Suquamish Community House Opening

Members of the tribe dance, drum, sing and reflect upon their new gathering space during the Suquamish Community House Opening on March 10, 2009.

The new Suquamish Community House, known as the House of Awakened Culture, will be central to the Suquamish Tribes cultural resurgence. The Suquamish have not had a building for traditional ceremonies since 1870 when the U.S. Indian Agent destroyed Old-Man-House, the home of Chief Sealth and Chief Kitsap. The new building, made of cedar and other native woods, includes 6,200 sf of performance space with traditional bench seating for 300 people, a staging room, lobby, full kitchen and restrooms. Four large doors on the eastern wall open to a sweeping view of Port Madison and the Cascade Mountains. Six carved house posts represent beauty, strength, faith, leadership, man and woman.

http://mithun.com/knowledge/article/suquamish_community_house_opening_video/

Category:

Education

Tags:

• suquamish
• cultural preservation
• native american
• northwest
• architecture
• architects
• building
• lodge
• gathering space
• tribal
• tribe
• community
• long house
• ceremony
• post-occupancy
• singing
• vocals
• drumming