Coast Salish tribes will gather Saturday at Boulevard Park in Bellingham, ahead of the Tribal Canoe Journey.
The public is invited to the Coast Salish Day celebration, which begins at 11 a.m., with canoes scheduled to land at noon. Activities include native art, the traditional bone game slahal, canoe rides and food vendors. (more…)
The Bellingham Herald covered the Lummi Nation’s First Salmon Ceremony:
About 600 Lummi Indian Tribe members and guests gathered Thursday, May 14, at Lummi Nation School to celebrate the arrival of the first salmon – a celebration marked by both hope and fear for the future of the fish that defines tribal identity.
“When I was a young boy, I heard my grandfather say, when he was eating a salmon, ‘This is good medicine,'” said Merle Jefferson, the tribe’s natural resources director.
The First Salmon Ceremony is a key cultural observance for the Lummi and other Coast Salish tribes. For generations, the tribes have conducted these ceremonies to honor the salmon and assure their return. (more…)
During this summer’s annual Canoe Journey, Northwest tribes plan to blend modern science with traditional ways, by collecting water quality data from their canoes. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is…
This week, American Indian and Canadian First Nations leaders will hold talks in their own way: with stories, songs and bits of the rejuvenated Coast Salish languages.
The Tulalip Tribes are hosting the third annual Coast Salish Gathering, which brings together leaders of Coast Salish tribes, a region that stretches from north of Bella Coola, B.C., to as far south as Tillamook, Ore. Hundreds of leaders from the region have gathered in past years, and as many are expected to participate in this year’s gathering.