Paddling Into History: First Nations rangatahi return to ancestral waters

For the first time in over 100 years, First Nations American rangatahi have paddled along their ancestral river, the Klamath.

The expedition spanned across 30 days and nearly 500 kilometres from the top of the Klamath River to the mouth along the Pacific Ocean.

Che Wilson (Ngāti Rangi) was also in attendance, celebrating the historic occasion with six different tribes along the Klamath River.

He says he could see the re-connection of a people with their ancestral waters.

“I kite mārire au i te tū’onotanga o te tamaiti ki tōna tupuna, o te mokopuna ki tōna tupuna,” he says.

Reviving an ancient tradition

The connection of the six tribes of the Klamath was severed in the early 1900s with the establishment of four dams across the river to generate hydroelectric power and to control water levels for irrigation and flood control.

However, the tribes have been fighting for the removal of the dams since the early 2000s, and saw the removal of the final of the four dams in October last year.

The removal of the dams is touted as the largest dam removal project in US history.

Wilson says that with the revival of the river, a revival of Klamath tribal customs will also be re-solidified.

“Kua aro atu rātou ki te ika. Kaua ki ngā aukati i waenga i tēnā iwi me tēnā iwi, i te mea ko te ika e mō’io ana ki te awa. Ka kore e aro te ika, te haimana me te piharau ki ngā taupā ki ngā wehewehenga ā iwi, engari ka kauria ngā wai kia oke atu ki ō rātou ake kō’anga. Nāreira, me pēnā pea tātou ka tika.”

He hoenga rangatahi

Tokomaha ngā rangatahi, i waenga i te 13 me te 20 tau te pakeke, i hoea ki runga i te ipukarea o Klamath.

Ka mutu, mā te turakanga o ngā pāpuni wai e whā e hoki ora mai ai te rere o te wai me ngā ika, pērā i te hāmana chinook.

Hai tā Wilson, he wheakoranga tēnei e kore warewaretia.

“He kitenga kanohi, he kitenga korikori, he oranga ngākau.”