Members of North Olympic Peninsula tribes will abandon many daily conveniences in a few weeks and begin pulling traditional canoes through the region’s waterways to reconnect with their culture.
The 2004 Paddle Journey will take Hoh, Quileute, Makah, Lower Elwha Klallam and Jamestown S’Klallam tribal members to the shores of Kulleet Bay in British Columbia.
During the journey, canoe pullers will battle strong winds, rolling surf, blistering sun, pouring rain and fatigue while paddling through the waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean.
The journey will end Aug. 4 with a ceremonial arrival that could involve 100 canoes carrying tribal members from 60 nations asking Chemainus First Nation officials permission to come ashore.
Some tribes have already started canoe practices, but most are still recruiting pullers and will begin practicing this week.
Although area canoe skippers have not set specific arrival and departure times, most tribal members participating in the drug- and alcohol-free journey will begin their trek between July 20 and July 28.
Port Townsend stop
Preliminary schedules show about 17 canoes from mostly Puget Sound-based tribes arriving in Port Townsend on July 25.
The Port Townsend stop is the only non-tribal landing on the journey and, as in past years, will be in honor of Makah tribal elder Mary Greene-McQuillen, who has lived in Port Townsend for several years.
Canoes will arrive on the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe’s Jamestown Beach, northeast of Sequim, on July 26, and Hollywood Beach in Port Angeles on July 27 where the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe will welcome Paddle Journey participants.
