Author: Kim Kalliber

Tulalip Tribes Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Plan: Strong and Ready for Change – ʔəsqʷiq̓ʷ čəɬ čəɬa ʔəsqʷibtxʷ dxʷʔal kʷi sʔləliʔil

By Ben Lubbers, Associate Planner, Tulalip Tribes

When you talk to Patti Gobin in the Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources Department about how a changing climate will impact her people’s treaty rights and how they plan to adapt; it doesn’t take long to realize that the Tulalip Tribes are strong and ready for change. 

After a listening session with Gobin; Tulalip’s Climate Adaptation Core Planning Team learned that for the Tulalip people, adapting to change isn’t something new.  “Since time immemorial Coast Salish people have been dealing with changes that have impacted how we live our lifeways” said Gobin. “Both the coming of western civilization and an economy based society and changing climate have had impacts”. So, for Gobin and the Tulalip people, “Being strong and resilient to change is already a part of who we are and how we live.”  

According to Gobin, their approach comes from a place of strength.  It’s connected to the cultural values that have been passed down through traditional stories, teachings, and songs. “We must be prepared to address the changes coming our way to live the resiliency our ancestors handed down.” said Gobin.  For the Tulalip people, the value of following and upholding the teachings of their ancestors is taught by the traditional story – Her First Basket. 

Stories and values like these guide the work of Tulalip Tribes Government and Tulalip’s Climate Adaptation Core Planning Team. For Verna Hill, Director of Tulalip’s Community Health Department, these values are ingrained in her day to day work.  She and her team know the value of strengthening people, which is one of the core values taught by the traditional story of – Mud Swallow’s House.  

Through their policies and programs the Community Health Department is building a strong and resilient community one person at a time. Are they concerned about vulnerable populations affected by longer fire seasons and poor air quality?  Absolutely, but together with the Climate Adaptation Core Planning Team, Hill has been identifying community health concerns that may get worse as a result of climate change.  That way they can plan ahead and make adjustments to meet the changing needs

In addition to community health concerns, many people consider climate change an emergency!  According to a recent climate change survey, residents in Tulalip are concerned about the negative impacts that environmental hazards might have.  That is where Tulalip Tribes Emergency Manager, Ashlynn Danielson steps into help.  Through the Tulalip Tribes Hazard Mitigation Plan these concerns are being looked at, addressed, and prioritized.  

In some cases more frequent wind storms may cause more frequent power outages. Together with the Public Works Department and Tulalip Utilities Department, Danielson has worked to increase the amount of back-up generators for Tribal facilities like the Tulalip Health Clinic and new police and court buildings.  In addition, Tulalip Public Works has developed a new fuel reserve located on the Reservation to serve as a back-up in case fuel in needed to keep generators going longer. For Danielson and her team they embrace the opportunity to uphold and serve their people, a value that is highlighted by the traditional story – How Daylight was Stolen. 

Similarly, Danielson, and the Climate Adaptation Core Planning know the importance of listening to people.  According to Danielson, you don’t need to be a climate scientists to help your community plan and adapt. Everyone has something to offer in terms of observing and providing information to better understand the changes we are experiencing.  Showing respect and listening to every individual is a cultural value that is identified in the traditional story- Lifting Up The Sky.  Listening to elders, youth, tribal leaders, fisherman, employees, tribal members, and community members is an important part of Tulalip’s efforts to adapt and plan for change.

In November of 2019, the Climate Adaptation Core Planning Team worked with the Tulalip Communications Department and sent out a survey to find out what the community thought about Climate Change and Hazard Mitigation topics.  According to the survey results 44% of survey respondents have noticed more frequent extreme weather events in our community and 88% of respondents have noticed changes in temperature.  In addition, survey respondents said they noticed changes to the environment including 28% noticing more frequent flooding and 26% noticing landslides/mudslides. 

Unfortunately, for many Indian Tribes across the country climate change has had a much larger impact on their way of life.  Reservations are typically more isolated and indigenous people generally live closer and are more dependent on the environment.  Therefore changes to the climate and the environment can impact tribes more directly than other people or communities.  

For the Tulalip people and other Coast Salish tribes this includes impacts to the rivers, forests, and oceans they depend on.  When these areas are negatively impacted access to treaty rights such as fish and shellfish are impacted.  According to the Tulalip Tribes Climate Change and Hazard Mitigation Survey 66% of survey respondents were concerned about how climate change will impact plants and animals like orcas, salmon, and huckleberries.

Because of this disproportional impact, the Tulalip Tribes and other Native American Tribes have taken the lead when it comes to planning for climate change.  According to a database maintained by the University of Oregon, at least 50 tribes across the U.S. have assessed climate risks and developed plans to tackle them. With more than 570 federally recognized tribes controlling 50 million combined acres, Tribal planning and adaptation efforts are building resilient communities throughout Indian Country.  

For the Tulalip Tribes and other Native Nations in the Pacific Northwest the need for healthy rivers, forests, and oceans that can support healthy salmon runs is at the forefront of these planning efforts and has been for decades.  This work includes a larger effort to coordinate with, and in some cases litigate, city, state, county, and federal agencies in order to advocate for and protect tribal treaty rights. A lot of this coordination has to do with sharing scientific information, reviewing data, and talking to Tribes to better understand what the impacts are. 

To better understand the extent of climate change impacts, the Tulalip Climate Adaptation Core Planning Team is closely monitoring the latest regional and global scientific information.  In addition, they are studying and monitoring local conditions right here in Tulalip.  This includes conducting scientific studies as well as gathering information about the local area from tribal members, tribal elders, and other community members. 

