Beneath towering Douglas firs and along the saltwater shorelines of Squaxin Park, members of the Squaxin Island Tribe and the Olympia community gathered Monday, Oct. 12, to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day through traditional drumming, song, language revitalization, and a reaffirmed government-to-government partnership.
The annual celebration featured tribal leaders, cultural educators and municipal officials honoring the deep ancestral roots of the Steh-Chass people, who have stewarded the lands and waters of the south Salish Sea since time immemorial.
For members of the Squaxin Island Tribe, historically known as the "People of the Water," Monday's gathering served as both a celebration of resilience and an active reclaiming of cultural heritage.
“One hundred years ago, they thought we wouldn't be here, but here we are strong,” said Joshua Whitner, council treasurer for the Squaxin Island Tribe, addressing attendees and local students. “The Squaxin people have walked these lands for thousands of years. Today is about us, but it's also about our ancestors and who we are.”
The event took place on ground rich with tribal history.
Formerly known for more than a century as Priest Point Park, the 314-acre nature reserve was officially renamed Squaxin Park by the Olympia City Council in April 2022 following a unanimous resolution from the Squaxin Island Tribal Council.
The renaming restored the tribe's ancestral name to the local landscape.
Nancy Jo Bob, the tribe's language program manager, highlighted the deep cultural meaning of indigenous place names during her keynote address.
She noted that the park grounds were originally known in Lushootseed for the spruce trees gathered by ancestors to craft watertight baskets and tools.
“In this area here, having the name given back to the Squaxin people by calling it Squaxin Park is honoring the ancestors of this area,” Bob said, noting that traditional place names carry vital lessons in history, resource management, and ecology.
Sierra Salas, an enrolled Squaxin Island tribal member and language keeper at the Squaxin Island Museum, Library and Research Center, shared her work preserving Lushootseed to break cycles of historical trauma caused by federal boarding school policies.
“It's about bringing back the voices of our ancestors and about showing the world that our language is beautiful and intelligent,” Salas told the crowd. “I chose to break that cycle so I can teach my children, and one day they can teach theirs.”
The event also highlighted the strengthening government-to-government relationship between the tribal nation and the City of Olympia.
On Oct. 8, city and tribal leaders formally renewed their five-year accord, an agreement first established in 2021 that commits both governments to joint economic development, environmental protection, climate action, and ongoing intergovernmental collaboration.
Olympia Mayor Dante Payne read a joint proclamation officially designating Oct. 12, 2026, as Indigenous Peoples' Day in Olympia, emphasizing that the city's commitment extends beyond symbolic recognition.
“I can assure you that what you just heard from us is more than words. It is action,” Payne said.
Tribal vice chairman Taylor Krise reflected on the spiritual connection to the land and the shared duty to protect natural resources for future generations.
“To me, being indigenous means living in relationship with Mother Earth — with the water, with the trees, the salmon, and one another,” Krise said. “As a carver and a fisherman, I'm reminded that what the earth gives us, it's our responsibility to give back in some way or another. That's where balance comes in.”
The celebration concluded with a traditional frog dance and closing songs, leaving community members with a message of unity, healing, and enduring cultural pride.
