Stories of Wigi Project Launches to Preserve and Celebrate Voices of Humboldt Bay

Perched on the edge of Table Bluff, Waluplh-Lighthouse Ranch—part of the Wiyot Tribe’s ancestral landscape—offers sweeping views that reflect the cultural and ecological heritage celebrated in the Stories of Wigi project. [Stock photo courtesy of BLM]

The Ink People Center for the Arts, in partnership with the Wiyot Tribe and the Eureka Cultural Arts District, proudly announces the launch of Stories of Wigi, a community storytelling project celebrating the diverse voices connected to Wigi (Humboldt Bay).

Funded by the California State Coastal Conservancy’s Coastal Stories Grant Program, the project seeks to amplify stories that have been erased, silenced, or overlooked in dominant historical narratives, centering Indigenous perspectives and honoring the people, cultures, and experiences that help to define this iconic place.

Through recorded interviews, field recordings, and written submissions, Stories of Wigi will collect at least 50 stories from community members. These stories will be archived in partnership with the Wiyot Tribe and in a publicly accessible archive, ensuring long-term community access and respect for data sovereignty. This project will prioritize Wiyot voices for inclusion in the archive, but all are welcome to apply to be part of the project. 

The project’s creative phase will produce several public-facing works, including:

• A book and themed maps showcasing local narratives and histories;
• A story-listening booth at the Eureka Visitor Center, where visitors can hear stories directly from the community.
• Interpretive signage along the Jaroujiji/Eureka Waterfront and outside the Da Gou Rou Louwi’ Cultural Center.

Storytellers will receive a $100 honorarium for each story shared and will have the opportunity to review their stories before they are made public. Youth from the Two Feathers Youth Ambassador Program will assist with recording stories, and local artists and culture keepers will contribute to the project’s visual elements. Carpenters and craftspeople will build the story-listening booth, and design and create the pedestals for the interpretive signs. 

Public events and installations will begin in 2026, including a celebration of storytellers, the unveiling of interpretive signage, and the opening of the story-listening booth at the Eureka Visitor Center.

“Stories of Wigi is about listening to the land, the water, and to one another,” says Toni Ramos Brown, Communications Director for the Blue Lake Rancheria. “All voices that rise from the bay hold layers of meaning, from resilience and joy to healing and understanding. By listening, we learn not only about Wigi’s history, but about ourselves and the future we’re shaping together.”

To learn more, participate, or stay updated, visit inkpeople.org/storiesofwigi, @storiesofwigi on Instagram, or contact [email protected]