West Seattle, Washington
20 Monday
(Photo by artist Matthew Mazzotta, provided by City of Seattle)
First, a giant troll. Now, a giant bird. West Seattle’s next public art will be installed in a matter of days. We first reported a year ago on the public-art plan for the Highland Park Way/Holden “safety improvements” project, and now its installation – and a celebration – are almost here. Sent by the city today:
Next week, our crews will install a 17-foot-tall Steller’s jay at the intersection of Highland Park Way SW and SW Holden St. This new public artwork was created by Matthew Mazzotta and is titled Where’s the Party: Elevating Nature and Resilience. It was chosen by a community selection panel and administered by Seattle Office of Arts & Culture. We can’t wait to share it with you!
Please Join Us to Celebrate! Meet the artist, Matthew Mazzotta, hear more about the piece, ask questions, and enjoy delicious hot beverages provided by the Highland Park Corner Store.
Tuesday, November 14 from 4 – 6 PM
Meet us at the sculpture on the southwest corner of Highland Park Way SW and SW Holden St at 4 PM. From there, we’ll walk two blocks south to the Highland Park Corner Store for refreshments and further conversation.
As promised, now that mid-October is here, the West Seattle Junction Association is welcoming submissions for the Community Art Showcase that’s part of the Hometown Holidays Glorious Lights of West Seattle Festival. They’ve expanded the types of art that will be welcomed, too. Here’s the announcement:
Mark your calendars for an even bigger season of cheer! The West Seattle Junction Association is thrilled to announce that the December 9th GLOWS — Glorious Lights of West Seattle — Festival is featuring a Community Art Spectacular! Images will be projected on a seven-story building in The Junction on Saturday, Dec 9th, from 4:00 – 8:00 pm, for all to enjoy. Everyone is invited to create and submit art; there are no requirements for art experience and the vision is for anyone to express what GLOWS means to them.
To spur imaginations and reinforce the spirit of GLOWS, submission categories include:
1. The significance of light during the winter
2. How you GLOW as part of our community
3. The brightest thing(s) in your West Seattle life
4. Who is your glorious light of West Seattle? (bonus category)Art medium categories include: fine and graphic art, photography and silent video shorts, and original AI-generated art (prompts cannot be from another artist or piece of art).
All submissions will be curated with the highest level of integrity to promote originality and prevent plagiarism. The Junction Association is supported in selecting work by a committee of art and legal experts.
The GLOWS Community Art Spectacular is the opportunity for families, friends, and community to channel their emotions and gratitude for West Seattle into art. The final, selected artwork will be produced into a spectacular presentation, set to holiday-themed music. The featured art will be revealed only at the Dec 9th event. The Junction Association has the most festive and immersive evening planned, including a night market and beer garden, costume contest, and performances by Endolyne Children’s Choir, The School of Rock, and West Seattle All-Star Jazz Ensemble (led by Jay Cates and Andrew Joslyn).
All West Seattleites and Seattleites are invited to create original artwork for consideration! Ready to get in touch with your inner artist? Submit via this form and visit the Hometown Holidays page for more information. The window for submission is now through October 31st. Submit your art today!!
That’s “Running for Love” by West Seattle band Not Dead Yet, which the band describes as their “second video in 10+ years … a postcard of our favorite running routes in Seattle, set to our feel-good rock ‘n’ roll.” The band’s first video was “West Seattle Hey,” featured here in 2012. They’re so excited about the new one, they’re playing The Skylark in North Delridge tomorrow night (Friday, October 13th). Doors open at 7 pm, show’s at 8, and Not Dead Yet says they’ll be joined by “two West Seattle favorites, Memphis Radio Kings and Knathan Ryan.” $10 cover. You can go early and have dinner – The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW) is a restaurant/bar as well as a music venue.
Tomorrow night, it’s a pre-Halloween thriller – the October West Seattle Art Walk, with a freebie:
Art Walk director Mia Manzulli sent the photo and tells WSB, “Art Walk visitors on Thursday night can get a head start on their Halloween celebrations by picking up a glow stick at businesses along the way.” Here’s the list/walking map for October, with venues where you’ll find art as well as food/beverage stops which offer specials on Art Walk night:
If you’re wondering who you’ll see and what kind of art they make – some of the featured artists are spotlighted on the West Seattle Art Walk website. Several stops feature multiple artists, like the Alki Arts pop-up at California/Oregon, and Jet City Labs (4547 California SW). The peak time for artist receptions is 5 pm to 8 pm, but some venues start earlier. And as previewed here, you can enjoy music tomorrow night too – three Art of Music performers and venues with mini-concerts 6 pm to 7:45 pm, one in each Junction (Admiral, Alaska, Morgan) – details are here. (WSB is a community co-sponsor of the Art Walk – see you tomorrow night!)
