Family Day at Cannonball Arts brought our community together in a good way, creating space for carving, songs, storytelling, and time together in the heart of our ancestral homeland.

Families, artists, youth, and community members gathered throughout the day to watch live carving demonstrations and connect through culture and shared teachings. At the center of the event was the active carving of a traditional canoe, similar to the ones our ancestors used to travel these waters since time immemorial.

Muckleshoot Tribal Council Chairman Donny Stevenson spoke about the importance of Coast Salish people continuing to take up space and share culture openly within Seattle.

“As Coast Salish people, the way we tell our stories and carry our history forward has always been through visual art,” Stevenson said. “To be here in downtown Seattle, in our traditional homeland, continuing that work openly for our people and our neighbors is powerful.”

Stevenson also spoke about the responsibility of carrying teachings forward and making sure traditional knowledge is protected for the generations coming after us.

Throughout the event, tribal members gathered around the carving space watching chips of cedar fall while artists shared knowledge, stories, and teachings connected to the work. Songs and food were shared as families spent time together and visited with one another.

Muckleshoot artist Sam Obrovac spoke about the importance of continuing traditional carving practices and honoring the generations of artists and knowledge keepers who carried those teachings before us.

The partnership with Cannonball Arts continues to create visibility for Native artists and Coast Salish traditions in a public and accessible way, allowing people walking through the space to witness culture, carving, and community happening in real time.