Page 1 - Chehalis Tribal Newsletter - July 2019

The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, ‘People of the Sands’

TRIBAL

CHEHALIS NEWSLETTER

FIND HISTORY, HERITAGE AND RESOURCES AT CHEHALISTRIBE.ORG July 2019

Biking legacy Outstanding work inside
Tribal member braves Employees go above Regaining ancestral lands / 2 Wellness Center
STP endurance ride and beyond for tribe Main Street Bar opens / 6 staff profiles / 10
Annual fireworks sales
August birthdays / 7
page 3 page 2 Youth Center staff / 8-9 and show / 11-12

Cultural

journey

Left: The Chehalis Canoe Family landed in
Tulalip to rest before finishing the Paddle to
Lummi. Todd Delamater sat in front of the
canoe as the pace-setter for the pullers.
other tribes who endured the same challenges
and joys while paddling the waterways.
This year, they departed from Squaxin Island
on July 16 and traveled through Puget Sound to
the Nisqually Reservation for the first stop.
Chehalis tribal member Todd Delamater
explained that this year was significant because
Canoe trip taps into tribal unity, history and healing the first journey the Canoe Family participated
in was to Lummi in 2007. He took his first
journey the following summer in 2008 when he
he Chehalis Canoe Family paddled and were welcomed ashore by the Lummi was 18 years old.
hundreds of miles from July 16-24 as Nation. The tribes and First Nation bands His uncle Jr., skipper during the first
T members took part in the “Paddle to shared their songs and dances at the final few years, is the individual who encouraged
Lummi: 2019 Intertribal Canoe Journey.” Protocol. Delamater to join the canoe family. The
The theme of this year’s event was Prior to the Chehalis Canoe Family making skipper steers the canoe and is responsible for
“Traveling the Traditional ways of our its final landing in Lummi, they made many
Ancestors.” On the final day, 112 canoes landed stops along the way to camp and meet with See JOURNEY, page 4

Youth follow ancestors’ path

Rites of Passage encourages for the youth to experience the ways of their
strong connection to river ancestors. Hundreds of years ago, natives
used these waterways as their roads to
travel, hunt, gather and interact with other
From July 10-12 Chehalis tribal youth tribal people.
carried on traditions of their native Before taking the journey down the
ancestors as they participated in the Rites river, Rites of Passage participants visited
of Passage and traveled along the Chehalis Rainbow Falls, which is part of the Chehalis
River inside canoes. Tribal youth and adult chaperones depart from
The Chehalis Tribe felt it was important See YOUTH, page 5 Independence Bridge during the Rites of Passage.