and Idaho and to share tribal oral cultural arts with the entire regional community. Among American Indian tribes throughout America, winter is storytelling time. Knowledge and wisdom, traditional cultural values and spiritual qualities, as well as tribal oral history and prophesy, are all imparted to younger generations through storytelling from generation to generation during the winter months.

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Thursday evening presenters: January 4, 2007 at 7:00 - 9:30

Roger Fernandes: Lower Elwha Band of the Klallam Indians storyteller, educator and artist

Elizabeth Woody: Navajo/Warm Springs/Wasco/Yakama poet and author

Adeline Miller: Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Indians elder and storyteller

Thursday evening’s event will be held at PSU’s Native American Student and Community Center (Corner of SW Broadway and Jackson Streets at the south end of the Portland State University campus in downtown Portland).

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Friday evening presenters: January 5, 2007 at 7:00 - 10:00

Allen Pinkham, Sr.: Nez Perce (Niimipuu) tribal leader, oral historian and storyteller

Esther Stutzman: Kalapuya and Coos storyteller and educator

Johnny Moses: Tulalip tribal storyteller

Friday evening’s event will be held at Lincoln Performance Hall (corner of SW Broadway and Market Streets at the north end of PSU campus in downtown Portland).

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Saturday evening presenters: January 6, 2007 at 7:00 - 10:00

Jan Michael Looking Wolf Reibach: Grand Ronde tribal flutist and storyteller

Elaine Grinnell: Jamestown S’Klallam storyteller

Ed Edmo: Yakama, Nez Perce, Shoshone, Siletz and French tribal storyteller

Saturday evening’s event will be held at Lincoln Performance Hall (corner of SW Broadway and Market Streets at north end of PSU campus in downtown Portland).

The festival will feature traditional and contemporary storytelling and oral history from the region. Events will also include drumming and singing from the Splac’ta Alla Drum Group (“The People of the Valley” in the Komemma Kalapuya language), and Four Directions Drum Group. Invocations from tribal spiritual leaders will open all events.

Events for tribal members an Apprenticeship Workshop on Saturday, January 6, 2007 (8 AM - 5 PM), which includes a special afternoon apprentice storytelling matinee. There will also be a Tellers Gathering on Sunday morning, January 7, 2007 (8 AM - Noon). Registration for these events is $20 which includes 3 meals on Saturday, a brunch on Sunday, and a 3-evening festival pass valued at $45. Registration is limited to 150 participants due to limited space at the PSU Native American Student and Community Center. Contact Elaine Lanegan at (503) 777-7140 or at [email protected] to receive registration materials.

Funding has been provided in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, Regional Arts and Culture Council, McKenzie River Gathering Foundation & Umpqua Bank. Festival sponsors also include Native American Student & Community Center and the Native American Studies Program at PSU, Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest, Inc., the Center for Columbia River History, & Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. Sponsors of the Apprenticeship Workshop and Tellers Gathering include the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, the Quinault Nation, and the Squaxin Island Tribe.

For more information, contact Elaine Lanegan at NISA (503) 777-7140 or by e-mail [email protected]. More information about primary sponsor, Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. and the online, live and silent charity auction is available at www.wisdomoftheelders.org