Tulalip Resort: offers the best food and wine event in the Northwest

2013_tulalip_mainBy Duane Pemberton, Communities Digital News

TULALIP, Wash, May 1, 2014 – The Taste of Tulalip is the ultimate “feast of the senses” that combines wine, food and fun in a relaxed setting that has helped define it as the defacto event of its kind in the Northwest.

The Tulalip Casino and Resort is a property on the Native American land of the Tulalip tribe, hence the casino part. Having the luxury of one of the areas top-ranking casinos helps provide revenue for the kind of budget required for the resort to put on a first-class event.

What makes the Tulalip Resort such a great venue for a wine and food event is really a combination of things going for it. A first-class staff such as Chef Perry Mascitti, Sommelier Tommy Thompson and its Food & Beverage Director, Lisa Severn. These three not only know how to throw a party, they do everything first-class.

Secondly, are accommodations which also present a very welcoming vibe and the rooms at Tulalip definitely fit the bill. Perhaps the nicest feature of the rooms is the three-tier shower system which hits all areas of the body, making you not want get out of it.

Assuming you pay for the full weekend pass, you’ll start things off with a multi-course reception dinner in the main convention hall. Everything from the quality of each course you consume to the attentiveness of each wait staff person, it’s a dinner you won’t soon forget. This past event, Carla Hall of ABC’s “The Chew” was on the center stage welcoming the guests and helping to get the “party started”.

Several hours later after you experience this food and wine assault on the senses, you’ll find a gorgeous, well-appointed room waiting for you to sink into.

The Grand Tasting is the event which most attend and it’s not just any “second-rate” tasting, you’ll find craft beers, imported wines from other countries such as Italy and France along with domestic favorites from California, Oregon and Washington State.

There are various mini-events which also take place during the Grand Tasting and those can be both a fun and educational to attend.  There’s a cooking demo by a celebrity chef where you’ll get to try the food when done with the demo –winner of Top Chef, Kristen Kish, held the honors in 2013.

There is also a “Rock and Roll Cooking Challenge” across from the main grand tasting hall which has always proved to be a light-hearted, fun-filled event as well.

Additionally, there’s a Private Magnum tasting lounge where Tommy Thompson and crew open up extremely rare, extremely expensive wines from around the globe. Bourdeaux, Burgundy, Australia, Italy, Napa, Willamette Valley and Columbia Valley’s best are often represented in this exclusive tasting.

If you love wine, you owe it to yourself to get into this tasting in order to taste wines from the likes of Chateau Margaux, Screaming Eagle, Schafer, Quilceda Creek to name a few.

It’s the culmination of so many things which all seem to happen with flawless execution on the part of the staff and guests which helps guests feel very much a part of what’s going on.

Any more, being able to define an “ultimate food and wine” destination in most areas has become more difficult thanks to an availability of so many good ones to pick from. There’s no doubt that it should always be on your “must do” list of having an ultimate wine and food weekend in a relaxing, fun-filled place that you won’t soon forget.

For more details, visit: www.tasteoftulalip.com

2013_tulalip_2

Read more at http://www.commdiginews.com/life/tulalip-resort-offers-the-best-food-and-wine-event-in-the-northwest-16594/#Hj9a4d3Mhk0hHD4x.99

TULALIP, Wash, May 1, 2014 – The Taste of Tulalip is the ultimate “feast of the senses” that combines wine, food and fun in a relaxed setting that has helped define it as the defacto event of its kind in the Northwest.

The Tulalip Casino and Resort is a property on the Native American land of the Tulalip tribe, hence the casino part. Having the luxury of one of the areas top-ranking casinos helps provide revenue for the kind of budget required for the resort to put on a first-class event.

What makes the Tulalip Resort such a great venue for a wine and food event is really a combination of things going for it. A first-class staff such as Chef Perry Mascitti, Sommelier Tommy Thompson and its Food & Beverage Director, Lisa Severn. These three not only know how to throw a party, they do everything first-class.

Secondly, are accommodations which also present a very welcoming vibe and the rooms at Tulalip definitely fit the bill. Perhaps the nicest feature of the rooms is the three-tier shower system which hits all areas of the body, making you not want get out of it.

