Modern history will be made this month when a flotilla of traditional cedar dugout canoes, with paddlers in full regalia, converge on Cowichan Bay.

Tribal Journeys 2008, a trip which started this week as ocean-going canoes left First Nations communities such as Bella Bella and Bella Coola, revives the canoe culture that was the historical lifeblood of Coast Salish communities.

But with 102 canoes from all over B.C., Washington and Oregon scheduled to end up at Cowichan Bay July 28, there are differences from the traditional feasting and trading get-togethers of previous centuries.

"There will be canoes arriving in Cowichan territory which have never before been welcomed in our territory. The last time they were here was when we were warring together -- I won't mention the names," said Ron Rice, Tribal Journeys cultural and ceremonies manager.

As the canoes head towards Cowichan they will stop in communities along the way, picking up more participants.

In Cowichan, there will also be canoes from areas such as the Northwest Territories, Western Arctic and Saskatchewan, which have never previously taken part in the Coast Salish event.

Another first is that, for the first time since the canoe journey started in 1989 -- with nine canoes -- there will be a scientific component.

With help from the U.S. Geological Survey, five canoes will be carrying water quality probes and GPS units to measure water temperature, salinity, dissolved solids and turbidity.

Water quality has deteriorated across the Salish Sea -- the Strait of Georgia and Puget Sound -- and the common goal of First Nations in the area is to protect the environment, said Charles O'Hara, spokesman for Swino-mish Indian Tribe of Washington.

"Over the last 100 years people have looked at our most sacred site -- the Salish Sea -- as a dump site," said Swinomish chairman Brian Cladoosby.

"You have everything -- heavy metals, toxins, farm runoff -- and it all ends up in the Salish Sea."

The project will help blend traditional knowledge with modern science, and canoes are ideal for testing as they are slow-moving and do not disturb the water or add toxins to the environment, O'Hara said.

It is hoped the tests can be repeated each year on the Tribal Journey, he said.

"It would be an annual snapshot of water quality. It would be nice to have a record of what changes we are seeing."

In Cowichan, the rush is on to prepare for a five-day party for about 4,500 people.

"That means meals and trying to accommodate them all," Rice said. "It is the largest single event the Cowichan Valley has ever hosted and, five days later, we will break that record with the opening of the North American Indigenous Games."

One element which will look after itself is the entertainment, as each canoe brings a gift of songs and dances.

"There will be about 80 hours of singing and dancing," Rice said.

The most colourful spectacle is likely to be the landing. Each canoe has between 12 and 14 paddlers who will be in traditional dress, with masks, drums and rattles.

As they come into Cowichan Bay they will form a circle and raft up side by side and come forward individually, introduce themselves and ask to come ashore, a ceremony which will take up to four hours.

For more information, go to www.tribaljourneys2008.com.

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2008

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/story.html?id=1e8ffd34-bdf8-46b2-9e17-0e54cef4ca3c