By Corvo Rohwer, Puyallup Tribal News
Puyallup Canoe families joined more than 100 others traveling on their ancestral waterways for the 2026 Paddle to Nisqually.
The Canoe Journey is an annual inter-Tribal event that brings the Coast Salish community together to celebrate tradition through traveling by water. The host Tribe rotates each year, with the Nisqually Tribe graciously taking up the mantle for the 2026 journey.
Canoes that traveled from the Puyallup region include x̌ʷiqʷadiʔ (Thunder Spirit), waxʷilut tubšadad (Wahelut warrior), stəx̌ʷgʷiɫ (Stuck River Canoe) and swaq’səb (Lightning).
“Seeing all of our canoes on the water was just beautiful,” Heritage Division Manager Connie McCloud (sɫupayqʷuʔ) said. “Any time that you try to describe the experience of seeing your kids, your own people on your canoes, it’s so hard to explain that feeling to people. It really is something you have to experience. It touches you.”
Before arriving at their final destination, canoe families were welcomed to Puyallup lands at dxʷłalilali — a place to come ashore — on Thursday, July 30.
McCloud said hosting these landings throughout the journey provides both rest for the canoe families and an opportunity for the local community to share in the experience.
“Many of them had been on the water for weeks, and when they come to our community, it gives our people an opportunity to see the canoes and to be a part of the welcome,” McCloud said.
Reentering the water the very next day, pullers made the last leg of the journey down to Sequalitchew Creek on July 31, where they were greeted by members of the Nisqually Tribe and invited to come ashore.
Canoes arrived in the order of farthest distance traveled, with the Puyallup canoes arriving near the end.
swaq’səb Canoe Family member Roberta Basch said one of her favorite parts of the canoe journey is seeing the youth honor the tradition and learn about their culture on the water.
“The journey helps children grow in many different ways, but most importantly they learn our ancestral ways,” Basch said. “They learn to respect the waters and the tides, they learn songs and dances, and they learn about how to be respectful of other Tribes and the environment.”
With all of the canoes resting on shore, protocol entered full swing on Aug. 1 and lasted through the morning of Aug. 6. Canoe families from all over the Puget Sound region and beyond were given time to share their songs, stories and culture along with gift-giving in traditional potlatch fashion.
Puyallup entered the tent near the end of the protocol, with the floor being led by Puyallup Tribal Member Cecilia Dillon and other youth.
“It was so uplifting to know that my Tribe has so much trust in me to run the floor, to be able to acknowledge every song and talk the way my ancestors taught me,” Dillon said. “It was a big role and I just have so much gratitude.”
Hundreds of people filled the floor as the Puyallup Canoe Families made their entrance, sharing both songs and dances with the attending community.
Language Teacher Cynthia LaPlante also shared her new song titled “Sacred Woman,” which she said brings awareness to domestic violence.
“When bringing the song out, my hope was to allow for myself and for many others who have also experienced that to heal and to bring everyone together,” she said.
As the host Tribe, Nisqually took the floor last on Aug. 6, closing out this year’s canoe journey in a good way. Next year’s journey will be hosted by The Organized Village of Saxman, located at T’èesh Ḵwáan Xagu (Saxman, AK) near Ketchikan, Alaska.
