This superb new museum on the Umatilla Reservation tells the story of the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla tribes. Organized in a circle, the exhibit hall begins with pre-Columbian times and moves to the present. Three divisions-Who We Were, Who We Are, and Who We Will Be-tell the story of the tribes. Exhibits begin with natural sounds and the artifacts of indigenous life: Coyotes call, elk bugle, geese fly overhead, owls hoot as you walk through displays of fishing, hunting and gathering. The artifacts show fine craftsmanship and include baskets, bows, nets, root diggers, arrows and storage containers. In a replica longhouse, native voices recount adventures of Coyote the trickster and other tales.The acquisition of Spanish horses around 1730 marked the beginning of affluence for some families, represented with displays of elaborate regalia: saddles with high-beaded cantles and pommels, beaded saddle blankets, braided reins, and beaded collars and stirrups. Prosperity ended with the arrival of immigrants, missionaries, miners and soldiers. The tribes lost the bulk of their land, and even most of their treasured horses-a tragic tale, but as the museum eloquently points out, an unfinished one. Displays end with confident statements about the growing role of native people in regional politics, especially relating to environmental issues.