Thursday night brings the first West Seattle Art Walk of fall, and with it, three mini-concerts celebrating The Art of Music. Coordinator John Redenbaugh tells us who’s performing this time:
The next free admission Art of Music performances presented by the West Seattle Junction Association are coming up on Second Thursday Art Walk evening October 12 at three locations — Lana Sparks in the Alaska Junction at Verity Credit Union (4505 California SW):
Cyd Smith in Morgan Junction at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW):
And Swing 3PO in the Admiral District at Antico Soprano’s Pizza & Pasta Restaurant (2348 California SW).
Musicians will perform from 6 pm to 7:45 pm (with one 15-minute break at the midpoint).
We have two Supporting Sponsors for this year’s Art of Music performances: the Admiral Neighborhood Association and the Morgan Community Association. Also: Funding provided by the Neighborhood Matching Fund from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.
And thanks to all that, you can watch/listen to Art of Music mini-concerts for free! The Art Walk itself will be happening that night “5 pm until late” as always – watch for that preview soon. (WSB is a longtime WSAW community co-sponsor.)
(File photo, courtesy West Seattle Community Orchestras)
The West Seattle Community Orchestras‘ new season is about to begin with rehearsals, and WSCO is sponsoring WSB right now to be sure you hear about it. The orchestras include musicians of all ages, but this fall they’re issuing a special invitation to students too:
STUDENTS! Join an Orchestra, Band, or Beginner class — FREE!
West Seattle Community Orchestras will soon be starting the fall session. Students grades 3 through 12 are welcome and may participate with no charge. Of course adults are welcome too! Both students and adults can choose from three orchestras, a Wind Symphony (concert band) and beginner string classes.
All ensembles are mixed-age and have space for more musicians. Two beginning string classes are available; one for students, one for adults.
Registration is open now at wscorchestras.org/register. Sign up for an audition when you register for ensemble placement. (The auditions are friendly, just to see which level would work best for you. Details will be provided after you register.)
Weekly rehearsals will be held Tuesday evenings, October through early December, with community concerts planned for early December.
For more information, email info@wscorchestras.org
Join us!
P.S. In need of an instrument? WSCO has a small collection of string and wind instruments to loan — also at no charge.
First rehearsals start next Tuesday evening (October 3).
(WSB file photo – an entry from 2018 showcase, on display at SW Library)
A fall tradition is returning, and the Southwest Library invites you to participate. Here’s the announcement:
In 2023, the Southwest Artist Showcase is back for its 31st year! This free, month-long event at the Southwest Branch of the Seattle Public Library features artists from all over Southwest Seattle. We welcome submissions from people of all ages and experience levels.
The showcase is a non-juried, non-profit art exhibit. All artists who identify as West and Southwest Seattle residents are invited to submit up to 2 pieces of art. Artwork will be accepted Tuesday, October 3 through Thursday, October 5 only and will be on display at the Southwest Branch from Saturday, October 7 through Saturday, November 4. Artwork will not be offered for sale at the Library. All works must be picked up by 6 p.m. on Sunday, November 11.
To view the Showcase, visit the Southwest Branch during open hours from Saturday, October 7 – Saturday, November 4 to view the art displayed throughout the branch.
Please note that some works may not be included if their size or construction prevents their effective display in the library. Library staff will determine the placement and display of each piece, and artwork will not be moved once it has been placed.
For more information about the Southwest Artist Showcase, please visit spl.org/southwestartistshowcase or call the Southwest Branch at 206-684-7455.
Branch hours, for dropping off and/or viewing art, can be found here.
Thanks to Shannon for the photo – and to John for the first word via a comment with a screengrab of the ferry-dock camera! That was NOT “our” troll being trucked out of West Seattle this morning – it was the future Ballard troll, after arriving via ferry from Vashon Island. It will be placed at the National Nordic Museum for an unveiling on Monday – the last of the six trolls that artist Thomas Dambo is placing around the Northwest.
Back-to-school time is also afterschool-activity time. Here’s an opportunity: West Seattle writer Julia Douthwaite Viglione is organizing another free “Write YOUR Story” series. She asked us to share this announcement:
Write YOUR Story now enrolling for Fall 2023!
