Hamilton Seymour of Nooksack Indian Tribe knows he’ll bring a leadership role to this position. He steps up whenever needed, and/or asked. He strives for greatness and give his best efforts in everything he does. In Coast Salish tribes one of our traditional sports is “War Canoeing.” Just this year I organized a buckskin crew (youth that are 16 & under) and we paddle not only to keep our culture alive, but more importantly to live a healthy lifestyle. We start canoe paddling in April and our season ends in late August. We practice 4 days a week and we race on the weekends. My grandfather has always told us paddling isn’t for everybody because of the commitment, sacrifice, and efforts it takes. He reminds us if it was easy everyone would do it. It does take a lot of time and energy, but it’s a great way of life. Paddling has taught me how to push myself physically and has strengthened me mentally. Our Rikkole Cree Buckskin Crew is paddling not only to represent ourselves, but our families and communities as well. I can proudly say I took on this initiative to help prevent drug and alcohol use and bring forth awareness for suicide prevention. My Crew and I are proud to represent Nooksack at every race.
Hamilton Seymour
