“Tribal Journey, Part 5: The Village Welcome” SAMAQAN Season 3 Episode 36

After a day's paddling, canoe families need to come ashore to rest and rejuvenate. “The Village Welcome” shows welcoming ceremonies at several landings. For the 14 canoes that left Beecher Bay on southern Vancouver Island July 17, 2012 and landed at Port Angeles, Washington, this was part of their tribal journey to Squaxin. There they are welcomed by Charlene Krise of the Squaxin Host Nation who came to meet them along the way. She speaks of the inspiration the arrival of canoe families brings to their people. A ceremonial greeting requesting permission to come ashore is delivered and the response inviting the visiting paddlers responds. Children are often involved in this process of requesting permission to land and welcoming ashore, learning to do so in their traditional languages. The Nala Winds canoe family is close to the end of a very long journey from Bella Bella. Frank Brown expresses gratitude for the warm hospitality of the Nisqually First Nation east of Olympia and is pleased to have the Squaxin people meet them there. The Squaxin, also known as People of the Water, possess the local knowledge that will help guide the Nala Winds canoe family through the intricate passageways to the port of Olympia, the traditional shoreline of the Squaxin Nation.

This documentary from “SAMAQAN: Water Stories” Series 3, looks deeper at water's role in culture, spirituality and life itself for North America's First Nations people.

Directed by: Marianne Jones, Jeff Bear
Produced by: Marianne Jones, Kristy Assu, Jeff Bear