The Owyhee Project: Oral History Collaboration

'The Owyhee Project' (10:16) is an oral history collaboration between Northern Paiute elder Wilson Wewa and photographer/filmmaker Jason Houston. This short film records Wilson’s reflections on growing up visiting the Owyhee Canyonlands in what is now called southeastern Oregon, and their importance to him, his people, and as an essential wild place for all of us.

A preview screened during a pandemic-era 500-person webinar hosted by the Oregon Natural Desert Association and the premier was at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival in 2021. It is also being actively used in classrooms and by organizations across the west to help raise awareness of the Owyhee’s unique landscape.