Fort Núñez Gaona –Diah Veterans Park Dedication
Neah Bay, Washington
May 17, 2008
 

(Remarks as written)

At this magnificent site, we celebrate the shared history of three nations through the dedication of a new landmark Fort Núñez Gaona – Diah Veterans Park.  Supporting this structure is an incredible story, actually many stories, gathered from a diverse and special group of people and told through the generations. 

Their stories are part history, part culture and part diversity. The stories signify both personal acts of bravery and challenges met by people we never knew but now remember and honor. 

These are the Spanish explorers, the first Europeans to meet the Makah people and settle on Washington shores. These are our veterans, who served their country with honor and distinction then all came home to their families, for not one Makah has been lost in a U.S. battle on foreign soil. 

Some of the stories are from ancestral Makah, a people of proud tradition who welcomed and shared with the strangers who came by tall ship and stayed with them so many months.

Fort Núñez Gaona – Diah Veterans Park is one of those rare and wonderful projects that is indigenous, national and international in scope.  It marks the location of the first acts of international trade within the lands of Washington state, which of course would grow to become what it is today – the most trade-dependent state in the nation.

I understand the Makah people are no pushovers when it came to trading. Records show the Makahs were tough negotiators, just as they are today.

There are many of you here who were pivotal, but I will give two individuals the highest credit for having the vision to make Fort Núñez Gaona – Diah Veterans Park a reality. Ed Claplanhoo, the property owner, for years knew his property along the quiet waterfront on Bay View Drive in Neah Bay was very special for its historical significance.

Ed had a dream that one day this parcel would become something. Another important guest here today, Luis Fernando Esteban, Spain’s esteemed honorary consul for Washington state, also for many years held the vision of working with the Makah people to commemorate the first Spanish settlement in 1792.

I am pleased that our office was able to have a role in bringing the visions of these people together.  This project may have been one of the reasons that the King of Spain recently awarded me the great honor of knighthood under the Order of Isabella the Catholic, but my role was small compared to the great effort by the Makahs, Consul Luis Fernando Esteban, Ed and Thelma Claplanhoo, Antonio Sanchez and so many others. They are what has made today possible.

To make today happen took dedication and diligence on the part of many people. Both the Hawley and Youngblood families, both of whom owned parcels of the site, had to be brought into the dream and from the beginning were eager to contribute.

I would also like to recognize the Makah Nation Tribal Council and Makah elders who are with us today. Without the full cooperation of the Makah, this project again would not have gone anywhere.

I also want to acknowledge Bill Sperry, whom with his wife Kitty has been both passionate for this project and key toward its completion. Many of you know that Bill is a man of many hats, but for this role he took on the role of construction manager. The Sperries donated equipment, labor, money and hours and hours of their time to this project.  

And, finally, an important part of this project is to recognize veterans of U.S. wars, particularly those veterans who served all branches of armed services who hail from the Neah Bay area.

You can see what a significant and meaningful project we are unveiling today.  

 More importantly, the project represents the friendship and joining of hands between the people of Spain, Washington state, Canada, the United States and the people of the Makah Nation.

It represents the shared history of Spain, Washington territory and the Makah Nation. It is a place for children to learn. It is now a peaceful place for people to reflect on the past, honor our veterans and enjoy the tranquility and beauty of Neah Bay. I am very proud to have played a small part in this important project and very thankful to all of you who made it happen.

May all who visit Fort Núñez Gaona – Diah Veterans Park know why it stands and for what it stands: peace, honor, a shared past and a bright future.