In some cases this information includes memories and connections to special places that have been passed down from grandparents to parents.  This information is important to help prioritize and protect these special places both on and off the Reservation. Respecting the community of our elders past and present, and paying attention to their good words is a cultural value that is represented in the story of the – Crane and Changer.

One of the special places that is being impacted by climate change is the shoreline. According to Tulalip’s Climate Change and Hazard Mitigation Survey 28% of respondents have witnessed coastal erosion over the years and 42% have noticed damage to our roads and other infrastructure.  Tulalip’s Natural Resources Department is working hard to determine the extent of the problem. In some cases coastal erosion is natural, but according to observations from Tulalip fisherman coastal erosion seems to be happening more often that in the past. 

To help address this issue the Tulalip’s Climate Adaptation Core Planning Team has been monitoring the science and potential impacts that sea level rise could pose in our area.  One way to do this is to go out in the field and monitor vulnerable low lying coastal areas during annual king tides.  The king tides provide a glimpse 25-50 years into the future to a time when our regular high tides could potentially reach these levels. Monitoring the largest tides of the year helps Tulalip figure out the places and infrastructure that are most vulnerable.  

However, instead of just monitoring and planning for these changes, the Tulalip government and its community also want to reduce the impacts of climate change by reducing carbon emissions. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) cutting carbon emissions from energy and transportation sources will not be enough.  The IPCC states that in order to keep global temperatures at safe levels we also need to transform the way the world produces, packages, and transports food.  This will require a sincere effort by individuals, governments, non-profits, local business, and corporations from around the world to change.  Specifically, we need to change how we provide and consume our energy and food. This means changing the way get around, changing the way we heat our homes/work, and changing where and how we get our food.  

Taking doctor’s orders from Mother Earth, isn’t something that everyone is willing to do.  However, according to Tulalip’s Climate Change and Hazard Mitigation survey 84% of respondents are either extremely willing or very willing to change their day to day behavior to help reduce the impacts of climate change.  This could be as simple reducing the amount of beef in your diet or tele-commuting to work.  However, this could also mean encouraging government, tribal leadership, and businesses to take action. Both governments and business around the world have an opportunity to make changes that will help us lessen the impacts of climate change while at the same time protecting vulnerable populations of people while also stimulating the economy.   

Addressing and prioritizing all the issues associated with climate change takes a lot of work.  Work that requires us to educate and communicate with each other.  Work that requires us to monitor, observe, plan, and prioritize mitigation and adaption efforts.  At times the amount of work that needs to be done can feel overwhelming.  However, its times like these that we can turn to the Tulalip Tribes traditional and cultural values for guidance and support. This includes the cultural value of working hard and always trying our best.  This value is represented in the traditional story- How we got the Salmon Ceremony.  It’s through the understanding of these values that we know the Tulalip Tribes are strong and ready for change.  

For more information about Tulalip Tribes Climate Adaption and Hazard Mitigation efforts please visit the following websites.  

Tulalip Office of Emergency Management

https://www.tulaliptribes-nsn.gov/Dept/OfficeOfEmergencyManagement

Tulalip Natural Resources – Climate Change Page 

https://nr.tulaliptribes.com/Topics/ClimateChange

TPD: Solidarity with community

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

May 25, 2020 the world was shocked, outraged and heartbroken. The murder of George Floyd was captured on camera and circulated the internet for all to see. A black man unjustly and untimely taken from his loved ones at the hands of four law officials, exposing many to a reality that is unfortunately all too familiar within black communities across the country. 

The call for justice was immediate. In the middle of a pandemic the Nation’s obvious divide split even deeper and a lot of people’s ethics and morals were voluntarily put on display, for better or for worse. Whether it was marching at Black Lives Matter rallies or spewing emotions over keyboards, the world began to see exactly where people, companies and businesses stood on heavy topics such as police brutality and systemic racism. 

Since accepting the position of Chief of Police for the Tulalip Police Department (TPD) back in 2018, Chris Sutter has designed a community-driven police force, prioritizing the safety of the tribal community at large. At a time when local police departments are under the watchful lens of their towns and cities, Chief Sutter’s main objective of creating a strong bond between officer and citizen has never faltered and his motives never changed. 

  “I feel it’s very important, especially in our tribal community, to build relationships and get to know the community members,” expressed Chief Sutter. “A big part of that is building trust and working with the community to help solve problems. I try to model that behavior by taking up opportunities to go to local Tulalip community events. I also work closely with the Tulalip Citizen-Police Advisory Board, which is comprised of Tulalip citizens who are elected to provide important oversight and recommendations to the Chief of Police.

“One of the areas that we build trust is through accountability. I’ve implemented a system that says all complaints will be received, reviewed and investigated. And every complaint is logged and tracked. Shortly after I arrived here, we implemented a citizen feedback form on our website. Citizens can complete the form, they can call on the phone or come in person, we’ll accept all feedback. These are internal systems that we’ve put in place to hold ourselves accountable to the community, and to also help the officers in our department improve and establish trust and credibility.”

Following the George Floyd killing, millions nationwide took to the streets calling for the arrest and prosecution of the officer who committed the murder by strangulation, as well as the officers who stood by and watched as a man who pleaded ‘I can’t breathe’, had his last breath stolen. Although most events were organized to be peaceful marches, many were taken over by radicals with intentions of raising tension. And some, under the guise of ‘protecting their towns’, openly toted assault weapons and waved the confederate flag. 

