Maqlaqs Paddle: Our History

Our origins trace back to 2018–2019, when our founders began paddling with Indigenous communities around the world, learning from global networks of river‑based peoples who use paddling as a tool for cultural revitalization, environmental stewardship, and youth empowerment. During the COVID‑19 pandemic, we recognized a critical need to focus this work at home in the Klamath Basin, where Indigenous youth face limited access to outdoor recreation, high costs of participation, and the ongoing impacts of removal, assimilation, and environmental degradation. What began as a small, community‑driven effort grew into a formal program, fiscally sponsored by Ríos to Rivers until January 2025, when Maqlaqs Paddle became an independent nonprofit organization.

Our programming is built around a progression‑based model that meets our mukluks at every skill level. We offer day clinics on calm water for beginners, teaching foundational skills such as wet exits, forward strokes, and boat control. 

Maqlaqs Paddle aims to remove financial barriers by providing all gear, transportation, instruction, and meals at no cost to families. Our instructors are paddlers who understand the cultural, historical, and emotional significance of returning to the river. We integrate teachings about water, land, and community into every program, emphasizing that paddling is not only a sport but a way of life that has sustained our peoples since time immemorial.

Our work strengthens physical health, mental well‑being, cultural identity, and environmental stewardship. Working to support safe, joyful, and culturally rooted access to the river, we are building a future where mukluks feel empowered, connected, and capable—on the water and in their communities.