(Photo | By Travis Cooper)
The Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, has published the Guide to Oregon Indian Country in partnership with the Tribal Tourism Working Group, a workgroup comprised of representatives from Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes. The publication is a product of a yearlong partnership between Travel Oregon and the Tribal Tourism Working Group.
“This travel guide offers visitors an opportunity to connect with tribal people who have inhabited what is now Oregon since time immemorial,” said Lucinda DiNovo, vice-chair of the Oregon Tourism Commission and director of sales for The Mill Casino Hotel & RV Park, which is owned by the Coquille Indian Tribe in North Bend. “We invite you to our thriving communities to see the beauty of Oregon through our eyes, experience the best of tribal hospitality and connect with us through our stories and our cultural events.”
Driven by the editorial vision of a tribal subcommittee, the guide aims to promote tribal tourism assets and cultural resources. The guide offers resources and inspiration for visiting tribal regions to help boost economic impact, including:
- Detailed profiles about each tribe
- Ways to respect Indigenous peoples’ land, history and cultures
- Information on tribal museums and casino resorts
- Details about outdoor activities and tribal events that are open to the public
“The tribes in Oregon are as culturally rich and diverse as the landscapes they live on, and each plays an important role in the vitality of our state,” said Bobbie Conner, director of the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute — located on the Umatilla Indian Reservation near Pendleton. “We recommend you use this guide to plan your travel itinerary to our tribal communities where you will learn about the long-standing traditions of the individual tribes and experience their unique connection to the land and its bounty.”
In conjunction with the Guide to Oregon Indian Country, traveloregon.com has expanded its digital tribal content by launching the Tribal Nations page under the Places to Go section. This page offers tribal trip ideas and information about attractions, events and other visitor amenities within the state’s tribal regions.
Indigenous people have inhabited what is now Oregon since time immemorial, with more than 50 tribes calling this area home. Today, the members of the nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon carry forward a deep knowledge of this place and traditions that have endured and evolved for thousands of years. These nine remaining tribes are:
- Burns Paiute Tribe
- Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians
- Coquille Indian Tribe
- Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians
- Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
- The Klamath Tribes
- Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
- Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
- Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
The Guide to Oregon Indian Country is available to order on Travel Oregon’s website here.
About Travel Oregon:
The Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, is a semi-independent state agency whose mission is to inspire travel that uplifts Oregon communities. Collaborating with stakeholders to align as stewards of Oregon, we work to optimize economic opportunity, advance equity and respect the ecosystems, cultures and places that make Oregon… Oregon. Travel Oregon aims to improve Oregonians’ quality of life by strengthening the economic impacts of the state’s $10.9 billion tourism industry, which employs more than 100,000 Oregonians.