Messages from The Longest Walk trek on.

SUQUAMISH — The summer of 1978 saw hundreds of pairs of feet trek across America seeking Native American rights and teaching about the native way of life. Songs, chants and the rumble of marching supporters led the procession along the 3,600-mile venture that became known as The Longest Walk.

For some, the walk never truly ended.

Dennis J. Banks, a member of Minnesota’s Ojibwe, is a revered Native American leader who co-founded of the American Indian Movement and helped organize the ‘78 walk — an event credited with protecting Native American Treaty Rights.

On July 11, Banks completed another trek across America — The Longest Walk 2 — with once again many supporters, including Japanese businessman Masaou Yamamoto.

On Wednesday Banks and Yamamoto arrived in Suquamish, performing a spiritual ceremony of thanks to Chief Seattle and spoke to a full crowd in the Chief Kitsap Room at the Suquamish casino resort.

Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Sumida Trading & Co., teamed with Banks in their shared belief of taking care of the earth. Sumida Trading & Co. owns 10 restaurants offering dishes made from produce grown on his Piazza Eco Farm in Tokyo.

The Longest Walk steps with purpose

Each walk had its mission.

When the supporters, including Mohammed Ali, Stevie Wonder, Marlon Brando and then-Senator Ted Kennedy reached Washington D.C. on July 15, 1978, it became apparent that “the end result was worth the walk,” recalled Banks, to the crowd of Suquamish tribal members Wednesday evening.

However, 30 years later, it was time again for Banks to go for another jaunt, this time on a more southerly route to reach tribes in new reservations.

“In southeast Arizona we stopped to pick up fresh sage along the highway,” Banks recalled, adding that garbage was strewn amongst the sage. “Mr. Yamamoto became very angry and asked why do people do this — trash the sacredness of this ground?”

From then on Yamamoto acted as a major supporter of The Longest Walk 2, Clean Up Mother Earth.

The walk, which started in California’s Bay Area on Feb. 11 and ended July 11 in Washington, D.C., proved worthy of gathering trash along the 5,200 miles of the southern route.

“We picked up 3,600 bags of garbage,” Banks said. “We would fill up two trailers by noon.”

Every day people of all ethnic backgrounds would walk, sing and chant, Banks said. At night they slept by the side of the road.

Day in and day out supporters did it to spread three messages: protect sacred sites, all life is sacred and clean up mother earth.

A message heard worldwide

Yamamoto continues to support and sponsor Native American events such as the Great Ashinabe canoe race — known specifically for his Yamamoto Cup — in Minnesota because of his belief in children, he said.

“Each people need pride,” he said, adding without something to be proud about, people are not as strong.

In his travels he said it seemed many children had lost cultural pride.

“The pride had disappeared. They had no dream,” he said, adding the reason behind the Yamamoto Cup. “I decided I wanted to give them some kind of courage and pride.”

While growing up in Japan, his older brother was a soldier in World War II and although Japan was defeated, his people never lost pride.

“The world is so wide and if you want to change it for the better, you have to have a dream. You have to have pride again,” he said. “We can’t change the past time but we can change the future. Dream up. It’s our obligation.”

For more information check out www.longestwalk.com and www.nowacumig.org.