MCKINLEYVILLE, Calif. — Local artists in collaboration with the Wiyot tribe and other agencies have installed interpretive artwork at a public access project at the Mad River Estuary. Also known as the Baduwa’t Estuary.
Nick Kiesselhorst with Ironside Metal worked on the project. He says, “When I was taught about the indigenous people who lived here locally, it was kind of ‘it once was’, but in reality, they’re still here.”
The non-profit conservation organization California Trout along with the McKinleyville Community Services District, the Wiyot tribe, and the Redwood Community Action Agency, all collaborated with local artists to install artwork on a new community spot.
Artist Alme Allen was a part of the creative process. He told the Northstate’s News, “California trout, they reached out to me and asked if I would be willing to, you know, share some of my artistic thoughts and contributions to the project and there’s this public trail here and this land that’s in the process of being restored and so then I found very interesting and I wanted to be part of it.”
The signage is located at a recently completed restoration and public access project at the Mad River Estuary, also known as the Baduwa’t Estuary.
Allen said, “So the name itself definitely inspired me. Lhiwetgut, where the ground rises up.”
The signage was installed on Monday, February 12th at the western end of School Road in McKinleyville.
Mary Burke, regional manager for California Trout says she hopes this new site will bring the community together.
Burke told the Northstate’s News, “My greatest hope is really just that people use this site and that has come true. People are out here you know, maybe they’re walking a dog or even rolling or maybe someone who doesn’t have the easiest time walking can now come out here and connect with this coastal viewpoint.”
The site has been named lhiwetgut which means ‘here the ground rises up’, and is part of the Wiyot tribe’s aboriginal territory.
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