07/22/2026
I am deeply honored, grateful, and blessed to be part of the Paddle to Nisqually . This journey is about far more than traveling across the water. It is an opportunity for me to reconnect with my Indigenous identity, honor the ancestors who traveled these waterways before us, and stand alongside My Cousins in unity, strength, and cultural pride. I know this experience will be deeply spiritual and healing for me.
As an Alaska Native, this journey carries a special meaning for me. I am especially grateful to the skipper, Willard Bill of the Muckleshoot Tribe, and to the , Bcrf, for welcoming me and allowing me to travel with them on this journey.
I also want to express my gratitude to every Tribe and community that will welcome the canoe families to shore along the way. Every landing, meal, place to rest, and act of hospitality helps carry the families forward. I am thankful to all those giving their time, energy, food, and support to make this journey possible. Our travels will end in the homeland of the Nisqually Tribe , and I am especially grateful to the Nisqually people for taking on the tremendous responsibility of hosting and welcoming the canoe families to their shores.
I will be joining the canoe family on July 27 and traveling and pulling with them through July 31. Starting on July 27, I will also be serving as the canoe family’s chef, allowing me to contribute in the way I know best—through food, care, laughter, and bringing people together. We all know I can’t cook, so I hope everyone enjoys whatever I find on the shoreline. Ha ha ha, I’m just kidding. We’re going to eat good! Feeding people is one of the most meaningful ways I know to show love, respect, gratitude, and service.
Reaching the shores of the Nisqually people on July 31 will be more than an arrival. It will be a powerful moment of healing, culture, connection, prayer, service, and carrying our traditions forward together.
P.S. Yes, I will be taking pictures and posting daily, but I will also be spending a lot of time simply absorbing this experience and taking it all in. Between the spiritual moments, the time on the water, and the soreness that comes with pulling, I am sure this 50-year-old body is going to feel every pull. More than anything, I am ready for this blessing of healing and spirituality, and simply to be part of something bigger—something I feel in my heart that I need to do.
Please say a prayer and offer a blessing for all of us as we begin this journey this week and travel the ancient waterways in the ways of those who came before us. Pray that we are kept safe, that respect guides every step and every pull, and that the old ways, our traditions, and the spirit of our ancestors remain present with us throughout the entire journey. Many Blessings Shawn Tibbitts
