LAPUSH — The Quileute are celebrating their cultural heritage this weekend, and everyone is invited to join the party.
From the opening ceremony at 3 p.m. today to the final stick games at 3 p.m. Sunday, the Quileute will offer tastes of their tradition through singing and dancing, salmon bakes, arts and crafts vendors, and canoe races modernized with motors.
A parade down Main Street and a fireworks show against the stunning sea stack vistas visible from sandy First Beach are part of the festival, along with horseshoe games, softball, bingo, poker, the traditional stick games gambling tournaments, a carnival and a fun run.
Biggest yearly celebration
Quileute Days is the tribe’s biggest annual celebration, said Russell Brooks, tribal events coordinator.
“It’s not just a tribal celebration, but also an invitation for people in the region to take part,” Brooks said, adding that it is organized by the Quileute Days committee and the Quileute Tribal Council.
The festival itself is steeped in tradition.
“I’ve talked to some of the older people, and they say it’s gone on as long as they can remember — at least the 1960s or before,” Brooks said.
“It’s a fixture here every summer.”
The festival is conducted mostly on the main street of LaPush, which is about 12 miles from Forks on state Highway 110 and located on the Pacific Coast at the mouth of the Quillayute River.
A special feature this year will be the screening of “More Than Frybread,” described by Brooks as “a fictional comedy based on Indian Country’s love of fry bread.”
It will be shown at the A-Ka-Lat Center from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. today — and the writer, director and producer of the film will be present.
Filmmaking workshop
Travis Holt Hamilton of Arizona will conduct a filmmaking workshop before the film is screened.
The workshop from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at the A-Ka-Lat Center will be free to the public.
“Youth are encouraged to attend,” Brooks said.
The film has an all-Native American cast, Brooks said, and is on a national tour.
More comedy is in store at the performance of Another Indian Uprising, scheduled from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the A-Ka-Lat Center.
The comedy troupe from Burbank, Calif., is made up of three Native Americans — Jim Ruel, Gilbert Brown and Shishonia — who share their stories of growing up native, according to their website, www.anotherndnuprising.com.
“Twilight” memorabilia will be available, Brooks said, but no actors from the movies are scheduled to appear as they have in past years.
The “Twilight” saga movies were based on a best-selling four-novel series about vampires and teen love.
The series includes reference to werewolves allegedly from LaPush.
Wolves are part of the Quileute mythology, but werewolves have never been part of the culture.
Canoe races
Canoe races have been modernized.
“Racers have modified canoes with motors on them,” Brooks said.
“It’s quite exciting,” he added. “A lot of people get into the canoe races.”
The races on the Quillayute River are timed to take advantage of the tides, Brooks said.
The canoe races will be at 1 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
The start can be seen from outside the Quileute Natural Resources building.
Traditional dancing and singing will be performed from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday on Main Street.
“A lot of our people who do the traditional dancing and singing right now are on the Paddle Journey,” Brooks said, referring to the 2012 Paddle to Squaxin.
“They are coming back for Saturday and then they will resume going back on the Canoe Journey,” he said.
The festival is family-oriented and is alcohol-and drug-free, Brooks said.
“We want people to come and enjoy themselves and leave with good memories,” he said.
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Managing Editor/News Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3531 or at leah.leach@peninsuladailynews.com.
