Ancestral lands returned to Duwamish Tribe

“To me, it seems like a huge piece of property because we are not federally recognized and do not have a reservation,” Nancy Sackman, vice chair of the Duwamish Tribal Council and Duwamish tribal member, was quoted as saying. “So any land that we do get is a huge event.” 

The land, called Heron’s Nest, sits on a mountain ridge less than a mile west of Seattle’s industrial district. The tribe partnered with Shared Spaces Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on ecological healing and rematriation, and over the course of six years, volunteers transformed the land — turning a hazardous waste zone into a garden greenhouse and community gathering space, according to Underscore’s reporting. 

The land was fully turned over to the Duwamish Tribe on June 13. “We will continue to heal and nourish this land using our traditional cultural practices to benefit our members, the larger community, and future generations,” Duwamish Tribal Council Chairwoman Cecile Hansen was quoted as saying.

Shared Spaces Foundation co-founder and board president Lee, who uses only one name, told Underscore Native News, “This is more than land preservation — it’s about creating sustainable community resources and supporting Indigenous land sovereignty.”