Lakewood High School senior Aiden Jones made sure to leave a lasting impression in his final season wearing Cougar maroon and gold. The powerful right fielder put together a standout year at the plate and in the field, earning second team All-Northwest Conference honors and drawing interest from college programs eager to add his bat to their roster.
“Aiden brings so much to our team. He’s a strong presence in the lineup, in the field, and in the dugout,” said Lakewood head coach Jackson Conn. “His strength is quite literal, he’s a strong kid with a massive arm, but he’s also mentally strong. His leadership, discipline and patience set him apart as a senior and team captain. He’s worked with our team’s underclassmen all year long and been invaluable to us coaches in teaching those on and off the field skills.”
Aiden, known around the league for his smooth right-handed swing and clutch hitting, wrapped up his senior campaign with an impressive .371 batting average and .429 on-base percentage. According to Max Preps, he amassed 23 hits, 22 RBI’s and scored 11 runs to round out one of the most complete offensive seasons in recent Lakewood history.
“I was fortunate to coach Aiden all four years he played at Lakewood. I witnessed his growth and progression from his freshman year to his senior year,” said Coach Conn. “He had so many great games for us, but the moment that stands out most for me as his coach was when he hit his first homerun here at home. He worked so hard in the offseason and really put the time in weight room to pack on lean muscle and take his power to the next level. Then to see all that hard work pay off when he hit that homerun off one of the best pitcher’s in our conference. It looked like he was floating around the bases. He was so excited and the rest of the team was so excited for him.”
From opening day to the team’s final out, Aiden approached every opportunity with composed confidence while serving as the Cougars’ most dangerous hitter. Batting in the cleanup spot, he consistently delivered in key moments, including clutch at bats in rivalry wins over both Sedro-Woolley and Squalicum. Perhaps his most memorable moment, or just his grandparents’ favorite one, was blasting a homerun off his Louisville Slugger Atlas in the final game of the season vs. Lynden.
“Baseball gives you a lot of life lessons,” explained the hard-hitting, 18-year-old Tulalip tribal member. “In this game, you fail a lot more than you succeed. For example, there are Hall of Fame players who averaged 3 for 10 at the plate. This translates to the real world because everyone is waiting for opportunities to succeed, but when those opportunities come, are you prepared to capitalize? And when you strikeout, because we all do, how do you respond to the next opportunity?”
His ability to capitalize on his opportunities by tracking pitches and delivering extra-base hits made him a fixture in the heart of Lakewood’s lineup and a constant threat to opposing pitchers. While his offensive numbers often started conversations, Aiden was just as dependable defensively as an everyday right fielder. He showcased strong range, reliable hands, and a sharp throwing arm, recording multiple assists—including several run-saving throws enroute to a whopping .900 fielding percentage.
“I play with great confidence, regardless of who is pitching or who is at bat,” asserted the six-foot, two-hundred-pound Aiden who is all muscle and pure testosterone. “At the end of the day, this is just a game, but it’s a game I’ve prepared myself to play at the highest level. I lift six days a week in the offseason, hit the batting cages 3 days a week, and spend a couple hours as often as I can studying the greats. I watch film of the best players to study their mechanics and learn from their professional habits.”
Aiden’s complete skill set and strong academic record has started to open doors at the next level. College coaches from across the Northwest and California reached out to him during his stellar senior year. With his high school days now behind him and an entire summer of recruitment opportunities in front of him, Aiden is steadfast on waiting for the perfect pitch before committing his bat to any collegiate program.
Once he commits to a college, he’ll be fulfilling a dream that was manifested nearly two decades ago when a new born Aiden attended his first baseball. His grandparents, Pam and Butch Blount, recall a month’s old Aiden taking in the sights and sounds of the game while cheering on their son Cody, Aiden’s uncle, playing select ball.
“Raising our grandson has been amazing,” said grandmother Pam while rocking a pair of custom-made earrings that have Aiden’s name and jersey number on them. “We’ve shuttled him back and forth from so many practices, games, tournaments and training facilities that it’s impossible to remember a time when he didn’t have baseball in his life. He’s put his whole heart and soul into this game and into becoming the best player he can be.
“Of course, we want him to play college ball somewhere somewhat local so we can continue to watch him play,” she added. “Wherever he decides to go, we know he’ll continue to push himself to be great and to take this game as far as he can take it.”
With his graduation just days in the rearview mirror, Aiden’s high school career comes to a close. He leaves behind a legacy of hard work, big swings, and bigger moments. For Lakewood Cougar’s baseball, #23’s impact won’t soon be forgotten. And for college scouts, the best may be yet to come.
It’s officially summertime! And it’s time to sit back and unwind with a good book while you catch some rays. With an eventful summer planned at Tulalip, we highly recommend scooping up at least one of these books to check out during your downtime.
This selection is comprised of ten books that range from beautifully written poems, heartbreaking memoirs, romance novels, to thrillers. But no matter the genre, within in the pages of these stories, you will find the authors baring their souls, while sharing their languages and their heritage, as they open up about difficult topics such as generational trauma and navigating today’s colonized society as Native People.
Many of these books were released within the past few weeks, with the exception of the last three, which are set to launch this summer. We have included the book jacket summary for each, so you can get a feel for the story before purchasing. And we are pleased and honored to kick-off this Rez Reads segment with Tulalip’s own, SummerLee Blankenship. Happy reading!
The Greatest Teacher of All by SummerLee Blankenship (Tulalip)
What if your rock bottom was actually the beginning of your rebirth? In The Greatest Teacher of All, SummerLee Blankenship shares her raw and powerful true story—from addiction, trauma, and deep loss to awakening, healing, and spiritual transformation. As a Native American woman carrying generational pain, she walks the long road home to herself through plant medicine, ceremony, and divine guidance. This isn’t just a memoir—it’s a testimony of survival, soul reclamation, and the sacred wisdom found in life’s darkest moments. With brutal honesty and poetic grace, SummerLee invites readers into the depths of her journey and shows us that even in our most broken state, we are never beyond redemption. For anyone who has felt lost, alone, or unloved—this book is your mirror, your medicine, and your reminder that healing is possible.