Assuming you pay for the full weekend pass, you’ll start things off with a multi-course reception dinner in the main convention hall. Everything from the quality of each course you consume to the attentiveness of each wait staff person, it’s a dinner you won’t soon forget. This past event, Carla Hall of ABC’s “The Chew” was on the center stage welcoming the guests and helping to get the “party started”.

Several hours later after you experience this food and wine assault on the senses, you’ll find a gorgeous, well-appointed room waiting for you to sink into.

The Grand Tasting is the event which most attend and it’s not just any “second-rate” tasting, you’ll find craft beers, imported wines from other countries such as Italy and France along with domestic favorites from California, Oregon and Washington State.

There are various mini-events which also take place during the Grand Tasting and those can be both a fun and educational to attend.  There’s a cooking demo by a celebrity chef where you’ll get to try the food when done with the demo –winner of Top Chef, Kristen Kish, held the honors in 2013.

There is also a “Rock and Roll Cooking Challenge” across from the main grand tasting hall which has always proved to be a light-hearted, fun-filled event as well.

Additionally, there’s a Private Magnum tasting lounge where Tommy Thompson and crew open up extremely rare, extremely expensive wines from around the globe. Bourdeaux, Burgundy, Australia, Italy, Napa, Willamette Valley and Columbia Valley’s best are often represented in this exclusive tasting.

If you love wine, you owe it to yourself to get into this tasting in order to taste wines from the likes of Chateau Margaux, Screaming Eagle, Schafer, Quilceda Creek to name a few.

It’s the culmination of so many things which all seem to happen with flawless execution on the part of the staff and guests which helps guests feel very much a part of what’s going on.

Any more, being able to define an “ultimate food and wine” destination in most areas has become more difficult thanks to an availability of so many good ones to pick from. There’s no doubt that it should always be on your “must do” list of having an ultimate wine and food weekend in a relaxing, fun-filled place that you won’t soon forget.

For more details, visit: www.tasteoftulalip.com
Read more at http://www.commdiginews.com/life/tulalip-resort-offers-the-best-food-and-wine-event-in-the-northwest-16594/#Hj9a4d3Mhk0hHD4x.99

Tribes and federal government begin settling decades-long contract disputes

 

Norma Thomas, a resident of Owyhee on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, talks with David Simons, a doctor at the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Owyhee Community Health Facility in Nevada on Nov. 25, 2013. (Darin Oswald for The Washington Post)
Norma Thomas, a resident of Owyhee on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, talks with David Simons, a doctor at the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Owyhee Community Health Facility in Nevada on Nov. 25, 2013. (Darin Oswald for The Washington Post)

By Kimberly Kindy

The Washington Post May 1, 2014

After decades of underfunding hundreds of contracts with Native Americans, the federal government over the past several months has reached settlement agreements on 146 claims, totalling $275 million, government records show.

The settlements for health and social service contracts represent about 10 percent of all outstanding tribal claims with the federal Indian Health Service. The unpaid contract expenses were the subject of two U.S. Supreme Court rulings, the latest in June 2012, in which both IHS and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) were ordered to pay outstanding claims on the self-determination contracts.

The disputed contracts have their origins in the 1975 Indian Self-Determination Act, which gives tribes the option of receiving federal funding to run their own education, public safety and health-care programs. Those services — which were promised in perpetuity in tribal treaties — historically were delivered by the IHS and BIA.

The unpaid claims are for “contract support costs,” which include travel expenses, legal and accounting fees, insurance costs and workers’ compensation fees. Such costs typically account for between 10 to 20 percent of the value of a contract.

“The federal government has a trust responsibility to provide health care for this nation’s First Peoples and it’s about time it steps up to pay legal and contractual obligations to those tribes that choose to take over this responsibility through self-governance contracts and compacts,” Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) said in a prepared statement.

Through letters and public hearings, Begich and several other members of Congress have pressured IHS and BIA to resolve past unpaid claims since the last Supreme Court ruling nearly two years ago.

