At the Festival of the st̓əč̓as, we are thrilled to celebrate the cultural & ecological restoration of the Deschutes Estuary and the upcoming removal of the 5th Avenue Dam. We are also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Judge Boldt Decision, which reaffirms Washington state Tribal treaty rights by securing an equal share of salmon and co-management of this and other vital resources.
st̓əč̓as (steh-chass) refers to both the landscape and the original inhabitants of the Deschutes Estuary & Budd Inlet. The st̓əč̓as cultural legacy was interrupted by colonial actions like damming the Deschutes River & and the persecution of Squaxin people, who were forcibly removed from access to critical food/medicinal sources of the st̓əč̓as & beyond. Regional indigenous leaders like Billy Frank Jr. were part of a resistance that led to The Fish Wars of the 60’s and 70’s. The 5th Ave dam was a notable site for fish-in demonstrations.
This event is free to the public.
Event Details
Volunteers
Currently, all of our volunteer time slots are full! We appreciate the support from our community. Check back in case a position opens up!
This Is A Green Festival
Bring a Water Bottle
We are working to make this an environmentally friendly festival. That means water bottles will not be available. Instead, we will be supplying water stations sourced from the artesian well in Downtown Olympia. Limited reusable water bottles will be available for use, so please bring a water bottle!
Sort Your Waste Properly
Trash, recycling, and compost will be available in Heritage Park. Please be sure to put your waste in the correct receptacles! Improper recycling and composting will force us to divert all contaminated waste to the trash.
Activities
Workshops
There are limited spaces for hands-on workshops. Come early to sign up and receive a wrist band at our info booth! If you do not sign up in time, you are welcome to observe the workshops but will not be able to participate due to limited supplies.
Squaxin Scientist Showcase: Shawnell McFarlane
Join us for an inspiring workshop crafted for middle schoolers and high schoolers. Dive into the world of Squaxin Island Tribal member Shawnell McFarlane’s book, “Cosmic Connections and Arctic Traditions,” and explore the beautiful blend of Indigenous knowledge and scientific inquiry through engaging activities and hands-on projects.
Workshop highlights include interactive discussions, creative storytelling, model building, insights from an indigenous scholar, and Steh-Chass restoration education. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn, create, and be inspired by the profound connection between tradition and science.
Mycoremediation: Jade Swor of Metamimicry
Discover the fascinating world of bioremediation with Metamimicry, a local nonprofit organization that specializes in harnessing the power of mushrooms and fungi to heal our environment. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll explore innovative methods to tackle pollution using nature’s own tools.
Learn the fundamentals of bioremediation, engage in discussions on implementing homegrown solutions, and assemble your very own mushroom filter to take home. Join us for an engaging session where you’ll not only gain knowledge but also contribute to a cleaner and healthier Olympia.
Water Quality Watch: South Sound GREEN
The water quality in Capitol Lake has been a concern ever since it was formed in 1951. This workshop will provide an overview of the current water quality conditions in the lake and Deschutes Watershed, and will engage participants in hands-on water quality testing of Capitol Lake along with analyses and actions community members can take to improve these conditions.
South Sound GREEN, an environmental education program of the Thurston Conservation District, has been providing hands-on, science-based experiences to local K-12 students and educators in Thurston County for over 30 years. Thousands of students participate in South Sound GREEN programs annually, including outdoor opportunities such as water quality monitoring, nearshore field experiences, salmon spawning explorations, and riparian action projects such as tree planting and invasive species removal.
Traditional Art Demonstrations
Learn about traditional indigenous art through demonstrations by talented Squaxin Island Tribe artists.
Andrea Wilbur-Sigo
Andrea Wilbur-Sigo lives in Shelton, Washington and is a member of the Squaxin Island Tribe and of the Steh-Chass family. Andrea is the first known native woman carver of many generations of carvers. She grew up with many types of art around her. She started out with beadwork and has since learned the Coast Salish art forms including bentwood boxes, welcome figures, house posts, masks, panels, button blankets, twine, twill weaving and basket weaving. Andrea has been doing shows since 1997. She took first place in her division at the 2006 Heard Museum Show and has continue winning man awards at shows throughout the region since then. She is an active member of her Tribe, volunteering her time and artwork for several community events including being an active member of the Tribal Museum Board. She also teaches Coast Salish art classes on a regular basis to children and adults of all ages for many of the local tribes.
Jennifer Johns
Jennifer Johns is an enrolled Squaxin Island Tribal member who practices the traditional art form of her Coast Salish ancestors. Jennifer was raised in a family strong in fishing, shellfish harvesting, and hunting. She grew up in the lower Puget Sound Region, with a main focal point on the Steamboat Island Peninsula, Squaxin Island, and surrounding Seven Inlets of the Salish Sea (Totten, Eld, Hammersly, Budd, Case, Carr, and Henderson Inlets), where her life shared on both land and water. Memories formed there left inspiring impressions that continue to be awakened.