Blue Corn Tongue: Poems in the Mouth of the Desert by Amber McCray
In a voice that is jubilant, irreverent, sometimes scouring, sometimes heartfelt, and always unmistakably her own, Amber McCrary remaps the deserts of Arizona through the blue corn story of a young Diné woman figuring out love and life with an O’odham man. Reflecting experiences of Indigenous joy, pain, and family, these shapeshifting poems celebrate the love between two Native partners, a love that flourishes alongside the traumas they face in the present and the past. From her ethereal connection with her saguaro muse, Hosh, to the intricate tapestry of her relationships with Diné relatives and her awakening to the complex world of toxic masculinity, McCrary brings together DIY zine aesthetics, life forms of juniper and mountains, and the beauty of Diné Bizaad to tell of the enduring bonds between people and place. Journeying from the Colorado Plateau to the Sonoran Desert and back again, Blue Corn Tongue invokes the places, plants, and people of Diné Bikéyah and O’odham jeweled in a deeply honest exploration of love, memory, and intimacy confronting the legacy of land violence in these desert homelands
We Can Never Leave by H.E. Edgmon
You can never go home… Every day, all across the world, inhuman creatures are waking up with no memory of who they are or where they came from–and the Caravan exists to help them. The traveling community is made up of these very creatures and their families who’ve acclimated to this new existence by finding refuge in each other. That is, until the morning five teenage travelers wake to find their community has disappeared overnight.
Those left: a half-human who only just ran back to the Caravan with their tail between their legs, two brothers–one who can’t seem to stay out of trouble and the other who’s never been brave enough to get in it, a venomous girl with blood on her hands and a heart of gold, and the Caravan’s newest addition, a disquieting shadow in the shape of a boy. They’ll have to work together to figure out what happened the night of the disappearance, but each one of the forsaken five is white knuckling their own secrets. And with each truth forced to light, it becomes clear this isn’t really about what happened to their people–it’s about what happened to them.
Bones of a Giant by Brian Thomas Isaac
From the award-winning, bestselling author of All the Quiet Places, comes Brian Thomas Isaac’s highly anticipated, haunting and tender return to the Okanagan Indian Reser.ve and a teenager’s struggle to become a man in a world of racism and hardship.
Summer, 1968. For the first time since his big brother, Eddie, disappeared two years earlier—either a runaway or dead by his own hand—sixteen-year-old Lewis Toma has shaken off some of his grief. His mother, Grace, and her friend Isabel have gone south to the United States to pick fruit to earn the cash Grace needs to put a bathroom and running water into the three-room shack they share on the reserve, leaving Lewis to spend the summer with his cousins, his Uncle Ned and his Aunt Jean in the new house they’ve built on their farm along the Salmon River. Their warm family life is almost enough to counter the pressures he feels as a boy trying to become a man in a place where responsible adult men like his uncle are largely absent, broken by residential school and racism. Everywhere he looks, women are left to carry the load, sometimes with kindness, but often with the bitterness, anger and ferocity of his own mother, who kicked Lewis’s lowlife father, Jimmy, to the curb long ago.
Lewis has vowed never to be like his father—but an encounter with a predatory older woman tests him and he suffers the consequences. Worse, his dad is back in town and scheming on how to use the Indian Act to steal the land Lewis and his mom have been living on. And then, at summer’s end, more shocking revelations shake the family, unleashing a deadly force of anger and frustration. With so many traps laid around him, how will Lewis find a path to a different future?
Remember, You Are Indigenous: Memories of a Native Childhood by Evelyn Bellanger
A respected elder shares stories. and insights from growing up on the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota
With unflinching honesty, Evelyn Bellanger tells a vivid account of her childhood in Pine Point, Minnesota, and relates her experiences to the networked histories of marginalization and oppression faced by Indigenous people in the United States. As Bellanger connects her later activist work to her early memories, Remember, You Are Indigenous emphasizes the implications of intergenerational trauma as well as the strength of community. Grounding her narrative in the pre-colonization history of the Anishinaabeg and the environmental damages wrought by land developers, lumber companies, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bellanger invites readers into her family’s history, weaving stories of her mother, father, and grandmother into her own. She pays careful attention to the seasonality of life and the natural world as she remembers harvesting wild rice by canoe with her family, and she observes social inequities while recalling her time at the Minnesota Home School for Girls state juvenile facility. Through stories tragic and humorous, Evelyn Bellanger’s voice shines. Her impressionistic style offers authenticity and intimacy as she describes the early experiences that have shaped her work as a leader and activist.
Old School Indian: A Novel by Aaron John Curtis
A coming-of-middle-age novel about an Ahkwesáhsne man’s reluctant return home and what it takes to heal. Abe Jacobs is Kanien’kehá:ka from Ahkwesáhsne , as white people say, a Mohawk Indian from the Saint Regis Tribe. At eighteen, Abe left the reservation where he was raised and never looked back. Now forty-three, Abe is suffering from a rare disease – one his doctors in Miami believe will kill him. Running from his diagnosis and a failing marriage, Abe returns to the Rez, where he’s persuaded to undergo a healing at the hands of his Great Uncle Budge. But Budge – a wry, recovered alcoholic prone to wearing punk T-shirts – isn’t all that convincing. And Abe’s time off the Rez has made him a thorough skeptic. To heal, Abe will undertake a revelatory journey, confronting the parts of himself he’s hidden ever since he left home and learning to cultivate hope, even at his darkest hour. Delivered with crackling wit, Old School Indian is a striking exploration of the power and secrets of family, the capacity for healing and catharsis, and the ripple effects of history and culture.
Soft as Bones: A Memoir by Chyana Marie Sage
A poetic memoir as intricately woven as a dreamcatcher about overcoming the pain of generational trauma with the power of traditional healing. In her deeply affecting memoir, Soft as Bones, Chyana Marie Sage shares the pain of growing up with her father: a crack dealer who went to prison for molesting her older sister. She details the shame and guilt she carried for years after her family’s trauma as she went from one dysfunctional relationship to another, from one illegal drug to another. In revisiting her family’s history and weaving in the perspectives of her mother and sisters, Chyana examines the legacy of generational abuse, which began with her father’s father, who was forcibly removed from his family by the residential schools and Sixties Scoops programs.
Yet hers is also a story of hope, as it was the traditions of her people that saved her life. In candid, incisive, and delicate prose, Chyana braids personal narrative with Cree stories and ceremonies, all as a means of healing one small piece of the mosaic that makes up the dark past of colonialism shared by Indigenous people throughout Turtle Island.
