Category: News

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News; photos courtesy of NASA

The sky’s the limit. A popular saying largely attributed to the early 1900s after the invention of flight, and one that hasn’t aged particularly well. After all, there was the legendary space race of the ‘60s that resulted in NASA sending Apollo 11 to the Moon on July 16, 1969. Then hundreds of millions of Earthlings sat glued to their television sets in pure amazement as four days later, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin hopped around the Moon’s near zero-gravity surface, before ultimately planting the red, white and blue colors of the United States flag.   

That singular moment changed the course of human imagination. In a manner of speaking the sky’s the limit was forced into early retirement that day. Young Earthlings no longer capped their imagination to the sky held within our planet’s atmosphere. Instead, they now thought of space as the new frontier. Such was the case for Chickasaw Nation tribal member John Herrington. He imagined himself as a crew member on voyages of the starship Enterprise, exploring strange new words, seeking out new life and new civilizations…to boldly go where no Native American has gone before.

Like a true navigator, Herrington plotted his course and set out to make history. First was acquiring the education necessary. He graduated from his Texas high school in 1976, received a bachelor’s of science degree in applied mathematics in 1983, and then a master’s of science degree in aeronautical engineering in 1995. His stellar record in the classroom and as an officer in the U.S. Navy helped punch his ticket into NASA’s astronaut program in April 1996. 

After logging over 3,800 flight hours in over 30 different types of aircraft, Herrington made history as the first ever Native American to accomplish space flight on November, 23 2002. He served as a mission specialist aboard space shuttle Endeavour on its 14-day mission to the International Space Station where Herrington was integral in completely station upgrades, equipment transfers, and the universally cool spacewalk. 

In an interview with Indian Country Today, Herrington reflected on his 330 hours in space. “I got to do everything I would ever do as an astronaut on my one mission,” he said. “I was very fortunate. I flew some sage. I flew some sweet grass. I flew regalia for a friend of mine. Being able to take the flute and the feather out and actually float those in the International Space Station really meant a lot to my family.”

 On his Endeavor journey, mission specialist John Herrington carried a flute made by Cherokee tribal member Jim Gilliland, a decorated eagle feather beaded by a Yankton Sioux citizen Philip Lane, and a Chickasaw Nation flag. Both significant cultural items, the flute and eagle feather, remained in his possession as he transferred from his crew’s shuttle into the space station. Soon after entering the International Space Station, he placed both items within the airlock where they floated together in the zero-gravity environment.

This once-in-a-lifetime moment is memorialized at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. within an exhibit holding the same flute and feather suspended midair as if they were still in space. 

Herrington performed three spacewalks totaling 19 hours and 55 minutes. The Chickasaw legend’s historic achievement is commemorated on the reverse of the 2019 Sacagawea dollar coin. In 2017, he was also inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame. Herrington continues to speak across the country on the topics of STEM, space aviation and the Chickasaw Nation.

When asked by The Oklahoman why he is compelled to combine his oral storytelling traditions with his love for science, Herrington said “Our ancestors survived so we can be here; they were natural problem solvers and engineers. The structures they built and the decisions our ancestors made speaks volumes to me, as an engineer and from a leadership perspective.”

It’s been nearly twenty years since the first Native American soared above our planet’s stratosphere and space walked 254 miles above Earth’s surface. Now, the time has come for another history making cosmic event for Native culture, especially for little girls everywhere with a scientific mind and dreams of being amongst the stars. 

In a few short weeks, NASA astronaut Nicole Mann, enrolled in Wailacki of the Round Valley Indian Tribes in northern California, will serve as spacecraft commander over the next generation SpaceX rocket ship, Dragon Endurance. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission is targeted to launch around September 29 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the internationally shared microgravity laboratory in space.

This will be Nicole’ first spaceflight since becoming an astronaut in 2013. As mission commander, she will be responsible for all phases of flight, from launch to re-entry. She will also serve as an Expedition 68 flight engineer aboard the station. Like Herrington before her, Nicole was an exemplary student who took her education seriously. In fact, she earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering with a specialty in fluid mechanics from Stanford University.

