Raised by the Canoe

The Terry Lee Canoe Club, from Sts’ailes First Nation (Chehalis) , began decades ago as a family-based crew. This beautiful dugout canoe brought family and friends together. It's history is rich with culture and stories shared by the founders and early members. Today, the club is experiencing a powerful resurgence as the next generation carries on the canoe culture and strives to nurture and care for its reestablishment.
Amid modern distractions and challenges faced by Indigenous peoples striving to stay connected to culture can be challenging. Cathrine Paul and her husband, Devin, now guide the club into the future with the support of many knowledge keepers. Devin has become a canoe builder, combining the skills he has developed through the years and also recently added strip canoe building from Cathrine’s father, a respected seventh-generation Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) canoe carver and paddler.
Success on the water requires tremendous commitment. Canoe pullers must train consistently, maintain their fitness, follow disciplined routines, and rely on one another to paddle as one. The dedication is demanding but the rewards are profound. From one generation to the next the paddle never left our hands.