Tribal priorities
On a prominent wall in the Tribal Headquarters of the Yakama Nation hangs a floor-to-ceiling map that shows two boundaries. The current borders of the Yakama Reservation are shaded. Surrounding that in a brighter green color is a much larger area, which stretches north into the Cascade Mountains, encompassing the entire cities of Ellensburg and Wenatchee, south to the Columbia River and east into a ridgeline known as the Horse Heaven Hills.
“People commonly call them the ceded area lands,” said Jerry Meninick, former tribal chairman and current deputy director of culture for the Yakama Nation. “But to me they’re the traditional use areas, because we’re still using
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