A new welcome center in the town of Blue River had its grand opening this month.
The McKenzie Crossing and Native Center is meant to highlight the historical presence of Native people in the area.
Katherine K’iya Wilson is a bicultural liaison for the center, which is based in the geographic “heart” of Oregon’s nine federally-recognized tribes.
It’s also in an area hit by 2020’s Holiday Farm Fire, which leveled much of the town and burned 173,000 acres across the McKenzie River Corridor.
“I wanted to create something up the McKenzie River and Blue River to help it heal,” Wilson told KLCC.
The center will show how Natives came through for gatherings or food, while headed to the obsidian cliffs or the coast. During the open house, presentations were given on the many trails followed by Indigenous people through the spot, something the recent fire also helped uncover.
David G. Lewis, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde and Ph.D who teaches anthropology and Indigenous studies full-time at Oregon State University, shared his research. Another member of the CTGR, elder Deitz Peters, was also present at the open house and helped with the program.
Besides the welcoming center, Wilson hopes to establish a film center for Native people, where they can learn how to make movies. Her late friend and project partner, University of Oregon professor Mitchell Block, died last year, which set back some of their initial ideas. But Wilson is hopeful the idea will take root, gain support, and young Native filmmakers will soon be inspired to craft documentaries that share their culture and history with audiences.
“At this point, I broke the ice, so to speak, and it's time for the tribes to step in,” said Wilson. “If they want this to happen I'm here, but it's too big for this little old lady. That was the dream.”
Wilson says she’s working with Native grant and business writers to make the film center a reality.
The new center was supported by the McKenzie Chamber Tourism Committee with the help of Travel Oregon Lane County RTMF Funds.
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