Quileute plan afternoon of traditional culture in LaPush for ‘New Moon’ premiere

LAPUSH — Traditional storytelling and dancing will be featured at the A-Ka-Lat Center from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday.

The event, which will cost $20 at the door at the community center in LaPush, will include traditional dancing and storytelling by Quileute elders as well as photo opportunities with tribal dancers in full regalia and Forks High School students in their gear, said Anna Penn-Charles, organizer.

The Quileute tribe plays a big part in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” movie released today.

In the movie, which is based on the second book in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga set in Forks and LaPush, Bella Swan, a Forks teenager, experiences heartbreak when her vampire boyfriend, Edward Cullen, leaves her.

Her best friend, Jacob Black — who is a werewolf — makes a bid for her heart.

The Quileute have a deep connection with wolves, and legends say that they were transformed into people from the wolf — but there are no werewolf legends.

Meyer’s take

In Meyer’s stories, though, some of the teenagers are transformed into werewolves in order to protect the people of Forks and LaPush as vampires occupy the area.

Saturday’s event is a fundraiser to support the Quileute Senior Safe Night for graduation night in June.

The June event is intended to encourage seniors to do something positive and not go to parties where there might be drinking or drugs.

The Senior Safe night is for students who attend Forks High School, Forks Alternative School and the Quileute Tribal School.

Saturday’s festivities will include traditional dancing and masks by Quileute artists, Penn-Charles said.

Penn-Charles said attendees will also automatically be entered to win some prizes.

“We want people to know that they aren’t just paying for the entertainment but they also have the possibility to win some really amazing prizes,” Penn-Charles said.

Memorabilia from Forks High School and the Quileute tribe will be among the prizes.

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