In June, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe’s Community Wellness Garden Program hosted qáwmʼ the Camas Harvest and Bake. Thanks to funding from the HEAL Act Tribal Capacity Grant, we are proud to share a short film that highlights this and uplifts the importance of First Foods, food sovereignty, and connection. We invite you to watch and share this story that honors the Cowlitz People and the land that sustains us.
Learn more about the Tribe’s Natural Resources Department at cowlitz.org/natural-resource
With Support from the HEAL Act Tribal Capacity Grant, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe is excited to present a new short film that honors our cultural practices and commitment to environmental stewardship! This film showcases the impactful work of our Fish Distribution Program.
Learn more about the Tribe’s Natural Resources Department at cowlitz.org/natural-resource
Less than one week to go! There’s still time for Cowlitz Tribal members to vote by mail, but don’t wait until the last minute. Be sure your ballot is mailed or dropped off at a USPS collection box by May 23. Every vote helps shape our future. Take a moment this week to complete and send in your ballot.
Please note: The mail‑by date differs from the May 25 date listed on the ballot because of the holiday. Ballots must be sealed in the provided return envelope and may contain only one ballot. If you need a replacement ballot, please email [email protected] to request one.
The Cowlitz Indian Tribe is hiring! The Tribe's Health and Human Services seeks a community gardener to support the Community Garden Program in Toledo, Washington. The ideal candidate has knowledge of traditional governance practices, Tribal customs and traditions, organic farming practices, garden planning and equipment operation, along with experience with relevant software applications.
Learn more and apply by May 20 with the link in our bio🔗
Two weeks left for Cowlitz Tribal members to vote by mail!
Now is a great time to review your ballot and make a plan to vote. If you choose to vote by mail, please remember: ballots cannot be dropped off at Cowlitz Tribal offices. Your completed ballot must be mailed or placed in a USPS collection box by May 23 to ensure timely delivery.
✅ Make your plan
✅ Cast your vote
✅ Make your voice heard — your vote matters!
Please note: The mail‑by date differs from the May 25 date listed on the ballot because of the holiday. Ballots must be sealed in the provided return envelope and may contain only one ballot. If you need a replacement ballot, please email [email protected] to request one.
The Cowlitz Indian Tribe announced the launch of a new livestream featuring a young beaver family as it prepares for relocation and release into the wild! The Cowlitz “Kit Cam” lets viewers observe four baby beavers (known as “kits”) born on April 16, 2026, and their mother in real-time as they grow and learn behaviors essential to survival. This unique opportunity is being offered by the Tribe’s ongoing beaver relocation program which is the largest of its kind in Washington State, and one of the largest in the Western United States. Each year, the program relocates approximately 70 beavers, representing 20 to 30 family groups, from areas of human-wildlife conflict to areas suitable for beaver habitat.
“As Cowlitz people, we have always understood our responsibility to care for the land and the resources it provides,” said Cowlitz Indian Tribe Chairman Bill Iyall. “This program is one way we are putting that responsibility into action—restoring balance to our ancestral homelands and waterways, and planning for the generations that come after us.”
Watch the Cowlitz Kit Cam live with the link in our bio🔗
The livestream will be available at Cowlitz Kit Cam Live until the four baby beavers are successfully released into the wild.
Tribal members, families, and guests, are invited to join the Cowlitz Canoe Family and Drum Group for our Annual Memorial Weekend Campout, May 22–25, 2026, at the Sweat Lodge Property (122 Mulford Rd, Toledo, WA).
All are welcome for a weekend of community and culture, including beading, medicine bag kits, drum making, drumming, singing, and canoe training. For questions, please email [email protected].
Register by next Friday, May 15 with the link in our bio🔗
As we continue the Cowlitz Word of the Month, the Tribe is grateful to partner with our Language Program. As the season of growth continues, the Cowlitz Coast Salish word is katísaʔ meaning strawberry. The Cowlitz Language Program works to preserve and celebrate the Cowlitz Coast Salish language, keeping our culture strong for generations.
Discover this month’s word, katísaʔ, and listen to its pronunciation with the link in our bio🔗
Come celebrate the traditions of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe with us and honor Grandmother Camas! We’re excited to harvest qáwmʼ (Camas) and build a traditional earth oven together alongside the Community Garden, Culture Department, Elders Program, Natural Resources Department, and Youth Program. Join us at Lewis and Clark State Park on Wednesday, May 20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cowlitz Indian Tribe members, clients, staff, and their families are welcome. Find out more and sign up with the link in our bio🔗
The Tribe’s Fish Distribution Program supports Cowlitz Tribal members within 60 miles of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe office locations, with in-person pickups currently available in Vancouver, Ridgefield, Longview, Toledo, and DuPont. Members are currently offered frozen fish fillets with shipping available!
To learn more, call (360) 577-8140 or email [email protected]. Services are free to Cowlitz Tribal members.
Across the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, we recognize the importance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month for Cowlitz Tribal members and the community we serve. Throughout April, the Tribe's Health and Human Services Department placed blue pinwheels throughout our reservation in Ridgefield and Tribal campuses as a reminder of prevention, protection and our children's safety. Cowlitz Tribal Public Safety carried the message forward, displaying nks ƛʼaqʷséx̣nitstawt tit sxamʼálaxʷkɬ — "We protect our people" — in the Cowlitz Coast Salish language on police vehicles, while Indian Child Welfare (ICW) shared resources and hosted an ICW Act webinar.
This April also marked the 25th anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month nationally, reminding us of both the progress made and the work still ahead. The Cowlitz Indian Tribe is proud to be part of that. Read more about the Tribe's efforts during SAAM and CAPM with the link in our bio🔗
As this month comes to a close, the Tribe’s Language Technician would like to leave you with one final lesson for April’s Cowlitz Word of the Month: ɬaʔíɬnʼ. To learn more, explore the Cowlitz Coast Salish Dictionary app or visit the online dictionary at dictionary.cowlitzsalish.org
