Anniversary of Lewis, Clark at Maryhill to feature longhouse

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors to the museum can meet members of the Rock Creek Band as they demonstrate traditional arts and share their rich culture in a 60-foot tule mat longhouse constructed especially for this event.

"Those people received us with great kindness..we got..a few pounded roots, fish and Acrons," wrote William Clark, Oct. 21, 1805.

Members of the Rock Creek Band have spent several weeks gathering tule reeds to weave into mats and preparing poles for use in assembling the traditional longhouse.

"It is very much like those Lewis & Clark saw along the river during their journey through the Columbia River Gorge," said Colleen Schafroth, executive director.

Demonstrations will include how to fashion a traditional canoe from a pine log, make exquisite cedar coiled baskets and bead jewelry, and perform tribal dances, among other traditions.

Inside the museum at 1 p.m., Sunday, Wilbur Slockish Jr., will give a lecture on the Treaty of 1855. Slockish is the great, great, great-grandson of one of the signers of that historic document. There will also be a student art show by tribal members from Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Ore.

Throughout the weekend, interpretive talks will be given by Maryhill Museum Lewis & Clark docents in conjunction with the special exhibition, Finding Lewis & Clark At Maryhill. Families are invited to explore Lewis & Clark using the activity booklet, Art Discovery: Lewis & Clark at Maryhill, and by participating in Lewis & Clark art activities for children in the EyeSEE Resource Room.

On Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and again on Sunday at 2 p.m., the Klickitat County Master Gardeners will be on hand to talk about the native plants of the region. The museum's native plant garden includes most of the plants the Corps documented while in the Northwest.

Funding for the commemoration was provided by the Yakama Tribal Council of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Indian Nation, Mid-Columbia Medical center, and Klickitat County.

"We are very grateful for the support of these outstanding community organizations," said Schafroth. "They have made it possible for us all to honor our shared heritage."