IHS is working through thousands of disputed claims in more than 200 lawsuits filed by tribes, which are being individually negotiated. BIA is dealing with a single class-action lawsuit, which includes unpaid claims for hundreds of tribes, which has not yet been resolved.

The largest IHS settlement of $96 million went to Southcentral Foundation in Anchorage. The organization operates several health-care facilities, including a portion of the Alaska Native Medical Center, and serves more than 60,000 Alaska Natives and American Indians.

Llloyd Miller, an attorney in the Supreme Court cases, who is also representing 55 tribes in the settlement talks, said progress is being made, but at the current pace it would take IHS another three years to resolve all outstanding claims.

“It’s an enormous breakthrough because, over the past two years, little in the way of settlements have been achieved,” Miller said. “The challenge for the agency is to resolve the remaining 90 percent in a coherent time frame.”

In February, both agencies committed for the first time in decades to fully fund the self-determination contracts in their 2014 revised budgets. The revisions followed a Washington Post article in December that detailed the administration’s plans to impose spending caps on the contracts, despite two U.S. Supreme Court rulings ordering the government to fully compensate the tribes.

Federal contractors have carefully monitored the case because they worried that if federal agencies were able to not pay contract support costs for tribes, it could set a dangerous precedent for non-tribal service contracts with federal agencies.

In a friend-of-the-court brief to the Supreme Court in 2012, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said: “The government’s position would have the effect of making contracts illusory by giving it a broad right to refuse payment at the stated price for services rendered.”

U.S., Canadian, tribal leaders discuss Salish Sea’s environmental, economic concerns

 

April 30, 2014 By ELLIOTT SMITH

As featured in The Bellingham Herald

This isn’t breaking news, but salmon and orcas don’t stop at the border. They don’t show passports and clear customs or shop at the duty-free store.

The environment doesn’t stop at the border and neither does the economy. A healthy economy depends on a healthy environment and we must work across the border with our Canadian and tribal/First Nations partners to ensure both.

Salish Sea and tribal nations. Map source: Seattle University
Salish Sea and tribal nations. Map source: Seattle University

This week in Seattle, Western Washington University is the proud lead organizer of the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference bringing together about 1,200 of the top marine science professionals, First Nations and tribal leaders, industry executives and policymakers who make decisions about resource management on our shared waters. The Salish Sea encompasses all of the inland marine waters of southern B.C. and Western Washington, from the Johnstone Strait at the top of Vancouver Island to the bottom of Puget Sound near Olympia. The Salish Sea also includes the Georgia Strait in Whatcom County and B.C., as well as the San Juan Islands, Hood Canal and the Strait of Juan de Fuca out to the Pacific Ocean.

Our region’s future demands that we have serious conversations across international and jurisdictional boundaries about the decisions before us in marine resource management. Since the 1970s, Western has reached beyond the Canada/USA border with our research and teaching on environmental and economic issues. WWU’s Huxley College of the Environment and Center for Canadian-American Studies have been leaders in thinking, and acting, across the border with common sense solutions for over 40 years.

This week, we live it.

This is not underwater tree hugging. The Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference is an important dialogue about the future of our marine waters and the jobs that depend on them.

We cannot just yell at each other about coal trains and jobs. We must sit down at the table together and weigh the pros and cons of decisions that will affect our children’s health and economic well-being for generations to come.

This week, Western provides that table, and the forum for the exchange of information that will lead to intelligent decisions. More than 450 scientific presentations will be delivered this week at the Washington State Convention Center by scientists from both sides of the border. The goal is, quite simply, to provide the best scientific and policy research that can lead to decisions that will foster the long-term health of the Salish sea and the economy that depends on it.

It is crucial that we work with our neighbors and partners to understand the latest scientific research, so we can make the smartest decisions for our region’s future. Western Washington University’s mission is to serve the people of our region by encouraging learning. This week, we proudly carry that mission forward as lead organizer of the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference.

Bellingham is at the heart of the Salish Sea, and WWU is proud to be at the heart of this important conference.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elliott Smith is the 2014 Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Administrator at WWU. Find him on twitter at @soundslikepuget.

