“This IS Kalapuyan Land” at Pittock Mansion

“This IS Kalapuyan Land” at Pittock Mansion, 3229 N.W. Pittock Dr, Portland, is an exhibition of contemporary Indigenous artworks alongside a selection of historical panels curated by Steph Littlebird (Grand Ronde, Kalapuya, Chinook). The exhibit is on display through July 23 at the museum, which is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays. Adult admission is $14.50, seniors are $12.50, youth are $10.50 and children under six are free.

Littlebird adapted a previous problematic exhibition about Kalapuyan people by the Washington County Museum in 2008, titled “This Kalapuya Land.” She redacted and corrected explanatory panels, displayed Native belongings and tools from the previous exhibition and added a selection of contemporary Indigenous artwork from artists with connections to Kalapuyan land and Turtle Island, asserting the current presence and vibrance of Native people. The annotated panels were augmented with historical input from David G. Lewis, PhD, a preeminent scholar on Western Oregon tribes. “This IS Kalapuyan Land” at Pittock Mansion boasts a new collection of contemporary artworks created by Native artists with connections to the Pacific Northwest.