Confluence

Confluence

Confluence connects you to the history, living cultures, and ecology of the Columbia River system through Indigenous voices. We are a community-supported nonprofit that works through six art landscapes, educational programs, and public gatherings in collaboration with northwest tribes, communities, and the celebrated artist Maya Lin.

Episodes

June 25, 2024 29 mins
Last month, more than 25 educators gathered in our first-ever Confluence conference. A culmination of the Confluence learning community, it was the first time many of the participants had met in person. Today, we’re talking with Confluence staff members Heather Gurko and Daria Martin Bigham and educators Kavika Kalama and Katherine Philips about the Confluence approach to education, which focuses on uplifting Indigenous voices.
Mark as Played
From June to October of 1877, the US Calvary waged a brutal war against the Nimiipuu people, or the Nez Perce Tribe in the place we now call Idaho. Chief RedHeart and his band were not involved in that war. Even so, the US Army took him prisoner, along with the men, women, and children under his protection and held them at Fort Vancouver. Starting in 1998 the Nez Perce Tribe have hosted an annual memorial on the grounds of Fort Va...
Mark as Played
200 years after the Lewis and Clark journey, the first Confluence art installation was completed in 2006 at Cape Disappointment state park on the Washington state side of the river. At Confluence, we like to say that their journey’s end point is where Confluence’s work began–to reinterpret who this story is about and include the long neglected voices of Indigenous people. In this episode we talk with Tony Johnson, the chairman of t...
Mark as Played
January 23, 2024 29 mins
In this episode of Confluence Radio, we hear from Antone Minthorn, a respected Elder and leader from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. In today’s episode, we’ll hear Antone Minthorn talk about tribal economies, the history of treaties along the Columbia River system, and how to get a collaborative “win-win”. You’ll also hear Umatilla Tribal member Chuck Sams, who conducted this interview for Confluence ba...
Mark as Played
December 25, 2023 29 mins
What is the legacy of dams on the Columbia River? What would be the benefit of restoring salmon to the Columbia and reviving the health of the river? These are the questions considered in the latest volume of the Confluence journal Voices from the River. Volume 2 of our journal explores the Columbia River system’s history, living cultures, and ecology through Indigenous voices. Dr. David Lewis led the development of our second vol...
Mark as Played
November 28, 2023 29 mins
In this episode, we talk with Tanna Engdahl, the spiritual leader for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, located in Southwest Washington state. She is also an associate supervisor of the Clark Conservation District and a board member with the Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. Her career started in the 1960s as one of the first Native American television journalists. She worked in local TV news in Seattle. Tanna went on to ...
Mark as Played
October 24, 2023 29 mins
In today’s episode, Confluence takes a look at our education program and how reciprocity appears in education. We’ll hear from Heather Gurko, Confluence Education Manager and three Confluence Educators; Cowlitz Tribal member Emma Johnson, who recently earned her masters of science in cultural anthropology from Portland State University; and Christine and Clifton Bruno who have been sharing the Indigenous culture of the Pacific Nort...
Mark as Played
In today’s episode, Confluence takes a look inward, specifically at Confluence’s education programming in schools. Today, we’ll hear from h three of those educators about what they do with students and why, including Emma Johnson, a Cowlitz Tribal member and recently earned her masters of science in cultural anthropology from Portland State University. Her interests include tribal food sovereignty and traditional ecological and cu...
Mark as Played
August 22, 2023 28 mins
In this episode Roberta Conner, Director of the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, talks about oral traditions, Celilo Falls. She was raised in Cayuse Country and spent most of her formative years on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Her work as an author, speaker, local and national leader, and a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation earned her the 2007 Buffett Award.
Mark as Played
In this episode, we hear from Bruce Jim, an elder with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and fish commissioner with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. Bruce Jim is actively involved in restoring wildlife habitat on the Warm Springs Reservation in Central Oregon and beyond those boundaries to the Tribe’s ceded lands in the John Day River basin and the high desert of the Columbia River region.
Mark as Played
June 27, 2023 29 mins
