NORTHWEST
COAST INDIAN CULTURE ALIVE AT TILLICUM VILLAGE
by
Bruce Burnett
We
left Seattle's Pier 56 at 11.30am and were given a narrated tour of
the city's waterfront and bustling port before making the 13-kilometer
(eight miles) crossing of Puget Sound to Blake Island and Tillicum Village.
The word "Tillicum" comes from the Chinook jargon and means
"friendly people." Friendly indeed was our greeting as we
were handed cups of steaming clams as an appetizer to our delicious
lunch of alder roasted salmon, baked potatoes, tossed green salad, hot
Tillicum bread, desert and coffee, tea or punch.
During and after the meal Northwest Coast Indians entertained us with
the songs, dances and stories that have been used to document the history
of the tribes for thousands of years. The Native American dancers proudly
display their heritage through the costumes they wear. One of the favorite
dances symbolizes giant man-eating birds. The dancers wear large painted
cedar masks with beaks that clap loudly and rhythmically with the music.
The longhouse in which the dances take place is styled after a longhouse
from the Kwakiutl village of Newitti in B.C.
The 192-hectare (475 acres) Blake Island became a State Park in 1959
and Tillicum Village opened in 1962 during the Seattle World's Fair.
There are three public camping areas, one group campsite and a small
marina on the island.
Around the longhouse stand tall heraldic totem poles carved by resident
carvers. Masks, baskets and other forms of Indian artistic expression
are also on display. A gift shop allows visitors to take home souvenirs
of Northwest Coast Indian arts and crafts.
Website: http://tillicumvillage.com/
NORTHWEST
COAST INDIAN CULTURE
ALIVE AT TILLICUM VILLAGE
was first published by The Kelowna Capital News
