Chairman Hillaire: ‘She needs to rest where her family and her ancestors come from.’
||| FROM THE SALISH CURRENT |||
She spent 53 years in captivity, performing in a Florida amusement park under the stage name Lolita.
She will soon return home to her native Salish Sea as Sk’aliCh’elh’tenaut (pronounced Ska-lee-CHUCK-ten-aught), to be laid to rest in the waters where her orca pod still resides much of the year.
Sacred Sea, a nonprofit that campaigned for Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut’s freedom and return home, posted on social media Aug. 24 that the orca’s remains would be cremated by the University of Georgia after a necropsy there.
Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut, who was also known as Tokitae, died Aug. 18 at Miami Seaquarium, possibly from renal failure according to the medical team that had been preparing her for her return home.
Information about the status of the necropsy was unavailable Aug. 24. The University of Georgia media relations office did not respond to a phone message that day seeking information.
“Lummi tribal members will travel to the University of Georgia to drum immediately following her cremation,” Sacred Sea reported. “Squil-le-he-le Raynell Morris will carry Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut’s ashes home on a plane. Lummi Nation cultural leaders will decide how to best put Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut to rest.
“Lummi will fulfill the Xa xalh Xechnging (sacred obligation) and the late Chief Tsilixw Bill James’ directive to bring Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut home.”
