November is Native American Heritage Month. Each year, Heritage University honors four Yakama elders for their lifetime contributions to their communities. This year, we recognize Terry Goudy-Rambler, Stan Miller, Wilber Slockish Jr, and Ramona Kiona.

TERRY GOUDY-RAMBLER, TSAGAGLALAL has spent her life lifting the Yakama people and protecting the sacred promises of the Treaty of 1855. Born at Celilo Falls, she carried the strength of her ancestors when her homeland was lost to the dam and transformed that loss into fearless advocacy. In the 1970s, she stood on the front lines to defend treaty fishing rights, courageously challenging boundaries on the Columbia River. She helped pave the way for tribal self- governance under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, giving her people control of their own future. Through her 25 years of working for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, followed by more than two decades of service on the Yakama Nation Tribal Council, Terry’s unwavering leadership has inspired generations and remains a shining testament to sovereignty, resilience, and justice.

MOX MOX WA PA LE LE COT, STAN MILLER has lived a life of service, guided by faith, honor, and commitment to his people. He served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam era, spending three years stationed at MCRD San Diego, California, where he served as a military policeman and legal clerk. Later in life, Stan confronted and overcame personal demons, choosing to devote himself to faith and service. As chaplain of the Yakama Warriors Association, he offers comfort and strength to veterans, their families, and their communities in times of deep need. For the past 12 years, he has served faithfully as one of six elected members of the Yakama Nation’s Code of Ethics Board, providing oversight to ensure that all elected tribal leaders uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability. Through his resilience and devotion, Stan embodies dignity, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to his people.

WILBUR SLOCKISH JR., SLA-KISH has dedicated his life to defending the fishing rights promised to the Yakama people in the Treaty of 1855. In the 1980s, he was arrested and imprisoned for exercising those rights, a sacrifice that drew national attention and led to landmark changes that brought tribes into partnership with government agencies to manage salmon, while prioritizing tribal fishing above commercial and sport interests. After his release, Slockish turned to educating non-tribal communities about traditional food gathering and has continued to serve as a powerful voice for environmental stewardship and treaty protections. Today, he represents the Yakama Nation on the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, where he works tirelessly to protect salmon, rivers and the cultural lifeways of his people.

RAMONA KIONA, TENIBA is a master weaver dedicated to preserving the traditional art of Klickitat huckleberry baskets. Using materials and techniques carefully passed down through generations, she creates intricate works that reflect both the beauty of the land and the strength of her people’s traditions. More than art, her weaving is a living expression of Yakama identity and resilience, tied to the seasonal harvest of huckleberries and the stories carried in each pattern and stitch. Committed to ensuring this cultural treasure does not fade, she shares her knowledge with future generations from the four bands of the Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation. By teaching others to weave, she preserves not only an endangered art, but also an essential part of Yakama culture and heritage—keeping alive the connections between people, land, and tradition for the generations yet to come.