Students explore options for life after high school: Opportunity Expo brings employers, colleges, and vocational schools to students

Opp Expo~14

By Andrew Gobin, Tulalip News

The Tulalip Education Department gathered more than 150 representatives from Snohomish County employers, universities, colleges, technical schools, vocational schools, public safety officials, and the military for a comprehensive opportunity exposition on April 22 at the Tulalip Resort Casino. The expo, which filled the entire resort convention area, allowed students and parents to speak with these representatives about their respective fields or entities, allowing the students to explore their options for life after high school.

“There is a time to decide who you want to be in life, what you will do, what type of person you’ll be, and what you want your life to be like. That time is now,” say Ray Fryberg Sr. who spoke when students arrived.

Fryberg, who led a group of Tulalip singers, also sang two songs to welcome students.

Dr. Becky Berg, Superintendent for the Marysville School District, welcomed students to the event, echoing Fryberg and acknowledging the diverse cultures represented in the district.

“Even as you choose a path in life, it is so important to remember your culture as you move forward,” she said.

After the opening remarks, students made their way through a maze of booths where they could stop and talk with employers or recruiters about what they could offer, and what students needed to do to succeed on whichever path they chose.

About 2000 junior and senior high school students from throughout the Marysville School District, and their parents, visited the expo in one of four 90 minute sessions between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The sessions’ limited attendance, allowing students to engage with presenters without the distraction of being crowded. With the ability to move about freely, many presenters brought interactive displays. Chiropractors had skeletal models, engineering firms had working control panels for fire alarm and sprinkler systems, and there was even a vet with a dog and models of canine mandibles.

Some students were looking at colleges and universities, some at vocational schools, and some were more interested in on the job training. Law enforcement, public safety, and military recruiters also added many students to their mailing list for informational packets on entering those fields as well.

“It was a definite success,” said Jeanne Steffner, the Adult Education Financial Aid and Scholarship Specialist for the Tulalip Education Department. “I wish they would do this in other districts. I don’t think students are fully aware of the options open to them. This expo helps them come away with a clear plan for after high school.”

The Tulalip Education Department handed out more than 200 packets to attendees on resources for post-high school education, which is a clear indicator that students wanted to know their options. As more students graduate and move on to higher education or into the workforce, the Marysville School District is closer to success in its mission of 100% graduation, college or career ready.

Opp Expo~14 Opp Expo~14 Opp Expo~14 Opp Expo~14 Opp Expo~14 Opp Expo~14 Opp Expo~14 Opp Expo~14 Opp Expo~14 IMG_3600 IMG_3605 IMG_3606 IMG_3609 IMG_3618 Opp Expo~14 Opp Expo~14 Opp Expo~14 Opp Expo~14 Opp Expo~14

 

Andrew Gobin is a reporter with the See-Yaht-Sub, a publication of the Tulalip Tribes Communications Department.
Email: agobin@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov
Phone: (360) 716.4188

Heritage senior sets his sights high

Alan Enick (Center) Clutching the trophy for the district championship title.
Alan Enick (Center) Clutching the trophy for the district championship title.

By Andrew Gobin, Tulalip News

After four years with the Tulalip Heritage Hawks, Alan Enick will be graduating. He is one of four seniors that the Hawks will lose this year, after an extraordinary season that ended in upset at the State Championships in March of this year. Alan plans to attend either Northwest Indian College or Everett Community College this fall, and intends to transfer to the University of Washington Bothell.

Alan’s parents, Leon and Annie Enick, have always encouraged him to do well in school and pursue education. After a presentation from the University of Washington Bothell, Alan set his sights on a degree in either business or sports medicine.

He is an excellent student, with his principle Shelly Lacy commending his high attendance record. She said he is always at school, and is always working hard. Alan enjoys art class, particularly beading. He finds it to be relaxing. As a student athlete, he has taken advantage of weightlifting classes and P.E. to better his game. Alan’s parents are very supportive, encouraging him to make good choices. Like every teen, he faces peer pressure to try drugs or to drink underage, though he is proud to say he has never done either. He attributes his strength in overcoming peer pressure to discussions with his father about the importance of good life choices.

