August 19 2009 » Skeena Swim » Prince George Citizen
Canoers share a greeting steeped in tradition
A small group of people from Prince Rupert had the privilege of accompanying swimmer Ali Howard on the last leg of her 610 km swim of the Skeena River Saturday morning.
Paddling a 42-foot fiberglass voyageur canoe, the all-ages crew met 33-year-old Howard and her support team at Cassiar Cannery in the water, floating slowly with the current, during the last hour of the swim.
With time to kill, so as not to arrive at North Pacific Cannery before schedule, the support team paddling in kayaks and canoes chatted with the Rupertites.
Team member Shannon McPhail, activist with the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition, invited everyone to introduce themselves.
“Hi I’m Ali and I guess I just swam the Skeena,” Howard said, breaking the ice.
She looked thoughtful as she floated in the water, close to kayaker Chris Gee of Hazelton who has been with her through the whole journey.
When Howard introduced herself, everyone else pounded their paddles against the boats in appreciation.
“Thank you elders for coming on this ride,” McPhail called out, addressing the four elders in the voyageur canoe.
“It’s an honour to paddle with you. We’ve been riding from Terrace in this Porche of a boat,” McPhail added, referring to the war canoe the team has had on loan from artist Roy Henry Vickers.
~by Monica Lamb-Yorski
Within a few moments of being asked by McPhail if the elders could sing a song or tell a story, elder Leonard Alexcee began singing on his own, the beat methodical, the tones low.
A big smile broke out on his face as people thanked him by banging their paddles against the boat again.
“I made up that song just now,” Alexcee answered, with one of his notorious grins. “It means Come On. Come On. Let’s Rock.”
Pausing, he looked up again and said, “I ask the creator to keep the river clear and bring back the salmon every year. Ali, I officially welcome you here.”
McPhail invited people in the large canoe to introduce themselves and share thoughts as to why they were along for the paddle.
For two in the group, it was their first time in a canoe, including elder Betty Comeau.
“This is amazing,” Comeau commented.
Mona Alexcee said her ancestors made a living on the river.
“We can’t hear their voices now, but I hope we’re doing them justice with Ali bringing attention to the river. Our people got their winter food along this river. My father told me you could almost walk on the backs of the salmon here at one time. It’s an honour for me to be here in person to escort you in and look to the future. Thank you very much, Ali.”
McPhail acknowledged feeling like the ancestors have supported the trip through all the gifts and help the team has received along the way.
“If anything had gone differently it could have gone very wrong,” she said. “Things we didn’t foresee desperately needing, fell into place.”
As the Rupert canoe left the group to paddle down to North Pacific Cannery, leaving Howard to swim her last leg of the journey, Howard’s brother Chris, who also lives in Telkwa, said the swim has made his sister realize she’s happy when she’s swimming.
“I think she’s a little sad now that the swim is ending,” he said. “She’s emotionally attached to the river now and people are attached to her. I think it’s great.”
