(WSB photos by Dave Gershgorn)
16 years have now passed since the Duwamish Tribe opened its Longhouse and Cultural Center in West Seattle – just a grain in the sands of the tribe’s time in this area. Nonetheless, they were reason to celebrate with an anniversary open house today. Visitors gathered in the Longhouse’s great H=gall for a welcome from the Duwamish Tribe’s elected chair of half a century, Cecile Hansen.
This year’s anniversary celebration was not on a scale with last year’s event (WSB coverage here), laden with speakers and history presentations.
But tribe members and friends also got to hear from the Longhouse’s executive director Kristina Pearson.
Also speaking, a cousin of chair Hansen, Marylin Oliver Bard, daughter of the Quinault Tribe elder, Emmett Oliver, who founded the Tribal Canoe Journeys that have stopped at Alki many years:
After years of fundraising, the tribe broke ground for the Longhouse in summer 2007, a year and a half before its grand opening. Since then, they’ve expanded their property on the west side of West Marginal Way, with adjacent lots largely being used for much-needed parking, as well as for environmental education and cultural traditions.
You can visit the Longhouse and Cultural Center (4705 W. Marginal Way SW) 10 am-5 pm Tuesdays-Sundays, or for one of its public events, usually listed on its online calendar.
| 2 COMMENTS