Raynell Morris News Today

A Native perspective on the return of Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut.

Tokitae the orca has come home. Not to swim in her Salish Sea, but for her ashes to be scattered there, in a private ceremony by members of the Lummi Nation, who regard her as a relative. …

Her body was cut into pieces and preserved with plans to make castings for displays of her skeleton.

A public celebration of her life will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday at Jackson Beach Park in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.

The death of the lone orca has shocked those who have been rallying for her freedom for decades.

The death of the lone orca has shocked those who have been rallying for her freedom for decades.

Editor’s Note: Kelley Balcomb-Bartok is the son of Ken Balcomb and nephew of Howard Garrett, two key participants in this story and efforts to return the whale in this report to the Pacific Northwest, and was also involved in efforts to release her during the 90s.

Her sudden demise shattered hopes of returning to the ocean after half a century in captivity

An plan announced last week to return Lolita, a killer whale held captive for more than a half-century, to her home waters in Washington’s Puget Sound thrilled those who have long advocated for her to be freed from her tank at the Miami Seaquarium

An plan announced last week to return Lolita, a killer whale held captive for more than a half-century, to her home waters in Washington’s Puget Sound thrilled those who have long advocated for her to be freed from her tank at the Miami Seaquarium. But it also called to mind the release of Keiko — the star of the movie “Free Willy” — more than two decades ago. Keiko’s return to his native Iceland improved upon his life in a Mexico City tank, but he failed to adapt to the wild and di...