The Tsleil-Waututh Nation are hosting another year of canoe races at Whey-ah-Wichen/Cates Park, and the North Shore are invited to come along.
Running across the weekend of July 7-9, the canoe festival invites canoe teams from various Indigenous communities to compete in races and celebrate their heritage and culture.
Tsleil-Waututh Nation Chief Jen Thomas said the Nation is “thrilled” to be hosting another year of canoe races at Whey-A-Wichen, their traditional village site.
“Canoe pulling is a celebration of our connection to the waters within our territories and represents who we are as a people,” she said. “We welcome back Canoe families from across the region and are thrilled to host these races on waters that the Tsleil-Waututh people work so carefully to restore and steward. We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable weekend.”
On home soil the Tsleil-Waututh Nation will be battling it out against other First Nations from all over Coast Salish territory, including the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and Washington state.
The annual racing event is split into various categories, with winning spots up for grabs for singles, doubles, six paddles, 11 paddles and marathon singles races. Those competing span youth categories (10 and under, 13 and under, 16 and under), women’s, men’s, and masters for contestants aged 50 years or older, all of whom will camp in the park across the festival weekend.
With throngs of both spectators and participants expected to be in the hundreds, the Nation is ensuring there is plenty of entertainment occurring both on and off the water. Stalls and craft booths will be on hand for visitors to peruse, and landraces and activities will keep kids busy across the weekend.
For the full racing schedule, visit the Tsleil-Waututh Nation website.
Mina Kerr-Lazenby is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
