Come and learn about the maritime traditions, heritage, and culture of the Chinook Indian Nation (CIN) at our new exhibit, entitled ntsayka ilíi ukuk, or “This is Our Place.”

The exhibit—which includes a diverse selection of images taken by documentary photographer Amiran White—opened to the general public on Sept. 13. It is now integrated into our new southern gallery.

Along with the photographs, which give viewers a glimpse into the life of the Chinook people, who have inhabited the Pacific Northwest since time immemorial, “This is Our Place” also includes a special video featuring CIN Chairman Tony Johnson and other members of the tribe sharing their stories and perspectives.

We feel immense gratitude about the opportunity to collaborate with the Chinook people on this new exhibit, and that they entrusted us with sharing their story with our museum community.

We celebrated the opening of the new exhibit on Sept. 12 with a private reception. During this event, Tony Johnson and other tribal members presented a ceremonial welcome to those in attendance.

We look forward to hosting this exhibit for the foreseeable future and welcoming the public to experience White’s photography, which offers an insightful and intensely intimate look at life within the Columbia River region from an indigenous perspective.

White began building her relationship with the Chinook Nation about eight years ago. Over the time that she’s worked with them, she’s accumulated a deep archive of images that document their traditions and present-day lifestyles, including important ceremonies, everyday activities, and ongoing effort to pursue federal recognition.

Their way of life is deeply tied to this place, where the river meets the Pacific Ocean, which is why the exhibit also includes two canoes—a significant part of the Chinook culture. One of the canoes was loaned to us by the tribe and the other by Johnson, and they are on display for visitors to view.

This is the first time the museum has been able to share about Chinook maritime traditions and culture—past and present—in a collaborative way that enables us to present a genuine and accurate portrayal of their story. It is a step forward from using archival documents and artifacts from our existing collection, driven by our intention to acknowledge “this is a living culture,” not one that lives only in history, says curator Jeff Smith.

We held an initial conversation about the exhibit in January and worked together quickly to bring the exhibit together by this past September. Storyline Studio, out of Bothell, Washington, designed the exhibit, and Three Dimensional Services (3DS), from Vancouver, British Columbia, oversaw the installation.

Our hope is the exhibit will give museum visitors an opportunity to invest time in learning about the history of the area—which isn’t complete without the Chinook tribe and the fact that the Columbia River region is their homeland. Moving forward, we plan to have a permanent Chinook presence in the main museum building, as well as Mariners Hall.

You can visit the exhibit during our open hours, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The museum is located at 1792 Marine Dr. in Astoria. To learn more about “This is Our Place,” visit our website or call us at (503) 325-2323.