PORT ANGELES — The Elwha Legacy Forests Coalition and the Earth Law Center will host several events in Port Angeles this week to celebrate World Water Day.
The celebration will kick off with two screenings of the Indigenous Climate Cinema Showcase.
The event will screen six short documentary films at 5 p.m. Thursday in the Little Theater at Peninsula College’s Port Angeles campus, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd., and again at 7 p.m. Friday at Field Arts & Events Hall, 201 W. Front St.
Both screenings will be followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers and community activists.
The films include:
• “Call of the Orcas” — A 10-minute film that follows Ken Balcomb and his efforts to recover Southern Resident killer whales.
• “Climate Diaries: Heather’s Story” — A nine-minute film that explores the impacts of climate from the perspective of Heather Purser, a Suquamish geoduck diver.
• “Líť’sit yiká· xá·bil-ts: Quillayute River Restoration” — A six-minute film that highlights the Quileute Tribe’s relationship with the river that provides their livelihoods, culture and identity.
• “All Our Relations: Tribute to Orcas” — A seven-minute film that presents narratives from indigenous leaders on the ancient kinship with orcas and salmon.
• “Last Stand: Saving the Elwha River’s Legacy Forests” — A 23-minute film showcasing the fight to prevent logging of legacy forests in the Elwha Watershed.
• “Facing the Storm: The Indigenous Response to Climate Change” — A 12-minute film that introduces climate justice leaders.
On Saturday, the celebration will begin with an opening ceremony at 11 a.m. on Hollywood Beach.
The ceremony will be emceed by Freddie Lane, a Lummi elder, and Tashena Francis of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and it will include speakers and music by the Grammy Award-winning indigenous artist Star Nayea.
At noon, members of the Lower Elwha Klalllam Tribe will lead an interfaith water blessing.
At 1 p.m., there will be a procession to Pebble Beach Park for a rally for the protection of legacy forests.
The festivities will conclude with guided hikes to local legacy forests at 2 p.m.
Participants can choose to visit the stretch of forest along the Elwha River that was part of canceled Power Plant timber sale or to experience the coastal rainforest near the Sadie Creek campground that is part of the Doc Holliday timber sale.
For more information, call Elizabeth Dunne at 808-554-1409, Freddie Lane at 360-391-7560 or visit www.elwhalegacyforests.org/equinox-day-of-forests-water-day-2025.
