Taking care of Mother Earth 

By LEE JUILLERAT

H&N Regional Editor

March 3, 2011 

     CHILOQUIN — Klamath tribal customs will be observed this month at annual ceremonies honoring the return of the c’waam, also known as the Lost River sucker.

   The Return of the C’waam ceremony will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 12 along the Sprague River near the former dam site past Chiloquin High School. As part of the ceremony, a pair of c’waam will be released into the river. The Lost River and short-nosed suckers, which were once plentiful, have been listed on the endangered species list for several years.

   The c’waam will be provided from the Tribes aquatic research center.

   Following the ceremony will be an 11:30 a.m. lunch at the Kla-Mo-Ya Casino and a tribal powwow from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at Chiloquin High School.

   All activities are open to the public.  

   Survival of a species

   “By continuing this ceremony, the Klamath Tribes are ensuring the survival of a species, our people and our tribal traditions,” said Klamath Tribes spokeswoman Taylor David. “You have to take care of Mother Earth or she won’t take care of you.”

   David said the ceremony was reinstituted at the urging of tribal elders. Based on oral tradition, if the ceremonies are not conducted, the fish will go extinct and tribal people will suffer.

   The ceremony is held annually after the first snow in March, when the c’waam swims up the Sprague River to spawn.  

   “Snowflakes fall at this time of year heralding the c’waam’s return. The evening sky also reveals that the fish constellation (three stars in line making Orion’s belt) begins to first appear on the southwestern horizon,” according to a tribal press release.

   “Our traditions state that watchmen were placed along the riverbanks to see exactly when the fish would return. The head shaman would then give thanks for their return to the Indian   people,” the release continued.

   The last known shaman to perform the ceremony was Lee Snipes, known as Captain Sky, probably in the early 1930s. Selected tribal members, tribal elders and members of the cultural and heritage department now perform the rites.