Free writing workshop for people ages 8—12, on Tuesday evenings 6:30 pm —7:30 pm, in the Concord Elementary School cafeteria space! Concord International Elementary, 723 S. Concord St. (South Park).
A semester-long program of twelve (12) meetings from Tuesday September 26, 2023, to Tuesday December 12, 2023, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. By enrollment, limit: 12.
We will read two beautifully illustrated classics of world literature, vote on our favorite plot, then rewrite it and illustrate our story together. Every child receives a copy of our book at the end, in color and spiral bound!
Fall 2023 TRICKSTERS! Books we will read:
Gerald McDermott, Papagayo the Mischief Maker, about a parrot of the Amazon rain forest who helps the other jungle creatures learn to make noise without fear.
Charles Perrault, Puss in Boots, the story as it was originally told in the 1670s, in France, of a trickster cat and his lucky owner.
Write YOUR Story is a free program offered by West Seattle writers who love to share their passion for good stories and the creative process. Established in 2012 in South Bend, IN, “We read, we write, and we have a lot of fun.” jdouthwa.wixsite.com/writeyourstory1
To enroll, contact Ms. Julia, at juliawsea@gmail.com
Hope to see you this fall! — Julia Douthwaite Viglione, PhD, Shepherd Siegel, PhD, and the Write Your Story team
On this Labor Day, we have news from West Seattle’s professional, non-profit theater ArtsWest (WSB sponsor), where more than 100 local artists are employed each year. The 2023-2024 season – themed “Sometimes I Dream …” – begins with “Matt & Ben,” written by Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers, directed by Zenaida Rose Smith. ArtsWest’s announcement explains:
… Matt & Ben serves as a perfectly funny introduction to a season that explores how different people pursue their dreams and promises audiences a refreshing way to end their summer. … Matt & Ben is a witty and irreverent play that reimagines the lives of Hollywood’s beloved bro-buddies, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, in the 1990s, just before they skyrocketed to fame. In a hilarious twist, Kaling and Withers wrote the roles for female-presenting performers. Seattle actors Nabilah Ahmed and Jacquelyn Miedema will portray the two Oscar-winning actors as they navigate fame, friendship, and the fateful script that would eventually become “Good Will Hunting.”
ArtsWests artistic director Mathew Wright calls it a “biting and brilliant comedy about celebrity and the Hollywood dream.” After a preview performance at 7:30 pm Wednesday (September 6th), “Matt & Ben” will continue at 7:30 pm Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and 3 pm Sundays, through October 1st. You can get tickets online by going here.
West Seattle’s Vietnamese Cultural Center was brightly decorated this afternoon for one of the most festive occasions of fall, Tết Nhi Đồng, the Children’s Moonlight Festival. It drew a sizable crowd of all ages:
While a lion dance and martial-arts demonstration were part of the afternoon, kids’ activities were the centerpiece:
Young participants got lanterns for a parade around the center’s North Delridge grounds before the festival wrapped up. Never been to the Cultural Center? In addition to special occasions like this, it’s open most Saturdays for the general public to visit.
ADDED: Thanks to Lynda Bui with the Cultural Center for video of the lion dance:
Vovinam Martial Arts from Burien performed the lion dance as well as the martial-arts demonstration, while artist Rick Klu did face-painting.
(WSB photo from 2019 Fiestas Patrias parade)
Before summer officially ends, another tradition will return for the first time in four years – the Fiestas Patrias parade in South Park. Sea-Mar Community Health Centers present the parade, and a weekend-long festival at Seattle Center, as a celebration of Latin American culture, and two weeks from today will bring the first parade since 2019. You can watch along 14th Avenue South (Henderson north to Cloverdale) or South Cloverdale Street (14th west to 8th, where the parade ends at the community center) starting at 11 am Saturday, September 16th.
The Boeing Employees Choir, which rehearses in West Seattle, is inviting potential new members to come to their rehearsals starting later this month. Thie choir has a big trip planned, too. Here’s the announcement sent to us to share with you:
We are planning a 2-week concert tour of Greece in late September 2024 and are recruiting new members from the West Seattle area. Come to an open rehearsal at the American Legion Hall on 3618 SW Alaska Street on Tuesday evenings (6:30 – 9:00 pm) to see if you’d like to join and schedule an easy audition. Open rehearsals run Tuesday 9/12/23 through 10/10/23. Historically made up of Boeing employees and their families, we have opened membership to the public, sharing our love of music and cheer in numerous concerts throughout the year, especially during the Christmas holidays. Suggested dues are $150/semester. Sign up in September to ensure your spot on our tour! For questions, email president@boeingchoir.org.
