Vi Hilbert’s

THE HEALING HEART OF LUSHOOTSEED

A DOCUMENTARY FILM FEATURING:

UPPER SKAGIT ELDER
Vi taqwšəblu Hilbert

COMPOSER
Bruce Ruddell

MAESTRO
Gerard Schwarz

THE SEATTLE
Symphony

The Healing Heart Project

Feeling heartbroken by the tragic events of September 11th, 2001, Vi Hilbert, an 83-year-old elder from the Upper Skagit Indian tribe in the Pacific Northwest, asked the spirit, “What can one person do to heal a sick world?” The answer she received was music. The Healing Heart of Lushootseed, a short documentary film tells the extraordinary story of how a diminutive great grandmother gathered support for her most ambitious project yet, to heal the heart of the world through music.

On May 20th , 2006, Seattle’s Benaroya Hall was filled to capacity for the world premiere of The Healing Heart of the First People of this Land, an orchestral work in four movements, by Canadian composer Bruce Ruddell, performed by the Seattle Symphony and mezzo soprano Jenny Knapp, conducted by Maestro Gerard Schwarz. Vi believed the Symphony should be performed around the world. The Healing Heart Project seeks to fulfill her vision.

Make a Donation to the Project

Host a screening of the Documentary

Have your Symphony Perform the Healing Heart

THE STORY OF
Vi Hilbert

Vi taqᵂšəblu Hilbert, an Upper Skagit tribal member, was born and raised by Skagit (Lushootseed) speaking parents in the Skagit River area of Washington State. She was educated from birth to the traditional customs and language of her Indian community. Vi began her extensive formal work with Lushootseed in 1967 and later founded the organization in 1983. She started working with linguist Thom Hess who introduced her to the written language. Vi taught the language at the University of Washington for nearly two decades and was awarded an honorary Ph.D. from Seattle University in 1994. She encouraged and assisted many of the local tribes in developing their own language programs. Vi received many awards for her dedication including being named a Washington State Living Treasure, a US National Heritage Fellow and the Ken Hale Prize for lifelong achievement. Most recently Seattle University named a new ten-story building on campus in her honor.

THE STORY OF
Vi Hilbert

Vi taqᵂšəblu Hilbert, an Upper Skagit tribal member, was born and raised by Skagit (Lushootseed) speaking parents in the Skagit River area of Washington State. She was educated from birth to the traditional customs and language of her Indian community. Vi began her extensive formal work with Lushootseed in 1967 and later founded the organization in 1983. She started working with linguist Thom Hess who introduced her to the written language. Vi taught the language at the University of Washington for nearly two decades and was awarded an honorary Ph.D. from Seattle University in 1994. She encouraged and assisted many of the local tribes in developing their own language programs. Vi received many awards for her dedication including being named a Washington State Living Treasure, a US National Heritage Fellow and the Ken Hale Prize for lifelong achievement. Most recently Seattle University named a new ten-story building on campus in her honor.

LEARN MORE ABOUT
Lushootseed Research

Lushootseed Research is a non-profit organization founded in 1983. Our mission is to preserve and sustain the language and culture of this land, to lift up all people.

In all our activities LR honors the teachings of our ancestors, the strength of their philosophy, cultural education, discipline and respect for all living things. We are dedicated to sustaining Lushootseed Language and culture through research, recording, publishing and the presentation of oral traditions and literature. We seek to enrich cross-cultural wisdom and relations, as shared and celebrated by the First Peoples of the Puget Sound, to ensure this beautiful legacy is available to the coming generations.