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In Spirit: A modern day look at the effects of generational trauma

Nathan Williams, Tulalip tribal member, actor and producer of *In Spirit*.

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

“How did I let this happen?” cried a mourning Indigenous mother.

“Did you know?” she asks, turning her attention away from a photograph to a young Native man standing in her doorway.

“I had no idea, I didn’t think it mattered,” he responded, fighting back tears of his own.

“He’s my son, he matters.”

This emotional dialogue may seem familiar to you if you grew up in Native America. However, it is directly quoted from an upcoming project titled In Spirit, a short film based on a story by Tulalip tribal member, Nathan Williams, also referred to as his moniker, DEAMA. For years, Nate has been expressing himself creatively, giving people a glimpse into his world, whether through music, street art, fashion or most recently, film.

“If I were to put it in my words, short and sweet, the film is about a troubled kid named Jared,” Nate explains. “He’s about 17 or 18 years old and he’s trying to come to grips with his own emotions, with the passing of his long-time best friend turned addict. I tried to make it like a saturated version of my story, as much of my reality as possible without making it the same exact scenario. I tried to paint a typical scenario for everybody else’s situation when confronting those emotions. So, I would say it’s based on a true story, but the film was not the actual timeline.”

There is a meme, or a statement rather, that occasionally will make an appearance on the social media platforms, stating “our generation has been to more of their friend’s funerals than to their weddings,” and unfortunately that is a reality that many Indigenous youth live with in modern society. At tribal gatherings that aim to bring attention to today’s drug epidemic, Tulalip Board Member Mel Sheldon often opens the events by asking attendees to raise their hand if they have ever lost anybody due to a drug overdose. Each time nearly everybody’s hand goes up.

According to current research conducted by the Washington Post, over the course of 8 years, 2006-2014, Native Americans were approximately 50% more likely to die from an opioid overdose than any other race. Furthermore, a new study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) showed that the suicide rate amongst Native teens is continuing to rise and is up 139% for Native women and 71% for Native men since 1999.

If you are a non-Native reading those statistics, you may find yourself shocked to learn of this news. This is felt on an even greater level for tribal communities because those ‘statistics’ are often our siblings, cousins, uncles, aunties, parents or friends. And while those articles may provide a lot of eye-opening info, more times than not, they fail to encapsulate the hardship Indigenous Nations are feeling – what they go through with each young tribal member that is buried far too soon.

In Spirit places you directly into that storm of emotions that we are left to deal with after our loved ones make the transition to the afterlife; the hurt, the anger, the guilt, all of those raw emotions are on display and they are portrayed so evocatively you almost feel like you’re reliving moments of your personal life. Nate explained that when casting the roles for the film, he called upon the people in his life that best fit the personalities of his characters, and that all of the cast members were first time actors.

“We tried to go across everything that could possibly happen emotionally in these scenarios,” said Nate. “I’m super impressed with how everyone killed their roles. For the most part, we kind of just gave people a template of what to say. We told them to say it naturally, how they would speak if we were having a normal conversation; the way you say it, your cadence, your emotion that comes out. I think that helped a lot of people with their performance because they didn’t feel like they had to remember their bars. Every shot was under ten takes.”

The 8-minute film was originally intended to be just a scene in a full-length feature that Nate was writing at the time he met the film’s director, Jonathan ‘Jon’ Salmon. The two creatives crossed-paths when Jon hired filmmaker Luis Perez, a close friend of Nate’s, for a 3-part series dubbed Residents. That project was shot in three neighborhoods in the Pacific Northwest; South Seattle, Tacoma and Tulalip. From that project, Nate and Jon built a collaborative relationship and the first project they worked on together, a music video for Seattle artist Ben Zaidi, won Best Music Video at the Tacoma Film Festival.

“From there, we started talking,” Jon stated. “A lot of people don’t know what happens on tribal lands, and they’re not too familiar with the genocide of Indigenous people and how the genocidal trauma can continue to affect and spread through the lineage of the people. We opened up and talked about our experience with death, how fast I thought I was losing people from the young age of 15 all the way up until today. And he talked about how it happens on the reservation and how it happens at Tulalip. We need to talk about that because that’s something that’s always put in the headlines, the opioid epidemic tearing apart suburban white neighborhoods, but you never hear that same focus and energy put in the tribal lands that need resources more than suburban families who have the means to deal with it, in a sense.”

After a ten-month writing session, the two created a script that they felt could honestly address the issue of generational trauma and how it affects the Native youth specifically. Once the roles were cast and locations were successfully scouted, filming began at the beginning of 2020 before COVID struck. And thanks to what Nate credits as Jon’s deep connections, multiple crews – filming, editing, makeup, colorists, were in place and the entire filming process took place over the course of only 48 hours. Post-production was relatively quick as well, taking approximately 5-6 months to wrap the film up.

Nate expressed, “I got to give it up to Jon for being such a good director, because he’s down to get real personal with you. There were times he would pull me to the side and remind me what I was there for. Coming from the situation we are in, you grow accustomed to suppressing your emotions to a degree. You don’t want to relive those emotions, because you don’t genuinely want to hurt yourself again, but you got to put yourself in that ballpark for the film and that is what Jon is good at getting you to.”

And while Nate praised Jon for his work ethic and his execution of bringing his vision to the screen, Jon was quick to reciprocate, claiming that it was a collaborative process the entire way through, stating, “The film was organically developed. It wasn’t me saying, let me tell a story that I didn’t know anything about or relate to any of their experiences. It was me and Nate walking through everything together because he’s also the main actor in the film and the producer as well.”

Jon is non-Native but has close ties to families within the Puyallup tribe, which allowed him to have a better understanding of the reservation lifestyle than many filmmakers throughout the region. Coupled with his conversations with Nate, he took on the project with intentions of not only raising awareness to the drug epidemic and dealing with the loss of a loved one at a young age, but also to find a way to support a program or organization that helps Natives work on their mental health as it relates to generational trauma.

“We understand that there is trauma,” he said. “We were trying to do something informative and insightful, we do believe we achieved that, but the film was also highlighting a very traumatic event and it kind of encouraged the cycle of trauma that I try to break in all of my work. We can’t open up a wound and not want to help people deal with it. We want to partner with an organization; whether it’s from the Tulalip Tribes, or any tribe in the State of Washington that offers services for the mental health and mental improvement for young adults between the ages of 13-30, to help them cope with experiences like this.”

The duo plan on officially releasing In Spirit on Indigenous Peoples Day, October 12^th. The film is a must-watch; a modern day observation of how generational trauma is impacting the future of Native communities nationwide, as well as an important piece of work that helps open up a much-needed conversation about issues that are often overlooked or deemed too uncomfortable to talk about growing up on the rez.

“I feel like us, as Native Americans, are way too accustomed and jaded to these situations, and for the most part people aren’t seeking the therapy needed for certain things,” Nate expressed. “I don’t know if it’s because they don’t feel supported or if they just don’t have the resources. But as fortunate as the Tribe can be, I still feel like mental health is one of those things that’s not taken as serious as it should. We wanted this film to be the mirror; this is us – we are like this. As a community, we need to take it upon ourselves to help the people around us. That’s what I’m on.”

