This year, to honor the spirit that first reunited the Columbia River Tribes in 2016 for the First Annual Canoe Journey.\, we're shifting the focus to localized initiatives and community leadership. We are taking things back to the first year we came together and creating space for each tribe and community to continue this tradition and create their own journeys to Kettle Falls honoring the connectedness of our peoples, there are several meaningful ways to take part in this year's celebrations:

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1. Organize Your Own Paddle

For canoe families and tribes wanting to honor the tradition, we encourage you to organize your own paddles. Gather your community, plan your route, and connect with the river in a way that feels significant to you. Coming together in your own way continues the legacy and preserves the connection to our shared waters and traditions.

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A $500 honorarium will be given for any canoe families or tribes that participated in the very first paddle.

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2. Meet us at Kettle Falls (June 19th)

Convene with all of our canoe families at Kettle Falls for Paddlers Day, an opportunity to celebrate and honor the strength and unity of the canoe families. We will all camp together the night before Paddlers Day.

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3. Participate in the Sinixt Paddle

Everyone is welcome to join the Sinixt Paddle, from Revelstoke B.C. to Kettle Falls WA. Paddle with us to Sx̌ʷnítkʷ, building connections not only with the water but with each other. This collective paddle embodies the ongoing revitalization of culture and unity among the Columbia River Tribes. This year we are encouraging multigenerational participation. Bring your family together and come paddle a few days with us. Bring your parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles and your kids to spend time together on our homelands reconnecting with the land. Finally, do family pictures with a professional photographer and document the precious moments spent together. Connecting with the land and each other.

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4. Attend the Salmon Ceremony (June 20th)

Gather together to honor the Salmon and call them home to the upper Columbia at the Salmon Ceremony.

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Why Participate?

By paddling, gathering, or simply attending, you’ll be contributing to a meaningful cause that uplifts cultural heritage and strengthens our community ties. Each action helps preserve the traditions and the spirit that has brought tribes together for generations.

 

We look forward to celebrating with you—on the water, at Kettle Falls, and beyond.