On Thursday, March 17, 2022, the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon issued a letter to the Willamette Falls Legacy Partners (WFLP) effectively withdrawing from the partnership and the public riverwalk project.
Willamette Falls Trust Board Chair and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians Tribal Councilman Robert Kentta issued the following statement in response:
“Willamette Falls Trust is committed to an inclusive and equitable restoration and preservation process that respects Indigenous people and their lifeways, cultures and shared Tribal histories that date back millennia. That’s why the Trust engaged in a multi-agency, public-private endeavor — including five Tribal governments and four public governments. The inclusion of all Tribes with spiritual, historical, and legal connections to Falls is an important step for this project and should be a common practice at this place. The four member Tribes of the Trust continue their support for projects in the Willamette Falls region that uphold this practice.
“The process has been complex, with parties coming to the table with differing priorities and visions — which is to be expected given these five Tribal and four state and local government entities represent their individual constituents. As with any multi-government collaboration, there have been challenges, yet participation in these conversations is key to success and healing.
“It is important to respect Tribal leadership and lifeways — and not view the restoration process through the filters of dominant culture. Native ways of knowing bring forward teachings built through observation over countless generations that serve as a guide from our ancestors to protect and honor the waterways and lands. We have to respect — and learn from — the Tribal leaders and their process. While we are disappointed about the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde’s decision to abandon the process and withdraw from the partnership, we also must acknowledge that these negotiations among all of the stakeholders — both Indigenous people and others — is progress toward healing in and of itself.
“As a result of our ongoing process, Willamette Falls Trust is continuing to collaborate on plans for the Falls that center multi-Tribal leadership, history and culture — and that benefits all Oregonians. Our path forward is to remain consistent to the Trust’s mission of creating an exceptional experience at Willamette Falls, including working closely with parties on both sides of the river.
“The Trust is committed to honoring Indigenous culture and carrying on the work collaboratively with the member Tribes of the Trust and partners who support the restoration of Willamette Falls. No one Tribe is the sole caretaker of the Falls; all five Tribes have a shared history. Any plans going forward must acknowledge and respect that history. We look forward to our continued work to reimagine a public space that reflects the diversity and complexity of the Falls and its many histories — pointing us to the continuing lifeways that intersect at this sacred place.
