“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hands can’t hit what the eyes can’t see,” reads a quote that was once stated by the arguably (and self-proclaimed) greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali. The quote is a part of a photo collage, comprised of inspirational words by professional boxers, that hangs on a back wall, on the second floor, of the Don Hatch Youth Center. Tables and chairs that once occupied this space were cleared, and two punching bags were added to the second floor lounging area.
Boxing is a combat sport that has been popular for centuries and can be traced back to the early days of Ancient Greece. Over time, boxing has improved. With safety in mind, weight classes were added and rules were set. Many legends such as such as Ali, Tyson and both Sugar Ray’s have inspired young adults all over the world to step into the ring. In the nineties, Native American World Heavyweight Champion Joe “The Boss” Hipp, inspired many tribes to start boxing programs on their reservations.
Training for the sport is no small feat and is a great way to get into shape. Boxing matches require focus and endurance which is the reason the training includes conditioning and strength training. Aside from exercise, there are many benefits to boxing including self-defense, discipline, and confidence; as well as healthy stress and anger management.
“I thought it would be a good idea because I see that some of our tribal kids have a tough time controlling their anger, or channeling it in a good way,” states Tulalip Youth Services Boxing Coach, Seiya Kitchens. Seiya also teaches within the Marysville School District and has been training for about seven years. With a background in karate and amateur boxing experience, Seiya has been training the youth, between the sixth and twelfth grade, of the Tulalip community for the past three months.
Youth Boxing is held on each Thursday and Friday of the week and Seiya invites all youth of any fitness level to participate. Beginners learn all of the fundamental techniques, such as their jab and stance, before moving on to speed and bag drills.
In today’s social media society, fights in high school are a spectacle that is often recorded and shared across Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. This is a popular trend that Seiya is well aware of and has made his stance on fighting outside of the ring clear, warning his students, if they wish to continue to train, then fighting is not permitted.
In the future, Seiya envisions Youth Services incorporating live inter-tribal boxing matches (e.g., Tulalip vs. Lummi) into the program. He believes the matches would generate revenue by means of food concessions and vendors, and would be a great way to bring communities together.
“I just want to help the kids. I think [the program] promotes healthy exercise and teaches discipline, but most importantly I think it prepares them for life. They show up every week ready to go. They love it and it shows through their hard work,” states Seiya.
For more information about Youth Boxing please contact Youth Services at (360) 716-4909.
Submitted by Jeanne Steffener, Tulalip Tribes Higher ED
A degree in philosophy can be useful for professions beyond an academic career. Degrees such as this can help in the world of business, where a background in philosophy can pave the way for change. Philosophy has proved itself to be not only relevant but also the basis of great innovation in business. Some of the most successful technology innovators today have paired their background in philosophy and critical thinking to develop new digital services now used in various domains of society. Leaders in industry have used their creative thought processes honed in studying philosophy to envision unique perspectives plus taking that necessary chance to put their perspectives out in the public domain shaping a new business world.
Studying philosophy helps to develop strong critical thinking skills and business instincts. Philosophy is a very challenging major and has rigorous standards. Open-ended assignments push philosophy students to find and take on a unique aspect of the work of the philosopher that they are studying, frame their thinking around a fresh and interesting question, or make original connections between the writings of two (2) distinct thinkers. Philosophers will be the ones to grapple with the biggest issues facing our world.
Advances in physics, technology and neuroscience pose an ever-evolving set of questions about the nature of the world and man’s place in it. These are questions that we do not yet have the answers to but philosophers are persistently exploring theories and arguments. Morality and meaning also pose more questions which ancient thinkers earlier dwelled upon but continue to resurface as humanity evolves. These are questions like: How should we treat one another? What does it mean to live a good life? Who should have that good life? Does everyone deserve good, inexpensive healthcare?
Philosophy explores the deepest, broadest questions of life — why we exist, how society should organize, how institutions should relate to society and the purpose of human striving. With globalization, many businesses are beginning to take social responsibility to heart. Those with philosophy at their core who care and are able to think critically about global and humanitarian issues will be the ones who are poised to create change. As you begin to challenge your own point of view, become a citizen of the world, recognize your responsibilities to the world and have the ability to grapple with moral choices, you increase your humanity and empathy. As you struggle to come to grips with these challenges, you end up embracing a global-mindedness and humanistic perspective, as well as becoming a more desirable job candidate.
