EatonvilleNews

Seek Truth Without Fear

"I have known you in your streams and rivers where your fish flashed and danced in the sun, where the waters said come, come and eat of my abundance."

~ Chief Dan George on Canada's Centennial

Traditional Tribal Salmon Bake
Photos by Bob Walter Unless Otherwise Credited...

Getting Started...

A fire pit was built by tribal members at Mill Pond Park.

Salmon Roasting Over an Alder Fire Pit...

(photo by Bob Walter)

An assembly line of salmon cooked most of the afternoon. Hundreds of salmon fans enjoyed the delicious meal until the fish were all eaten. Served along with the salmon was coleslaw, potatoes and cake.

About 400 People Were Fed...

The way tribes have been cooking salmon since ancient times.

Salmon on the Way to the Table...

"Grill Sergeant" packs a ready to eat salmon to the table for the hungry crowds.

Waiting Patiently on Line for Salmon...

On a beautiful Sunday the crowds visited as they waited for their mouth-watering meal.

Feeding Hungry Folks...

Volunteers, including State Senator Randi Becker, helped feed the hungry.

Dishing up For the Kids...

Karen Woodcock dishes up potatoes and Cole slaw for seven-year-old Lakota and Kiaya Craig, six.

Women of the Wapato Dance Club...

(photo by Bob Walter)

During the traditional tribal salmon bake put on by the Cowlitz and Nisqually Tribe Canoe Family, these women danced a traditional, graceful welcoming dance for visitors to Mill Pond Park where the salmon bake was held Sunday, October 18. See as short video of Indian dancers Wapato Dance Club Performing

Grass Dancer...

(photo by Bob Walter)

A member of the Wapato Dance Club wows the group with his amazing dress and moves. He is a Grass Dancer, which is a more "modern" type of dance than the traditional dance done by another member of the group.

Grass Dancer and Traditional Dancer...

The man in front dances in the traditional way and is bedecked with a circle of feathers on his back.

Caught in Midair...

Grass Dancer defies gravity.

Wapato Dance Club Wowed the Crowds...

Traditional Dancer shows his circle of feathers.

Another Grass Dancer...

This dancer discovered this day that he was also related to Soo-Too-Lick.

Dancers Enjoy a Break...

(photo by Tim Fobes)

After entertaining for two days, once at the street faire and at the salmon bake, three Wapato Dancers take a break.

Extended Family of Soo-Too-Lick Honor Him...

(photo by Tim Fobes)

Descendents of Soo-Too-Lick aka "Indian Henry" visited the Indian Shaker Cemetery on Mashell Prairie to honor him and the other Indians buried there. After a blessing, tears, stories about their search for this missing ancestor, songs and drumming Soo-Too-Lick's descendants of this kindly local Indian gathered around what is believed to be his headstone. See a short video Indian Cemetery with Soo-Too-Lick's Relatives

Many Offerings Have Been Left at Cemetery...

Lakota Craig leaves an offering to the Indians who befriended Town Founder T. C. Van Eaton and helped him choose the site for the town bearing his name.

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Geswanouth Slahoot
"Thunder coming up over the land from the water"

Anglo Name,
Chief Dan George

Hereditary Chief of the Coast Salish Tribe, Actor and Writer.
Born - July 24, 1899 in North Vancouver, British Columbia
Died - September 23, 1981 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

1970 Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in "Little Big Man."

The beauty of the trees, the softness of the air,
the fragrance of the grass speaks to me.

The summit of the mountain, the thunder of the sky,
The rhythm of the sea, speaks to me.
The faintness of the stars, the freshness of the morning,
the dewdrop on the flower, speaks to me.

The strength of the fire, the taste of salmon, the trail of the sun,
and the life that never goes away, they speak to me
And my heart soars.

~ Chief Dan George

...In the long hundred years since the white man came, I have seen my freedom disappear like the salmon going mysteriously out to sea. The white man's strange customs which I could not understand, pressed down upon me until I could no longer breathe...

Oh Canada, how can I celebrate with you this Centenary, this hundred years? Shall I thank you for the reserves that are left to me of my beautiful forests?

For the canned fish of my rivers? For the loss of my pride and authority, even among my own people?

For the lack of my will to fight back? No! I must forget what's past and gone.

~ Chief Dan George

The time will soon be here when my grandchild will long for the cry of a loon, the flash of a salmon, the whisper of spruce needles, or the screech of an eagle.

But he will not make friends with any of these creatures and when his heart aches with longing he will curse me.

Have I done all to keep the air fresh? Have I cared enough about the water? Have I left the eagle to soar in freedom? Have I done everything I could to earn my grandchild’s fondness?

~ Chief Dan George

There is a longing among all people and creatures to have a sense of purpose and worth. To satisfy that common longing in all of us we must respect each other.

In the olden times man and creature walked as friends who carried the beauty of the land in their hearts.

Now each of us is needed to make sure the salmon can find a place to spawn and the bear cub a tree to climb.

There is little time left and much effort is needed.

~ Chief Dan George

The Wolf Ceremony

I wanted to give something of my past to my grandson. So I took him into the woods, to a quiet spot. Seated at my feet he listened as I told him of the powers that were given to each creature. He moved not a muscle as I explained how the woods had always provided us with food, homes, comfort, and religion. He was awed when I related to him how the wolf became our guardian, and when I told him that I would sing the sacred wolf song over him, he was overjoyed.

In my song, I appealed to the wolf to come and preside over us while I would perform the wolf ceremony so that the bondage between my grandson and the wolf would be lifelong.

I sang.
In my voice was the hope that clings to every heartbeat.

I sang.
In my words were the powers I inherited from my forefathers.

I sang.
In my cupped hands lay a spruce seed-- the link to creation.

I sang.
In my eyes sparkled love.

I sang.
And the song floated on the sun's rays from tree to tree.

When I had ended, it was if the whole world listened with us to hear the wolf's reply. We waited a long time but none came.

Again I sang, humbly but as invitingly as I could, until my throat ached and my voice gave out. All of a sudden I realized why no wolves had heard my sacred song. There were none left! My heart filled with tears. I could no longer give my grandson faith in the past, our past.

At last I could whisper to him: " It is finished!"

"Can I go home now?" He asked, checking his watch to see if he would still be in time to catch his favorite program on TV.

I watched him disappear and wept in silence. All is finished!

~ Chief Dan George

May the stars carry your sadness away,
May the flowers fill your heart with beauty,
May hope forever wipe away your tears,
And, above all, may silence make you strong.

~ Chief Dan George