“It’s very exciting,” she told Indian Country Today, referring to being the first Native woman in space. “I think it’s important that we communicate this to our community, so that other Native kids, if they thought maybe that this was not a possibility or to realize that some of those barriers that used to be there are really starting to get broken down.”

Besides the other crew members, Nicole will also be accompanied by several significant cultural items aboard the Dragon spacecraft.

“I have some special gifts for my family, which I can’t say because they’re a surprise. Definitely taking my wedding rings, and I have this dream catcher that my mother gave me when I was very young,” she said. “It’s kind of always stayed with me throughout my time.”

Back in December 2020, NASA announced Nicole as part of the initial 18-member Artemis Team intended to return U.S. astronauts back to the moon in 2025 or 2026. Artemis will be the first crewed lunar landing since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. 

“There is so much exciting work ahead of us as we return to the moon, and it will take the entire astronaut corps to make that happen,” stated Chief Astronaut Pat Forrester in a 2020 press release. “Walking on the lunar surface would be a dream come true for any one of us, and any part we can play in making that happen is an honor. I am proud of this particular group of men and women and know that any of them would do an outstanding job representing NASA and the United States on a future Artemis mission.”

The Artemis mission plans to send two of the 18 astronauts to land on the lunar surface, specifically designated to be the first woman and first person of color. If Nicole is selected with that honor, then she would become not just the first Native American, but the first woman as well, to walk on the moon.

“It’s just this really overwhelming sense of emotion in the best of ways that I can describe,” she told Inverse. “Yes, you want to be the first person to walk on the Moon, you want to fulfill that role, but really it’s not about you … It’s about the bigger mission, so you’re just excited to support in whatever role you can.”

  While the history books continue to be updated in real-time with Nicole’s tremendous story, the Native astronaut will continue to train and prepare intensively for her International Space Station mission in just a few weeks’ time. She’s also taking the time out of her busy schedule to share her message of self-belief and the possibilities that arise from chasing dreams. 

“It’s so fun, I think, in our lifetime when you have firsts,” she shared recently with NPR. “And I think it’s really great to celebrate those and to communicate that, especially to the younger generation, right? These young women, maybe Native, maybe people from different backgrounds that realize that they have these opportunities. And so hopefully that will inspire that younger generation.

“[My advice to young Native women] is never discount yourself. If you don’t go after a dream or a goal and if you don’t try, you’re never going to make it. Pursue your passions in school, ask for help, meet people that have done that job to learn more about it. You’ll grow so much as a child into an adult, and your interests will vary quite a bit. It’s exciting to take this opportunity to just chase down all of those dreams.”

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

“Love is love!” exclaimed Tulalip tribal member, Theresa Sheldon. Her words, amplified by large speakers, echoed triumphantly throughout the Don Hatch Youth Center campus, and were met with generous applause from a crowd of approximately fifty people. 

A momentous occasion took place on the afternoon of August 13 on the Tulalip reservation, that was both beautiful and long overdue. The very first local Pride event was held at the picnic area of Youth Center to celebrate the tribal two-spirit and LGBTQ+ community. 

“The medicine wheel is made with the males on one side and the females on the other side, and it’s the two-spirits who connect that circle together and makes it complete,” said Tulalip community member and event organizer, Phoenix Two Spirit (Cree). “It is so very important for the two-spirit community to be included in all of Indian Country – in all the councils, education, youth, advisory committees. It brings a healing to the community, and that’s what this is all about.”

The BBQ gained much anticipation over the past two years, and was originally scheduled to happen in 2020, but was delayed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fact that it was postponed made the event all the more fun and exciting for the participants. Many were looking forward to the Pride BBQ over the years and they finally got the opportunity to interact with others from the LGBTQ+ community while celebrating their true selves in a safe environment. 

Sponsored by the Tulalip Problem Gambling program, the Tulalip Family Wellness Court, and the Tulalip Community Health’s Youth Wellness Program, the event aimed to uplift, support, honor and recognize those individuals of our tribal community who identify as two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, asexual, or allies.  