View In Spirit here:

Tulalip distance learning sites promote student achievement

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Washington State is home to over one million public school students. According to the Seattle Times, 94.4% of these students have begun the 2020-2021 school year not in the classroom nor with any in-person interactions with their devoted teachers. Instead, nearly all of Washington’s public school districts have gone all-in with a virtual teaching concept designed to minimize spread of coronavirus – Distance Learning.

Defined as any form of remote education where the student is not physically present for the lesson, distance learning is the default safety net for education in the age of COVID. Thanks largely to the power of the internet, educators are able to teach their carefully crafted lesson plans via a computer screen and video cam to their young learners. This type of learning comes with one major flaw; it’s completely dependent on the students having the access and know-how to operate today’s tech gadgetry and ever-updating software and apps.

Welcome to 2020, where the kingdom of social distancing reigns supreme and access to ample bandwidth is the difference between a student achieving and being irritably stuck on a frozen Zoom screen.

Fortunately for Tulalip’s K-12 students, they belong to a Tribe who had the foresight to transform the reservation’s largest two youth activity centers into dedicated distance learning sites. In the weeks leading up to the new school year, the Tulalip Teen Center and Boys & Girls Club received critical network upgrades to ensure a high-demand of bandwidth could be sustained, turned typical activity and gaming rooms into spaces that encourage learning, and instituted COVID guidelines such as temperature checks, mask enforcement, and social distancing.

“The health, education and overall success of our students is our top priority. The Tulalip Education Division and the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club are working hard to provide support in the safest environment possible,” stated Jessica Bustad, executive director of education. “Together we can ensure that our students begin thriving during these uncertain times. We wrapped up our second full week of Distance Learning and are improving services provided to our students. We are very proud of our young people who are showing up and doing the best they can.”

Change can come into our lives as a result of crisis, as a result of choice or just by chance. Being unprepared and resistant to change leads to fear, hostility and a sense of hopelessness. Embracing change and managing all its challenges in a constructive way is key to not only surviving, but thriving in an ever-changing world.

Adapting to change is what the devoted staff of both distance learning sites and the many young minds who attend on a daily basis exemplify. Primarily accommodating Kindergarten – 5^th grade students who require much more attention and emotional reassuring, the usual Boys & Girls Club activities specialists are now de facto educators.

“We are no longer a traditional boys and girls club. We’ve become a school-like learning center,” said Diane Prouty, administrative assistant for the Club. “We have 98 kids registered and average about 70 kids per day. We separate them by grade level, so 1^st graders are together, 2^nd graders are together and so on.

“As a staff, we feel so needed. We’re all learning to navigate this unprecedented time together,” she continued. “We have five different elementary schools represented among our K-5 kids. We do our best to keep up with each student’s daily responsibilities, but there are so few of us and so many of them. It can be overwhelming at times because we know some kids require more one-on-one time, but we have to use our time effectively to do the most good. At the end of the day, we are making a huge impact by creating a safe place for our community’s kids to learn.”

Adapting to the new tech-centric normal is easier for teens who willingly spend much of their free time with their eyes glued to screens anyway, whether it be a computer, TV, cell phone, tablet or video game. A big obstacle for them is less familiarity with Chromebooks and virtual learning programs and more access to a consistent internet connection. Within the rezzy landscape of Tulalip, stable internet and adequate bandwidth can be difficult to come by under the best of conditions.

Network upgrades and additional Wi-Fi hot spots at the Teen Center make it a quality alternative for homebound teenagers looking to focus on their school work. Plus, there is support offered by both peers and staff, many of whom are recent graduates of the same Marysville School District curriculum.

“It’s been pretty cool because there are people here to guide us with our school work when we’re confused and have questions,” shared 9^th grader Image Enick. “For those with working parents, there is no one at home to assist with assignments, but here at the Teen Center there are plenty of people we are comfortable with asking questions. I haven’t had any difficulty with my online classes or getting kicked off because of bad internet either.”

“We are so proud of the kids here,” added tribal advocate Courtney Jefferson. “We’ve been averaging 40 to 60 a day. They have been taking the initiative to prioritize their education and haven’t needed to be redirected to engage in their online classes. They’ve been getting themselves into their learning spaces, taking ownership of their rooms here in the building, and being productive with their time.”

The Tulalip distance learning sites continue to adapt and find creative ways to provide additional support to our students. Both locations are a safe space for students to access the internet, connect to WI-FI, or use a desktop. They each provide daily meals as well. Most importantly, the sites allow students to build a routine, with consistent support and resources that effectively promote scholastic achievement.

The Tulalip Education staff are also available to provide support and resources to students who are not currently attending the facilities. Feel free to contact any of the programs if you have additional questions:

Plant powered crafting for holistic health

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Herbal medicine is one of the oldest teachings we have. Human beings have supported holistic health and wellness with the use of plants and herbs that naturally work synergistically with our minds, bodies, and spirits since the dawn of time. What could be a more amazing way to support your optimal well-being than by using nature’s gifts?

“This is what is so wonderful about herbal nutrition and using plants in a culturally appropriate and traditional way to support our wellness,” marveled Veronica “Roni” Leahy, Diabetes Care and Prevention Program coordinator at the Tulalip Health Clinic. Her dedicated team hosted several plant-based craft making tables at Garden Treasurers organic farm on Wednesday, September 16. “This is such a precious opportunity to talk about plants and how important they are for the overall health of our bodies. This work truly is making an impact on preventing diabetes and other chronic diseases.”

Our bodies were designed to exist with nature, which is why it should come as no surprise that herbal medicine continues to be an effective way to support wellness. For countless generations, we’ve incorporated herbs into our food culture and used them foundationally to create medicines to remedy the most common ailments. Whether you realize it or not, plants have a deep-rooted effect on the way we feel, both physically and spiritually. We quite literally feel better and get an energy boost by simply allowing ourselves to be immersed by plant power. It’s the way nature intended.

For Tulalip families and health clinic patients who ventured to Garden Treasures and took advantage of September 16’s u-pick garden day, they were treated with an opportunity to learn about plant-based crafting. Think of it as chicken soup for the soul, but instead of chicken soup its locally grown lavender, lemongrass and berry blends.

Amy King brought her two daughters, Kimberly and Grace, to the hands-on event to learn more about healthier food options and was pleasantly surprised to see the craft tables. After making their rounds through the farm and picking a wide-range of fresh produce, they took a seat and got to work making bundles of dry lavender.

“It was a little difficult because I’ve never made one before, but it was fun learning. I want to hang mine by my bed or put it next to my pillow,” said 12-year-old Grace.

Lavender is a flowering plant in the mint family that’s easily identified by its sweet floral scent and stunning shade of purple. It’s commonly used for medicinal and therapeutic benefits, namely to improve sleep and reduce blood pressure. Lavender is also a great natural remedy for everyday stresses that can take a toll on your mental health. There’s plenty of research that suggests the purple herb has positive effects on mood, stress, anxiety and depression.

As an aspiring chef, 15-year-old Kimberly felt her mood become more and more joyous as she finished her lavender bundle and began looking forward to some creative cooking with all her garden harvesting.

