Native Nations - Good Politics Radio

About 13 Native Canoes bucked rip tides to land at Port Townsend, Washington today, July 21st. This group started on July 15th in South Puget Sound at Squaxin Island, then added Nisqually, Puyallup, Muckleshoot, Suquamish and Port Gambles S’Klallam. Next stop - Jamestown.

Other canoes that should be on the water (we haven’t heard from them directly but assume they are on schedule).

Quinault and Quileute Tribal canoes started on the July 18 and should be at Wyaatch tonight. They will take off for Makah tomorrow (the 22nd). This group is called the West Coast Washington Group.

Nooksack and Lummi should have landed at Swinomish today. Next stop, Samish. This group is the San Juan Islands Group.

Chenahkint Ehattesaht, Mowachaht, Muchalaht, Friendly Cove, Hesquiaht, Ahousaht, Ucluelet, and Ancla Huu ay aht departures and stops are behind the West Coast Vancouver Island Group, who left from Nuu Chah Nulth July 13th. Next stop for this group is Ditidaht.

The Northern Route Canoes left Bella Coola on July 8th. They’ve stopped at Eucott Bay Hot Springs, Rattenbury, Bella Bella, Koeye, Clam Beach, Takush, Indian Cove and Fort Rupert before joining the group out of Fort Rupert on July 16th.

The combined groups - Northern Route canoes and the Salish Sea Route - have continued with stops at: Alert Bay, Adams River, Kelsey Bay, Browns Bay, and they should be at Campbell River tonight. Next landing will be at Courtney Comox on July 23.

There may be as many as 55 or 60 canoes enroute at this point in time, with more adding to each of the four routes at every village-stop. Included in the count are canoes that trailered to take-off points because their villages are far off the path of the designated routes, such as Yakama in Washington State; Umatilla and Celilo in Oregon, and several of the other Alaskan and Canadian canoe participants.
View All Canoe Routes on TribalJourneys.com

Be safe out there, and KEEP those LIFE JACKETS ON … it’s the law. There will be fines this year for any who are not wearing life jacket floatations. Remember.. the life you save may be your own.

2008 Native Canoe Journey Routes List for Paddle To Cowichan, BC, Canada

* West Coast Washington Route (Starts July 18 from Taholah)
* San Juan Route (Starts July 20 from Nooksack)
* Puget Sound Route (Starts July 20 from Squaxin)
* Nuu chah nulth – Westcoast Vancouver Is. (Starts July 13)
* Northern Route – Bella Coola to Port Hardy, BC (Starts July 7 )
* Port Hardy to Quw’utsun - Salish Sea Route (Starts July 17)
More Detailed Schedules on Tribal Journeys website: CLICK HERE.

On July 28 this summer, 100 Native sea-going canoes will gather for the official canoe landing hosted by Cowichan Tribes near Duncan, BC, Canada. Over the next several days, protocol, singing, dancing, and celebrations will take place, with participants of all ages, from youth to elder. Venders will display and sell their wares, and several thousand people will gather to take part. These modern canoeing events began in 1989. Learn More..

Directly following the Paddle to Cowichan events will be the 2008 North American Indigenous Games, also hosted by Cowichan. Twenty to thirty thousand people will gather for the opening ceremonies on August 3rd, with record crowds expected to attend the sports events through August 10.

INTERNATIONAL – ALARMING INCREASE OF PIRACY ON THE HIGH SEAS REPORTED

Piracy on the High Seas on the Increase! Why Now?
[ Info from article in Newsweek online/Forbes.com ]

Headline: Sea Pirates Bloody Growth, The rise of high crime on the high seas, By William Pentland | Forbes.com, Jun 12, 2008

The article starts with…
On April 4, 2008, the luxury French yacht Le Ponant was crossing the Gulf of Aden between Yemen and Somalia when a swarm of speed boats surrounded the 32-cabin, three-masted vessel. A band of Somali pirates stormed the yacht, hijacking the vessel and taking all 30 of its crewmembers hostage.

And, yes, the villains were caught – at least some of them were. But this is far from being an isolated case. The numbers are staggering.

