The rhythmic sound of chanting carried over the water Saturday during the Penn Cove Water Festival as about 10 Northwest tribes competed in canoe races. On shore, Native music and dancing, smells of fry bread and salmon delighted the senses.

It all transported 75-year-old Charlie Sneatlum back to his youth. He is a direct descendant of Chief Charles Snakelum, who is buried on Central Whidbey.

Sneatlum opened the water festival with a blessing and traditional songs. Then he talked about the early days of the festival, back in the 1930s and the Great Depression.

As a lad, he distributed flyers as he walked around town promoting the festival.

The blockhouse and canoe that now can be seen in front of the county historical museum were in town in his youth.

“The canoe was old then. It must be 150 years old now,” he said.

It was the first time Sneatlum attended the festival since his youth. The water festival was halted at the outbreak of World War II and did not restart until 1991. Today, he lives lives on the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation near Auburn.

Sneatlum showed onlookers his drum, decorated with images of Mount Rainier and the wildlife that Native Americans revere. Careful observation of the mountain on a clear day shows an imprint of an elk near the crest, he said.

His son Chuckie agreed. He said he photographed the image and created a screen saver for his computer with the elk outline.

About 300 pullers, as the canoe rowers are called, participated in contests that went on all day. Younger contestants ran shorter race courses than the adults.

The races Saturday attracted a record number of contestants. Usually, there’s a race at Lummi on the same day as the Coupeville festival, but this year the schedules didn’t clash, said Susan Berta, festival president.

Art Humphries brought about 20 of the 36 kids in a canoe club that trains almost nightly on the Lummi Indian reservation.

Humphries said not only does participating in club activities preserve Native traditions, it’s great exercise and brings families together.

It also imparts lifelong skills.

“The kids learn teamwork, how to pull together,” he said.

The youngsters develop their own chants to help with coordinating the pulling action of the paddles through the water, he said.

Humphries is 38 years old. He started pulling a canoe when he was eight. Now the club’s skipper, he’s traveled all over the Northwest with the kids and their families.

Violinist Swil Kanim, Native storyteller and violinist, asked children in the audience about their aspirations and encouraged them to follow their dreams.

A 7-year-old in the crowd said she was saving her money to buy a guitar and for lessons.

“Guitars are cool,” he responded. “Violins are nerdy, but I made violins cool.”

He demonstrated his point by playing his violin above his head, behind his back and between his legs.

The Tsimshian Haayuuk dancers from Seattle drew a crowd at the end of the festival.

They danced in colorful costumes decorated with symbols of the four houses of the Tsimshian: Raven, Wolf, Eagle and Orca, known as black fish by native people.

The sky was overcast, a cool breeze blowing in off the water.

The troupe’s leader invited the crowd to shake the chill from their bodies by participating in a dance led by eagle dancer Tom Guthrie. As people danced and swirled, an eagle appeared in the sky and hovered over the dancers, which was declared a good omen.

The troupe leader noted the participation of youth in the water festival.

“I recognize my nieces and nephews and all the young people who are holding on to the culture today,” he said.