Since time immemorial the Indigenous Peoples of America have been the protectors of this planet. The recent events in North Dakota has shown the entire world the deep connection Native Americans share with Mother Earth to this day. With all the recent attention focused on water, Tulalip’s Hibulb Cultural Center hosted an event during the first weekend of December, to talk about the importance of another precious resource, plants.
Hibulb’s Rediscovery Program held the special holiday event, The Gift of Conifers, exclusively for Tulalip tribal members. The theme was inspired by the holiday season, particularly the Christmas tree. Staying true to the Christmas Spirt, the Rediscovery Program presented the opportunity for their event attendees to make gifts, such as tea mixtures, while simultaneously learning about the benefits different plants and herbs have to offer.
Guest Speaker, Valarie Segrest, is known state-wide for her work with the Northwest Indian College and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe on traditional foods. Segrest made the comparison between Native communities and trees, expressing that the environment is key for growth. She states, “If you look at the seed of a tree and an elder, you will see they have the same amount of life. In order for a seed to send down a root it has to choose at the moment that it is going to stay in one place and not roam around anymore and commit to living right there, in that same spot. That transition is necessary; the individual has to take a chance in order to thrive.” Segrest then spoke of the connection between Natives and plants. “The ability to learn that process, how to grow, use those medicines, and how to live in this environment among other nations of tree people, is really beautiful.”
Aside from traditional teachings and gift making, the Rediscovery Program also featured storytelling from several traditional teachers including Roger Fernandez, Tammy Cooper-Woodrich, and Kelly Moses. Contributing to the event’s tree theme, Kelly explained the story of Fall and why the leaves shed from trees during this time of year.
The Gift of Conifers attracted many community members, from different generations, that shared stories and good times while learning essential lessons on the growing, harvesting, and medicinal purposes of plants from the Northwest region that Coast Salish Ancestors depended on for centuries.
As of January 12th, the Tribal Community and general public can visit the Tulalip Tribal Court website, a chat-box will appear and you will be able to ask questions such as:
Are you interested in being a skipper for the 2017 Tribal Canoe Journey? If so, please contact Robert Watson at 360-716-4194. A decision will be made soon so that our skippers can attend the skipper meetings in early January.
The 2017 Tribal Canoe Journey will be hosted by Wei Wai Kum (Campbell River BC). Our canoes will be landing on their shores on August 7th.
Tulalip Tribal members, are you interested in placing a bid to be the Contractor for the 2017 Tulalip War Canoe Races? If so, you must attend the mandatory pre-bid meeting, to be considered. The meeting takes place at the Tulalip Tribal Government Administration building, located at 6406 Marine Drive, in Tulalip. The meeting will take place in room #162 on January 18th, at 10:00 am. The meeting should last no longer than 60 minutes. This meeting is for the Events Department to give information regarding the details of the bid. All that you need to bring with you is paper and a pencil to take notes.
The Court will be closed on Fri., Dec. 23rd so that the Court staff can attend the Tribal Employee Christmas party. The Court will remain open from 8:00 a.m. to Noon on the following days 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th. The Court will re-open for normal business hours on Tues., January 3, 2017.
Also, Warrant Quashes will be done the day prior on Thurs., Dec. 22nd from 10 to 11:00 a.m. instead of Friday.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Tribal Court Team!
The Tulalip Tribes values the health of its citizens and strives to educate all members about disease prevention. Recently, there have been some questions and concerns regarding Mumps and the vaccine that safeguards against the disease.
Mumps cases, although rare, are reported each year in the State of Washington. In 2014, 9 cases were reported. Last year recorded just 7 cases. To date, this year has only 3 official cases of Mumps. By comparison, in 1980 there were 166 cases and 1985 there were 165, so the numbers have dramatically dropped.
Who should get vaccinated?
Generally, anyone 18 to 60 years of age should get at least one dose of mumps-containing vaccine; however, most people received MMR vaccine as children as it is a school requirement. Anyone who can show that they have been vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), or that they have had these diseases in the past, do not need MMR vaccine.
That said, some people should either not get MMR vaccine or should wait.
Anyone who has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to the antibiotic neomycin, or any other component of MMR vaccine, should not get the vaccine. Tell your doctor if you have any severe allergies.
Anyone who had a life-threatening allergic reaction to a previous dose of MMR or MMRV vaccine should not get another dose.
Some people who are sick at the time the shot is scheduled may be advised to wait until they recover before getting MMR vaccine.
Pregnant women should not get MMR vaccine. Pregnant women who need the vaccine should wait until after giving birth. Women should then avoid getting pregnant for 4 weeks after vaccination with MMR vaccine.
What are the side effects of the vaccine?
A vaccine, like any medicine, is capable of causing serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. However, the risk of MMR vaccine causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small. Certainly, getting MMR vaccine is much safer than getting measles, mumps or rubella.
Most people who get MMR vaccine do not have any serious problems with it, but here is the official list of possible adverse effects:
Mild problems
Fever (up to 1 person out of 6)
Mild rash (about 1 person out of 20)
Swelling of glands in the cheeks or neck (about 1 person out of 75)
If these problems occur, it is usually within 6-14 days after the shot. They occur less often after the second dose.
Moderate problems
Seizure (jerking or staring) caused by fever (about 1 out of 3,000 doses)
Temporary pain and stiffness in the joints, mostly in teenage or adult women (up to 1 out of 4)
Temporary low platelet count, which can cause a bleeding disorder (about 1 out of 30,000 doses)
Severe problems (very rare)
Serious allergic reaction (less than 1 out of a 1,000,000 doses)
Several other severe problems have been reported after a child gets MMR vaccine, including:
Deafness
Long-term seizures, coma, or lowered consciousness
Permanent brain damage
Frankly, these are so rare that it is hard to tell whether the vaccine causes them.
