Thousands celebrate naming of Salish Sea

"What a historic day," said Tulalip Tribes chairman Melvin Sheldon Jr., who was on hand from Washington. "I see our young people here, and they are going to carry this on. This day will be remembered long after some of us elders have continued our journey."

Retired Western Washington University professor Bert Webber, a self-described "old, white guy," first proposed the name change in 1990 to the state's board of geographic names. The name was finally approved by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names in November and by B.C. authorities in February.