During the early days of protests, riots ensued in many cities and businesses were targeted and looted, by whom was hard to say although both political parties seemingly agreed to blame the damages on extremist groups whose views more aligned with the opposite party, depending on who you asked. 

After a chaotic week in Seattle, the alleged radical groups began organizing lootings via Twitter and high on the list was the Seattle Premium Outlets which is located in the city of Quil Ceda Village on the Tulalip Reservation. 

Alongside the Sacred Riders and Tulalip land protectors, Chief Sutter and crew defended the sduhubš home base by quickly shutting down the entire city, which included large corporations that were still in operation during COVID-19 like Walmart, Cabela’s, and Home Depot, as well as a handful of small businesses. All roads and overpasses leading into the city were also swiftly closed and TPD officers were stationed at blockades throughout the reservation to prevent any destruction or theft from the outlet mall. For nearly five entire days, the TPD stood side-by-side with their community, protecting the land and its people with minimal arrests and damages occurring.

Days following the looting threats, TPD participated in a rally against racism organized by the Marysville YMCA. Chief Sutter and multiple police officers marched along with Tulalip tribal members and the local populace through the Marysville streets, from Jennings Park to the Ebey Slough Waterfront. 

“The Marysville YMCA [director] asked us to participate with the Tulalip Tribes in a peaceful rally and march in support of anti-racism, and in support of Black Lives Matter. I was honored to speak at the beginning of the rally and march with the Black Student Union, community members and Tulalip tribal members. I want the community to know I stand united against racism. I stand united against police misconduct and abuse.

“When the George Floyd murder occurred in police custody – death at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers, I was, as the rest of the world, shocked, saddened and disgusted by watching a human being’s life taken on video at the hands of police. I find that reprehensible and inexcusable and totally unacceptable in any context. There’s no excuse for that type of behavior. I fully support both the firing and the criminal prosecution of those officers. My goal is to never have that happen here at Tulalip.”

Many people who come from a community where police misconduct is practiced regularly, often reference a glaring disconnect between their police department and the people they are hired to protect and serve. Whereas at Tulalip, Tribal PD attend a myriad of events throughout the year, whether it be sporting, cultural, or scholastic, the officers take the time to build personal relationships with the people of Tulalip. 

In addition to taking a stance against racism, supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, and protecting Tulalip territory, TPD has helped out immensely since Tribal government shutdown during the outbreak of COVID-19. Over the past few months, the department has assisted at a number of Tribal member grocery and food distributions, as well as lending a hand to the Tulalip Senior Center to assemble and deliver care packages to local elders, which included masks and gloves.

Another aspect to Chief Sutter’s stronger together plan was the development of the Professional Standards Unit in which he intentionally placed a qualified Tribal member, Angela Davis, whose duties are to thoroughly vet potential recruits, investigate and manage both citizen and internal complaints, as well as help update and revise TPD’s policies and procedures. 

“I think it’s really good that we have a Chief who is willing to stand alongside the people and allow them the space to express their freedom and be heard in a peaceful way,” Angela reflected. “Especially for us as Indigenous people, and everything that happened to us, it just makes sense that we would support another minority group that things are happening to that shouldn’t. I think it helped bring the African American and Native American communities closer together. I think the Chief is going in the right direction, there’s some changes taking place to be more organized and more accountable. We’re getting bigger and a culture change is much needed.”

Angela and the Chief both explained that in the wake of the George Floyd murder, they are currently revising the TPD’s use of force policy, specifically prohibiting neck choke holds like the tactic used to execute George Floyd. Additionally, Chief Sutter is amping up trainings on de-escalation, stating he doesn’t want his officers to get involved physically unless its reasonably objective as well as necessary for the safety of the individual, the officers and the public. 

“I brought in an expert, a master instructor in the use-of-force, to consult with me on that policy revision,” said Chief Sutter. “I am also looking nationwide at the best practices on de-escalation and use-of-force. I want every reasonable opportunity to de-escalate a critical situation to minimize the amount of force an officer has to use to bring that situation under control. 

“We will integrate communication and de-escalation tactics into every call we go to. I want our officers to be communicators, problem solvers and peacekeepers,” he continued. “I subscribe to the guardian philosophy, the guardian versus warrior mentality. Our officers are not at war with our community. We are here to protect our community and to safeguard them, it’s a mental mind shift. And when force is necessary, ensuring that we’re using only the appropriate level of force. Something that I’ve implemented is a critical incident review process form. Every time force is used in this police department, it will be reviewed through the chain of command.”

To round out the mission of unity between the Tribe and the police, Chief Sutter’s latest task is getting more Tulalip representation on the squad. He will be making a focused effort to bring more Tribal members onto the force during the next round of recruitment.

With a few adjustments and revisions, the police department is heading in the right direction, working to ensure the tribal society that they can depend on local law officials through both the good and difficult times as we venture into a future of uncertainty and unknown. Even when a good chunk of American municipalities are currently at odds with their local police, and many of those departments will likely be defunded (funds redirected to other qualified professionals), TPD and Tulalip stand in unity. 

To show the police department that the Tribe returns the love and support, approximately twenty tribal members recently surprised Chief Sutter and squad with a ceremonial blessing, providing the medicine of song and sage. 