(WSB photo, Sunday evening)
We went back to visit Bruun Idun, the giant troll newly installed at Lincoln Park by artist Thomas Dambo with private funding and volunteer help, and have been watching for her to turn up on the Northwest Trolls website. Today, she’s there, along with the full poem that Dambo debuted at the troll-“unveiling” event Friday (WSB coverage here). She’s now also on the worldwide map of Dambo’s trolls. Bruun Idun (Idun, pronounced like Eden, in short) is the third of six he’s installing around the Northwest; the first two are in Portland and on Bainbridge Island, and the next three will be introduced in Issaquah this weekend and on Vashon Island and in Ballard in mid-September. (If you haven’t been to see Bruun Idun yet, she’s right behind Colman Pool.)
4:17 PM: At an invitation-only (but crowded) event under way right now, West Seattle’s troll Bruun Idun has just been “unveiled.”
As we first reported back in June, with a followup when troll-building began last week, this is one of six trolls that Danish artist Thomas Dambo is making from recycled materials and installing around the Northwest – first one was in Portland, then Bainbridge Island, now West Seattle (still to come are Issaquah, Vashon Island, and Ballard). Now that it’s been completed, its location at Lincoln Park has been revealed – right behind Colman Pool, where volunteers were still working to complete it this morning:
We took that photo after hiking in for a scheduled chance to talk briefly with the artist:
We also met John “Coyote” Halliday, a Muckleshoot Tribe artist who is contributing decorations to the troll, made primarily from bark and shells.
More photos and info to come – including the troll’s story (Dambo told us it’s meant to be “singing to the orcas”) – when we’re back from the event!
7:06 PM: Turns out Bruun Idun (“Idun” for short – pronounced like “Eden”) is playing a flute with a song for the orcas. Each troll has a poem, and Dambo read part of this one at the podium, including the line, “She played for them the orca song, to ask them where they all had gone.” Artist Coyote, meantime, explained that his creations are adorning Bruun Idun’s flute. He and Dambo had an “artist exchange” as part of this, including a visit by Coyote to Denmark, where he painted a killer whale on Dambo’s house. He and Dambo also exchanged gifts today.
This is all shown in our video of the program, which was emceed by Visit Seattle‘s Tracey Wickersham – a West Seattleite.
Guest speakers included Mayor Bruce Harrell, who talked with the artist before everyone moved to the portable podium:
The program began with a song by the Muckleshoot canoe family.
As underscored by the listing of partnerships at the end, this was a privately funded project. More information about Bruun Idun should appear soon on the nwtrolls.org website, as it has for the Portland troll Ole Bolle and the Bainbridge troll Pia. Dambo said this all was intended to happen a few years ago, but the pandemic interrupted the timeline. He has installed 121 “environmental sculptures” around the world and has more on the drawing board – even as this one was being built, he flew briefly to Austin, Texas, for meetings about a series planned next year.
P.S. As explained in our earlier interview with the artist – video above – no, they are NOT left to decompose; at some point the site host (Seattle Parks for this one) will decide when to dismantle it and recycle its components.
(Editor’s note: Troll’s name corrected post-publication to reflect that Bruun Idun is two words, not one as originally reported)
(WSB photos)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The end of the summer will be the end of an era for youth theater in West Seattle.
After one last round of summer theater camps, Laura Drake is retiring, and turning over her Stage Struck program to a new owner (who’s expected to give it a new name).
She’s hoping to catch up with former Stage Struck families for a “final bow” party at 8 pm September 1st, after the last summer-show performance.
It’s been a monumental run. She’s produced 180 shows between 2001 and 2023, both after-school and summer-camp productions. She started Stage Struck in the basement of Admiral Church, and currently works in the fellowship hall at Fauntleroy Church, where the walls are currently decorated with photo montages from all those shows over all those years.
Drake – who has an extensive performing background – says she launched Stage Struck, with partners, as a “49-year-old single mom” hoping to bring in some extra income; she became interested in classroom teaching, too, and went back to school for a certificate. She subsequently taught at both Highland Park Elementary and Arbor Heights Elementary until retiring from Seattle Public Schools five years ago. But even while teaching, “summers were always full” with eight or nine 2-week Stage Struck camps.
