Thursday, October 1, 2026
The 2026 Paddle to Nisqually Medicine Creek Potlatch Canoe Journey got underway with a ceremonial landing at the beaches along the Sequalitchew Creek Trail in DuPont on Friday, July 31.
The canoe journey continues an inter-tribal celebration and gathering of Pacific Northwest Indigenous nations.
“I think personally to me, especially in my leadership position, means that there is so much hope in the prosperity of the cultures that we carry from ancestral times. What that means is bringing all of our tribes together for a time where we forget about everything else," said Cheebo Frazier, who is Vice Chairwoman of the Nisqually Indian Tribe.
"We’re just thinking about this connection. We’re thinking about the power and the medicine in being on the water and being on the land and sharing this food together. So to me it’s like a spiritual elevation for our people."
The Nisqually Indian Tribe are hosting this year’s journey, which features approximately 96 canoe families from all over the Pacific Northwest.
The Ahousaht First Nation made the longest journey to take part in the ceremonial landing, coming from the outskirts of Vancouver Island. They left the area on July 13.
Before participating, canoe families reached the ceremonial landing point in DuPont, then made a soft landing stop at Sunnyside Beach in Steilacoom, where they received food and water from local volunteers and members of the Steilacoom Tribe.
“This is the first time in 30 years that the canoes have returned to our area, Sunnyside Beach in Steilacoom. We hosted them in 1996. It means a lot to us in the tribe,” said Ken Dittbenner, who is Vice Chairman of the Steilacoom Tribe.
Members of the public watched as canoe families came to shore and were greeted by Steilacoom tribal members. The Steilacoom members placed a wreath made from cedar boughs in front of the canoe. The wreath is a blessing for safety on the water and good medicine.
“It’s just an incredible day. I just immediately go back to what it might’ve been like 150 years ago when they were doing these potlatches and ceremonies. The historical basis and just how lovely it is,” said Laurel Spelman, who lives in Seattle.
The canoes are made out of hollowed out logs. The canoe design features high sides and ends to help keep vessels from taking on water in rough seas. Canoe length and style varies from tribe to tribe.
Family members in the canoe are more commonly referred to as canoe pullers. Pulling is the preferred term because of the pulling motion on the paddle where you push your top hand forward and pull your bottom hand back on the canoe paddle.
“Having to pull when you have no extra pullers, when it’s a long pull. That is one of the most challenging things is when we don’t have enough pullers to switch out the other pullers to give us a rest. That takes up more of our time trying to get to our next destination,” said Aliyah Choke, a Nisqually canoe family member.
Choke was the lead puller in her canoe during the journey, and her tribe traveled from Suquamish this year.
The Canoe families departed Sunnyside Beach and headed to the ceremonial landing at Sequalitchew Creek. Support boats were on the water to help guide the canoes toward each landing point. Furthermore, they provided food and water to the pullers and made sure that the waters were safe for traveling.
At the ceremonial landing point in DuPont, spectators watched as canoe families asked members of the Nisqually Indian Tribe permission to come ashore on their land.
Once permission was granted, the participating canoe families pulled to Solo Point where trailers took their canoes up to the Nisqually reservation. Shuttles picked up the canoe families and brought them to a campsite on the Nisqually Reservation.
Protocol activities
Protocol activities consist of tribes sharing gifts, songs, dances, traditional prayers and food with each other.
Protocol days run through Wednesday, Aug. 5, on Nisqually Property along Billy Frank Jr. Boulevard at Nisqually Indian Reservation.
The activities are open to the public and will run from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Public parking will be available. Click here for more information.
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