By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News
The final landing for the 2025 Canoe Journey is set for July 31, with the weeklong protocol taking place at Elwha during the first week of August. The Tulalip Canoe family will join the journey mid-July and are determined to be ready for weeks of pulling, dancing, singing and fully immersing in the traditions of the Coast Salish tribes. The culture-sharing event has been going strong since its revival in 1989 and is popular amongst the youth of multiple tribes, helping them find a solid sense of identity by exposing them to their ancestral teachings.
Participation for the first week of Canoe Journey preparation was at an all-time high with upwards of 80 people showing up for Culture Night and Canoe Practice. Led by the Tulalip Rediscovery program, these two weekly events will be held throughout the next few months to ensure that this year’s Canoe Journey participants are well equipped to not only hit the water, but can also offer songs, dances, and gifts to the numerous tribes they will be visiting en route to Lower Elwha this summer and represent Tulalip in a good way.
Culture Night
There was a buzz in the air at the Tulalip Gathering Hall on the evening of April 15, as the people caught up with their friends and family over dinner before the night’s festivities began. After 30 minutes of laughter, conversation, and the little ones chasing each other about the hall, Natsha Fryberg and Taylor Henry of the Rediscovery Program opened the event with a few words and instruction for the first Culture Night gathering of the year.
The people were excited to get their craft on and start creating their regalia for this year’s Canoe Journey. Participants perused a number of tribal designs that included salmon, canoes, killer whales, and thunderbirds in traditional formline. With their design of choice in hand, each person received a pencil and tracing paper and began outlining their design onto the paper.
Once that task was complete, they picked out what color they wanted their design to be, between red, black, white, and gray and were handed fabric to iron their design on to. And finally, they were given X-ACTO knives and scissors to cut out their design, which will eventually be transferred on to either a shawl or vest.
While the adults and teens worked on their regalia, the kiddos joined Lushootseed instructor, Natosha Gobin for a language lesson. Keeping true to the Canoe Journey theme, Natosha taught the young ones the words for each section of the canoe. After practicing the words together, colored pencil sets were placed on the table and the kids got to design their very own canoes. While some chose their favorite vibrant and bright colors to spruce up their cedar canoes, many children chose to go with the classic black and red colors that adorn the Tulalip Family canoes, Little Sister, Big Sister, and Big Brother.
“We have a lot of different things planned for Culture Night,” shared Natasha Fryberg. “We will be sending out a schedule as to what we’re going to be doing. Each week we will be working with language and we will alternate between regalia making and then giveaway items for our journey to Elwha. I think that during those weeks we will sing and dance as well. I want to welcome everybody here. I hope even more of our community turns out and participates. This year, I really want it to be a thing where they are involved from the very beginning, and we continue on with a large canoe family.”
The Rediscovery Program will continue with Culture Nights on Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m. as the Paddle to Elwha approaches, so be sure to drop by if you are planning on joining the Paddle to Elwha.
Canoe Practice
After a long winter, the people of Tulalip were eager to get back on the canoe and reconnect to the Salish Sea. It was the perfect weather for the first Canoe Practice of the season on the afternoon of April 16. With clear skies, bright sunshine, and minimal wind, the participants were all smiles as they ran a few laps around the marina prior to breaking out their paddles.
The excitement grew as everyone jumped into the water to help unload Big Brother, the Canoe Family’s large cedar strip, from a trailer and welcome its spirit back to Tulalip Bay. Once Big Brother was on the water, the first crew boarded the canoe one by one, and put on lifejackets before striking the water in unison with their paddles and launching out into the Bay.
The course was set for Hermosa and back. While the pullers made their way through the local waters, they were met with a pleasant surprise. The mist spouting from two gray whales in the vicinity could be seen from the docks of the marina, but Canoe Practice participants got an up close and personal look at the large mammals, enhancing the cultural experience and connection for everyone on the canoe.
As the first crew arrived back at the marina, they couldn’t wait to share the tale of the two whales with the other participants. Luckily, the whales decided to hang out in the bay a little while longer, and the second crew also got to witness the whales along their excursion as well.
“This is my third year pulling, so going back out on the water was pretty nice, got to feel the sacred connection again,” expressed Tribal youth, Maleia Kickingwoman. “The water was a little rough at the beginning but once we got towards Hermosa it got more calmer, and we got to cruise a bit. We saw two whales. It was pretty fun. We had some laughs and funny jokes out on the water.”
When asked if she would be attending this year’s Canoe Journey, Maleia enthusiastically replied, “Yes, I am! And I am excited about meeting new friends at Canoe Journey this year.”
To help build endurance for Canoe Journey, Canoe Practice is set for every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., beginning with a run/walk before heading out on the water.
Said Tulalip Skipper, Natasha Fryberg, “Today was exciting. I think that the first practice can be nerve-wracking for people and many feel uneasy. We had some new participants, and they enjoyed being out there. And today was really just about talking to them and teaching them through the expectations and how to properly do things, so it’s all just a good teaching experience. Not only does it teach our community how to properly pull, but we always think about safety first and building the strength and endurance to go on these journeys, from one destination to the other. I’m excited for this year, it’s a blessing. There were whales out there and it was a beautiful day, and we had a great turnout.”