“My highest goal is that everyone in this community is treated respectfully,” the Chief said. “I was personally touched to see Tulalip members come one evening and offer their prayers and blessings, singing on behalf of our police department. In addition, one tribal member made personalized hand sanitizers for every member of the department, we enjoy very strong support from our Tribal members. I believe there’s a lot of work to do though, and we have plenty of opportunities for improvement in how we build relationships and how we provide exceptional service. I just want our community know how grateful I am to have this honor to serve the Tulalip people.”

Eleanor Elaine (Christine) Enick

December 23, 1944 – July 17, 2020

Eleanor Elaine Enick known as Christine Enick her whole entire life was 75 of Tulalip, WA. Christine went to be with the Lord on July 17, 2020 in Mount Vernon, WA. Christine was born December 23, 1944 in Mount Vernon, WA to George and Rose Enick. Christine leaves behind her three children Edwina, Edward and Darwin Weaselhead. Grandchildren: Ray, Harold ,Ashley, Christina, Edward, Raenell, Waylon, Sky, Blake, Shelby. Greatgrandchildren: Nathias, Kaylee, Payton, Marshall, Donna, Nomiah, Leila, Daeron, Dream, Jelena, Tyler, Rupport, Aloycius, Devon, Hope. Siblings: Edith Enick, Phyllis Enick, Francine Ike, Georgina Bueno, and Connie White, Darrell Enock. Plus many nieces, nephews and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents George Enick and Rose Gobin-Enick, Brothers: Gerald Enick and Harold Enick, Sisters: Geraldine Williams and Rose Williams. Grandchildren: Marshall Britton and Tanna Weaselhead; Great granddaughter Juliette Frease Britton and other relatives and friends too numerous to list. Christine started to sing Christian gospel songs at age of 5. At age 7 she experienced singing on a radio station in Mount Vernon, Washington. Throughout Christine’s life she continued to bless many with her beautiful songs until she passed. Christine lived in the Yakima Valley for many years. Christine had worked with her mom and sisters at the Yakima Indian Nation Furniture and Hardwood Factory, plus worked at various orchards jobs with her parents and siblings. Christine had later gained employment with the Yakima Nation Housing Authority to renovate houses. During her retirement years you could find her raising funds to feed the homeless, offering a warm blanket, socks, shoes or a sleeping bag. Christine would often cook on special occasions such as Thanksgiving/Christmas to feed the needy. Christine loved to minister the word by handwriting bible studies for prison inmates. She would write them out on paper, then make copies and send them in the mail. On many days you couldfind her taking time out to read the word and do bible studies. Christine didn’t get very much time to spend with her grandchildren and great grandchildren due to living in other areas. When that chance came along, she enjoyed it with a big smile and laughter. The family would like to acknowledge a special person who she called her adopted son Robbi Garcia and his children who she loved dearly. RIP Robbi.

Teachers and kids join in teaching Lushootseed online

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News; photos by Natosha Gobin

“Doing this work has always meant a lot to me,” expressed Tulalip Lushootseed Language Warrior, Maria Martin. “I got to learn when I was at Montessori at a young age. Growing up, I committed myself to learning everything I could with the language; summer camp, anytime they had an event I could attend, I’d always check out the website. I took it on myself to be a part of it. And being able to share that now, it’s awesome because I have direct relatives that put in work to save the language. And it’s an honor to inherit that.”

The traditional language of the sduhubš is strong in modern day Tulalip and COVID-19 can’t do a thing about it. When Tribal government shut down daily operations to help flatten the curve and decrease the spread of the novel coronavirus, many people were glued to their smart phones, searching for updates about the disease, learning how to adequately protect themselves, and adapt to a more slow-paced, Zoom-led world.

During the very first week of the Tribal government closure, when the number of deaths by COVID-19 were spiking, good news was hard to come by. An evening scroll through the timeline was often accompanied by despair and a general fear for the health of you and yours. And then one day a slew of videos began to pop up and take over people’s newsfeeds.  

“With everybody being forced to stay home, we still wanted to connect with our community so we had to get creative,” said Natosha Gobin, Language Instructor. “I knew that a lot of people were on social media, so we decided to throw some language out there. At such a time of unknown, here’s something positive, let’s take the opportunity to learn a couple words or hear a story together, connect with your kids, connect as a family. Most of the videos were geared to be just a couple minutes long. If a parent is scrolling through Facebook and their child is right next to them, then it’s as easy as ‘boom, let’s listen to this or let’s look at this real quick’. We really viewed it as a not only a way for us to stay connected with the community, but to reinforce that relationship with a parent and child learning together.”

Over the course of the school year, the Lushootseed language warriors develop a strong connection with their students as they are in the classrooms weekly, some teachers daily. When schools began to close, naturally the instructors began to miss their students, as well as preparing lesson plans and growing the minds of future Tulalip. When Lushootseed Program Manager, Michele Balagot, instructed her team to produce online language videos, they wasted no time. Videos of language warriors singing traditional Tulalip songs, sharing popular Salish stories and providing lessons in counting, colors, animals and shapes flooded the social media timelines of Tulalip families and citizens.

“That was new to us, we started with one person doing a video and then we built off of that,” explained Michele. “A week later we decided we needed to do some interaction, so the kids could practice and identify a shape or a color in the language. And then we started doing traditional stories, so the kids could still hear Lushootseed while they’re at home and be able to speak it, be interactive with it.”

