Page 2 - Chehalis Tribal Newsletter - July - August 2023

2

JOURNEY
From page 1
canoe family reached the next stop
at Port Gamble S’Klallam. The
canoe suffered damage and needed
to be fixed before it was safe to take
out on the water from Port Gamble
to Suquamish. In Suquamish,
canoes that were traveling from
up north on Puget Sound joined.
Members of the tribal community
welcomed and hosted hundreds of
people for two days.
The Chehalis Canoe Family
had repair work done to Tulaap in
Suquamish, which enabled them
to make the final leg of the 2023
Canoe Journey and land at Alki
Beach in Seattle. Historically, this
location is part of the homelands
of the Duwamish tribal people.
The site was selected as the final
landing destination to honor the
long history of Native American
people on traditional lands.
More than 100 canoes arrived
at the beach on the sunny
afternoon on July 30. Each canoe
that pulled in asked Muckleshoot
cultural leaders for permission to
come ashore and tie their canoes,
signifying completion of the
journey.
This year’s voyage brought
a generational shift as part of
the canoe family were first-
time pullers. Deidra Hawks has
participated in the ceremonial
event since she was a child. This
year, she led the group as skipper
of Tulaap for the final leg as they Photos by Frazier Myer and Christina Hicks
paddled toward Alki Beach. The Chehalis Tribal Canoe Family presented songs and dances at the final protocol of the Paddle to Muckleshoot.

Above: Thousands of people were in attendance on Alki Beach in Seattle to watch more than
100 canoes complete the final paddle of the 2023 Canoe Journey. Right: Chehalis Tribe Chairman
Dustin Klatush watched as the Chehalis Canoe Family pulled in to the beach.