THE DALLES, Ore. — Celilo Village leader Bobby Begay died on April 24 due to COVID-19, according to a Facebook post made by the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.
A member of the Yakama Nation, Begay served as the Columbia River Inter-Tribal FIsh Commission lead fish technician.
In the post, the CRITFC said Begay dedicated his life to his family, the Celilo community, salmon, the river, and tribal culture.
"He was an incredibly generous person and had a willingness to share not only his harvest, but the message of why salmon, lamprey, and the river are central to our culture," the post went on to say.
KGW spoke to Begay in 2015 about protecting salmon from sea lions in the Columbia River.
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon posted to Facebook Tuesday about a possible outbreak of COVID-19 in Celilo. The group posted a flyer warning anyone who attended the recent Salmon Fest in Celilo.
The flyer suggests that anyone who attended call Community Health Nursing at 541-553-2460 and to stay home until Sunday, April 26, regardless of obvious symptoms. It encourages staying home and not visiting others during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The full flyer can be read here:
Oregonian file: Bobby Begay harvests eels at Willamette Falls
