PADDLE JOURNEYS

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HISTORY PERSPECTIVE: On the Canoe Re-Sergence phenomenon.... The return of traditional ocean-going canoe travels emerged in 1989 when nine traditional cedar dug-out, canoes made their journey to the Port of Seattle.

"PADDLE TO SEATTLE" Emmet Oliver (of Washington State), Frank Brown (Bella Bella, B.C.) and others conceptionalized the idea, timing it with Washington State Centennial Celebration. This historic event, also known as the "PADDLE TO SEATTLE", involved canoes paddling from Tribal Communities of Northwest Washington, and one (Frank Brown's canoe) coming from the northern coastal village of Bella Bella, B.C., Canada

COASTAL CULTURE COMEBACK The Paddle To Seattle event in 1989 sparked new interest in learning and living the Coastal Culture among the Washington Tribes, many of whom had not practiced Canoe Society traditions for numbers of years.

LOGISTICS OF A CANOE JOURNEY Typically a canoe will have from 8 to 14 "pullers", and ideally has a few alternates to trade off. Some larger canoes will have a crew of 20 and more. Each Canoe Journey can take from 2 to 4 weeks (or more), depending on the distance each canoe has to paddle. For Example ....

Paddle To Bella Bella - 1993 In 1993 Washington Coast canoes and B.C. canoes paddled to Bella Bella, B.C. in a historic journey. This was in response to the challenge put forth by Frank Brown in 1989 in Seattle, to come to Bella Bella in four years time. More than thiry Native canoes traveled to Bella Bella. Close to three thousand people gathered at Bella Bella for the three days of the "Qa'tuw'as Festival". This is the first time in known history that all these tribes have gathered in peace. Many Canoes went to Bella Bella, but only two paddled the full distance from Washington State to Bella Bella and all the way back again. The journey for those two canoes spanned two months, and cover a distance of about 1300 miles. One of these canoes was the Elwha Warrior, from Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Port Angeles, skippered by Alfred Charles. And the second was affectionately dubbed the "International Canoe" based in LaPush, and skippered by Tom Jackson. Those who "made the journey" will never forget. It was very powerful to the human spirit.