“The cooking process is more fun when you can handpick your own ingredients,” she said. “Getting fruits, vegetables, and herbs straight from the garden means you’re cooking with the freshest ingredients and making healthier meals. Walking through the gardens and seeing all the different options, it’s easy to think creatively and get a lot of ideas. I plan on experimenting with what I picked today and making a chicken stir-fry.”

With the summer season officially over and Pacific Northwest temperatures already in the mid-60s, we’re back to a near permanent weather forecast of dreary with a chance of rain showers. The quick turn in weather has brought about legitimate concern from medical experts that seasonal depression will pack some extra oomph this fall. A simple mood enhancer to help combat the effects of less sunlight and colder temperatures is a daily hot cup of lemongrass tea.

Naturally growing in these parts and conveniently found at the health clinic’s Wellness Garden, lemongrass can alleviate depression and anxiety when enjoyed as an herbal tea. Its pleasant, citrusy taste is a like a reminder of bright and cheerful days. This perennial plant is packed full of antioxidants, good for digestion, regulates high blood pressure, and can boost your immune system.

“It’s important, especially as we approach cold and flu season, to stay hydrated and strengthen your immune system to stay healthy. Tea is an effective strategy and it’s easy to make,” explained indigenous chef Britt Reed, creator of Food Sovereignty is Tribal Sovereignty, as she wove lemongrass into palm-sized wreaths. The mini green wreaths can be easily placed into a hot cup or teapot, steeped for 10-15 minutes, and then enjoyed.

“What I enjoy the most about these opportunities is sharing the plant stories and watching the people’s interest grow as they learn more about the many health benefits of local plants,” reflected Roni after another successful event sharing traditional knowledge and assisting community craft makers.

One such participant was Lummi elder Anita Rutherford. She shared that she’s attended every Garden Treasures u-pick day hosted by the Diabetes Care and Prevention Program thus far and looks forward to attending the final two on September 30 and October 17 as well.

“I’ve been a member of the diabetes program ran by Roni since the beginning, some 5 or 6 years now, and I’m happy to say my diabetes is under control because of this program’s guidance,” shared Anita. “They’ve taught me how to properly monitor my blood sugar level and how to view food as my best form of medicine.”

The quest for optimal health and wellness begins with discovering a vibrant lifestyle based on nature’s gifts. Whether it be eating more fruits and vegetables in every day meals or crafting traditional medicines with locally grown flowers and herbs, the power of plants is undisputed.

Every Native Vote Counts

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

“As Native people, we are born into politics. Our ancestors fought and died, not only for our survival, but also to determine how our people would live generations into the future. As tribal members, you have rights defined by the treaties that your chiefs negotiated with the federal government,” stated Larry Cordier (Lakota), tribal organizer for Washington State Democrats.

“In recent years, Washington tribes have had a resurgence of culture and tradition. The return of the canoe journey, language, and food sovereignty are examples of the priorities the tribal councils have placed in determining the future of their Nations,” he continued. “That work must continue. We are working hard to elect candidates and partners who support tribal sovereignty and self-determination.”

Larry’s words rang out at the Don Hatch Youth Center on Friday, September 18, during a Democrat-sponsored, ‘Get Out the Native Vote’ community event. The mission was to make it as convenient as possible for non-registered, eligible Tulalip voters to get registered to vote in the upcoming presidential election.

Such was the case with Tulalip tribal member Jaydin Thompson Sheldon who turned 18-years-old this past summer. Becoming a full-fledged U.S. adult citizen right before a presidential election was not lost on the Marysville-Getchell graduate, as she expressed a sense of perspective few her age rarely do.

“It was important to me to get registered today so I can have a say in elections. Not just for president, but local and state elections, too,” reflected an optimistic Jaydin moments after registering to vote and collecting a stylish Native Vote 2020 t-shirt. “It’s become a trending topic with my friends on social media, so I’m hopeful a lot of people my age will vote. Because I’m new to politics there is a lot of research I need to do to determine which candidates reflect my values.”

While voters like Jaydin aren’t willing to commit to either major party or their high profiled candidates, there is a growing consensus from Tulalip leadership that a Biden/Harris ticket is the only way to go in order to protect treaty rights and strengthen tribal sovereignty.

Married couple Lavinia and George Contraro expressed something similar to the ‘blue no matter who’ mantra because they feel the current president doesn’t deserve a second term.

“It’s been a while since I’ve voted,” shared George. Event staff assisted him filling out the necessary forms so that he can come out of voter hibernation and cast a ballot come Election Day. “It’s important I vote now because we need Trump gone.”

“It’s only common sense. Everyone has to vote for Biden if we’re going to get Trump out of office,” added his wife, Lavinia. She was able to check her voter registration and get it updated with her current address.

Concluding the afternoon event, staff noted they successfully assisted 14 tribal members get registered to vote.

“This is a huge success. If we got only one person registered it would have been a success, and to get fourteen is just that much more significant,” said Board of Director Misty Napeahi. “Hopefully, everyone we got registered today will talk to other people they know who aren’t registered and let them know how easy the process is.

“This election may be the most important election of our lifetime!” she continued. “Historically, we’ve been told our vote doesn’t matter because that’s how Republicans win elections, though voter suppression. When we the people get out and vote, Democrats win. That’s why it is so important that this election every Native vote be counted.”

1,000 Miles and Running

Jim Strickland and Tyler Fryberg ran 1,000 miles for Leah’s Dream Foundation.

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

“Nobody in my family was a runner,” said Tulalip tribal member, Tyler Fryberg. “But once I was able to run my first three miles without stopping, that got me excited and I kept on running ever since.”

Tyler’s passion for running began during a big change in his life, when making the transition from middle school to high school. Knowing he wanted to participate in school sports, he signed up for cross country and track & field during his freshman year at Lake Stevens High School. He continued competing in both sports his sophomore year before transferring to Monroe High School where he completed his school career.

“When I left Lake Stevens and moved to Monroe, where I graduated, it was all new,” he said. “I started there my 11^th grade year and I did both cross country and track. I didn’t make varsity for cross country my first year there, but I did for track & field. After my 11^th grade year, I end up lettering in both sports during my senior year. That was my goal I had all along, even with knowing I had a disability and that it was going to be a lot harder than the normal person.”

After lettering in cross country as well as track & field, and also receiving his diploma, Tyler set new goals to crush and kept lacing up his running sneakers every single day to begin training for the Special Olympics. Due to his hard work, Tyler medaled nearly every year he competed at the Special Olympics and even carried the Special Olympics Torch of Hope for 18 miles in 2012.

Now age 28, Tyler has run for over half of his life, with the exception of a one-year hiatus due to an injury, “that really got me thinking about my body, taking care of it better so I can run longer,” he expressed.

With countless miles under his belt and several accolades to show for his love of running, Tyler is constantly looking for new challenges, new opportunities to push his limits and exceed his own personal goals. When he learned about a former teacher, Jim Strickland, partnering with Tulalip-based non-profit, Leah’s Dream Foundation, to help raise money and promote awareness for children with disabilities, it was the perfect match.

“I was already involved with Leah’s Dream,” he stated. “So, when they decided to make the Miracle Mile Challenge, I said right away that I definitely wanted to be a part of it. When I signed-up, there was a lot of different miles you can choose from. For me, I like to make big goals so I picked 1,000 miles. That journey started January 1^st and was supposed to end on December 31^st, but I actually finished my 999^th mile a couple weeks ago.”