Practically speaking, there is plenty of evidence that philosophy is very useful as an undgraduate degree. It not only prepares students for a graduate work in philosophy but for a variety of fields as well. Philosophy majors are top preformers on both the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) and the GRE (Graduate Record Exam). The LSAT is an integral part of the law school admission process in the United States, Canada, and a growing number of other countries. It provides a standard measure of acquired reading and verbal reasoning skills that law schools can use as one of several factors in assessing applicants. The GRE is commonly used by many graduate schools. GRE tests measure one’s aptitude for abstract thinking in the areas of analytical writing, mathematics and vocabulary. Philosophy can also be a catalyst to medicine.
If you are looking for a challenge in life, philosophy can give you a competitive edge in life and business. Please call Higher ED staff at 360-716-4888 or email us at highered@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov to find out more information.
The (14-2) Tulalip Heritage Lady Hawks basketball team were riding a 10-game win streak when they played at Grace Academy to face the (5-8) Eagles on Tuesday, January 24.
In the 1st quarter, the Lady Hawks offense was slow to get going before senior center Cyena Fryberg scored back-to-back baskets. A basket by Georgie Randall and free throws by Aliya Jones put the Lady Hawks ahead 11-5.
The 2nd quarter was back and forth with the two teams trading baskets. At halftime, Tulalip was ahead 21-17 in a game they had yet to break loose in. That all changed when the Lady Hawks came out of halftime with their foot on the gas pedal.
Junior guard Keryn Parks led the offensive onslaught with 9 points in the quarter, while each other starter got in on the action. Not only did the girls score a game-high 17 points in the 3rd quarter, but their defense couldn’t have been better. They held the Eagles scoreless in the 3rd and took a commanding 21-point lead, 38-17, into the final quarter of play.
Deandra Grant scored four field goals for 8 points in the game’s final minutes to secure a 52-31 victory. Keryn led all scorers with 17 points, Deandra had 12 points, and Aliya added 11 points. The win made it eleven Ws in a row for the now (15-2) Lady Hawks.
A few days later, the Lady Hawks traveled to Mountlake Terrace to take on their biggest competition in the Northwest 1B League, the Cedar Park Christian Lions. These two teams previously met on January 6 at Tulalip, where the Lady Hawks won 41-23 and gave the Lions their only L on the season.
In the 1st quarter, Tulalip trailed 0-7 before Deandra got her team on the board with a bucket. That would be the team’s only points in the quarter as the guards weren’t able to knock down any of their 3-point attempts. As a team, the girls shot 0-8 from 3-pt territory and 0-2 from the charity stripe in the opening quarter.
In the 2nd quarter, trailing 2-12, Myna and Aliya both hit a 3-pointer and Deandra added two more buckets from the painted area. The defense did its job and held Cedar Park to only four points in the quarter, putting the Lady Hawks right back in the game and trailing by only four points, 12-16 at halftime. It was the lowest score half for both teams on the season with defense being played at a high level and no offense coming easy.
The 3rd quarter was much more defense and very little offense. In fact, the Lady Hawks were held scoreless and Cedar Park only scored three points. With the game still very much in reach, trailing 12-19, the Lady Hawks weren’t able to respond and go on that scoring run we’re used to seeing. The girls were content to pass the ball around the perimeter because no one was eager to put a shot up.
Over the game’s final few minutes, Cedar Park knocked down a few more jumpers while Tulalip struggled to execute. On this day, Cedar Park was just plainly the better team by being able to out execute the Lady Hawks on both ends of the floor. When the game ended, the Lady Hawks had been held to their lowest offensive output of the season in a 15-32 loss.
Deandra led her team with 7 points, while Alyia and Myrna both had 3 points, and Keryn Parks added 2 points.
The loss cost the Lady Hawks the #1 seed in the upcoming District 1B playoffs, but they will still host a home game as the #3 seed. They host the Grace Academy Eagles on Tuesday, February 5 at 5:45 p.m. at Francy J. Sheldon gymnasium.
Coming off their best stretch of the season, a three-game win streak, the (6-9) Tulalip Heritage Hawks basketball team played at Grace Academy on Tuesday, January 24, to take on the (4-9) Eagles.
The Hawks came out like a team on a win streak as everything was going their way early. The offense was clicking and the defense was wreaking havoc. Tulalip took a 15-5 lead that they extended to 19-8 at the end of the 1st quarter.
