“The creation story of Coast Salish people explains that there once lived a good man who always gave away his belongings and food to others. The creator recognized the man’s kindness and declared that once the man dies, a red cedar tree will grow where he is buried and the tree will continue to help the people.”
By Judy Gobin, Tulalip tribal member
This beautiful tree has provided so much for us such as clothes and canoes for travel, and today we have them being made into graduation hats, (mortarboards). I have for many years woven hats upon demand, for students here in Tulalip, and for friends from all over that order them for their children.
This year my daughter Toni Jo and I were asked to weave for our own graduates at Tulalip. I felt so honored to be asked and as I wove them I thought about our children.
This is the largest order we have done to date, the complete order was 105 hats! We started cutting and splitting in mid-February and completion was this week (June 9). The photos show the progress and what tools we used, and of course the picture of all the completed hats.
Students wore these beautful graduation caps at the June 13 high school graduation ceremony held at the Tulalip Resort Casino.