A wild salmon feast, a display of giant canoes and a unique historical re-enactment of the Lewis and Clark expedition will all take place at La Plaza Cultural Community Garden at E. Ninth St. and Avenue C on Wed., May 30, and Thurs., May 31.
On Wed., May 30, La Plaza Cultural will host five men — and their hand-carved canoes — who will authentically re-enact a portion of Lewis and Clark’s historic expedition across America. Dressed in period explorer costumes, members of “Sergeant Ordway’s 1st Squad” (Lewis and Clark’s original scout team) will entertain with lively tales of their journey made on horseback and paddling two giant, hand-carved canoes. Accompanied by an outdoor slideshow, they will describe riding hundreds of miles through Montana; paddling the Clearwater, Snake, Yellowstone, Columbia and Missouri rivers; and the valuable relationships they forged with Native American peoples along the way.
A highlight of the evening will be a salmon feast, featuring wild salmon caught by Native elders in the Pacific Northwest. (Salmon is being FedExed for the occasion and grilled in the garden in the traditional Native style, served with wild rice and locally grown vegetables.)
Proceeds from the $20-per-plate dinner will raise gas money to bringthe canoes home to Oregon and help support La Plaza Cultural.
The dinner and presentation runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The presentation is free.
On Thurs., May 31, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the men will exhibit their canoes to school children and give free talks about the history of the Lewis and Clark expedition and its relevance today.
For more information or to schedule a school visit, contact Sergeant Willow at 775-842-3594 or Marga Snyder at 917-921-3271 (La Plaza Cultural) or e-mail laplazacultural@earthlink.net.
