Oregon Secretary of State

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Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

Governance Center
The Nix-yá-wii Governance Center at Whitehorse on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. (Oregon State Archives Photo)​​

Contact

Address: 46411 Ti’mine Way, Pendleton 97801
Phone: 541-429-7000

About

Treaty Date: June 9, 1855; 12 Stat. 945
Number of Members: 3,152
Land Base Acreage: 172,000 acres
Number of people employed by the Tribes: 1,645

Economy

Prior to the 1855 Treaty, the tribes’ economy consisted of intertribal trade, trade with fur companies and immigrants, hunting, fishing, gathering, and livestock. Today, the economy includes agriculture, tourism, subsidiaries of Cayuse Holdings, Nixyaawii Community Financial Services, and Coyote Business Park, a 520-acre commercial and light industrial business development on the Interstate 84 Highway. Hospitality attractions and amenities include Wildhorse Resort (casino, hotel, RV Park, golf course, arcade, Cineplex, Quaking Aspen Lanes, Plateau fine dining, food court, Wild Roast deli); Tamástslikt Cultural Institute (Museum, Museum Store, Kinship Café); Hamley’s Western Store, Steakhouse, Cafe; The Golf Course at Birch Creek, Arrowhead Travel Plaza, the Mission Market; and the Indian Lake campground. The Umatilla Reservation is also home to the Umatilla National Forest Supervisor’s Office, Kenworth Sales Truck Repair, McDonald’s, Subway, Davita Dialysis Center, and Ruby’s Indian Crafts & Supplies. The tribes are typically one of the top employers in the region

Points of Interest

Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, Nixyáwii Warriors Memorial, Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts, Indian Lake Recreation Area, Oregon National Historic Trail, Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, seasonal upland game bird and turkey hunting

History and Culture

Oregon map with black and white circles documenting location of the confederated tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
 Three tribes comprise the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR): Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla. They have lived on the Columbia River Plateau for over 10,000 years, in an area of about 6.4 million acres in what is now northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington. In 1855, the tribes and the United States government concluded a treaty in which the tribes ceded more than 5 million acres, reserving 512,000 acres for their exclusive use in the form of a reservation. Various congressional acts of diminishment resulted in a significantly reduced reservation. In the treaty, the CTUIR reserved their inherent fishing and hunting rights and the right to gather traditional foods and medicines within the ceded areas. The traditional way of life of the tribes is called “Washat” or “Seven Drums prayer service.” The Umatilla, Walla Walla, and Nez Perce languages are spoken and a language preservation program is helping to re-establish use of these languages by youth.​

Tribal Court

Chief Judge William Johnson, 46411 Ti’mine Way, Pendleton 97801; 541-276-2046

Tribal Council

Board of Trustees 2021-2023: Chair Kat Brigham, General Council Chair Lindsey Watchman, Vice-Chair Aaron Ashley, Treasurer Sandra Sampson, Secretary Sally Kosey, Members at Large: Toby Patrick, Lisa Ganuelas, Boots Pond and Corinne Sams ​