Jennifer’s art reflects a deep-rooted intuitive connection she shares with the landscape. Her art captures the spiritual and emotional bond that we share with the surrounding land we live upon. She avlues making traditional art, in respect and honor of her ancestors, community, and those who will come after her. Jennifer’s preferred medium is painting. She utilizes various materials, including paper, wood, acrylic paints and traditional plant dyes.
She leaves us with this quote: “It is just as important to continue our art form, our way of expression, for future generations to come as it is any other traditional way of our people.”
Josh Mason
A member of the Squaxin Island Tribe, Josh Mason studied the relevance of natural science and the applicable seasonal changes for gathering of fiber used for basketry. He mastered basket weaving techniques with applied Tribal science for engineering each complex item. He has taught at the University of Washington Burke Museum’s Bill Holm Center for the Study of Northwest Native Art, which provided a teaching grant.
He continues to work with Ed Carriere, Master Basketmaker and canoe carver who was named NEA 2023 National Heritage fellow. Josh is Ed Carriere’s apprentice and the recipient of Tribal knowledge in the science of basketry.
Wes Whitener
Wes Whitener has been honing his craft since high school. Since then, he has been donating the drums he has made to the Squaxin Island Museum. More recently, he has begun branching out to make drums for others beyond the Museum.
Margaret Henry
Margaret Seymour Henry tsi dsdaʔ
(My name is Margaret Seymour Henry
sqʷax̌sədəbš čəd tuĺal čəd sqʷax̌səd
(I am Squaxin, I am from Squaxin Island)
I would like to share some of our family history that includes basketry, fishing, and tribal history.
My great, great grandfather, Johnny Skalapine was one of the last medicine men from Squaxin Island. He was well known as an expert in the history of Squaxin Island, including Steh-Chass-Budd Inlet and surrounding inlets. Steh-Chass means home of the black bears. Our island is 11 nautical miles from downtown Olympia here.
Our family spent a lot of time on the Deschutes river and Falls as well. They had the last smokehouse near the Falls where they caught, smoked, and dried salmon before Capitol Lake was made.
My great grandfather William Bagley, helped build the first Shaker church on Squaxin Island. The second church, that we use today, is over at Mud Bay.
My parents and grandparents were and will always be Marjorie Jean Seymour of Squaxin Island and Yurok descent and David George Underwood of Quinault and Skokomish. Grandma Clara Bagley Seymour was born on Squaxin Island.
Healing of the Waters
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.
Artistic Guests
We are so excited to welcomed talented poet Rena Priest and musical guest Saltwater Hank to celebrate with us at the Festival of the st̓əč̓as.
Rena Priest
Rena Priest is an enrolled member of the Lhaq’temish (Lummi) Nation. She served as the 6th Washington State Poet Laureate (2021-2023) and was named the 2022 Maxine Cushing Gray Distinguished Writing Fellow. Priest is also the recipient of an Allied Arts Foundation Professional Poets Award and fellowships from the Academy of American Poets, Indigenous Nations Poets, Nia Tero, and the Vadon Foundation. Her debut collection, Patriarchy Blues, received an American Book Award. Her second collection, Sublime Subliminal, was published as the finalist for the Floating Bridge Press Chapbook Award. Her most recent book, Northwest Know-How: Beaches, includes poems, retellings of legends, and fun descriptions of 29 of the most beloved beaches in the Pacific Northwest. Priest’s nonfiction has appeared in High Country News, YES! Magazine, Seattle Met, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College and is currently serving as a judge for the 2024 National Book Award for poetry.
Saltwater Hank
Guided by the spirit of his Ts’msyen heritage through his music and advocacies, surrounded by the echoes of his ancestors and family melodies, Jeremy felt drawn to Ts’msyen traditions from a young age. Motivated by a desire to honor his cultural roots, he blends pre-contact melodies with the energy of rock and roll, influenced by both punk rock icons and blues legends, while remaining committed to preserving the purity of Ts’msyen musical heritage. Beyond his role as Saltwater Hank, Jeremy is a storyteller and guardian of tradition, with a goal to ensure the endurance of Ts’msyen stories and language through his album “G̱al’üünx Wil Lu Holtga Liimi,” sung exclusively in Sm’algyax. His journey as an artist and language revitalizer inspires others to embrace their heritage, leading with conviction and the belief that his music can ignite cultural revival and spark change.
Read more about the first Festival of the Steh-Chass
Check back here for updates on the festival or email questions to info@deschutesestuary.org.
Festival of the st̓əč̓as
August 17, 2024
Heritage Park, Olympia WA
