Remembering Washoe

Our beloved friend Washoe passed away Tuesday evening, October 30, at 8:00, after a brief illness. At the time of her passing she was at home at CHCI, with her family and closest friends.

For those of you who knew her or had the opportunity to meet her, please use this forum as your opportunity to share your thoughts and feelings.

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We’ll get your words posted to the site in as timely a manner as we can - we’re slightly overwhelmed by the wonderful outpouring of from all those whose lives Washoe has touched. Thank you for your patience and your words of support and remembrance.

I have read Next of Kin three times and Washoe was beginning to feel like a little sister; she is only about 4 years younger than me. First of all I would like for the entire Fouts family to know that I admire everything they have done and shared in relation to the chimpanzees. I have learned a great deal and you have changed the way I feel about animals forever. I will never forget the part about how Washoe chose Roger by jumping into his arms and giving him a hug. I believe that when someone or something falls into our path, our destiny has just been laid before us and our spiritual happiness lies within that destiny. I am saddened by the treatment that chimpanzees receive and I will never forget Roger’s visit to Booee in the biomedical lab. I still think about him and cry. I will always remember Washoe and I will do my best to fight for all animal rights for as long as I live.

It was early in the morning today that I, for some reason, thought of Washoe, wondering if she was still alive. I logged on and entered her name, clicking on the oppropriate link. I saw her photo and instantly smiled, for it had been a long time since I had seen her. I began to read the information that the site had provided, bringing back memories of my time at CWU, past professors, and the first time that I saw Washoe. Then I read of her death, and I became very sad and honestly ashamed a little.

I saw (years before the Institute had been constructed) Washoe in a movie in one of my psycology courses, and I was so honestly amazed, captivated by her. Then I learned of the conditions that the chimpanzees were living in, and the fact that plans were in the works for a better home for them.

Then, after completion of the CHCI I was fortunate to have been one of the first volunteers to attend a training session, learning even more from Dr. Fouts. Meeting Washoe and her family was truly amazing and eye-opening. They are so much like us, and if you look deeply into their eyes you can almost hear them communicating with you.

I was excited about being a part of the CHCI, learning of Washoe and her family, their behavior, likes and dislikes, their personalities… but I left Ellensburg soon after the Institute had opened, and have missed Washoe since that time.

Washoe was an incredible being and a true teacher. She will be missed greatly. Thank you, Washoe, for giving so much to us, for having helped us to understand the close connection that is there between chimpanzees and humans, if we only open our eyes and heart.

Stephen G.

I just learned yesterday (13 March 08) of Washoe’s passing and was broken hearted. I saw her picture on ABCNews.com. I was first introduced to her in Next of Kin and was so taken with her story. I know a great deal of knowledge was obtained during Washoe’s lifetime and she gave so much! She lived an exceptionally long life, but there are some that we wish could go on forever. Washoe was one of those lives. Thank you Washoe for all you taught to those who worked and lived with you. You were a great Chimpanzee and I’m honored to be so closely connected through our DNA.

- pavloveia

I have only now found out about Washoe’s death. I had the great pleasure of seeing her with her family at two Chimposia which I attended after reading Next of Kin. I had known about her from long-ago psychology courses and cannot express what a thrill it was to see her. A print of one of her paintings hangs where I look at it each day. My condolences to all Washoe’s family both chimp and human. She was a wonderful ambassador who taught us much. She will be sadly missed. Rest in Peace, Washoe.

I only got the pleasure of knowing Washoe casually, as an apprentice for the 10 week program in 2006 but I can honestly say there are only a handful of people in my life who have influenced me as much as she has. Before even meeting her and her family, Next Of Kin changed my life forever. I already knew that I was interested in the animal world by that point but I had no idea I would be led down the road of activism, not until I read that book. When I finally came to CHCI I got to see for myself why captive lives are so unfair. Even for the lucky, well loved, well-fed chimpanzees of CHCI, captivity is still nowhere near the life they are entitled to at birth. Before I came to CHCI I was definitely a different person and I just cannot even being to express the gratitude I feel toward Washoe for giving me a new found sense of purpose and love of life. I can only hope to be as successful a teacher to my family and friends as she has been to me, all her loved ones and to all the world.

