PORT ANGELES — As each tribal canoe arrived Wednesday at Hollywood Beach, wounds caused by desecration of last year’s canoes were healed a little more.
That’s what Lower Elwha Klallam tribal members said as the 2003 Paddle Journey made an unscheduled visit to the site where drunken conventioneers poured beer in and urinated on unattended Paddle Journey canoes parked overnight last year.
The theme of this year’s Paddle Journey, “Healing through Unity,” was illustrated by tribes agreeing to help Lower Elwha tribal members spiritually cleanse the beach Wednesday.
Tribal officials said the blessing and healing ceremony was needed to recover from incidents like when conventioneers staying at the Red Lion Hotel and other assailants harmed several canoes over two nights of the 2002 Paddle Journey.
The Paddle Journey is a drug- and alcohol-free event meant to promote sobriety and teach tribal youth positive cultural values through connections with elders.
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The rest of the story appears in the Thursday Peninsula Daily News.