Nothing More of this Land: Community, Power, and the Search for Indigenous Identity by Joseph Lee Release Date: July 15
From award-winning journalist Joseph Lee, a sweeping, personal exploration of Indigenous identity and the challenges facing Indigenous people around the world. Before Martha’s Vineyard became one of the most iconic vacation destinations in the country, it was home to the Wampanoag people. Today, as tourists flock to the idyllic beaches, the island has become increasingly unaffordable for tribal members, with nearly three-quarters now living off-island. Growing up Aquinnah Wampanoag, journalist Joseph Lee grappled with what this situation meant for his tribe, how the community can continue to grow, and more broadly, what it means to be Indigenous. In Nothing More of This Land, Lee weaves his own story and that of his family into a panoramic narrative of Indigenous life around the world. He takes us from the beaches of Martha’s Vineyard to the icy Alaskan tundra, the smoky forests of Northern California to the halls of the United Nations, and beyond. Along the way he meets activists fighting to protect their land, families clashing with their own tribal leaders, and communities working to reclaim tradition. Together, these stories reject stereotypes to show the diversity of Indigenous people today and chart a way past the stubborn legacy of colonialism.
Love is a War Song by Danica Nava
Release Date July 22
A Muscogee pop star and a cowboy who couldn’t be more different come together to strike a deal in this new romantic comedy by Danica Nava, USA Today bestselling author of The Truth According to Ember. Pop singer Avery Fox has become a national joke after posing scantily clad on the cover of Rolling Stone in a feather warbonnet. What was meant to be a statement of her success as a Native American singer has turned her into a social pariah and dubbed her a fake. With threats coming from every direction and her career at a standstill, she escapes to her estranged grandmother Lottie’s ranch in Oklahoma. Living on the rez is new to Avery—not only does she have to work in the blazing summer heat to earn her keep, but the man who runs Lottie’s horse ranch despises her and wants her gone. Red Fox Ranch has been home to Lucas Iron Eyes since he was sixteen years old. He has lived by three rules to keep himself out of trouble: 1) preserve the culture, 2) respect the horses, and 3) stick to himself. When he is tasked with picking up Lottie’s granddaughter at the bus station, the last person he expected to see is the Avery Fox. Lucas can’t stand what she represents, but when he’s forced to work with her on the ranch, he can’t get her out of his sight—or his head. He reminds himself to keep to his rules, especially after he finds out the ranch is under threat of being shut down. It’s clear Avery doesn’t belong here, but they form a tentative truce and make a deal: Avery will help raise funds to save the ranch, and in exchange, Lucas will show her what it really means to be an Indian. It’s purely transactional, absolutely no horsing around…but where’s the fun in that?
Legendary Frybread Drive-In: InterTribal Stories by Various Authors
Release Date: August 26
Featuring the voices of both new and acclaimed Indigenous writers and edited by bestselling Muscogee author Cynthia Leitich Smith, this collection of interconnected stories serves up laughter, love, Native pride, and the world’s best frybread.
The road to Sandy June’s Legendary Frybread Drive-In slips through every rez and alongside every urban Native hangout. The menu offers a rotating feast, including traditional eats and tasty snacks. But Sandy June’s serves up more than food: it hosts live music, movie nights, unexpected family reunions, love long lost, and love found again.
That big green-and-gold neon sign beckons to teens of every tribal Nation, often when they need it most.
Featuring stories and poems by: Kaua Mahoe Adams, Marcella Bell, Angeline Boulley, K. A. Cobell, A. J. Eversole, Jen Ferguson, Eric Gansworth, Byron Graves, Kate Hart, Christine Hartman Derr, Karina Iceberg, Cheryl Isaacs, Darcie Little Badger, David A. Robertson, Andrea L. Rogers, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and Brian Young.
“It’s with an appreciative heart that we are here today to celebrate the completion of Fern Lodge,” said Chairwoman Teri Gobin at June 6’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. “This behavioral wellness center is a model of collaboration and is intended to increase access to much-needed health care for our Snohomish County communities. There is a lack of mental health resources nationwide. Facilities, like Fern Lodge, are important tools to help those in need during a mental health crisis.”
Fern Lodge Behavior Wellness is a 16-bed in-patient facility that will offer around-the-clock care to its court-ordered residents during their 90- or 180-day treatment plans. This rehabilitative treatment facility will serve individuals who are not involved in the criminal court system and do not need to be hospitalized, but still require additional support to prepare for living independently in their communities.
Built by Tulalip, on land owned by Tulalip in Stanwood (kitty-corner from the Healing Lodge), this $35 million qualified capital investment will be operated and maintained by the Washington Health Care Authority. Fern Lodge’s completion represents completion of the final legally required step by the Tribe in order to collect 100% of taxes generated on the Reservation beginning July 1, 2027.
“The Fern Lodge conversation started from negations to settle litigation on a tax-sharing lawsuit between the Tulalip Tribes and the federal government versus the State of Washington and Snohomish County,” explained Chairwoman Gobin. “This dates back to 2019 when then-Governor Jay Inslee requested we negotiate via mediated settlement. A tax-sharing compact was developed that covers the Tribe’s business developments created on our lands. And so today, we celebrate a win-win for Tulalip, Washington State, and the people in our local community.”
A first-of-its-kind facility in Snohomish County, Fern Lodge comes as a response to not only Jay Inslee’s 2018 behavioral health transformation plan, but also to meet the demand for accessible, non-hospitalized inpatient care options, particularly beyond urban hubs.
Snohomish County is one of the largest counties in the state, yet does not have adequate capacity to serve community members with behavioral health needs. As of November 2023, there were only six beds in the county contracted to provide this type of treatment. Now, thanks to Tulalip, there are 16 additional beds committed to the cause.
No Usage Rights Without Written Authorization from Aaron Locke
In attendance to celebrate Fern Lodge’s completion and his 1-month anniversary on Tulalip’s Tribal Council was Ryan Miller. In his previous role as Director of Treaty Rights, he played an instrumental role in getting state law changed and House Bill 2803 passed so that the Governor could enter into tax-sharing compacts with the Tribe.
“I want to acknowledge all the past leaders who committed so much time and energy, really putting their hearts into making this possible. It took decades and decades of fight to get to where we are today, and even this was a compromise,” reflected Ryan. “Ultimately, this is a great example of government-to-government relations and reflects forward-thinking leaders from both the State and the Tribe who came up with this great idea to help deal with the mental health crisis that our communities and country as a whole is facing.”
This facility is for all Snohomish County residents, 18 years and older. However, Tulalip tribal members will be given admission priority. Treatment interventions can vary based on an individual’s need, but in general may consist of one-on-one and group therapy, peer counseling, case management, medication management, and skill building.
“There is a tremendous need for resources to help us heal from intergenerational trauma, so that we, as a people and a society, can embody health and wellness in truly a good way,” said Board of Director Deborah Parker. “Any day we can come together to wrap a relative in care, in love, in deep respect, is a good day. I hope the development of Fern Lodge becomes a model for others to come and visit and to learn from as our Tribe, county, state, and nation continue to address mental health for the benefit of all our relatives.”
