A painting of the Tulalip Marina by Tulalip tribal artist Sam Davis will be one of the raffle items during the Tulalip Inter-tribal jam session to raise money for victims of the Oso mudslide. Photo courtesy, Natosha Gobin
TULALIP – Tulalip community will be hosting an inter-tribal jam session tonight at 6:00 p.m. Greg Williams Court at the Don Hatch Youth Center located at 6700 Totem Beach Road on the Tulalip Reservation to raise money for Oso families as they recover from their losses.
A $5 donation will be accepted at the door. A concession stand serving refreshments, frybread, spaghetti, hamburger soup, and baked goods will be available for sale. A raffle featuring items donated by local tribal artists will be held during the event.
“This event is 100 percent community efforts,” said event organizer Natosha Gobin, who says volunteers are still welcome to
A painting by Tulalip tribal artist Jonny Dill will also be one of the raffle items. Photo courtesy, Natosha Gobin
sign up. “All proceeds will go to the victims and rescue crews affected by the mudslide. It warms my heart and spirit to have so many give their time and assistance to the planning and execution of this event. I raise my hands to the crew that is helping make this event a success.”
The session will begin with a prayer and Amazing Grace sung by Tulalip artist Cerissa Gobin followed by traditional songs, prayers, and drumming.
For more information, or to volunteer at the event, please contact Natosha Gobin at 425-319-4416.
WASHINGTON – The National Congress of American Indians marked the one-year anniversary of a great victory for tribal nations and Native women on March 7.
President Obama, joined by Vice President Biden, members of women’s organizations, law enforcement officials, tribal leaders, survivors, advocates and members of Congress, signs the Violence Against Women Act in March. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/Associated Press)
It was on that day in 2013 when President Obama signed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. At the signing ceremony, the president underscored the “inherent right (of tribal governments) to protect their people.”
For the first time since the 1978 Oliphant decision, VAWA 2013 restored tribal authority to investigate, prosecute, convict and sentence non-Indians who assault their Indian spouses or partners in Indian Country. The law created a pilot project that enabled three tribes to recently begin exercising this authority.
“Today is a day to celebrate what we have achieved together and commit ourselves to ensure the ongoing success of this important law. It acknowledges that tribal nations are the best equipped to ensure public safety in our communities and provides the tools we need to protect Native women,” NCAI President Brian Cladoosby said.
The Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona, the Tulalip Tribes of Washington and the Umatilla Tribes of Oregon–began exercising special criminal jurisdiction over certain crimes of domestic and dating violence, regardless of the defendant’s Indian or non-Indian status in February.
“VAWA 2013 is a tremendous victory. I am grateful to those who have stepped up to take the lead in the implementation phase,” Terri Henry, Tribal Councilor of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and co-chair of the NCAI Task Force on Violence Against Women, said. “I want to congratulate the three tribes participating in the pilot project and remind everyone, we still have work to do.”
However, VAWA does not mark the end of the NCAI’s efforts to combat domestic violence in Indian Country, NCAI Executive Director Jackie Pata said. “Tribal nations remain steadfast in the important work of protecting our Native women and securing our communities,” she said.
A big measles outbreak in British Columbia has crossed over the border into the American Northwest.
Health officers in B.C.’s Fraser Valley have confirmed over 350 cases of measles there since an outbreak started in early March. Six additional cases have now been diagnosed in Whatcom County, Wash., including a woman in her 20s who has prompted a regionwide alert.
While contagious, she mingled with crowds at a rock concert at Seattle’s Key Arena. She also visited Puget Sound tourist attractions such as the Pike Place Market, LeMay Car Museum and Harmon Brewing Company in Tacoma.
Whatcom County Health Officer Greg Stern says this measles outbreak traces back to a religious community in British Columbia’s “Bible Belt.”
“To the extent that people avoid vaccines, they increase both their risk and the risk of the community so that it can take hold. I’m worried about that.”
Already this year, seven cases of measles have been reported to the Washington State Department of Health. That compares to just five over the entire course of last year.
In recent years, the Washington and Oregon legislatures have made it harder to get vaccination exemptions for school-age children.
Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi at the ground breaking for the Wind River Job Corps Center. (Ernie Over photo)
(Wind River Indian Reservation, Wyo) – A new push by U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., to terminate a portion of the Wind River Reservation should appall and worry Native American people everywhere, Northern Arapaho leaders said Tuesday in a news release.
Draft legislation by Enzi, and supported by Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., would eliminate the reservation status of a significant portion of Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone homeland in central Wyoming, according to the news release.
