NEAH BAY — An open house today (Wednesday) will celebrate the completion of the Makah tribal beach house, a gathering place near the south end of Hobuck Beach at Famcamp.
The open house will be from noon to 2 p.m. It will include lunch and a traditional blessing of the structure called Be?is (pronounced Beh-is).
The beach house, valued at about $700,000, has been under construction since June 2014 adjacent to the Hobuck Beach Resort at 2726 Makah Passage.
The project was funded by ArtPlace America, which provided a $500,000 grant to the tribe in 2013; the state Department of Commerce, which gave the tribe a $25,000 grant in late 2014; and the Potlatch Fund, which provided an additional $2,500, also in late 2014.
The building was designed with an open floor plan that will provide a venue for cultural gatherings and a display of Makah art.
The structure — completed through partnerships with The Pomegranate Center of Issaquah, Seattle-based Forterra, and VIA Architecture — has traditional Makah artwork throughout.
“It was important to incorporate Makah artwork with it, because it is an art room after all,” said Crystal Hottowe, grants writer for the Makah tribal community planning and economic development department.
A 338-square-foot artist studio at the rear of building will also be used as a changing room for dancers.
The dimensions and architecture of the building are based on the design of a traditional longhouse.
The main structure comprises 10 columns that hold up the roof and covers an area of 1,800 square feet.
The columns are of cedar carved by Makah artist and master carver Bill Martin and apprentices Logan Martin and Jael Marquette.
A 12-foot-tall totem pole will be placed at the site, she said.
The building is topped by metal roofing. Copper caps stamped with Makah designs protect the ends of the headers under the roof.
The site also has two fire pits and beach access stairs.
The grant from the Potlatch Fund — a grant-making foundation serving native communities in the Pacific Northwest — funded an additional apprenticeship project encompassing 40 carved benches crafted by Martin along with apprentices Josh Monette and Elisha Winck.
“Carving is almost a dying art . . . [so] it was important to have that apprenticeship portion of it, so that we ensured that art from continues on,” Hottowe said.
The building faces the beach, and “is an area that is used by locals and tourists and visitors alike,” Hottowe said, noting it can be used for special events such as weddings and family reunions, as well as tribal activities.
While the grand opening itself is free to the public, visitors to the Makah Indian Reservation must purchase a $10 recreational use permit at the Makah Museum, Washburn’s Store or the Makah Tribal Center.
The permit, designed to be hung from the rear-view mirror, is good for the calendar year in which it is purchased.
For more information, go online to www.neahbaywa.com.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
