COUNTY TO HONOR THE COAST SALISH PEOPLES, ITS FIRST INHABITANTS

Coast Salish Day this year will be held Saturday, July 18th from 11 am to 5 pm at Boulevard Park in Fairhaven. An added feature will be a shuttle service to the park from 8th and Harris, from 10:30 am to 5 pm.

The festivities are a preliminary to the annual Tribal Canoe Journey and will honor all the Coast Salish peoples, the original residents of this county. The destination for the Canoe Journey this year is the Suquamish Nation at Kingston, Washington. (Aug 3-8). 

Festivities start at 11 am followed about 11:15 by the presentation of the colors by Lummi and Nooksack tribal veterans. They will be accompanied by West Shore Canoe family drums and honoring songs.  At 11:30, Marylin Bard, daughter of Canoe Journey founder Emmett Oliver, will tell the history of the Canoe Journey.  At 11:45, the proclamation honoring the first inhabitants of this land and these waters will be read.

At noon at least 5 tribal canoes will land their hand-carved cedar traveling canoes at the park.  Participating tribal canoes are coming from Nooksack, Lummi, Samish and Swinomish Nations.  Following traditional protocol, the canoe pullers will ask permission to come ashore, followed by the responding invitation to join the festivities.  Later, each canoe family will share their exclusive songs and dances.

Ongoing activities will include: Native art, food vendors, information booths, slahal (bone game) demonstrations, storytelling, and canoe rides.  Opportunities to experience pulling (paddling) one of the attending canoes will be a fundraiser for all canoe families traveling the 2009 Journey to Suquamish.

This is the 3rd annual event to honor the first inhabitants of this land and these waters.  It is an opportunity to bring our communities together to learn, share, honor one another and respect this land and these waters.

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