sCHEDULE and REGISTRATION
Camas Bake | May 7th - 11th, 2025
***Camas harvesting and cooking is a millennia-old ceremony. This event is specifically for tribal members, families, and specially invited allies.***
This event is a multi-day campout where participants learn to harvest, process, cook and celebrate the traditional root foods of spring! These include camas, chocolate lily, spring gold and more. Many participants travel with their respective tribal families and some tribes have a point person to help support their logistics.
Please note pre-registration is strongly recommended and helps us plan and communicate with the group.
Cedar Bark (Slhewey’) Harvest | May 31st
***Cedar trees are a slow-renewing resource, and harvesting their bark is a sacred practice. This event is specifically for tribal members and families.***
Join the CSYC for a special day of harvesting cedar bark at Dog Woods on Guemes Island.
We’ll learn about the history of traditional cedar management, sustainable harvesting methods, and the proper way to prepare the bark for its curing period. Processing will take place in the woods, and participants are encouraged to donate a portion of their harvest to CSYC for future programming. You’ll also be able to take some home.
This is a single-day event—please bring your own lunch. All ages welcome!
Dog Woods Totem Raising Camp | July 9th - 12th (Youth-Focused Overnight Program)
***This event is specifically for tribal youth ages 15-18. Paid opportunity for youth***
A summer youth camp with overnight camping at Dog Woods on Guemes Island. Activities include mounting Raven Welcome Figures and harvesting cattails, leading up to a community gathering on July 12th to honor the raising of the totems.
Schedule: July 9: Set up camp, orientation, July 10: Work on mounting welcome figures, July 11: Cattail gathering workshop (community invite day), July 12: Pole Raising Ceremony (community invite day)
Ages 15-18 | 7 spots available (waitlist available), Apply now!
Guemes Island Cattail Harvest: July 11th
Join us as we harvest cattails for weaving on Guemes Island. There is a ferry, but it’s a very short and fun ride!
Cattails leaves can be used to make mats, bedrolls, hats and more.
We will learn about traditional and contemporary uses and sustainable harvest methods.
Cattails are fast growing and return very strong every year. Harvesting them will actually create more habitat diversity in the wetland. This is an open community event that can accommodate many people.
This is a single-day event—please bring your own lunch. All ages welcome!
Challenge Paddle Tribal Journey | July 27 - August 5, 2025
***Canoe Journey is a millennia-old tradition. This event is specifically for tribal members, families, and specially invited allies.***
This year the Challenge Paddle will be traveling on the big annual Tribal Canoe Journey! We will bring the CSYC canoe, Ts’epoyeqw’, to Lower Elwha while traveling in the no-ground-crew format by carrying all the camp gear and food in the canoe without car support vehicles. The plan would be to launch from Whidbey Island, travel for about 4 days on the water, then camp for about 6 days at the final landing host camp.
FAQS: Coming soon!