Tue, 5:48: RT @Puyallup_Tribe: The Washington State Fair, more commonly known as the Puyallup fair, has been active since June 1900 when it was formed by white businessmen and farmers living within the Puyallup River Valley. The founders claim it was started as a means to showcase local agriculture, horticulture, industry, etc. What this fails to mention is that the fair originated from an annual Potlatch held by Puyallup Natives.
Our oral history teaches that every year, in the fall, Puyallup men who married into other tribal groups would return to their mother’s village to help in harvesting Silver, or Coho, salmon. These men would arrive with their families bearing many gifts causing means for celebration.
A large patch of prairie was carved out to host this Potlatch, the current location of the Washington State Fair. Being welcoming people we invited our new neighbors, the settlers, to join us in our gathering. As the non-Native population grew, so did the Potlatch.
After being forced onto our reservation, we weren’t allowed to attend this gathering as we had in the past. The settlers continued to gather yearly, and eventually formed the Puyallup Fair. Today, we can once again attend that yearly gathering, except now, we have to pay to get in.
Tue, 12:47: I came to an odd realization at work today. We’ve been at this “new” office location a full five years now, but it doesn’t feel like it because for a year and a half (30%) of that we were all working from home. (August 4 2016 / September 21 2021: the difference five years makes) https://t.co/W9W1jz3Hwg
