Since Time Immemorial, Yakamas lived by the laws of the creator; honoring and protecting the resources that provide for the physical and spiritual sustenance of human beings.
“Land of the Yakamas” fosters awareness of the unprecedented changes to Yakama Nation homelands and waters caused by the degradation of the environment over the last 150 years.
This film expresses our vision for healthy lands and waters that sustain the cultural practices of Yakamas and improves life for our neighbors and future generations.
The Yakama Nation Climate Adaptation Plan and traditional cultural knowledge held by our elders has guided the making of this film and will continue to guide our efforts to: honor the ancestors who came before and the accrued wisdom which has been handed down to us, forming a living legacy; protect the living culture which maintains that immutable connection to the land and insists we continue to protect the sacred resources; and to restore the function and integrity of this landscape, its rivers and its ecology.
For questions, contact Yellowash at wasd@yakamafish-nsn.gov or 509.388.3477
Thanks and appreciation to the filmmakers and crew of River Roots for working with the Yakama Nation to present this story.
The video is 9:23 minutes long. Be sure to have the sound on, and there are closed captions available if you click the "gear" icon in the lower right (after you press play), where you can also chose the full screen option. The closed captions are auto-generated however, we apologize for misspellings they may contain.