Chinook Indian Nation

06/05/2026

Congratulations to Chinook artist Felicia Bryan on the unveiling of Whale Tale, an interactive public art installation in Seattle.

We are proud of Felicia and proud to see a Chinook artist recognized in this way. ❤️

06/04/2026

We are proud to see Chinook citizens represented on the world stage

Former U.S. Ambassador Roger Nyhus reflects on his historic service and the importance of carrying Chinook traditions with him throughout that journey.

The Chinook necklace referenced in this post was handcrafted by Chinook Vice Chair Sam Robinson.

Repost from Nyhus

President Biden made history when appointing me to be his U.S. Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. I am one of only five enrolled Native Americans ever to serve as a U.S. Ambassador. Two were from my tribe — the Chinook Indian Nation — me and my fourth cousin, Amb. Chris Stevens, who tragically died in a Benghazi terrorist attack. Our ancestors were smiling yesterday when I showed President Biden the beautiful handmade Chinook necklace my tribe gifted to me to give me strength on our journey to full federal recognition. 🇺🇸

06/02/2026

Today, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington denied Quinault’s request to open a new subproceeding seeking treaty rights in Willapa Bay, and the lower Columbia River.

In its order, the Court confirmed that Quinault’s southern treaty fishing boundary has already been determined and lies more than 10 miles north of Willapa Bay.

We thank everyone who has stood with us and helped elevate our Nation’s voice.

hayu masi, and stay tuned for more news on .

06/02/2026

We’re proud to see Chinook tribal member Jessica Angel featured as a speaker at the 2026 Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering.

Jessica’s work in cultural fire and Indigenous stewardship reflects the knowledge, responsibility, and care that Chinook people continue to carry for our lands and waters.

hayu masi, Jessica.

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Repost from

🌿 2026 Speaker Highlight: Jessica Angel with !

Jessica is an enrolled member of the Chinook Indian Nation from the Clatsop and Lower Chinook bands. She has been a cultural fire practitioner, and worked in prescribed fire for the last five years.

She is currently based on Duwamish land in Seattle Washington. She also spends her time on the Salish Prairies and her territory at the mouth of the Columbia River.

Jessica is a passionate advocate for the return of good fire to indigenous lands through indigenous stewardship. When not burning she enjoys spending her time outdoors hiking, gathering traditional foods and medicines and cooking with her family.

🌿 2026 Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering�June 24th-26th | | Shelton, WA

06/01/2026

This story asks an important question: Who gets to shape the future of a river?

A new feature in High Country News explores how the lower Columbia has been transformed over generations through dredging, dams, and river engineering.

For Chinook people, these conversations are not only about ecology. They are about place, responsibility, and the ongoing need for the people of this river to have a voice in decisions affecting its future.

Read the full story below.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ deepening of the lower Columbia River has transformed lifeways for tribal and aquatic communities.

06/01/2026

This is Chinook homeland.

We are the people of the lower Columbia River and Willapa Bay. Our ancestors were here long before Washington became a state, and we remain here today.

For generations, Chinook people have fought to remain here with the bones of our ancestors. We carry that same responsibility today.

Many of our families share relatives and ancestors across tribal communities. Those relationships matter. But shared ancestry does not transfer homelands, rights, or responsibilities.

We are still here.

Join our coalition to stand with Chinook people as we defend what was entrusted to us by our ancestors.

https://www.nativelandscitizenalliance.org/

This excerpt is from Guardians of the Waters, a short documentary about the Chinook Indian Nation, its homeland, and the responsibilities it continues to carry today.
The full film is now available on YouTube: Link in Bio

05/30/2026

The Chinook Indian Nation, alongside neighboring tribal nations, is standing up for our homelands, our waters, and our communities.

For generations, Chinook people have lived, fished, worked, and cared for these places. These are not abstract lands and waters. They are homelands our ancestors never left.

Many of us share relatives, ancestors, and relationships across communities. Standing for Chinook homelands does not mean standing against our relatives.

It means standing for the responsibilities we carry to these lands and waters, and to all who call Chinook territory home.

The decisions being discussed today will shape the future of our region for generations to come.

Learn more, stay informed, and stand with us.
🔗 Links in bio.
https://www.nativelandscitizenalliance.org/

05/29/2026

Something beautiful is coming, and we want you to be a part of it.

You are invited to the grand unveiling of a new Marine Debris Display created through a collaboration between marine debris artist Elizabeth Roberts Make Art Not Trash and designer Tony Johnson from Chinook Indian Nation , Lewis and Clark National Historical Park , Oregon State Parks , NOAA Marine Debris Oregon Shores, and other community partners.

This special gathering will highlight the importance of protecting our ocean, coastline, and salmon habitats while raising awareness about the impacts of marine debris on the Pacific Northwest.

📍Sunset Beach, Warrenton, Oregon
🗓June 6, 2026
🕙2:00–4:30 PM
💲FREE and family friendly
🔗 Learn more and signup at https://oregonshores.org/event/sunset-beach-marine-debris-display-unveiling-ceremony

05/29/2026

A message from the Chinook Indian Nation:

All citizens, tribal and nontribal, of Chinook territory: we stand with you, and we will fight this every step of the way. The Quinault Indian Nation has no rightful claim to exercise any fishing and hunting rights in Willapa Bay or on the great Columbia River. This is the Chinook Indian Nation’s homeland. Generations of Chinook fought to remain here with the bones of our ancestors, and we carry that same responsibility and commitment today. We are still here, and we will not allow another nation to usurp our inheritance or speak over our history, identity, and rights in our own homeland.

The Chinook Indian Nation has always had an obligation to the people, lands, waters, animals, fish, and shellfish of our region, and we will always defend what we have inherited from our ancestors and steward it for all of the residents within our territory — tribal and non-tribal — and their future generations.

Join our coalition to Keep Quinault Hands OFF Chinook Lands.
https://www.nativelandscitizenalliance.org

05/28/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Rachel L. Cushman!

Yesterday, Rachel successfully defended her dissertation, “Chinook Justice: A Survivance Journey,” at the Many Nations Longhouse at the University of Oregon, officially earning her PhD.

Completing a PhD is no small thing. It reflects deep commitment, persistence, and an extraordinary amount of work. We are proud to celebrate this milestone and all that brought Rachel to this moment.

Congratulations, Dr. Cushman. We celebrate you and this tremendous accomplishment. 🙌🏽❤️🔥


📸by Amiran White