Recently, Alan attended a lecture that Tulalip Councilwoman Deborah Parker gave about the Violence Against Women Act, and expounded on some of the issues facing tribes today. Inspired to act from this lecture, Alan is also considering pursuing a degree in Tribal Law.

 

Andrew Gobin is a reporter with the See-Yaht-Sub, a publication of the Tulalip Tribes Communications Department.
Email: agobin@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov
Phone: (360) 716.4188

Big winners at Tulalip Bingo night

By Andrew Gobin

An event to just have fun, make a little extra cash, and remember how far the Tulalip Tribes has come, the annual tribal member bingo celebration is always a crowded event. This year marks 13 years since the new bingo hall opened, though it is only the second year that the celebration was held in two separate sessions, so that twice as many people could attend. Both sessions were packed with eager players enjoying free bingo and entering into a drawing for a variety of prizes. Some players even brought lucky bingo daubers and had lined them on the table in front of them, waiting to blot out a win.

Tulalip elder Norma Comenote said, “I’ve never won here, but I come every year. It’s good to visit with everyone, my friends and family, and all my relatives. It’s all about having fun.”

You can’t really go wrong with free bingo, a free raffle, and good company, but some players still had their eyes on the prize.

“I’m just waiting for that $2000 cash raffle win,” said Breland Joseph.

Players could win a Pendelton blanket with a card underneath in the raffle. The card had another prize written on it. Winners chose a blanket with the hopes of scoring the big cash payouts or a big screen TV. Unfortunately for Breland, no sooner had he said he was going to win the $2000 prize, when the next raffle winner swooped it out from under a blanket.

The evening was full of laughter and fun. Bingo Manager Tammy Taylor had the honor of hosting the celebration this year, though she had some pretty big shoes to fill.

“I just want to say I’m honored to be here, but I think we all miss Mel Sheldon. He hosted tribal bingo night every year, and always kept us laughing with his antics at the mic. I invited him again this year but he was unable to attend,” she said.

The Tulalip Bingo Night brings people together to enjoy time with friends and family, sharing a meal and an evening of frivolity.

Tribal Bingo night Tribal Bingo night Tribal Bingo night Tribal Bingo night Tribal Bingo night Tribal Bingo night Tribal Bingo night Tribal Bingo night Tribal Bingo night Tribal Bingo night Tribal Bingo night Tribal Bingo night Tribal Bingo night

 

Andrew Gobin is a reporter with the See-Yaht-Sub, a publication of the Tulalip Tribes Communications Department.
Email: agobin@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov
Phone: (360) 716.4188

Unique talents with original flare

By Andrew Gobin, Tulalip News

The annual Tulalip Quil Ceda Talent Show on Tuesday, April 22, gave students an opportunity to showcase unique talents, imaginative recreations of pop songs, and amazing skills.  The kids put on an exciting show that included singing, dancing, improvisational song and dance, martial arts demonstrations, and instrumental performances. An all-around good time, the show was entertaining.

Each student had five minutes of fame as they performed an act of their choosing. Performances varied, with original pieces of choreographed dance, including daring breakdance moves, hula hooping and more. Each act reflected the personality of the performers through wardrobe and dance choices. At the end of the show, school was over, but performers returned later that night with an audience of peers and parents, running through the set for an evening finale.

Jacob demonstrates a Kung Fu form.
Jacob demonstrates a Kung Fu form. Andrew Gobin/Tulalip News
Guitarist and vocalist Henry gave an excellent performance
Guitarist and vocalist Henry gave an excellent performance. Andrew Gobin/Tulalip News
Jade, Singin
Jade, Singing. Andrew Gobin/Tulalip News
Mateo, singing and dancing in the style of Michael Jackson
Mateo, singing and dancing in the style of Michael Jackson. Andrew Gobin/Tulalip News
A lovely duet by Candace and Macaela
A lovely duet by Candace and Macaela. Andrew GObin/Tulalip News
Jose, Alex, and Coltin breakdancing.
Jose, Alex, and Coltin breakdancing. Andrew Gobin/Tulalip News

