Local tribes will begin pulling their cedar canoes through the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Pacific Ocean in late July to reach the end of the 2004 Paddle Journey to Kulleet Bay in British Columbia on Aug. 4.
Originally the Paddle Journey was scheduled to be hosted by the Tsawataineuk First Nation on Vancouver Island, but was switched to the Chemainus First Nation’s Kulleet Bay earlier this year.
Tribal members from the Jamestown S’Klallam, Lower Elwha Klallam, Quileute, Hoh and Makah tribes are planning to join the journey.
But the dates and routes for canoe arrivals and departures have not been set.
Lower Elwha Klallam Canoe Skipper Phil Charles Jr. said officials still are deciding when canoes will depart Port Angeles.
He estimated if the Elwha canoes leave by July 27 or 28 it would allow enough time to paddle and stop at various First Nations lands before arriving in Kulleet Bay.
This year’s journey will take thousands of tribal members from the Northwest to the shores of Chemainus First Nation territory, just south of Nanaimo, British Columbia.
The journey will end Aug. 4 with a ceremonial landing, which could include 100 canoes from more than 60 tribal nations asking permission to come ashore.
Four days of festivities will follow — with a ceremonial canoe landing on Aug. 6 at Transfer Beach to commemorate the city of Ladysmith’s 100th anniversary.
The annual Paddle Journey is a drug-and-alcohol-free adventure in which thousands of Pacific Northwest tribes paddle canoes hundreds of miles to reconnect with their culture.
One major goal of the journey is for youth to learn traditions from elders.