In the 2nd quarter, the game dramatically changed when junior guard Josh Iukes, the primary playmaker for the Hawks, hit the deck and injured the wrist on his shooting hand. With Josh on the sidelines getting his wrist attended to, his team was out of sorts. Tulalip wasn’t able to muster any offense and got outscored 0-14 in the quarter.
Trailing 19-22 at halftime, the Hawks looked to get their offense going by playing through their big man, junior center Rodney Barber. Rodney quickly scored back-to-back buckets to give his team a 23-22 lead. Both teams traded two buckets each, tying the game up at 27-27 with one quarter to play.
In the 4th quarter, with Josh Iukes out of the game with the injured wrist, freshman guard Joshua Miranda did his best to provide offense. He hit two 3-pointers to give the Hawks a slim lead, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Eagles continued to execute their offense. Tulalip did their best to hold their own without their primary playmaker, but it was just too much to overcome. The Eagles won 41-38, ending the Hawks win streak.
Joshua Miranda led the Hawks in scoring with 12 points, Rodney had 9 points, and Josh Iukes and Nashone Whitebear each scored 6 points.
Three days later, the (6-10) Hawks traveled to Mountlake Terrace to take on the league’s top team, the (13-3) Lions from Cedar Park Christian.
It was a highly entertaining game as Tulalip refused to be intimidated by the bigger Lions squad. Even with Hawks big man, Rodney Barber, in foul trouble seemingly the entire game, the Hawks were undeterred. The guards kept attacking the rim and the forwards did their best to grab rebounds.
The Hawks never led outside of the 1st quarter, but even so they kept themselves within striking distance. The size advantage and Rodney’s foul trouble were factors, but just a couple more makes and the Hawks could have scored a big upset over Cedar Park. Tulalip lost a close one, 58-65.
After a forfeit by Arlington Christian, the Hawks (7-11) hosted the (3-9) Providence Classical Christian Highlanders at Francy J. Sheldon gymnasium. The game marked the end of the regular season.
In their final home game, Tulalip fans came out and cheered loudly for their Hawks team. Center Rodney Barber had the game of his life as he started out red hot from the field. Recognizing Rodney’s huge height advantage over the smaller Highlander team, the Hawks ran their offense through their big man and he did not disappoint. He scored 13 points in the opening quarter. With guard Josh Iukes’ wrist on the mend, he added a few jumpers that gave his team a 20-8 lead.
The Hawks continued to light up the scoreboard in the 2nd quarter, outscoring the Highlanders 18-6, and taking a commanding 38-14 lead into halftime.
Rodney continued to take advantage of his mismatch and scored three more quick buckets to start the 2nd half. That would be all that was necessary as Tulalip went on to win a decisive one, 68-43. Barber finished with a season high 24 points, while Josh Iukes and Nashone Whitebear each added 9 points.
The victory upped the Hawks record to (8-11) and ends the regular season on a high note. Winning five out of their last seven games secured the Hawks a spot in the District 1B playoffs. They will travel to Mt. Vernon Christian on Tuesday, February 7 to play the hosting Hurricanes at 8:00 p.m.
President Trump’s latest immigration order suspended refugee resettlement in the United States for 120 days and indefinitely for Syria. In the same order, Trump suspended entry for 90 days for citizens of Muslim majority nations such as Iran, Iraq, and Libya. The President’s reasoning is national security, as he believes the countries harbor potential terrorists. The order was controversial, to say the least, and resulted in protests across America and a temporary halt to the order by the U.S. Federal Court. On social media, Native America showed support for refugees with the hashtag #NoBanOnStolenLand.
In a divided country, amidst the controversy surrounding Trump’s immigration order, Quil Ceda Elementary recently held a cultural fair to celebrate diversity by teaching their students about different cultures. School staff of varying cultural backgrounds prepared interactive stations to give students a look into the lives and cultures of other nations.
Upon arrival the students received paper passports. As they “traveled” around countries such as Guam, Peru, Mexico and China, they filled their passport with stamps from each country.
Quil Ceda Elementary also celebrated the culture of the Tulalip Tribes. The school dedicated four learning stations to the Tribe, each station representing different cultural aspects the Tribe values such as the Lushootseed language, the Hibulb Cultural Center, and basket weaving. An exclusive coastal jam was held in the school library, complete with a powwow rendition of the SpongeBob SquarePants theme song.