TQC Talent Show ~ 14 TQC Talent Show ~ 14

Rhianna, singing a song by pop star, Rhianna
Rhianna, singing a song by pop star, Rhianna. Andrew Gobin/Tulalip News
Kamaya singing Michael Jackson's "I'm Bad"
Kamaya singing Michael Jackson’s “I’m Bad” Andrew Gobin/Tulalip News
Kamaya singing while Selina performs kung fu as a dance.
Kamaya singing while Selina performs kung fu as a dance. Andrew Gobin/Tulalip News
This little singer's name is Emma.
This little singer’s name is Emma. Andrew Gobin/Tulalip News
Keyondra Hula hoop dancing.
Keyondra Hula hoop dancing. Andrew Gobin/Tulalip News
Keyondra Hula hoop dancing.
Keyondra Hula hoop dancing. Andrew Gobin/Tulalip News
Masters of Ceremony Avel, Ivan and Anthony.
Masters of Ceremony Avel, Ivan and Anthony. Andrew Gobin/Tulalip News
Masters of Ceremony Avel, Ivan and Anthony.
Masters of Ceremony Avel, Ivan and Anthony. Andrew Gobin/Tulalip News

 

Andrew Gobin is a reporter with the See-Yaht-Sub, a publication of the Tulalip Tribes Communications Department.
Email: agobin@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov
Phone: (360) 716.4188

New York State Charges Passamaquoddy Fisheries Official With Elvers Poaching

WCSH6/NBC affiliatePassamaquoddy fisheries official charged with fraud while helping Unkechaug Indian Nation implement an eel management plan.
WCSH6/NBC affiliate
Passamaquoddy fisheries official charged with fraud while helping Unkechaug Indian Nation implement an eel management plan.

 

Gale Courey Toensing, ICTMN

The Passamaquoddy Tribe’s battle with the State of Maine over Native fishing rights became an interstate issue recently when New York State authorities lodged multiple felony poaching charges against a Passamaquoddy fisheries official who is helping the Unkechaug Indian Nation implement its eel management plan.

But according to Fred Moore III, the Passamaquoddy Tribe’s Fisheries Committee Coordinator who was charged, the fight for Native fishing rights is soon to become a bigger issue than the battles in Maine and New York.

Moore, his two sons and five other Native men, including citizens of the Unkechaug, Shinnecock, Mohawk and Anishinaabe nations, were charged with possession of American eels in excess of the New York State limit; possession of undersized American eels, and not having a state-issued food fish permit. All three charges are considered felonies because the value of the eels in the group’s possession was more than copy,500. They were also given misdemeanor charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and using an eel trap with a mesh size smaller than the minimum limit allowed, according to Lisa King, spokesperson for the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in an e-mail response to an ICTMN request for comment.

King said the eight men “surrendered themselves” to DEC officers on April 8. She did not respond to questions seeking the state’s position on tribal sovereignty and aboriginal fishing rights. The men are scheduled for arraignment on June 25.

The Passamaquoddy Tribe has been locked in battle with the State of Maine for the past two years over the tribe’s treaty and aboriginal right to fish for elvers, tiny baby American eels also known as glass eels. Citing concerns about the dwindling number of American eels available, the state wants to limit the number of permits the tribe issues. The tribe says every member has an inherent right to fish, but its conservation plan limits the total amount of elvers the tribe can harvest. Ironically, until this year the state limited the number of permits it issued but allowed an unlimited harvest of baby eels. This year under threat from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to shut down the fishery, the state has caught up to the Passamaquoddy’s traditional conservation knowledge and reduced and limited the total allowable catch.

RELATED: Passamaquoddy Tribe Amends Fishery Law to Protect Its Citizens From State Threat

8 Allegedly Anti-Sovereignty Actions Taken by Maine Attorney General’s Office

Mills Kills Passamaquoddy-State Elvers Agreement

Maine Attorney General Under Fire Over Elvers

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Moore, who is working at Unkechaug under tribal authority, told ICTMN that the matter of Native fishing rights is soon to become a central issue for eastern coastal nations. The Penobscot Nation is already embroiled in a federal lawsuit against the State of Maine over hunting and fishing rights. The lawsuit is supported by the Interior Department, which has entered the case as both intervener and plaintiff, and the Passamaquoddy Tribe is thinking about intervening, Moore said. In an interview with ICTMN, Passamaquoddy Chief Clayton Cleaves at the tribe’s Sipayik community, said the council will also consider a separate legal action.

