nəxʷščánkʷən (brave)
The men and women of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe have a rich and dedicated history of serving in various branches of the U.S. Military. Since the 1980’s, a gathering for the member Veterans is held each Veteran’s Day. A committee of tribal veterans was formed to work towards developing a permanent memorial. That memorial has been realized.
As part of the overall House of Knowledge master plan, a space outside the existing longhouse was designated as a permanent home for the memorial park, kept watch by the flanking totem poles. The purpose of the Veteran’s Memorial is to honor the Veterans of the Port Gamble S’Klallam community and their families. Four steel sculptures in the form of whale tales were installed with the names of community members who have served in the U.S. Military. One of the whale tale sculptures tells the history of their service. The surrounding area was landscaped with low maintenance, native plants.
Approximately 20 veterans and family members were involved in planning the Veterans Memorial. Approximately 225 people attended the dedication of the Veterans Memorial. The Veterans Memorial was dedicated on November 11, 2007 in conjunction with the Tribe’s annual Veterans Honoring.
We Thank: Puyallup Tribe, Potlach Fund, LarsonCasteel