2026 Penn Cove Water Festival  Schedule 

Lummi Nation Blue Lightning

Tribal Dance and Singing

The Blue Lightning Canoe Family, (formerly Lummi Nation Blackhawk Dancers) perform tribal dance and sing at cultural festivals and community celebrations dedicating a new totem poles, storyboards.

Among the all the many forms of art that have been inspired by the Native American people, dance is, perhaps, one of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring of them all. To the average visitor or non-native person, Native American dances may seem like simple steps, hops, and jumps, that essentially keep rhythm with the beat of the drum. But in reality, these dances are so much more than that. Dance is a way of expression, a language in itself. They tell stories, and they are used as a medium for prayer and each dance has its own significant meaning in Native American culture.

Historically, dancing was a way to promote community interaction. Round dances were a way of introducing guests, tribes, and clans. Other types of dances were done to celebrate events such as harvest or seasonal changes, marriages, and inter-tribal meetings. Celebrations and gatherings would last for days, with dance, feasts and storytelling.

Peter Ali

Flute Music

The lifting notes of the Native American flute reminds us of a time when this music was played for courtship, healing, and during rituals. Peter Ali brings a unique collection of his Native flutes and contemporary songs that only come from the heart. Self taught and playing since 2000, Peter has performed all over the Puget Sound and played, with others, for the Dalai Lama during the 2014 Seeds of Compassion Tour in Seattle.

Peter is descended from his Mother who is of Mayan and Lower Pima heritage from Sonora, Mexico and a Father who's people are the Berber tribes of Morocco, North Africa. Peter continues the flute tradition as his Grandfather was also a flutist.

Swil Kanim

Violin/ Stories

Swil Kanim is a world class virtuoso violinist who advocates self-expression to create stronger community. He is aa US Army Veteran, classically trained violinist, native storyteller and actor, and a member of the Lummi Nation. He intertwines his music with storytelling, poetry, and audience interaction. Swil Kanim is a sought-after key-note speaker for conferences, workshops, school assemblies and recreation centers.

He is also a notable actor who starred as "Mouse" in Sherman Alexie's highly acclaimed movie The Business of Fancydancing in 2022.
Swil Kanim considers himself and his music to be the product of a well-supported public school music program. Music and the performance of music helped him to process the traumas associated with his early placement into the Foster Care system. His compositions incorporate classical influences as well as musical interpretations of his journey from depression and despair to spiritual and emotional freedom. The music and stories that emerge from his experiences have been transforming people's lives for decades. His original compositions are mesmerizing and inspiring to all ages alike, so bring the whole family when he is performing.

Rona Yellow Robe & Bruce Witham

Songs/ Stories

Rona Yellow Robe is a Cree and African American Woman, born and raised in Havre, Montana, and is an enrolled members of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy, Montana. Rona picked up her first flute in 2002 and has been on a musical and spiritual journey ever since. Rona is known for her powerful vocal ability, Native American flute style, Storytelling talents, and heart-filled presence.

Rona and Bruce Witham have been creating music together since May, 2008. They have recorded four award winning albums, "Voice of the Trees" (2009), "The Gathering" (2012), a Christmas album entitled "Lighting Our Way" (2013), "Shoot For The Moon" (2016), and most recently, their fifth album, Sunday's Child. Along with winning Native American Music Awards 2014 and 2016 Flutist of the Year, Rona and Bruce received the Native American Music Awards nominations as Songwriters of the Year for their song, "Voice of the Trees." Their album, "The Gathering" was Nominated for Record of the Year, and Female Vocalist for their Christmas CD, "Lighting Our Way".In the year 2019, Rona was award by the Native American Style Flute Association, North American Indigenous Flutist of the Year .

They have always said, "We will perform for 5 or 1,500." They have done both. For Rona and Bruce, it's all about blessing people's lives with the music. Their music is created with the intention to inspire, uplift, and fill the listener with peace, hope, happiness, leading to visions of joy, love, and prosperity.

Lou LaBombard

Story Telling

As a prelude to the Penn Cove Water Festival, on May 8, 2026, Lou LaBombard will tell stories around the campfire at Pacific Rim Institute, 180 Parker Rd, Coupeville.
Lou is a retired tenured professor of Anthropology at Skagit Valley College, Whidbey Campus, where had taught for 30 years. He is a Seneca-Mohawk of the Iroquois Confederacy, a Viet Nam Vet and served as an airborne paramedic. Lou has lectured around the United States on subjects ranging from incorporation of Native American materials into the general teaching curriculum and the use of Native American storytelling and oral traditions, to various subjects relating to the archaeology and history of the West, Southwest and Pacific Northwest coast. He has also studied the techniques for retention of traditional cultures of select Native American groups compared with the Maori of New Zealand.
Lou has been telling Native American Myths and Legends for almost 60 years. His stories from Native American oral traditions will keep the entire family enthralled.

Rosie James

Story Teller

The 2027 Penn Cove Water Festival will be dedicated to the memory of Rosie James and Bill Bailey
Rosie James was an elder and former Cultural Development Coordinator for the Samish Indian Nation. She was born and raised in Anacortes and attended schools in the area. She took her name from her paternal great grandfather, Louis Cayou. Her maternal great grandfather, John Stone, was born at Ship Harbor across from Guemes Island. Her passion was sharing Oral History which was handed down to her and her brothers during meal times. Rosie was mentored by her grandmother. She usually accompanied the tribal elders to gather shellfish, salmon, bottom fish, and plants. She was taught to gather traditional foods, where to find it, how to collect it, how to prepare it and most importantly when (what seasons) to gather it. Her great grandfather was the first Anglo settler on Orcas Island hailing from France. Since 2010 Rosie made her home on Guemes Island, the birthplace of her grandfather. Rosie's partner, Bill Bailey, was a well-known Northwest Native American carver. Rosie enjoyed teaching concepts by telling stories and presenting Oral History. She intrigued audiences throughout the Pacific Northwest as she shared her grandmother's stories and Tribal culture.

Shifty Sailors

Song of the seas

The Shifty Sailors are a male singing group from Whidbey Island, founded in 1993, and are UNIQUE because they are one of the only large groups in the US dedicated to a nautical repertoire. They are well known for their enthusiastic singing and crowd-pleasing presentations. Their main mission is to make sure the surrounding maritime communities understand their own nautical history and do this by singing at festivals, senior centers, schools and any other venue where they are invited to share their songs with the public. 
The Shiftys consider themselves Ambassadors of Whidbey Island, the State of Washington and the United States when they travel which they have done so extensively to perform in such places as Bergen, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Czech Republic Poland, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Wales, England and France. In the US they have performed in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Main Seaports, Lahaina and Kihei on the Island of Maui. 

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