“We are happy to host our first Pride Everyday event here at Tulalip in celebration of our 2SLGBTQI+ relatives,” said Tulalip Problem Gambling’s Sarah Sense-Wilson. “It was truly remarkable to see the joy, laughter, smiles, and festive energy collectively shared throughout the day. The collective work of decolonizing and undoing homophobic attitudes, behaviors and thinking starts with us as individuals, but is most impactful when tribal communities take strong positions in practicing inclusion and invest in one another authentically and with genuine commitment to healthy communities.”

With gorgeous weather, tasty food catered by Dickie’s BBQ, great tunes, and plenty of laughter, the Pride Everyday BBQ was the perfect way to cap off the summertime season. DJ Monie was on the ones and twos and provided great energy throughout the day. Making sure to play all the dance hits, the Tulalip disc jockey had everybody, from youth to elders, out of their seats and dancing to classic cuts such as the Cupid Shuffle, Cha Cha Slide, and the Macarena during various dance competitions. 

“I consider myself an ally,” said Erin Reyna in between dance sessions. “My daughter is bisexual, and my niece is a lesbian. I love supporting pride events, and I just wanted to bring my daughter here and enjoy the day together. I love being around the people, I love the energy and the music and the dancing. My daughter is eleven and it really means a lot to her. I think getting the message out there is cool, and I hope they do more events like this.”

Phoenix and all the Pride BBQ sponsors wish to build off this celebration and create more Pride events in the near future, and help establish a strong presence for the LGTBQ+ members within the community. Throughout time, many tribal nations have held space for their two-spirit membership and after years of trauma and forced assimilation, those individuals have felt left out in their respective communities due to the adapted colonized way of thinking. By creating a foundation for the local two-spirits and LGBTQ+ community, Pride focused events helps reclaim the narrative and the true lifeways of many tribal societies, and also lets those individuals of the LGBTQ+ community know that it’s more than okay to be who they truly are and to freely express themselves. 

Said Phoenix, “I have talked with the people at the Youth Center about getting an ongoing support social group. I think it’s important for the adults as well as the youth to be able to have a safe space where they can talk about what’s important to them. I’m working with them to provide a space and a time and creating a group for 18 and younger, and also one for 19 and older. I look forward to seeing the inclusion more of the two-spirits in all tribal government and activities.”

Sarah added, “We hope to continue to do these events throughout the year. We want to keep this momentum going and that idea of inclusion needs to be a common everyday practice. I am already looking forward to planning more ‘Pride’ events and supporting other programs and groups doing the critical work of dedicating resources for educating, decolonizing, and supporting 2SLGBTQI+ relatives.” 

After much dancing and fun in the sun, the three-hour event came to a close in heartwarming fashion, as everyone in attendance joined hands and created a dance circle around the picnic area while the Sister Sledge classic, ‘We Are Family’, played over the speakers. 

“I recently came out as a lesbian,” expressed young Seria Ahlberg after receiving a first-place award in one of the many dance competitions held throughout the day. “Today I was able to talk to other girls and relate to their experience and tell them how I feel as a lesbian. Today was really good. I had a great time and lots of fun, and I loved all the dancing!”

To stay updated on all the upcoming two-spirit and LGBTQ+ events, be sure to follow the Tulalip Two-Spirit Society Facebook page. 

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Tulalip elder Kirk Jones sat patiently next to his homemade, ten-foot smoke stack. The savory aroma of King salmon being slow cooked at 225 degrees Fahrenheit gradually filled the air. In his chair, he reminisced about his earliest days as a splash boy working alongside handmade seine nets in the 1960s, while his then-elders fished to provide for their people.

“Growing up, most of the elders either fished or logged to make a living. Either way, they were handling and collecting wood to keep the fires going all year long,” remembered Kirk. “We’d usually eat the fish as fresh as can be, right there on the beach as the fisherman beach seined. Whatever fish was leftover they’d smoke and hang on Cedar sticks. 

