Matika Wilbur meets readers at book signing

Home-grown talent Matika Wilbur has spent years traveling the country to exhibit her critically acclaimed photography and compile narratives for her ground-breaking book "Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America."

But last Thursday afternoon her happy place was Gilkey Square in La Conner.

Wilbur exchanged laughter and shared fond memories with a steady stream of local admirers, who included civic leaders, fellow artisans and retired teachers and school administrators, during an outdoor book-signing event arranged by Seaport Books of La Conner.

Wilbur has received much-deserved and widespread attention for "Project 562," the product of a remarkable decade-long odyssey that has propelled the stories and cultural identities of the first Americans to the forefront of the nation's consciousness.

The six-pound book, containing hundreds of Wilbur's photographs highlighting reflections of tribal members near and far, has been rightly described as "a love letter to Indigenous Americans."

And for two-and-a-half hours, while seated beneath a shade tree alongside Janna Gage of Seaport Books, Wilbur shared that love with the home folks.

She engaged in reminiscences and wrote lengthy, heartfelt notes inside copies of "Project 562," several of which had been purchased at the downtown bookstore just moments before.

"I'm long-winded," Wilbur gushed, breaking into her infectious laugh as she penned well-wishes and expressions of gratitude, then posed for selfies with those whose books she signed.

Gage had no doubt beforehand that the mid-week summer afternoon book-signing would be successful.

"We sold all the books we had in stock and a box-and-a-half that Matika brought," Gage said afterward.

That has been the case elsewhere, too. "Project 562" almost immediately upon publication landed on the coveted New York Times best-seller list, lauded by one reviewer for being "beautifully photographed, (featuring) excellent stories, (and) documenting a segment of our society that is largely unknown. The author has done a great job of saving this information for the future generations."

Wilbur received similar praise from locals during the book-signing.

Town council members Mary Wohleb and MaryLee Chamberlain, retired educators Linda Talman, Shegay Vanderpool and Maureen Harlan, photographer Nancy Crowell and artist Jay Bowen were among those expressing appreciation to Wilbur for her foresight and perseverance in making "Project 562" possible.

Gage echoed those sentiments.

"It's impressive to have a great idea like this," she said of Wilbur's inspiration for the book, "but to spend 10 years actually pursuing it is truly amazing."

In the introduction to "Project 562," Wilbur – who is of Swinomish and Tulalip lineage – describes the evolution of her sojourn across Indian Country to chronicle the stories of all federally recognized tribes in the United States.

When she embarked, there were 562 such tribes – hence, the book's title. That number has since grown to 574.

"This work," Wilbur writes, "aims to counteract the relentlessly one-dimensional, archaic, insipid stereotypes of Native Americans circulating in mainstream media, textbooks and the culture industry. It's not a secret. Native Americans are vastly underrepresented in our society."

Wilbur launched her transcontinental mission with a Kickstarter campaign and art party, confiding in friends and family the scope of her project.

"Within 30 days," says Wilbur, "556 people had contributed and I raised $35,428. I couldn't believe it. I had seed money."

Along the way, through constant questioning and consultation, Wilbur grasped that the essence of the book would be to ask Indigenous people what it means to be who they are in their own language.

Once she was ready for the book's composition phase, Wilbur disciplined herself to set aside regular times each day for writing. During those hours, she shut herself away from the outside world. No phones, no internet, no TV or radio.

It has all been worthwhile, she insists.

"This grind," Wilbur stresses in "Project 562," "has been a soul-baring labor of love.

"I met thousands of people on my journey," she adds, "and hundreds shared their stories."

Still more stories await Wilbur's readers, Gage said, alluding to a children's book project now in the works.

Wilbur, who co-hosts with Adrienne Keene the podcast "All My Relations," is – as was the case with "Project 562" – ideally suited for the children's genre. After all, she previously taught at the Tulalip Heritage school in Snohomish County.

It was, it turns out, her destiny to inspire future generations.

"My Indian name," she explains in "Project 562," "is Tsa-Tsique. It means 'woman who teaches children.'"