By Corvo Rohwer
The cool morning breeze from the Tacoma coastline helped lift the curtain on a new Story Pole located on the Tribe-owned Ruston Waterway property between Woven Seafood & Chophouse and the Kenmore Air-Puyallup Tribal Air Terminal on May 8.
“In a way, this is a cleaning of our ancestral lands,” Puyallup Tribal Council Chairman Bill Sterud said. “We’re bringing our people, our families and our lands back together. That’s what is happening right now.”
Officially named “Fish Haven Memorial,” the story pole was a project completed by Tribal artists Micah McCarty, Nicholas Earl Sr., Khephren E. McCarty, Nicholas Earl Jr. and Dante Jones.
“Nicholas and I have had a really rewarding journey in how we’ve learned together and grown in our arts,” McCarty said. “This is a real momentous moment for us because we have a chance to be a part of something that the ancestors can smile upon.”
The pole begins with the frog at the foundation to represent clean water, followed by the bear depicted with salmon. Near the top stands the Thunderbird, serving as a stalwart reminder of the duty to be stewards of the land. Finally, the pole is crested with a canoe pointed toward the water, carrying forward the tradition of the ancestors who lived on the water and on this land.
Small copper pieces can also be found throughout the piece, symbolizing the wealth of the people through their shared connection of heritage and wisdom.
“It tells a story, but it will be a story that we will be able to continue to add on to,” Heritage Division Manager Connie McCloud said. “Our children will come forward and add to it, and they’ll see more poles here. They will add to this place because we have more stories to tell.”
To watch the full unveiling ceremony, visit our YouTube channel or follow the link below.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kpqJAa_Ikj4