Enzi’s Washington office, however, said the bill clarifies the boundaries of the Reservation as established in law in 1905. “Senator Enzi is not proposing to withdraw any lands from the Wind River Indian Reservation,” Press Secretary Daniel Patrick Head told County10.com Wednesday morning in an email. ”Senator Enzi doesn’t want to change the current reservation boundaries. He wants to make sure they stay as they have been for decades. The delegation’s legislation would keep things as they are, neither adding to nor taking away reservation land.”
Head said there has been misinformation spread about the legislation. ”Senator Enzi and the Wyoming delegation continues to work on legislation with the tribes, state government, Fremont County and the City of Riverton. The bill is being drafted to allow the EPA to treat the reservation as a state for purposes of air quality monitoring, but with the boundaries of the reservation as they were established before the EPA’s erroneous decision that Riverton is part of the reservation,” he wrote.
“It’s chilling to see this kind of attack on Indian Country in 2014,” said Northern Arapaho Business Council Chairman Darrell O’Neal.
The bill, according to the release, is a response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to treat the Wind River tribes as a state under the Clean Air Act. A detailed legal analysis in the EPA decision concluded that the town of Riverton is part of the Wind River Reservation, a position the tribes have always held.
“Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead has asked the federal courts to determine whether the EPA analysis is correct. Enzi has decided instead to change the law. In doing so, Enzi has turned his back on his approximately 15,000 tribal constituents in Wyoming, Northern Arapaho leaders said,” again quoting a news release.
Northern Arapaho leaders traveled to Washington, D.C., last week to confront members of the Wyoming’s delegation about the bill and their opposition to the tribes’ treatment as a state application.
“We asked them to reconsider, to open their minds and work with us in good faith,” said Councilman Al Addison, “but they were not interested.”
Head, however, said the tribes were invited to comment on the draft legislation, which he said was sent to them in advance for review and comment. “As far as status, we sent it to the tribes last week and asked for comments by the end of this week. Depending on comments the delegation may or may not introduce the bill next week,” he said.
Tribal leaders made a call Tuesday for support and prayers from Native American people and governments everywhere. Tribal people must work together to prevent the loss of any more of our precious homelands, Chairman O’Neal said. “If the Wyoming Delegation can do this to us, they can do it to any tribe in the nation,” O’Neal added.
Enzi was part of a similar anti-sovereignty campaign during the Northern Arapaho Tribe’s successful effort to secure gaming more than a decade ago. Once again, Enzi has demonstrated he is no friend of the tribes, tribal leaders said.
“We’ve seen these kinds of tactics from Senator Enzi before,” said Northern Arapaho Business Council Co-Chairman Ronald Oldman. “They didn’t work in our gaming case, and they won’t work here.”
TAHOLAH, WA – Residents described the crashing storm waves like an earthquake hitting. Wave after wave broke over the weakened seawall that separates Taholah’s lower village from the raging North Pacific Ocean on the evening of March 25. During the storm, a section of the 1, 100 foot seawall failed, leaving residential properties and residents of the Quinault Indian Nation vulnerable to flooding.
The following morning the destruction was clear. A smokehouse lay in a twisted shamble, other outbuildings, and properties were damaged and flooded, and the weeks’ weather report came in projecting rain, high winds, and 3 to 5 foot waves with 13 to 15 second swells by the weekend. Seven hundred Taholah residents faced an emergency.
Fawn Sharp, President of the Quinault Indian Nation issued a voluntary evacuation, in which four families left the affected area. A request was also sent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to declare the portion of Taholah affected as a federal disaster area and funds made available for disaster relief.
Seattle District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineer Brian Stenehjem leads the Corps team assisting Quinault Indian Nation. He explains that wave action has damaged a 500-foot section of the seawall that separates Taholah’s Lower Village. Photo/ Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved Quinault Nation’s emergency assistance request on March 27, and put the Seattle District Emergency Operations center into 24-hour operations. Teams were sent out to assist Quinault with temporary repairs to the failing 500-foot section of seawall, with a 48-hour completion date before an overnight storm coincided with high tide on March 29.
During the Corps initial inspection of the wall, they reported calving of rock and core material due to wave action.
During the March 25 storm, the wall sustained damage along the entire structure length, with the toe material of the berm removed and replaced with what protected the slope. This left the slope of the berm unprotected and vulnerable to waves and more removal of slope material, which if left unrepaired, would lead to a collapse of the berm’s capstones and loss of protection.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District has put its Emergency Operations Center into 24-hour operations to assist the Quinault Indian Nation with flood protection measures following damage to the Taholoah Lower Village seawall on Tuesday, March 25. Photo/ Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News
The repairs involved an orchestrated effort by Quinault’s Emergency Management, Quinault TERO workers, and the Army Corps of Engineers.
To make the necessary repairs, an access ramp had to be built to allow in excavators large enough to remove the capstones, and install a filter blanket and armor rock to prevent further erosion of the slope during wave action.
