In August 2022, we completed a journey across Turtle Island – beginning in Miami, traveling across the Southeast, the Southwest, and up the West Coast to Chinook tribal lands and back home to Kalapuya Ilihi. The purpose of the journey? There were several. For one, we were bringing the Xinachtli Meztli Moon Dance drum from Ayiti-Kiskeya (Dominican Republic) to Kalapuya Ilihi. We were also meeting with communities across the main tributaries to talk about water & seeds. And we were bringing a 15-foot “Corazon de Javilla” – traditionally dugout cayuco from Ayiti-Kiskeya as part of our commitment to join the Chinook Canoe Family and revive our Caribbean canoe ceremonies. We met with 13 communities across Turtle Island – Indigenous, Black and Migrant – to be with each other, to share in ceremony, to document our stories and to renew hope in our generations.
Bohio Cibanani 