Longhouse expansion celebrated

OLYMPIA - It was joyful scene Saturday at The Evergreen State College. Four American Indian men beat drums and shouted, and dozens of others participated in a procession in a circle, waving cedar branches. Dozens more sat and watched the cleansing ceremony for the newly expanded Longhouse Education and Cultural Center.

The ceremony preceded an afternoon of food and entertainment that as many as 500 people were expected to attend, said Tina Kuckkahn Miller, director of the longhouse. Representatives from at least a dozen local tribes were present, among others. Aboriginal people from as far away as the Maori in New Zealand celebrated, organizers said.

Evergreen President Les Purce credited the “students, the staff, and most importantly, the tribes that came together to support and make this dream a reality.”

The long, rectangular building, which is meant to recall the common residential buildings historic to area tribes, is a gathering place for cultural ceremonies, classes, conferences, performances, art exhibits and community events, according to the school’s Web site. Miller said it was founded on the dream of letting people from all cultural backgrounds learn from one another.

The building opened in 1995 with 10,000 square feet of space, and 1,800 more square feet just were added, Miller said.

She said the building was the first of its kind at a public college in the country. In addition to offices and learning space, the building houses a collection of native art.

“It’s always a special and unique place for native people, and it warms your heart,” said Maia Bellon, a member of the Mescalero Apache tribe and a 1991 Evergreen graduate. “It warms our heart to know that this is a special place where we can express ourselves.”

Bellon stressed that it’s not just a place for native people, that it’s a place for all people to learn, be engaged and respect.

“The fears of difference melt away,” she said. “They’re welcomed as non-native people.”

For young tribal people struggling with poverty, it’s a place to “let the struggle stay at the door,” Bellon said.

Delbert Miller of the Skokomish tribe said the longhouse is a place for people to feel a connection with people present and past, whether they are present or not. He said he doesn’t make a distinction between the time periods. For his people, we are with all that is now, or ever was.

“They never thought there’s a difference in that,” he said.

Matt Batcheldor: 360-704-6869

mbatcheldor@theolympian.com