The Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum in Ilwaco announces an extension of the special exhibit Chinuk Ntsayka! We are Chinook: Photographs by Amiran White. The exhibit was set to end on November 11th, but was so popular and well received it will remain up until December 16th.
The exhibit features photographs by Amiran White, who has been documenting the Chinook Indian Nation and their decades-long fight for federal recognition for 8 years. White was born and raised in the United Kingdom but began her photojournalism career as a stringer for the Associated Press in Portland.
She spent 10 years as a staff photographer on various daily newspapers in Oregon, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico before starting her career as a freelancer. White has won a variety of awards for her work. Most recently she was chosen as one of Oregon’s visual artists to receive a 2022 Individual Artists Fellowships from the Oregon Arts Commission.
White began documenting the tribe’s life ways and fight for federal recognition after hearing Chinook Indian Nation Chairman Tony Johnson speak during Indigenous People’s Day at the University of Oregon. Working closely with tribal families, White’s work portrays daily moments of tribal members’ lives. From tribal celebrations and customs such as the First Salmon Ceremony and Canoe Journey to poignant images of family life and community, White’s photographs tell the story of today’s Chinook Indian Nation and their fight for justice.
The Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10AM to 4PM. Admission is FREE.