Thank you Washoe, for everything

Maddy Thaler

Apprentice 2006

“Next of Kin” has been a favorite book of mine since the start of college, where it was a lucky find while prowling the school library for something new to read. My freshly-ordered brand new copy came in the mail last week and while “breaking it in”, I decided to check up on Washoe and her family. The news of her passing shocked me, and I feel more ashamed and deeply saddened that I did not learn about it sooner.

All of the posts here say everything I could hope to say in a tribute to Washoe, and to Roger Fouts and his family. Washoe’s story is one of the favorites on my shelves, a constant partner on trips. I had hoped to attend an Advanced Chimposium in the future and meet the wonderful individual I have read so much about. I still hope to attend in the future, but understandably a major part of the experience will be missing.

She will be greatly missed, and never forgotten.

I second what everyone here has said: God bless you, Roger Fouts.

- Silver

I grew to love her as I read Roger’s book “Next of Kin”, and would check on her periodically on the website. I’m so sad to hear of her passing. Thank you Roger for saving her life, by protecting her from being taken by research labs and exploited in the name of science. You gave her the life that she deserved, and loved her for all of the years she was in your life. Thank you to all of Roger’s staff and volunteers who have devoted their life to nurturing and protecting these beautiful chimpanzees. You all are very special people with much love in your heart to share. I will remember her always.

I worked with you and your family in 2001 as a volunteer on the Earthwatch programme. You were keen to communicate with me about my unusual shoes and wanted to see them up close. Of course, I did as I was asked!

For me, being spoken to by a chimpanzee was a life changing moment and one that will be with me forever. You have affected, changed and enriched the lives of so many that I am sure that someone somewhere will think of you fondly almost every day. You and your family inspired me to write this poem on my return to England:

Chimps make pant hoots when they are happy
Bring me my food and make it snappy
Shoe Shoe hurry gimme shoe
Humans here do anything for you
Cleaning cleaning, chimpanzee poo
Scrubbing scrubbing, squeegy too.
Watching the earth is hard work
Every morning, waking at 6 with a jerk
Data collection 1,2,3,4
Code what you see and nothing more
Chimps know you’re watching
So they go and hide
All you can see is their backside.
Tatu ‘black black’, playing with a mask
Loulis rubraking and panting fast
Washoe signing ’shoe, shoe, shoe’
Dar gently looking at you
Moja grooming, pursing her lips
Chimpanzee people are all different.

Claire Phillips

Every year I treat myself and reread Next of Kin. Toward the end of the book, before the story gets too sad for me, I come to this website to check on Washoe and her friends.

I just found out about her death this year and wanted to convey my condolences to all of Washoe’s family and friends.

You have all enriched my life and I was so sorry to hear of Wahoe’s death.

Thank God for you, Roger Fouts. One true shining light in the world.

Gina Engstrom

Dear friends at CHCI,

Jess Hartel sent me the news last night, and I want to write and express my profound sorrow over the loss of Washoe. Mary Lee Jensvold expressed it very well when she said that Washoe was an emissary. I relish the look of excitement and disbelief that comes across the faces of my Congolese friends (especially children) when I tell them that I have worked with a family of chimpanzees in the USA who can ‘talk with their hands.’ At first this does not really fit into their world view. Congo is a place where non-humans are primarily viewed in terms of their taste and nutritional value, and chimpanzees are almost never seen except as a hairy target in a distant tree top, or an abused and miserable ‘plaything’ in a village market. But when I tell them stories of Washoe and some of the creative things she has expressed to her human friends, the incredulous and slightly mocking looks usually disappear and are replaced by an intrigued and wide-eyed wonder.

Washoe and her story have helped break down barriers in the United States (the Chomskys and Pinkers among us notwithstanding), and I think she can help break them in the African homeland as well. How can you eat a being who can learn our language and converse with us? Washoe is usually the primary evidence cited by the Congolese working for our project when trying to convince another Congolese that chimpanzees should not be eaten. And I think the message is spreading, even here, bit by bit, from small village to small village.

