Photo from Wallowa County Chieftain: Chieftain archive Colorful costumes worn by young and old are always in fashion during The Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland Project’s Tamkaliks Celebration.
...Saturday competition dancing begins at 1 p.m. Later that night, following the veterans dance at 7 p.m., is an event never seen before at Tamkaliks and not to be missed –– the War Bonnet special.
Fred Hill, chairman of Tamkaliks celebration, said bringing the War Bonnet special to Wallowa is long overdue
“We haven’t had this kind of special event at Tamkaliks, that’s why I felt we needed to do it,” said Hill, who lives in Nixyáawii.
Thomas Morning Owl is helping organize the event. He said when a tribal member brings out an ancestral war bonnet, he is sharing an important piece of his family’s history. In traditional dance, war bonnets are often worn by descendants of former tribal leaders.
“The war bonnets signify leadership roles in the family,” said Morning Owl, who is a resident of Pendleton. “This is a time for people to bring their heirlooms out in the public.”...