Saturday’s “Come Together” celebration at the Heron’s Nest is set to mark a big moment in West Seattle: the formal return of roughly 3.5 acres of ancestral land to the Duwamish people. Gates open at 11 a.m., a blessing is scheduled for noon, and the official land return program starts at 1 p.m. The free, daylong gathering will feature storytelling, traditional song and dance, guided plant walks, and salmon cooked in a pit for anyone who shows up hungry and curious.
What to Expect at Come Together
The event lineup includes guided plant walks, a printing press activity with Partners in Print, a traditional stick game, and demonstrations of salmon cooked in a traditional pit. Food will be blessed at noon and served until roughly 3:30 p.m., and visitors are asked to sign a liability waiver and follow site safety guidelines, according to The Heron’s Nest.
How the Land Was Returned
Shared Spaces Foundation says it launched the Heron’s Nest land care project in 2019 and has spent the years since restoring habitat and preparing the 3.56-acre site for transfer to Duwamish stewardship. Joselynn Tokashiki, manager of the Heron’s Nest, told West Seattle Blog that “it really could not have happened without community.” West Seattle Blog also reports that Duwamish Tribal Services received $40,000 from the City to support the event, and the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture is coordinating neighborhood World Cup Community Celebrations this summer, per Art Beat.
Getting There and Registration
The event is free and open to the public, but organizers are asking people to RSVP. Registration details are posted on community calendars and the Heron’s Nest events page with the RSVP link. Parking will be available at the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center, and organizers say a shuttle will run to the Heron’s Nest. Volunteers will staff check-in and information tables on site, according to the Duwamish Tribe and community listings.
Why It Matters
For the Duwamish, who remain a non-federally recognized tribe, this transfer is a rare expansion of tribal-held land within Seattle city limits and a step toward greater food sovereignty and cultural continuity on ancestral territory. Organizers say the Heron’s Nest will continue to serve as an outdoor classroom for ecological restoration and urban agriculture under Duwamish stewardship, keeping the site open for intertribal connections and neighborhood access, per Shared Spaces Foundation.
