Canoe stolen decades ago returned to Stillaguamish Tribe

STANWOOD — The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians welcomed Grandmother with stories, drumming and singing.

The family title doesn’t refer to a person. On Monday, the tribe celebrated a reunion with a piece of its history, a 28-foot dugout canoe carved more than a century ago from a cedar tree.

“This is a big thing for us to bring home our heritage and our history,” Tribal Chairman and Fisheries Manager Shawn Yanity said. “Some of these artifacts are really rare. Today, we are able to bring our grandmother home.”

For 23 years the shovel-nose canoe has been in storage alongside antique cars and a horse-drawn buggy in a garage at the Stanwood Area History Museum. A few years ago the Stanwood Area Historical Society was considering using the canoe as a centerpiece for a display when one member’s research led them to a startling conclusion.

The canoe had been stolen off the Stillaguamish River in the 1960s. It rightfully belonged to the Stillaguamish Tribe.

Stories vary on what happened with the canoe 50 years ago. The historical society originally was told it had been salvaged from a muddy riverbank, then that it had been stolen while left unattended on the river. A flood also may have washed the canoe away before someone stumbled across it and took it home.

The canoe ended up on display at a Camano Island home. The historical society bought it at an estate sale there in 1992. They settled it into the garage, a cool, dry place where it would remain undamaged until they decided how best to display it.

Penny Buse is the board member who started researching the canoe and told the rest of the board it likely had been stolen. They voted unanimously to return it.

“We had to give it back,” Buse said. “None of the big museums would do this, but we live here and we felt it was the right thing to do.”

After a short ceremony Monday afternoon, Stillaguamish Tribe members carefully fastened the canoe to a trailer using boards, ties and cushions. They plan to restore the canoe before moving it into a new administration office currently under construction at 3404 236th St. NE in Arlington. The building is expected to open in January and the canoe will be put on display in a place of honor, said Tracey Boser, archives specialist with the tribe’s cultural resources department. She and daughter Tara Boser, the cultural resources director, worked closely with Buse and the historical society to bring the canoe home.

The canoe appears to have been made in the mid 1800s, she said, and “we believe it was in use up through the 1950s because of the repair work and some of the resins that have been used.”

Canoes are a vital piece of the Tribe’s heritage. The Stillaguamish always have been river-faring people. The water, the land and the salmon are part of their culture, Yanity said. The canoe was carved from a tree on the land and then used to fish and maneuver the rivers.

“Our culture is the trees, our culture is the land,” Yanity said. “Our culture sustains all of us. A lot of people don’t realize that by taking these gifts in, there are teachings in this canoe.”

Gail Ryer, president of the Stanwood Area Historical Society, presented the Stillaguamish Tribe with a lifetime membership to the society. She and Buse hope to work with the tribe in the future to share more local history.

“I think sometimes people must think, ‘Oh, a historical society, that must be a bunch of old, dusty people going through a bunch of old, dusty papers, and sometimes they find something interesting,’” Ryer said. “Well we are, most of us, old I guess. And we do have some dusty papers. But we are vitally interested in our future as well as our past.”

That’s why it was an easy, unanimous decision to give the canoe back to the rightful owners. The tribe has a place to display it and the expertise to care for it, and the community gains more from giving and sharing than from having the canoe on display at the museum.

Buse cried “happy tears” when the tribe called her up to say thank you for her work in reconnecting them with the canoe. She wasn’t the only one to shed a tear during the ceremony, attended by about 50 people.

“This canoe has been on a long journey,” Buse said. “We are so thrilled it’s finally going home.”

Before the canoe was carried from the garage, Yanity drummed and sang a song inspired by his family’s quest to rediscover their culture and honor their heritage. It’s called “We are alive and strong.”

Then people shook hands and hugged and, as the canoe was loaded, began to talk about how they would remember this day as another important piece of their history.

Kari Bray: 425-339-3439; kbray@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Customers enter and exit the Costco on Dec. 2, 2022, in Lake Stevens. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Costco stores could be impacted by looming truck driver strike threat

Truck drivers who deliver groceries and produce to Costco warehouses… Continue reading

Two Washington State ferries pass along the route between Mukilteo and Clinton as scuba divers swim near the shore Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ferry system increases ridership by a half million in 2024

Edmonds-Kingston route remains second-busiest route in the system.

A view of one of the potential locations of the new Aquasox stadium on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. The site sits between Hewitt Avenue, Broadway, Pacific Avenue and the railroad. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Initial prep work for AquaSox stadium to start, with $200k price tag

The temporary agreement allows some surveying and design work as the city negotiates contracts with designers and builders.

The Joann Fabric and Crafts store at 7601 Evergreen Way, Everett, is one of three stores in Snohomish County that will close as part of the retailer’s larger plan to shutter more than half of its stores nationwide. (Aaron Kennedy / The Herald)
Joann store closure plan includes Everett, Arlington, Lynnwood locations

The retail giant filed a motion in court to close approximately 500 stores in the U.S.

Lynnwood
Lynnwood police: 1 suspect in custody, 1 at large after attempted carjacking

Beverly Elementary School went into a precautionary lockdown Thursday afternoon. Numerous officers continue to search for the second suspect.

Robin Cain with 50 of her marathon medals hanging on a display board she made with her father on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Running a marathon is hard. She ran one in every state.

Robin Cain, of Lake Stevens, is one of only a few thousand people to ever achieve the feat.

People line up to grab food at the Everett Recovery Cafe on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Coffee, meals and compassion are free at the Everett Recovery Cafe

The free, membership-based day center offers free coffee and meals and more importantly, camaraderie and recovery support.

Devani Padron, left, Daisy Ramos perform during dance class at Mari's Place Monday afternoon in Everett on July 13, 2016. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Mari’s Place helps children build confidence and design a better future

The Everett-based nonprofit offers free and low-cost classes in art, music, theater and dance for children ages 5 to 14.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett water, sewer rates could jump 43% by 2028

The rate hikes would pay for improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure.

The bond funded new track and field at Northshore Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in Bothell, Washington. (Courtesy of Northshore School District)
Northshore School District bond improvements underway

The $425 million bond is funding new track and field complexes, playgrounds and phase one of two school replacements.

Candidates announce campaigns for Everett city council seat

Ryan Crowther, founder of the Everett Music Initiative, will challenge incumbent Paula Rhyne for the District 2 seat.

Lynnwood City Council Vice President Julieta Crosby speaks during a Lynnwood City Council meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood picks top eight candidates to replace former council VP

The City Council will make its final decision Feb. 20 after interview process.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.