S moke S ignals
JULY 15, 2016
11
Destination Nisqually
Canoe Journey returns after a year off
By Brent Merrill
Smoke Signals staff writer
The Tribe’s Canoe Family will
travel to Skokomish, Wash., to
participate in this year’s “Paddle
to Nisqually” event in Puget Sound
that begins Saturday, July 30, and
runs through Saturday, Aug. 6.
The journey, which was not held
in 2015, is a chance for the Canoe
Family to travel the waterways of
many northwest Tribes. The Ca-
noe Family will be participating
in protocols with Tribes at each
stopover along the way as well as
sharing languages, songs, dances
and traditional foods.
The canoe gatherings are ac-
knowledged throughout the nation
as one of the largest gatherings of
indigenous people in the world.
Host Tribes along the route plan
for years to feed and house as many
as 10,000 people on their beaches
throughout the event’s duration.
The Canoe Journey movement
was established again as part of
the Paddle to Seattle event that
occurred in 1989. Beginning in
1993, indigenous peoples from Can-
ada, Alaska and Washington state
began to gather for a canoe event.
They traveled to Bella Bella, Brit-
ish Columbia. Since that journey,
the movement has grown to include
more than 100 canoes from Amer-
ican Indian Tribes, First Nations
people, Alaskan Natives, Inuits,
Maoris and Native Hawaiians.
A contingent of as many as 60
members of the Canoe Family will
leave Grand Ronde on Friday, July
22, for Skokomish. The next day,
the group will begin the journey
when they leave Skokomish and
enter their canoe into Puget Sound.
From Skokomish, the Canoe Fami-
ly will travel to Dosewal-
lips State Park, arriving
on Saturday, July 23.
The next stop will be
Port Gamble S’Klallam.
The Canoe Family will
depart from Port Gamble
S’Klallam on July 24 and
travel almost to Seattle
where they will be guests
of the Suquamish Nation.
On July 27, they will pad-
dle from Suquamish to
Manchester State Park
and on July 28 they will
make their way to Puyal-
lup Owen Beach.
The Canoe Family will
arrive in Nisqually at
the final destination at
Swantown Marina at the
Port of Olympia Landing
on Saturday, July 30.
This is the Canoe Fami-
ly’s 11th journey since the
program began.
Tribal General Manag-
er Dave Fullerton said the
Grand Ronde contingent
will participate in the final Med-
icine Creek Treaty Ceremony on
Sunday, July 31.
“We chose to travel the route
starting at Skokomish,” said Ful-
lerton. “We will meet up with
everyone (representatives of other
northwest Tribal canoe families) in
Suquamish and go straight to the
Puyallup stop. We will end up in
Olympia for the landing.”
Tribal Council Chairman Reyn
Leno said Native people coming
together is a good thing.
“It’s a huge gathering,” said Leno.
“Anytime our people are gathering
it’s carrying on our culture. I think
it’s amazing for our kids to go and
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do some of these things. We have
connections now all over the world
because of this whole thing. To be
a part of that is huge.”
Three Maori guests from New Zea-
land will be making the Canoe Jour-
ney this year as part of an ongoing
cultural exchange program with the
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.
Members of the Maori have been
participating in the Canoe Journey
since 2008. This year, Waikarere
Gregory, Ihaia Puketapu and his
wife, Marissa, have been selected
by the Toi Maori Aotearoa to rep-
resent the organization.
Toi Maori Aotearoa is an organi-
zation committed to supporting and
developing contemporary Maori
art. The organization was estab-
lished in 1996 to promote, advocate
and develop the best of Maori art
and culture.
Waikarere and the Puketapus are
accomplished Maori artists who are
considered people of culture in their
communities.
Tribal Council member Jon A.
George said he believes canoe jour-
neys are important to the Tribal
community in Grand Ronde.
“Canoe Journey for me is one of
the three top cultural events that
occur annually for Grand Ronde,”
said George via e-mail. “It is de-
signed as a clean and sober event,
and I am proud to be part of that
family and to see that the young
ones and others who began 10 years
ago are still living that lifestyle.
“It is teaching our young ones
that culture and family are import-
ant and it is who we are as a people.
It brings out leadership and togeth-
erness in each who participate and
memories for a lifetime.”
Cultural Outreach Coordinator
Bobby Mercier said he has seen
many changes in the Canoe Family
since it began. He said 18 people
participated in the first journey and
that the group has grown to more
than 100 people in camp on some
journeys.
Mercier said canoe families from
the Coos and Coquille Tribes will
join the Grand Ronde Canoe Family
on the Paddle to Nisqually as will a
group from Native American Youth
and Family Services in Portland.
“For us, we see the culture that
binds us together of who we are,
who they are and how that brings
us together,” Mercier said of the
relationships that have been built
with other Tribes. “I think that has
made a lot of us stronger, helping
each other along. The canoes have
brought those kinds of cultural
communities together.”
Fullerton said young people in
the Grand Ronde community now
look to join the Canoe Family.
“It provides people with cultural
identity,” said Fullerton. “It pro-
vides people with a connection to
the Tribe. You see all generations
participating. People have a con-
nection to the water.”
Mercier said the Canoe Family is
setting an example.
“I think it is showing this com-
munity and our kids this is who
you come from,” said Mercier. “Our
people had canoes whether it was
the West Coast ones we have or the
shovel noses or the river canoes, if
you come from any of these people,
if your village was close to the river
you had canoes.
“Being in those canoes, you are trav-
eling the same highways that your an-
cestors did and you are representing
your families and your communities.”
Mercier said the Canoe Journey
allows people to find their identity.
“There is a better way to live than
with all the drugs and alcohol,” said
Mercier. “This is showing people
that you can do so many other things
with your people and for your people
that are living a good lifestyle and
getting back to some of the teachings
that our ancestors had.”