BRINNON — The first contingent of canoes participating in the annual Tribal Canoe Journey to reach a North Olympic Peninsula beach is expected to arrive in Brinnon on Monday.
Pullers from the Quinault and Skonomish tribes, canoeing north on Hood Canal, are expected to arrive between noon and 3 p.m. at Hjelvik’s Beach beach, said Joe Baisch of the North Hood Canal Chamber of Commerce.
The pullers will share a traditional potlatch of clam chowder, salad, bread and berry pie at Brinnon School between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Residents of Brinnon and Quilcene are invited.
The pullers then will camp overnight at Dosewallips State Park, then continue their journey north up Hood Canal, joining other canoes at Port Gamble on Tuesday and Port Townsend on Wednesday.
Earlier report
By Rob Ollikainen
Peninsula Daily News
NEAH BAY — In just 10 days, Neah Bay will take center stage as the Makah tribe plays host to the annual Tribal Canoe Journey.
Pullers (as they are called, not paddlers) from more than 50 Western Washington and Canadian tribes will ask permission to land on Makah shores on Monday, July 19, to kick off a six-day protocol that will feature daily tribal dances.
“I think the whole town is excited,” Tribal Chairman Michael Lawrence said.
“We’ve got our own unique challenges because of our location, but we’re excited and I think we’re up for the challenge.”
Beginning Wednesday, North Olympic Peninsula residents can thrill to seeing the canoes land on local beaches as the pullers work their way to Neah Bay.
It’s like a scene from the 1800s — the canoes and pullers usually arrive around 2 p.m. or 3 p.m., decorated in tribal themes, and will ask formal permission of the local tribe to land.
The canoes will be hauled up onto the beach, and the area will vibrate with drums and songs.
Polly DeBari of Neah Bay, who has been a puller in Tribal Journeys since 1999, said the canoe landings and protocol dances are “still moving and pretty spiritual for us” no matter how many times you’ve seen it.
“They call it a journey for a reason,” DeBari said.
“Once you get the end destination, there’s a big, huge explosion of joy and happiness. Everybody comes together as one.”
Tribal Journey Coordinator Crystal Denney said the Makah is planning for more than 10,000 guests. Neah Bay’s population is less than 1,000.
“The level of excitement builds every day,” Denney said.
“We’re really working extra hard and extra long hours to make sure our people are ready for this huge, historical event.”
Tribal Journeys are basically a huge family reunion, camp-out, arts fair and cultural celebration wrapped into one. Dancing, drumming and singing performances will be held daily at a centralized event tent on the Neah Bay High School football field.
Pullers from some tribes and bands have already embarked on their canoe voyages.
A leg that started Saturday at Kayukth on the west side of Vancouver Island is working its way south, making stops with Canadian First Nations until it reaches the Songhees Band in Victoria on Thursday.
That segment will join a leg that started at Campbell River on the east side of Vancouver Island.
The assembled group will cross the Strait of Juan de Fuca together on Friday.
The Canadian bands will land at Hollywood Beach in Port Angeles, where they will ask the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe for permission to land.
Because of the unpredictability of pulling, weather and currents, times of arrival are estiamated, but most arrivals will be in the midafternoon or later.
Elsewhere, other journey segments start at Squamish on the British Columbia mainland today, and one at Squaxin in south Puget Sound started Wednesday.
The inland water routes will merge at Suquamish on Tuesday and land at Port Townsend on Wednesday.
An indigenous Ainu community from Japan will join the Suquamish and Tulalip tribes from Suquamish.
The Jamestown S’Klallam tribe will host the canoes at Jamestown Beach near Sequim on Thursday.
Another leg of the journey will start at the Quinault reservation on the South Olympic Peninsula on Monday.
The Pacific Ocean tribes are scheduled to land at the Hoh River on Tuesday and the Quileute reservation at LaPush on Wednesday.
The coastal tribes will stay in LaPush until July 18 and land in Neah Bay with the rest of the tribes and bands on July 19, according to a schedule provided by the Makah.
The Lower Elwha Klallam tribe hosted the Tribal Canoe Journey in 2005. It was the only other time that a reservation on the North Olympic Peninsula has been the final destination.