“Back then, when I was learning to smoke, all we had was salt…process the fish, salt the fish and then let them dry. It was hard chewing for sure,” he chuckled. “But they were preserved to be ate throughout the year regardless of weather. We didn’t have freezers or stoves or nothing fancy like today. Just our teachings passed on from one generation to the next intended to make use of what we had available to us and keep our people fed.” 

Today, the 65-year-old smoked salmon savant credits Glen Parks, Les Parks, Rocky Parks and Bernie Parks for becoming his secondary family after he got clean and sober in 1986. Under their guidance and skill with their family smoker, Kirk learned to take his ancestral teachings and add a touch of his own flare. Small technical changes like the use of a particularly gauged chicken wire and addition of brown sugar in the seasoning, Kirk has perfected his technique for creating golden-colored ‘Indian candy’. 

Kirk’s Smoked Salmon is a prime example of Tulalip’s entrepreneurial spirit. Known for its high quality and sweet salmon offerings, Kirk created a business that is flexible enough to be sold on the side of the road along Marine View Drive or from a makeshift blue stand often seen between Cabela’s and Home Depot in the spring/summer time. Its also become a family operation as his children, nieces and nephews are frequently doing the sales, so Kirk can focus on making his primary source of income: smoked deliciousness.

“My passion for the salmon is still the same as when I was a little kid filling the role of splash boy to maneuverer fish into the elders’ nets,” said Kirk. “You know what, maybe my passion is even stronger now. Being older, I have a greater sense of appreciation for what those who came before me managed to accomplish and pass on. It’s my responsibility now to make sure their teachings aren’t forgotten.”

With that sentiment in mind, Kirk lent his lifelong expertise with a fillet knife and 25-pound freshly caught King salmon to a cultural workshop coordinated by local nonprofit, Indigenous Beginnings. For an afternoon in late July, the Tulalip culture bearer did his best to impart practical skills and guidance on the double digit, all-Native group who were eager to learn the ins and outs of fish filleting. 

Over the course of two-hours, the group received up close and personal instruction on proper technique to clean a salmon, including the conventional fillet and butterfly fillet methods, how to remove the jaw for making fish head soup, and some general advice from their elder on best practices to smoke, can or cook their fish at home. 

Along their way, the group of learners shared many laughs as they attempted to mimic Kirk’s proficiency with a fillet name. Most failed miserably, but it was in that failure where Kirk was able to step in and offer gentle words of encouragement; often reminding them that we all gotta start somewhere. Luckily, there was more than enough whole salmon provided that those choosing to rework their fillet skills could give it another go. Some even shrieked with excitement when opening their fish and finding eggs to be used for homemade sushi, stew or as a simple caviar side dish. 

For their commitment to learning cultural traditions, the group was rewarded with jumbo sized bags of salmon fillets and all the ‘Indian candy’ they could eat. With tummies full, Kirk thanked everyone for participating and helping him grow as an instructor. 

“I love fishing. A goal of mine has always been to learn to smoke salmon,” shared Tulalip citizen Sara Andres after the workshop. “Getting an opportunity to learn from Kirk was super exciting and I’m so happy to have participated. With the fish heads I’ll be making my grandma Katie’s fish head soup that I remember fondly as a kid. I also bought a small smoker so that I can brine the salmon filleted here and smoke my fish for the first time.”

“We are so thankful to Kirk for sharing his home and teachings with us to learn the basics of filleting and smoking salmon together,” added Stephanie Cultee, Indigenous Beginnings founder and chairwoman. “Originally, this workshop was only going to be focused on smoking salmon, but then we received such a huge number of requests by people who admitted to not even knowing how to clean and fillet a fish. By being vulnerable and admitting to not knowing this tradition, we were able to fulfill a big need. Ultimately, this workshop got such good turnout and positive responses already that we plan on hosting another workshop with Kirk at the end of summer.”

For those who missed out on this amazing opportunity to receive hands-on learning from a Tulalip elder and are interested in participating in a similar workshop in September, please email Indigenousbeginnings@hotmail.com or text 425-418-2346 for more information. You can also follow Indigenous Beginnings on Facebook or Instagram to stay up to date with a variety of teaching workshops intended for first-time learners and those desiring a safe place to ask questions about our shared culture.

