SALEM IS MOPO CULTURE Long before Europeans settled in the mid-Willamette Valley area, the region of Grand Ronde, just west of Salem, was the home of the Kalapuya people. They named the region Chachalu, which translates to “place of burnt timbers,” after a forest fire ravaged the valley in 1856. Today the Kalapuya have returned to their homeland, and descendants are keeping their traditions alive. This is but one example of how the region’s rich heritage is thriving into the present day. From the Kalapuya to the first settlers who farmed the land, visitors can explore the area’s history through museums, walking tours and day trips. Start your heritage tour at the Chachalu Museum and Cultural Center, which tells the story of the Kalapuya people and members of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon. The museum includes historical artifacts like hand-carved canoes, and it offers educational classes on traditional arts such as wood carving and basket weaving. This is also a center for community gatherings and where the tribe’s stories, history and culture are shared. Based in the foothills of the Coast Range, the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon is a federally recognized tribe that includes over 30 tribes from the Pacific Northwest and Northern the region’s indigenous heritage California. It includes the Kalapuya of the central river valleys; the Chinook along the Columbia River; the Tillamook along the Coast; and the Molalla, Umpqua, Rogue River, Chasta and others to the south. Continue exploring traditional and fine art from Northwest tribes at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art in downtown Salem. The collection features historic baskets and ceremonial regalia alongside paintings, prints and sculpture by contemporary Northwest Native American artists such as Rick Bartow, Joe Feddersen, James Lavadour, Marie Watt and Lillian Pitt. Ron Cooper Indigenous Day dancer Chachalu Museum and Cultural Center TravelSalem.com 16
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