Lelooska Museum
 Carved sculpture by Lelooska in Denver, Colorado | |
 | |
| Established | 1977[1] |
|---|---|
| Location | 165 Merwin Village Road Ariel, Cowlitz County, Washington |
| Coordinates | 45°57′25″N 122°34′19″W / 45.957°N 122.572°W |
| Type | Native American cultural |
| Founders | Lelooska, Don Morse Smith[2][3] |
| Director | Mariah Stoll-Smith Reese[1] |
| President | Tsungani Fearon M. Smith[4] |
| Owner | Lelooska Foundation |
| Website | lelooska |
The Lelooska Foundation and Cultural Center is a living history museum in Ariel, Washington, highlighting Kwakwaka'wakw and other Indigenous cultures and histories.[5] It is operated by the Lelooska Foundation that was established in 1977.[4][1]
The museum is a nonprofit organization with nine employees.[4]
Collections
[edit]Collections include baskets, parfleches, corn husk bags, dolls, spoons, cradles, moccasins, tomahawks, pipes, pipe bags, dresses, a 15-foot birchbark canoe, and a replica fur trade store.
Living history
[edit]The foundation operating the museum also sponsors living history programs and performances, conducts classes in woodcarving and other Native art forms, and demonstrations of dance and basket weaving.[1][6]
Founder
[edit]Lelooska, Don Morse Smith, for whom the foundation is named, was a “non-Indian/Cherokee” artist[2] who carved sculptures and totem poles, one of which is displayed at the Christchurch International Airport in New Zealand, and another at the Oregon Zoo.[7] Smith was given the name Lelooska by Nez Perce elders out of appreciation for a carving he made of Chief Joseph.[8]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "Lelooska Foundation holds annual fundraiser". The Reflector. Battle Ground, Washington. April 30, 2014. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
- 1 2 "Pendant". National Museum of the American Indian. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
- ↑ Baker, Dean; Oregonian, Special to The (August 6, 2013). "Lelooska family helps keep Native traditions alive in Ariel, Washington". OregonLive.com. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Lelooska Foundation". Cause IQ. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
- ↑ Kozlowski, Ellie (2021). Washington Day Trips by Theme. Cambridge, MN: Adventure Publications. ISBN 9781591939252.
- ↑ "Lelooska Foundation Living History performances", The Daily News, Longview, Washington, November 12, 2016
- ↑ "Lelooska, Master Carver, Won Acclaim For His Totem Poles", The Seattle Times, September 7, 1996
- ↑ "Lelooska family helps keep Native traditions alive in Ariel, Washington". Retrieved July 19, 2025.
