On the afternoon of August 6, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) visited with the Tulalip Board of Directors, the Tulalip Police Department, and members of the Tribe’s Treaty Rights Office and legal team to discuss a bill recently introduced to congress this month.
The bill is officially titled the Protection for Reservation Occupants Against Trafficking and Evasive Communication Act, or the Protect Act for short. If passed, this could have a major impact for tribal nations as they continue to combat the opioid and fentanyl crisis.
Tulalip Chairwoman Teri Gobin opened the gathering and shared, “First of all I want to welcome you to Tulalip and thank you for leading and introducing this bill. It’s amazing what this could do for us, the Protect Act of 2024. We’ve had 71 fentanyl overdose deaths that accounted to an actual overdose, but we’ve had a lot more deaths than that (due to addiction). The sad thing about it is the children. So many of the children are being left orphaned, both of their parents passing away from overdose. We’re having a lot of children who are born addicted, born with it in their system. So, our hands go up to you, we’re really excited about moving this forward. It’s time.”
The Protect Act addresses a glaring jurisdictional issue that currently prevents tribes from prosecuting non-tribal members for illiegal drug activities on the reservation. The act is specific to drug trafficking, but it is key to battling the crisis and preventing loss of life on reservations throughout the country and a big step for tribal court systems.
Providing a little historical context, Vice-Chair Misty Napeahi explained, “The Oliphant v. Suquamish Indian Tribe was passed by the United States Supreme Court in 1978, which literally took away the ability for tribes to prosecute non-tribal people on the reservation, and that is steeped very much in racism. I feel really thankful for you and the other congress people that are going to sign on to this bill for standing up for tribes. The people that bring the drugs in, they’re not dumb. They understand jurisdictional issues and they fully capitalize on it.”
BOD Glen Gobin added, “Across this nation there’s a fentanyl epidemic that every state is dealing with and are feeling the impact. For tribes, it’s even more difficult because of the jurisdictional questions that come up, who has criminal authority over non-Indians on the reservation. This bill looks to address that and bring safety to our community to deal with this. We’re looking to protect all of our citizens on the reservation and stand up and be part of this, fight against this epidemic that we’re all dealing with.”
In Larsen’s official press release, he surmises the Protect Act, and it reads as follows:
Specifically, the PROTECT Act:
Provides parity for Tribal courts to issue search warrants for certain electronic communications, including social media, by adding Tribal courts to the list of courts with “competent jurisdiction” under the Stored Communications Act.
Expands Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction (STCJ) to crimes associated with drug trafficking.
Amends the Bureau of Prison’s (BOP) Tribal Prisoner Program (TPP) by expanding eligibility to offenders who commit drug-trafficking-related offenses.
According to the Snohomish County Opioid Overdose and Prevention Data and Dashboard, there were 188 overdose deaths in our county alone last year. There have been numerous studies from the likes of the CDC and Washington Post that show Native communities have been hit the hardest by the opioid crisis.
The Washington State Department of Health’s Opioid and Drug Use Data Dashboard gives detailed and up-to-date statistics about the epidemic in real time. If you navigate their website and pull up overdose deaths stats based on demographics, the results are shocking. For all other races and ethnicities, there was an average of about 30 deaths per 100,000 people in 2022. The number for Alaskan Natives/American Indians was literally off the charts, with over 120 deaths per 100,000 population.
Director of Treaty Rights Office, Ryan Miller, expressed, “I’m very excited to continue to push this forward and add this as another tool in our ability to fight this problem on our reservation; for the surrounding communities as well. Yeah, we’re focused on the Tribe, we’re focused on the reservation, but this affects everybody, all of the communities around us. We’ve got so many tools that we’ve been successful with, the Healing Lodge and so many other things that have helped us bring our members out of addiction and back in the community. And those have been fantastic, but without that tool to be able to put away the people who bring these drugs on the reservation and commit these crimes against our community members, we’re not going to be successful. This is a huge step towards that.”
Said Representative Larsen, “I look forward to working with you all to get the Protect Act passed and signed into law to ensure that tribes have the tools to combat the opioid epidemic and save lives. I raise my hand to all of you for the important work that you’re doing to save lives and make your communities safer.”
The annual National Night Out (NNO) brought together community members at the Tulalip Amphitheater on Tuesday, August 6, fostering a deeper connection between the Tulalip Police Department (TPD) and the people of Tulalip. Several families attended to support TPD while also getting some cool swag.
NNO strives to educate the community about various police and community programs that are accessible to them. These programs include child support, mental health and wellness, educational services and more. Each tribal department spotlighting these services had a booth where kids and adults received gifts, and could participate in games like spinning the wheel for prizes, or making buttons and keychains.
Moving along with the theme of the evening, the new Chief of Police, Shawn Ledford, was on the scene to introduce himself and express his excitement about joining the community. He shared his eagerness to engage with residents, saying, “I can’t wait to sit down, have some coffee, and go over your concerns and how the police department can meet the needs of this community.”
Ledford highlighted the importance of NNO, stating, “It’s a good opportunity for the community members to come out, meet some of the officers, and see some of the equipment. Break that barrier down where maybe the officer seems intimidating at some point, or it’s hard for them to make connections when they are out patrolling. Here, they can spend time with the officers and the K-9 and get to know each other.”
