The 2023 Yakama Nation Willamette Falls Lamprey Celebration was held Thursday at Clackamette Park in Oregon City. The event marks the harvesting of the eel-like fish at Willamette Falls, an annual activity that has endured for thousands of years among the Yakama Nation and other tribes.
The celebration featured freshly grilled lamprey and salmon, dancing and other demonstrations highlighting the Pacific lamprey. Speakers representing different tribal affiliations served as cultural guides to the event, which was open to the public. It was hosted by the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and Yakama Nation Fisheries in partnership with Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and Willamette Falls Trust.