Finishing months in advance, Tyler ran between 3.5–5 miles for six days every week of the year, making sure to take a rest day to recover and prepare for the upcoming week. On top of the Miracle Mile challenge, Tyler has competed in Special Olympic events such as virtual races, that are held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tyler also created a Facebook page to keep his fans and supporters updated during the challenge and his upcoming running endeavors.

“Somedays I feel motivated, and there are times I don’t feel like running at all,” Tyler admitted. “But this challenge is for Leah’s Dream and knowing that, it gave me motivation to run every day and it was actually something I looked forward to and was excited to do.”

Leah’s Dream Foundation was established in 2015 with one major objective in mind, inclusion. The foundation was started by Deanna Sheldon and family when her daughter, Leah, was diagnosed with autism. The profits that the foundation raises go towards parties, gifts and activity packages for children and young adults living with autism and special needs, to help build a sense of community amongst the youth and their families. Some of their most popular events include the Leah’s Dream Foundation Annual Golf Tournament and the summertime Special Needs Field Day, complete with bouncy castles and a BBQ.

“Before the pandemic, we used to host community events where families all across our community would come together,” Deanna explained. “It was always a free event; we had food, arts and crafts, activities, and events. Last year around this time, Mr. Strickland said he wanted to raise money by running 1,000 miles in one year, and wanted to offer people the chance to do it with him. He’s a runner and is so inspirational.”

Added Amy Sheldon, Leah’s Dream Board Member and Deanna’s sister, “Mr. Strickland was actually Kelsey’s teacher. Kelsey’s my daughter, she’s 24 years old and has autism. He is the one teacher that she had a lot of comfort in, she only had two that she really liked in high school and he was one of those. He would think outside of the box to help her. He’s an inspiration and goes above and beyond for our community.”

Jim Strickland is an instructor at Marysville Getchell High School and has worked throughout the Marysville School District, assisting young adults with developmental disabilities transition to a life outside of high school.

“I’ve worked with people with disabilities my entire career,” Jim said. “I teach the transition program at Marysville Getchell High School, helping people with disabilities transition from school to active roles in their community. I always had a passion for creating a community that was truly inclusive so that everybody has a place, is valued and is able to share their skills and abilities, whatever they might be. That’s my dream come true, and this played right into it. Leah’s Dream is really about that.”

He continued, “We were looking at a way to raise awareness for Leah’s Dream Foundation and to also raise funds. A lot of my students have been the beneficiaries of the projects that [Leah’s Dream Foundation] has done here in the community. Since Tyler and I both like running, we decided to do a running challenge and I set my sights high for 1,000 miles. Of course, Tyler’s an animal and he’s got other races he’s involved with, so his running went really fast. I had to pick up the pace. Turns out we were able to finish 999 miles sooner than we expected, so we wanted to have a celebratory last-mile-run together and hopefully put the word out and get some more contributions for Leah’s Dream.”

On the afternoon of September 19, upwards of forty people gathered at the Tulalip Sports Complex, located outside of the Tulalip Youth Center. The two participants readied themselves in a running position and the crowd began to count them down. At 1:00 p.m. on the dot, Tyler and Jim took off and began their final mile side-by-side.

A young man practicing drills on the football field with his family learned about what was happening and immediately began jumping up and down, cheering on the runners, especially Tyler. The young man was so excited, he left his family during the middle of his training session and took a lap around the complex, hooting and hollering for the cause the entire way. Other friends of Tyler and Jim also joined in on the celebration, participating in the midday exercise by walking or running a few yards behind the 1,000 mile-dashers, including Leah herself who took her scooter for a spin along the track.

A big motivator for Tyler is when people recognize him while he is out running on Totem Beach Road. In fact, Tyler is known by many for his passion of running and has earned himself the nickname of the ‘Tulalip Marathon Man’ for the many years he dedicated to his sport. And of course, like almost every athlete will tell you, it’s all about the gear and looking stylish while you do your thing. After many years of trial and error, Tyler has found the perfect running shoe to withstand all the miles he tracks.

“These are them, the new ones,” he exclaimed while showcasing his kicks. “Everyone’s got to see the shoes. I like to wear Brooks because it’s the only shoe I found to help me be successful as a runner. They are the most comfortable – and I’ve tried all the brands.”

In addition to his fly feet apparel, Tyler unveiled his own personal brand during the Miracle Mile event. While making his strides towards his final mile, Tyler proudly displayed his new merch for all to see; a t-shirt, water bottle and a mask with his alias, ‘Tulalip Marathon Man’, in large text next to a silhouetted-logo of himself running.

“Running is important to me because it’s something I enjoy doing,” Tyler expressed. “I think it motivates people to start exercising in general. When people see me on the side of the road, it brings me motivation and excitement and it’s actually really cool when it happens in your own community. It makes me feel good and it’s really important to me. My advice to new runners is find something that motivates you to run and don’t push yourself too hard, you have to take it easy at first when you are learning how to run. Take it one mile and one day at a time, and remember that anything is possible.”

With 1,000 miles in the books and smoke-free weather, Tyler is ready to get back on his grind and is already conjuring up his next personal goal. The partnership with Leah’s Dream helped raise over $1,200.00 and the non-profit is still accepting pledges for the runners, although the event finished earlier than anticipated. The foundation will now focus their efforts on creating a magical Christmas for their children and community, assembling gift-care packages that will be hand-delivered to their homes by none other than Santa Clause.

“We want our families to know that we’re here, we care and we just generally want us all to be together again,” Deanna said. “We’re all within a community, we are all one and united, it doesn’t matter what disability or non-disability you have. Creating an inclusive environment is one of the biggest things we want, love and strive for.”

For more information about Leah’s Dream Foundation and the Tulalip Marathon Man, be sure to follow their journey on their respective Facebook pages.

Huckleberry Harvest: swədaʔx̌ali an expression of Tulalip sovereignty

swədaʔx̌ali is a sustained effort between a Tulalip Tribes and U.S. Forest Service partnership.

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

For thousands of years, huckleberry has served as an important food, medicine, and trade good to the Coast Salish peoples. Mountain huckleberry is most abundant in the middle to upper mountain elevations, and favors open conditions following disturbances like fire or logging. Prior to European colonization, Native peoples managed the land by using fire and other means to create or maintain huckleberry habitat and gathering areas.

In 2016, the Tulalip Tribes began working cooperatively with the U.S. Forest Service to sustain huckleberries at a 1,280-acre parcel of land, 4,700 feet above elevation in the upper Skykomish River watershed. This particular location is one of several co-stewardship areas throughout the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest where Tulalip collaborates with the Forest Service to preserve and maintain important cultural resources.

Named swədaʔx̌ali, Lushootseed for ‘Place of Mountain Huckleberries’, this end of summer destination gives Tulalip tribal members an opportunity to walk in the shadows of their ancestors and harvest the highly prized mountain huckleberry. The gate to swədaʔx̌ali was officially opened on August 25 and will remain open through the end of September.

Wild mountain huckleberries only grow in soils at elevations from 2,000 to
11,000 feet.

