AUGUST 15, 2018
S moke S ignals
13
Canoe Journey ended on July 28
CANOE JOURNEY
continued from front page
ter is when we tell jokes and ask
random questions,” said 16-year-
old Kailiyah Krehbiel, who has
been on eight journeys. “It’s hard
paddling for hours, but also fun.”
The Grand Ronde Canoe Family
began paddling in Samish, Wash.,
on Monday, July 23, and ended in
Puyallup, Wash., with landing day
on Saturday, July 28.
Stops occurred at Swinomish, Tu-
lalip, Suquamish and Muckleshoot.
After landing day, participating
Tribes set up camp in Puyallup
and waited for their protocol time.
Protocol lasted all day, from about
9 a.m. to midnight, at nearby Chief
Leschi School.
Protocol is an opportunity for the
canoe families to share songs and
dances. The order of protocol is that
the Tribe that travels the farthest
to attend goes first. Grand Ronde
began its protocol at 1:52 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 1.
“Protocol is the best part,” Kreh-
biel said. “I love listening to other
Tribe’s songs and when we go up
dancing to our songs.”
At protocol, the Tribe’s Cultural
Advisor Bobby Mercier introduced
himself in Chinuk Wawa and En-
glish.
“I’m very happy to be here in the
land of Puyallup again and love
all of the beautiful work you have
done for our people,” he said. “I am
happy to bring our family here.”
The Grand Ronde Canoe Family
opened protocol by performing
“Stankiya,” which is one of the old-
est names the Tribe has for coyote,
as well as it being the name of one
of its canoes.
“When we put that name on our
canoe, we knew it would make
changes in our community,” Mer-
cier said.
Other songs the Canoe Family
performed included, “Traveling
With Our Ancestors,” “Old Woman
Song,” “Salmon Song,” “Thunder-
bird Song” and “New Beginnings.”
Mercier closed Grand Ronde pro-
tocol by gifting the Puyallup people
with homemade salsa and jam from
the Community Garden, other
small gifts and a paddle from the
journey. In turn, Puyallup gifted
Grand Ronde with Tribal blankets.
The Canoe Family ended with
“Ancestor Song.”
“We can come here and feed our
Indian, and come feed our spirit,”
Mercier said. “We will be taking
this experience back with us and
sharing with our families how well
we have been treated.”
The journey
During the journey itself, skip-
pers are tasked with leading the
canoes in more ways than one.
They read the water and act as
counselors, motivational speakers
and supervisors, sometimes simul-
taneously.
“It is one of those experiences
that will make or break a skipper,”
Cultural Education Specialist
Brian Krehbiel said. “Trying to
deal with all of the dynamics of
Teen Pregnancy Pre-
vention Coordinator Va-
leria Atanacio has been
on journey seven times.
This year, she brought
her daughters, 2-year-old
Safia and 4-month-old
Amira.
“I really love just being
in a place where you feel
good about your culture,”
she said. “It’s a great feel-
ing to be here, singing and
dancing. You really get
to know each other and
become a family.”
Tribal Council Secre-
tary Jon A. George and
Tribal Council members
Lisa Leno, Brenda Tuomi,
Kathleen George and De-
nise Harvey participat-
ed during various times
during Canoe Journey.
All spoke highly of the
Puyallup
Tribe’s wel-
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
coming
nature,
which
From left, Grand Ronde Canoe Family members and Tribal youth Sedona Williams,
included free breakfast
Kaleigha Simi and Dakota Smith wash the dinner dishes at the Canoe Family’s camp at the
and dinner all week, a
2018 Canoe Journey “Power Paddle to Puyallup” on Tuesday, July 31.
separate tent stocked with
food and drink for Elders,
and
trailers
of mobile showers and
“It is cool showing them where
50
sets
of
washers
and dryers at the
we are from and how we do things
campground.
a little differently,” he said. “Every
At camp on a sunny evening, Jon
year, we get new lessons and learn
George looked around at everyone
new things.”
eating dinner, beading and talking,
Holmes described Canoe Journey
then said, “This is what it is all
as both a “physical and mental
about.”
test.”