Drumbeats of various rhythms and tempos resonated all throughout the Tulalip Amphitheater during the weekend of May 30. Just audible over the dozens of songs and chants being simultaneously performed, guidance came from a pair of giant speakers as event MC, Andre Picard Jr., brought a little organization to the beautiful chaos known as the Tulalip Tribes Annual Stick Games Tournament.
Once a team heard their name called, they packed up their portable chairs and met their opponents on the battlefield, under shade provided by the large tents that were setup at the center of the amphitheater. Placing their chairs directly across from their rivals, the players then brought out all the necessary gameplay items which included their hand drums, large sticks to keep score, and a set of bones.
The sticks and bones are often decked out in Native décor, some hand painted and some beaded with impressive designs. The bones are discreetly distributed amongst the team that is in-play, and a series of songs and hand movements are performed in order to distract the other team from seeing who is in possession of the bones. To win this Indigenous game of legerdemain, the opposing team must correctly guess where exactly the set of bones are located in order to advance in the bracket.
Organized by Carrie Ann Fryberg and family, this is an event that continues to grow year after year, with participants hailing from all throughout the Coast Salish region. In addition to Tulalip, some of the tribes and first nations bands represented at this year’s games included Ahousaht, Cowichan, Skokomish, Tsartlip, Nuu-Chah-Nulth, Lummi, Muckleshoot, Puyallup, Swinomish, and Quinault.
According to the ancestral stories, the games have been passed down throughout each generation. Originally, stick games (a/k/a slahal, lahal, or bone games) was introduced to the people by the local Indigenous animals and wildlife thousands of years ago, as a means to prevent warfare and settle a number of intertribal disputes, such as the rights to hunting and fishing grounds.
The tournament is open to all ages and provides an opportunity for multi-generational families and teams to learn, share, and enjoy the traditional game together. This year featured numerous cash prizes throughout the weekend, and the grand prize of $25,000 was claimed by Talon Tohtsoni’s crew, the first-place team in the main bracket.
Well over 100 teams competed for moola, bragging rights, and drums designed by Cy Fryberg. As always, the games extended late into each night, and the visitors were provided space to set up their tents along the Tulalip Resort Casino parking lot in order to get some rest in between their matches.
Aside from the main attraction of the games, a major highlight of the tournament for observers and players alike is supporting a number of Indigenous-owned businesses. Local artists and chefs set up shop at the amphitheater and sold the likes of Indian tacos, kettle corn, hot dogs, caffeinated beverages, smoked salmon, as well as Native-designed clothing, blankets, and jewelry all weekend long. This included a handful of Tulalip vendors like Josh Fryberg and Family, Jared’s CORN-er, TeePee Creepers, Big House of Doggs, Traveler’s Drinks & Grub To-Go, KKONA cedar jewelry, and Captain Kirk’s Smoked Salmon.
Following this year’s tournament, Andre took to Facebook to share, “This was a very fun weekend! Big thank you to Carrie Ann Fryberg and family for organizing this Stick Games Tournament every year. It is an honor and privilege to MC and to get to speak in front of the beautiful stick game families. Safe travels home to all the stickgamers near and far. See you all soon, love you all!”
“We are proud and excited to celebrate the installation of traditional native artwork on the waterfront of Seattle. We are especially thrilled about the completion of the art project by our treasured Suquamish elder and carver Randi Purser. Her work, that is part of another piece on Bainbridge Island, reflects our ancient presence on the waters between Seattle and the Kitsap Peninsula, named after two of our ancestral leaders.
“We thank the City of Seattle and the Friends of Waterfront Park for their commitment to this project honoring our heritage and traditions and the entire art team for their dedication and creativity.”
Suquamish Chairman Leonard Forsman greets the crowd during the dedication ceremony.
Those words were shared by Suquamish Chairman Leonard Forsman as he joined civic and tribal leaders at an official dedication for a highly-anticipated, publicly-sited art installation that spans multiple blocks along the revamped Seattle waterfront. Flanking the Seattle ferry terminal at Pier 52 are 22 pairs of sculpted Douglas Fir posts and beams representing the skeletal structure of a traditional longhouse.
The eye-catching longhouse installation is intentionally minimalist. With no walls, roof or doors, it serves as a potentially thought-provoking sculptural concept for millions of pedestrians who are embarking or disembarking from one of the terminal’s popular Jumbo Mark II class ferries. That’s not even accounting for all the usual and accustomed tourist foot traffic that routinely floods Seattle’s waterfront.
To Our Teachers spans three Seattle city blocks, from Columbia Street to Spring Street.
The visionary artist behind the installation’s design is Oscar Tuazon. He is known for his use of minimalism and conceptualism in using natural materials to create large scale sculptures in populated urban areas. He’s titled his latest, three-block-long art installation To Our Teachers.
“To Our Teachers is a framework for the future,” explained Oscar, who grew up on the Suquamish Tribe’s Port Madison Reservation. “Welcoming people at the edge of the water, the procession of post and beam frames are the beginning of a structure you can imagine in your mind. Inspired by the living tradition of deqʷaled, the distinctly Coast Salish house post that unites sculpture and architecture, the construction is designed to support the continuous evolution of the artistic culture unique to Seattle.
“Working on this project has profoundly changed how I think about art,” he continued. “The opportunity to work with Randi Purser (Suquamish) and Tyson Simmons and Keith Stevenson (Muckleshoot) and create a structure to showcase their work has really expanded my understanding of what artists are capable of through collaboration. Together we can create spaces for community. This is why I think of To Our Teachers as a structure continuously being built— this is not the final form of the work, it is just the beginning of something bigger than me.”
Seattle is a hub for urban Natives whose roots extend across Washington State reservations and beyond. That spirit of connectedness is represented in this pier enhancing artwork. As Oscar stated, he collaborated with tribal carvers from Suquamish and Muckleshoot. Those carvers created two towering cedar house posts that are seamlessly imbedded into both longhouse entrances. Each house post is filled with deep-rooted significance for not just the artists’ home tribes, but all those urban Natives who call Seattle home.
Tyson Simmons and Keith Stevenson carved the southernmost house post, which they’ve named Honoring Our Warriors. “This warrior figure was inspired by the carvers’ warrior-uncle,” explained the two carvers. “Yet, it represents the valor and sacrifice of all our warriors to secure our land, our salmon, and our native walk of life.
“Our warriors all carried spiritual gifts that cloaked them with strength and protection,” they continued. “Fisher is depicted below the warrior figure to represent our warriors’ myriad powers without disclosing any of their individual powers. We carry the responsibility to remember and tell our stories. The work is guided by our teachings. Our ancestors prayed for us. They didn’t know who we would be, yet they prayed for us.”
