August 2012 Shootin' the Breeze with Red Wind Associates

Celebrating The Canoe Journey

Each year in July , the Canoe Journey brings many of the coastal tribes together for eating, singing, dancing and gift giving. They travel along the waterway, stopping at each tribe's ancestral lands, more and more canoes joining the group as they near their destination.

With those canoe paddlers come the followers: dancers, singers, canoe families and support crews. We believe the total group visiting our tribe in July will number close to 10,000. Soon after, they will depart our lands to end their journey with our neighbors, the Squaxin Island Tribe, where they will stay through the first week of August.

On a personal level, participants learn to bond as a tribe and an extended family through the teamwork needed to pull (paddle), support and prepare camp. The task is rigorous and there is a tremendous amount of training that goes into preparing to brave the waters. There are also a myriad of tenants that guide the participation in the journey, including the pledge to stay healthy in every way. The water has its own stories and teachings that apply to every day modern life.

As the time arrives, there will be anywhere from 80 to 100+ canoes carrying familiies and support crew when Nisqually plays host for the neighboring tribes during their last stop before their final destination. We look forward to their visit to Nisqually from July 26 to July 28.