You’re invited to . . .
Walk with friends and family on Thanksgiving, November23. Join us in Seattle as we walk around our urban Lake Union. Or join us in spirit and walk wherever you are.
Since 2010, friends and I have walked around Lake Union, and since the pandemic, we’ve been joined by others in “dispersed-unity” wherever they were—from Louisville and Brooklyn to Turkey and the Japanese American Exclusion Monument on Bainbridge Island.
I don’t know about you, but I need the community more than ever this year. I hope you can come along
Anne
The details
To walk with us around Lake Union
Meet at 11am on Thanksgiving Day at South Lake Union Park in the parking lot by the Center for Wooden Boats. From there we’ll walk counterclockwise. The whole route is 7 miles, and we walk rain or shine. Join us for all or only part of i. Please let me know if you’re joining us at Lake Union so we’ll know to watch for you. Drop me a note at AnneFocke at gmail.com.
To walk wherever you are
Choose your own route and time. Walk by yourself or with friends and family If you are tied to the kitchen or otherwise not easily mobile, a walk around the block or the table will do. Just think of us all as you go. Send me a photo or or a short note from your journey at AnneFocke at gmail.com.
The land and people who came before
The Native land you walk on
You can learn about the Native people who long ago walked the land you walk on by going toNative Land Digital. The Canadian site is run and continually updated by Native people. Use their how-it-works page to learn more about each territory.
The map above shows the Native lands we’ll be walking on around Lake Union (under the star) —Duwamish, Muckleshoot, and Suquamish, presented as differently colored screens along with territories of other nearby nations. For the most part their lands didn’t have hard boundaries.
And this map shows some of the larger Native territories across the continental U.S.
Guiding spirits of the Lake Union walk
The guiding spirits of this walk are Cheshiahud and his wife Tleebuleetsa, who are said to be the last Duwamish people to live a traditional, independent lifestyle near Lake Union. The path we follow most of the way is named the Cheshiahud Trail, and we honor the Duwamish people as well as the Muckleshoot and Suquamish, as we walk. For me, knowing of their history shifts the meaning of a day reserved for thanks.
You can read more about them here and watch a video story told by a descendent of Chesiahud, Jacquelin Swanson, here.
I hope you’ll walk with us!
