5th Annual Art Walk Rainier Beach, signature event of the Rainier Beach Merchants Association, will be presented Saturday, September 5th. With a 2015 theme of “A Cultural Homecoming,” the event celebrates all who have lived, worked, and shared in the Rainier Beach community since its settlement by the Duwamish people thousands of years ago. This year, Art Walk Rainier Beach will honor the Duwamish Tribe by opening the event with a special welcome by Chief Sealth’s 4th-Great-Grandson, Ken Workman.
This free community event, held at the Rainier Beach Community Center Plaza, begins at 10:00 AM. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray will introduce the 4th-Great-Grandson of Chief Sealth, for whom the City of Seattle was named. Tribal members will also share stories, song, and dance of the Duwamish people. Art Walk Rainier Beach is particularly honored to embrace the Duwamish people with community support this year in light of the recent decision by the federal government to deny formal recognition of the tribe.
Throughout the day, the event will go massive with headliner world-champion break dancers The Massive Monkees leading an impressive list of high-powered multi-cultural music, dance, spoken word, and interactive arts performances on two stages.
Showcasing the incredibly rich, diverse talent of the Rainier Beach and Rainier Valley Area, the line-up includes:
- World-champion break dance troupe Massive Monkees
- America’s Got Talent 2009 Semifinalists, the Eri Am Sisters
- Two Story Zori, a reggae band whose founders attended Rainier Beach High School
- Performances and demonstrations representing many Rainier Beach resident cultures: Taiko drumming, marimba, lion dancers, gospel, jazz, folk and blues, traditional ethnic and modern dance, traditional Chinese calligraphy, and martial arts demonstrations and more.
For an extended list of confirmed performers, click here: http://www.rainierbeachmerchants.com/art-walk-rainier-beach/.
In addition, Art Walk Rainier Beach offers FREE local-artist designed flying discs for kids (while supplies last), interactive community art projects, artist booths, local community groups, and delicious local fare by Maya’s Fiesta Truck, Jackson’s Catfish Corner, Sam Choy’s Poke to the Max, and LT’s BBQ, along with much, much more.
The event, presented by the Rainier Beach Merchants Association and SEEDArts, is sponsored by more than 30 Rainier Beach Merchants members. Major sponsors include Seattle Office of Economic Development, 4Culture, Washington Federal Bank, The Stranger, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Rainier Beach Action Coalition – A Beautiful Safe Place for Youth, Merrill & Merrill Insurance, Dorothy Driver Real Estate, Redwing Café, and Seattle Parks & Recreation/ Rainier Beach Community Center.
Event Details:
Saturday, September 5th
10:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Rainier Beach Community Center Plaza
8825 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
For more information, please contact Maia Segura at 206-898-7090, log on to www.artwalkrainierbeach.com or https://www.facebook.com/ArtWalkRB.
One thought on “Duwamish First Peoples to be Honored at 5th Annual Art Walk Rainier Beach: A Cultural Homecoming”
Comments are closed.