AIS is proud to support the new UW Canoe Family, č̓away̓altxʷ ʔiišəd (translated to Shell House Family from Lushootseed), a name gifted to the Canoe Family by AIS Professor, Tami Hohn (Puyallup). This summer marked the first Canoe Journey č̓away̓altxʷ ʔiišəd travelled on.
This Journey was embarked on with great care. The Canoe Family met throughout the year to prepare every aspect, from carving paddles with CAIIS’s Native knowledge-in-residence coordinator Philip Red Eagle (Dakota/Salish), pulling practice in the Willapa Spirit Honor Canoe on Lake Washington, gift making for traditional giveaway, and protocol practices sharing songs and stories from multiple tribes.
Canoe Journey 2023 was Paddle to Muckleshoot, Honoring our Warriors Past and Present. č̓away̓altxʷ ʔiišəd travelled up to Tulalip Tribes to start the Journey from Tulalip Bay. Pulling to Suquamish was the first official pull where the landing was met with tears of joy and celebration for safely reaching the destination. Suquamish Tribe generously hosted for two nights with endless food and protocol shared from tribes who travelled from as far as Alaska.
The morning of July 29, 2023, Marylin Oliver-Bard gifted the Oliver family canoe to č̓away̓altxʷ ʔiišəd in a traditional gifting ceremony, witnessed by Nigel Lawrence (Suquamish), Nicole Kuhn (Haida), and Nancy Jo Bob (Lummi).
Final landing on Journey was at Alki where the canoes were met by Muckleshoot Tribe before traveling to Muckleshoot for a week of final protocol. č̓away̓altxʷ ʔiišəd had one final pull back to the ASUW Shell House where President Ana Mari Cause generously offered for Willapa Spirit to be housed and call home since 2018.
If you are interested in learning more about Canoe Journey 2023, or the UW Canoe Family, č̓away̓altxʷ ʔiišəd, check out the article that covered this year’s Journey. č̓away̓altxʷ ʔiišəd is made up of UW students, faculty, staff, alums, elders and community members.
If you are interested in joining, check out one of the weekly meetings: Tuesdays from 5-6pm in CHL 160.