Globalization has exposed many cultures to diseases they would not otherwise be exposed to. Many of the diseases such as syphilis, smallpox, measles, mumps, and bubonic plague were of European origin; Native Americans at the time exhibited little immunity, and the traditional indigenous medical treatments such as sweatlodges unwittingly worsened smallpox mortality rates. Over time, immune responses increased and knowledge of effective treatments and care to the “new” disease were developed, and mortality rates improved.
Life is full of risks; healthy choices and wisdom of our elders should guide our way. Vaccines have and will continue to save countless lives. As we uncover new diseases, we, as a global people, can more effectively address treatments and cures much better then if everyone was isolated. Sometimes, quarantine is the only option to halt progression of a disease, but most often, standard precautions like frequent hand washing and covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough keep us healthy.
Human trafficking ranks as the second largest criminal industry in the world today. It has become an ever increasing global problem and only continues to worsen. The International Labor Organization 2012 report estimates there are 21 million victims of human trafficking. Of that number, 4.5 million are children and women exploited by the global commercial sex trade. Most Americans view the sex trade as more of an international issue and aren’t aware of its prevalence within U.S. borders. In fact, thousands of American women and children are trafficked in the U.S. commercial sex industry.
Washington’s international border with Canada, its many ports, rural areas and agricultural make the state prone to human trafficking. In 2003, Washington became the first state in the nation to enact legislation making human trafficking a crime. Seattle police and the U.S. Department of Justice see a trend of victims and pimps being sourced out of the state along the west coast track from Vancouver, B.C. to Seattle to Los Angeles. The Seattle area including Snohomish County has seen an increase in illegal internet activity (e.g. prostitution) as a result of human trafficking along the I-5 corridor.
Snohomish County has been a major part of several sex trafficking stings led by law enforcement agencies over recent months. Most recently, in September 2016, ten men were arrested in Operation Anvil and charged in Snohomish County for crimes including commercial sexual abuse of a minor, rape of a child, and attempted rape of a child. Operation Anvil garnered national media attention and was an eye-opening moment for viewers of any local news shows. There was a similar sting operation in February 2016 where six men were arrested and charged for similar crimes.
The award-winning documentary, ‘The Long Night’ is raising sex trafficking awareness in the northwest. Tulalip Girls’ Group coordinator Sasha Smith, Chairman Mel Sheldon, and Tulalip News staff were among those invited to a special screening.
Further emphasis on the need for sex trafficking awareness in Snohomish County has rose from special screenings of the award-winning documentary, The Long Night, within the past month. Set in Seattle, The Long Night explores the crisis of minors who are coerced into the American sex trade. The film, by Tim Matsui, weaves the stories of seven individuals whose lives have been affected.
On Thursday, November 17, the League of Women Voters of Snohomish County arranged a screening of The Long Night at an Edmonds church. Tulalip Girls’ Group coordinator Sasha Smith, Chairman Mel Sheldon, and Tulalip News staff were among those invited.
Following the screening, Sheriff’s Department detective Joan Gwordske reviewed sex trafficking problems in Snohomish County and urged all community members to help raise awareness on sex trafficking in order to help prevent future incidents.
“Anybody in here have teenage daughters or granddaughters that go to high school in this area? What school?” Detective Gwordske posed this question to the audience. Hands went up and crowd members responded with several local high schools. “I have [sex trafficking] cases with girls in every single one of those schools and probably every other one that you can think of in Snohomish County,” she said.
Long-time community member and former Northwest Indian College (NWIC) professor, Karen Shoaf-Mitchell has made it a personal mission of hers to help raise awareness on sex trafficking.
“As former public school teacher of forty years, I realize how vulnerable teens can be. In June of 2014, the Washington State legislature mandated that all school districts have information about this crime on hand for its counselors, school nurses, health classes, PTAs, etc. Yet, it was an unfunded mandate, so I decided that I should do something,” explains Karen. “Therefore, I’ve given an informative presentation on sex trafficking to the Everett Public Library, to a World Problems class at Cascade High School in Everett, several times to the sovereignty class located at NWIC Tulalip, and now to the Tulalip Girls’ Group.”
Karen credits Tulalip for openly discussing subjects like abuse and exploitation in the tribal newspaper. She also points to former Board of Director Deborah Parker, who has spoken publicly about how she was taken advantage of, as another example of the Tulalip Tribes motivation to protect the most vulnerable, our children.
“[Sex trafficking] is a crime that is perpetrated upon the vulnerable and that outrages me,” continues Karen. “I presented to the Tulalip Girls’ Group a documentary about sex trafficking that shares stories from trafficking victims. Upon viewing the film, the girls had shocked and worried expressions on their faces. I shared that they could be vulnerable or their friends could be vulnerable to this manipulation by others. I also gave the girls cards from Dawson Place in Everett to put in their wallets with a phone number on it from D.P. to call if they ever needed help.”
“The girls and I were surprised that it is happening in our backyard,” says Girls’ Group coordinator Sasha Smith of their reaction to the sex trafficking presentation. “I had no idea that it was happening so close to home, thought it was something you only see in the movies. It was a good wake up call for myself and the members of Tulalip Girls’ Group.”
Sex trafficking is a very real problem in Snohomish County and our local communities. For better awareness and understanding of the issue please visit www.SharedHope.org for more information.
