Darrington’s Sauk-Suiattle Tribe welcomes first dugout canoe in generations

Published 12:01 am Friday, September 23, 2011

DARRINGTON — For the first time in generations, the Sauk-Suiattle Tribe has a new shovel-nose dugout river canoe.

The cedar canoe was delivered to the tribe Sept. 17 by Lummi tribal artist and Salish cultural scholar Felix Solomon, who had been commissioned to carve the canoe.

A dozen tribal members unloaded the 30-foot canoe from Solomon’s trailer and displayed it in the tribe’s longhouse. Tribal elders and cultural directors spoke about the importance of the canoe. The tribe honored those who helped carve it as well as those who helped raise the money to pay for the commission.

Shovel-nose canoes were the pickup trucks of the Salish river people, used for hunting, fishing and foraging, for hauling goods and family travel. The Sauk-Suiattle’s new canoe was carved from an ancient cedar log found in the Stillaguamish River watershed.

The log weighed thousands of pounds. The canoe that emerged weighs about 400 pounds, with its 1-inch-thick sides and 2-inch-thick flat bottom.

Tribal members gathered at Solomon’s studio in July to witness and participate in the all-day steaming of the canoe. Red-hot steel from a fire was placed in water poured into the belly of the vessel. As the canoe’s sides relaxed in the steam and it took on its current shape, tribal elders prayed and sang.

On hand were cultural director Norma Joseph, Nancy DeCoteau and carver Kevin Lenon, who helped create the eight-man canoe. Sauk-Suiattle Chairwoman Janice Mabee said the steaming ceremony was especially spiritual.

“It was very moving. The canoe is important to us because it will help us revive old traditions,” Mabee said. “Our grandfathers used shovel-nose canoes to travel on the rivers and we have longed to have another to show our children.”

Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.