I will never forget one day in Ellensburg sitting on the berm, when Loulis was enthusiastically pointing at my feet and trying to entice me into a game of chase. Washoe climbed up to sit beside him, and, showing no patience for his attempts at male-bonding, seized his hand, pulled it above his head, and began to fastidiously groom her unruly son. Loulis reluctantly acquiesced, and pretty soon his features relaxed into calm contentment. After a few minutes of this, Washoe got up and moved a few feet away towards another ledge. As she walked off, she turned back to look at Loulis, who was once again entranced by my feet. She gave a little grunt and stared at him. Loulis glanced back at her, but showed no sign of following. I watched in amazement as she slowly and deliberately extended her arm, palm towards the sky, and emphatically curled her fingers several times into the ‘Come’ sign. Loulis quickly leaped up and ran to join his mother, and settled into a peaceful grooming session that lasted until the end of my time on the berm.

Actually seeing the kind of thing that I had read about in ‘Next of Kin’ is a privilege I will never forget. Thanks to Washoe and her family, for helping to break down the barriers that most of have in our minds about our fellow beings. I am off to the forests of Aketi to meet some of Washoe’s (and our) free-living kin. I will be thinking about all of you.

Yours truly, Cleve Hicks

I was a grad student and tech at CHCI from 1995-1998 and I had the great pleasure to be a caregiver and friend to Washoe and her family. While I fight back the sadness and the tears, I’d like to share a special memory of my dear friend.

I was always eager to be early in the morning so that I could be there when my friends opened their groggy eyes and reluctantly gave up their blankets. Washoe was always the first to be greeted. I would sign, “GOOD MORNING, HAPPY SEE YOU”. Every day for weeks I got the same response from Washoe, “HURRY STUPID”. At first, my feelings were a bit hurt. Then I thought that maybe she just wasn’t a morning person or perhaps a bit impatient with the new girl who would rather sign than make breakfast. One morning I decided to change my greeting so when I came in I signed, “GOOD MORNING GRUMPY”. To my amazement “HUG/LOVE” was her response! From that day on Washoe and I were friends.

Washoe Dear I will always remember you. You and your family have touched my life in a way words can not express. Your kind heart will be missed but never forgotten.

With Love,

Marcee

la historia de Washoe llegó profundo a mi corazón y sirvió de estimulo para que autoridades de mi pais comprendieran la importancia de rescatar al chimpancé Toto de un miserable circo que lo tuvo 25 anos encadenado.

- primateschile

Obrigado Washoe. Por tudo. Por teres sido quem foste. Por aquilo que nos ensinaste. Possa a humanidade reter esses ensinamentos e usá-los para estender a mão a todos os seres vivos, que tanto precisam, e merecem, o nosso respeito e estima. Obrigado também aos teus amigos humanos, por tudo o que fizeram.

Thank you Washoe. For everything. For having been who you were. For what you taught us. May humankind remember your teachings and reach out for all living beings, who need -and deserve- our respect and affection. And thank you to all your human friends for having done what they did.

- Analogica

Salut Peyo,

je t’ai trouvé par hasard sur google. Je suis très touché par la mort de Washoe. Même si je sais que la vie commance par la naissance et ce termine par la mort, je suis toujours aussi boulversé par ce mot de 4 petites lettre. Moi je viens de perdre Loulou il y a deux semaines, et j’ai de la difficulté à en parler sans peine… Je suis très heureux de vous savoir tous en santé… Désolé pour Washoe…

- R. Junior Cloutier

Hi, I’m Lucia an Italian girl and I live in Rome, Italy. Unfortunately I don’t never meet Washoe but she will be in my heart forever. Sorry for my English. I hope that you understand my language.

