TRIBAL POSTER

INTERPRETATION OF THE POSTER

" THE HEART OF THE KLAMATH TRIBES BEATS
THROUGH THE LEGACY OF OUR WAYS "
 

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The images you see before you have great meaning to our people.

The water you see is Klamath Lake. Our cultures have been bonded to the lakes and marshes of what is now southern Oregon and northern California since the beginning of time. Klamath Lake is the largest in our ancestral lands. Many of our spiritual traditions and beliefs are tied to this beautiful place. The lake is represented in its immensity. The Klamath Tribes are dedicated to restoring the ecosystem so that the lake can once again be clear and clean, to sustain the creatures which depend upon it for life.

You are looking from the east, westward toward the mountains. East is where the New comes from. We call the West "tGalam," where "noo lis Geeni," the Spirit land and "blaydalk'nii," the One from above," reside. This is where we will go when we pass on. Two of our ancestors, an elder and a child, are looking back to observe how well we are doing. We often ask in our prayers for their help and guidance.

The mountains on the horizon are an important part of our oral traditions. They are represented often in the designs on our baskets and other crafts. Our ancestors often looked for patterns in the clouds to guide their steps. The trees on the ridge were referred to commonly as the hair of the mountains. The mountains are seen as living creatures. Even the deer upon them are called "fleas on the mountain." Altogether, these things are valuable resources to our people and deserve great care.

It has always been said of the Klamath peoples that they are so generous they would split a flea with a stranger. This tradition refers to the deer and our belief in sharing our food with those who need it.

The color yellow dominates the image. Yellow represents health. It also is the color of summer and evokes a timelessness to the observer. The yellow water lilly (Wok?sam) flower ties all the other elements together. It is a key part of the life of our wetlands and of our cultures. Our collective memory always comes back to wocus as the one thing that ties us together. Its parts have, after all, helped us persevere through the millennia.

The Commemorative Poster is available for a small $30 Donation. Money Orders should be made out to: The Klamath Tribes Basket Fund- Send money order to: The Klamath Tribes : Attn: Poster , PO Box 436, Chiloquin, OR 97624. (Once the money order has been received your poster and commemorative information will be sent back to you in a poster tube).

For more ordering and price information; the Commemorative Poster (18 x24) is available and all donations will be utilized to aid in the Tribes vision to one day build our own Cultural Center and Museum. Contact the Klamath Tribal Government or Taylor David - (Public Information) at 1-800-524-9787. Ext. 147

The Wocus Lilly