<p>Pickup of Chinook Canoe Family members at a stop at Suquamish during the paddle to Swinomish in 2011. All ages paddle.</p>

alaxti’ qa-san ma chaku-saxali!

And some fine day youll rise up

(beyond your present circumstances)!

From Chinuk Wawa,

as our elders teach us to speak

    

    One stormy night two weeks ago, I found myself in Bay Center at a gathering of Chinook canoe families who had participated in this years paddle to Squaxin Island. Chinookan leader Tony Johnson invited me to the potluck to witness a ceremony called Copper Rings. I was grateful to be included.

    

Visionaries and dreamers

    The roots of the paddle journey go back nearly 30 years. In the mid-1980s tribal leaders began coming together to discuss what it might mean for First Nations. Tom Heidlebaugh, also known as Laughing Bear (now dead); Connie McCloud, Puyallup; Philip Red Eagle, Steilacoom tribe; and Mary T. Greene McQuillen, Makah tribe, also known as Port Townsend Mary (also deceased) were among the visionaries who gathered to dream about the venture.

    In 1989 the first Canoe Journey, the Paddle to Seattle, became a reality. It was meant to emphasize to Native American youths the importance of cultivating their traditions and staying drug and alcohol free. The first journey, a bold step toward cultural renewal, included a few canoes and 50 people. Now the annual paddle has grown to over 100 canoes and 6,000-10,000 people.

    The journeys are difficult and the canoes are heavy; they must be paddled rain or shine sometimes more than 40 miles a day. When the canoes are welcomed ashore, paddlers and their families must be housed, fed, and tended. The journey is a time of gifting, bonding, and culminates in a potlatch a ceremony on the host tribes Longhouse floor that emphasizes the giving of songs and dances.

    

Reciprocity

    Johnson said, I had the good fortune to be associated with these visionary folks in my younger days. These people sat together and talked about the needs of our communities and a good deal of their philosophies got built into the paddle journey.

    There is a sense of reciprocity that is just built into the natives of the West Coast because with the canoe journey when we arrive on somebodys beach, we have expectations of the people who welcome us ashore, and they have expectations of us. They will give us a place to stay and whatever we need meals, a shower or someplace to wash our clothes. And it turn were paying that debt with our singing, dancing and our words on their floor its not a one way street.

    McCloud, cultural and youth director and canoe captain of the Puyallup tribe, agrees. Its a way to promote our culture, to be visible in the community, she said. The Puyallup canoe is called Thunderspirit. Our canoe is itself a way to engage young people, and reduce gang and drug activity. It has traveled hundreds of miles since it was carved for the tribe in 1998. Thunderspirit was part of the hosting for the 120-strong canoe journey to Squaxin Island this July.

    Different tribes around the Pacific Northwest offer to host many years in advance because of the resources and preparation it takes. Quinault Nation will host the Paddle to Taholah, 2013. Johnson said, A good number of canoes are expected to travel through Chinook country on their way to Taholah. To really do what we want and do it well, were going to need volunteers from outside our community while those canoes are in Chinook territory. (There will be more on this paddle and the volunteer opportunities early next year.)

The Spirit of the Canoes

    Port Townsend Mary was known for singing to the canoes. She said that greeting the canoes with song is an important aspect of the canoe journey that helps those paddling know where to go. She was also instrumental in rescuing one land-locked and forgotten Makah canoe that was eventually found on Protection Island. McQuillen often sang to this canoe at Hudson Point, apologizing for having allowed it to deteriorate such that it was no longer seaworthy. She believed the spirit of the tree was still in the canoe. (It has now been restored.)

    In this years Squaxin Paddle, the Chinook tribe had two canoes. Tribal canoes are honored by being named. Johnson explained, One of our canoes is called well, the closest English equivalent would probably be Kthlmin. It is actually a Cathlamet mans name and refers to the moon.

    The other canoe is Skakwal in chinuk wawa that means lamprey eel. These two canoes are owned by the tribe itself. Then there are maybe three or four other family canoes owned within the tribe.

    The canoe journey is an equal opportunity affair. Johnson said, My daughter Mary is an absolutely awesome paddler, in fact, she is one of our lead pullers. She sits stroke position, lead stroke. She and another canoe family member another woman actually are our lead pullers. They set the stroke and lead the canoes.

    As any traveler knows, the journey, rather than the destination, is where the magic lies; and the paddle journey has been the vessel for a renewal of native culture. Another important aspect of the journey is the awarding of the copper rings to any tribal member who has taken part not necessarily just as a paddler, but perhaps someone who has transported the canoes, or helped with the food, or danced at the potlatch.

    

Children of the copper rings

    Philip Red Eagle makes each copper ring, now numbering near 6,000, though he says, Im about three or four thousand behind and for the few tribes lucky enough to have him, he places the rings himself over the necks of paddle family members in exchange for a pledge. At the Chinook potluck, Philip talked about the importance of the paddle and of the ten rules of the canoe (http://tinyurl.com/8cqytwy). These include such wisdom as The gift of each enriches all, and There is no abuse of self or others. Each Chinook participant stood and Philip asked, Do you pledge to abide by these canoe rules. There was laughter when many answered, I do, and Philip said, Everyone wants to marry me. Just say yes.

    But the seriousness of the commitment was palpable. The summer canoe journey is a time for all ages to come together and contribute as they can to the celebration of culture. Its a time for the next generation to learn from their elders about stewardship, caring, respect and integrity.

    I was moved by the ceremony and relieved. There may be a time when mainstream culture, now so toxic to the earth and its creatures, will need to call upon Native Peoples for rejuvenation and spiritual renewal. And, if that call comes, these young people or their childrens children will be ready.