The Long Narrows: The Forgotten Geographic and Cultural Wonder

Abstract

PAT COURTNEY GOLD The Long Narrows The Forgotten Geographic and CulturalWonder FOR MORE THAN 12,000 YEARS, theColumbia RiverPeople lived along the Wauna (Columbia River). Wauna is theColumbia River People's name for the river and ismore than a name; it is a living entity. It can be compared to an honored Elder who has been a part of us for generations. Wauna provides nourishment, connects us with our upriver People, and shares its songs with us. The songs change with the seasons and offer comfort to us.Wauna's gurgles, roars, and river laps are our river songs. Approximately fifteenmiles upriver from The Dalles area is the ghost of Celilo Falls. The area from The Dalles upriver for approximately eight miles was a geographical area called "The Long Narrows" or sometimes "Five Mile Rapids." The basalt rock formation in that place forced themighty Columbia River "to turn on its side," roaring and churning through the channel.1 From about 1,000 feetwide, Wauna was then forced into a channel approximately 180 feetwide. The eddies along this area, called The Narrows, were popular fishing places. There were more fisherpeople lined up there, almost shoulder to shoulder, than at Celilo Falls. As a result, The Narrows was the center of commerce, where people traded processed salmon, the "gold" of all trade items. In 1957, The Dalles Dam flooded these traditional homelands of the Columbia River People. Both Celilo Falls and The Narrows sustained the People and the salmon, and the dam devastated the salmon and obliterated forever theNative lifestyle and the beautiful, unique basalt rock formations along the Columbia River. This essay isadapted from a talkPat Courtney Gold gave at the "Celilo Stories" conference inThe Dalles, Oregon, in March 2007. OHQ vol. 108, no. 4 ? 2007 Oregon Historical Society The author's ancestors livedat the fishing villageWac'uqs, located on the left bank about a half-miledownriverfrom thisview,near The Dalles along TheNarrows. Much isknown about Celilo Falls, but perhaps the greater fishing sites and a larger trade market existed along The Narrows. "The late Long Nar rows,where theColumbia River turned on its side,"wrote Chuck Williams (Cascade), "was the best fishing spot of all. Countless salmon filled the eddies around these constrictions."2 Historically, The Narrows attracted more fishing people than Celilo, and themany tons of salmon caught there were also traded in the area. The Narrows was a spectacular sight,where a stretch of basalt rock, with its rough, twisty texture, channeled theColumbia River into a narrow, swift-flowing river.The geological history of The Narrows is a dramatic one. Fifteen million years ago, therewere many volcanoes, floods, and lava flows inwhat isnow Eastern Oregon, including The Dalles area. Huge lava flows erupted from large fissures in the earth. "One of the biggest flows ... contains about seven times the volume ofMount Rainier."3 These rivers of lava ? the hot liquid basalt ? occurred intermittently throughout millions of years from 15 to 12 million years ago. Layers of basalt CourtneyGold, The Long Narrows 597 TheNarrows and thedramatic basalt lava rockson both sides ofWauna are described in the legend"Coyoteand theBadger." were deposited, and layers can be seen today in areas around theColumbia River Gorge. The Narrows were about 95 percent basalt rock,with areas of smooth, swirly lava formations. The Wascos, who lived in this area, had Coyote legends about the lava formations. Coyote ispart god, human, clown, teacher, and buffoon. Long time ago, Coyote was walking along the south side of Wauna when he spotted some motion ahead of him. His curiosity got the best of him, and he quickly ran to see what was going on. Badger was dipnetting and growling at his bad luck.Coyote watched and commented on Badger's tech nique, which angered the bad tempered Badger. "Mind your own business, Coyote," snarled Badger. But, minding other people's business isCoyote's business. "Get lost,Coyote," said Badger, as he moved to a new fishing site. Coyote followed,much toBadger's annoyance. Badger quickly losthis temper and, snapping and snarling, attacked Coyote. Coyote isnimble, and quickly maneuvered out of Badger's way. Badger's claws leftdeep scars in the rocks. This sparring went on, up...