He also outlined his plans as the new Chief, emphasizing his commitment to safety: “Coming to Tulalip, I’m going to make sure that this is a safe community, making sure that we address the drug problem; help the users and hold the dealers responsible. We want to address any gang issue right away; make sure it’s not tolerated here on the reservation. Keep the neighborhoods safe. We want people to be able to walk around their community and not be worried about being a victim of crime.”
The event strengthened the bond between the Tulalip community and its police department, laying the groundwork for a safer and more connected future.
With their ever-growing community in mind, the Tulalip Tribes hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on August 5 for their new 85-unit apartment building, Quil Creek Crossing. Located just off 27th Avenue on Sandra Madison Loop Road, the groundbreaking marks the beginning of a new chapter in the Tribes’ history.
Following a blessing of the land by tribal members Clarissa Johnny and Andy James, community members gathered to witness Tribal leaders, and representatives from the Wenaha Group and Korsmo Construction, as each of their golden shovels struck the earth.
Chairwoman Teri Gobin spoke about how the property was once filled with tires and junk vehicles and how glad she is that Tulalip could turn it into housing for tribal members. She emphasized that taking the land back was extremely important, but what’s more critical is providing affordable living spaces for Tribal members.
Vice Chairwoman Misty Napeahi shared, “We started this project pre-COVID, and we wanted to build a community for our 19-25-year-olds. There are 648 young adults in that age group. So, we thought about building a community for them. What would they want? We have one, two, and three-bedroom apartments. We know some of our people already have children, so we wanted to build for their families. It will be a beautiful complex with a basketball court, a BBQ pit, and walking trails. We are trying to build a healthy community for our young people. Also, they will have an opportunity to get residency so that in the future, if they do want children, they will be eligible for enrollment.”
The new apartment building is being created with an emphasis on comfort, while also acknowledging that it can be loud when many families are in one place. Secretary Theresa Sheldon discussed the challenges of growing up in low-income housing with holes in her floors and how so many of us accept these problems as normal. She went on to discuss the available amenities that will be offered in the apartments. There will be modern appliances, stylish cabinets, and quality rugs. Additionally, she mentioned using soundproof materials for the walls and floors to ensure privacy.
“The site was designed with families in mind,” said Jason Crain, senior project manager for the Wenaha Group. “Most apartment complexes avoid having 3-bedroom units, and this apartment complex has several. It was intentional by the Tribes to promote a family environment, create a home, and raise your kids. The site has a bunch of amenities to support that. There is a large playground and a garden area. There are some playscape areas that are going to have some culturally significant artwork in the native language. The aesthetic of the building is designed to reflect the Tribe’s heritage and its relationship with cedar. It’s not cedar but designed to look like cedar.”
Crain commended COO Sam Davis and his team for helping the tribe focus on family and community and emphasizing the importance of supporting the Tribe’s growth and future. And with rental costs at an all-time high, building these apartments couldn’t come at a better time.
Council Member Glen Gobin discussed the Tribe’s longstanding goal of constructing more homes and apartments, but that they often lacked the necessary infrastructure. With the availability of sewer and electrical services and adequate space, bringing in an apartment complex as big as this will help immensely. Gobin said, “It’s also a change in how we build homes and places for our young people and elders. We have other apartments, but none like these. These are meant to be homesites for people to come in and live for as long as they need. We hope it’s transitional, but if they end up being there for 20-30 years, then that’s where they are.”
Construction on Quil Creek Crossing will begin soon, and the complex is slated for completion in 2026.
There’s been a surge of Native American communities across the country embracing the concept of wellbriety. In its purest form, wellbriety is a culture-centered movement that goes beyond sobriety to include holistic healing, cultural reconnection, and community empowerment. Rooted in tradition, wellbriety offers a culturally resonant approach to recovery, addressing not just substance use but the deep-seeded historical trauma that often underlies addiction.
Back in the summer of 2023, Tulalip’s Family Services and Problem Gambling program partnered up to bring the wellbriety movement back to Tulalip. After an exclusive training called the Medicine Wheel and the 12 steps, created by Native American nonprofit White Bison, the wellbriety movement was officially relaunched within our reservation.
“Hopefully [the concept of wellbriety] helps bring a better understanding because it talks a lot about intergenerational trauma,” explained licensed chemical dependency counselor, Robin Johnson. “So, with a better understanding of that and also their own family dynamics, this gives them an understanding of where it started, why it’s happened within their families, and why it continues to happen.”
By providing that must-needed understanding that lays at the root of the cause, wellbriety aims to arm adults with the power and cultural know how to take back control of their lives. They are first taught how, then empowered to re-chart their lives with healthy choices and healthy behaviors.
“What sets [wellbriety] apart is the medicine wheel. You do the steps in a circle,” Robin further explained. “In the linear way, when you relapse you start over. In A.A. or N.A., you start over. But with the medicine wheel, it’s a continuous circle, so you continue moving forward. That makes a huge difference.”
Continuing to move forward could’ve been the theme behind the most recent wellbriety celebration hosted at the Kenny Moses Building on August 2. An estimated 80 individuals came together to create an atmosphere of strength and support for their peers who are actively working towards wellbriety for the first time, tenth time, or wherever they may be within circle.
One of the defining features of wellbriety is its emphasis on community and family support. Programs often involve not just the individual in recovery but also their family and community members. This collective approach creates a sense of shared responsibility and support, which is essential for sustained recovery and well-being. With that in mind, the most recent wellbriety celebration began in traditional communal fashion. First with a healing song offered up by Andrew Williams, followed by Helen Gobin-Henson prayer.