“It’s almost like we’re hosting all over again,” said Frances Charles, Lower Elwha Klallam tribal chairwoman, referring to the large number of canoe families that will converge on Port Angeles on Friday.
The Lower Elwha plan a dinner for the families on July 16 and a breakfast on the 17th at the tribal center west of Port Angeles.
“We’re hoping and praying that we’ll have good weather,” Charles said.
“Everybody’s getting excited.”
Charles said the canoe landings and protocol dances are inspiring to watch.
“You really see the pride come out,” Charles said.
From the Elwha, the weary pullers will head to Pillar Point before a final push into Neah Bay.
When asked about the experience as a puller, DeBari said the Tribal Journey is especially grueling for the first few days.
It gets easier, she said, as the muscles build up. Most teams practice for weeks before the journey.
Six Makah canoes will be on hand to great the other tribes as they arrive at Neah Bay.
“You can feel the energy in the air,” said April LaChaster, a receptionist at the Makah Tribal Center.
“It’s a very historical event for the Makah tribe.”
Years later, reminders of the “Journey to Makah 2010” will be evident in Neah Bay’s infrastructure, Denney said.
In addition to clearing and cleaning more than two dozen vacant lots for parking and camping space, the Makah have added two beach access ramps, expanded a viewing deck at the senior citizens center and enlarged the main dance platform used during Makah Days.
Makah Days is held on the last weekend of August.
“These are lasting improvements to our village,” Denney said.
“It’s bringing our village to a place that can live up to the beauty that it’s known for.”
DeBari, who will host five Tulalip canoe families in her yard, said it’s hard to predict how many canoes and people will attend. About 85 canoes landed at Suquamish for last year’s event, she said.
The fact that Neah Bay is so isolated may deter some tribal families from making the trip.
On the other hand, the Makah have a good reputation throughout the region, DeBari said, which may bump up the numbers.
“Over the years, many of the canoe families have been waiting for the Makah host it,” DeBari said.
“They like to hear our songs and like to see our dances. They respect the Makah.”
Nightly dinners and continental breakfasts will be served at the main tent.
The event will culminate with the Makah protocol either July 23 or July 24, depending on how many performances precede it.
Skippers, pullers, and tribal families will camp on fields and lots in and around Neah Bay. Some families will stay with Makah hosts.
Cabins have been reserved for tribal elders and other VIPs. The Makah Tribal Center and Hobuck Beach will serve as the main camping facilities.
Motels in Neah Bay and Clallam Bay have been booked since February, Denney said.
The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, State Patrol, U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard are among the outside agencies that will help the Makah.
“We’ve also been able to coordinate with different tribal police departments,” Denney said.
Clallam County commissioners last month approved a Makah request for three public health employees — two from environmental health and one from public health — to cover the Tribal Journey.
Denney described a building excitement and sense of anticipation as the event draws near.
“It’s really to reinvigorate an already active and strong culture,” Denney said.
“This will solidify our culture even more.”
After it was announced in 2005 that the Makah would host this year’s Tribal Journey, the tribe formed an executive committee and five subcommittees that focus on a specific tasks.
Last year, Makah officials observed the 2009 Tribal Journey in Suquamish.
That experience, combined with the Lower Elwha’s input about hosting in 2005, gave the Makah an idea of what to expect.
“You can plan until you’re blue in face, but there’s always something that comes up unexpectedly,” Denney said.
“I’m very confident we’ll be able to react to anything that comes up.
Active planning began in earnest last September.
In March, monthly meetings of the executive committee became twice-monthly meetings.
Those meetings became weekly in May, and daily last week.
“I believe the executive committee has the flexibility to make those on-the-spot adjustments,” Denney said.
“I’m very confident that this is going to be a huge success.
Volunteers needed
The Makah have about 350 volunteers in place and 95 employees dedicated to Tribal Journey.
But there is a need for 200 more volunteers, Denney said.
She and Charles said volunteers play a big role in the making the canoe journeys a success.
To help Makah host the Tribal Journey, phone the tribal center at 360-645-2201. More information is available at www.makah.com.
To volunteer during the Lower Elwha stopover from July 16 to 17, phone the tribal center at 452-8471.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