“We first had to make an access route to work our way down to the filter blanket,” said Brian Stenehjem, Corps of Engineers team leader on the project, about the layer of material placed between the riprap [a layer of stone to stabilize an area subject to erosion] and the underlying soil to prevent soil movement into or through the riprap.
Placement of armor rock was conducted on Saturday, March 29, which will help decrease the vulnerability to wave action to the slope. Photo/ Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News
“The toe rock got scoured out which caused the slope rock to fall down so all we had was the caprock on top and the toe rock and nothing in the slope. And without that slope armor protection, it really leaves the whole structure susceptible to wave action. And that is the underlying problem if the structure doesn’t have any of that protection,” said Stenehjem
“We had to work our way down, creating a filter to protect the embankment, so we used class 2 riprap and you inline the whole embankment with that. Then we overlay armor rock, which is 2 to 4 ton rock, which will provide the protection. So you want the big rock, your medium rock, and then your small rock as a kind of filtering,” said Stenehjem
Quinault Emergency Management staff member John Preston, drives past a residence that sustained damage due to the breach on Tuesday evening, March 25. Photo/ Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News
More than 100 dump trucks were used to haul in the armor rock, adding to the increased general council traffic, and annual clam-digging event during March 29 through 30. Despite issues with broken equipment and increased traffic, repairs were finalized on Sunday, March 30, costing $300,000 and resulting in the placement of 4,500 tons of rock.
Corps teams remained on site throughout the March 29 storm to monitor the seawall conditions. The temporary repairs remained intact during the storm and prevented flooding to 700 residents in the affected area, including Quinault Indian Nation’s Tribal Police Department, animal control, storage facility for canoes, public work shops, Headstart School, and a retail shop and restaurant.
“On hearing about Quinault’s breached seawall we were immediately concerned for our tribal brothers and sisters,” said Tulalip Chairman Mel Sheldon Jr., when Quinault Indian Nation announced a state of emergency. “This, along with the tragic events in Oso this past week, we’re reminded how vitally important it is to the tribes to have the best possible emergency management plans in effect.”
“We wish to acknowledge and thank the help of the Corps of Engineers as well as Grays Harbor Emergency Services, the elected officials and all others who have sent their prayers and offers of support. Our people will be kept safe and we will continue to seek a more long term solution to this dangerous situation,” said Fawn Sharp.
A permanent solution is being sought due to the encroachment of the North Pacific Ocean waters, which have become invasive over time due to sea level rise and violent storms.
Brandi N. Montreuil: 360-913-5402; bmontreuil@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov
The new Elwha Tribal fish hatchery on the Elwha reservation is to be used to supplement populations of fish that naturally recolonize the river as habitat becomes available. Photo: Steve Ringman / The Seattle Times, 2011
By Andrew Gobin, Tulalip News
“The hatcheries were built for one reason. That is to make up for lost natural and salmon production caused by habitat loss,” said Billy Frank Jr., Chairman of the Northwest Indian Fish Commission, in reaction to Washington State’s decision to hold 900,000 steelhead slated to be released from state hatcheries this year. The decision follows a lawsuit filed by Washington’s Wild Fish Conservancy, an environmental group based in Duvall, which contends that hatchery runs are detrimental to wild steelhead and salmon populations, claiming hatchery reared steelhead suffer genetic inferiority and create habitat competition.
The conservancy filed a complaint, claiming the state is in violation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Wild Steelhead were added to the endangered species list in 2007 as threatened, and in the seven years since, according to the conservancy, the state had an obligation to prove that hatchery runs pose no threat to the wild steelhead.
According to a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) press release on April 1, the state hatchery operations do not currently have approval from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), which is required following the addition of wild steelhead to the endangered species list. That alone opens up the WDFW to legal action.
Phil Anderson of the WDFW said, “We believe strongly that we are operating safe and responsible hatchery programs that meet exacting science-based standards, but without NMFS certification that our hatchery programs comply with the Endangered Species Act, we remain at risk of litigation. We are working hard to complete that process.”
The WDFW has decided that they will not be releasing the ‘early winter’ hatchery steelhead unless the legal issues are resolved. If they continue unresolved, the WDFW will continue to rear the steelhead and release them into lakes in the spring.
Washington tribes, who were neither consulted before the decision nor lawsuit, are very disappointed about the state’s decision, and that the conservancy group did not work to resolve their differences within the 60 day intent period.
“Both Indian and non-Indian fishermen depend on tribal and state hatcheries and the fish they provide. Hatchery steelhead and salmon are also essential to fulfilling promises of tribal treaties with the United States,” Frank said. Those treaty rights depend on fish being available for harvest.
