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Grandmother Agnes baker-pilgrim |
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"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is our gift, and we better use it wisely..." |
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"Legend tells us that the salmon were people shaped like us that lived in a
beautiful city below the ocean floor," Grandmother Agnes
says. "The
spirit of the Salmon People chose to come back every spring and fall to feed
the two-leggeds of this world. Lots of people say
"I am a voice for the voice for the voiceless," she says. "We are all speaking to an unseen world, speaking for our Mother Earth, trying to stop our spiritual blindness. We speak for the animal kingdom for those in the waters, for the four-leggeds and the one-leggeds (trees) ... and the creepy crawlers. I pray our Creator hears us. The creatures have a right to be."
The number of salmon
returning upriver to spawn has increased dramatically since Grandmother
Agnes revived the ceremony. National Geographic magazine and Eastman Kodak
have lent their support; Martha Stewart shared Grandmother's knowledge on her
television program. |
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 Grandmother Agnes Baker-Pilgrim is the oldest living female member of
the
Rogue River Indians. She was born September 11, 1924 near
headwaters of the Siletz River in Oregon. Her grandfather was Chief
George Harney,
the first elected chief of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz. Her
Takelma
and
Siletz
ancestors
have lived in Oregon for 22,000 years.
Grandmother Agnes's native name is Taowhywee, which means Morning Star. Grandmother Agnes grew up poor. During the Depression, they had no electricity. The family's nine children worked in the family garden. "At first we were given four plants to take care of. When I was old enough to go to school, I was responsible for four rows," she says. By the time Grandmother Agnes graduated from high school, her parents had died and her brothers helped raise her. She worked as a doctor's assistant and scrub nurse. She married twice and had six children. Her first two husbands passed away. She then married a Yurok man. Today she has 18 grandchildren and 27 great -grandchildren and a great-great-great granddaughter. All follow the traditional ways and walk a good path. In 1982, Grandmother Agnes had cancer at was at death's door. She asked Creator to let her live because her family needed her and she had a lot left to do in the world. A force began pulling her toward a spiritual path and she was told to cleanse her "inner self." As she followed that path, a huge weight fell off her shoulders. Her sight opened up and she could see psychically see with her eyes closed. Grandmother Agnes promised to walk a path which honored and respected her ancestors and future generations. She also vowed to fight to heal Mother Earth and the sacred places. "The dominant society does not agree with the native peoples' idea of sacred; they desecrate our spiritual places. We must stop this spiritual blindness, this inability to see and feel the sacred around us," she says.
The oldest of the 13 Grandmothers, Grandmother Agnes was asked to chair their council. She believes the Grandmothers are of the warrior essence handed down from generation to generation. "The Ancient Ones are speaking through our voices," she says. "From the getgo, this council originated from the Spirit World. Every one of us has been called. Through our prayers, we can touch the hearts of the people. We can help stop spiritual blindness around the world. Our prayers can be brought from the four corners of the world for this work. We can be the voice of strength, encouragement, and love, fighting for peace. Remember, even water dripping on a rock can make a difference." Artwork:
"The Twins, Eagle and Raven" by Grandmother Agnes |
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NATIVE VILLAGE RESOURCES |
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The International
Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers
Sources::
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. 
'Grandma Agnes,
that's a terrible story!' But I tell them the Salmon People chose to
sacrifice themselves to feed us.
At
age 50, Grandmother Agnes attended Southern Oregon University, majoring in
psychology and Native American studies. She also became a mentor and helped
to found
