Rain clouds pressed low over the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community May 15 as families gathered near the Swinomish Channel, the air perfumed with the salty scent of mussels, clams, and Dungeness crab steaming nearby. Laughter from children and elders rose through the mist, carrying the joyful promise of the feast to come.
Welcome to the Blessing of the Fleet and the First Salmon Ceremony, the Tribe’s annual ceremony honoring their sacred relationship with the salmon. It’s one of the most important and elaborate public events Swinomish hosts every year, beginning with a feast of salmon and shellfish and continuing with a multi-denominational blessing for the safety of tribal fishers and for an abundant and respectful harvest.
Many Indigenous communities in the Pacific Northwest have First Salmon ceremonies and Blessing of the Fleet traditions, which hold deep cultural, spiritual, and practical importance. The ceremonies are all different, but each honors the individual Tribe’s unique connection to the salmon, which has sustained them since time immemorial. The traditions express gratitude for the first salmon of the season, ensure respectful harvesting, and reaffirm commitments to environmental stewardship and ancestral teachings. Blessing the fleet acknowledges the bravery of those who fish and seek to provide for their families and communities, asking for safety and abundance. Together, the ceremonies are acts of cultural continuity, resilience, and respect — linking past, present, and future through prayer, song, and shared purpose.
“This is important work,” said Bruce James, a member of the Swinomish Senate. “It’s our tradition, our culture. We’re doing what was taught by our ancestors.”
At this year’s ceremony, the Tribe recognized Lorraine Loomis and Joe McCoy for their work bringing back the Blessing of the Fleet and First Salmon traditions and protecting dwindling salmon runs. Speakers celebrated them for reviving the ceremony, restoring balance, and keeping the connection between people and salmon alive.
“This is a day of respect for a great lady,” said Swinomish Director of Cultural Events Aurelia Bailey of Loomis. Loomis died in 2021, more than 40 years after bringing back the Blessing of the Fleet and First Salmon traditions. “We wouldn’t be here in this room if it wasn’t for her and a lot of great people. She wanted to provide this feast for us every year.”
Former National Congress of American Indians President Brian Cladoosby recalled that in the 1960s, Swinomish leaders chose McCoy to challenge Washington State’s denial of tribal treaty rights by intentionally fishing and being arrested.
Photo by Nancy K. Crowell/La Conner Community News
McCoy, who postponed his 85th birthday party that day to attend Blessing of the Fleet and First Salmon activities, was feted with a small cake and a hearty group sing-along of “Happy Birthday.”
“I still didn’t get paid for my fish,” McCoy joked, after recounting that 72 fish were confiscated during his arrest.
“This is a special day for our fishermen and fisherwomen,” Swinomish Senate Chair Steve Edwards said prior to the meal, which featured salmon and shellfish harvested and prepared by tribal members. Dignitaries from across the region attended, including Swinomish senators, La Conner Mayor Marna Hanneman, and Tim Reyon, from Washington’s Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs, among others.
Bailey thanked the kitchen cooks led by Cathi Bassford and the Grossglass family, Loomis’s relatives, who barbecued the salmon. Swinomish employees staffed the serving line. Youths comprising this year’s Swinomish royalty were called upon to introduce themselves in both the traditional Lushootseed language and English.
“This,” Bailey said, “is why we do what we do — seeing the next generation up here. ”