A majority of the Lushootseed speakers work with younger children, thanks to a partnership with the Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy (TELA). The idea is that kids are more susceptible to pick up the language during the early childhood development stages. Out of a shared interest of providing Tulalip children with a strong cultural foundation and understanding, TELA developed the language immersion curriculum in which Lushootseed Warriors frequent the classrooms of the Early Head start and Montessori and pass on the language through fun activities, songs, and interactive stories.

“They [videos] were originally for TELA, but we posted the videos on Facebook and soon found out that the TELA kids weren’t the only ones watching,” Michele said. “We knew that kids of all ages were watching it because we kept getting all kinds of replies saying, ‘thank you my child sat down and watched it and was speaking the language along with the video.”

Maria, who mainly works with Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary, has made a handful of videos for her students during the pandemic that inspired not only the parents who are at home learning with the kids, but also many of the QCT teachers. 

“We went over greetings, feelings and their letter pronunciations, I tried sticking to the basics that the kids would know,” she stated. “I’m not sure how many of my students were able to watch it but I did see that it was being posted to the [QCT] Facebook page. I’ve been able to catch some of the parents in passing, and even some of the staff members, who have watched the videos and they really appreciate them and greet me in Lushootseed, so having that feedback is heartwarming for sure.” 

Getting creative during the coronavirus outbreak,  Natosha put a little extra pizzazz into her videos by incorporating other Indigenous lifeways into her lessons. For example, when participating in cultural activities as a family, such as harvesting berries, cedar or seafood, Natosha reached for her phone, hit record and watched the magic unfold.

“It’s natural for me to take my kids out with me and pass that knowledge onto them,” said Natosha. “We’ve harvested berries and harvested cedar, we also went out and harvested fireweed. A big part of what I’m teaching about is harvesting and making medicines. Involving my own kids was an important part for me because kids respond well to other kids learning. My daughter, Lizzy, she’s the one that I put on the spot the most. That’s because she’s the closest in age to those kids at TELA. She’s six years old, so it’s easy for me to say, ‘hey Lizzy, let’s record this, or let’s go for a walk and I’m going to ask you these questions.”   

One visit to the Tulalip Lushootseed Facebook page and you’ll see a charismatic Tulalip youth effortlessly leading and narrating videos in the official language of her ancestors. Lizzy, her siblings, as well as the children of language warrior Michelle Myles, have unofficially become the new faces of the verb-based language and many tune-in weekly to catch their adventures with Lushootseed.

“She’s really taken on the role of teaching without fully understanding it. I’ve taken Lizzy out fishing and she did an entire fishing video. That video was probably the one that got the most attention, over 2,000 views. The viewers got to hear everything through her voice and it was repetitive so that you can easily learn from it. We want to take her out to dig clams and have her retell her great, great, great grandma Lizzy’s clam digging story, that’s one of the most popular stories that Lizzy Krise told. Lizzy Mae is actually named after Lizzy Krise. Grandma Lizzy is the one that we base a lot of our language after, we utilize everything that she passed on to us. She’s one of the people that we model a lot after, along with Martha Lamont. Lizzy will retell her grandma’s story through her own experience of clam digging for the first time. So, really just connecting it to what kids will respond to, what the kids will find interesting.”

In addition to the lessons for tribal youth and the students at TELA and QCT, the Language Warriors also teach a college-credit course for those looking to enhance their Lushootseed skills.

“We normally have community college classes this time of year, but with COVID we can’t do those,” expressed Michele. “So Natosha Gobin, Michelle Myles and I started an online Intro to Lushootseed class through Zoom. We had sixty-four participants and it was a seven-week course. We had Tribal members, other Natives, students from previous years, teachers, a good mix of everybody.” 

We are currently living in an era where the Lushootseed language revitalization revolution is in full effect. And just like in previous eras, such as forced assimilation, the Tulalips are taking it upon themselves to ensure the language and the culture prevails long past the present threat of the global COVID pandemic. 

“We hope that our community can look at these videos that we create and the online learning opportunity as a means for them to learn at their own pace during these difficult times,” said Natosha. “I think that’s probably the biggest thing, we want to reach our community by whatever means necessary. We’ll provide the tools, we just really want to encourage our community to utilize them.”

“At first, I thought nobody’s going to watch this, because people are at home and COVID is happening,” admits Michele. “But then everybody started sending in messages asking if we can do certain lessons or stories because a lot of parents are doing the homeschool thing. We have people telling us that when they go out, their child is naming the colors and shapes they see, and they are singing our songs. It’s important for the kids to learn their language. If you don’t keep hearing it and keep speaking it, then you forget it. By having these videos available, it keeps it fresh in the kid’s mind.”

For more information, please visit the Tulalip Lushootseed Facebook page or contact (360) 716-4499.

Hydration 101

Submitted by Tulalip Tribes SNAP-Ed Coordinator, AnneCherise Jensen

Did you know that water makes up nearly half of your body weight? Naturally, the human body loses water each day when you sweat, go to the bathroom, and complete simple, everyday tasks. The more active you are, the more water you lose. And when the temperatures are really hot, you tend to lose water even faster.  That is why proper hydration is extremely important to your overall health, especially during the summer. 

The human body requires water for survival – every cell, organ and tissue needs water to function properly. Water helps eliminate toxins and unwanted bio waste lingering in the organs. Water also helps regulate the digestive system, lubricate the joints, regulate blood sugar, lowers body temperature when needed, maintains electrolyte balance and boosts overall energy. Water is our friend, and proper hydration can help you reach many of your health and wellness goals. Here are some tips and tricks to help keep you hydrated this summer! 

