The Places I Go Now

Finding connection through the lens

When Nancy Crowell became our photographer, we knew we were getting a gifted nature photographer with deep local knowledge. In this post, Nancy shares her experience covering the Blessing of the Fleet and First Salmon ceremony at Swinomish — an assignment that became a moment of personal connection, cultural learning, and gratitude.

We’re honored to share her reflections and proud to support inclusive storytelling that spans both sides of the channel.

—Kari Mar

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When I signed on to be staff photographer for the new La Conner Community News, I never imagined it would connect me to the community in ways I hadn’t experienced in 25 years of living here.

Because our publisher’s vision is inclusive, for the first time in my memory, the paper is making a concerted effort to embrace our entire community — not just the people who live within our town limits, but also the Swinomish who live on the reservation across the channel. After all, we share the same space — originally their land — our kids attend the same schools, why shouldn’t our news cover everything happening in our larger community?

Thanks to this perspective, I recently covered the Blessing of the Fleet and First Salmon ceremony at Swinomish. The entire community gathered to celebrate their story of the salmon people and to bless the fleet of fishing boats about to start their season. A huge feast of grilled salmon, crab, clams, mussels, frybread, and salad is served to all who attend. There are speeches and storytelling, and it all culminates in a sacred ceremony. Four high school seniors take four beautifully dressed salmon carcasses out on boats to the north, south, east, and west and return them to the sea to show gratitude to the salmon for nurturing them.

I have never attended this event, so I was excited to be present and document the experience. I wanted to be culturally sensitive and not cross lines, so I sought the guidance of Swinomish photographer Katie Bassford, who works for their monthly publication Quugs. Katie made me feel at ease, immediately telling me where to go, what to expect, and telling me “Don’t be shy!” No one has made me feel so comfortable so quickly before.

Still, what I didn’t expect was to have the opportunity to join one of the families going out to return the salmon in the final part of the ceremony. But Katie suggested I try to get on a boat. In fact, she got me on a boat, with permission from the Cultural Event Director Aurelia Bailey.I was thrilled to find myself headed out under Deception Pass to witness and document La Conner High School senior Divinity Kochuten completing the ceremony.

I was welcomed onto the boat by Layla Wilbur-Westendorf, Marvin Wilbur Jr., Garrett Wilbur, and Jordan Wilbur and we headed out in the gray, drizzly afternoon to find a spot just offshore from West Beach at Deception Pass park. Along the way, Jordan talked to Divinity about what her responsibilities were and the entire family encouraged her to simply act and speak from her heart. We were rushing to get to our spot because the ceremony is supposed to be done by 3 p.m., which is when Swinomish lore says the spirits come down. The weather was a little windy and rough, but calmed down shortly after we stopped.

Divinity stepped over to the side of the boat and raised the salmon three times above her head — for the east, south and north — then poured it off its cedar plank into the water and said a quiet prayer. Jordan pulled out a drum and he and Layla sang a song. After, Jordan talked to Divinity for a while, congratulating her on the important role she had just played in continuing to keep their culture alive, encouraging her to be proud of her heritage, and emphasizing the importance of passing this on to her own children when she has a family. He talked about where their people came from, how old the ceremony was, how it had almost been lost when the tribes were forced to assimilate.

As a white woman with a thoroughly WASPy heritage, I felt compelled to simply apologize on behalf of all my ancestors for any trauma they may have inflicted. This brought a chuckle and a quick response “that’s not necessary!” but I felt it was. I told them about when my family came to this country (Cape Cod in the early 1600s) and how important the sea had been to us as well.

Jordan thanked me for being present and for documenting their ceremony so others could know about their culture. On the way back Jordan and Garrett talked about fishing and pointed out some of their favorite spots for different catches. Jordan mentioned that whenever they go out in a boat if they have something to eat, they save some for the sea, even if it’s a breakfast burrito. We laughed as he said, “We always feed the sea.”

When I was finished and I downloaded my images, I felt connected to my entire community in a new way. I’m so grateful this job is introducing me to people I likely would not meet otherwise.