The halt of the steelhead release means the probable end of the state’s steelhead sport fishery. Similarly, continued hindrances to other hatchery operations would have the same drastic effects, for all fisheries in the state, tribal and non-tribal.
Frank said, “Instead of addressing the real problem of steelhead habitat loss, the lawsuit could once again force Indian and non-Indian fishermen to unfairly pay the price for habitat destruction that hatcheries were supposed to make up for. That’s not right.”
Andrew Gobin is a reporter with the See-Yaht-Sub, a publication of the Tulalip Tribes Communications Department. Email: agobin@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov Phone: (360) 716.4188
TULALIP – The first Thursday of each month the Hibulb Cultural Center offer visitors an opportunity to explore Tulalip history and culture free of cost.
Visitors today are able to enjoy the center’s extended hours 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. to explore Tulalip’s rich history and culture through exhibits such as the Coast Salish Inheritance, featuring Tulalip tribal artists; the Veterans Gallery, a tribute to Tulalip tribal veterans; and the Canoe Hall.
If you have not explored the variety of traditional and contemporary art created by Tulalip artists, today’s free admission is a great time to see the Coast Salish inheritance exhibit before it ends on May 21.
Don’t forget to stop by the Hibulb Cultural Center’s Gift Shop for their April sale featuring 40% off apparel and winter accessories, and 25% off Pendleton coats and vests.
Today’s free admission also includes tonight’s Hibulb Poetry Series featuring Tulalip poet, Ceriwyn Hanney at 6:00 p.m.
General admission is free for Hibulb Cultural Center members and Tulalip tribal members. Adult (18yrs & over) $10.00. Senior (50+ yrs) $7.00. Student (6-17yrs) $6.00. Military & Veterans $6.00. Child (5yrs and under) FREE. Family $25.00.
Hibulb Cultural Center is located at 6410 23rd Avenue NE, Tulalip, WA 98271. For more information about Hibulb Free Thursdays or events, please call 360-716-2600 or visit www.hibulbculturalcenter.org, or www.facebook.com/Hibulb.
Mi’kmaq Warriors and Elsipogtog anti-fracking struggle update
The Mi’kmaq Warriors, Germaine Jr Breau & Aaron Francis who have been held in custody since the day of the raid on Oct 17th, are now facing trial in Moncton courts. They are currently facing indictable charges for being true to their inherent responsibilities as L’nu people by protecting the lands and waters against corporate imperialists, SWN. We are unsure how much longer Aaron & Jr will have to sit in jail, having already served over 5 months without conviction. The financial burden of supporting imprisoned warriors has been carried solely by the family and loved ones and it’s time that changed. Again we are uncertain as to the outcomes of sentencing, but Jr & Aaron have plead to a number of charges. Support funds will be used for canteen, phone calls (which are both collect & long distance), gas for visits, etc. Please donate here http://www.gofundme.com/jailedwarriors Thanks to everyone for their ongoing and continued support!!
Viola Carol Gomez was born on June 20, 1979, a Wednesday, and passed away on March 31, 2014, a Monday. She was a beloved mother, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, cousin, and friend who will always be in our hearts. She is survived by her children, Isabel, Olivia, Raul Jr., Sebastian, and Yasmani; her parents, Lillian and Juan Gomez Sr.; her grandmother, Liboria Gomez Perez; her sisters, Danelle and Jose Loera and Alicia Amador; her brother, Juan Gomez Jr. and Candy Brown; her niece and nephews, Danicio, Talia, Victor, Juan III, and Raphael; her aunts and uncles, Alicia Cruz, Dennis Hegnes Sr., Bertha Jimenez-Gomez, Jaime Jimenez, Leticia Jimenez, Hugo and Francisca Muñoz-Gomez, Mario Muñoz-Gomez, and David Spencer Sr.; and numerous cousins. She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Lillian and William “Duke” Jones; her grandfather, Juan Salas-Adame; her aunts, Viola Jones Spencer, Marion Jones Hegnes, and Rosemary “Posie” Cross Jones; her uncles, Frankie Charles, Gustavo Cortez Sr., Donald “Dukie” Jones, and Emmett Jones and two infants; and cousins, Lloyd Jones, Janel Spencer, and Dawn Shirley Spencer. Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 3, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. at Schaefer-Shipman Funeral Home with an Interfaith Service to follow at 6:00 p.m. at the Tulalip Tribal Gym. Funeral will be held Friday, April 4, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at the Tulalip Tribal Gym with burial following at Mission Beach Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Schaefer-Shipman.
See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/heraldnet/obituary.aspx?n=viola-carol-gomez&pid=170474896&fhid=2242#sthash.V0UVvrxY.dpuf
