Stories and Art Works

BY Barb williams, EASTSIDE HERITAGE CENTER VOLUNTEER

The Native Americans of Puget Sound and the Eastside have enriched this region and the world with the many gifts of their culture. Some of these include: Art, Dance, Theatre, Science, Philosophy, Life Skills, Technology, Psychology, Education, History, Genealogy, Nomenclature, and Stories. Written, oral and tangible elements remind us of the presence of these people as we explore their heritage and learn from them.

Rivers, mountains, sloughs, lakes, cities, towns and marine vessels with Indian names are constant reminders of the impact these people have had, and still have, on this region. The Duwamish and The Snoqualmie are two Seattle fireboats that have Indian names. The former was built in 1890. Together they fought the Grand Trunk Dock fire that erupted in Seattle on July 30,1914. Snoqualmie Pass carries the name of the Snoqualmie people living in that area. Places such as Issaquah, Sammamish, Leschi, Nisqually, Snohomish, Tahoma, Stillaquamish, Seattle (Sealth), Skagit are all Native American names used today. These names are woven into the tangible and geographic fabric of the Lake Washington and Puget Sound regions.

Names, stories and artworks are gifts that spring from the beliefs, creativity and richness of local Native American culture. Women basket makers were respected for their skill and artistry in creating utilitarian and beautiful baskets usually woven from plant materials. Some baskets were so tightly woven they could hold liquids. Others were made with twigs spaced apart. These clam baskets allowed the water, sand and mud to drain out. Loops along the upper rim held ferns in place to cover food items in the basket. Harvesting, preparing and working with the plant materials is a skill in itself. Creating the basket and its design is another skill. It takes many years before a basket maker becomes an accomplished artisan. Some women became weavers making traditional Salish ceremonial blankets with white background and occasional dark lines. The blankets were usually made from mountain goat hair and that of a small dog. The breed of the dog is yet to be determined, but it is thought to have resembled a small white poodle or pomeranian whose hair could be sheared. These women held a respected position in the villages.

2004.013.004 - Naming Blanket, made by Fran and Bill James.

2004.013.005 - Cedar bark woven with bear grass, made by Yvonne Peterson.

Much of the fiber artwork such as baskets and weaving took place in the longhouses, as did the story telling. Local Indians lived in houses made from split cedar wood planks. The roofs were slanted from front to back in order to shed the rain. Large roof beams held up by decorated house posts were carved by skilled craftsmen. These posts, like the ones presently found at Beaver Lake Park in Sammamish, often depict stories, characters and songs. Song Dots on the posts represent songs while the figures represent stories. Stories are teachings that tell about the origin of things in the world, human characteristics and natural features. A Snoqualmie story titled, “Snoqualm, Moon The Transformer”, tells about the origins of the area between North Bend and Snoqualmie. Snoqualmie (English spelling) means “The Transformer’s People”. A decorative pole depicting the story was carved by non-Native American Dudley Carter. The artwork can be found at Marymoor Park in Redmond. The story tells about how two Indian sisters fell asleep in the Snoqualmie prairie after digging fern roots. During the night the younger sister looked up at the stars above and wished that she could marry the white star and her sister marry the red star. Her wish came true when the star men picked up the girls and took them to the sky world. The elder sister became pregnant and delivered a baby boy who later was named, Moon the Transformer. By this naming time he had become an adult and the sisters had returned to their home by making a rope and sliding down it. Rat later chewed on the rope which fell to Earth from the sky world. The rope turned into a rock presently known as, Quarry Rock. As an adult, Moon transforms the Snoqualmie area by creating the natural features and peoples. He then goes into the sky to shed light by night while his younger brother, Sun, sheds light by day. The original version of the story is long, rich in detail and can be found at the University of Washington libraries.

Salmon Woman sculpture located at Highland Community Center, Bellevue

Native American art works are located in a myriad of places throughout the Eastside and Washington State. One Eastside location is at the front of the Highland Community Center on Bel-Red Road, Bellevue. The sculpture, created by Tom Jay and installed in 1991, is titled “Salmon Woman”. Some art works are local while others travel farther afield. A statue of Nisqually tribal leader and treaty rights activist, Billy Frank Jr. who died in 2014 at the age of 83, is being installed in Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol. A totem pole created by Lummi carvers is being taken to President Biden. It began its cross-country journey from Washington State on May 25, 2021 with an expected return date of June 14, 2021. The sacred journey with many stops along the route is a way of calling attention to the protection of Indigenous sacred places. The pole will be featured in the fall of 2021 at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian --- a fine tribute to the original peoples of this land through the power of their art, stories and culture.

Resources

Books:

Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society, Images of America: Maritime Seattle, 2002.

Bohan, Heidi, The People of Cascadia: Pacific Northwest Native American History, 2009.

Pamphlet:

Beaver Lake Park: Totem Pole and House Post Dedication, 12/5/1992.

Newspaper Articles:

Snoqualmie Valley Reporter, “Moon The Transformer” by Kenneth G. “Greg” Watson.

The Seattle Times, “A Sacred Journey” by Linda V. Mapes 4/12/2021.

The Seattle Times, “His voice will speak”: Billy Frank Jr. statue to represent state at U.S. Capitol 4/15/2021.