Our Story: Three Generations of Protecting Traditional Knowledge & Culture

Esther Stutzman is Komemma Kalapuya, Hanis Coos and an Enrolled member of The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. She is a traditional storyteller, culture bearer and educator, working in Indian Education programs across Coos county and the surrounding areas for many years. She is a founding member of The Northwest Indian Storytellers Association, Mother Earths Children and all Native theatre company, and The Komemma Cultural Protection Association which hosted an Indian Education Summer Camp for nearly five decades, supports local Native youth and Indian education programming as well as language and land restoration work in the Willamette Valley.

Shannin Stutzman shares the same tribal affiliation as her mother and grew up surrounded by her culture. Shannin participated in KCPA’s Indian education summer camp and eventually was the director of day to day operations for the camp. Shannin is a traditional storyteller, drum keeper and singer. Shannin has been heavily involved in the local Yoncalla school districts Indian Education program, hosting a variety of cultural and educational events including a yearly powwow. Shannin currently assists KCPA as the property manager for Cha Tumenma, 207 acres of rematriated land in komemma Kalapuya ancestral lands.

Aiyanna shares the same tribal affiliation as her mom and grandmother (Komemma Kalapuya, Hanis Coos and an Enrolled member of The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians). She is a traditional storyteller and has participated in KCPA programing and other cultural activities her whole life. She has most recently participated in the Kalapuya Language project, helping raise funds to print the Kalapuya dictionaries, assists with land restoration work on Cha Tumenma and is the current office manager for KCPA.