Elder Randi Purser carved a house post depicting Chief Seattle as a baby being held by his mother Sholeetsa.
At the northernmost entrance is Suquamish elder Randi Purser’s house post. She’s dubbed hers ʔəslaʔlabəd kʷədi bəḱʷ dadatu, which translates to Looking at All Tomorrows. Drawing inspiration from the city’s namesake, which translates to Looking at All Tomorrows. Drawing inspiration from the city’s namesake, Chief Seattle, she paid homage to not just the legendary chief, but his lifegiving mother as well.
“Sholeetsa was the mother of Chief Seattle. Protected within her loving embrace is her son Chief Seattle as a baby,” described Randi to the crowd who looked upon her carving. “On her dress is a design of the unfolding fern, which represents new life. Above her is the moon surrounded by frog heads. The frogs represent a time of change as they sing the winter away and the spring in. As a whole, this carving represents the people of today standing on the cusp of change.”
What’s on the other side of that cusp of change is subjective to any one of millions of pedestrians who every month will assuredly walk on the Seattle waterfront, pass the ferry terminal, and have an infusion of Coast Salish culture enter their peripheral vision.
However, as the artists involved shared, there is a unified desire that the change be reflective of recognizing the past that got us here and honoring still thriving Coast Salish communities in the collective future we all share. In commissioning this layered piece of public work, Seattle’s Office of the Waterfront understood and shared the artists’ vision.
“As we transform Seattle’s waterfront, it has been important to us that we honor its history and move forward with intention,” said Angela Brady, Office of the Waterfront & Civic Projects Director. “We want visitors to remember that Waterfront Park stands on the lands and shared waters of the Coast Salish Peoples, whose ancestors have resided here since time immemorial. The original inhabitants of the region built structures along the shore. These new artworks honor the important cultural history of the waterfront. I hope they encourage visitors to reflect on how we, as a city and a region, hold space for Indigenous communities, not just in our past but in our future.”
On Saturday, May 24, the Hidden Gems Weekend Market was buzzing with activity as thousands of visitors poured into Tulalip for the popular community swap meet. The grounds were packed with vendors and shoppers alike, drawn by the promise of one-of-a-kind finds, delicious food, and an atmosphere that felt more like a celebration than a market. From clothing and collectibles to handcrafted goods and hot meals, there was something for everyone.
First-year vendor Jay Mapoy, who traveled from Smokey Point to participate, shared his excitement about joining the market. “It’s been going great, it’s fun and a good experience,” he said. “I am going to try to be out here all summer.” What keeps him coming back isn’t just the business—it’s the surprises. “The finds are great, you never know what you are going to see at the swap meet. Additionally, meeting new people and engaging in meaningful conversations. And the food is delicious, I never have to pack a lunch when I go.”
Visitors like Tulalip tribal member Nicholas Martin echoed the sentiment. “I like to come to the Hidden Gems market and look at all the booths, but most of all I like the food,” he said. “There are a lot of options. I had the birria tacos and they were excellent.” Like many, Martin had to park offsite and walk in due to the high turnout, but he didn’t mind. “It was a lot of people, yeah. It’s been crazy,” he said.
The market’s origins date back to 2011 when Tulalip Tribal Member Les Parks founded it. Initially launched at Boom City, it was a modest venue for community members to sell their goods. “It did well the first year, and the first year was the best year,” Parks said. “But each year after that, the revenue kept declining. And as I was a Board of Director, I didn’t have the time to tend to it.” He eventually decided to shut it down. That’s when his daughter Mackenzie stepped in. “She said, ‘I want it, I’ll take it over.’ I told her, ‘No, Mackenzie, it doesn’t make enough money. It’s a dying business.’ And she said, ‘Not enough money to you is a lot of money to me—let me do it.’”
Mackenzie Parks officially took over the market around 2017 or 2018 and began rebuilding it. “It was a learning process,” she admitted. “I wasn’t doing too well at it for the first couple of years. However, it probably turned around in 2020. It was mostly social media that helped get the word out there about us.” Les added, “Social media advertising is significant nowadays, and that’s where the focus has been.”
What sets the Hidden Gems market apart from other swap meets, Mackenzie believes, is the community. “We have a nice community,” she said. On sunny weekends, that community includes upwards of 250 vendors, and even on rainy days, around 40 to 216 still show up. Despite weather challenges, the market has become a consistent and well-loved destination.
Interestingly, the market’s busiest year came during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We expected the COVID year to be just dead-no customers, no vendors—and it was the opposite,” said Les. “People had nowhere to go, and they wanted to find cheap goods and have fun. This year has been similar. There’s no COVID, but people still don’t want to travel or spend big money, so they’re staying close to home and finding venues like Mackenzie’s.”
Traffic has occasionally caused headaches, but Mackenzie has responded by hiring an independent traffic control team to ease congestion. “There’s about an hour during the weekend day when the traffic gets messed up and people get irritated,” Les acknowledged. “But it’s a short window. For the most part, the membership loves what they see.”
As for plans, the market is currently located at 6410 33rd Ave NE, Tulalip, WA, a site with about 15 acres of space. However, MacKenzie is actively searching for a new 30-acre location to accommodate the growing crowds and minimize traffic concerns. “That gravel parking lot at Boom City just wasn’t working out,” Les explained. “We need more room.”
For Mackenzie, the best part of running the market is the eclectic mix of vendors and the thrill of discovering vintage and antique items. “I love the flea market-type of vendors getting a bunch of antique stuff,” she said. Les, on the other hand, finds joy in watching the visitors. “I love it when the kids come up there, running around with smiles on their faces. That’s what I like to see.”
The Parks family wants the community to know that they are continually adapting to the market to meet the needs of both customers and vendors. “You have to adapt to the circumstances that surround you,” Les said. “Mackenzie is constantly in a mode of adapting, changing, and morphing into what her customers and vendors need. We want the membership to know we’re doing the best we can to bring people to the rez, to spend their money, have a good time, and put Tulalip back on the map in a good way.”
Getting a booth at Hidden Gems is simple—no sign-ups are needed. Spots are first come, first served. Vendor spaces are $50 per day for a full spot (18’x20’) or $25 for a half spot (9’x20’), though half spots are limited. The only requirement to sell is a Tribal business license, and the team makes it easy: paperwork is provided on site, submitted for you, and the cost is covered. Vendors can check in at the silver trailer at the market entrance on Fridays from 12 PM to 5 PM, or after 6 AM on Saturdays and Sundays. The market is open to the public from 9 AM to 6 PM every weekend.