RELATED: Feds Join Penobscot Suit Against State of Maine on Fishing Rights

“What we’re doing here is providing Unkechaug with technical assistance in implementing their eel management plan,” Moore said. “But we’re also here to assist other tribes in formulating a position for a class action suit against the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The ASMFC has an American eel management plan that deals purely with member states and only references Native Americans. We don’t want equal status [with states]—want to be exempt from inadequate management mechanisms which cater to the economic interests of competing jurisdictions. We can’t have any part of it because they‘re completely inconsistent with indigenous culture.”

The ASMFC, created in 1942 by Congress, represents 15 Atlantic coastal states with a stated mission of “promoting and protecting Atlantic coastal fishery resources.” Each state has three representatives on the commission: the director of the state’s marine fisheries management agency, a state legislator, and an individual appointed by the state governor to represent “stakeholder interests,” according to the organization’s website. The United South and Eastern Tribes’ 26 member tribes, whose aboriginal and reservation territories are predominantly along the Atlantic coast, are not represented on the commission.

Moore said he wasn’t fishing on the night of March 28 when the men were ticketed for violations, but that the group had fishing permits issued by Unkechaug. The DEC was alerted to the group’s activities in a creek on Long Island’s east end and waited in the weeds for the tribal members to come back and start emptying their nets of elvers, Moore said.

“They were aware that the Unkechaug had issued permits, but they made a policy statement by charging us and basically treated these folks like they’d just robbed a 7-11 at gunpoint,” Moore said. “And to be branded as poachers is laughable—Passamaquoddy has offered the state assistance in apprehending poachers.”

If DEC authorities hadn’t “pounced” on the group, Moor added, they would have seen the men stock most of the elvers above artificial barriers—which is one of the conservation techniques he is implementing for the Unkechaug.

Unkechaug Chief Harry Wallace called the charges “ridiculous…. It was a multi-tribal project, and the whole idea is to restore the fishery all along the northeast coast,” he said. “If we don’t do it the whole fishery will be destroyed if they [the state] continue their practice.”

The creek is in Unkechaug aboriginal territory, where members exercise aboriginal fishing rights, Wallace said.

New York State allows a massive taking of eels six inches and longer, but prohibits the taking of elvers. The tribe has imposed a moratorium on the taking of adult eels, each of which can spawn tens of millions of elvers, Wallace said.

“Our goal is to restore 50 percent of what we take. We put them above a manmade obstruction so their chances of survival are enhanced,” he said. “This is a Native practice.”

To date, the Nation has successfully stocked more than 10,000 glass eels into Mill Pond and East Mill Pond at the headwaters of the Forge River adjacent to the Unkechaug Indian Reservation near Mastic, New York, said Wallace, adding that the DEC violated its own policy by filing felony fishing charges against Nation members and employees operating under the authority of the Unkechaug Nation American Eel Management and Restoration plan without first consulting the Nation.

“After being advised that Unkechaug eel restoration activities were being conducted under license issued by the Nation, ranking officers and representatives of the DEC acknowledged that they were aware of the license but refused to void the charges,” Wallace said. “Instead, DEC officials made racially disparaging remarks concerning the inherent rights and responsibilities of Native Americans, insisting that the Unkechaug eel fishery is a front for the illegal exportation of glass eels to other states.”

The Nation is contemplating legal action against the state, Wallace said.

On April 17, Chief Clayton Cleaves and Chief Joseph Socobasin of the Passamaquoddy communities at Sipayik and Motahkomikuk, respectively, wrote a letter of “support and commitment” to Wallace.

“Please be assured that your efforts to secure the rights and interests of your people while ensuring the sustainability of the American eel within their natural range will benefit all Native people on the east coast, including others who do not understand the cultural and spiritual relationships we have developed over several millennia of existence within our territories,” they wrote.

