Members of the Penobscot Nation gathered at the northern tip of Indian Island today on the Penobscot River to celebrate the completion of a months-long canoe trip across the Northeast.
The canoers left Maine in May, and went south to New York Harbor before going north to Quebec and then returning to Maine, in a trip that totaled more than 1800 miles.
The inspiration for the trip was to connect with historic ways of travel, says Ryan Ranco, a member of the Penobscot Nation who canoed the entire journey.
"Canoeing is real important, specifically to me, to keep alive," Ranco said. "Canoeing brought me into the culture, I grew up away from it. I did have some experience, but getting in the canoe was really an unlocking of culture one piece at a time."
Ranco was joined on the trip by members of Native American tribes located along the rivers. Ranco says it was a unique opportunity to find common ground with new people.
"It felt great, a lot of them felt like long-lost family- we had similar mannerisms at times," he said.
