More Indigenous Art will grace the Port of Friday Harbor
Five years ago Tahlequah, J35, caught global attention as the killer whale carried the body of her deceased calf for 17 days before she let it go. She traveled hundreds of miles.
This year, the Lummi Tribe is gifting the Port of Friday Harbor a totem inspired by that event. The totem will be placed on the deck of Spring Street Landing. The photo shows J35's head and her calf. The totem is carved to be placed horizontally.
A photo of the entire totem will be posted soon. The totem is horizontal.
The gift was first mentioned at the Port's January meeting. It was accepted at the Port Commission's March 8 meeting. Victoria Compton and Gibb Black voted to accept the gift and provide $30,000 funding to cover the installation logistics.
Commissioner Barbara Marrett was vehemently opposed to moving forward with a vote at the meeting. She said she had told people, who had indicated they wanted to weigh in, not to come to the March 8 meeting. Since she didn't expect the gift to be voted on until a future meeting.
She believed the public needed to have a say. At the end of the meeting she suggested the Port adopt a similar process used by the Town of Friday Harbor. The Town has an Art Commission that reviews and makes recommendations about public art.
The Town's Art Commission does not have jurisdiction over the Port.
The Port has other Indigenous Art - the house posts in Fairweather Park.
1 comment
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Norris Palmer Tuesday, 14 March 2023 12:34 Comment Link
It is a very beautiful artwork. But...they pot holes in the parking lot of Shipyard cove will swallow your car. Mud puddles getting in an out everytime it rains...Been that way forever....How much money could 300 pounds of gravel cost? Not 30K. We should have waited. Whats the real story behind this? Who made first contact to sell this art? Who owns it where is it from? Who gave them the idea that POFH would take it now?