NEAH BAY — As Makah tribal member Theron Parker pulls a canoe through the Pacific waters his ancestors once traveled, he hopes to help youth overcome issues with drugs and alcohol.
Parker said he understands first-hand the importance of the annual drug- and-alcohol-free Paddle Journey, which travels to LaPush today.
Once faced with a drug and alcohol problem himself, Parker said the canoe journeys have helped him to heal.
“The love, care and support I received from the canoe family helped me to grow,” he said.
Today, Parker is actively involved in the Makah tribe.
He is a skipper for the Makah canoe in the Paddle Journey and he’s the harpooner who helped the tribe take its first gray whale in 70 years in May 1999 by thrusting the first harpoon.
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