As the Canoe Journey nears and the First Peoples of the coastal Salish Sea convene upon the South Sound, it seems a good time to reflect and remember the people who paddled these waters for many hundreds of years, long before Captain Vancouver and Peter Puget ever explored them. They paddled when Western time didn't exist and their understanding of tides, currents, and weather were an innate part of their lives and culture. Such a close connection with the natural world seems difficult to imagine in today's hurried world.
Chief Leschi was a Nisqually chief who refused to sign the Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854 because he felt it unfair to his people and would limit access to the lands they relied on for their existence. Conflict and war were the result. Later, he was tried for the murder of a soldier and hung for his crimes. A year later, a different treaty was signed. Almost one hundred and fifty years later, Chief Leschi was exonerated in court for the murder.
The Washington State Capital Museum has a paddle that once belonged to Chief Leschi on temporary display.
They are also hosting a viewing of Canoe Way: The Sacred Journey, a documentary about the Canoe Journeys, Tuesday, July 17th at 6PM.
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