Cancelled - Tamkaliks Celebration Postponed til 2021

After careful consideration, NPWH and the Tamkaliks Committee have made the difficult decision to postpone the 30th Anniversary of the Tamkaliks Celebration and Friendship Feast until 2021. This will be the first summer in 30 years without a Tamkaliks Celebration taking place in Wallowa. We are saddened to make this announcement but recent comments by Governor Kate Brown have cemented our decision. We feel strongly that this is the best way to protect the health and safety of our Tamkaliks family as well as the local community. We’d like to thank all of you for your patience and flexibility as we have worked towards this decision. We will miss each of you greatly this July and look forward to seeing you in July of 2021 for what will be one of the most unifying and celebratory Tamkaliks yet.

Tamkaliks is a three day celebration of traditional Native American culture. It is also a place and time where local people can observe and learn about that culture and a bridge of friendship between the former and present inhabitants of the Wallowa County. For three days we have traditional Native American songs and dances. The traditional wear of the dancers is spectacular. Outside the dance area we have 25-35 concessionaires selling food, Native American crafts and other items. Along the river the participants camp during the pow wow, many setting up teepees. The sight of teepees along the river after many years' absence is wonderful. On the last day of the festival we have the friendship feast. The Native American community provides salmon, deer and elk and locals bring pot luck dishes. For the deer and elk a group of Indians come early and exercise their treaty rights by hunting for the game for the feast. A local committee prepares the fish and game.