Quileute People Cultural Exchange in Washington State
8-Day Guided Program in La Push with Community-driven Project
In partnership since 2005
La Push is located on the Olympic Peninsula in the northeastern region of Washington State. For millennia, the Quileute people have used long boats to fish, whale, and seal in the sacred ocean waters. They are the “children of the raven” and have no language relatives in the region. The Quileute people have a rich history of fishing, making canoes by hand, basket-weaving, storytelling, Whaling Days, and Canoe Journeys. Xperitas partners with community leaders dedicated to preserving and sharing their unique history and culture.
The order of this itinerary is subject to change.
Quileute Cultural Immersion with Service Project
Overview
Quileute Cultural Immersion and Service
Pricing*Additional gateway cities are available: contact us for pricing.
Arrive in Seattle in the afternoon to meet your Xperitas Team Leader. Drive about five hours to La Push, picking up lunch and the week’s groceries on the way. Settle into community accommodations and have your first team meeting.
Included Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Explore La Push and meet community members. Visit the Quileute Senior Center and Teen Center and collaborate on activities determined by our partners, such as serving lunch for elders, beading with elders, and playing board games or sports with youth. Learn firsthand about Quileute Natural Resources fish management. Attend a weekly evening Drumming Circle on the beach. Participate in additional community events by invitation, depending on the timing of your visit, such as kickball with local youth or cedar bark harvesting. Explore surrounding areas, including a visit to the Makah Museum, featuring artifacts from pre-colonial Native American life, and the Hoh Rainforest, one of the largest temperate rainforests in the United States. Explore beaches, weather permitting. Reflect on your experiences in daily group meetings and journal-writing. On the last day, have a final celebration with community members.
Included Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Depart for Seattle early in the morning.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
“This week was full of learning and understanding, of reaching out and caring for each other. It taught me to be not only a better ally to indigenous communities around the world, but a better person overall. A person who knows she belongs to a community and is responsible for it. I hope to be back someday.” - Student
“I wanted to step out of my comfort zone, make new friends, and learn a lot about a new culture. I did all three.” - Student
“Hiking rainforest and beaches, drum circle. Perfect balance between cultural immersion and outdoor activity.” - Student
