Celilo Falls

Stories from the River is a series of documentary shorts produced in collaboration with Confluence, Tule Films and NW Documentary, which the goal to elevate Indigenous voices in our collective understanding of the Columbia River system.

Wilbur Slockish tells a story about visiting Shoshone Falls in Idaho to sit and listen to the sound. The sound reminds him of Celilo Falls, a sound he will never forget.

Bryson Liberty shares funny memories of fishing at Celilo Falls.

Bill Yallup, Jr. explains how Celilo Falls was the "Wall Street of the West".

Virginia Beavert imagines what Tommy Thompson might have felt watching the flooding of Celilo Falls and describes her own feelings of sadness about the disappearance of the falls.

Virginia Beavert talks about the pain that people must have felt when Celilo Falls was flooded and how it changed fishing along the river.

Louie Pitt talks about "many Celilos," or the many places where indigenous people were pushed away from their livelihoods along the river systems in the Northwest.

Louie Pitt recalls memories of going to Celilo Falls as a kid. He describes the sound, the smell and feel of the area.

Johnny Jackson tells a story about catching fish at Celilo Falls and how the river made the salmon strong.