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Chief How-ee-sha-ta shows Whitcombs Hoh Indian customs
  
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By Jim and Jane Whitcomb
Jim and I have been enchanted with Olympic National Park since we last visited in 2004. One particular area we love to visit is the Hoh Rain Forest.
This year we sadly viewed many of the large old grown trees toppled. We were told that last winter produced a microburst wind gust registering over 150 mph. With a shallow roots system, and 140 inches of rainfall annually some old growth western red cedar and hemlock have reached 300 feet.
There are several walking trails, this year we chose the Spruce Trail which took us just over 2 hours to walk, it is 1.5 miles through large old growth trees hung with moss, the ground blanketed with ferns. We were overwhelmed with the smell of the forest. At first the smell was as clean fresh rain then it changed to a sweet smell that reminded us of fresh baked sugar cookies. The smell stayed with us all the way to the car.
To our delight when we arrived back at the visitor center there were two Roosevelt elk bucks munching their way along the Hoh River. Some campers told us that they were awaken by clashing of antlers just outside of their tent, as two bucks engaged in combat. On the drive home we stopped at Ruby Beach for a gorgeous sunset.
Olympic National Park has been named a World Heritage Site and joins a select list of protected areas around the world whose outstanding natural and cultural resources form the common inheritance of all mankind. It is one you must put on your list to see!
Hoh River is the “Steelhead Capital of the World.” Two days of the fall Hoh River salmon run is reserved for the Hoh Native American Indians to harvest fish using nets. The Hoh Indian Reservation is located at the mouth of the Hoh River, about two miles off 101. The reservation has 443 acres. There are 145 enrolled members of the Hoh Tribe and about 70 in permanent residence.
We decided to drive to the Reservation to see if Jim could photograph the net salmon fishing. We met with Chief How-ee-sha-ta, his Christian name is David Rock Hudson, who welcomed us to the Reservation and guided us to the mouth of the Hoh River to observe the fishing ritual.
We were delighted that Chief How-ee-sha-ta allowed us into his world. There were only ten tribe fishermen participating. They used small boats and gill nets to catch salmon. The fishing goes on for two days from 10 am until 10 pm. Chief How-ee-sha-ta took us to his brother’s house and showed us the morning catch, four large Coho, three hatchery fish and one native. A fish hatchery representative was on hand to measure and record the catch. The fish hatchery uses the information to learn what size fish are returning, how plentiful and condition. All hatchery fish are marked before release. The salmon leave the Hoh River for a four-year adventure in the Pacific Ocean only to return to their birthplace to lay eggs for the repeat cycle.
Chief How-ee-sha-ta was given a hand made ceremonial drum by his grandmother, Pansy Hudson, at her death in the 1950s. His family crest, a two-headed thunderbird, is hand drawn on the drum. As a gift to us he performed three sacred Hoh Indian songs: a prayer song, a canoe rowing song, and a tribal identify song with drum and with a wolf rattle. He showed us a two-headed rattle with human hair he also uses. These are his family treasures. We digitally recorded the three songs and felt extremely honored.
Each year the Olympic Peninsula Indian tribes keep their canoe skills alive with an ocean paddle. This year the journey of 106 canoes paddled to Cowichan, BC. Next year will be the 20-year anniversary of the paddle. He considers it to be a big event and will paddle to Suquamish, WA teaching along the way. All Pacific Costal Indian tribes participate. Hoh Indians leave by the mouth of the Hoh River and canoe in the Pacific Ocean to the next village joining that group until all arrive at the final destination, a full month adventure.
Chief How-ee-sha-ta gave us a gift of song and spiritual blessing, a blessing we will always remember. He will remain chief until his death or until he chooses to pass the leadership on to another.
Interactive RV trip
Jane and Jim: Although exiled to Houston for 22 years by true love, I am a native of the Pacific NW and have traveled the West Coast extensively.The two most beautiful spots on the Pacific Coast that I have visited are A) Point Lobos, near Monterey, Calif. and B) Point of Arches (aka Shi-Shi Beach) on the Olympic Peninsula. DO NOT MISS this spectacular natural wonder. From Port Angeles drive west to Neah Bay and then keep going a few more miles..watching out for logging trucks. My favorite spot to stay in Port Angeles is Aggie's if it is still there. And eat some Dungeness Crab, Yellowtail Tuna and fresh wild Salmon and oysters. Now I am homesick and hungry both. – George Bigham
See www.imagehouseusa.com to view more pictures and read Jane’s blog about the Whitcombs interactive RV trip.