Fauntleroy Church has been the ideal home for the program, she says, not just because of the stage – to which lighting and other features have been added over the years – but because of other rooms in the building where instruction and practice can go on. Drake explains that Stage Struck production have rotating casts, so each production has multiple students per role. Another unique facet of her program has been learning and exploration adjunct to the production – performing “The Lion King” was an opportunity to explore African music and dance, for example. And the productions have always featured live musicians. This year, they’ve been doing two longtime favorites – “Annie” and “Grease” – and two “Best Of” shows.
Over the years, Drake says, she’s worked with so many students that “I run into ‘Stage Struck’ kids everywhere!” Many of the teachers who’ve worked in the program “came up as alums, she adds. The new owner, a member of her staff, plans to rebrand it, likely as Lights Up! But in the meantime, for Drake, it’ll be curtain down at summer’s end: “It’s been great.”
P.S. If you’re a Stage Struck alum interested in the “Final Bow” party on September 1st, or reconnecting before then, you can reach Drake via stagestruckseattle@gmail.com.
As the start of school approaches, so does the start of fall activities, including music! Endolyne Children’s Choir asked us to share this announcement:
Calling all young voices in West Seattle! Embark on a musical journey with Endolyne Children’s Choir this Fall.
Unleash your inner star as we harmonize, uplift, and create unforgettable melodies together. Dive into the world of music theory and fine-tune your performance skills, all while immersing yourself in an atmosphere of fun and community.
We’re thrilled to introduce the latest additions to our esteemed teaching staff: the gifted Clara Dorst and the talented Dylan Petersen. Under the expert guidance of music director Megan Booth, this dynamic trio is set to orchestrate an unforgettable experience for our singers.
Mark your calendars – registration is open until August 28th. Secure your spot now and let your voice soar with Endolyne Children’s Choir!
The registration page has more details, including registration schedules.
That photo from Portland was shared by a WSB reader who was there last weekend as the first installation in the series “Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King“ was unveiled. (The troll’s name is Olebolle.) As previewed here back in June, one of the other five trolls by Danish artist Thomas Dambo is being installed at West Seattle’s Lincoln Park. And work is under way, according to the readers who have deluged the WSB inbox with sightings. One of the volunteers working on the site sent this photo.
As explained in the original announcement, the trolls – like dozens Danbo has installed around the world – are being built with used/recycled materials – mostly wooden pallets. The West Seattle site is adorned with signs explaining what’s going on:
Despite this happening in a very public place, where hundreds if not thousands have seen it already, the privately funded project coordinated by the Scan Design Foundation is trying to keep a bit of mystery, so we’re not going to be the ones to spoil it for you – as the sign says, the “grand reveal” is just nine days away. As the construction continues, the volunteer who emailed us advises, “Follow the sound of power tools and hammers.” The other four, after ours and Portland’s, are planned for Ballard, Issaquah, and Vashon and Bainbridge Islands; the schedules are on the artist’s Instagram feed, including a peek at the one that’s almost complete on Bainbridge.
From the Grateful Dead to Neil Young to Nirvana and beyond, concert photographer Steve Schneider has photographed a half-century of music history. He’s turned much of it into a “coffee-table book” that he’ll be signing at Easy Street Records this Thursday night (August 17th). Here’s how the book is described in the announcement of its publication:
This $60 hardbound book has 220 pages of concert images with 350 photos from five decades of live music, and is printed on archival acid-free matte paper. The book features images of the Grateful Dead, Neil Young, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Tom Petty, Pearl Jam, the Rolling Stones, and many others. Ten of the concerts featured — including shows by David Bowie, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Neil Young, and Willie Nelson — ones where Schneider was the only photographer with access.
The title comes from some acts’ directive that photographers only shoot the first three songs, but many of the best images in The First Three Songs are from when Schneider pushed around that. A shot of the Grateful Dead at the closing of the legendary San Francisco club Winterland in 1978 was taken at 5:30 in the morning. “This was back in the days of film, and I had saved just a few frames for when they would end,” Schneider recalled. “They started on at midnight, but I saved enough to capture their good-bye early in the morning.” The Grateful Dead liked the image enough that it was used on a CD and DVD of the event, and it ended the film of the event. The band signed a copy of a 1977 New Year’s photo from the same location in Winterland. They also gave Bill Walton a 20” x 30” signed copy of the same photo.
Schneider worked for multiple news services, and created images that the announcement says “have appeared in hundreds of newspapers and magazines,” adding that “the book also serves as a document of how concert photography is transformed with the development of digital photography, and when bands began to light their stage for video.” Thursday’s signing is set for 6 pm to 8 pm; if somehow you haven’t been to Easy Street, it’s on the northwest corner of California/Alaska in the heart of The Junction. (If you can’t get to the event but would like to buy the book, you can buy it directly from Schneider online.)
