State park visitors bask in the tides of Salish history

Local history literally morphed into a current event at nearby Bowman Bay on Saturday.

Visitors enjoying a rare free admission day to Deception Pass State Park plied bay waters aboard traditional-style dugout canoes – Puget Sound’s original form of mass transit – as part of the 10th annual Salish Sea Native American Cultural Celebration.

The all-day gathering featured an array of singers, drummers, storytellers, and cedar crafters, all of whom helped weave together the unique fabric that is the rich maritime heritage defining Samish and Swinomish tribal histories.

A fundraiser salmon and fry bread luncheon for area canoe families was also among the more popular features.

Those families have pulled canoes each summer since the famed “Paddle to Seattle” that helped commemorate Washington state’s Centennial in 1989.

This summer’s canoe journey is being billed as one of “short strokes,” with several regional events being staged in lieu of one major destination.

Canoes were vital modes of trade and transportation for Salish tribes prior to settlement by non-native pioneers.

On Saturday, they took the form of waterborne recreational vehicles — ones able to connect for their passengers the past and present as naturally as rising and falling tides.

And, in case any gaps did emerge in the sharing of local history, those were eagerly filled by event volunteers and organizers, many of whom were responsible for lining up necessary gear and equipment for the day’s activities.

“I have my fun by teaching and learning,” explained Rosie Cayou, a fixture at the celebration. She grew up at Swinomish and now resides on Guemes Island near Anacortes.

Cayou’s mission is to help assure the younger generation is well versed in Salish customs and achievements, that time-honored values don’t get deleted in a society increasingly governed by technology.

“I tell my children,” she explained, “that they must respect and love all their ancestral lineage, because our ancestors are our guides.”