Roberta "Bobbie" Conner, also known as Sísaawipam,[1] is a tribal historian, activist, and indigenous leader who traces her ancestry to the Umatilla, Cayuse, and Nez Perce tribes.
[1][3] Conner has also sought to educate the public and fight for Native American rights in her personal life as an activist, with a special emphasis on the impact of the division into Tribal Nations and segregation into boarding schools on indigenous cultures, tribal land rights, sustainability, and the repatriation of human remains and funerary objects to Native American lands.
[1] Conner was also influenced by her grandfather, who grew up fishing in the Wallowas and worked to gather his familial and tribal histories.
[3] In 1997 Conner moved back to Oregon and joined the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, first as the Chief Financial Officer then being promoted to Director only four months before its opening.
[2][8] In addition to her professional career and her activism, Roberta Conner has also published several works on Native American history.