The Waters

"We have no borders on the waters."

We quietly went downtown to to the harbor before going on vacation. We saw in drizzle a majestic event called the Tribal Canoe Journey.

Though the tradition of dugout canoe travel is historic, it's been revived by tribes of the region. It is great to watch--Jake said he'd always wanted to see a canoe come in. You don't know what they are saying in song but catch a glimpse of the experience it must be through the sound of their voices. A few hundred miles, several paddling days. Uniting peopled tribes. To usurp "it just isn't there any more."

There are 10 practiced Canoe Rules for any such event. Eleven if you count: "Never, never call a canoe a boat." But the ten are more like philosophies.

I like Canoe Rule two, regarding real trust: "Respect and trust cannot exist in anger. It has to be thrown overboard, so the sea can cleanse it. It has to be washed off the hands and cast into the air, so the stars can take care of it. We always look back at the shallows we pulled through, amazed at how powerful we thought those dangers were." 

Togetherness, Redemption, Peace within. Beautifully universal themes. Every one that participated finished safely.
It was a great way to spend an afternoon in the place where we live.

(Port Angeles has a Japanese sister city, as well.)