Calculating Your Hydration Needs: 

The CDC recommends the average person drink at least 8 cups ( ½ gallon ) of water per day. However, some individuals may require more fluid needs than others. Typically, men require more fluids than women – generally, the more you weigh, the more fluids you will need. Individuals who spend a lot of time in hot weather or those acquiring more than 30 minutes of exercise per day will be at a higher risk for dehydration, requiring more fluid intakes. Individuals who are sick or have chronic medical conditions may also require more fluids. As a general rule of thumb, use this simple calculation to estimate how many cups of water you should probably be drinking a day: 

Weight in Pounds x .66 = ___ ounces of fluid / divided by 8    *Note there are 8 ounces in a cup so divide the total number of ounces by 8 to convert ounces to cups.

Example 1: 160 lbs. x .66 = 105.6 ounces /8 = 13.2 cups of water a day 

Example 2: 210 lbs. x .66 = 138.6 ounces /8 = 17.32 cups of water a day 

Note – you should try to add 12 ounces of water to your daily total for every 30 minutes of strenuous physical activity. So if you work out for 60 minutes daily, you would add 24 ounces (or 3 cups) of water to your total daily intake.

Dehydration Warning Signs: 

When dehydrated, bodily functions can be negatively impacted. Ultimately, the best way to avoid dehydration is to avoid it before it happens. However, in case you or someone you know becomes dehydrated, it’s important to be aware of some of the early warning signs.  In doing so, you can begin to replenish your fluid levels before more dangerous symptoms occur, such as heat stroke. Here are some of the following warning signs of dehydration you should know: 

Thirst, dark urine, headache, little to no urine loss, flushed skin, increased body temperature, dizziness, increased weakness, vomiting, fainting.

8 Helpful tips to help keep you hydrated this summer: 

Eat foods high in water content. Most fruits and vegetables have high water contents and help fuel us with water, vitamins and minerals needed for good health. Some foods with high water content include watermelon, cantaloupe, oranges, lettuce, spinach, celery, carrots, strawberries, grapefruit, bell peppers, apples as well as soups and broths. Choose a variety healthy beverages. 100% fruit and vegetables juices that are low in sugar content are a great option. Milk choices like low fat regular milk, yogurts, soy, oat and almond milk help hydrate too. Another great option includes herbal iced teas, that offer a unique and earthy flavor. When choosing healthy beverages, try sticking to choices that are low in sugar content. For active individuals, sports drinks that contain electrolytes are a great option too! 

Invest in a reusable water bottle. Invest in a durable, temperature controlled water bottle. Keep this with you throughout the day and make a habit to drink from it as often as possible. Not only will you be staying hydrated, but you will also help limit the use of plastic water bottles, in turn helping the environment. 

Try infused water. One of my personal favorite summer beverages is infused waters. Plain water can get dull, so try adding frozen berries, lemon, limes, cucumbers and fresh herbs to liven up your water. 

Drink water when hungry. Thirst is often confused with hunger, so when you’re feeling hungry, try drinking water instead.  Doing so, may also contribute to a healthy weight-loss plan. Some research suggests that drinking water can help you feel more full throughout the day.  

Develop a healthy hydration routine. For many of us, drinking water can be a chore. We often forget to drink water alongside our busy schedules. If that’s the case, try creating a hydration routine, setting specific times in the day you dedicate to hydrating yourself. For example, drink water when you wake up and at the beginning or end of every meal. Or try drinking a small glass of water at the beginning of every hour. 

Drink water at restaurants. For those who are choosing to eat-out at this time, remember to drink the water that’s served, it’s free! 

Find a hydration buddy. Time goes by fast, and it’s easy to forget drinking liquids. Find a friend or family member who wants to reap the health benefits of being properly hydrated. Team up, remind each other, and keep one another accountable! 

Healthy Recipe:  Berry + Herb Water Infusion  

Ingredients 

  • One gallon filtered water
  • ½  cup frozen berries 
  • ½ cup mint, basil or other fresh herbs 
  • 1 lemon, squeezed 
  • 2 cups ice 

Directions

  • Place ice and frozen berries in a water pitcher. 
  • Dice up fresh herbs to release aroma and flavors. Add to pitcher. 
  • Squeeze fresh lemon into pitcher + lemon wedges. 
  • Add water and stir all ingredients. 
  • Allow to infuse for 15 minutes for best flavor. ENJOY! 

**This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP.  This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Source: https://www.eatright.org/fitness/sports-and-performance/hydrate-right/hydrate-right

https://goodcalculators.com/water-intake-calculator/

https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/nutrition/index.html

WILLIE “NEIL” MOSES

HUMBLE ARMY VETERAN PASSED AWAY JULY 12TH, 2020 WITH HIS FAMILY BY HIS SIDE AND MANY PRAYING FROM AFAR FOR A GREAT WARRIOR “UNCLE NEIL”

HE WAS BORN AUGUST 4, 1933 TO HIS LOVING PARENTS ALBERT AND ANNIE MOSES OF SNOQUALMIE WASHINGTON. RAISED WITH 13 SIBLINGS AND MANY FRIENDS AND FAMILY. A TULALIP TRIBAL MEMBER WERE HE LIVED HIS LONG LIFE.

