Lummi Nation master carver Felix Solomon has been studying traditional canoes for several years. When a 300-year-old cedar tree, buried for the last 100 years, was uncovered in the Stillaguamish watershed, the Stillaguamish Tribe asked him to carve a shovel-nose river canoe for them.

During the 6-month, 6-day process, Solomon taught Stillaguamish tribal members, including Chairman Shawn Yanity and assistant fisheries manager Jeff Tatro, the art of carving.

The Stillaguamish Tribe debuted the canoe during its First Salmon Ceremony in July 2010. Yanity and Tatro paddled the canoe into the Stillaguamish River to return the remains of the first salmon to the water.

View photos of the carving process on NWIFC’s Flickr feed or Facebook page.