“These events, whether sobriety-based or wellbriety-based, are so beautiful because they continue to bring those who are in recovery together. They are giving the families an opportunity to celebrate the changes they’ve made to their lives and all their accomplishments they’ve made along the way,” acknowledged Helen. She’s been a sponsor to so many over the years its impossible for her to even guess a number, but one number she does know exactly is the number of years she has clean and sober – a whopping 36 years.
“We gather to celebrate every day these young people have chosen the red road and to be in recovery. We gather to show them support and serve as the reminder they may need that they are not alone in this journey, no matter how difficult it might seem, they are not alone. Because we can do together what we can never do alone,” added the Tulalip matriarch.
The ultimate goal of wellbriety is to restore harmony within families and communities. This is achieved through activities that promote collective healing and the strengthening of supportive relationships. By focusing on the well-being of the community as a whole, wellbriety creates an environment where individuals are more likely to succeed in their recovery journeys.
On this particular evening, five inspirational individuals, all of whom are well on their way to wellbriety, took to the middle of the Kenny Moses Building floor one by one. Each offered up their stories of struggle, hitting rock bottom, and recounting the resources they implemented to find their way back.
Desiree Dumont (42)
“In the beginning, the hardest part of my recovery was accountability because it was never my fault. It was always someone else’s fault. It took a lot of acceptance, a lot of encouragement from my community, and many long looks at the person in the mirror. An ankle monitor didn’t stop me from using. Jail didn’t stop me from using. It wasn’t until I saw how hurt and unhappy my kids were; the moment I recognized that I was the cause of their pain and in that moment, I couldn’t blame anyone else but me. I got clean for them, but along the way I realized how much I really wanted to change myself for the better.
I didn’t want to live the rest of my life with that anger and pain that always needed to be numbed away because if I did, then I could pass it on to my children. I stand before you all now a different person than I was 18-months ago. My consistency to be clean and sober is allowing me to make a better life me for me and my children. I’ve regained my license, a bank account, and, most importantly, custody of my kids. I’m a better mom and a better Desiree.”
Verle Smith and Mitch Matta
Mitch Matta (46)
“I got clean and sober exactly 650 days ago. Like most of you, I was brought into this world watching people around me use. My father was my hero. I grew up watching him drink at least a fifth of his favorite drink R&R every day. I watched as his skin turned yellow from Jaundice. Eventually, he died of Cirrhosis of the liver in 2009. My father, my hero lost his battle to the bottle. After he died, it was easy for me to pick up that lifestyle.
I just want to stress that for me, and many others, social isolation is the trigger to use. If you know anybody who is in recovery and is in a state of isolation, then reach out to them. You have no idea how much it means to know people care. A simple phone call or text asking “how are you?” could mean the world to somebody.
After I got my year clean, my daughters moved back in with me. Their support gives me the strength to stay clean. I want to be their hero, like my dad was to me. I still have my difficult days, and when those days happen I’m thankful for my counselor Robin Johnson, the staff at the Recovery Resource Center, and the Healing Lodge. Their willingness to listen and offer encouragement is good medicine. So much so that I want to open my door to anybody and spread the word of recovery and ensure that my life revolves around being clean and sober.”
Janelle Lierman (50)
“We’re in recovery because we chose moments of fake happiness over real happiness. Fake happiness being those fleeting moments of being high, drunk, or winning at the casino. But that fake happiness is the occasional byproduct of a much larger set destructive, addictive, and life consuming behaviors that we ultimately could not control. That is why we’re in recovery.
When I was gambling, all I thought about was when I could get back to the casino again and where I could get more money from. I often gambled away my entire pay check, every week. I lied to everyone to cover up where I was and what I was doing. But at some point, each of us has decided that we had enough. Whether it was an intervention by those who love us, a criminal offense, or a near death experience, something made each of us realize we had a problem and needed to do something about it. For me, it was getting fired from my job and having to come clean to my husband.
I attend 5 to 6 recovery-based events every week because that’s what works for me. I’m very proud to say that I’ve been sober for over 15-months. The road has been anything but easy, and it’s a road that I will travel the rest of my life. I’ve learned that loving myself and forgiving myself is the first and most important step to finding healing and forgiveness in the relationships that I damaged with my addiction. I didn’t become a compulsive gambler overnight. I spent nearly 15 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars feeding my addiction. It would be unrealistic to think recovery would take any less dedication. Now, honesty, open-mindedness and accountability are the key words of my recovery.
Verle Smith (58)
“At the beginning it was a struggle. I didn’t know which way to go. I had to give it to my higher power, listen up and work on myself. It slowly got brighter. There have been struggles, I’ve relapsed multiple times, but I continue to brighten up and just punch forward.
My daughter is here with me today. You have no idea what this means to me. I now have the opportunity to be around family and to really find a sense of inner peace on the water. I love it. I still struggle today, but every morning I have the opportunity for another day, so I’m living it one day at time.
If it wasn’t for the Wellness Court, I don’t know where I’d be, if I’d even still be here. They gave me the opportunity to experience something that works for my life and I’m grateful for it. I do my mediation prayer and I believe that’s the key, make sure you say your morning prayers. I talk to a lot of people every day, like my best friend. Him and my family are my inspiration to fight harder for other people who need it. I love that people still have my back after everything.”
