Chinook history captivates Hathaway fourth graders

Sam Robinson’s engaging presentations recount the enduring legacy of the Chinook Indians, who have lived along the Columbia River for thousands of years

Sam Robinson continues his 2025 visits to four Washougal schools, bringing the rich history of the Chinook people to life for fourth graders. His engaging presentations recount the enduring legacy of the Chinook Indians, who have lived along the Columbia River for thousands of years.

The second of four school visits took place at Hathaway Elementary School on Thursday, March 27, 2025. Around 60 students from two classrooms eagerly gathered at 9:30 a.m. to hear his stories. So enthralled were the students by Sam’s presentation that the original 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. time frame stretched nearly to 11:00 a.m.

Sam began by teaching the students a traditional Chinook Wawa song, a trade language once spoken widely due to the Chinook’s dominance in commerce from Alaska to Northern California and inland to Washington and Oregon. The song, sung five times with variations in volume and a unique ending for boys and girls, set the tone for an immersive lesson in Chinook culture.

One observant student noticed the intricate paddle design on Sam’s hat and necklace, which matched the full-sized paddle he brought to demonstrate how Chinook paddles were uniquely crafted to push off from rocks. Sam revealed that he is the only one currently making these decorative canoe oars for hats and necklaces.

Sharing a personal connection to his heritage, Sam explained why the frog is his spirit animal. As a soldier in the army, he learned that the quieting of frogs by the water signaled an intruder’s presence. When asked by a teacher whether the Chinook would take offense to non-Indigenous people calling dogs their spirit animals, Sam reassured them, saying he understood the deep bonds people form with their animals.

Sam also spoke about canoe journeys and traditional gatherings in plank houses. A student inquired about a second figure seen in a photo of a plank house interior. Sam explained that the figure represented the head person, the highest-status individual responsible for ensuring harmony within the household. People outside the family sought to live in well-managed homes under such respected leaders.

One of the most powerful moments of the presentation was when Sam shared a photo of his third great-grandmother, the last known Chinook person to have a flattened forehead – a mark of high status among the Chinook. This was achieved by placing a board on an infant’s forehead, signifying their belonging to the Columbia River people. She was a keeper of Chinook history, preserving and sharing invaluable knowledge.

To conclude, Sam introduced a newly published book about a Chinook canoe stolen during the Lewis and Clark expedition. The seventh generation of the Clark family has since worked on the canoe’s preparation, a story featured in the book. He donated a copy to the school library, noting that a QR code within leads to a video featuring him and others discussing the canoe’s journey home.

In 1976, Parker’s Landing Historical Park was designated a National and State Historic and Archaeological Site, later recognized as a Clark County Heritage site in 2019.

Experience local history firsthand

Join us for the fourth annual Parkersville Day on Saturday, June 7, 2025, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Parker’s Landing Historical Park. Meet Sam Robinson, explore his 32-foot canoe, “Bear,” and immerse yourself in Chinook history.