The Nez Perce people build an ongoing story about return in Wallowa, Oregon

The hot summer day crept into evening by the time Fred Hill made his introduction.

“I want to welcome you here to the 30th annual Tamkaliks Celebration here in Wallowa, Oregon,” the master of ceremonies said. “We’ve anticipated this for quite some time.”

COVID-19 forced organizers to cancel the previous two powwows. Now, dancers were gathering outside the arbor, a circular structure with a parachute as a roof and three rows of bleachers for the spectators who assembled.

The drum circles started and voices rose in song. The Grand Entry had begun.

As the arbor filled with dozens of bodies in full regalia, people of all ages dressed in cloth and feathers of every color. The jingle of the metal on their regalia complimented the booming percussion that surrounded them.

The procession was led by men bearing the American flag and the Eagle Staff. To the Nez Perce, the eagle feather represents honor and good medicine.

Tamkaliks is an ongoing story about return. A return to celebration after two years of pandemic delays. A return to the homeland, and a hope for the future with even deeper roots.