HE BEGAN HIS JOURNEY WITH HIS LOVING MOSES FAMILY. COMING FROM A LARGE FAMILY WITH GREAT TEACHINGS AND BEAUTIFUL CULTURE. HARD WORK AND DEDICATION CAME EARLY, .AFTER SCHOOL HE SIGNED UP FOR THE NATIONAL GUARD. SOON AFTER HE INLISTED IN ARMY 1952 WERE DROVE HIGHER RANKED OFFICERS. THIS SKILL LASTED A LIFE TIME DRIVING THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN HIS LIFE. WERE HIS TREASURED MEMORIES WILL FOEVER LAST IN OUR HEARTS.

LATER BEING DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMY. HE CAME HOME TO WORK AS A LOGGER, CUTTING SHAKE BOARDS. EVERY GREAT STORY HE TOLD ALWAYS INVOLVED FAMILY, FISHING AND MOUNTAIN LIFE. HIS LOVE FOR THE MOUTAINS GREW WHEN HE MET MARYA JONES MOSES HIS LIFE PARTNER OF 53 YEARS. THIS SKILL OF DRIVING CAME AS AN ART AND DEFINETLY WAS HIS BEST TRIBUTE AS ONE OF THE BEST FISHERMAN. HIS LOVE FOR THE WATER SHOWED. WERE THEY WERE THE GREATEST FISHERMAN. IT PUT TULALIP BAY ON THE MAP. PAVING WAY, OF COMMERCIAL FISHING AND SUPPORTING MARYA IN EVERY ADVENTURE. BEING A ELITE FISHERMAN WITH HIS CREW-CHILDREN BY HIS SIDE MAKING THE MOST HISTORICAL DAYS IN TULALIP BAY. HARD LABOR THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY CUTTING THE TREE DOWN THAT BUILT THE CANOES. CO-CAPTAIN AND DRIVING MARYA WAS SUCH A PASSION FOR HIM. TRAVELING AND BEING A GREAT SUPPORT TO THEIR COMMUNITY. THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH COMMUNITY HELPED PRESERVE AND REJOICE IN OUR CULTURE. NEIL AND HIS BROTHERS HUMBLY PARTICIPATION IN SALMON CERMONIES. FINE TUNNING THERE DRUMS WITH BEAUTIFUL VOICE THE LEADING MEN AND WOMAN, TEACHING FAMILY’S FROM THE COMMUNITY. MARYA AND NEIL NEVER MISSED A FUNERAL WITH HIS GLORIOUS PRAYER SONG THAT INBEDDED INOUR HEARTS FOREVER. HE NEVER LET THAT BLESSING SONG GROW OLD, FOR IT COMFORTED HIS PEOPLE. BEING CO-CAPTAIN FOR MARYA WAS TRULY AMAZING. MARYA’S TIME WITH NEIL CAPTURED AND BUILT A GREAT FAMILY. RESPONSIBILITY WAS JUST ONE PIECE OF HIS GREATNESS. HOW HE CONNECTED WITH MARYA’S CHILDREN LEFT A BLESSING FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. HE WAS A SMOKE HOUSE DANCER AND HIS BEST TIMES WAS WITH HIS BROTHERS AND KENNY MOSES SR SITTING AROUND A FIRE. PROUD TO BE A VETERAN HIS LONG TIME FRIENDSHIP WITH ALL PRESENT AND PAST MEMBERS OF TULALIP HONOR GUARD WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. ANOTHER TRIBUTE HE SHARED WITH MARYA BEING A GOLD STAR MOTHER BY HIS SIDE.

HE WAS A ANCHOR FOR HIS FAMILY “ANGELS” ALWAYS SUPPORTING FINANCIALY NEVER ASKING MUCH FROM THEM BUT TO STAY HAPPY. HIS SMILE ALWAYS SHOWED HOW PROUD HE WAS OF HIS LOVED ONES.

HIS HONEST HUMBLE QUALITY WILL BE MISSED YET NEVER FORGOTTEN. HIS CARE GIVERS AND FAMILY THAT SHARED HIS LIFE, WILL ALWAYS REFLECT ALL THOSE SHINING QUALITIES. FOR THIS BLESSING IS OUR BLESSING. HIS NEPHEWS/GRANDSONS “PALS”. FAVORITE NIECE/GRAND DAUGHTER ANNA MOSES, HE ALWAYS SO PROUD OF NAME SHE CARRIES SO WELL. HE SHARED THE MOST WONDERFUL GUDIANCE AND LAUGHS WITH SOPHIA AND GOOD MEALS. MARYA AND HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH FATHER PATRICK TWOHY AND THE LATE SISTER BARBARA BEIKER KEPT US CLOSE AS FAMILY. TEACHING US PATEINCE ANOTHER STRONG QUALITY HE LEFT US TO LEARN AND GROW FROM. TERESA ALL THE GRANNY STORE VISITS AND REMEBERING BIRTHDAYS, TRAVELING AND CARING FOR HIM DAILY, HE WAS ALWAYS SO GREATFUL TIQ.WSEED

BELOVED BY FAMILY, CHILDREN, NUMEROUS NIECES, NEPHEWS AND FRIENDS. AS HIS JOURNEY STARTS AS HE TRAVELS AHEAD OF SISTER IRENE (WILSON) DANIELS. HE LOVED EVERY MOMENT SHARED WITH “IRENE MY SISTER” FAMILY-CHILDREN JOHANNA MOSES, GILBERT (JANICE) MOSES SR., APRIL (MARVIN) SMITH, RACHEL HOOD, JULIE (DARWIN) RUSSELL, VICKIE (GEORGE) TSOODLE, TERESA WHITISH AND DANIEL (LEANNA) MOSES SR. 

