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Lelooska Museum

Coordinates: 45°57′25″N 122°34′19″W / 45.957°N 122.572°W / 45.957; -122.572
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lelooska Foundation and Cultural Center
Carved sculpture by Lelooska in Denver, Colorado
Map
Established1977[1]
Location165 Merwin Village Road
Ariel, Cowlitz County, Washington
Coordinates45°57′25″N 122°34′19″W / 45.957°N 122.572°W / 45.957; -122.572
TypeNative American cultural
FounderLelooska, Don Morse Smith[2][3]
DirectorMariah Stoll-Smith Reese[1]
PresidentTsungani Fearon M. Smith[4]
OwnerLelooska Foundation
Websitelelooska.org

'The Lelooska Foundation and Cultural Center' is a living history museum in Ariel, Washington, highlighting Kwakwaka'wakw and other Indigenous cultures and historis.[5] It is operated by the Lelooska Foundation that was established in 1977.[4][1]

The museum is a nonprofit organization with nine employees.[4]

Collections

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Collections include baskets, parfleches, corn husk bags, dolls, spoons, cradles, moccasins, tomahawks, pipes, pipe bags, dresses, a 15-foot birchbark canoe, and a replica fur trade store.

Living history

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The foundation operating the museum also sponsors living history programs and performances, conducts classes in woodcarving and other Native art forms, and demonstrations of dance and basket weaving.[1][6]

Founder

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Lelooska, Don Morse Smith, for whom the foundation is named, was a non-Native artist[2] who carved sculptures and totem poles, one of which is displayed at the Christchurch International Airport in New Zealand, and another at the Oregon Zoo.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Lelooska Foundation holds annual fundraiser". The Reflector. Battle Ground, Washington. 2014-04-30. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  2. ^ a b "Pendant". National Museum of the American Indian. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  3. ^ Baker, Dean; Oregonian, Special to The (2013-08-06). "Lelooska family helps keep Native traditions alive in Ariel, Washington". OregonLive.com. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  4. ^ a b c "Lelooska Foundation". Cause IQ. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  5. ^ Kozlowski, Ellie (2021). Washington Day Trips by Theme. Cambridge, MN: Adventure Publications. ISBN 9781591939252.
  6. ^ "Lelooska Foundation Living History performances", The Daily News, Longview, Washington, November 12, 2016
  7. ^ "Lelooska, Master Carver, Won Acclaim For His Totem Poles", The Seattle Times, September 7, 1996
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