Visit to Chief Seattle's Grave

We walked 12-miles in the rain today from Bainbridge to Chief Seattle's grave on the Suquamish reservation.  Around his grave site these words are inscribed in the stone:

"Even the rocks that seem to lie dumb as they swelter in the sun along the silent seashore in solemn grandeur thrill with memories of past events connected with the fate of my people, and the very dust under your feet responds more lovingly to our footsteps than to yours, because it is the ashes of our ancestors, and our bare feet are conscious of the sympathetic touch, for the soil is rich with the life of our kindred."

Tomorrow we return to this same spot for a ceremony before walking the final leg of our journey to the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action next to Bangor Naval nuclear submarine base.  On Saturday there will be a protest and civil resistance action at the base.

Today we had 100% more supportive reactions as we walked to the Suquamish reservation than we got yesterday while walking in Seattle.  I am told that there are many ex-hippies on Bainbridge Island and the native people on the reservation are also inclined to be supportive of the peace walk because the Nipponzan Myohoji monks have long developed positive relationships with the people on the reservation.