By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News
Under cloudy skies and occasional rain showers, songs of welcome rung out as cedar canoes emerged across Tulalip Bay, carrying Indigenous families who had paddled for days along the ancestral waterways of the Pacific Northwest. On Sunday, July 26, canoe families participating in the 2026 Canoe Journey, Paddle to Nisqually Medicine Creek Potlatch, were welcomed ashore by the Tulalip Tribes in keeping with the longstanding traditions of protocol, hospitality, and cultural exchange that have united Coast Salish nations for generations.
Long before the canoes reached the beach, community members had lined the shoreline in anticipation, offering applause as pullers made their final strokes toward land. Following protocol, each canoe requested permission to come ashore before being formally welcomed by Tulalip leaders.
As one of the host nations, welcoming canoe families from throughout the region is a responsibility that Tulalip Board of Director Ryan Miller considers a tremendous honor.
“It feels really special,” he said. “I’m very honored to have the opportunity to welcome people from all these different tribes, from close and far away, to stand there and represent Tulalip, speak the language and share that with the community. Then we get to share a meal with everybody, hear some songs.”
Representing tribal nations from Washington, British Columbia, and beyond, canoe families filled the waterfront with colorful regalia and embraces between relatives and friends reunited along the journey. While the final destination awaited at Nisqually later in the week, each landing served as more than a resting place, providing an opportunity to strengthen relationships, honor ancestral traditions and pass cultural teachings to the next generation of pullers.
For Joseph Johnson of the Lummi Nation’s West Shore Canoe Family, arriving in Tulalip marked another meaningful stop on his first canoe journey. While the cool weather created ideal paddling conditions, Johnson said the greatest lessons come from working with the water rather than against it.
“Sometimes we just have to go with it,” he said. “There’s different currents out there, different waves out there, different boat wakes. You have to learn how to really go with it. You can’t ever fight water. Water is one of the most powerful things. You have to work with what it gives you.”
Although the miles on the water demand physical endurance, Johnson said the greatest challenge often begins before the canoe even leaves the shore, because the journey requires a commitment to paddle not only for yourself but for those who cannot.
“The mental part of the journey is sometimes just getting off the beach, or even just making that decision to get out of bed,” he said. “We get to do it, and we get to do it for those that can’t. I have grandparents on the beach, aunties and uncles on the beach, and even nieces and nephews that are too little to be out there.”
The quiet hours spent pulling the canoe also provide time for reflection, and Johnson said he carries everyone with him each time he paddles.
“When you ask who I’m thinking about, it’s everybody,” he said. “My own healing, my wife, everybody. The people we’ve lost, and even grandkids and great-grandkids. There’s a lot of time out there to think. To hyper-focus on one thing would be a failure to your time being out there.”
While those on shore see the canoes arrive together, Johnson said they rarely witness the trust built among paddlers as they navigate changing conditions on the water. “People watching from shore never get to see the trust, the respect and the faith that we all have in each other,” he said. “There are times when it can get pretty rough, and we have to trust that we’re not going to give up on each other. We’re going to continue to paddle, continue to pull and continue the journey until we make it safely to shore.”
Rather than changing how he views his culture, Johnson said the journey has strengthened and sharpened his understanding while reinforcing the values that have always guided his people. “It hasn’t changed my perspective,” he said. “It’s made it more high definition, 4K Ultra. It sheds light and enhances my perspective on culture.”
Reflecting on his first canoe Journey, Johnson said he hopes one tradition remains unchanged as future generations continue taking to the water. “The very essence of our culture is to help each other,” he said. “If you want to find out what that means, get on the canoe and see your fellow paddlers help each other. That’s the root of our culture, and I hope that never changes.”
While experienced pullers often speak about the deeper responsibilities of Canoe Journey, youth paddlers continue carrying those teachings forward. Sedona Smith of the Portland Nations Canoe Family, whose family is from the Navajo Nation in Arizona, has participated in canoe journeys since 2018. She said the experience has taught her to slow down and appreciate both the people around her and the beauty of the waters they travel.
“The water has taught me that you should enjoy your moments and your family, and to take in the time to look at the beauty around you,” Smith said. “I’m thinking about my family, my family in Arizona, my dad, my mom, and all my friends that pushed me to be who I am right now.”
Smith said there is much more taking place on the water than those watching from shore are able to see. “They don’t understand how many connections we have with each other, the practices, the lessons, the prayers we do,” Smith said. “Every paddle is a prayer. Just think about the ones you love. Also, enjoy the beauty you see.”
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