Friends of Lopez Canoe Landings
Apr 11, 2025
The "Gathering of the Eagles" is a canoe journey that visits Lopez Island as part of its route.
This inter-island tribal canoe journey, also known as "Esqaplh etse Kwelengsen," follows the ancestral waterways of the Lhaq'temish and Lummi people. The journey aims to celebrate intergenerational cultural heritage and includes potlatch-style gatherings with food, cultural exchanges, and storytelling.
Key aspects of the canoe journey:
Route:
The journey typically starts in Anacortes and includes stops on Fidalgo, Lopez, San Juan, Shaw, Orcas, Lummi, and Lummi Island (Lummi Reservation).
Purpose:
The journey is a celebration of Coast Salish culture, traditions, and the shared ancestral waters of the Salish Sea.
Activities:
Along the way, communities host potlatch-style gatherings, offering food, cultural exchanges, storytelling, and traditional songs and dances.
Community Involvement:
The journey encourages community participation, with local islanders and tribes hosting potluck dinners and welcoming the canoe families.
Cultural Significance:
The canoe journey is a way to honor the Salish Sea as an ancestral highway and to pass on cultural teachings to young people.
Key aspects of the canoe journey:
Route:
The journey typically starts in Anacortes and includes stops on Fidalgo, Lopez, San Juan, Shaw, Orcas, Lummi, and Lummi Island (Lummi Reservation).
Purpose:
The journey is a celebration of Coast Salish culture, traditions, and the shared ancestral waters of the Salish Sea.
Activities:
Along the way, communities host potlatch-style gatherings, offering food, cultural exchanges, storytelling, and traditional songs and dances.
Community Involvement:
The journey encourages community participation, with local islanders and tribes hosting potluck dinners and welcoming the canoe families.
Cultural Significance:
The canoe journey is a way to honor the Salish Sea as an ancestral highway and to pass on cultural teachings to young people.