Ho saputo della morte di Washoe proprio mentre stavo leggendo il libro scritto da Roger Fouts, quel libro mi stava cambiando la vita, stavo conoscendo Washoe attraverso le sue parole, e pregavo il signore di riuscire a conoscerla un giorno, le avrei dato tutto il mio affetto e lei in cambio mi avrebbe regalato magari la sua meravigliosa amicizia. Purtroppo non ne ho avuto il tempo. Ho lottato tutta la vita per cambiare le persone, proprio voleva Roger, sapere che al mondo ci fosse qualcuno che la pensasse come me mi ha commosso. Ringrazio tanto Roger e Debbie e tutto lo staff per ciò che hanno fatto finora per Washoe e la sua famiglia, avrei voluto anch’io fare qualcosa per loro così da vicino. Quello che Washoe ci ha regalato sarà irripetibile, lei ha vissuto la sua vita per gli altri donandoci la passione, la forza, il perdono, la compassione, l’amicizia e l’amore che noi “umani” forse non riusciremo a provare mai veramente. L’unico pensiero che mi consola è sapere che c’è sempre stato qualcuno a fianco a lei che l’ha amata tanto. Spero che da lassù lei riesca a perdonarci per il poco rispetto che tutto il mondo ha per lei e i suoi fratelli, e io prometto che continuerò a lottare perchè i suoi sforzi e le sue sofferenze un giorno serviranno a farci capire che non esiste la distinzione “noi e loro” e che forse “loro” avrebbero più diritto ad abitare su questa terra di noi. Mi sento responsabile per tutte le sofferenze che gli uomini hanno inflitto a Washoe e alla sua famiglia e che continuano ad infliggere. So soltanto che nel mio cuore resteranno per sempre Washoe, Loulis, Moja, Dar, Tatu, Lucy, Ally, Bruno, Booe e tutti gli altri..e mi ricorderanno per sempre cosa significa amare senza preconcetti. Questi “non umani” mi hanno cambiato la vita più di qualsiasi “umano”!

Washoe rimarrai sempre accanto a me per tutta la mia vita, nel mio cuore, nei miei pensieri e nelle mie azioni.

Grazie per le emozioni che mi hai donato. Un giorno forse ci incontreremo ed allora potrai raccontarmi cos’è davvero la vita.

Non ti dimenticherò mai anche se non ti ho mai purtroppo incontrata.

E grazie a Roger e tutti gli altri che hanno realizzato ciò per cui io ho sempre lottato. Spero un giorno di conoscervi. Nel frattempo vorrei contribuire come posso alla vostra associazione.

E lotteremo insieme per non permettere a nessuno di dimenticare quello che Washoe voleva insegnarci,

Grazie amica cara Washoe.

Lucia, from Italy

The first time I saw your face was on a television screen, in my first ever college anthropology class. It was then that it hit me, and I knew: I would forever be following in your and Roger’s footsteps: promoting rights, conservation, and respect for our fellow apes. Thank you for being a spokeswoman of your kind and showing me not only the career path I was destined for but also changing the world one sign at a time. Thanks to you, Washoe, I am off to Africa to work with chimpanzees, much like yourself - who have been taken from their mothers and smuggled away from their homes. I will take what you have taught me along for the journey and use it in my daily interactions with them. I will let them know how special they are by giving them the respect they deserve - the respect that you fought for.

Thank you for helping me find my way,
Myst

Dear Washoe and family,

In the summer of 2000 I had the good fortune of working with Deborah, Roger, Mary Lee, and the amazing CHCI staff as an Earthwatch volunteer. I had always known of our “next of kin” connection to chimpanzees, but observing and interacting with them really changed my life. Washoe welcomed us into her world, complete with lots of displaying and banging on the glass–boy, she made herself look the part of queen! She spent a lot of time out on the berm in peaceful contemplation, watching staff members, or putting Loulis in his place. One time, she signed “hug” to him, and like lazy teenager, all he did was stick out a hand. She didn’t like that, but, like a good mother, Washoe showed patience and understanding. She also spent some time with us volunteers, observing the details of our clothing, signing “shoe” to each of us. It was such a joy to see her, to meet her, to be in her presence. It was the first time I’d left my four-year-old son for so long, but watching her take care of her family, warmed my heart, and made it a little easier to be away.

