*some content may disturb*
1855.
Weeks of deliberation. Many layers of convoluted translation. A massive game of political telephone that no one thought was funny. Some refused to sign. Education was promised. Food was promised. Protection was promised. Hope was promised. Still many would not sign. The white government officials became impatient. After all, it wasn't their lives that would be affected. It wasn't their people that would end up lost on an unforgiving grid of road in the middle of a desert. So they decided to end the proceedings.
"If you don't sign, you will be knee-deep in the blood of your women and children."
They signed.
So why in the world would the Yakama nation celebrate this treaty with a weekend on par with the Fourth of July? Why do they come and dance in hours to honor it and spend days in the dust of the rodeo? Because they still have land left. They still have that 9% of their original land that is theirs to call home. They still live here, in the shadow of Mount Adams. They are still Native Americans. They were still here first.
1855.
Weeks of deliberation. Many layers of convoluted translation. A massive game of political telephone that no one thought was funny. Some refused to sign. Education was promised. Food was promised. Protection was promised. Hope was promised. Still many would not sign. The white government officials became impatient. After all, it wasn't their lives that would be affected. It wasn't their people that would end up lost on an unforgiving grid of road in the middle of a desert. So they decided to end the proceedings.
"If you don't sign, you will be knee-deep in the blood of your women and children."
They signed.
So why in the world would the Yakama nation celebrate this treaty with a weekend on par with the Fourth of July? Why do they come and dance in hours to honor it and spend days in the dust of the rodeo? Because they still have land left. They still have that 9% of their original land that is theirs to call home. They still live here, in the shadow of Mount Adams. They are still Native Americans. They were still here first.
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