Christopher Solomon, (49)
“I’ve been in and out of treatment since I was 15-years-old. When I was growing up, I thought drinking and using drugs was normal. I remember watching my mom put alcohol in my siblings’ bottles and thinking ‘if she is doing that to them, then she did that to me.’ They’d have these huge parties at their house or my aunt’s house. There would always be a big stack of beer and it would all be gone by the end of the party
Drinking was so normal for me my entire life. Getting drunk, then sobering up just to get drunk again. I’m trying to make being sober normal now. My clean date is 12-26-23.”
The impact of wellbriety on our community is profound as evidenced by the truth to power spoken by Desiree, Mitch, Janelle, Verle and Christopher. Through the dedicated staff of Family Services, Problem Gambling, and the Recovery Resource Center, a culturally relevant and empowering path to recovery is now more accessible than ever before. Through wellbriety, individuals struggling with addiction can find a renewed sense of purpose, cultural connection, and hope for the future.
Concluding, the wellbriety celebration was a countdown of days sober. Collectively, there was nearly 340 years of sobriety within the Kenny Moses Building’s walls. The next wellness celebration is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, October 24. Be on the look out for a syəcəb flyer with official time, date, and location later this fall.
Since 1989’s iconic Paddle to Seattle, a remarkable cultural revival has taken place across the Pacific Northwest, known to the tribes therein as Coast Salish territory. Sovereign tribal nations from Alaska to Oregon have united nearly every summer since ’89 to travel the sacred waters in honor and celebration of our common canoe culture.
The annual summer time event, dubbed Canoe Journey, has a deep cultural and spiritual significance not just to the Tulalip Tribes but all tribal communities connected by the Salish Sea. A tradition passed down from the ancestors, Canoe Journey has been practiced in one form or another for millennia. The 2024 rendition has taken on an adaptive form due to some unforeseen complications.
Earlier this year, the previously planned route to Ahousaht First Nation in British Columbia was quickly and abruptly upended after Ahousaht leadership put out a press release stating they would not be hosting journeys.
“Ahousaht and the surrounding region, including the District of Tofino, are not prepared to host the 2024 Canoe Journeys. Ahousaht and Tofino currently lack the necessary infrastructure to effectively and safely host the volume of canoe families that participate in Canoe Journeys,” read the February released statement.
The ripples caused by their decision were quickly minimized before they could form full on tidal waves. Thanks to quick action taken by Puyallup elder Connie McCloud and her tribal council.
“We saw on Facebook that Ahousaht, who was to host this summer, declined because they needed more time to prepare for hosting thousands of people. Ahousaht is a very small island off of the west side of Vancouver Island, and so people respected that,” recalled Connie, who holds the esteemed position of Puyallup’s heritage manager. “Then the next day, I got another phone call from my Tribal Council that said, “So, what are we going to do?” And I said, “Well, we’re thinking about doing a Youth Journey.” And they said, “Let’s do it. Let’s host.”
Just like that, the Power Paddle to Puyallup was spoken into existence. Participating tribes made the necessary adjustments to accommodate a new schedule with a new route, protocol times, and an agreed upon overnight, camping schedule.
Some confusion, and a whole lot of excitement, surrounded the idea of just what exactly a youth canoe journey was. Youth-only? No adults? What about elders?
These questions and the aforementioned confusion were put to rest when Connie McCloud clarified, “The whole point of this Youth Journey is to teach our children so that you have the adults, you have the elders, working with the youth to train them to be in the leadership position. It doesn’t eliminate anybody. It puts the focus on training our youth.
“If your canoe is largely adults and elders and you have two youth, how lucky are they? They have this handful of people who can give them instruction, give them teachings and show them a direction; put them up there doing the welcoming greetings, doing their Protocol, being that voice for your canoe.”
How each tribe embraced the notions Connie put forward regarding a youth journey were unique to each canoe family. Evident by the mesmerizing moments that were created on Saturday, July 27, when 23 tidal-powered canoes made their highly anticipated arrival on the banks of Tulalip Bay.
Clearly, some tribes took the youth part of youth journey to heart by assembling canoe crews of teenagers and newly minted adults. Others stuck to the old ways and filled their canoe with seaworthy veterans. The majority of canoes that landed within the heart of Tulalip had a more equitable combination of youth, adult, and elder.
Many of the canoe families empowered a youth to come front and center upon arriving in Tulalip Bay. They eagerly accepted the microphone and were given the platform to ask permission for their canoe family to come ashore. Awaiting their request while perched on a Tulalip Bay bluff with her mom and auntie flanking her with all the confidence they could muster, was 13-year-old Tiyanna Bueno. The Tulalip youth switched back and forth between Lushootseed and English as she gave one canoe family after another permission to come ashore, enjoy a hearty meal, and rest up from the day’s long pull.
Among the many visitors enjoying the sights and sounds of a Canoe Journey arrival was a very far from home Navy specialist who found comfort in the gathered community’s embrace of the canoe families. The 25-year-old Tyrann Bowlin is from Jacksonville, Florida, but stationed locally at Naval Station Everett. He and a cohort of his fellow Navy men graciously accepted the critical role of canoe carriers for the afternoon.
“This is an incredible event to be experiencing for the first time. It’s my first time on a reservation period and I’m really enjoying how close knit the community seems to be,” shared Navy specialist Bowlin in between canoe carries. “Just witnessing how these people have been on the water all day canoeing and now coming home to such a welcoming is beautiful. It’s the same thing we do as Navy members. We go out for weeks or months at a time and then come home to our loved ones.”