This experience opened my world. I learned to sign. I taught all my students about our close connections to these special souls and the value of fighting for their rights–for their humanity. These topics became quite common in my in my writing. I am so thankful to have met Washoe, and the Fouts and their family. It has has reminded me of my own humanity and reinforced my belief in protecting and respecting all life here on Earth.

I am honored. I am saddened. I am grateful.

Thank you Washoe. May your intelligent, generous, and humorous spirit live on in us all.

Lori Polydoros
Orange, CA

When I first proposed human-chimpanzee communication as my topic for an independent study project as an undergrad some 20 years ago, I had no idea how deeply I’d be affected. Washoe’s story has resonated and percolated through my life ever since, changing not only the way I think about animals, but humans as well. I’m a vegetarian because of her…and a better person.

- Grant Haddaway

We will miss you!!!! My heart was breaking with your departure, but I am sure that you are in a better place.  God bless your family, friends and the whole animal kingdom.  We Love You!!!!

Claudia Preciado & Xavier Stewart
Colombia, South America & New York City

Dearest Washoe - it is with deepest regrets that I have to say farewell - I had so hope to meet you someday. I always enjoy reading about you and your family. What a wonderful being you were and will always be. I thank you for all the joy and knowledge that you’ve passed on to your family and given to mankind. You will always be remembered with great love, admiration and affection. I will continue to read your newsletter but it will never be the same. May GOD rest your beautiful and humble soul.

CA in New Jersey

Washoe helped us to rethink ourselves in the spectrum of things, revaluing our own humanity. Thanks to Washoe and to Roger Fouts in our understanding of Washoe and her species, the Pan chimpanzee.

The Memorial Service was a real tribute. No doubt, Washoe represented her gender in the art of Life and Living.

Today, we move forward in biology to understand transformation and evolutionary history, the uniqueness of the stories of the Pan chimpanzee and Homo sapiens.

- Roy Schickedanz

I want to express my heartfelt condolences to all CHCI Staff Members, and particularly, to Roger and Debbi at the profound loss of your dear friend, family member, and colleague, Washoe.

Roger and Washoe’s original communication project was a landmark in human history, however it was noted by the world, and as an interspecies communication project, it surpassed all others (I worked on Project Koko). Not only surpassed the others in every scientific way possible, but most eloquently, in terms of Roger’s recognition of Washoe as a person of a different species, his life-long dedication to her safety, and respect for her physical and cultural needs.

Scores of us who worked on an interspecies communication project involving great apes ultimately left them feeling bitter and devastated, disillusioned by the project directors and mistrustful of the actual goals of the project. Moreover, some of us could not avoid an overwhelming multitude of realizations about the thin line between our species and the one we presumed to test, and the profound wrongs our species daily perpetrates against all others. Realizations that change you for all time.

The profound gift that humans like Roger, Debbi, and Jane Goodall, together with Washoe, Loulis, and the G family at Gombe give to the world is genuine interspecies communication– precious moments of true understanding in which the missing link between us is restored.

Thank you, Washoe, on behalf of all of the rest of us!

Mary Elsener

Kia ora.

We wish to acknowledge the positive impact that Washoe’s life had on many of us in New Zealand. Although we never got to meet her, her lessons will be with us always.

Thank you, Roger & Deborah for sharing Washoe’s story during your time in NZ.
Ka kite ano
Rebekah & Derek McCullough

A Remembrance of Washoe at her Memorial Service
November 12, 2007
By Roger Fouts

We are here to celebrate Washoe’s life. As the Rev. Lupton Abshire instructed his sister at the memorial service he was leading for their grandmother: “This is to celebrate her life – if you cry then it becomes about you.” I will do my best to follow that advice and celebrate Washoe’s life.

