TRIBAL CANOE JOURNEY - NW COAST FIRST NATION CULTURES

The Tribal Canoe Journey is an annual event celebrating the Pacific Northwest Coastal Canoe Cultures in the U. S. and Canada. It is an excellent opportunity to see a wide variety of canoe styles from Indigenous cultures around the Salish Sea and along the Pacific Coast. Nearly 100 canoes and over 1,000 "pullers" make the challenging journey to a host tribe and celebrate during a week of traditional songs and dancing... the public is welcome to attend, but please follow protocol when attending.

In 2009 the Suquamish Tribe (Coast Salish) hosted the 20th anniversary of the Tribal Canoe Journey in their new "House of Awakened Culture" community building. Food, transportation and camping and other facilities were provided for thousands of guests for a full week of protocol. Over 600 members of the Suquamish community volunteered to help on the event. Each year Suquamish hosts a number of canoes that participate in the journey.

Be sure to stop in the new Suquamish Museum and view the 300 year-old canoe and other cultural items on display. http://suquamishmuseum.org

For more information on all the tribes in Washington go to:
http://washingtontribes.org/

Not every year has a canoe journey. For information on this years Tribal Canoe Journey go to:
  / officaltribaljourneys  

For more information on Salish art and culture including how to carve a NW Coast Salish style canoe, go to:
http://jayhawkinstitute.org

Rough handheld footage by Rich Deline, Suquamish Tribal Foundation Trustee.
(206)780-2500
http://execproductions.com