THE INTER-TRIBAL Canoe Journey started in 1989 when Quinault tribal member Emmett Oliver organized the “Paddle to Seattle”‘ to commemorate the centennial of Washington state.
Seventeen years later and the Inter-Tribal Canoe Journey, as it is now called, is still creating a list of firsts.
Some notes:
* This year’s canoe journey is the first for the 11-member crew of the Pink Paddle Project.
The women are from different tribes and either are breast cancer survivors or relatives of a survivor.
The project was inspired by cancer survivor Roberta “Birdie” Kimberly of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe.
The crew started its journey Tuesday in Port Angeles.
* This year’s Canoe Journey is the second for the Grande Ronde tribe of Oregon, but the first for its canoe Stankiya, which means “coyote.”
It’s taken a year for the tribe build the canoe, said skipper Bobby Mercier.
The name Stankiya was chosen because it represents a new beginning for their tribe, Mercier said.
The Grande Ronde are paddling with the Chinook tribe of Washington, and started its journey Monday in Neah Bay.
* This year’s Canoe Journey is one of many for the Cowlitz tribe of Longview, but the first in its ancestral trading waters, said tribal member Gary Bouchard.
Bouchard, whose Cowlitz name is Stnshk, said it’s been more than 300 years since the Cowlitz have paddled in the waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The tribe started its journey July 19 at the Hoh reservation, and has paddled north and east around the Olympic Peninsula with the Hoh, Quinault, Queets and Quileute tribes.
