Vancouver, Whistler & Vancouver Island - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 844

Native Americans
Early coastal inhabitants - who tramped up and down the Pacific Coast, around Puget
Sound and along river valleys - went out to sea in pursuit of whales or sea lions, or de-
pended on catching salmon and cod and collecting shellfish. On land they hunted deer
and elk while gathering berries and roots. Plenty of food was stored for the long winters,
when free time could be spent on artistic, religious and cultural pursuits like putting on
potlatches (ceremonial feasts), taking part in vision quests (spiritual trances) or carving
dancing masks and totem poles. The construction of (ornately carved) cedar canoes led to
extensive trading networks among the permanent settlements that stretched along the
coast.
Inland, on the arid plateaus between the Cascades and the Rocky Mountains, a region-
al culture based on seasonal migration between rivers and temperate uplands developed
among tribes including the Nez Perce, Cayuse, Spokane, Yakama and Kootenai. During
salmon runs, the tribes gathered at rapids and waterfalls to net or harpoon fish, which
they then dried or smoked. One such spot, highly significant to many native peoples as
both fishing grounds and a community gathering place, was Celilo Falls, located 12
miles east of the present city of The Dalles on the Columbia River (unfortunately, con-
struction of the Dalles Dam in 1957 submerged these falls).
In the harsh landscapes of Oregon's southern desert, yet another native culture
evolved. Tribes such as the Shoshone, Paiute and Bannock were nomadic peoples who
hunted and scavenged in the northern reaches of the Great Basin desert. Berries, roots
and small game such as gophers and rabbits constituted their meager diet. Clusters of
easily transported, woven-reed shelters made up migratory villages, while religious and
cultural life focused on shamans, who could tap into the spirit world to heal sickness or
bring success in hunting.
The Northwest Passage, a sea route connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans through
Canada's northern islands, is blocked by thick ice much of the year. However, climate
change has now made it possible for ships to much more easily navigate this fabled wa-
terway.
Europeans Take a Look
The first Europeans to clap eyes on the area were the crew of Portuguese explorer Juan
Rodríguez Cabrillo. In 1542 his ships sailed from Mexico and, under the command of
Bartolomé Ferrelo (Cabrillo died along the way), reached the mouth of the Rogue River
in 1543; this is where the city of Gold Beach now stands. English explorer Sir Frances
Drake checked out the region in 1579, but by the 18th century the Spanish had colonized