The Native American culture is an integral part of the Northwest's beauty. Tillicum Village, situated on Blake Island State Park, an ancestral campground of the Suquamish and Duwamish Tribes, offers a glimpse into local Native American traditions. I've been curious about what a visit to Tillicum Village has to offer and was thrilled with the opportunity to be a tourist in my own town and try out the Argosy Cruises' 4-hour adventure with my family.
The trip is spendy, but it does include a narrated boat tour, a large meal, and a show. It was also more kid-friendly than I'd expected. My 8-year-old learned a great deal from the narration on the 45-minute ride out to Blake Island. When I asked her about it she said, "Seattle was named after a chief who helped people survive the winter and they couldn't pronounce his name right. See, I was listening!" I learned some things as well. Apparently the Burke Museum recently confirmed that Blake Island is the birth place of Chief Seeahth.
Upon arriving at the village, you are handed a mug of steamed clams in nectar. My daughter said to tell kids, "Don't be afraid to try the clams; they taste just like crabs." My 4-year-old took some coaxing, but they both loved the Tillicum tradition of dropping the empty clam shells on the pathway and stomping on them.
Before dinner and the show, we watched our salmon being cooked on cedar stakes over an alder-wood fire just as the coastal Native Americans have done for hundreds of years. We perused the gift shop before making our way into the longhouse for the buffet.
There is no kids' menu, so check the set menu on the website to make sure it's something your family will enjoy. My kids loved the salmon, rice, bread sweetened with molasses, and cobbler.
The show was a wonderful introduction to Coast Salish tribes for our family. The performance combines a narrator and some dancers projected on a screen, with live dancers who teach about the stories and dances of various area tribes. At one point we were even asked to stand up and participate in one legend where the whole tribe pushed up to raise the sky that was pressing down upon them.
The costumes and masks used in the dances are incredible and you can get a close up look at them after the show. The last dance, where the dancers clacked the enormous mouths of the masks together, had loud moments and frightened some of the little ones. My 4-year-old cowered, but then said that was her favorite dance.
After the show we had about 50 minutes of free time to explore the beaches (we went during a low tide) and forest trails before the return trip. The Tillicum Village website has a Blake Island scavenger hunt and a wildlife guide for kids (www.tillicumvillage.com/tillicum-village-kids-activities.php).
My daughter wants to learn more about the tribes here, so we're tracking down some library books to continue the lessons started at Tillicum Village.
IF YOU GO
Where: Depart from Argosy Cruises, 1201 Alaskan Way, Pier 55/56, Seattle.
When: Monday to Friday 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 10:30 p.m.; Saturdays 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 10:30 p.m.; Sundays 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Admission: Adults $79.95, seniors (65 and older), children (ages 5-12) $30, children under 5 free.
Contact: 206-623-1445; www.tillicumvillage.com.
Laura Spruce Wight is a Seattle-area freelance writer and mother of two.
