Lopez Welcomes Canoe Journey 2018

Let's Celebrate the Tribal Canoe Journey of 2018! 

On July 21st, canoes traveling southbound from British Columbia will stopover at Odlin Park en route to Puyallup, this year's Canoe Journey destination.

The Lopez community is honored to host the canoe families again this year.  We recognize the historical and ongoing relationship the Coast Salish tribes have with the San Juan islands and the Salish Sea and respect this opportunity to feast and celebrate the return of the canoes.

As it is for the Canoe Families all along their 6 week journey, the hosting community welcomes the travelers - offering dinner, a place to rest and a hearty breakfast before they paddle onward. After dinner, there is "Protocol" when individual canoe families offer story, song and dance. All are welcome!!   Bring a dish to the potluck, enjoy late evening Protocol on July 21st  and send the canoes off with our well wishes the morning of July 22! 

Financial contributions are needed to help pay for food, infrastructure and, per tradition, gifts for elders and canoe skippers.  Funds will go to a Lopez bank account to support the Lopez canoe journey this year and onward.

If you are interested in making a tax-deductible donation, please send that donation to the Friends of the San Juans. https://sanjuans.z2systems.com/np/clients/sanjuans/donation.jsp  (label your donation as "Lopez Canoe Journey" in the comment box.)

To learn more about the history and traditions of the Tribal canoe journeys, come to the presentation by Sam Barr on Wednesday, June 20th at the Lopez Community Center. Sam is a Lopezian, a Samish tribal member and a canoe skipper for the  Stillaguamish tribe. He will share information about Tribal Canoe Journeys and discuss the importance of canoes as a vessel of cultural revitalization within Coast Salish communities.  

For questions about volunteering, please contact Kai Sanburn: [email redacted] or call at [phone redacted].

Thank you for your generous support!

Lopez Friends of the Canoe Journey

photo courtesy of Meg Partridge