Cardboard presentations, prepared by students, were on display in the school cafeteria. The topics varied from Martin Luther King Jr. tributes to recent movements such as Black Lives Matter and Water is Life.
The after-school-hours event attracted a large amount of families, as parents and siblings joined the students in celebration. For many, the highlight of the evening was the international cuisine. As the students passed through different nations, they tasted traditional homemade dishes such as egg rolls, tortilla chips with pico de gallo, coconut candy, and frybread.
Once the students completed their passports they received a free book of their choice to take home.
During a time when the President is signing executive orders that violate the rights of Native, Muslim, and Mexican-Americans (not to mention the women of America) events such as cultural fairs are vital to communities in America. Through the cultural fair, the youth learned the importance of diversity as well as the history and traditions of several countries in a fun, interactive yet respectful manner.
Many students enjoyed the event, as evidenced by student Colt, as he excitedly exclaimed, “I had a blast! I really did. It was so awesome reading about Vietnam and China.”
“And I liked the egg rolls the best!,” his younger brother, Evan, quickly added.
Indigenous women were at the forefront of Seattle’s Women’s March on January 21, 2017.
By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News
Donald Trump is President. For many in the Pacific Northwest and throughout Indian Country that is a gut-wrenching fact that will take some time to fully process. But it is a fact of life and we must adapt to a changing political climate like we have always done.
Local Lakota Activist and Marysville School District educator Matt Remle summed it up best when he released the following statement via Facebook on Inauguration Day. “People keep asking how we’re preparing for Trump. I keep responding ‘same way we prepare for any new colonizer in chief.’ Today is the same as yesterday as we continue to protect our lands, protect our water, protect our treaty rights, and fight for our children and future generations. #NoDAPL #BattleforMotherEarth.”
And that’s just it, we as Native people have always been fighting to protect our lands, water, treaty rights and future generations. There’s never been a pause to our fight, no one has ever said let’s take a break from resisting Western assimilation because of whoever happened to be in a local, state, or federal office. We honor our ancestors for their gifts of teachings to be strong, resilient and compassionate every day with every breath we take, just by being able to say we have endured and we are still here.
Now, Donald Trump is President and seemingly by the hour we are getting updates as to how he plans on weakening our treaty rights and depleting our resources. From signing executive orders to revive the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, to freezing Environmental Protection Agency grants and contracts, to potentially eliminating the Violence Against Women Act, there have been no shortages of offensive and egregious legislative actions being aimed at the tribes by the Trump Administration.
However, none of this should come as any shock or surprise. It’s all been completely in line with who we know him to be and what we know him to stand for. If anything, it’s surprising to see a President follow through on several key promises he made during his campaign as quickly as Trump is.
The moment Trump took office and became the 45th President, the White House website received a digital makeover to reflect the values and missions of the Trump Administration. As a result, White House policies on several high-stake issues were no longer available. One such issue was climate change, an issue that is critically important to the health of the world, but not so important to our President who routinely refers to climate change as “a hoax”.
What took the place of climate change policy is what’s titled An America First Energy Plan. The plan in its entirety is posted at the end of this article. There are some fascinating remarks made within this energy plan, such as “President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the U.S. rule.” Then there is this statement as well, “The Trump Administration will embrace the shale oil and gas revolution to bring jobs and prosperity to millions of Americans. We must take advantage of the estimated $50 trillion in untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves, especially those on federal lands that the American people own.”
“Trump’s plan is not a surprise – it’s consistent with what he has said throughout the campaign – a no holds barred approach to development of oil, natural gas, and coal, especially on federal lands and under federal waters,” says Libby Nelson, Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources Environmental Policy Analyst. “Climate change policy is seen as ‘harmful’ and there is no mention of ‘renewable energy’ (e.g., wind, solar) in Trump’s energy plan. Lifting environmental regulations, weakening the EPA, and increasing drilling may lead to more jobs and more revenue in the short term, but at what cost? At the cost of healthy, functioning and yes, economically valuable natural ecosystems that we need to sustain us long after the ‘shale oil revolution’. We will need to watch carefully as this new administration begins to translate its energy policy to proposed actions on the ground, and be prepared to act on behalf of the environment and tribal interests.”
