Dozens of tribal canoes — including those from the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, above, and the Puyallap Tribe, left center — were arriving at Alki Beach in Seattle as part of an annual Native American celebration. Members of the Muckleshoot Tribe, wearing traditional woven cedar bark hats, greeted the boats Wednesday as part of the 2016 Paddle to Nisqually.
Last year was the first time since 1993 that there wasn’t a Puget Sound tribal journey, which attracts Native American peoples from as far as Alaska and Canada.
For the journeys, tribes throughout the Northwest gather a team of pullers. They leave their own shores in canoes and visit other tribal lands as they make their way to the host tribe’s land.
On Saturday, canoes were expected to arrive at the Port of Olympia landing, where they will be greeted by members of the Nisqually Tribe.
