Friday, June 12, 2026

Photo: Pullers on Petersburg’s killer whale canoe paddle in the water at Auke Recreation Area near Juneau on June 2, 2026. (Olivia Rose / KFSK) Petersburg (Séet Ká Kwáan), Alaska’s first traditional canoe (kéet yaakw) in a century recently completed its maiden voyage. A small group of pullers paddled more than 100 miles through Southeast Alaska, following the tradition known as Journey before arriving in Juneau, Alaska for Celebration. KFSK’s Olivia Rose spoke with some of Petersburg’s pullers about the experience. Over 200 people, many wearing regalia, are gathered on a sunny afternoon at Auke Recreation Area, the former site of a Tlingit village. Ten canoes are floating near the shore, each taking turns for traditional protocols before landing on the beach. Among them is Petersburg’s killer whale canoe. Brandon Ware is the skipper. He shouts an introduction from the water. “My name is Shashanee, my English name is Brandon Ware. I am Naanyaee with the mud shark house. Gulancheesh for having us. We are so grateful to be here. Forgive me if I miss protocol. This is our first Journey in over 100 years [rowdy applause]!” The 39-foot, fiberglass kéet yaakw is Petersburg’s first in a century or so. This was its first multi-day Journey, and had its inaugural launch out of Petersburg – another big first – just ten days earlier. Soon, after introductions, permission is given and all the canoes land on the beach. Dozens of pullers from communities throughout and beyond the region are welcomed ashore. There is singing, dancing, and drumming. Friends, family and loved ones find each other in the crowd, hugging, taking pictures together, and congratulating the pullers on their arrival. Ten canoes take turns asking for permission to land at Auke Recreation Area near Juneau on June 2, 2026. (Photo: Yvonne Krumrey / KTOO) Ware says arriving feels … “…bittersweet, man. This is the most incredible feeling in the world, being able to pull up and see everyone here. I had tears in my eyes when we were coming ashore. This has been a dream of mine since I was since I was little, and to be able to see this and see it through, I can’t describe it, I can’t describe it.” Only about nine pullers signed up to paddle kéet yaakw through Alaska’s Inside Passage — including his brothers. Sagooch Billy Ware describes the moment as powerful for keet yaakw and his community. And he says coming all this way feels surreal. “I’ve crabbed and I fished in these waters all the way from Petersburg to Juneau, but being able to take the time and camp on the beach, like in sum dum underneath the glaciers, it was breathtaking. It was amazing, and it really gave you a different perspective on just how tough and durable our people were, and just the life that they lived. This has been an amazing experience.” The group did a number of traditional landings, like today’s, while making stops at villages along the way. He says the first time they did after departing from Petersburg was especially meaningful to him. “We got to do the first official landing for a canoe out of Séet Ká Kwáan in over 100 years, and I was privileged enough to do the landing introduction, and just ask for the permission to be on their land, and that was an incredibly important moment for me.” That first landing happened in Kake, a village on Kupreanof Island. The group ended up spending about three days there, waiting out some weather. For puller, Young Duane Gabe Dunham, it was the most memorable part of this Journey. “Kake was, they were wonderful hosts, and they fed us every night … and while we were there after dinner, we just, everybody got up and they shared songs, and we all danced … people from almost a half a dozen different communities just came together … and it was a really powerful thing to be able to share with my boys.” Dunham says he joined this historic paddle from Petersburg so he and his two young sons could learn more about Tlingit culture. Christian and Jacob, who tagged along on Journey, mostly aboard the safety boat. There are a couple other special moments on the 10-day Journey that stick out for Dunham, too, like when he earned a nickname from Billy and the group: “We got the Paddle Beaver over here. He chomped through two of them with the power strokes there.” “We were trying to break six knots speed in the canoe, and we nearly got there, but we were all paddling at about 110% and we’re working hard, and that’s when I broke my second paddle [light laughter].” Gooch tláa Victoria Moore paddled the canoe from Petersburg with her son, Đat xá a gutch Alex, who has autism. Like most of the pullers on keet yaakw, this was their first canoe Journey to Celebration. “He did great, I just so appreciate everybody helping me bring him to his culture and to Celebration, to my homeland here in Juneau, and, man, what an incredible to be a part of the canoe that it’s been over 100 years … that’s pretty special to me, and that my son got to join me on that Journey of, you know, making some new connections, so this is beautiful. Gualancheesh,” Over 100 years, ten days, and 100 miles later, Journey is complete for the first traditional canoe out of Petersburg. Kéet yaakw was shipped home to Petersburg after the ceremony – and the four-day Celebration wrapped up on June 6. Reporting help from Yvonne Krumrey   Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Friday, June 12, 2026 — Indigenous representation during the world’s largest sporting event