The shores of Tulalip Bay were alive with action May 17–18 as families, clubs, and communities from across Washington and Canada gathered for the 2025 Tulalip canoe races—part of the seasonal War Canoe Series. This year’s event marked the third race in the circuit, which continues every weekend through the end of August at various Indigenous reservations. From single and double paddler events to the 6- and 11-man races, the competition was as diverse as it was spirited. A special biathlon-style race even had participants sprint around the ball field before paddling a solo canoe through the course.
Saturday opened with wet and blustery conditions that challenged paddlers physically and mentally. By Sunday, however, the skies cleared, offering sunshine and calmer waters that made for smoother racing and a more festive shoreline.
Among those competing was Makaio Mamac from Lummi, who participated in the men’s 6- and 11-man events. “Just getting out,” he said with a laugh when asked about the most challenging part of racing. For Mamac, the sport is less about medals and more about community: “I mostly just do it to be with my people.” He credited running as his main form of training and admitted Saturday’s rainy weather made it tough to get motivated, but still, he went out and raced. “You get to meet many people and go places,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Another pair of competitors, brothers Remus Wyse-Morris and Jacob Seward from Vancouver Island, have been paddling since childhood. “Like generations,” they answered together when asked how long their family has been involved. For 17-year-old Seward, racing is more than a sport: “To me, it means life. It’s about training, learning, and getting better while absorbing teachings from the water.” He described his pre-race routine as one of quiet focus and strategy, gauging wind and currents, and thinking through the course. While Saturday’s waves were rough, the brothers especially enjoyed the unique biathlon-style race. “It was pretty fun!” said Seward, who described riding the waves as a highlight.
Wyse-Morris echoed that sentiment, saying his favorite part was “probably just the biathlon.” When asked what advice he’d give a young person just starting, he responded, “It’s not all about winning; it’s about having a good time with the people you love.”
For teen paddler Kiarra Williams from Swinomish, staying upright in the stormy weather was a memorable experience. “OMG, I got drenched in water on Saturday!” she exclaimed. Despite the splashy start, Williams has been racing for over two years and takes pride in her focus while on the water, especially during tricky turns, which she says are the most challenging part.
Lummi paddler Kylie Bob shared similar feelings about the weekend. “Canoe racing means hanging out with friends and family, meeting new people, and enjoying everyone’s company,” she said. For her, the highlight was making new connections along the beach and between races.
Veteran racer Dr. Lexi Tom, also from Lummi, brought over 30 years of paddling experience to the event. Originally from Miami, Tom said starting the race season at Tulalip was special. “When I arrived Saturday, it was stormy,” she recalled, “but the weather improved significantly by the afternoon.” Her crew came prepared with extra bailers and were relieved the course hadn’t been extended—rough waters can add a layer of difficulty, especially at the season’s start.
Tom co-founded the Marisa Mae Canoe Club with her sisters, repairing an 11-person canoe and welcoming younger paddlers into their group. For her, these races are about more than sport—connection, continuity, and culture. “It keeps the kids engaged with the water,” she emphasized. “It keeps our traditions alive.”
She also noted how meaningful it was to see people from many different nations and families reconnecting on the shoreline after a long winter apart. Many spent the weekend laughing, catching up, and sharing meals, whether racing or watching.
Comedian, writer, and producer Joey Clift discusses the nuances of creating his animated short, Pow!
By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News
On Friday, May 16, the Hibulb Cultural Center hosted a special screening of two films highlighting Native storytelling and resilience: Pow! and Remaining Native. The event featured the return of comedian and television writer/producer Joey Clift, a Cowlitz tribal member who grew up on the Tulalip Reservation. This marked the first time Pow!—his animated short—was screened in the community that helped raise him.
Clift, said the film was inspired by his experiences at powwows in Tulalip. “The powwows I went to as a kid were on this reservation,” he shared. “I went to Tulalip Elementary, Tulalip option school, and spent way too many summers blowing stuff up with fireworks from Boom City.”
Pow! follows a young boy who attends a powwow with his family and faces the seemingly simple challenge of trying to find an outlet to charge his Game Boy. He learns profound lessons about family, culture, and connection.
Clift described Pow! as “kind of like a Looney Tunes short,” but noted it was also an effort to bring contemporary Native stories into animated comedy. He broke down the film’s creative use of visual styles, each one representing a different character’s perspective. A retro 16-bit aesthetic, inspired by early video games from the 1980s and 90s, reflects how the main character, Jake, sees the world through his Game Boy’s pixelated, digital lens. A soft watercolor style using gentle brushstrokes and flowing color represents how Jake’s parents view the powwow experience—grounded in tradition, emotion, and community.
For the grandmother’s memories, Clift used ledger art, a style rooted in 19th-century Native storytelling, where images were drawn or painted onto old accounting ledger paper to document tribal history and personal stories. Combining these styles, the film offers a layered, multi-generational visual narrative that bridges the past and present.
Now living in Los Angeles, Clift has spent over 15 years working in television. His credits include Paw Patrol, Looney Tunes, Cocomelon, Molly of Denali, and Spirit Rangers. He’s also written jokes for high-profile celebrities like Tracy Morgan, John Cena, Shrek, and the Jonas Brothers.
He recounted how he originally set out to become a weatherman until college professors pulled him aside and encouraged him to pursue comedy. “That was 15 years ago,” he said. “I didn’t see people like me in those jobs, so I didn’t think I had permission to work in those fields.”
Clift emphasized how representation in media is changing and why that matters. “I’ve talked to Native folks in school who’ve sent me letters saying that because of the shows I’ve worked on, they want to work in TV too,” he said. “That’s my hope with Pow!—to create as much contemporary Native representation as possible so that I can show other Native kids who grew up on the Tulalip Rez, or any rez, that you can grow up laughing, drawing, and make cartoons too.”
Remaining Native, a powerful documentary directed by Paige Bethmann, a Haudenosaunee woman (Mohawk/Oneida), follows Ku Stevens, a 17-year-old Native American long-distance runner from the Yerington Paiute Reservation in Nevada, preparing to attend the University of Oregon. Alongside his athletic dreams, Ku also confronts his family’s painful past—his grandfather is a survivor of the U.S. Indian boarding school system.
Shoshone Matthew Warbonnet (right) from South Dakota expresses gratitude during the Q&A for bringing attention to boarding school issues, stating, “Thank you for sharing the resilience of your people and grandparents.”