Northwest mountain huckleberries generally ripen in the late summer and can be picked into the early fall. Huckleberry, well-known for boosting the immune system and being rich in antioxidants, has always had a strong relationship to the area’s Indigenous cultures. Coast Salish tribes consider the huckleberry to be an important dietary staple because of its medicinal properties and sweet, delicious taste.

“Huckleberry is a food and medicine to our people,” explained Tulalip elder Inez Bill. “Our ancestors visited certain areas for gathering these berries. They knew where the berries were growing, what companion plants were growing there too, and how to use them.

“Through the teachings of how we value, take care of and utilize our environment, we pass down our history and traditions, and what is important to the cultural lifeways of our people,” she continued. “This connection to the land enables us to know who we are as a people. It is a remembrance. Today, it is not only important that we continue the struggle to uphold our treaty rights, but we need to be involved in taking care of those resources our culture depends on so they will be available to future generations.”

swədaʔx̌ali is a prime example of how Tulalip is diligently working to reclaim traditional areas. Stemming directly from the Point Elliot Treaty, which secured claims to gather roots and berries in all open and unclaimed land, the ‘Place of the Mountain Huckleberries” is an expression of Tulalip’s sovereignty.

Embracing that sovereignty is every tribal member who journeys to this ancestral harvesting area and practices their cultural traditions that continue to be passed on from one generation to the next. Tulalip mother-daughter duo, Malory Simpson and Tiyanna Bueno, have made the two-hour trek to harvest huckleberry twice so far, and plan on going once more before the gate is closed for the season.

Tulalip youth Tiyanna Bueno and Tiegan Shopbell enjoy the sweet taste of huckleberry.

“I love being outdoors and harvesting. It is spiritually healing,” reflected Malory after collecting her berry bounty alongside her 9-year-old daughter. “It feels good knowing that my children are learning about our harvesting traditions with me. I want them to not only have a good understanding of how to harvest, but how to properly process what they’ve harvested, too.

“It’s important for our children to soak up teachings about how to harvest, process, and be self-sustaining in a good way,” the mother of three continued. “My plan for our harvest is to make some jam. We’ll be enjoying huckleberry pancakes and waffles as well. We’ll also be gifting some of our harvest for spiritual work.”

For the Tulalip Tribes, the mountain huckleberry is intimately tied with traditional lifeways and culture. Historically providing an end of summer harvest opportunity, the journey to swədaʔx̌ali strengthens a deep connection to the land as well. Nearly 5,000 feet up, in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, berry pickers are completely immersed in the grand splendor that is the Pacific Northwest. Epic views of luscious, green-filled forestry, towering mountains, and clear waterways are purely mesmerizing.

Dean Pablo delights in his berry bounty.

“It was a beautiful, uplifting experience. Once we hit the forest, where there were no buildings, no cars, no people, just trees…my spirit soared,” said Lushootseed teacher Maria Martin after staining her hands purple from a day of picking. “I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to speak my language, but that is only a piece of my culture. Berry picking feels natural, like I’ve always done it. The smells are intoxicating. The sounds are beautiful, from the buzzing bugs and chirping birds to the gentle breeze rustling the huckleberry leaves. These are the meaningful experiences that we all need to share in.”

Mountain huckleberry season is short, lasting only a few weeks between August and September. The sought after super food and medicine ranges in color from red to deep blue to maroon. They are similar to a blueberry and sweeter than a cranberry, with many people rating huckleberries as the tastiest of the berry bunch. The gate to swədaʔx̌ali will only remain opened for a couple more weeks, so don’t miss the opportunity to harvest, take in breathtaking views, and, most importantly, express tribal sovereignty.

Huckleberry Health Benefits:

Huckleberries are full of antioxidants, compounds that are essential for improving the health of numerous systems within the body, while also preventing the development of serious health issues.
An excellent source of vitamin A and B, huckleberries are great for promoting a healthy metabolism which in turn helps reduce the risk of stroke. They are also known to help stave off macular degeneration as well as viruses and bacteria.
Huckleberries are associated with lowering cholesterol; protecting against heart diseases, muscular degeneration, glaucoma, varicose veins, and ulcers.
Huckleberries are an excellent source of iron which helps build new red blood cells and helps fatigue associated with iron deficiency.
High in vitamin C, huckleberries protect the body against immune deficiencies, cardiovascular diseases, prenatal health problems, and eye diseases.

Yes, there are Native American republicans. Navajo VP speaks on their behalf during Republican National Convention

Navajo Nation vice-president, Myron Lizer, gave the opening remarks on day two of Republican National Convention.

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Following night two of the Republican National Convention, many across Coast Salish territory were vexed, truly vexed, when they witnessed vice-president of Navajo Nation, Myron Lizer, address a largely conservative audience and endorse President Donald Trump for the 2020 election.

“Many of our ancestral leaders sought to govern and lead a nation within a nation,” Lizer said. “They sought to lead their people into the promises of a better way of life for their children’s children. It is also where they have not been as successful as the rest of America.

“Our first nation’s people – the host people of the land – we are still here. Our creator placed us here and he knew that for such a time as this we would have the opportunity for an appeal to heaven. You see our people have never been invited into the America Dream. We for years fought past battles with congressmen and senators that were part of a broken system that ignored us. That is until President Trump took office.

“President Trump delivered the largest funding package ever to Indian Country. The $8 billion dollars in CARES Act funding was a great start in alleviated the devastating effects that the Covid-19 pandemic has affected on our tribes because of health disparities that previous administration failed to improve,” he continued. “I’m excited to endorse President Trump’s reelection.”

During Lizer’s eye-opening, two-and-a-half minute speech he praised the President for a number of policies instituted in the last few months that benefit Native American communities. Among them are the $8 billion dollars in CARES Act funding, $273 million to improve public safety and support victims of crimes on Native lands, and, most recently, the creation of a task force to address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis. Dubbed ‘Operation Lady Justice’, this task force intends to dedicate more crucial monies and man power to the MMIW movement by establishing an interagency task force charged with developing an aggressive, government-wide strategy to address the crisis.

Surrounded by Native leaders, President Trump signs an executive order establishing ‘Operation Lady Justice’ to address MMIW crisis. (Official White House photo)

“Our Native American people experience violence at a higher rate than any other nationality in the country,” explained Lizer when President Trump signed the executive order creating ‘Operation Lady Justice’. “The lack of reporting and investigation of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples needs to be taken seriously. The executive order gives hope to our tribal nations that justice is being sought and that there is a path for healing of our families, victims, and survivors.”

Without a doubt, self-identifying liberal, progressive, or Democrat tribal citizens may very well disagree with Lizer’s political allegiance and endorsement of President Trump for re-election. They may even go as far to call the recent legislative policies aimed at benefitting Native communities nothing more than political hogwash and moves only intended to garner political support. Even if that’s true, shouldn’t the mere spotlight on tribal issues and voices be considered a win? Regardless of which political party wrote or passed a particular policy, shouldn’t every resource gained by Indian Country be viewed as a step forward?

When legislative policies are deemed good or bad, right or wrong, favorable or unfavorable simply based on whether they were created by team blue (Democrats) or team red (Republicans) then it only succeeds in dismissing the actions of half the voting electorate. In doing so, the voices of Native conservatives go unheard by Native progressives and vice-versa.

