NPR: Quileute Tribe seeks approval to move to safer land

Tuesday, April 26, 2011  

"An Indian tribe in Washington state wants to move its village to higher ground, citing concerns over a possible tsunami from earthquakes around the Pacific Ocean.

But it takes an act of Congress to expand a reservation. So the Quileute tribe is hoping to get the word out — in part by relying on its newfound popularity as a tourist site for fans of the Twilight series of books and movies. In those stories, the Quileute lands are teeming with werewolves.

The Quileute Indian Reservation is all of one square mile. On three sides, it's surrounded by the lush rainforest of Olympic National Park; on the fourth side, it's bounded by the Pacific Ocean.

Quileute elder DeAnna Hobson says she loves living by the water.

"The atmosphere I enjoy living by the ocean is sleeping with my window open to hear the sounds of the ocean," she says.

But the roar of the surf has more ominous dimensions now. Like everyone else, Hobson watched the unforgettable images of destruction from the Japanese tsunami last month."

Get the Story:
U.S. Tribe Cites Tsunami, 'Twilight' In Bid To Expand (NPR 4/26)

Related Stories:
Editorial: Bill helps Quileute Tribe move to safe homeland (4/21)
Editorial: Help Quileute Tribe with move to safer homeland (4/20)
Quileute Tribe cites tsunami threat in bid for land transfer (4/15)
Chairwoman of Quileute Tribe will testify at Senate hearing (4/13)
Bill introduced to take Quileute Tribe away from tsunami zone (3/18)
Washington tribes evacuate coast in response to tsunami threats (3/11)
Quileute Tribe asks Sen. Cantwell to support federal land swap (2/24)
New chair of Quileute Tribe calls federal land swap a major priority (1/27)
Bill resolves long-running boundary dispute with Quileute Tribe (12/17)
Quileute Tribe reaches deal for park land transfer (7/28)
Quileute Tribe to meet over park boundary dispute (10/12)
Quileute Tribe, National Park Service in dispute (10/5)