The Fourth Annual Duwamish Tribe Gala Dinner & Art Auction Honoring Seattle's First People was held Saturday night, June 5. It was the second gala held at the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center 4705 W. Marginal Way SW. About 80 attended, and seemed to bid up a storm for Native American art work. Over $6,000 alone was raised to help fund a summer kayak outing geared toward First Nation area children.

Cecile Hansen, Chair of the Duwamish Tribe, was also the evening's elegant matriarch and host. Attendees included State Senator and King Count Council candidate Joe McDermott, King County Councilmembers Jan Drago and Kathy Lambert, State Representative Robert Hasegawa of the 11th District, Marcee Stone, candidate for 34th District Representative, and Tom Speer, Duwamish Tribal Services Board of Directors and historian.

Also, three generations of descendants of Seattle settlers David Denny and Louisa Boren attended, Andy Harris, their great-grandson, his daughter Amy Johnson, and her son Josh Johnson, 17. Josh wants to be a history professor.

"I've done the genealogy on my family," he said. "The Denny's came as Ulster Scots from Ireland in the 1700's and moved to Cherry Grove, Illinois." The Denny's and others continued to Oregon before reaching Puget Sound.

"We will always be a friend of the Duwamish, always," said Amy. "David Denny was a friend of the Duwamish and Chief Seattle and spoke both Lushootseed and Chinook. His cabin wasn't burned during the (1856) Battle of Seattle."

"There's a circle here," said Hansen. "We did a conciliation, and mended the ways."

During salmon dinner the auction began, One popular item was use of the Longhouse for a wedding or private party. Another was a large blanket. It brought a successful bid of $589.73, as the auctioneer had some fun with the price increments to keep the bidders on their toes.

Proceeds from the gala will benefit Duwamish Tribal Services (DTS), a nonprofit organization that provides critical support to nearly 600 tribal members.

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