Pulling Together

A breezy day, and several indigenous canoes glided quietly and steadily by, well off shore. This is not a race, but a cooperative journey to showcase and honour the traditional, pre-colonial, method of transportation along the entire coast from Alaska to at least Washington State. Journeys were taken in pursuit of food, for social reasons, and for trade. It is thought they may have even travelled, or been capable of traveling, as far as Hawaii.

This canoe is over 10 meters long. (Some were over 25 meters and could hold over 50 people).

It is most likely carved from one cedar log.

The sides are carved with traditional symbols of the nation’s story.

Each paddler wields a traditional paddle, and it may also be carved with his or her family history.

They most likely began their day in Canada, about ten kilometers away and are now about to cross Boundary Bay which is at least 15 more kilometers.

Most importantly, they are ‘pulling together’, which is also the name of their journey. The paddlers, and their ancestors, realize what all good teams and team players learn, that it is much more efficient to paddle at the same time, in unison, than for each to paddle at his own rate.

With their combination of canoe design and paddling effectiveness, the canoes were soon gone from view.