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Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe - House of Knowledge
The Longhouse is available for rent for weddings, meetings and other events on a space-available basis. Please contact Marie Hebert, Cultural Resources Director, 360/297-6241.
Background information
The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s House of Knowledge consists of four integrated buildings. The Longhouse and Career and Education Center were completed by late fall, 2004. An Elders Center and a new home for the Little Boston Library complete the House of Knowledge project.
The origin of the S’Klallam name for the House of Knowledge
Bea Charles and Adeline Smith, elders from the Lower Elwha S’Klallam Tribe teach the S’Klallam language. They gave the S’Klallam name for the House of Knowledge: “Xcnatx.” It is pronounced: Haaa-chi-nought.
Longhouse Carved Panel
The split killer whale design face inside the dorsal fin represents Charlie Jones, from whom the large Jones family of Little Boston descended. The S’Klallam history tells of Charlie riding on the back of a killer whale in the 1930s. There are lightning snakes inside the belly of the whales. Whenever our people went hunting for whales, porpoise or seals they prayed for the power of the lightning snake to make a swift humane kill. The red owl between the dorsal fins of the split whale represents the guardian spirit of the late Martha John, a tribal member whom we are honoring. The two men represent the Port Gamble S’Klallam people. Tribal artists who worked on the panel include Gene Jones, Sr., lead carver; Bill Jones, Sr., Lloyd Fulton and Ben Ives, Sr. The carving consultant for the panel was Native American artist David A. Boxley.
Longhouse West Doors
S’Klallam master carver Jake Jones worked with his good friend Duane Pasco to create the design for the West doors of the S’Klallam Longhouse. These are based on art often found on North Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Designs were painted with red and black acrylic and then relief carved by tribal members Jake Jones, Floyd Jones, and Joe Ives Sr.
“The design for the doors on the West side of the Longhouse uses form lines – ovids and ‘u’ forms. The main feature of the design is a killer whale with a thunderbird. Also included in the secondary design are salmon trout heads, thunderbirds and young thunderbirds. There is a frog and a watchman in the center by the killer whale dorsal fin, and other typical lines and forms that are incorporated in the Northern style art. The sides of the Thunderbird were textured by Floyd Jones with his special tool. Because of the weight of the doors, they will be placed on custom-made rollers… Tribal members who had an opportunity to work on the Longhouse feel a sense of pride and ownership. The door design is Northern style and Salish because we like both styles and use them in our art work and carving projects.”
... Gerald “Jake” Jones
Longhouse East Doors
“The doors on the East side of the Longhouse are done in the Coast Salish style. It’s totally different from the stylized northern style. I call the door our “Klallam clans.” I wanted to try to jar people’s memories so they would remember their clan or crest. The killer whale is the Jones’ crest but we’ve always let the Tribe use it.
I put the owl in the middle of the door because that was Martha John’s clan. I put her face in the middle to honor her. The eagle is on the right side and the sea wolf is on the bottom. On the other door there’s a raven and killer whale. These are only five of the crests but there are a lot more that our Tribe had. The owl on the carved door symbolizes Martha John. An owl near her house would fly to her when she called it. It would perch on her arm and she would talk to it.
Martha John was my aunt and I used to visit with her all the time when I was a young boy. She told me many stories that I still remember. I would go out to the woods to find special plants and bark for her to make medicines. Martha and my Mom were instrumental in helping me to try to keep our culture alive by teaching me the language, songs, dances and legends.” ...Gene Jones Sr.
The East doors of the Longhouse were designed by tribal artist Gene Jones Sr. Gene also painted and carved the doors with the help of Bill Jones Sr. and Ben Ives Sr. Another tribal member, Kevin Jones, helped with sanding the doors. Steven Baker, a Quileute tribal member, also worked on the doors.
House of Knowledge Totem Poles
There were four poles carved for the Longhouse, with funding provided by the National Park Service. Carvers: Jake Jones, Lloyd Fulton, Joe Ives Sr., Gene R. Jones Sr., Bill Jones Sr., and Ben Ives Sr. Carving Consultant: David A. Boxley
CHIEFS WELCOME POLE This pole has a man with his arms open to welcome people to the longhouse. There is a bentwood box that holds the Tribe’s treasures and a killer whale to signify our clan.
SAWMILL POLE This is to honor those people that worked in the sawmill. There is a man with a pike-pole and a man holding a canoe--for that was the mode of transportation--and a bear, for you had to be strong as a bear to hold some of the positions.
FISHERMENS’ POLE This was to honor those people that were fishermen. There is an eagle, a girl of royalty holding a fish and a fisherman holding a halibut.
CLAMDIGGERS POLE This honors the people who harvest shellfish for either their livelihood or subsistence purposes. There is a person holding a butter clam and a clam basket. There is a grey heron, for they too like to eat clams. Another animal that enjoys clams is the sea lion.
Longhouse construction details
The House of Knowledge longhouse is a 5,700 sq. ft. ceremonial space. The entire space consists of a single room with a central performance area, surrounded by built-in stepped seating on both the north and south sides of the performance area. The interior and exterior of the building is comprised of Douglas fir columns and beams supporting 4”x12” beams which are covered in tongue-and groove fir veneer plywood panels, exposed to the interior of the room.
The surrounding walls are covered in rough-sawn cedar boards, placed between exposed 2”x10” studs. The cedar boards extend to 12’ in height, above which is a band of glass with cedar stops extending up to the roof. This band of glass wraps the entire building. On each of the north and the south sides is a pair of swinging exit doors which match the wall surface in finish. Huge 12’x12’ carved and painted hardwood sliding pairs of doors are located on the east and west ends. The exterior of the building has matching rough-sawn cedar boards as the wall finish, with additional cedar battens on top of the boards.
Architectural Team Johnston Architects and Cutler/Anderson Architects
General Contractor Synergy Construction
Please drop by and visit our new facility!
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