By Shaelyn Smead, Tulalip News

On August 2, the Tulalip Police Department gathered with Tulalip families and various Tulalip government departments for National Night Out (NNO) to connect with one another and bridge any gaps. The two-hour event was filled with community members conversing and laughing with one another, gaining information about available resources, and kids exploring the official Fire and Police department vehicles.

Though this is not a new event, across the nation, many police departments gather within their communities to enhance the relationships between neighbors and law enforcement. This effort is to ensure that some people’s and children’s first interactions with law enforcement is a positive one. What first started in 1984 has quickly trickled to over 16 thousand communities in the US, and takes place every year during the first Tuesday of August.

The Chief of Police Chris Sutter was in attendance and said, “My favorite part about National Night Out is connecting with the community and neighbors. People are meeting one another, and allowing our service providers the opportunity to know the people whom we serve. The police department loves that we get to help support this event, and we get to thank all the other tribal departments.”

A lot of the departments that participated included Behavioral Health, Child Support Program, Family Wellness, Tulalip Office of Civil Legal Aid, Children’s Advocacy, Beda Chelh, Family Haven, Higher Education, TERO, Gambling Treatment Services, and various others. Each department provided free swag for the attendees, toys and treats for the kids, and a plethora of information, cards, and pamphlets to help educate tribal members about the numerous services available to them. Many of the attendees were exposed to programs that they either haven’t heard of before, or have been wanting to get into contact with.

Chris also spoke about the importance of maintaining the relationships with the other departments because of how interdependent they all are, “We like being able to put a face to a name when we’re emailing people or talking to them over the phone. There’s not one department that our police department doesn’t interact with. We are all interconnected and we impact the quality of life and the livability of our entire community,” he said.

He continued by talking about how vital it is for tribal members and the police department to have that bond as well, “In just about every culture when you sit down, break bread, and eat together, it’s a sign of coming not only together, but also creating a mutual respect and understanding. I think it’s really important for us to see each other as human beings and let the community know that police office are humans too. We have strengths and weaknesses and at the end of the day, we’re here to serve our people.”

Kids all gathered to meet one of the Tulalip Police Department’s newest member Buster, a German Shorthaired Pointer police dog that recently graduated from K9 school. Buster jumped around and loved meeting all the kids, as they asked his handler a mountain of K9 questions. Everyone’s seemingly favorite question was, ‘do you get to take him home?’, in which Buster’s handler said ‘yes’ with a smile on his face. 

With red, white and blue lights spinning, the Fire vehicle’s horn blaring, a child pointed at an officer and yelled, “I want to be like you!” It was another success event for the police department, the community and everyone in between. People left National Night Out with full stomachs, fuller hearts, and anticipation for next year’s event.

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

Merely feet away from Mukilteo’s new ferry terminal is an abandoned building. With boarded up windows, no trespassing signs, broken glass along the grounds, fire-stained equipment, and a chain-link fence around the facility’s entire property, it’s hard to imagine what once took place in the building. However, the front door of the facility, at the time, stood wide open. And just inside the door was a large sign, that once pristinely stood in front of the property, that reads Northwest Fisheries Science Center Mukilteo Research Station, with a large logo of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

“The Mukilteo Research Station did research in marine science, aquaculture, eco toxicology, acidification, and such,” explained Deirdre Reynolds Jones, NOAA’s Chief Administrative Officer. “I’ve seen some of their work before they closed the station. They had fish tanks and studied crabs and different species of salmon, how they’re adapting to the environment as it changes – changes in water temperature and changes in chemicals in the water, and how what their eating is affecting their behavior.”

As Deirdre mentioned, the Mukilteo Research Station is now closed after nearly fifty years of operation. During that time, NOAA studied the Salish Sea and all its inhabitants, and their work has helped preserve and protect the local waterways. Because of the environmental and marine science work that they do, NOAA has built great partnerships with the treaty tribes of Northwest over the years.

