Programs
As part of our commitment to upholding, perpetuating, and celebrating the people and practices native to wal’áwa, the Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland offers programs for both Native and non-Native people.
Tamkaliks Scholarship Program
The Tamkaliks Celebration Committee, in partnership with local families and organizations, is proud to offer five $1,000 scholarships to support students in their educational goals while promoting cultural understanding and honoring the mission of Tamkaliks.
Preference will be given to students who have volunteered with or participated in activities aligned with the Tamkaliks vision.
Available Scholarships
Taz Conner and Terry Crenshaw Memorial Scholarship
Jo Hallam Family Scholarship
Duane Heglie Family and Nez Perce Trail Foundation Scholarship
Scholarship Distribution
Two scholarships will be awarded by the Tamkaliks Celebration Committee:
One to a Wallowa County Student
One to a Native American Student
Three additional scholarships will be awarded to Native American students:
One by the Jo Hallam Family
Two by the Duane Heglie Family & Nez Perce Trail Foundation
How to Apply
Click “Apply Now” on this page and submit all required materials through the form on our site.
Scholarship Eligibility Requirements
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Must be of Native American descent (please include a copy of enrollment card)
Intend to attend a post secondary institution full time in Fall 2025
Application deadline: June 27, 2025
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Must be a current-year high school graduate
Must intend to attend a post secondary institution full time in the fall
Must meet application deadline (see application for this year’s deadline)
Application Checklist
All applicants must include:
Two letters of recommendation
Personal resume (300 words max), prepared by the applicant, including:
GPA and test scores (SAT, ACT or other similar information)
Volunteer, community, and leadership activities
Employment history
Educational goals beyond high school
Transcript of all academic work (high school)
Typewritten answers to three questions (see full application document)
Camp Wal'áwa
Camp Wal’áwa is a five-day cultural educational experience for Native youth that is hosted by The Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland. The purpose is to strengthen nimiipuu language and traditions in the ancestral homeland of Wallowa Band Nez Perce descendants.
Guided by language teachers, cultural knowledge keepers, and traditional artists, students will strengthen their sense of identity, build meaningful relationships, and learn about language, place, art and more.
This is a cost-free program for students. Spaces are limited.
Collaborations
The Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland supports and collaborates with a range of community organizations and programs throughout the region, including Fishtrap Inc., the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, Wallowa County schools, the History Center, and Nez Perce Fisheries, just to name a few.
We occasionally also serve as an incubator to help new or growing programs take root.
These partnerships strengthen cultural learning, community connection, and the shared stewardship in wal’áwa (Wallowa).
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Launched in 2021, this yearly summer program takes middle-school-aged Nez Perce Wallowa Band descendant youth on a four-day educational whitewater rafting trip through saqáanma, the deepest canyon in North America and a special part of the homeland for Native peoples.
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Camas to Condors (C2C) is a landscape-scale climate resilience initiative led by the Nez Perce Tribe in collaboration with Greater Hells Canyon Council, Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland, Eastern Oregon Legacy Lands, Northwest YouthCorps, Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, and University of Idaho’s McCall Outdoor Science School.
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A literary arts and humanities nonprofit based in Wallowa County, Fishtrap launched as a summer gathering in 1988 and has since worked to cultivate and support Western writing as a critical pillar of culture in Oregon and beyond.
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A gathering place that supports and promotes the arts and culture for Wallowa County residents, JCAC provides access to fine art education and programming, creative outlets, and opportunities for social connection, helping locals and visitors alike forge an understanding and appreciation for the heritage of Eastern Oregon and its original tribal inhabitants.
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Home to roughly 200 students, Wallowa County School District includes elementary, middle, and high schools. The Homeland partners with Wallowa County schools to provide educational programming and experiences that deepen students’ knowledge and appreciation of the area’s history and original tribal stewards.
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Located in Wallowa, Oregon, the History Center is a nonprofit organization that promotes access and education on the rich history of the Wallowa County region. The Center hosts regular exhibitions and provides assistance with genealogy, historic buildings, research, and visitor services.
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Serving a region and people long shaped by their relationships to waterways, Nez Perce Fisheries protects treaty rights and access to resources for tribal members while offering education on resource stewardship for both tribal and non-tribal people.