In 1929, after becoming Vice President, Native Republican Charles Curtis receives a peace pipe from Chief Red Tomahawk. (Library of Congress photo)

Quick piece of history trivia: Did you know a Native American has served as the Vice President of the United States? If you’re in disbelief, don’t be. It’s a super cool part of history that is often neglected or forgotten altogether because Charles Curtis (Kaw), the 31^st VP who served from 1929-1933 under President Herbert Hoover, was a Republican.

Currently, there are only four Native Americans members in Congress. Representatives Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk) and Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) both made history in 2018 when they won their seats and became the first Native women to reach the House of Representatives. They both are Democrats. They joined their fellow Native politicians Representative Tom Cole (Chickasaw) and Representative Markwayne Mullin (Cherokee), both Republicans, to bring the Native voice to each major political party.

“If you look at our people nationally, there is no party who universally supports us,” explained O.J. Semans (Rosebud Sioux), executive director of the Native voter engagement organization Four Directions. “It really is dependent on region and the particulars of local state governments. I can guarantee you that you can have Democrats within your area and if the local Native interests are different from theirs, then you won’t have their support.

“I think we should support Native candidates running for both parties. There needs to be Native republicans and Native democrats in order to work together in advancing Native issues,” he added. “It’s never going to be about a particular party issue, it’s always going to be about our peoples’ issues. As Native Americans, let us not look at a party above our own issues, above our treaties and above our sovereignty.”

Today, Native voters represent an influential and unique population of voters in the United States. The Native vote influences outcomes of presidential and congressional elections, as well as state and local elections. While Native issues are complex and vary by region, tribe, and culture, most tribal citizens agree supporting tribal sovereignty and self-determination is the foundation to any successful Native platform, regardless of political affiliation.

Tulalip Tribal Court introduces Tulalip Community Give Back program

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

With the late August weather reaching the mid-70’s on a Friday afternoon, cars zoomed across the recently widened bridge that spans across Quil Ceda Creek, windows down and music blaring. On the side of the bridge, nearest to 27^th street, a group of volunteers were hard at work. With yellow vests and extendable trash grabbers, the crew spent four hours cleaning an area that is often frequented by the homeless and addicted populace. Once their blue bucket was filled to the top with rubbish, they transferred the trash to a large dumpster and began working on a new area.

The members of the working crew are the very first participants of a new program called Tulalip Community Give Back, organized by the Tulalip Probation Office. And despite the physical work and warm weather, the participants wore smiles and shared stories and jokes while they worked.

“We’re picking up around the bridge on both sides, just cleaning up and picking up all the garbage and debris,” said volunteer, Yessenia Vega-Simpson. “This is the first day of the program and so far it’s a pretty cool program. There’s two groups, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, so you can pick and choose your time. I’m doing the full eight hours so I can hurry up and get my community service done. “

Like many new or redesigned programs, Tulalip Give Back was created in response to the novel coronavirus disease when clients of the Tulalip Justice Center could not fulfill their community service hours.

“Our only structure pre-COVID was community service, essays, court observation, and unfortunately warrants or jail time,” said Tulalip Probation Officer, Angel Sotomayor. “Post-COVID (outbreak), of course we don’t want to put anyone behind bars if we can prevent it, but community service work is limited within the communities we used to send them to. So we wanted to try something different, a method of community service that is Tulalip specific and includes community involvement and interaction with other departments within the Tribe.”

Previously, Justice Center clients would normally volunteer their time at community service programs located in nearby cities such as Marysville and Everett. However, once the Stay Home, Stay Safe mandate went into effect, the need for community service workers decreased significantly to the point that Tulalip members were falling out of compliance due to limited work available.

Angel stated, “We are working with those clients who need that extra structure, who have been out of compliance, who volunteer to opt-in and give back to the community in this aspect instead of warrants, jail time, or writing an essay. The Tulalip Community Give Back program will be two days a week, but at the start of it we’re only going to do it one day a week for eight hours. There are two crews, 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. and a 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. on Fridays. This way, those who have children obligations during the first part of the day, can come to the second session or vice versa.”

A common theme throughout the design of the Give Back program is rebuilding and strengthening that connection between the clients and the community. Angel and the Justice Center hope that by collaborating with other departments, their clients will become more familiarized with the people in a professional manner and acquire new skills that they could add to their resumes when job hunting. Angel hopes that as word about the Give Back program spreads, more departments will reach out when in need of any general assistance that can be entrusted to their clients.

Out the gate, the program is receiving a huge boost from the Tulalip Public Works department that assigned a 12-passenger van to the program to transport the clients to each worksite every week. Public Works is also providing the Probation Office with work locations as well as any necessary tools or services required to get the job done.

“We teamed up with Sam Davis and his staff and they agreed to provide us with all the tools we need – safety vests, glasses, first aid and training so they know how to properly deal with broken glass, and hazardous things they might find when cleaning up,” said Angel. “Hopefully down the road, as the program continues to develop, they’ll be able to add these tasks as an acquired skill; leaf blowing, power washing, mowing lawns, scanning documents or shredding documents. That’s our long term goal, to be able to give them the tools to build themselves up, to be a member of the community and not feel that they are different than anyone else. Yes, they are still on probation, but they are still a member of this community.”

It seems that with each day that passes, the program continues to grow. Already, the Tulalip Give Back program is slated to clean up the housing developments built on the reservation including Mission Highlands, Battle Creek, and Silver Village.

“I believe this is very important work that is being done,” Sam Davis, Public Works Director of Operations stated. “Giving these community members the opportunity to give back in a good way [is] awesome to see. Also the impact these cleanups have in terms of community health, public safety, and environmentally are huge.”

On the first day of the program, the morning of August 28, the Tulalip Tribal Court’s Chief Judge, Michelle Demmert, offered some inspiring words to the morning crew after they received their required COVID screenings. She applauded them for volunteering their time, while also expressing a desire to incorporate more Tulalip culture into the program. And with the possibility of more funding in the near future, the Give Back program is doing some tentative planning with ideas of weaving classes and other traditional teachings in mind.

Angel also stated that the program is in talks with the Tulalip Fish Hatchery to put their volunteers to work and learn more about the salmon, its life cycle and significance to the Salish people. By adding a cultural aspect to the program, the clients get the chance to revisit the traditions and teaching of their people in addition to picking up trash and caring for the land.

“We think that this is going to help build that relationship with the community, where they can interact and gain skills to give back to Tulalip, because most of our clients are Tulalip tribal members,” expressed Angel. “This gives them the opportunity to show that they’re volunteering to do this, they want to be a part of this community, they still want to get through these conditions, pay back those fines, stay out of jail and hopefully find their path.”

Staying true to the theme of strengthening relationships, Angel, and volunteers from the Justice Department, plan on being on site during each community service gathering, lending a hand as well as any guidance needed throughout the day. By rolling up their sleeves and working side-by-side, the court hopes to build trust, understanding, and meaningful, long-lasting relationships with their clients.

Nine participants showed up in total for the first day of the Tulalip Community Give Back program, many of whom spent the entire eight hours in the field, filling up an extra-large dumpster with garbage that was recovered from both sides of the Quil Ceda Creek bridge. In addition to all the trash collected, the participants flagged over 50 used needles that were scattered about, which Angel safely handled and disposed of.