Ku attended the screening and participated in a Q&A afterward, sharing how the experience of making the film and navigating his senior year shaped him. “It was a life-altering year,” he said. When asked about living up to his Paiute name, Kutoven, which means “brings the light to the dark,” he responded, “I don’t think I’m there yet. People tell me that bringing my story to different communities is living up to my name, but I’m always chasing what I will be like ten years from now. We always strive to improve in anything and everything we do.”
The film’s emotional depth resonated with the audience, including Shoshone tribal elder and boarding school survivor, Matthew Warbonnet. “It’s not just then, it’s now,” Warbonnet said during the Q&A. “Thank you for sharing the resilience of your people and grandparents.”
Olympic gold medalist Billy Mills, who also attended the event to support Remaining Native, praised the film as a tribute to survival and legacy. “Ku speaks the truth about our struggles. That’s why he’s my hero,” Mills said. “Truth should never be too severe to learn from.”
Both Pow! and Remaining Native will be featured in the Seattle International Film Festival on May 24. For release dates and upcoming screenings, visit joeyclift.com and remainingnativedocumentary.com.
In traditional times, the ancestors of the Snohomish people would mark the time of the year by the moon. Tulalip culture bearer, Sarah Miller, held a lecture in 2024 that detailed the 13 moons which the people lived by pre-contact. And through this practice, they would know exactly what, when, where, and how to harvest various plants, medicines, and food throughout the course of the year. According to Sarah’s research, we are currently in the pədč̓aʔəb phase, or the time for digging up roots. At this time of year, Tulalip’s ancestors would harvest camas, cattail, nettles, and horsetail. In the summertime the moons cycles included pədstəgʷad , the time of the salmonberries, pədgʷədbixʷ, the time of the blackberries, and pədt̕aqa, the time of the salal berries.
These practices are very much alive, and many Tulalip families still participate in these traditions. Though in modern times, we have the added benefit of keeping track of time by the Gregorian Calendar, Tulalip still plans outings and gatherings based on the season including the Salmon Ceremony and several harvesting ventures. If you live on the reservation, you might notice these events start to pick up during the moon cycle of pədč̓aʔəb. This time of year, the Tribe and families begin to immerse themselves in their ancestral way of life, celebrating their heritage, connecting to those teachings, and flexing their sovereignty through the harvest of salmon, berries, and cedar.
Last fall, the Tribe dubbed the months of September through November as the Season of Healing with many community get togethers focused on the people’s mental health and well-being. Now, as we embark on a fun-filled spring/summer, Tulalip News would like to unofficially mark this time of year as the Season of Gatherings. So be sure to jot these events down on your calendar because you do not want to miss out!
War Canoe Races
Happening this weekend! (5/15-5/18)
If you just received the See-Yaht-Sub in your mailbox and are reading this, head on down to the Bay for a fantastic and thrilling event! Every year, multiple Salish tribes take part in the War Canoe Races. The races are held all season long at different reservations throughout the region. The Tulalip stop on the circuit is a fan favorite and many racers love pulling through the local waters at fierce speeds for a chance at taking home the coveted first place trophy. Designed with swiftness in mind, the war canoes are sleek and narrower than the traditional cedar dugout canoes that most are accustomed to seeing on Canoe Journey. This year there will be single, double, six-man, and eleven-man competitions, as well as a number of races for the youth as well! The war canoe races will occur all day long throughout the entire weekend.
Culture Night
Every Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
Get your craft on at Culture Night! This event will be held at the Gathering Hall over the next few months in anticipation for the 2025 Canoe Journey. The gatherings are focused on creating regalia, including shawls and vests, as well as putting together gifts that the canoe family will distribute to various tribes along the journey. There is also an education component for the little ones, as the Rediscovery Program partnered with the Tulalip Lushootseed department to teach kids words, stories, and songs at each Culture Night gathering.
Canoe Practice
Every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
If you are planning on attending this year’s Paddle to Elwha, the Rediscovery Program invites you to participate in their weekly Canoe Practice gatherings at the Tulalip Marina. Not only does the practice build up your strength and endurance on the canoe, it also provides a chance for you to reconnect with the waters, the three tribal canoes, and your traditional way of life. During each practice, participants practice pulling together as they venture out onto the bay and navigate the ancestral waters together to prepare for long distance travel this summer.
Salmon Ceremony Practice
Every Thursday at 5:00 p.m.
Come on out to the Gathering Hall to learn more about the Salmon Ceremony and its revival that occurred in the seventies. During this time, Tribal leaders and elders pass down traditional knowledge that was nearly lost in the assimilation era. At each practice, attendees rehearse close to a dozen different songs and dances, with an emphasis on precision and execution, in order to welcome the first king salmon to the waters of Tulalip Bay in a proper manner, as well as bless the fisherman for a safe and plentiful harvest this year.
Memorial Day
Monday, 5/26
Every Memorial Day, Tulalip honors their veterans and gold star mothers who have transitioned to the next life. The Tribe holds two services in observation of the national holiday, the first at 10:00 a.m. at the Priest Point Cemetery and the second at 11:00 a.m. at the Mission Beach Cemetery. Both of these gatherings are special to witness as the Tulalip Honor Guard leads the way and pays tribute to those fallen soldiers by performing both a 21-gun salute and a roll call at each cemetery.
Tulalip’s Annual Stick Games Tournament
All Day 5/30 – 6/1
The Tulalip Amphitheater is sure to be hopping during this event! Every year, hundreds of Natives travel to sduhubš territory to take part in a traditional game that has been passed down for generations. The weekend long tourney will feature a grand prize of $25,000 for the first-place team in the main bracket on Saturday, as well as numerous other cash prizes for second, third, and fourth place. There will also be a single elimination three-man tournament on Sunday. Another major highlight of the Stick Games Tournament is the vendors who will be selling the likes of Indian tacos, snow cones, smoked salmon, kettle corn, and Native-designed clothing, blankets, and jewelry.
Salmon Ceremony
Saturday, 6/21
Beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the Tulalip Longhouse, the Salmon Ceremony is an important event for Tulalip as its membership gathers to honor big chief yubəč, the king salmon. Since time immemorial, the salmon has provided nourishment for the people of Tulalip and their ancestors. As a sign of respect, the Tribe welcomes the first salmon scout to their shores and offers a number of songs and dances before the people collectively enjoy a salmon meal together. The scout’s remains are sent back to the Salish Sea, so that yubəč can return to its village and tell the salmon people how well he was treated by the community. And in turn, the salmon will continue to run through the local waterways and serve as sustenance for the Tribe throughout the summer.