“We’ve been working with NOAA for quite a while. They’re there to protect the environment and so are we,” expressed Tulalip Chairwoman Teri Gobin. “They’re out there testing the waters to make sure they are safe for our salmon. We commissioned them to do a count on how many pinniped seals are out there, and we need that information to move forward because they are an invasive species to the salmon. We’ve been working with NOAA for years with our Natural Resources department to make sure the waters are protected.”

Added Deirdre, “We have common goals, and as Chairwoman Gobin summarized, we need to ensure the salmon continue because they are so much a part of the culture here. The culturally significant part of being here is so integral to the mission that we perform.”

 Following a brief rainfall, after close to two weeks of 90-degree summer days, the clouds passed and the sun shone brightly on the abandoned building on the morning of August 1^st. Immediately next to the building, there were chairs and a canopy for shade arranged for a small gathering as the officials from NOAA and local tribal leaders, including Swinomish, Suquamish, and Tulalip, met for a unique ceremony. 

“Normally we celebrate a grand opening for a new facility, but today we are acknowledging a change that’s going to happen on this property,” Deirdre said. “They’re going to demolish this facility, so it will be open space for a while. My understanding is that every time there’s a change in property, that’s of cultural significance to the tribal community. We pause to acknowledge we’re going to do something, and to ensure that the land and the ancestors are aware that we’re about to make a change.”

Although the facility has been shut down for over two years, NOAA wanted to invite the signatories of the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott to the site before the building is torn down and turned over to the Port of Everett. Before colonization, current day Mukilteo was a place for Coast Salish tribes to gather, and many tribal ancestors lived along the beach community. 

“This land is so important to us,” Teri expressed. “It’s where our ancestors had longhouses. We also signed the Point Elliott Treaty here.”

She continued, “All of our tribes used these waterways like our freeways to go from one place to another, and we have many relatives at all these different tribes. Our people met here together, and all agreed to sign the treaty. By ceding that land, from the water to the mountains, they guaranteed us our treaty rights for the future generations. I’m so glad that our ancestors thought about that when they did that, because they were trying to protect our tribes.”

At 10 a.m. on the dot, tribal members, from all three tribes in attendance, grouped together and sang Harriette Shelton-Dover’s Welcome Song. Each tribe then shared some words, prayers and offered a song in traditional Lushootseed while standing where their ancestors once stood and made a difficult but necessary decision. All the meanwhile, Washington State Ferries and Naval ships passed by in the background, voyaging sacred waters that were once only navigated by cedar canoes. Familiar with the Northwest Native culture, NOAA gifted blankets to each of the speakers throughout the morning, commemorating their partnerships with the tribes. 

The news about the decommission of the research facility was released in 2020. Originally, NOAA planned a full remodel of the building to coincide with the recent facelift the Mukilteo waterfront has undergone. However, due to inflation caused by the aftereffects of the pandemic, NOAA could not afford the cost of construction that would be needed to build the new facility. 

Dierdre explained that the property was once owned by the U.S. Navy. In the 1970’s the Navy transferred the property to NOAA, but the fine print indicated that if NOAA ever shut down the Mukilteo project, the property would then go to the Port of Everett. 

After the demolition of the research station, the Port of Everett is looking to build something that will both compliment the new ferry terminal as well as solve Mukilteo’s traffic and parking issues. According to the Lynnwood Times, the most recent buzz is that a trolly station may be taking the place of the old NOAA facility. 

NOAA plans to continue their research of the Salish Sea and their partnerships with the local tribes and will be fulfilling their work from the Manchester Research Station. 

Dierdre, who traveled across the country from Washington D.C. for the ceremony said she was “completely moved by the songs that were shared and the stories that were told about the ancestors, the great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers who lived on the shoreline.”

Chairwoman Gobin shared, “Being out here and singing those songs, with our friends to the north and south, it was an honor. It felt like our ancestors were here. I know they’re watching us. When we start singing the songs, speaking the language, they gather and they’re here looking over what we’re doing. It was a blessing today. I’m really glad that Swinomish and Suquamish came here to be with us because this is where they came to sign their treaties too.”