The article states:
More than 2,400 acts of piracy were reported around the world between 2000 and 2006, roughly twice the number reported for the preceding six-year period.

Then why don’t we hear more about these high-seas crimes?

More from the article:
Although pirate attacks have at least tripled during that time period, the actual number of attacks remains unclear. Shipping companies frequently do not report attacks out of concern that it could increase insurance premiums.

Where are these attacks most prevalent?

The article says…
Somalia is a relative latecomer to contemporary sea piracy. Since 2000, southeast Asia has had the most dangerous waters in the world. Malaysua and the islands of the Indonesian archipelago have seen the lion’s share of sea piracy since 2000. Also troubling: the waters off Nigeria and Iraq.

But why there?

Read more…
Unlike the pirates of yesteryear, contemporary sea piracy is frequently carried out by highly sophisticated criminal organizations made up of seasoned fighters and equipped with speedboats, satellite phones and global positioning systems. Recently captured Somali pirates claim they belonged to an organized militia that engaged in piracy to raise funds. Organizations have started attacking from more than one ship simultaneously using a number of quasi-military tactics.

It sounds like every vessel will need to carry it’s own arrsonel of protection from the more highly equipped pirates.

The article explains why…
Five to six years ago, when pirates attacked, they used machetes, knives and pistols. “Today,” says Noel Choong, the current director of the International Maritime Bureau’s anti-piracy office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “They come equipped with AK-47s, M-16s, rifle grenades and [rocket-propelled grenades].”

So, what are sea farers and honest shipping merchants to do?

It is this writers guess, the only thing you can do, if you must be on the water:
1. Be aware
2. Be prepared
3. Be always alert

In the old days, when pirates roamed the seven seas, their methods were quite different and the danger of piracy was public knowledge. Today, their methods include sophistocated technology, war quality weapons and many are run as a big operations. The problem is global and needs an international prevention plan and cure.

To read the entire article By William Pentland | Forbes.com, Jun 12, 2008
CLICK HERE

This post is sponsored by Ad-Venture Travel YTB - Online Travel Store CLICK HERE.

PENN COVE WATER FESTIVAL - Saturday May 17th – 11 AM to 6 PM, On the waterfront - Coupeville, Whidbey Island, Washington State, USA.

Directions/map

History of Penn Cove Water Festival

This Year Schedule and More

GETTING THERE…

Directions and Map: Pen Cove Water Festival

Washington State Ferries Info Page

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QUINAULT COASTAL JAM, Saturday, May 17th – Noon Table.

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SEATTLE COASTAL JAM, Seattle Center - Saturday, May 24th, 1 PM.
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LUMMI WILL HOST COLD WATER TRAINING, June 7th.

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2008 STOMMISH DAYS: June 13th – 15th 2008 at Lummi.

Home page

Events Calendar

Contacts and Map

Registration page

Everyone knows Montel Williams is a very popular prime time TV show host. His fans also know he was diagnosed 9 years ago with Multiple Sclerosis. In this interview, Montel tells our listeners how they can join with him in a dazzling glamour gala where proceeds will go to fight MS and find a cure for this deadly disease.

We know how difficult it may be to find ways to make a difference in the world. We are all busy and maybe a little worn out listening to all of the woes of the world. Montel has a simple, convenient way for our listeners to help shut down this terrible disease that literally eats a person’s neural net, degenerating every function and system of the body in a long slow, painful spiral. No imaginary monster is as cruel.

So take a listen as we interview the master interviewer about joining his Poker Party Gala to beat MS. Yes…you can join in the glitzy, glamorous NYC Gala. After you listen, click here to find out more.

Amy Hanaiali'i Hawaiian Christmas Concert
Dec 5, 2007. Curtain at 7:30 PM. Doors open at 6
Town Hall 1119 -8th Avenue (Seneca)
Downtown - Seattle, WA 98101

Shop & support the local vendors and ticket outlet folks for their kokua in promoting the Hawaiian Culture and concerts. Phone for ticket reservations: 360-425-7484 - Kokomo Jo’s Café, of Bill at 206-478-0772.

READ MORE ABOUT AMY - CLICK HERE…