Sunset at Cape Disappointment State Park. Cape Disappointment State Park spreads over the land north of the point where the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean meet. Washington State Park Photo.
Today, June 8th, we celebrate UN World Ocean Day under this year’s theme of “Wonder” – the ocean’s wonder that draws us in and drives our desire to protect it. For the Columbia River tribes, this wonder extends far beyond the horizon where river meets sea. It flows through every drop of water that carries our salmon home.
The United Nations reminds us that “Wonder is the foundation of scientific knowledge, the allure behind exploration, the curiosity that drives innovation, and the seed of traditional wisdom.” These words resonate deeply with Indigenous understanding. Our ancestors recognized this wonder long before it had a name, following well-worn trails to witness the great waters where their salmon journeyed to mature and grow strong.
Ancient Trails, Eternal Wonder
Since time immemorial, Columbia River tribes have understood what science now confirms: we are all connected to the ocean. The Sahaptin speakers call it atáchiish – the “great water.” The Nez Perce knew it as ‘eteyékuus – “distant water” or “unbelievable water.” Indeed, unbelievable captures the ocean’s essence perfectly. This vast body covering 70 percent of our planet generates 70 percent of our oxygen, regulates our climate, and serves as both the source and destination of every river that flows through our homelands.
The wonder lies not just in the ocean’s immensity, but in its intimate connection to our daily lives. Every breath we take, every raindrop that falls, every stream that flows – all connect us to the great water. Most remarkably, our salmon embody this connection, carrying the ocean’s bounty hundreds of miles inland when they return home to spawn. Through their epic journey, animals, plants, and people far from the coast partake in the richness that the ocean provides.
Wonder Drives Responsibility
Sunset from the beach at Cape Disappointment near the confluence of the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean.
The ocean’s wonder awakens us to our responsibility as its guardians. Through CRITFC’s stewardship of the Center for Coastal Margin Observation and Prediction (CMOP), we combine traditional ecological knowledge with cutting-edge science to understand and protect the critical Columbia River estuary – where our salmon make their remarkable transition between fresh and salt water.
Our co-management philosophy is simple: wherever the salmon go, we go with them. This means extending our care from mountain streams to the open Pacific, recognizing that healthy oceans are essential for healthy salmon runs and thriving tribal communities.
The wonder of watching juvenile salmon navigate the estuary’s complex channels, spending months learning to survive in salt water, fills us with awe. These young fish often linger in the river plume – that mixing zone of river and ocean water – finding rich feeding grounds that give them strength for their ocean journey. Years later, that same wonder guides them home, following ancient pathways encoded in their very being.
Challenges to Wonder
Spring Chinook Salmon. Credit: Michael Humling, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Yet our wonder is tempered by concern. The ocean faces unprecedented challenges: plastic pollution, acidification, warming temperatures, and overfishing. Climate change threatens to disrupt the delicate timing that has sustained salmon runs for millennia. Rising sea levels and changing currents alter the very foundation of marine ecosystems.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch – a Texas-sized mass of debris trapped in ocean currents – serves as a stark reminder that human actions thousands of miles from the coast ultimately impact the great water. When marine animals mistake plastic for food, when coral reefs bleach white from warming waters, when ocean chemistry changes from absorbing excess carbon dioxide, the wonder remains, but it carries an urgent call for action.
Preserving Wonder for Future Generations
Confluence is honored to work with eight sovereign tribes from the Columbia River Basin. Each has a vast and rich history and enrolled members continue to maintain cultural, economic and environmental connections to their homelands. Here are some basic facts about each of these tribes with tribal resources to learn more. Nez Perce tribal members, including Horace Axtell (second from left) at the Chief Timothy site blessing ceremony. Confluence photo.
Indigenous wisdom teaches us to make decisions with seven generations in mind. This ancient principle has never been more relevant. The ocean’s wonder – its ability to sustain life, regulate climate, and inspire awe – depends on actions we take today.
Through partnerships between tribal nations, scientists, and communities worldwide, we can address these challenges. The wonder that draws us to the ocean must also drive innovation in marine protection, sustainable fishing practices, and climate action. We must become voices for the voiceless waters, advocating for policies that prioritize ocean health over short-term profits.
On this World Ocean Day, let us remember that wonder without action is incomplete. The same awe that fills us when we witness a salmon’s return from its ocean journey must inspire us to ensure that journey can continue for generations to come. The great water that connects all life on Earth deserves nothing less than our complete commitment to its protection and restoration.
The ocean’s wonder calls us to be better ancestors, better guardians, better relatives to all life. In responding to that call, we honor both the ancient wisdom of our peoples and the urgent needs of our changing world.