In a true moment of profound cross-cultural clarity, while standing just mere feet from the Tulalip Longhouse and where a dozen canoes lay peacefully, he added, “Us as Navy members and you all as Native Americans got the same fight and warrior toughness.”
Fight to paddle countless strokes for dozens on dozens of nautical miles on the Salish Sea. Toughness to proudly carry on a canoe culture passed on from past warriors who resisted assimilation and protected the most precious of traditional teachings for future generations to practice. These are the endearing takeaways from this year’s Canoe Journey, the Power Paddle to Puyallup, as experienced from a quick, overnight pitstop in heart of Tulalip Bay.
I’m excited for our youth to go be Indians in a more traditional way, to decolonize a little and go live, learn, and travel closer to how our ancestors did. Our traditions and culture are a lived experience. You cannot feel or learn what canoe journey is at school or in a book, you have to be there to fully understand.
It is a blessing from the creator and the cedar tree to be able to travel on the water in a canoe. This is where our people and youth get balance in their lives. When you learn to respect the water, you learn to respect yourself, because we are water, and this journey helps strengthen that connection.
There is so much to learn while on the journey, we honor the circle everyone is a part and everyone has a voice, we all get to witness sunrise ceremonies, learning new and old ways of prayer. There are teachings from the cedar tree, we honor our canoes for sacrificing itself for us to travel.
When we are on the canoe, we travel with a good mind and heart to show respect for the cedar tree, our family on the canoe, and the water. All of these things have the ability to feel energy, water amplifies emotions and holds memory, this all teaches us how we should be on the journey of life and how to treat nature and one another.
We not only ask permission from the canoe to be on the water, but we also ask permission to come ashore of our relative’s homelands that we visit. We are taught to leave things better then when we arrived. This is travelling in a good way.
Our youth will be learning what it means to be a good host to our guests and how to travel in a good way. Singing a song is one of the nicest things that we can do as humans, and when we dance it shows that we are happy. It all spreads good energy and vibes to help uplift others and ourselves.
Our youth will get to witness and learn what it means to be potlatch people. These are just some of the things I’m excited for our youth to be a part of. There is so much more, but you just have to be there.
Event facilitators and support staff took to the calming, compact sand of Spee-Bi-Dah beach shortly after sunrise on Saturday, July 20. As they prepped the shoreline for hundreds of soon-to-be arriving guests, lifetime fishermen and current Tribal Councilman Glen Gobin captained his boat and crew as they made one large, sweeping arc after another along the coastline.
With each pass, their trailing net formed a visible horseshoe shape atop the water, which built anticipation and excitement among observers who wondered what kind of seafood bounty would soon reveal itself. Tulalip culture bearers of all ages and fishing experience were joined by local community members in a unified effort to pull in the jumbo-sized net from the ocean bank. When the net was nearly to the shore, Chinook salmon would alert their presence by splashing the shallow waters with their tails. Time and time again, the simple sound of fish tails breaking the Salish Sea would immediately lead to children screaming in absolute delight.
Only a matter of minutes later, the beach seined Chinook were expertly processed, carved into filets, smoked on the spot, and made readily available for exquisite consumption. These were the stunning scenes that laid the foundation for the always culture-fueled, community building seafood extravaganza that is Spee-Bi-Dah.
Captain Glen once described the annual beach seining event as “a lifetime of memories. This is how we used to fish all the time. Every year, I’m amazed at how many people come out to partake and enjoy the day. Spee-Bi-Dah really is a great community event. Like it was for our past generations, today is a shared community experience.”
As the temperature soared into the upper 80s on the gorgeous summer day, so too did the sense of community and shared purpose alongside the especially meaningful stretch of Salish Sea shoreline.
“One of my favorite things is seeing all the babies play on the beach and in the water. Seeing their spirits so high on in these ancestral fishing grounds reminds me that our ancestors are here, too, and we are making them so proud by keeping the culture alive,” said Tulalip elder Lena Hammons shortly after witnessing her great-granddaughter Sevi enjoy some crab.
“The children pulling the net in and picking fish straight from the sea is a sight I’ll never tire of seeing. To me, that’s healing the community and healing the trauma inflicted upon our ancestors who weren’t allowed to be proud Tulalip people, especially those generations of children who were stripped of their culture during the Boarding School Era,” she continued. “Spee-Bi-Dah brings us all together for a good event that’s spiritually empowering. It’s just awesome to experience and grows bigger every year as our tribal membership continues to grow bigger.”
Indeed, with Tulalip membership now over 5,300 and showing no signs of slowing down, there are always blossoming families to be found immersing themselves in a tidal wave of Coast Salish culture at events like Spee-Bi-Dah. One such family seen sprawled out on the Spee-Bi-Dah sands, filling their bellies with a seafood feast were momma bear Stephanie Ancheta and her three boys Zaylen (11), Xavier (5), and Calvin Jr. (2).
Asked what’s their favorite seafood, Zaylen said crab before cracking open a crap leg, and Xavier said salmon while staring into the beady eyes of a shrimp that dwarfed his hand.