“We no longer have to rely on Marysville or surrounding communities, we can focus on what Tulalip needs,” Angel said. “It was motivating watching these clients work so hard today. It has given me the drive to continue to do what I am doing. Times have been difficult for everyone during this pandemic, across the entire Tribe we have had to develop new methods to better assist those which we serve. I commend everyone for their efforts during these trying times. Today really reminded me of how important it is to develop alternate methods of engagement with our clients. If anyone has a moment stop by and take a look at the area beside the bridge, adjacent to the QCC Casino, you will notice it looks night and day different. These clients did an outstanding job. I am excited to continue to work towards the growth and further development of this program.”

Eight hours closer to completing her community service hours, Yessenia reflected, “I thought it was just community service, but today I learned that this time could also be used as an opportunity to learn new skills to help people get a job. We’re not just picking up garbage; we’re going to be all over, at the fisheries, helping with housing, shredding papers somewhere. It feels pretty good giving back and helping clean up and take care of our rez.”

For more information, please contact the Tulalip Tribal Court Probation Office at (360) 716-4773.

Matriarchs shine at DNC’s Native American Caucus

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Last week’s Democratic National Convention included two full days dedicated to advancing the nation-to-nation relationships with tribal governments, with focused discussion on crucial topics in regards to upholding federal trust responsibilities inherent to Native citizens. A broad range of policy areas, including but not limited to health, safety, economic development, education, voting importance, and strengthening tribal sovereignty were all spotlighted.

Known as the DNC Native American Caucus, tribal members from across the nation were invited to attend this one-of-a-kind, virtual platform that was free to attend. Those who opted to tune in had countless opportunities to be inspired for a better tomorrow via the many progressive-minded messages filled with hope and promise by a new crop of political leaders led by Native matriarchs.

“Opening our two day Native American Caucus was three matriarchs who are among the highest elected officials in the United States,” shared DNC Native American Political Director, Theresa Sheldon (Tulalip). “It is so inspiring and breathtaking when we acknowledge the historic moment we are in. As Native Americans, we are refusing to not be seen. Instead, we are seeing more and more Native people hearing the call and intending to fulfill the need that is representation.”

Congresswoman Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo), Congresswoman Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk), and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan (White Earth Band of Ojibwe), each took to the digital podium and rallied viewers to make their voices heard by voting in November’s presidential election for democratic candidate and former Vice-President, Joe Biden.

“I’m proud that we have the most progressive and forward leading platform for Indian Country ever, especially where the environment is concerned,” explained Representative Haaland, Congressional Native American Caucus co-chair. “Joe Biden has a very strong commitment to fighting climate change, moving our country to renewable energy, and just making sure our voices are heard.

“Tribal leaders must have a say in where we are moving forward, and that’s why I am doing everything I can to get Joe Biden elected. Unlike the present administration, he’d absolutely never appoint a coal lobbyist or gas and oil lobbyist to any of these positions where we know we need someone who cares deeply about our land and Indian Country.”

Haaland and Davids, of New Mexico and Kansas respectively, are the first-ever Native women to serve in Congress, while Flanagan, of Minnesota, is the highest-ranking Native woman elected to executive office in U.S. history. Collectively, these three spectacular leaders have made history as Native women elected to political office. Together they serve their local Native communities on the national stage.

Congresswoman Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk).

According to Indian Country Today’s database, the number of Native candidates has been rising for several years, with a boost in Native female candidates over Native men.

“It’s such a powerful thing having us in the House of Representatives,” said Representative Davids. “It’s not just that we are in the room, which just by our presence there changes the conversation, but because of our professional backgrounds in Indian law, our experience within Native communities and our reservations, we have a unique ability to educate our colleagues and influence Congressional decision making.

“That’s why I’m so excited to see the record-breaking number of Native folks running for office across the country. We are in an amazing age where Native people are stepping up to participate in local, state or federal legislatures,” continued Davids. “The other thing we have to do is elect folks who are going to be strong partners for our Native communities; candidates and elected officials who will listen to the Native community and actually engage with us. We’ve got that with Joe Biden, which is why so many of us are doing everything we can to get him elected to the White House.”

Within Native communities, we know accurate representation and being given a space to voice our concerns is of the utmost importance. After surviving cultural genocide, westward colonization, and brutal assimilation policies, it took centuries for Native Amerians to finally gain U.S. citizenship in 1924. Even then, the right to vote by tribal citizens wasn’t universally granted until 1962.

Malicious roadblocks remain to this day to suppress the Native vote. Restrictive voting laws throughout the United States often carry a discriminatory effect, either by intent or consequence, for our communities. Some of the major challenges to the ballot box faced by tribal nations include: failure to provide sufficient voting places, lack of proper election resource allocation, restrictive voting laws and removal of federal protections.

Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan (White Earth Band of Ojibwe).

These hurdles have real effects as statistics from the National Congress of American Indians show that almost two out of five eligible Native citizens are not registered to vote. Compounding the matter is the turnout rate of Native registered voters is between 5 to 14 percentage points lower than turnout rates of other racial and ethnic groups.

Transforming attitudes formed by generations of cultural and political exclusion is something that will be a long evolving process and must be addressed by tribes, state and federal officials. Nonetheless, it is important to realize the most powerful form of transformation comes from within.

“Knowing that I work in an institution that was not created by us or for us, but in many ways was created to eliminate us, you can feel the difference that results from having Native people work within these systems,” explained Lt. Governor Flanagan. “It results in true government-to-government relationships, tribal consultation [being more frequent], and passage of policy to address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

“I’m hopeful for the work that we’ve been able to accomplish in partnership with the tribes over the last year and a half,” she added. “But we know we have tremendous amounts of work to do and having a partner in the White House would make a big difference. We have an opportunity to ensure we elect someone who sees us, who hears us, and who values us in Joe Biden. Our voices will be heard and we will make an impact in the weeks leading up to the election.”

The power of true cultural representation and civic engagement by Native citizens of all ages was on full display during the DNC’s two-day Native American Caucus. Topics discussed by Native advocates, activists, and political leaders all echoed the same sentiment, Indian Country will be silenced no longer. The next generation of leaders are taking up the mantle and in full pursuit of fulfilling the dreams of their ancestors.

“Representatives Haaland and Davids, with Lt. Governor Flanagan, all shared the need for more Native Americans to run for public office, while also detailing the importance of getting our youth, 18-26 years old, to be engaged and cast their vote,” reflected Theresa Sheldon. “Overall, the most effective Get-Out-The-Native-Vote message is one that speaks to your local Tribe. We know the U.S. President impacts Tribes and our citizens, but we must make sure our tribal voters understand their vote is their voice. Come Election Day, we need our people to scream loudly that enough is enough!”

