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 […]
The Daily Herald reports on the first canoe being carved for the Stillaguamish Tribe in what is believed to be about 100 years. When the Stillaguamish Tribe suffered its diaspora before the turn of the last century, much was lost. With no land to call their own after the Homestead Act and lacking federal recognition […]
The Stillaguamish Tribe will have its first Salmon Ceremony in at least 25 years on July 25. The ceremony marks the first time the tribe has had a ceremonial and subsistence chinook fishery since 1985. The Daily Herald: Even when other tribes continued welcoming the fish that are at the center of Coast Salish culture, […]
[display_podcast] The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community held its annual Blessing of the Fleet and First Salmon Ceremony on Thursday. The celebration, marking the beginning of the fishing season, honors and protects the tribe’s fishing fleet. After a seafood feast of salmon, halibut, crab, prawns, mussels and clams, representatives from the Catholic, Shaker and Pentacostal faiths […]
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 […]
The Skagit Valley Herald covered the Swinomish Tribe’s Blessing of the Fleet
The Olympian: More than 500 people stood on the pebbly beach, but thumping drums and ancient songs were the only sounds as four Squaxin Island tribal members carried one coin-bright chinook on a fern-draped cedar plate. A tribal member eased the ferns out of the way and gently cut two bright-orange fillets out of the […]
The (Everett) Herald has a story about the Tulalip Salmon Ceremony, and notes that the chinook run already has arrived: This Saturday, Tulalip tribal members will welcome Big Chief King Salmon, the symbolic first salmon of the season, with great pageantry. Every year, tribal members welcome the salmon – a message to all the fish […]
The Bellingham Herald covered the Lummi First Salmon Ceremony: LUMMI RESERVATION — About 300 members of Lummi Nation and their guests gathered Wednesday at Wex li em community building for the annual First Salmon Ceremony, a timehonored ritual that pays homage to the tribe’s traditional source of sustenance while giving thanks for it.
Especially this part that focusses on Jones’ efforts to revive their First Salmon Ceremony and habitat restoration: The tribal chairman also is credited with helping to revive Tulalip ceremonies and traditions. Following the Boldt decision in 1974, which awarded Washington tribes half of the state salmon catch, the Tulalips gathered some of their elders to […]
