Confluence annual gathering honors traditional storyteller and welcomes new leader
Nika Bartoo-Smith Underscore Native News + ICT
Around 100 people gathered at the Pearson Air Museum's Historic Hangar for the annual Confluence Legacy Maker Gathering fundraiser on September 8, to honor Shoshone Bannock elder and traditional storyteller Ed Edmo and welcome the new executive director, Leah Altman, Oglala Lakota.
Confluence is a nonprofit, which connects the community to the "history, living cultures, and ecology of the Columbia River system through Indigenous voices" through education and art programs. Edmo has worked with Confluence's educational programming for the last 22 years, teaching students about Indigenous cultures through stories.
The theme of this year's gathering was "Keeping Our Words," a theme that Edmo embodies quite well. Confluence honored the life and legacy of Edmo at the gathering, creating space for others to talk about his impact and inviting Edmo to share a few stories with the crowd.
Raised at his father's ancestral home at Celilo Village near The Dalles along the Columbia River, Edmo is a traditional storyteller, poet, playwright, published author, actor, performer, instructor and tour guide. He is also a mentor to many and a beloved member of the Portland Native community.
"Ed, thank you for coming to walk among us and baptize our ears with your stories," said Tanna Engdahl, Cowlitz Indian Tribe spiritual leader, during a video about Edmo's legacy shared at the gathering.
Welcoming Edmo to the stage, Confluence's new executive director, Leah Altman, Oglala Lakota, presented Edmo with a golden thumbs up trophy — his signature pose and a representation of the positivity Edmo exudes.
"When I first met Ed, I was a young woman exploring my own identity and learning how to tell stories in my own way," Altman shared with the audience while introducing Edmo. "As a writer, Ed inspired me through his authenticity and his way with words."
Honoring our elders
A captivated audience happily participated as elder Ed Edmo, Shoshone Bannock, told stories and asked everyone to join in his animated storytelling elements like hand movements and repeated phrases.
"The river was my grandpa," Edmo told the audience, while sharing stories from different Native nations up and down the Columbia River. Edmo's voice changed to embody different characters. A higher pitch when speaking as a porcupine, lower when becoming the buffalo.
He shared around half a dozen stories throughout the night, captivating an audience who could have sat listening for hours longer. He shared the creation legend of the Shoshone Bannock and another Shoshone Bannock story about a porcupine catching a buffalo. He also shared a Colville story about the Columbia River.
At the end of his storytelling, Edmo smiled out at the crowd, said "thank you for listening everyone," and offered his signature thumbs up.
Each person in attendance at the Confluence Legacy Makers Gathering walked away with their very own signed copy of one of Edmo's books of poetry, " These Few Words of Mine ."
The last stanza of Edmo's poem called "Grandfather Storyteller" exemplifies who Edmo has become. He passes on wisdom, traditional knowledge and culture through stories that captivate audiences of all ages.
Many people came to the gathering to honor Edmo, including Linda Meanus, Warm Springs, who grew up at Celilo Falls with him.
"It kind of reminds me of how our family was always storytelling and sharing stories about how it is, and how it should be, and that's how we learn to follow the animals, because without them, we wouldn't know how to survive," Meanus said, about Edmo's storytelling.
Confluence's first Native executive director
Altman is also a storyteller through her own writing. She is currently working on her first book, expected to publish in November 2025 which she is excited about. She's also excited about the opportunity to lead an organization that is supporting other Indigenous artists.
On September 6, Confluence announced Altman as the new executive director. She is now the first Native American executive director at the nonprofit since its inception in 2002.
"There's organizations that are really trying to prioritize people of color, especially Indigenous communities, and putting them at the forefront," Altman said. "They are prioritizing that organizations, and their staff and board are fully Native led, or as close to that as possible. I see this as an opportunity to align with those organizations and our missions together, to be able to open up opportunities for Confluence that maybe they didn't have before. And to work more closely with Indigenous communities and put their voices and needs at the forefront."
At the time that an email about the executive director position at Confluence landed in her inbox, Altman wasn't looking for a new job. But knowing elders and community members who have been involved with Confluence, and doing some work with the nonprofit as a writer, Altman knew that the organization was in-line with her own values. It became an opportunity she could not pass up.
"I'm really excited for the opportunity to help the organization," Altman said, smiling out at the crowd while sitting on a panel during the gathering. "I'm excited to embark on that journey with you all."
This story is co-published by Underscore.news and ICT , a news partnership that covers Indigenous communities in the Pacific Northwest. Funding is provided in part by Meyer Memorial Trust.
