Coast Salish Artists Wanted For Gig Harbor Honoring Project

GIG HARBOR, WA - "Several years ago, I noticed that there are no street names, nor public art, nor any formal acknowledgement of Gig Harbor's indigenous people," said retired elementary school principal and Gig Harbor resident Gary Williamson. "It's time that story was told. It's long overdue."

To honor the town's first residents, the sxwəbabš band of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, a coalition of residents, tribal leaders, and the Gig Harbor Arts Commission is seeking Coast Salish artists who'd like to create and submit artwork that could be selected for installation in Austin Estuary Park, near the original sxwəbabš village.

Pronounced "sk-WHUH-babsh," according to Gig Harbor officials, the area's indigenous sxwəbabš band "were guardians of the turbulent Narrows Passage that stretched from Point Defiance to Wollochet Bay," anthropologist Dr. Linda Pitcher said in the application announcement. "It was their responsibility to protect those who resided along the adjacent shores."

Pitcher has worked alongside Williamson and others for the past three years to bring the Honoring Project to life, giving the area's original inhabitants the opportunity to add their important history to the Gig Harbor record.

The Honoring Project, Williamson explained in a statement, is "a way to fill in a missing chapter in Gig Harbor’s history book — to tell the story of the vital role the sxwəbabš played in Coast Salish history."

Interested artists have until March 15 to submit an application. Applications can be downloaded at this link or by visiting CityOfGigHarbor.net. Prospective applicants can find proposal requirements and submission criteria on the application.

The budget for the art proposal may not exceed $150,000.

The artist selected by the Gig Harbor Honoring Project Committee will be announced the week of April 19, with the actual art installation currently set for March 2020.

For more information on this project, contact Williamson at williamsongary51@gmail.com.

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AP Photo/Elaine Thompson