Oregon Culture Keeper

The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center (NHOTIC), with thanks to the James and Marion Miller Foundation, will host an “Oregon Culture Keeper Residency,” a 7-month partnership with the Oregon Folklife Network.

Crossroads Carnegie Art Center, the Friends Organization for NHOTIC, reached out to the Oregon Folklife Network to develop a plan to bring Oregon Culture Keepers to Eastern Oregon to share their traditions in 2026 as part of the Oregon 250 Celebration.

August 13^th, 14^th ,15^th – Mildred Quaempts, Umatilla Dentalium Piecework, who is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla.

Crossroads Carnegie Art Center, the Friends Organization for NHOTIC, reached out to the Oregon Folklife Network to develop a plan to bring Oregon Culture Keepers to Eastern Oregon to share their traditions in 2026 as part of the Oregon 250 Celebration.

Mildred Quaempts (Yakama), and descendant of Cayuse a master in dentalium piecework, is renowned for her dentalium piece work. Quaempts, a 2012 Master Artist with the Oregon Folklife Network Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program, began to help make shell dresses at age 9 under the guide of her grandmother, will come to NHOTIC in August to demonstrate the techniques she has learned and will highlight her craft tradition.

Mildred will be demonstrating in the Wagon Box Theatre inside the Interpretive Center for three full days from 9am to 5pm starting on Thursday August 13^th for three days.

Each day she will demonstrate all day and at 11am, 1pm and 3pm she will give a short presentation to guests, including sharing her legacy in greater detail as dentalium artist.  Guests of the center can ask questions and learn about her unique style.

Mildred Quaempts, Itisyawak, is a dentalium piecework artisan and enrolled member of the Yakama Nation. Native communities in the Pacific Northwest, Great Plains, and Great Basin as well as in western Canada use dentalium (tooth or tusk) shells to adorn dresses, hair pieces, earrings, and hats. Quaempts was born and reared on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. She relates, “I first observed and helped using dentaliums with my grandma, Annie Joe, better known as ‘Tquananmy’ when she was applying them on medallions or on dresses. I was 9 years old. I used to travel with her to Indian wedding trades and saw other young girls wearing hairpieces made from dentalium. I love looking at old photos of individuals using dentalium.” These days, Quaempts uses real smoked hide or white hide, old beads, cowrie shells, and two-inch dentalium shells to decorate dresses, hair pieces, earrings, and hats. She also enjoys making hairpieces and unique wedding veils for brides. She stays “as traditional as possible when [she makes] the veils. [She doesn’t] give the veils to the bride until one day before she marries or the same day. Quaempts is a Master Umatilla language speaker and has had the opportunity to learn other dialects at Warm Springs and Yakama. Her dentalium work is a critical part of Tribal sacred ceremonies. Quaempts is a 2012 Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program awarded with Oregon Folklife Network.

Culture Keepers demonstrate throughout the day with short presentations to guests at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, to share their cultural tradition and training in greater detail.  Guests of the Interpretive Center will have a rare opportunity to engage Culture Keepers demonstrating their traditional practice, ask questions and learn.

The goal of this residency program is to develop the systems and structure to ensure excellent programming that will inspire visitors to the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center for years to come.

The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is located at 22267 OR Hwy 86 in Baker City, Oregon and is open from 10 am to 5pm.  Admission is charged and for prices please go to www.nhotic.com

For more information, please contact NHOTIC at 541-523-1843