“I’ve so been looking forward to this day because I was unable to attend the last two years,” admitted Stephanie. “We’re having a lot of fun. It’s really cool to spend the day out here, eating good foods and running into people we know. It really is a special occasion to have all these delicious foods available to us. Salmon is something we have regular access to, but the crab, clams, and shrimp we don’t. For me, watching my boys try new foods and really take a liking to them is pretty cool.”
Among the many attendees were residents of the gated Spee-Bi-Dah housing community, which included a family of Chinese immigrants headed by patriarch Zhou Bailang. They shared how after immigrating to the U.S., they eventually settled in the Pacific Northwest because of the natural beauty, fantastic climate, and connection to the sea, specifically fish and fishing.
“My son and I share a passion for fishing. He gets so excited for this day because he gets to help pull the net in,” said Zhou while sitting in a shaded area with his family. “This is our biggest family gathering of the year. This year we flew in our parents from China so they could be here with us. It’s their very first time here.”
Epitomizing what it truly means to participate in a cultural exchange, Zhou and his son could be seen regularly helping to pull the net in. Zhou’s son even received some first-hand wisdom from Captain Glen that he later used when showing several Tulalip youth how to pull the net in as a team, instead of as individuals.
Over the day-long celebration of culture and community, hundreds and hundreds enthusiastic beach goers enjoyed the many sights, sounds, and delicious tastes that make the annual beach seine such a highly anticipated and coveted event. The freshest seafood-filled meals were enjoyed, while friends and families reminisced about old times.
Stories shared and memories made weren’t just confined to the Spee-Bi-Dah shores either. Just like years past, Tulalip implemented a shuttle system for most efficient transport to and from the event. One of the drivers responsible for shuttling individuals and families from their parked vehicles at the Gathering Hall to the beach was John Ordonia-Davis.
“I started shuttling support staff down to the beach at 6:00 a.m. and then all the individuals and families who started showing up around 9:00 a.m. We continue shuttling well into the evening, until the beach is clear.” explained John. “It’s always cool to hear people’s excitement while driving them down there and then to hear all about their experience when driving them back to the Gathering Hall. One particular story that stands out is this couple of first-time tribal members, older too, who told me how much they loved seeing so much family they haven’t seen in years. They were so happy the Tribe made this happen. Their big smiles and excitement in their voices is something I won’t forget.”
Surely, that story shared with John in the shuttle van is but one of a countless number that were retold that day by Spee-Bi-Dah attendees who were eager to share their experience with others. It’s those stories and the many shared photos that prove what was really caught in those beach seine nets wasn’t salmon, what was truly caught was culture and community.
Grounded, at peace, one with the universe are a few phrases that come to mind when thinking of that special connection coastal Natives experience when out on the Salish Sea. But in addition to that, there’s also this strong sense of pride, knowing that you are traveling the same waters as your ancestors, using the same mode of transportation, singing family songs that have been passed down the generations, speaking your tribe’s traditional language, and sharing your teachings as you celebrate the culture with other tribal nations.
That connection is important to experience for tribal adolescents, especially at such a crucial point in their lives; a time of self-discovery, as many prepare to embark on a personal journey of establishing their own identity. It also gives them the opportunity to sharpen and showcase their leadership skills and learn how to carry themselves while representing their respective tribes. Which is why many were elated when Puyallup announced an inter-tribal pull this summer, specifically for the youth.
The 2024 youth canoe journey is officially underway, and currently there are dozens of canoes already on the water enroute to this year’s final destination at Puyallup. After visiting the neighboring tribes of Nooksack, Lummi, Samish, and Swinomish, the canoes will land at Tulalip this year on Saturday July 27.
Tulalip began preparations for canoe journey at the top of the year by hosting weekly culture nights, where attendees crafted regalia and various items that could be both utilized and gifted by the youth during the pull to Puyallup. This spring, Tulalip held an awakening ceremony for the tribal canoes, Big Brother, Big Sister, and Little Sister. Shortly after the awakening, the Tribe organized weekly canoe practices, providing the opportunity for participants to train and build endurance for long distance pulls across the sacred waterways.
During the final days leading up to the landing at Tulalip Bay, the Education Division is hosting culture week at the teen center, which is focused on fashioning last minute gear and regalia for this year’s journey. Multiple regalia stations are setup in the gym, where the kids can work on ribbon skirts, wool skirts, beadwork, drumsticks and more.
Shane McLean, Youth Council Advisor, shared, “From our department, we’re having four chaperones that will be taking twenty youths from the teen center. And then there are youth that the canoes families will be chaperoning themselves as well. I’m estimating that will be around thirty kids, so probably around fifty of our youth will be pulling this year. I’m excited to get our youth connected to the water, to the land. Giving them a chance to go out and sing and get healing, and hopefully gather teachings from different elders along the way.”
Throughout each day, the teens popped in and out of the gym to work on their projects, while still taking time to enjoy the weather outdoors with their friends. On the afternoon of July 23, Tulalip News was able to catch up with seven teens who were buzzing with anticipation as this year’s canoe journey rapidly approaches the shores of Tulalip Bay.
While on a leisurely stroll of the teen center campus, friends Kiannah Moses and Ellashawnee Gorhan Dumont spoke about what they are looking forward to the most during the 2024 journey.
After sharing that she had fun during the weekly canoe practices, Kiannah stated, “[Practice] was really fun and pretty cool. I’m looking forward to everything – hanging out with my family, paddling, and camping!”