12 different people is the biggest
“Landing day is very exciting and
“It teaches us to be more commu-
challenge. I can really say the canoe
emotional, but when it comes down
nal and not single families as much
takes care of you.”
to it, this is what gives these children
and helps us be more dependent on
Krehbiel has served as skipper
the experience of being a part of a
each
other,”
he
said.
since 2011, a duty he shares with
family,” he said. “That to me is the
The
Canoe
Journey
began
in
1989
brother Bobby Mercier.
most important thing. For me, this
with the “Paddle to Seattle,” that
“The hardest part for me is con-
camp is where it all comes together.”
was held in conjunction with Wash-
tinuing this throughout the year
ington’s 100th anniversary of state-
and getting on the water enough,
‘The incredible effort’
hood. The state and indigenous
trying to get more time together
During the Legislative Action
governments signed the Centennial
and ocean trips,” he said. “We also
Committee meeting on Tuesday,
Accord that year, recognizing indig-
need a few more canoes.”
Aug. 7, Tribal Council members
enous
sovereignty.
Fifteen
Tribes
Despite the challenges, Krehbiel
reflected more on the experience.
and First Nations participated in
returns again and again.
“It was a very positive and suc-
the “Paddle to Seattle.”
“I want people to know that who-
cessful Canoe Journey,” Kathleen
Today, upwards of 100 canoes
ever you are, wherever you come
George said. “I want to recognize
representing as many as 90 U.S.
from, everyone is equal on the wa-
the incredible effort that goes into
Tribes and Canadian First Nations,
ter,” he said.
this experience. There is an incred-
and
approximately
12,000
people
Grand Ronde’s Canoe Family
ible effort from our staff members
participate in the annual journey,
first participated in the 2005 Canoe
to make this experience available
paddling canoes, operating support
Journey, which landed on Holly-
to our youth. … The Puyallup Tribe
boats, acting as ground crew, sing-
wood Beach in Port Angeles, Wash.
that hosted this, it is a monumental
ing, dancing and sharing Tribal
The following year, Grand Ronde
undertaking. You are managing
cultures and traditions.
built its first canoe, Stankiya, still
thousands of people around the
Canoe
Journey
was
designed
as
a
used today.
clock.”
family-friendly
event
to
familiarize
Joey Holmes, 26, recalls helping
Vice Chair Chris Mercier enjoyed
northwest Tribes with the trade
to build the canoe and how the
watching
the live feed that Puyal-
routes used by their ancestors and
journey has evolved in the past 12
lup
provided.
to promote a healthy lifestyle free
years.
“For those who can’t make it,
of substance abuse.
“That first year, we were drinking
this feels like the next best thing,”
Children and Family Support
Red Bulls and eating Clif bars and
he said.
Service Specialist Zoey Holsclaw
rice crispy treats,” he says. “We
Jon George also noted this year
said
that
being
in
the
canoe
is
her
were pretty wired.”
had
the most Tribal Council mem-
favorite part of journey.
Holmes said that Canoe Journey
bers
in attendance that he could
“I love the experience of being
changed his life forever.
recall.
out on the water,” she said. “A
“It gave me an identity for the
“It is a beautiful time in our
lot of paddling is mental, really
first time in my life,” he said. “Help-
history,” he said. “We see youth
90 percent of it. … You’re dealing
ing build Stankiya gave us a sense
paddle in canoes alongside Elders.
with different personalities so it’s
of ownership. … I got to know a lot
… Canoe Journey originally started
important to work as an efficient
of people from surrounding Tribes
as a clean and sober activity, and
team.”
and build on those relationships.”
many of those children who par-
This year, she served as lead
Holmes said that most Native
ticipated are still clean and sober
pull and also assisted with skipper
peoples outside of Oregon and
adults today.”
duties.
southwest Washington have not
The Lummi Nation of Belling-
“I
keep
on
going
even
when
I
re-
heard of the Grand Ronde Tribe,
ham,
Wash., will host the next Trib-
ally
want
to
rest
because
someone
so it was nice to get the name out
al
Canoe
Journey in July 2019.
has got to do it,” Holsclaw said.
there.