P.S. You can read more about Schneider, his book, and his work in this Seattle Now and Then installment by West Seattle journalist/historian/author Clay Eals.
(File photo, courtesy Flutes in the Forest)
Before we get to what’s up for today/tonight, here’s a “set your calendar” note – Flutes in the Forest is returning this year! Here’s the announcement we received to share with you:
FLUTES IN THE FOREST continues in 2023 with free outdoor classical music concerts. Enjoy the sounds of the JBC Rose Flute Trio on Saturday afternoon, August 19, from 2:00-3:00 pm in Schmitz Park. Jennie Goldberg, Barb Cotton, and Carolyn Hoppe-Denend will play classical music from various eras as well as arrangements of popular tunes.
Bring your own chair or blanket; stay as long as you’d like. Enter Schmitz Park off SW Admiral Way and SW Stevens Way. Walk the paved road 300 feet to the sound of flutes in the forest. Plenty of street parking along SW Stevens.
This Thursday brings the West Seattle Art Walk, accompanied again this month by The Art of Music, free performances at multiple local venues. Three this time — Epiphany of Time in The Junction in front of KeyBank (SW corner of California/Alaska), MoonGirl in the Admiral District at Soprano’s Antico Pizza and Pasta (2348 California SW), and Natalie Paige in Morgan Junction at Whisky West (6451 California SW). The performances are concurrent, all scheduled 6 pm to 7:45 pm. Find out more about the performers and shows by going here!
While the canoe families who arrived at Alki on the Journey to Muckleshoot have moved on to the host tribe’s community center for a week of around-the-clock protocol, most if not all of the canoes are heading home. Alki photographer David Hutchinson sent these three images, reporting, “When I checked around 11:30 AM today, there were still 34 tribal canoes on Alki Beach. They were in the process of leaving, with some being carried down the beach to the water and others being loaded onto boat trailers along Alki Ave.”
Some are/were paddled to Don Armeni Boat Ramp to be placed onto trailers there, as shown in one photo from our Sunday coverage.
(WSB photos unless otherwise credited)
11:31 AM: The first canoe families are arriving at Alki Beach after leaving Suquamish following a two-night stay during the first Canoe Journey since before the pandemic, the Paddle to Muckleshoot. Up to 100 canoes are expected.
Lots of backstory in our preview published last night. Hundreds of people are here, lining the beach and seawall, as arriving canoe families ask and are granted permission to come ashore.
(4:14 pm note: The stream just concluded, but you should be able watch a recorded replay here)
1:04 PM: The live stream we mentioned last night continues, showing a member of each arriving canoe family making the request, and Muckleshoot members on shore welcoming them.
The speeches – given in both Native languages and English – have been poignant, as some have spoken of “so much loss these past few years,” primarily because of the pandemic. One said they had lost their skipper to COVID. But the exchanges also have been joyful as the hosts promise the visitors “We will sing, we will dance, we will feast together.”
That will happen at the Muckleshoot Community Center in Auburn, to which the visitors will be taken by shuttle bus.
First, canoes are carried out of the water, and are parked on the beach. Many also carry flags showing where they’re from.
The paddles tell stories too.
One skipper spoke with a bit of humor:
The list of participating canoe families is here. Some families have traveled in more than one canoe. Some canoes carried members of multiple Indigenous nations and cultures – we heard introductions mentioning Hawai’i, the Navajo Nation, even the Maori of New Zealand.
4 PM: The live stream is still going as a few last canoes arrive. Some also have asked for permission to send their canoes home – by trailer – once they land. (Added: Doug Eglington saw some departures from Don Armeni:)
Many remain on the Alki sand for now, as Jamie Kinney‘s photo shows:
One of the last arrivals carried people from Alaska and B.C. The woman who spoke for them to ask permission also said they had come to ask for help in healing the Earth: “The world is toxic … support us in protecting babies and moms.”
4:13 PM: Minutes later, the final arrival – the Muckleshoot’s own canoe family. Tribal chair Jaison Elkins welcomed them.
7:09 PM: Thanks to everyone who’s sent photos! These next three are from David Hutchinson:
And these two are from Theresa Arbow-O’Connor – note the fireboat in the background of the first photo:
P.S. We drove through Alki at sunset and saw many canoes remaining on the beach, so if you missed the chance to see them, some will certainly be there tomorrow. This map shows the routes and dates taken to get here.
(Photo by Rose De Dan)
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