Whenever we face a death we face a neurotic and irrational fear of our culture. For some reason we see death as being “unnatural” and something to avoid. This is as ridiculous as stating that you are only going to inhale and avoid exhaling entirely. Also, we must be aware of all the pain and suffering this neurotic fear has caused to our nonhuman primate cousins in our irrational attempt to avoid death and to selfishly add a few more years to our lives.

I want to thank our wonderful musicians, John and Carrie Michel, for playing in tribute to Washoe today and for providing me with the following quote from one of my favor authors: Dietrich Bonhoeffer from Letters and Papers from Prison.

Nothing can make up for the absence of someone whom we love, and it would be wrong to try to find a substitute; we must simply hold out and see it through. That sounds very hard at first, but at the same time, it is a great consolation, for the gap, as long as it remains unfilled, preserves the bonds between us. It is nonsense to say that God fills the gap, but on the contrary he keeps it empty, and so helps us to keep alive our former communion with each other, even at the cost of pain.

Washoe’s gap will never be filled with someone else. Her special qualities as a person serve as a model for me to strive for in my own life. Her humor is unforgettable, even when it did involve a warm wet sensation running down my back as I gave her a piggy-back ride and she snorted her FUNNY sign as a comment on the action. Her fairness and good judge of character are something I strive for. You had to earn her respect with your own demonstrated fairness and respect. Her compassion as a person was perhaps her most dominant personality trait. I can still see the film of Washoe at about the age of three or four running quadrapedally to a crying Susan Nichols only switching to bipedal running to sign HUG to Susan as she approached. Once she jumped an electric fence at the edge of her island to rescue a new chimpanzee she didn’t know who had panicked and jumped into the surrounding moat. Another time on the island a chimpanzee spotted a snake and began giving an alarm call. Young Booee and Bruno ignored the warning, so Washoe went to the dangerous end of the island signing COME and HUG to them only to finally have to physically retrieve them and pull them to safety. She always took the side of the underdog and the needy. Even when she was introduced to Loulis the first time and he refused her comfort, she bided her time and took him on his terms, and woke him when he was sleeping with a loud bang and welcome the sleepy frightened baby into her protecting arms, where he stayed.

Family was very important to Washoe, both her chimpanzee and human families. In recent years I think her favorite day of the year was when Joshua, Rachel and Hillary returned for Christmas. It was a cause for great celebration on her part.

Some of the family images over her life that remain in the gap for me are when 5 year old Hillary would come up to the third floor of the psychology building after she finished preschool for the day. This was a high point in Washoe’s day. She would ask to see what Hillary had in her pockets and five-year-olds always have fascinating things in their pockets. Another is when Josh was a new teenager in high school, he took a job with Greg and Kat Beach at the Valley Café washing dishes and donated his meager pay check to help support his imprisoned sister. I don’t know if Washoe knew what he was doing, but when he would come up after school to help us care for the chimpanzees, Washoe showed he very special attention, which I can only imaged he wished some of the girls in high school might do the same. In later years, as our children grew and had children of their own Washoe relished meeting the new family members. When Rachel would introduced Marley and later Gabriel to Washoe she was always fascinated by them and sign to them through the glass to see their SHOES in a very diminutive fashion of “baby talk” with tiny SHOE signs.

For balance, Washoe also needed friends and sometimes took advantage of their willingness to mother her. I can still see the images from Oklahoma when 90 lb 10 year-old Washoe would ask Debbi, this tiny woman you see here, for a piggy-back ride. Ever the mother, Debbi would squat down to help this 90 lb Washoe, known for leaping to branches 10 feet above her head, climb on her back. Debbi would then struggle to her feet and Washoe would drape her head over Debbi’s should and sign GO.

The memory that haunts me since her death is from the early days in Reno when I would put her to bed. She would lie in my lap and I would brush her back and rub her temple with my thumb. She was such a contrast to the active child that kept me on my toes the rest of day. As fate would have it that is how we ended our relationship in this life. As she lay there in her final bed I groomed her back as I had done nearly 40 years ago and gently rubbed her temple. But this time she was comforted by Debbi and Mary Lee as well. It was her time to rest, and to awake to the freedom that she had begun her life with when she was born in Africa.