Lolita’s ashes are going home for a traditional water ceremony
Lolita, the orca who lived in a tank at the Miami Seaquarium from her capture in 1970 in waters off Washington state to her death 53 years later in August, will be honored in a homecoming Saturday.
On Wednesday, the Lummi Nation, representing the original inhabitants of Washington’s northernmost coast where Lolita was captured, announced it will welcome home Sk’aliCh’elhtenaut—the orca also known as Tokitae or Toki —”in traditional ceremonies to honor her life and leadership,” the group said in a statement.
The Lummi Nation had long advocated on behalf of Tokitae and had aimed to have her returned to Puget Sound in her lifetime.
Lolita, who performed at the Virginia Key attraction until she was retired in 2022 due to health issues, died Aug. 18. She was about 57.
“Lolita will be welcomed by her family, with the honors and ceremonies of the Lummi’s still preserved culture. Some of them will be shared to the people live stream in social media,” the Seaquarium said in a Facebook post.
According to the Lummi Nation, its members traveled to Athens, Georgia, earlier this week to culturally and traditionally prepare Toki’s ashes for her journey home. A necropsy was conducted in August by vets and pathologists at the University of Georgia. Final results will be released soon and made available to the public, the Seaquarium said in its statement.
“This week’s ceremonies are private for Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut’s Lummi relations. Sk’aliCh’elhtenaut will be honored with a public celebration of life at a date to be announced later,” the Lummi Nation said.
THE ITINERARY
Wednesday: Lolita’s ashes were set to arrive at Bellingham International Airport. The arrival is closed to the public and media.
Saturday, Sept. 23: Lummi Nation police plan to escort the killer whale’s ashes to Fisherman’s Cove in Bellingham. Tokitae’s ashes will be taken by boat to a sacred spot to be spread in a traditional water ceremony.
“The Coast Guard will be present to ensure there is no interference,” the group said. This, too, will be closed to the public and media. “There will be a public honoring and celebration of Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut’s life at a time and place to be announced at a later date,” Lummi Nation said in a statement.
WHAT ABOUT LI’I?
The Seaquarium’s dolphin Li’i, Lolita’s tank companion, “will be relocated to an accredited facility where he will have the opportunity to spend the rest of his life with peers of his same species,” the Seaquarium said in its Facebook post.
The Miami-Dade County park, operated by The Dolphin Company, did not name the facility or announce a moving date for Li’i.