Boom City
Mid-June
Bing-bap-boom-boom-boom-bop-bam, these type of fireworks will be sold at all the stands! The season of firecrackers, bottle rockets, and roman candles is right around the corner and the Northwest pyrotechnic mecca will officially be open for a two-week period leading up to the Fourth of July. Tulalip entrepreneurs will set up their creative and vibrant stands at the gravel lot located behind the Tulalip Resort Casino. Several food vendors are sure to be stationed at Boom City as well, serving up treats such as Hawaiian shaved ice, frybread, and tacos.
Lushootseed Language Camp
Early/Mid July
Typically occurring during the second and third week of July, the Lushootseed Language Camp helps bring traditional knowledge to the youngins of the Tribe. The camp tends to fill up quick, and is limited to 50 kids per week, so be sure to keep an eye out for the registration announcement. The five-day camp is open to Tribal youth between the ages of five through twelve, and is aimed at teaching the attendees several aspects of the culture including weaving, smudging, beading necklaces, and harvesting local native plants like devil’s club for medicine and ceremonial art. Throughout the entire camp, the new crop of language warriors will be fully immersed in their ancestral language, as well as the Tribe’s traditional stories and songs, through a combination of interactive lessons.
Leah’s Dream Foundation 11th Annual Golf Tournament
Saturday, 7/12
Over the years, this annual golf tournament has grown significantly, helping raise funds for the local special needs community. Leah’s Dream Foundation is a non-profit that was established in 2015 by Tribal member Deanna Sheldon, whose daughter, Leah Stacy, is diagnosed with apraxia. Throughout each year, the non-profit organizes a number of get-togethers for kids and young adults living with autism and disabilities, providing them a safe space to simply be themselves and build friendships through fun activities. The golf tournament, held at the Battle Creek course, is their sole fundraising event and every dollar collected goes towards their events and projects such as karaoke nights, holiday gatherings, and school supplies. Leah looks forward to the annual tournament and is always quick to lend a hand by posting sponsor signs all throughout the 18-hole golf course. To sign up for this year’s tournament, please visit, www.LeahsDream.org for more details.
Spee-Bi-Dah
Saturday, 7/19
Connecting multiple generations, this summertime potlatch celebrates the lifeways of the Tulalip people with a cookout on the beach. Held on a yearly basis, on the water, sands, and pebbles of the spee-bi-dah beach, the gathering provides Tribal members a chance to socialize with friends and family while also harvesting and grubbing on the foods of their ancestral diet, including salmon, clams, and crab. A main attraction of the day is when the community ‘pulls together’ by using the traditional method of seining to capture fresh shellfish for the traditional clambake.
Canoe Journey Landing at Tulalip
Late July, official date TBD
A beloved summertime event, the Canoe Journey is a great way to not only engage in the traditions of our people, but it also serves as a means to pass on those ancestral teachings to the next generation. While en route to this year’s final destination at Lower Elwha, dozens of tribal canoe families will make a pit stop for a night at Tulalip to rest, refuel with traditional foods, and offer a number of their tribe’s songs and dances before returning to the Salish Sea and proceeding on the journey. As mentioned earlier, Tulalip is currently making preparations for this year’s paddle with their weekly Culture Night and Canoe Practice gatherings, so if you’re interested in participating, be sure to check out those events!
Tulalip Health Clinic Annual Health Fair
Friday, 8/15
Promoting overall health and wellness, the Karen I. Fryberg Health Clinic is once again hosting their annual Health Fair gathering in August. During this event, community members can visit a number of informational booths and learn about the importance of prioritizing one’s health while also picking up new tips on how to manage their medical diagnoses and concerns. In addition to helpful resources, the community can also receive free screenings and donate blood. This year’s event will take place at the Tulalip Gathering Hall from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Also, be sure to keep an eye out for the announcements of the dates, times, and locations for the following events:
The Village of Hope and the adjacent Family Shelter, which currently provide housing for 23 families on the Tulalip Reservation, recently installed a solar energy and battery backup system. This project was made possible through a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce designed to support resilient communities. The goal: to ensure that families have access to basic needs like warmth, electricity, and connectivity during power outages.
Power interruptions on the reservation have lasted as long as nine days in the past. During such times, the need for backup solutions became clear. According to Teri Nelson, Tulalip Tribes Executive Director of Housing Services, this project is about more than just alternative energy, it’s about creating a reliable, centralized hub where families can gather during outages.
“When we were first building during the height of COVID, everything was expensive,” Nelson explained. “We looked into installing individual generators, but the cost was too high. Later, when the solar grant opportunity came up, we saw it as a chance to invest in something more sustainable.”
Instead of powering each home, the system is designed to support the Village of Hope’s central community building. This decision was based on both cost and functionality. The building includes a kitchen, food storage, showers, and a space for residents to gather, making it an ideal location for backup power.
Nelson emphasized the importance of having automatic, hands-free power during emergencies. “This system doesn’t require anyone to come flip a switch,” she said. “It turns on automatically when the grid goes down. In the dead of winter, that matters.”
Tulalip Emergency Management and the Tulalip Fire Department were brought in during the planning stages to assess safety concerns, mainly since the battery system includes Tesla technology. Based on their recommendations, the batteries were housed outside in a contained unit to prevent fire hazards from affecting the main structure.
Michiel Zuidweg, Founder of MZ Solar Consulting, explained that the solar panels are spread across multiple rooftops but feed into one centralized battery and distribution point in the community center. “During normal conditions, the system powers the building and sends any excess energy back to the utility,” he said. “That credit can then be used at night or in off-peak seasons.”
In an outage, the system instantly switches to battery power without flickering or interruption. Zuidweg noted that the team tested the system by simulating a power outage. “People didn’t even notice—the transition was seamless. Computers stayed on, TVs kept playing.”
Specific systems were programmed to shut off automatically to extend the battery’s life during outages, like the dryers and some heating circuits. “In the winter, the battery provides about a day of backup power. In the summer, the system can operate autonomously because it generates far more energy and less demand,” he added.
The project is expected to save around $5,500 in electrical costs in its first year. These savings will increase annually as utility rates rise. Although no plans exist to expand this system to the individual cabins on site, the tribe is exploring similar projects for other locations, such as the Tulalip Senior Center and future ADA housing units.
Nelson believes these kinds of systems could benefit more vulnerable members of the community, especially elders who rely on power for medical equipment and warmth. She also reflected on the community’s growing sense of connection. “This isn’t just housing. After two years, these families have become like a family. If the power goes out, they’ll come together, cook, and support each other.”
As solar technology becomes more accessible, the hope is to build resilience and inspire interest in sustainable energy careers. “This is the direction we’re heading—toward cleaner, more self-sufficient solutions,” said Nelson.
