On Saturday, August 17, the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team (DERT) and the Squaxin Island Tribe held the “2nd Festival of the st̓əč̓as” (steh-chass).
The festival's theme was “Celebrating the Cultural & Ecological Restoration of the Deschutes Estuary.”
DERT’s website explains the name of the event: “st̓əč̓as (steh-chass) refers to both the landscape and the original inhabitants of the Deschutes Estuary & Budd Inlet.” It also indicated that the event would celebrate “the upcoming removal of the 5th Avenue Dam,” as well as the 50th anniversary of Judge Hugo Boldt's decision, in United States v. Washington, “which reaffirms Washington state Tribal treaty rights by securing an equal share of salmon and co-management of this and other vital resources.”
The Nisqually River Foundation announced the festival and described it as “a Heritage Celebration involving the Muckleshoot, Puyallup, Nisqually, and Squaxin Island Tribe.”
In addition to traditional art demonstrations, workshops, speakers, storytelling, and music throughout the day, the festival included a Healing of the Waters Ceremony in which members of the Squaxin Island Tribe and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe paddled canoes through Budd Inlet and down the West Bay, under the Olympia Yashiro Friendship Bridge at 4th Avenue, and stopping just short of the 5th Avenue Bridge.
DERT explained, “As part of Squaxin’s responsibility for protecting and sustaining our natural world, they perform the healing of the waters ceremony. Focusing on the gifts of springs, rivers, streams, lakes and maritime waters, the ceremony symbolizes the connection to land, water, and people.”
The arrival of the canoes and the ensuing ceremony proved to be well-attended, with spectators lining both bridges and the east shore of the bay between those bridges. The ceremony included speakers, music, and tribe members pouring water into the bay.
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Duffish
A great celebration to honor our First People and the environment. I hope I am still here to see the Deschutes flowing naturally and its healing Spirit flowing naturally with no dams.
Wednesday, August 21 Report this
Boatyarddog
Truth! Duffish let the Sacred Waters flow free and the Earth will heal Mankind's Scars and mistakes.
Wednesday, August 21 Report this
Snevets
What a beautiful celebration! Thank you.
Wednesday, August 21 Report this