Celebrating twenty years of the Portals of Welcome

By Heather Spaulding • May 27, 2024 1:30 am

For twenty years, two house posts titled “Interaction” created by native artist Susan Point have been welcoming returning islanders and visitors at the Port of Friday Harbor. The Port invited the original instigators who brought the posts to San Juan to the port and celebrate the occasion on May 22.

“Long before the Pig War, long before a border existed between the U.S. and Canada, native people were living here,” Port Commissioner Barbara Marrett told the crowd. Marrett explained she was not a commissioner at the time, but worked on the “Portals of Welcome” committee. The committee faced a few challenges. Not only did the port want local approval, but they needed to make sure to gain native approval from the number of tribes that live and lived in the county, “and oh, the Port is not going to give you any money,” Marrett said.

Bill Chevalier answered yes on behalf of the Mitchel Bay tribe. “Some had tears in their eyes because they have never received federal recognitions, or public recognition for their long presence on the island,” Marrett said, adding that Point herself insisted that they be asked because in native cultures, you do not place a pole in someone else’s territory without asking permission first and foremost.

“The Portals of Welcome committee had no idea how important the house poles would be to Indigenous people. Not only to the folks living here but to indigenous people from around the county, even internationally,” Marrett said. “That was brought home to me when a few canoe paddlers of family elders stopped by on their way to Jackson Beach. What happened was beautiful and unexpected.” The group included a native paddler from South Africa, a Maori paddler from New Zealand, and Lummi elders spoke and prayed in their native languages underneath the house posts, according to Merritt, after which they looked up and commented on the powerful energy of the posts.

Marrett invited two decedents of the Mitchell Bay Tribe, Lisa Lawrence and Nick Nash. “Our families are honored to be here tonight and to have been asked permission to put up the post. We really want to thank Lee Brooks, because he was very instrumental in making this happen.”

Brooks is the owner of the Arctic Raven Gallery on Front Street which focuses on native art. Brooks described seeing the posts and the strong feeling that they belonged on the island.

Nash also said a few words, “The existence of these house polls signifies our respect for [the Native American] presence in these islands. Indigenous peoples’ respect for nature, the environment, salmon, whales and all wildlife is well documented.” He provided some history of his own family, who raised sheep throughout the islands and reef-netted salmon for their livelihood. “It is with a tremendous amount of gratitude that we thank our ancestors for their adventurous spirit,” he said.

Afterward, cedar bows were placed upon the house poles, and camas bulbs were planted nearby.