Ellashawnee added, “I’m excited for the canoes to come in. Canoe Journey makes me happy and proud, it’s awesome to know your culture and just to feel that feeling of being out on the water.”
Madison Sheldon was also soaking up some sunshine and putting in some work at the skatepark when she took a moment to share, “I’m so hyped for canoe journeys because this year I get to paddle. Ever since I got to practice for the first time, I’ve had a connection with the canoes, Big Brother and Big Sister, and I felt so happy paddling with all the fam. I can’t wait for camping out with the family, I love doing that and hanging out with the cousins. I think it’s important to share some parts of our culture with other tribes because some kids don’t know our songs and we don’t know their songs, or what their tribe does and what other tribes do. And I like sharing anything about our tribe.”
Inside of the teen center, Taya Shopbell and Izzabella Jones, proudly held up their ribbon skirts for a photo. Taya shared that she is still thinking about venturing out on the canoe this year, but she is excited to sing and dance during protocol. And Izzabella echoed Taya’s sentiment and said, “It always feels nice to go dance and be a part of my culture. I’m looking forward to camping, going with my friends, and dancing.”
Over at the beading station, Kaidence Stricklin was hard at work, constructing a necklace of purple beads. Taking a quick break to chat with us she admitted, “I honestly don’t know what to expect, but I’m really excited because this is my first time. I’m mostly looking forward to staying up all night and watching protocol.”
Nakoyia Fryberg was beaming with pride as she put the finishing touches on her wool skirt when we caught up with her. She expressed, “I actually just now finished this skirt. And this is the one that I’m going to be wearing on journeys. It took me awhile. I’m looking forward to hearing everyone sing and seeing everyone dance. I think it’s really important to keep it going, so that when we’re not here anymore, it can keep going. We’re trying to ensure that this keeps going even after we’re gone. It’s about seven generations – thinking of the people who aren’t here yet and what we need to do to make sure that the teaching gets to those people.”
For more information about the 2024 youth paddle to Puyallup or Education Division’s culture week, please contact the teen center at (360) 716-4909.
The Tribe recently put out a request for volunteers for the canoe landing at Tulalip on July 27, from 8am – 8pm. Duties include handing out food/drinks, trash clean up, and dinner/table clean up. For additional details and to sign up to volunteer, please send an inquiry to krisanfryberg@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov.
It was a gorgeous sunny day on July 13, and the clear blue skies accentuated the vibrant colors of the fairways and greens of the Battle Creek Golf Course. Over 100 golfers tee’d off for a great cause that afternoon to help raise funds and highlight the efforts of a local nonprofit, Leah’s Dream Foundation.
Established in 2015, Leah’s Dream has made a huge impact for the special needs children and young adults of Tulalip and Marysville over the years. Through their work, they have built up a strong community for the kids and their families, resulting in many lifelong friendships, core memories filled with entertaining activities and events, and countless smiles as the kids are afforded the opportunity to simply enjoy being their selves in a safe and fun environment.
Leah’s Dream hosts bi-monthly activity nights, which are a big hit and something their families always look forward to. Leah’s Dream Foundation is a major advocate for inclusion for the students with special needs who attend the Marysville School District. The foundation utilizes their funds to provide supplies, learning tools, snacks, and curriculum for the special needs classrooms within MSD. During the 22-23 school year, the nonprofit also provided funds for sensory playground equipment, that is wheelchair accessible, at the Grove and Marshall elementary schools. And recently, the foundation established an activity club, where karaoke reigns supreme during their get togethers.
The majority, if not all, of the funds used for activity nights, school supplies, and their famous Christmastime gathering, are raised at the foundation’s annual golf tournament. Though it is their one and only fundraiser, the golf tournament continues to grow in popularity each year and generates donations in the thousands. From the sponsors to the golfers, and we can’t leave out the volunteers from the Marysville Getchell Native American and Friends Club, everyone chips in to make this summertime event a hole-in-one. And that of course includes the foundation’s namesake and star of the course, Leah Stacy.
Leah, who is diagnosed with apraxia, was just a toddler when the first tournament was held in 2014, and throughout the years, she has been very hands-on in preparing for the annual fundraiser. From the first to the eighteenth hole, there were yard signs placed alongside the tee boxes and greens, that displayed the names of each sponsor. Every year, Leah looks forward to riding in the golf cart with her parents and personally placing the signs all throughout the course.
Leah’s mom and the nonprofit’s founder, Deanna Sheldon, shared, “Every single sign she puts out, she’s running across the course and standing by it with a permanent smile. She gets so pumped up! She loves Battle Creek so much because she’s been around it since she was very little – we come from a family of golfers, my dad goes out here every single day, my husband is the head pro here at Battle Creek, my nephews golf, I used to golf. And it’s been so great because we have so many people who participate and volunteer, who come every year and have seen her grow up. And they’re always amazed because she was four when we first started it and now, she’s fourteen.”
In addition to the main competition, the tournament also features a number of mini games at select tee boxes where golfers can try their luck, for a small donation, for various prizes. This year, Deanna worked a mini game station, at hole 3, where she was able to connect with the golfers and share in detail about Leah’s Dream Foundation. Upon learning more about the nonprofit, one golfer donated $1000 on the spot, through the Venmo app. Deanna also witnessed history, as the very first Leah’s Dream Foundation hole-in-one shot occurred at hole 3 this year.
