Editor's note: This is part six of Cathie Roy's diary, a seven-part series on the recent Pulling Together canoe voyage designed to bring together First Nations, youth and police forces.
Day six of our journey begins long before the dawn is breaking, at 3 a.m. to be precise. This is to be my day on the support boats.
The first thing I learn on captain Steve Sawyer's rescue boat is thats it's darn drafty that time of day. Steve and his helper, Jenny Moase are members of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary. I've been on Steve's boat before. It's a beauty and he is most gracious to his early morning hitchhikers. Steve finds out that there won't be time to get to go back through the Skookumchuk and meet up with the boats at Sechelt if he accompanies the canoes down the Sechelt Inlet, so after 45 minutes, he turns around and the paparazzi hitches our next ride on board the new Coast Guard zodiac.
We've picked up one additional photographer at Egmont. Barry Haynes is a Photoshop guru and one very fine photographer. He stays on the zodiac until we break for lunch and then along with Marlene Lowden of Cable 11, he takes a turn at pulling on the big Montreal canoe. Later I find out his experience is so positive he wants to paddle the entire journey next year.Our hosts on the zodiac are Kellei Bulmer and Scott Baker; the young couple is just over a week away from their wedding. They're excited and calm at the same time. They, along with fellow coast guard auxiliary member Bob McKee, are terrific. They follow the canoes, sprint ahead of the canoes, and travel alongside the canoes -all to aid the three of us taking pictures and getting that perfect shot. Along with the three of us and the crew of the zodiac is a Vancouver Police Department (VPD) member who is suffering from an upset stomach. Although she eventually recovers the crew is quite concerned about her health at first. Their thoughtfulness is welcome.
Travelling the entire length of Sechelt Inlet is an awesome experience. I have another goose bump moment when I notice an eagle keeping our canoes company. At every juncture of the journey I've seen these magnificent birds. I imagine soaring on the eagle's wing.
Later Ed Hill has a fish from a fish farm we pass on the way. He throws it in the air for the resident eagle to catch. He remains in his perch just watching us. Marlene laughs that the bird refuses to be a tourist attraction. I think she's right.Holly Higgins (Barb's daughter, who was introduced in part five in the Aug. 18 edition) and other family members come out to Nine Mile Park and bring us a most welcome lunch. I'm amazed at the many kindnesses of strangers. These people dig deep into their own pockets to make sure we have a nourishing lunch. It's much appreciated.
Just before we come into Sechelt the canoes raft together and Barb Higgins comes aboard the big Montreal canoe to be paddled into Sechelt in style. We hit some choppy water just before coming into Sechelt, so our flotilla ends up being a little late. But the folks waiting on the dock at Porpoise Bay don't seem to mind.
They hoot and cheer and Sechelt Chief Stan Dixon is there in his wolf clan regalia to welcome us to his land. What a thrill it is to see the people lined up. Also on the dock is Const. Kelly Allan in his red serge. At every major stop so far a member of the RCMP has greeted us. Yesterday it was Const. Francine Moreau in Egmont. Both are blessed with dark good looks, a splendid contrast to their uniforms.
And another goose bump moment when Barb Higgins is carried ashore in the canoe she travelled in. Her face is a treat to behold. I'm so happy for her. Her rich culture is alive on this brilliant sunny day.
Later that afternoon our group is honoured with a feast in the Sechelt Longhouse. The Longhouse itself is beautiful. It was built in 1993. And Band councillor Garry Feschuk tells me the logs were hand picked from Jervis Inlet. The wood was hand harvested and taken out by helicopters. No machine has touched the logs. Each of the four corners of the inside of the building is adorned with a different totem pole. It's a visual feast.
Candace Campo a Band teacher leads a group of young Sechelt ambassadors in dances for us. The kids range in age from preschool to young adults. They do their teacher proud. It's a pleasure to watch them. Especially when the little ones do a dance where they imitate various creatures such as the bear that are important in Native lore.
Dionn Paul also dances with the little ones. Earlier I see her unloading all kinds of food from her small station wagon. We eat well again tonight. Some of people have prepared casseroles for us and there are all kinds of fruit and vegetable trays. Later the VPD again honours several members of the Sechelt Nation with blankets including Chief Stan. Organizer Eric Grummisch of VPD also presents a cheque to the Sechelt people (as he had in Egmont) from the paddlers to use as the people see fit. A great chuckle arises when Stan tells us the money will likely be used by the soccer team travelling to Colorado -that's where the donation made to folks in Sliammon is earmarked for too. A good-natured rivalry exists between the two bands. Next occurs the highlight of the trip for me, the ultimate goose bump moment -Chief Stan as head of the Sechelt Band has been presented with a green blanket. Stan calls his brother Glen up and wraps the precious blanket over his shoulders. Stan tells the organizers the blanket belongs to Glen. Without Glen's persistence and hard work there never would have been a Sechelt canoe on the journey. My heart sings for the modest Glen. What a wonderful thing to have happen to him in front of his family and friends.
Once all the formalities are out of the way the party begins. Squamish and Sechelt take turns entertaining us. What fun we have. One of the Nations sings the Native equivalent of the Chicken Song. We're bobbing and weaving with the best of them. Soon everyone's out of breath and laughing so hard we can barely stand up. For five and half hours we party. What a great example this is for people who have never been to a party without being stoned before. It is possible to have fun without drinking or drugging.
One of the highlights of the evening takes place when Howard Paull and his sisters Brenda and Fran sing a blessing song for UNYA puller Rebecca Palmer. The beautiful Rebecca is expecting her second child. The music makes for another goose bump moment.
Later after most have left the Longhouse those of us sleeping there go outside for a breath of fresh air. I tease Wes Nahanee about his dancing prowess demonstrated that night (he's a great dancer). I find out he used to be a pow wow dancer in his younger days. That is until an elder came and asked him what the song he was dancing to meant. Wes didn't have an answer. That's when the elder informed Wes the elder could take a drum. "I didn't want to be responsible for someone losing his drum so I left," Wes said.
Although I don't think I'll be able to sleep because someone is talking and the lights are only dimmed not extinguished I fall asleep immediately. The next thing I know it's 6 a.m.
- Final installment the journey ends.