So we will continue to watch and listen carefully as Trump continues to follow through on promises he made on his campaign trail because he did make these promises, but many didn’t listen. Now he’s doing exactly what he promised to do and there are a lot of progressives, our so-called allies, who are complicit in the legislation for policies like the pipelines going forward.
“I honestly believe that this monumental loss of faith in DC is a step in the right direction. No matter the President or who was Senator or Congressperson, DC has always been an obstacle, not an aid to our communities,” stated Native activist and renowned speaker Gyasi Ross via Facebook. “Our solutions are at home. Simple. That is shown by the fact that we have a home, a homeland – our communities were supposed to have been wiped out. Physically. Genocide. Extermination. But we weren’t wiped out and because of that we’re still able to improve, evolve and grow. Of course we can point to dysfunction, but that’s normal. That’s growing pains. We’re learning how to love ourselves again, to believe in ourselves again, to trust us and our own brilliance and spirituality. When we learn that fully, the solutions will be self-evident.
“Our solutions are not in DC and they never have been. If the cavalry was coming, they would have come a long time ago. Marshall would have stopped the Trail of Tears; Obama would have stopped DAPL. Neither one did. It was the thousands of organizers on the ground who did. No saviors. The only meaningful transformation or revolution that will really improve life for our communities will come from our communities, not an outside savior or great white father.”
Indeed, there must be a transformation and necessary resistance to defend against the likes of the Trump Administration and all other levels of government and establishment that seek to exploit the Earth and weaken our treaty rights. That resistance has been ongoing for the Tulalip Tribes because, again, organizations of all sorts have sought to lay claim to our lands, waters, and way of life long before Trump.
“The Tulalip Tribes has been legally fighting against any coal, oil, pipeline, or anything else that will ruin our Mother Earth and negatively impact our fresh water, our air quality, and our salt water,” says Theresa Sheldon, Tulalip Board of Director. “We will continue to oppose any policy or legislation that may make it easier for the federal government to exploit our lands and our way of life.
“As we go into a Republican Presidency with a Republican Congress, please do not lose faith. Treaty rights are not party based. The Point Elliott Treaty does not belong in the republican camp or democrat camp. Our issues are independent from party, but based in the fact that treaties are the Supreme Law of the Land as stated in the U.S. Constitution. We will continue to work with this new administration to educate them on our rights and we will fight hard to protect our rights as the Indigenous peoples of this country. May we stand together and support each other. Do not get distracted with the noise and rhetoric of two parties, but find balance in our teachings and in our way of life as our ancestors have always done.”
Within minutes of Donald Trump’s swearing in as 45th president of the Unites States, the pages on climate change, previously found on whitehouse.org, went dark. They were replaced with the following on a page dedicated to an energy plan.
An America First Energy Plan
Energy is an essential part of American life and a staple of the world economy. The Trump Administration is committed to energy policies that lower costs for hardworking Americans and maximize the use of American resources, freeing us from dependence on foreign oil.
For too long, we’ve been held back by burdensome regulations on our energy industry. President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the U.S. rule. Lifting these restrictions will greatly help American workers, increasing wages by more than $30 billion over the next 7 years.
Sound energy policy begins with the recognition that we have vast untapped domestic energy reserves right here in America. The Trump Administration will embrace the shale oil and gas revolution to bring jobs and prosperity to millions of Americans. We must take advantage of the estimated $50 trillion in untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves, especially those on federal lands that the American people own. We will use the revenues from energy production to rebuild our roads, schools, bridges and public infrastructure. Less expensive energy will be a big boost to American agriculture, as well.
The Trump Administration is also committed to clean coal technology, and to reviving America’s coal industry, which has been hurting for too long.
In addition to being good for our economy, boosting domestic energy production is in America’s national security interest. President Trump is committed to achieving energy independence from the OPEC cartel and any nations hostile to our interests. At the same time, we will work with our Gulf allies to develop a positive energy relationship as part of our anti-terrorism strategy.
Lastly, our need for energy must go hand-in-hand with responsible stewardship of the environment. Protecting clean air and clean water, conserving our natural habitats, and preserving our natural reserves and resources will remain a high priority. President Trump will refocus the EPA on its essential mission of protecting our air and water.
A brighter future depends on energy policies that stimulate our economy, ensure our security, and protect our health. Under the Trump Administration’s energy policies, that future can become a reality.
