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by Richard Arlin Walker
First Nation and Coast Salish canoes will likely visit a tribal nation near you as they travel to the shores of the Muckleshoot Tribe in Auburn, Washington, for a weeklong celebration July 31 to August 6, 2023.
The annual gathering first took place in 1989 as part of the state’s centennial celebration, sparking a return of Indigenous Northwest canoes to the ancestral marine highways of the Salish Sea and a return of ceremonies associated with intertribal gatherings. The event has since attracted the participation of canoe cultures from as far as Alaska and California.
The Canoe Journey was absent for three years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so this year’s event will be particularly meaningful to its participants.
“The lapse in the annual Canoe Journey helps people appreciate the culture that we have,” says Laura Price, a canoe skipper at the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe. “From what I’ve seen, and what I feel myself, is because of the pandemic and us having to isolate, we have become culturally starved. We’ve had a huge increase in the number of people coming to our weekly song and dance gatherings, and an increase in interest and involvement in our culture classes. A lot of people have said they want to go on the Journey. They’re really looking forward to it.”
Most Canoe Journey events are free and open to the public. Here’s what to expect: Canoes, most crewed by 11 pullers and a skipper, will depart their home territories in June or July; how far they must travel will dictate when they leave their home shores. They will stop at tribal nations along the way on their journey on the ancestral waters. Many canoes are carved from cedar and feature painted names and designs reflective of their home nation.
Canoes from tribes and First Nations from the north might overnight at the Lummi Nation near Bellingham, the Samish Nation in Anacortes, the Swinomish Tribe near La Conner and the Tulalip Tribes near Everett before arriving at Muckleshoot for the week-long gathering. Likewise, tribal nations on Washington’s Pacific Coast will visit the Makah Tribe at Neah Bay, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe near Port Angeles, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe in Blyn, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe in Little Boston and the Suquamish Tribe on the Kitsap Peninsula, across the water from Seattle, on their way to Muckleshoot’s shores.
At each stop, the number of canoes will grow as the journey nears Muckleshoot. Each canoe skipper will stand and ask, often in their own language, for permission to land and come ashore. The hosts will grant permission and invite them ashore to camp, rest and eat. Foods include salmon, shellfish and other traditional foods. At night, there will be honoring and the sharing of songs, dances and gifts. Evening ceremonies may take place in traditional longhouses or a community building, often featuring intricately carved welcome figures and other cultural art.
“We are expecting around 120 canoes to come to Muckleshoot on July 30,” said Autumn MaGee, manager of the Muckleshoot Tribe’s Canoe Family Program. “We are planning for 8,000 people (between traveling canoe families, spectators and our community) to attend the hosting throughout the week.”
Dancers will wear regalia (articles of clothing) that reflect their heritage and family history. Many articles are passed down through generations. Women might wear elaborately beaded shawls and woven cedar headdresses and skirts. Men might wear woven vests and hats into which eagle feathers and mountain goat wool are incorporated. During songs, women will shake beautiful carved cedar rattles; men’s drums will feature cultural designs.
Some songs are quite old and may be considered either sacred or intellectual property. In many cases, recording songs is prohibited. If you attend, listen for the host’s instructions regarding photographing and recording. Go to muckleshootcanoejourney.com for dates of landings.
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Courtesy : https://nwtravelmag.com/intertribal-canoe-journey-a-window-to-nw-indigenous-cultures/