ELDER- STRENGTH THAT GROWS WITH WISE HUMLE LOVE, EVERY BIT NEIL. HE ALWAYS SEEN EVERY DAY AS A GOOD DAY. BEGINNING WITH PRAYER AND TELLING AND SHARING WITH LOVED ONES. HIS ANCESTORAL COMPASSION WAS ANOTHER GREAT QUALITY WICH HE CARED AND WAS PROUD OF ALL HE PROCEEDED: FATHER AND MOTHER ALBERT AND ANNIE MOSES. BROTHERS:GEORGE MOSES,CLARENCE MOSES,MATTHEW MOSES,DELBERT MOSES,ROBERT MOSES SR, MORGAN MOSES,LOUIE MOSES,ALVIN MOSES SR.,EARL MOSES,FLOYD MOSES SISTERS: BARBARA MOSES AND BABY LUCINDA MOSES

A graveside service will be held Friday, July 17, 2020 at 11:00 AM at Mission Beach Cemetery. August 4, 1933 – July 12, 2020

The Apple Guy: A one-man mission to bring fresh fruit to communities of color

Hugo Sanchez-Garcia, The Apple Guy.

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

“Can I get one bag of apples, two bags of cherries, and if you still have them, some apricots too?” inquired a local man of the Maryville-Tulalip area. 

Simply nodding yes, Hugo Sanchez-Garcia began to scoop plump, ripe cherries into paper bags while making friendly conversation with the customer as he fulfilled his request. 

“Will $60 work?” the man asked.

“Yes, absolutely. Thank you,” Hugo graciously replied as he handed him his order.

Only two short orders behind this gentleman, a lady ordered nearly double his order, three bags of apples, four bags of cherries and two punnets of apricots. 

“I have a big family,” the woman said while offering a smile that was ever-so-slightly visible underneath her mask. “This will all be gone by tomorrow.” 

This time, however, when the currency-produce exchange occurred, the lady stated she only had $12.

“That’s perfect,” Hugo said sincerely and kindly. “Thank you.”

Nobody was prepared for the curveball that the year 2020 had in store for us. The presence of COVID-19 has caused many people to reevaluate their lives in terms of health concerns and also their line of work, as businesses are beginning to lay off employees nationally, and in some cases permanently close altogether. 

Hugo found himself in a predicament that many Americans are currently facing; continue searching for employment in his most recent line of work, or start anew. Hugo chose to pivot. 

“After COVID hit, it was kind of hard for me to find a job doing what I was doing before,” Hugo explained. “And my dad has been kind of nagging me for a while to bring fresh produce here because there’s a lot of fruit in Chelan, which is where we grew up. So I thought, let’s give this a shot and see how it goes.”

Filling up his pickup truck with freshly picked fruit from orchards at Chelan, Hugo becomes his alter-ego, better known as the Apple Guy, when making weekly deliveries all through Western Washington. Originally, the Apple Guy was taking online orders and making home deliveries. That is until he got in contact with Tulalip tribal member, Natosha Gobin, who helped him establish a base at the parking lot of the Tulalip Market. 

“He has different stops up and down I-5,” Natosha said. “He sets up shop and sells bags of apples on a sliding scale – $5, $10, free. If you show up and you say you don’t have the means to buy apples, but you would love a bag, he’ll give you a bag of apples. He’s also done some pretty big donations to our community. He’s donated apples to me knowing that I know a lot of people in Tulalip, so we put those apples on the doorsteps of some of the elders and the seniors.”

With Natosha’s assistance and rave reviews all over Facebook, word about the Apple Guy’s produce delivery service has the town buzzing.

“My wife, she’s always on Facebook so she tells me when he’s around and what he’s got,” said Tribal member Kurtis Enick. “He posts every week, which is a great for my family. When I go home with this, I know that they’re going to be so happy with me, because my daughter is just now starting to get her teeth and she loves eating apples. My wife likes the apricots and the cherries, and my son is a vegetarian and only eats fresh produce.

“It feels really good knowing everything is local, everything is coming from Chelan or somewhere in Washington,” Kurtis continued. “It feels really good to taste that fresh-off-the tree fruit, that good stuff. And it’s a whole lot better than going to the store and looking through all the fruit that they say is fresh but it’s not really that fresh, nowhere near as fresh as this.”

Although it is important for Hugo to profit off of these deliveries to cover costs as well as living expenses, money is not his main objective. In fact, currency is sort of a miniscule aspect to this project compared to the reason he decided to ‘give it a shot’.

“I do operate on a sliding scale,” he said. “There are two guiding principles that I set when I first started out. One of them being that access to food is a human right. The second one is that we’re all occupants on Tribal lands, so it’s important that we move as guests, it’s our responsibility. 

“I think it’s also important to recognize that fresh food isn’t as easily accessible on certain reservations. I think a lot of people, and especially a lot of communities of color, don’t have access to a lot of fresh fruits. So, what is the point of bringing it all the way out here if folks couldn’t afford it? I think ultimately every individual knows what they can and can’t afford. So, I trust their judgment to pay what they can.”

Hugo is currently selling a variety of apples including Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, and Granny Smith. His selection of cherries right now are Rainier, Bing, Sweetheart and Lapin. Hugo also has apricots and will have peaches in the near future. 

Be sure to follow The Apple Guy on Facebook for his complete list of produce for sale as well as his weekly scheduled stops.