S moke S ignals
AUGUST 1, 2018
13
Canoe Journey began in 1989
CANOE JOURNEY continued
from front page
serving in the support boat.
“I help out wherever it is needed,”
he said. “My favorite part of the
journey is in the evening and the
things we do as a family. It shows
us how close we are.”
Martineau said he also uses
downtime to talk to youth about
the dangers of substance abuse and
the most recent wave of synthetic
drugs.
“These are educational moments
that might save their lives,” he said.
When asked to name a favorite
aspect of Canoe Journey, Martin-
eau is hard-pressed to choose one.
“It’s really difficult to say a favor-
ite part,” he said. “It’s really amaz-
ing the things that have happened
over the years.”
Tribal Council member Lisa Leno
has been on most of the Canoe
Journeys since the Tribe began
participating in 2005.
“My favorite part is Landing Day
and working together as a family,”
she said. “The most challenging
part is the logistical piece and mak-
ing things work with a large group
of people.”
Leno said she enjoys the visits
with other Tribes along the journey
as well.
“Getting the chance to visit their
homelands, and showing our sing-
ing and dances helps build new
relationships,” she said.
The Tribe’s Youth Prevention
Department does much of the work
with setting up camp and preparing
food. Youth Prevention Program
Coordinator Cristina Lara, Youth
Programs Assistant Shannon Stan-
ton and Teen Pregnancy Prevention
Coordinator Valeria Atanacio were
at camp on Friday helping to en-
sure Canoe Family members were
comfortable and nourished for the
journey ahead.
“We start preparing a month
ahead of time for the food,” Stanton
said. “We figure out the ingredients,
plan the menu and figure out how
much to buy. … I love to cook and
do things for people.”
The Tribe took two canoes on the
journey: Stankiya (coyote) and UlX-
ayu (seal). Skippers are Cultural
Education Specialist Brian Kreh-
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
A group, including Tribal Planning Director Rick George, third from right, and
Tribal youth Sedona Williams, behind George, carry ulXayu from the water
after coming ashore during Landing Day of the 2018 Canoe Journey “Power
Paddle to Puyallup” in Tacoma, Wash., on Saturday, July 28.
biel and Cultural Advisor Bobby
Mercier. As of Friday, July 20, 115
participants were registered.
In addition to helping new par-
ticipants feel welcomed, Jordan
Mercier said another Canoe Jour-
ney goal is keeping the feeling alive
throughout the year.
“I want to work on keeping it liv-
ing and bringing it home,” he said.
Isabelle Grout, 14, is participat-
ing in her third Canoe Journey.
She said she enjoys protocol and
the dancing.
“I also like to go and watch people
from other Tribes that I have met,”
Grout said.
Kyoni Mercier, 20, has been part
of Canoe Journey since she was a
small child. This year, she is serv-
ing as a lead puller.
“I enjoy getting to witness ev-
eryone else’s culture and knowing
where they are from,” she said. “It
is cool that we can recognize each
other. … Journey is a form of heal-
ing. It is a powerful feeling to be on
the water. It lifts up our spirits and
A group, including Grand Ronde Canoe Family skipper Bobby Mercier, front
right, carry Stankiya from the water after coming ashore during Landing Day
of the 2018 Canoe Journey “Power Paddle to Puyallup” in Tacoma, Wash., on
Saturday, July 28.
everyone takes something from this
they didn’t know before.”
Andrea Grijalva, 20, made her
first journey in 2007 and said she
enjoys being on the water.
“It is one of my favorite parts,”
she said. “One year I got to do the
last paddle and there were 90 ca-
noes lined up for Landing Day. It
is one of my favorite memories of
journey.”
The Canoe Journey began in 1989
with the “Paddle to Seattle,” held
in conjunction with Washington’s
100th anniversary of statehood. The
state and indigenous governments
signed the Centennial Accord that
year, recognizing indigenous sover-
eignty. Fifteen Tribes and Canadian
First Nations participated in the
Paddle to Seattle. This year, 20,000
people are expected at protocol.
The Tribe began its 2018 Canoe
Journey on Thursday, July 19,
when family, friends, employees
and Elders gathered at the Com-
munity Center to wish the travelers
well.
Tribal Elder and past Tribal
Council Chairwoman Kathryn Har-
rison offered an invocation. Current
Tribal Council members Brenda
Tuomi and Kathleen George also
attended.
Bobby Mercier thanked staff
members who had worked tirelessly
in preparing for the Power Paddle
to Puyallup.
“There is a lot of work that goes
into this and I am thankful for
the staff, and the many hours and
meetings they attended to get this
done,” he said.
Bobby Mercier, Jordan Mercier,
Krehbiel, Cultural Protection Spe-
cialist Chris Bailey, Cultural Re-
sources Manager David Harrelson
and several Canoe Journey youth
and staff sang and drummed, as
those gathered joined in.
The Canoe Family was joined in
St. Helens by two Māori represen-
tatives from the Tauranga district
in New Zealand, Tamahau Tangi-
tu and Te Kerekau Nicholas. The
Canoe Journey exchange between
Grand Ronde and the Māoris has
been ongoing since 2009.
This year’s Canoe Journey is
hosted by the Puyallup Tribe of In-
dians and has the theme, “Honoring
Our Medicine.”
Landing Day was Saturday, July
28, in Tacoma, Wash.
Dinner was served to all partic-
ipants that evening in Puyallup
with protocol set for the next seven
days. Protocol continues all day
from about 9 a.m. to midnight,
allowing canoe families to share
their songs and dances. The order of
protocol is that the Tribe traveling
the farthest to attend goes first.
Protocol was held at Chief Leschi
School, 5625 52nd St. E, Puyallup.
Canoe Journey was designed as a
family-friendly event to familiarize
northwest Tribes with the trade
routes used by their ancestors and
to promote a healthy lifestyle free
of substance abuse.
Look for more coverage of Canoe
Journey on the Smoke Signals
Facebook page, www.grandronde.
org and in the Aug. 15 print edition.
Information can also be found at
paddletopuyallup.org.
Meagan Flier, left, and Valeria Atanacio help prepare lunch at the Grand
Ronde Canoe Family’s camp in St. Helens on Friday, July 20. The family
camped and practiced paddling on the Columbia River for three days before
beginning the 2018 Canoe Journey “Power Paddle to Puyallup.”