A new children’s book by Warm Springs Elder Linda Meanus is hitting shelves this June, entitled My Name is LaMoosh. Linda grew up with her grandma Flora Thompson and grandpa Chief Tommy Thompson near Celilo Falls, a mighty fishery on the Columbia flooded in 1957 by the construction of The Dalles Dam. Linda persevered through this historic trauma and life’s challenges to teach young people about the Indigenous ways of the Columbia R...
Mark as Played
May 23, 2023 29 mins
For several years Confluence has gathered oral history interviews on an event known as the Redheart Memorial. It's an annual commemoration in Vancouver, Washington, to honor the suffering of the Redheart Band, who the US Army imprisoned in 1877. Over the years, the Redheart memorial has evolved and deepened. In today’s episode, we’re going to hear from three Nez Perce Tribal members: Jeffery Scott, Clendon Allen, and Danae Wilson....
Mark as Played
April 25, 2023 29 mins
Canoe culture has been integral to the Columbia River system’s Indigenous people since time immemorial. And Tribal canoes are still on the water today. In this episode of the Confluence Podcast, we hear from Brian Krehbiel and Bobby Mercier of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, Sam Robinson of the Chinook Indian Nation, Jefferson Greene of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and Tsali Cross and Jacelyn Lowley of the P...
Mark as Played
On today’s episode, you’re going to hear something most people never get a chance to hear—extended excerpts of stories in a traditional Native language of the Northwest, specifically the Nimiipuu, or Nez Perce people. We’ll listen to Harry Slickpoo Jr. who is a traditional storyteller and member of the Nez Perce Tribe.
Mark as Played
In this episode, we talk with Patsy Whitefoot. She’s an elder from the Yakama Nation, a well known leader in education circles, an activist, and a Confluence board member. oday she talks about the Columbia River system, her experience with it, and the importance of reciprocity.
Mark as Played
November 16, 2022 29 mins
In November 2022, Confluence launched a new publication. Voices of the River journal features articles, stories, poetry and artwork by Native American writers and artists from Northwest Tribes. Confluence and its supporters celebrated the release of the inaugural issue of the journal during a launch party and panel discussion on November 18, 2022 at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, which is shared here in podcast format....
Mark as Played
Historians, like Alice in her Adventures in Wonderland, tend to fall down rabbit holes. At least that’s what it feels like sometimes, getting lost in research into one period or people or historical event. In this episode of the Confluence podcast, we hear from a group of historians musing on their experiences going down rabbit holes in their study of Indigenous history. The conversation was moderated by historian Emily Washines, a...
Mark as Played
In this episode of Confluence Podcast, we hear from Antone Minthorn, a respected Elder and leader from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. In this episode, Antone discusses tribal governance, what the tribal economy means for the wider community, and the role of treaties today.
Mark as Played
September 27, 2022 28 mins
In this episode, we’re reaching into the Confluence Library to hear an interview with Tony Johnson, the Chairman of the Chinook Indian Nation. He describes how his Tribe has been working for decades to win federal recognition and what it means to him to be Chinook.
Mark as Played
September 20, 2022 27 mins
In this installment of the Confluence podcast, storyteller Ed Edmo (Shoshone Bannock), photographer Joe Cantrell (Cherokee) and composter Nancy Ives who talked about their new symphony called “Celilo Falls We Were There.” Conductor Yaki Bergman was also at the event but as he was there via zoom, the mic did not pick up his audio. For the symphony Ed paired his poetry with Nancy Ives music and projected photographic images by Joe ...
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    Betrayal Season 5

    Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.

    The Dan Bongino Show

    The Dan Bongino Show delivers no-nonsense analysis of the day’s most important political and cultural stories. Hosted by the former Deputy Director of the FBI, former Secret Service agent, NYPD officer, and bestselling author Dan Bongino, the show cuts through media spin with facts, accountability, and unapologetic conviction. Whether it’s exposing government overreach, defending constitutional freedoms, or connecting the dots the mainstream media ignores, The Dan Bongino Show provides in-depth analysis of the issues shaping America today. Each episode features sharp commentary, deep dives into breaking news, and behind-the-scenes insight you won’t hear anywhere else. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dan-bongino-show/id965293227?mt=2 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sftHO603JaFqpuQBEZReL?si=PBlx46DyS5KxCuCXMOrQvw Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/bongino?e9s=src_v1_sa%2Csrc_v4_sa_o

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.