Original Publication, Methow Valley News, September 23, 2020
When we evacuate, if there is time, I grab an irreplaceable
family heirloom: a small doll with a crude button face, a dress made of tartan
rags wrapped about a body formed by the wishbone of a hen. A small card tied about
her neck bears a handwritten poem. In the tiny box with the tiny doll is a note
written on onionskin paper.
My great-grandmother’s handwriting details the doll’s
origins, tracing our family lines. When my parents passed away, their friends
and family graciously sent me mementos that they thought I should have to
remember my parents: photographs, stories, jewelry, tools — items that had an
emotional and physical connection to my parents.
Woven baskets from this region have a similar meaning.
Family origins and storylines are woven into the pattern with different colors,
different plant materials. To make these artful and utilitarian baskets is no
small feat. The process of gathering traditional materials of cedar root and
wild cherry bark is increasingly restricted by property owners.
Construction and agricultural activities damage traditional
areas where materials were once gathered. Between cultural changes that made
weaving no longer a necessity, and landscape changes that limit weaving
resources, the art and practice of Native American weaving is in danger of
becoming a lost art. These family heirlooms are cultural artifacts, precious
evidence of utilitarian practices and art of the first people who lived in
their traditional homeland, the Methow Valley.
Labor Day fires burned more than just homes on the Colville
Reservation. The fires moved so quickly that families had no time to save their
own family heirlooms, cultural artifacts passed down through generations of the
Methow people. The loss of home and hearth has a significant impact on elders’
health, livelihood, and capacity to pass on their language, traditions, and
skills. For many years, these community members and Methow descendants have
graciously and generously shared their stories with the Methow Valley
Interpretive Center — helping to build educational bridges. They have given us
a rich experience and education about this place and the people who came before
us. Now, we must give back and support these elders.
Monetary donations can be made to the Methow Valley
Interpretive Center earmarked as “Fire Relief.” All fire relief donations go
directly to families in need. Information on how to donate can be found at
www.methowvalleyinterpretivecenter.com. Please also consider cultural items
that may be someone else’s family heirloom, and how much that would mean to the
recipient.
A reminder: Peak bird migration is August-October. The
National Audubon Society encourages people to help birds and reduce nighttime
light pollution by turning out all unnecessary lights from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The Methow Dark Sky Coalition urges people to protect our night sky with
environmentally responsible lighting by following International Dark-Sky
Association guidelines for outdoor lighting. Be a good neighbor by protecting
our dark skies. For information, see http://www.methowdarksky.org.