This year we sadly viewed many of the large old grown trees toppled. We were told that last winter produced a microburst wind gust registering over 150 mph. With a shallow roots system, and 140 inches of rainfall annually some old growth western red cedar and hemlock have reached 300 feet.
There are several walking trails, this year we chose the Spruce Trail which took us just over 2 hours to walk, it is 1.5 miles through large old growth trees hung with moss, the ground blanketed with ferns. We were overwhelmed with the smell of the forest. At first the smell was as clean fresh rain then it changed to a sweet smell that reminded us of fresh baked sugar cookies. The smell stayed with us all the way to the car.
To our delight when we arrived back at the visitor center there were two Roosevelt elk bucks munching their way along the Hoh River. Some campers told us that they were awaken by clashing of antlers just outside of their tent, as two bucks engaged in combat. On the drive home we stopped at Ruby Beach for a gorgeous sunset.
Olympic National Park has been named a World Heritage Site and joins a select list of protected areas around the world whose outstanding natural and cultural resources form the common inheritance of all mankind. It is one you must put on your list to see!
Hoh River is the “Steelhead Capital of the World.” Two days of the fall Hoh River salmon run is reserved for the Hoh Native American Indians to harvest fish using nets. The Hoh Indian Reservation is located at the mouth of the Hoh River, about two miles off 101. The reservation has 443 acres. There are 145 enrolled members of the Hoh Tribe and about 70 in permanent residence.
We decided to drive to the Reservation to see if Jim could photograph the net salmon fishing. We met with Chief How-ee-sha-ta, his Christian name is David Rock Hudson, who welcomed us to the Reservation and guided us to the mouth of the Hoh River to observe the fishing ritual.
We were delighted that Chief How-ee-sha-ta allowed us into his world. There were only ten tribe fishermen participating. They used small boats and gill nets to catch salmon. The fishing goes on for two days from 10 am until 10 pm. Chief How-ee-sha-ta took us to his brother’s house and showed us the morning catch, four large Coho, three hatchery fish and one native. A fish hatchery representative was on hand to measure and record the catch. The fish hatchery uses the information to learn what size fish are returning, how plentiful and condition. All hatchery fish are marked before release. The salmon leave the Hoh River for a four-year adventure in the Pacific Ocean only to return to their birthplace to lay eggs for the repeat cycle.
Chief How-ee-sha-ta was given a hand made ceremonial drum by his grandmother, Pansy Hudson, at her death in the 1950s. His family crest, a two-headed thunderbird, is hand drawn on the drum. As a gift to us he performed three sacred Hoh Indian songs: a prayer song, a canoe rowing song, and a tribal identify song with drum and with a wolf rattle. He showed us a two-headed rattle with human hair he also uses. These are his family treasures. We digitally recorded the three songs and felt extremely honored.
Each year the Olympic Peninsula Indian tribes keep their canoe skills alive with an ocean paddle. This year the journey of 106 canoes paddled to Cowichan, BC. Next year will be the 20-year anniversary of the paddle. He considers it to be a big event and will paddle to Suquamish, WA teaching along the way. All Pacific Costal Indian tribes participate. Hoh Indians leave by the mouth of the Hoh River and canoe in the Pacific Ocean to the next village joining that group until all arrive at the final destination, a full month adventure.
Chief How-ee-sha-ta gave us a gift of song and spiritual blessing, a blessing we will always remember. He will remain chief until his death or until he chooses to pass the leadership on to another.
Interactive RV trip
Jane and Jim: Although exiled to Houston for 22 years by true love, I am a native of the Pacific NW and have traveled the West Coast extensively.The two most beautiful spots on the Pacific Coast that I have visited are A) Point Lobos, near Monterey, Calif. and B) Point of Arches (aka Shi-Shi Beach) on the Olympic Peninsula. DO NOT MISS this spectacular natural wonder. From Port Angeles drive west to Neah Bay and then keep going a few more miles..watching out for logging trucks. My favorite spot to stay in Port Angeles is Aggie's if it is still there. And eat some Dungeness Crab, Yellowtail Tuna and fresh wild Salmon and oysters. Now I am homesick and hungry both. – George Bigham
See www.imagehouseusa.com to view more pictures and read Jane’s blog about the Whitcombs interactive RV trip.
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