Common Waters: Delta
A Gathering on Lummi Nation Lands
Saturday, May 2, 2026 | Noon – 9 PM | Children welcome!
There is a river at the center of this community. It has been here longer than any of us, feeding salmon, filling fields, sustaining families—Lummi, Nooksack, and settler alike. Right now, that river and the people who depend on her are at a crossroads.
We are not here to debate it. We are here to experience it together.
Common Waters: Delta is a day-long gathering on Lummi Nation lands. A chance to move through storied places, hear from the people who carry this river's history in their bodies, and imagine together what the future might hold.
Come as yourself. Not as a representative of your organization, your industry, or your position. Just as a person who lives in this place and cares about its future.
The Day
12:00 – 4:45 PM — Sharing Stories from the Sea Ponds, to Northwest Indian College, to Marietta
Arrive at the Lummi Nation Stommish grounds by 11:30, get on a bus, and experience four stories of the Lummi Nation lands together. The day will be grounded in place, story, and listening. Lummi knowledge-holders will share their people's history and vision for the future. Others from across the watershed will share theirs. We'll have time alone with the land and water, and time together to begin imagining what a shared future might look like.
Snacks, refreshments, and a toilet will be available from 2:30 on. An optional youth program will operate in parallel to the tour.
4:45 PM – 9:00 PM — Evening on Hale Passage
All participants will arrive at the Stommish Grounds by 4:45, and programming will continue through dinner.
The locally-sourced menu will include local seafood caught and prepared according to Lummi traditions. Outings will be available on a carved canoe recently restored by brothers Free and Raven Borsey. Bonfires, stories, and time together on the water as the sun goes down.
Youth Programming
Youth are the future of this river and this community, and their voices belong in this conversation. A parallel learning space will run throughout the day for children (5–12) and youth (12+), offering hands-on time with the Nooksack River and room to dream about what its future could hold.
Youth educators are Western Washington University students studying Natural History Education for Eco-Social Justice through Spring Block, a program that has spent the past several weeks designing curriculum that expands how humans understand and relate to the natural world.
Youth of all ages are welcome
Children under 5 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
Parents who wish to join the youth journey are warmly welcome
Snacks and refreshments provided
Youth participants and accompanying parents/guardians should arrive by 11:45 AM
What to Bring
Layers for variable weather
Boots you don't mind getting muddy
An open mind and a patient heart
Attendance
This event is by invitation only, and capacity is intentionally kept small. If you've received this invitation, your place is held and we encourage you to bring your partners, parents, and children. Please RSVP with your group size by April 25th.
If you plan to attend the entire event, please be sure to select tickets for both the "Afternoon Journey" and "Evening Gathering" above.
If you'd like to attend and haven't received a direct invitation, you're welcome to register. We'll review all requests and do our best to accommodate.
Water Wars (how to avoid) is a community storytelling and gathering initiative rooted in the Nooksack watershed. We hold neutral, third-party space — unaffiliated with water rights adjudication, legal processes, or any community's official positions. Participants are invited to attend as individuals, not as representatives of any organization or institution.
"We are not enemies." — Jay Julius, Lummi Nation, to Brad Rader, Whatcom Family Farmers
Every story costs something to tell well.
Your contribution helps cover events, production, and the time it takes to build community across old dividing lines. All donations are tax-deductible through Whatcom Community Foundation.