Tribal Journey Diaries - Part 3: A New Record

July 17th – Shell Beach to Cowichan Bay

Our pull from Shell Beach to Cowichan was a sunny day filled with emotions. Our children really filled themselves with goodness as we left Stz’uminus; it helped carry us across the ocean on a very positive note. The sun, the wind, the energy and a group of hard working kids pulling together made for a special day. Hearing prayer songs, celebratory songs and songs of pride, as kids paddled it filled the atmosphere with love, enthusiasm and determination. We also saw the kids pushing themselves into beating their power pull record of 60.... they pulled 114 strokes in a row. A great sense of encouragement and honor in what can happen when everyone puts their hearts and minds together as one.

During protocol our children lead the songs: they embody courage and bravery by performing in front of an even larger crowd, and after following the Tzinquaw Dance Group from Cowichan. We invited all of the attendees to sing with us which truly instils the Tribal Journey spirit and the sense of belonging for not only our children but everyone in attendance.

As the days get longer, the sun gets hotter and our family grows even stronger we embark on a journey of a lifetime. Really encouraging a handful of new kids and adults into the fold for their first ever canoe voyage, protocol performances, and how the essence of this trip brings out the best in each and every one of us. We look forward to the challenges, the ups and downs, and everything a healing journey like this has to offer. We are truly humbled and thankful our ancestors paved the ancient highway with so many blessings and hidden mysteries for us to discover, at the same time shaping who we are and enhancing our relationship with the world around us.