Building Upon the Past, Visioning Into the Future: Celebrating sgʷi gʷi ?altxʷ 25th anniversary

**Bird painting: Yatika Starr Fields (Osage/Cherokee/Creek). Diving Birds of Green Lake. 2016. Oil on canvas.**
“As a new resident to the Seattle area I was searching for new ideas and inspirations for a painting. My work usually conveys movement and colors of various subject matter joining together to create a dynamic force. I knew I wanted to find something that is of Washington and the Seattle area. Using nature oriented objects and forms in most of my works I wanted to apply the same for what this new piece would be. I went running one afternoon around Green Lake in Seattle and was watching the diving birds that disappear and reappear while in search for food. Diving under the surface and into the depths of the water. I imagined the landscape below the surface with shadowy silhouettes of the diving birds, crossing over one another layered by the lakes aquatic plants. After imagining this scene and seeing these birds once again on Lake Union I decided I would paint this image out as my first paining living here in Seattle. Using oil paints, my preferred medium in the studio, this painting conveys a feeling of light coming through the surface as the water moves above, the birds joined in movement as they swim underneath the surface in search for food. Abstracted plants and forms convey a swift dance taking place below unseen by the passerby above.”

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

**Real NDN painting: Ka’ila Farrell-Smith (Klamath/Modoc). HÉYÓKA. 2014. Oil paint, wax crayon on canvas.**
“This image emerged through processing the authenticity of what contemporary American Indian looks like and how it is perceived by Native and non-Native viewers. The painting HÉYÓKA tackles Indigenous identity through invoking multiple variables such as skin color, hair length (a visual quotation from the Boarding School eras), gender roles, authentic regalia, and speaking tribal languages. As the artist, I am taking a look at how post-assimilation policies have affected our collective Indigenous identities, primarily through understanding how pan-Indian tropes have played an important role in rebuilding Native Pride in the recent past. However, to continue on a true path of decolonization and re-Indigenization we need to begin the dire acts of reclaiming our specific Tribal cultures and memories (names of tribes in the headdress).
This portrait utilizes a conceptual irony by quoting the ‘Hollywood Injun’ through the text reel NDN, evoking a hybrid character, perhaps half-Tonto / half-Lone Ranger. However, the smirk on the characters scarred face, reveals a tension that is both of humor and confidence. Perhaps asking the viewer to take a look at their own preconceived content that is brought to this image. Are the blue circles in the headdress feathers, or corporate suits? Is this stereotype or contemporary Indigenous warrior? Can authentic forms of visual decolonization and indigenization occur through painting? HÉYÓKA is trickster, the sacred opposite whose empowerment comes by reflecting taboos within the culture. Through putting the mirror back onto the viewer (a negation of ‘eyes’ in the figure) this HÉYÓKA is now the one asking the questions.”

In the ancestral language of this land, Lushootseed, the phrase sgʷi gʷi ?altxʷ means House of Welcome. More than just a name, the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center at Evergreen State College in Olympia being officially dubbed sgʷi gʷi ?altxʷ gives credence to a reciprocal relationship that is both open hearted and open minded.

Created in 1995 as a public service center, the Longhouse’s mission is to promote Indigenous arts and cultures through education, cultural preservation, creative expression, and economic development.

In the beginning, the cultural center’s focus was on six local Puget Sound tribes and their ever-evolving artists. Today, the Longhouse collaborates with highly talented Indigenous artists throughout the Pacific Northwest region, across the nation, and distant lands spanning the globe. Through residency programs with master artists, culture bearers are inspired to develop their abilities while expanding their imaginative capacities in pursuit of creating entirely new boundaries for what defines ‘traditional’ and ‘contemporary’ designs.

“Art allows us to sing without a song, to give our true spirit into something we create out of something nature has given us,” explained Master artist Bruce Subiyay Miller (Skokomish). “Our people create with the natural elements of wood, plant fibers or native plants. Through these acts of creation, our culture continues to live today. That is important at a time when many of us have lost our languages, our customs, and many of the things we look upon as comprising a complete culture.

“We still have our artwork!” he added. “Through that, all the ancestors that lived on this Earth from the beginning of time in our tribal lineages, still exist as long as we have the art. That is what art means to me.”

To celebrate the House of Welcome’s 25 years of groundbreaking work we examine an art exhibition that truly captures the essence of what it means to facilitate cross cultural exchange. Building Upon the Past, Visioning Into the Future showcases cultural concepts and next level skillfulness from over 70 Indigenous artists with whom the Longhouse has built relationship, from the early days, right up to the present. Many of the featured artists have received a grant, taught a workshop, exhibited work, been an artist-in-residence, or otherwise participated in Longhouse programming.

Curated by Longhouse staff members Erin Genia (Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate) and Linly Logan (Seneca), this one-of-a-kind exhibition features beautiful artistry from tribal members that call this land home. Local tribal representation include Squaxin Island, Skokomish, Puyallup and many other Coast Salish tribes. Tribes from across the nation are also represented, from Alaska to the Great Plains, and across the Pacific Rim, including Native Hawaiians and Maori artists from New Zealand.

**Glass weavings**
Ho-Wan-Ut Old Peter (Skokomish). Glass Basket. 2015.
Halisa Higheagle (Chehalis). Glass Basket. 2015.
Wa x WupKaya Jack-lyn Smith (Skokomish). Salmon Gill Design Glass Basket. 2015. Glass.
*Made during a workshop with hot shop lead artist, Dan Friday (Lummi), as a partnership between the Museum of Glass and the Longhouse.

“This exhibition reflects the [twenty-five years] of building relationships with artists locally, regionally, nationally and internationally,” stated exhibition co-curator Erin Genia. “Each of the artists you see here in the show has in some way worked with the Longhouse through one of our programs. Native artists are using so many different methods for expressing themselves and we really wanted to display as many of those methods as possible. The result is we have close to ninety beautiful pieces of art, treasures really, that make up this exhibition.”

**Hat:** Vickie Era Pankretz (Alutiiq/Sugpiag). AWIRNAQ – Alutiiq Hunting Hat. 2015. Spruce root, sea otter fur, dentalium shells, antique Russian trade beads, glass beads, imitation sea lion whiskers and suet, cloth straps.

The subjects and techniques exhibited by the Longhouse artists draw from a diverse range of stylistic traditions, which arise from cultural teachings, ancestral lineages, and each artist’s unique experience as Indigenous peoples. Works on display include paintings, drums, carvings, beadwork, photography, baskets, and jewelry.

Glass vessels created using basket designs demonstrate the way traditional design can beautifully translate into new media. Other sculptural forms created in clay, bronze and wood, alongside two-dimensional prints, paintings and drawing spotlight the mastery of mediums that Longhouse artists are fluent in.

“As a curator of this exhibition it’s such an awe-inspiring experience to hear from the artists themselves as to the perspective and inspiration behind their artwork,” added fellow co-curator Linly Logan. “We have artists who are very traditional and roots oriented; artists who use the natural resources around them to showcase their creativeness.

**Wooden spindle:** Andrea Wilbur-Sigo (Squaxin Island). New Beginnings. 2015. Maple.

“As Native and Indigenous people we’ve always used the resources around us,” he continued. “In a contemporary lifestyle in nature, we’ve continued to use the resources around us which now include materials other than natural materials. We’ve come full circle in our intent to build upon the past and vision into the future creatively and intellectually as Indigenous people.”

The House of Welcome graciously allowed Tulalip News staff a private tour of the exhibition so that we could share a glimpse of the amazingly creative and exceptional Native art with our local community. These artists are luminaries of their cultures, lighting the pathway back into the far reaches of history, and leading the way into the future with their creative vision.