The chiefs said they are committed to working with Unkechaug “in defense of the marine environment, its resources and fishing rights of indigenous people.”

 

Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/05/01/new-york-state-charges-passamaquoddy-fisheries-official-elvers-poaching-154683?page=0%2C1

Hibulb adds new events for May

By Brandi N. Montreuil, Tulalip News

hibulb logoTULALIPHibulb Cultural Center is changing up their event series this month. The center, known for its monthly events featuring cultural demonstrations, lectures, traditional storytelling and workshops, has added a children’s reading series, Hibulb Reading Time, and a new film event, “Bring your own family history film night.”

The two new events resulted in creative ideas being exchanged between staff and volunteers earlier this spring. Hibulb Reading Time features Tulalip tribal members, including Tulalip Tribes board member Theresa Sheldon, volunteering to read books that explore Native American themes and identity, followed with a craft based on the story.

“Bring your family history film night,” is a special film event based on local family submissions that honor and capture family history.  The event will be held May 29, in the center’s longhouse, and continues the center’s history of screening films that highlight Coast Salish life and Indian Country issues. Film submissions for this event will be accepted until May 28, and should include a 15-minute video that focuses on your family or family history.

Tulalip elder Sandra Swanson is hosting a quilting class every Sunday throughout the month, featuring her quilting expertise and the basics of quilting. You will need to provide your own fabric for this workshop.

This month also marks the last chance to view the Coast Salish Inheritance: Celebrating Artistic Innovation exhibit featuring art from Tulalip artists. The exhibit will close on May 21.

Events and workshops are included in the Hibulb Cultural Center admission price. Admission is free for Tulalip tribal members. Adults (18 years and over) $10.00, senior (50+ and over) $7.00, students (6-17 years old), military and veterans $7.00, children (5 years and under) free, and families $25.00. The first Thursday of each month is free admission.

For information on Hibulb Cultural Center events and lectures, please visit their website at www.hibulbculturalcenter.org. Please contact, Lena Jones at 360-716-2640 or Mary Jane Topash at 360-716-2657 regarding film submissions for “Bring your family history film night.”

 

Brandi N. Montreuil: 360-913-5402; bmontreuil@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov

 

 

Empowering Tribes to Address Energy Needs and Development Opportunities

U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, April 30, 2014

U.S. SENATE – Today at a U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing Chairman Jon Tester and Vice Chairman John Barrasso called for increased energy development on tribal lands.

The hearing was held to consider ways to improve the ability of Indian tribes to responsibly develop their natural resources, including the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2014 (S. 2132).  This bill is intended to remove the burdensome and lengthy approval processes that currently cause potential development partners to look elsewhere for energy projects.

In 2005, Congress enacted legislation to allow tribes to develop their energy resources without the Secretary of the Interior’s approval of individual projects, provided the tribe had an approved Tribal Energy Resource Agreement (TERA).

“Sadly, however, the Energy Policy Act has not been successful,” said Kevin Washburn, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior.   Washburn added that since promulgation of the Department’s TERA regulations in 2008, the Department has not received a single TERA application.

Tester, who is working to revive the recently expired Indian Coal Production tax credit said, “Energy development has the potential to provide stable economic environments for tribes, their members and surrounding communities.   There is no entity better qualified to oversee and manage tribal resources than the tribes themselves.  We need to simplify and expedite the TERA process, but also further promote the development of alternative energy sources such as solar, biomass and hydroelectric projects.”

Barrasso said, “Energy development on tribal lands is critical for economic growth and job creation in Indian Country. By streamlining the approval process, this bill will give folks in Indian Country the tools they need to spur economic growth and create good paying jobs in their communities.”

James M. “Mike” Olguin, Acting Chairman of the Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council, said, “The tragic consequence of no approved TERAs and a continued reliance upon federal supervision has been the incredible lost opportunities to develop Indian energy resources during the period between 2005 and today.”

Michael O. Finley, Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, said, “Potential partners and development capital sit on the sidelines because it takes years to get anything approved by the Department of the Interior.  Indian Country needs an institutionalized answer to the ongoing challenge of burdensome bureaucratic processes and delay of tribal energy leasing and permitting.”