Photos: 100+ tribal canoes land on Lummi shore, honor missing and murdered indigenous women

Canoe families from Alaska, Washington state and Canada landed on Lummi shore on Wednesday during the culmination of the annual tribal canoe journey.

Some canoe families had been paddling for over 20 days before arriving.

"If you come from 1,000 miles from the north or 1,000 miles from the south, you’re going to be accommodated," said Jay Julius, chairman of the Lummi Nation.

Every year, tribes and nations paddle along ancestral waterways, stopping along the way before reaching the final destination. The annual journey is a way to honor and celebrate the heritage of the Coast Salish people.

“Paddle to Lummi," or Sqweshenet Tse Schelangen, means "honoring our way of life."

The Lummi nation last hosted in 2007.

Many paddlers wore red painted hand prints over their mouths to honor missing and murdered indigenous women.

"The purpose of the paint here today is to show a symbol of unity and to say that my canoe family stands with the relatives that have been affected by this epidemic," said Rosalie Fish, 18.

“This is a great time where we come together and celebrate and lock arms for a common purpose,” said Julius.

“Following this," he continued, "we need to lock arms together and move forward to protect the Salish Sea, the salmon, the orca, the killer whales and everything within the ecosystem."