House of Healing House of Learning Longhouse Restoration
Houses of Healing Houses of Learning Longhouse Restoration supports culturally safe places for Indigenous communities to teach their next generations their history, culture, governance, and language.
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Our current House of Healing House of Learning projects:
To support Whiteswan Environmental’s vision of a Coast Salish Tribal Heritage Field Institute, WE propose longhouse restoration begins at Xwotqwem/ Whatcom Creek in Bellingham, WA as part of the Phase 2 development of the Port of Bellingham Bay Waterfront Sub-Area Plan and Whatcom Cultural Heritage Tourism Strategic Plan 2018-2022. WE also propose a longhouse at Pe’pi’ow’elh, English Camp, San Juan Island National Historical Parks. WE are engaging the SJI NPS to discuss the City of Bellingham officials proposal that Xwotqem be designated as a satellite National Historical Park. |
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Historical Significance of Place:
Coast Salish leader Chow-its-hoot was a signatory of the 1852 South Saanich Treaty on Vancouver Island. That same year, Chow-its-hoot helped the region’s first settlers, Russell Peabody and Henry Roeder, survive by bringing them to the Xwotqwem, (translates as “Noisy Waters”) of Whatcom Creek. At this location, industry began with the development of the lumber mill. A few years later, Chow-its-hoot was a signatory of the 1855 Point Elliott Treaty on behalf of Lummi Nation. Subsequently, Lummi Nation was relegated to our current reservation site, and removed from our traditional villages and campsites to allow for Western settlements, development, and resource exploitation. The site proposed for the Master Carving Studio, on the bank of Whatcom Creek at Maritime Heritage Park, is the same place, “Xwotqwem/Noisy Waters,” shared by Chow-its-hoot with Bellingham’s founders. The establishment of a Coast Salish Master Carving Studio would be a step toward truth, reparation, honor, and healing.
Coast Salish leader Chow-its-hoot was a signatory of the 1852 South Saanich Treaty on Vancouver Island. That same year, Chow-its-hoot helped the region’s first settlers, Russell Peabody and Henry Roeder, survive by bringing them to the Xwotqwem, (translates as “Noisy Waters”) of Whatcom Creek. At this location, industry began with the development of the lumber mill. A few years later, Chow-its-hoot was a signatory of the 1855 Point Elliott Treaty on behalf of Lummi Nation. Subsequently, Lummi Nation was relegated to our current reservation site, and removed from our traditional villages and campsites to allow for Western settlements, development, and resource exploitation. The site proposed for the Master Carving Studio, on the bank of Whatcom Creek at Maritime Heritage Park, is the same place, “Xwotqwem/Noisy Waters,” shared by Chow-its-hoot with Bellingham’s founders. The establishment of a Coast Salish Master Carving Studio would be a step toward truth, reparation, honor, and healing.
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Whiteswan Environmental relies on donations from the community to make this vision a reality.
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