The event also features a silent auction, and several themed gift baskets go up for bid. This year, the baskets included items such as golf attire, official Leah’s Dream Foundation branded gear, snacks, dog toys/treats, wine, and a nights stay at Angel of the Winds.
All told, with the help of 63 sponsors, 136 golfers, and numerous volunteers, the 10th annual Leah’s Dream Foundation Golf Tournament raised a record breaking $51,000.
Said Deanna, “It was a very successful tournament. We had a total of 34 teams. Our sponsorships were really great this year. I ran the final numbers, and we raised over $51,000! It was a great way to celebrate 10 years. Our very first tournament, we had only 60 people sign up. Five years ago, we were excited when we had 100 players. It just really shows how far we’ve come, from raising $12,000 to now, it shows the importance in what we do.
“When we first started off, we just wanted to make a small impact, we never thought we were going to raise a lot of money. But as the years have gone on, I feel that in so many ways, by being able to give back to the community through our events and outreach, and our ability to raise awareness about autism and the special needs community, it shows everyone the importance of supporting each individual. The classroom feedback we got this year was great, we got cards from students and teachers saying how good it feels that they are being thought of. And we’re just happy that we’re able to do a lot more now. Because we are able to raise more money, we’re able to give back more than we were able to in the past. It’s a great accomplishment for a small nonprofit and it makes such an impact knowing that all the money goes to areas that are well-needed.”
To make a monetary donation, volunteer your personal time, or to simply learn more information about the nonprofit organization, you can visit their official site, www.LeahsDream.org. And to stay up to date on all of their ongoing events and activities, be sure to follow their two Facebook pages, Leah’s Dream Foundation and Leah’s Dream Activity Club.
Back in early April, the Seattle Storm announced the return of their third annual ‘Storm into STEM Kids Day’ presented by the Pacific Science Center and Washington State Department of Health. Shortly thereafter, leadership within Tulalip’s education division made the quick decision to add the kid-centered WNBA game to its lengthy list of summer activities.
When it comes to holding the attention of Tulalip’s wide-ranging youth, sports remain the best option. So many local middle school and high school-aged children routinely demonstrate their athletic prowess at the Youth Center’s multi-sport complex. From softball, kickball, soccer and football on the ball fields to volleyball and basketball in the airconditioned gymnasiums. Those families reliant on the Tribe’s youth-based programs and services to keep their kids active during summer break know just how much work and dedication goes into keeping this generation of teens engaged for an hour or two, let alone an entire day.
A memory-making excursion to Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena to watch the some of the best women bucket getters in the world compete is something youth of all fitness levels can get excited for. Which is why an estimated 50 teens were shuttled from the rez to Seattle Center on Wednesday, July 10, to watch WNBA’s reigning champions, the Las Vegas Aces, take on the Storm.
“We are extremely fortunate to have a leadership team who thinks of our kids and coordinates activities and field trips, like this one, during the summer when our kids are out of school. As adults, we understand that not all kids have opportunities like this, but being Tulalip affords us a lot of benefits, especially as it comes to our children,” said youth enrichment manager Sarah Murphy.
Official game attendance was announced to be a tad over 12,500 for the 12:10pm tip-off between the Seattle Storm (14-7) and Las Vegas Aces (13-7). During the game, especially during timeouts and intermission, kids and families were able to engage in multiple activities aimed at boosting child interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics via activity booths located throughout Climate Pledge’s concourse.
“We love the atmosphere that Kids Day brings to Storm games, and that our Storm platform can provide a fun and educational experience for youth during a Seattle Storm game in the summer,” stated Alisha Valavanis, Storm President and CEO. “We are grateful to our partners at the Department of Health and Pacific Science Center for helping create a memorable and meaningful day for these kids.”
Among the many activities planned, highlights from Pacific Science Center included a full-sized model human skeleton that participants could build and take apart, earthquake shake tables to build and test different structures on, and a hand battery, in which kids used their hands to complete a battery circuit. Delta Dental was on hand as well, offering volt green sunglasses and toothbrushes to motivate the young tikes to take proper care of their eyes and teeth.
During halftime, with the Storm up 36-30 over the defending champs, 14-year-old Daylen Jones said, “This is so cool! Being able to watch the best players play their game and be so fundamentally sound is definitely cool. I hope to be able to do the things they do on the court. I’ve watched by older sisters get buckets against boys and men my whole life, so watching these ladies get buckets is, like, normal to me, I’d say.”
Following the ultra competitive ball game that nearly yielded an epic Storm comeback, the Seattle venturing group of Tulalips were welcomed onto center court for a picture. Several of the kids took the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to imagine themselves as professional basketballers and shoot imaginary buzzer-beaters at the Storm baskets. Of course, their imaginary shots hit nothing but nylon. Swish.
Proud mama bear, Sheena Oldham, has witnessed her two boys take untold numbers of basketball shots, real and imagined. No way were they going to miss out the opportunity to watch professional basketball players do their thang.
“It’s just so inspiring in so many aspects because I grew up on the court and in a sports world that didn’t like women’s basketball,” shared activities specialist Sheena Oldham. “If I got on the court back in the day, I had to learn to play with guys at their speed and meet them at their level, meaning their physicality and especially their criticism. So to see the joy on our kids’ faces as they watch women’s basketball is beyond cool. And hearing my son Keoni say “Caitlin Clark!” as he’s shooting a 3-pointer is truly amazing. It shows just how far the women’s game has come and proves we can all appreciate women’s sports.”
