Lelooska Cultrural Center-Ariel WA

We spent this last weekend with a special group of friends we really enjoy spending time with, the Classic RV Club. We joined this group prior to our leaving to hit the road fulltime in 2004. So each year on our return to OR, we really enjoy reconnecting with this group of friends.

On this particular weekend we all gathered at the Lone Fir RV Park in Cougar, WA. Although, the weather was not the best (major rain), we did manage to enjoy each others company, talking, eating, playing games & finding what that local area has to offer.

One of the events we attended was the Lelooska Cultural Center in Ariel, WA. This was a great day of observing, learning & discovering all things important about the NW Indian cultural way of life.

The Lelooska Museum holds an immense collection of artifacts from many regions including the Northwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and the Arctic. These items are varied including baskets, corn husk bags, dolls, spoons, cradles, moccasins, tomahawks, pipes, pipe bags, dresses, a 15 foot birch bark canoe and an entire replica fur trade store fully furnished to the period. Their goal is to keep the NW Indian experience alive & known to future generations. They now mostly do elementary school programs, with a small number of evening programs aimed at adults, but today the gave us a special program.

What we most loved was experiencing the Lelooska Family share their songs, dances, stories and masks which display the rights, crests and privileges bestowed on them by the late Chief James Aul Sewide.Lots of great information, as well a very special time with our "local" RV group of friends:).