Author Archives: Kim Kalliber

Native American community quilt show comes to Tulalip

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By Cullen Salinas-Zackuse, Tulalip News; photos courtesy of Colette Keith, NWIC Tulalip Site manager

On February 11-13 Northwest Indian College Tulalip campus is hosting a quilt show called Humble Stitches, Generous Quilts from Indian Country. It will be held at the Tulalip admin building from 9am – 4pm and will feature quilting styles from five tribal regions, including Northeast, South East, Southwest, Northwest, and Plains. There will be over 30 unique quilts on display with noticeable traits to their respectable region of influence. Whether it is Coast Salish design with trigons, crescents, and circles, a plains lone star quilt, a Northeastern woodland ribbon flower design, a Southwest Hopi pinwheel, or a Seminole patchwork style, all were beautifully crafted with a labor of love. 

Traditionally, quilts in all regions are to be gifted to loved ones or someone you want to honor. A symbolism of generosity and respect that can be gifted during ceremonies and gatherings. Tulalip has a long history of crafting and sharing during community gatherings. In 1950, at what people in the local area called the thrift shop at the bottom basement of an old gathering community hall is where a lot of the traditions of quilting were passed down. The tradition is being carried on at NWIC Tulalip campus where students and community members gather together and craft quilts that will soon be displayed for everyone to marvel at the workmanship.

Colette Keith, NWIC Tulalip Site manager, explains how the quilt show came to be. “When we received a grant [for the quilting class] from the Stillaguamish Tribe, we then attended the Everett Quilt Show two springs ago. I said, ‘Why don’t we have our own show?’ So, I asked the staff and students and they were excited about the idea. ”

The Tulalip Tribes contributed to the showcase by donating a quilting machine, space for the quilt show to be held, and informative catalogues for attendees. With the generous donations and hard work put in to make this vision come to reality, the anticipation level for the quilting showcase is rising. 

“This is big! There has not been a show even close to one like this since the University of New Mexico did one 20 years ago. And they are a large university, we are one small humble, but extremely talented and resourceful, satellite campus. As we get closer to the Feb 11th show date, people are starting to realize just what a significant deal this is,” Colette exclaimed.

Anyone in the community can submit their own quilting work to the show. It must be submitted to the Tulalip NWIC site by January 31. There will also be a free quilt raffle and free admission to the general public.

Making beaded earrings with Stephanie Jones and Chelsea Martinez

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By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

Strands upon strands of vibrant beads covered two entire tables in a classroom at the Hibulb Cultural Center (HCC). Choosing from the many hues of yellow, blue and red, seven local ladies sat down for a fun, cultural experience together on January 18. Picking up their needle and thread, some ladies exchanged stories and laughter while they worked, and others seized the opportunity for some alone time as they zoned in on their project at hand, designing and crafting medallion earrings.  

Tulalip tribal member Stephanie Jones, along with step-mother Chelsea Martinez, returned to the cultural center to host their third beaded earrings class, as part of the HCC’s Culture Series.

“I’ve been beading these types of earrings for about three years now, but I’ve been beading ever since I was 8 or 9,” said Stephanie. “Originally I started beading key chains and feathers, but I saw these earrings being sold by other artists and just started learning by asking other artists. And YouTube has helped me a lot. And honestly, just practicing with my stepmom, Chelsea, we’re helping each out other along the way.”

The relationship between Indigenous people and beadwork dates back generations prior to colonial times when our ancestors crafted beads from bone and stone. Beads were worn as a status symbol of wealth with beaded items featured on traditional regalia, jewelry and artwork. As the years progressed, so have many of the stitching designs. Due to the introduction of glass, metal, crystal and various beads through trade, the colorway and pattern possibilities for Native beadwork are infinite. Today, many Natives coordinate their beaded jewelry with their outfit of the day, matching their colors and patterns to those on their fabrics.

“I did a class here at the Hibulb about a year ago and learned how to make a beaded bracelet,” said class participant and local resident, Susan Stachowiak. “I thought I’d come down today and try my hand at earrings too. It was a wonderful learning experience, trying new techniques and my earrings turned out pretty cool. Keeping the culture alive is primo, I come to as many events at the Hibulb as I can to help support and soak in the knowledge, even as a non-tribal member.”

Three-and-a-half-hours passed by quickly and by the end of the class, most ladies completed one half of a pair of earrings, and then packed the rest of their materials up to finish their projects at home.

“It makes me feel good to pass this on and teach other people,” expressed Stephanie. “Personally, it helps me get in touch with my spirit. It’s medicine, putting a piece of myself into my work. You give away that work to other people, and by doing so, you give that piece of yourself to other people. I think putting yourself out into the world through your art is important.”

For more information about upcoming culture series workshops, please follow the Hibulb Cultural Center on Facebook. And for any beading inquires, feel free to reach out to Stephanie Jones, preferably through Facebook.

Hawks come up short in back and forth game vs. Blackhawks

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By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Riding a 5-game winning streak, the (7-2) Heritage Hawks hosted the (11-2) Lummi Blackhawks at Francy J. Sheldon gymnasium on the evening of January 17th. A large contingent of both teams’ fans turned out to watch the matchup of tribal heavyweights play out on the hardwood. 

The Hawks found themselves facing an early deficit, 0-7, after failing to score a single point midway through the opening quarter. However, the tide turned dramatically after senior guard Josh Miranda hit back-to-back 3-pointers to spark a 12-3 run by Tulalip and take the lead, 12-10.

The stands filled with energetic supporters cheered the loudest they have all season when the 2nd quarter began and their Hawks extended their lead to 14-10. After a series of plays in which Heritage players thought they were fouled, but the refs didn’t blow the whistle, the frustration boiled over when senior point guard Leno Velo got T’d up arguing a non-call. Now trailing, 16-19, Lummi sharpshooters caught fire and found success shooting 3-pointers against the Hawks’ zone defense.

By the end of the 3rd quarter, Tulalip struggles to keep up with the offensive pace of Lummi and lack of foul calls led to a 27-40 deficit. In the 4th quarter, Coach Bubba kept with his starters and urged them to keep playing their game. They responded by shocking Lummi with a 23-13 run in the final quarter. Led by Leno, Josh and Isaac Comenote all hitting 3-pointers and shots from the perimeter, while Alonzo Jones nabbed rebounds and steals, the boys fought back and got within one possession, 50-53, with under a minute to play. 

  An Isaac 3-point attempt with 20-seconds remaining rimmed just short. The bucket would have tied the game, but instead capped off a near stellar comeback by the Hawks. Lummi would hit their free-throws in the closing moments to seal the game. On an evening of back and forth runs, Tulalip’s late game surge nearly overcame a big deficit. With the 50-56 loss came an end to the Hawks’ season best winning streak.

Josh Miranda led his team in scoring with 21 points, while Alonzo double-doubled with 10 points and 15 rebounds.

“I liked our team’s hustle tonight, for sure,” reflected Coach Bubba following the game. “We played really hard and felt the game out possession by possession. We mixed up our defense throughout to give Lummi different looks. At halftime we were down by 13 points, but in the locker room we were focused on playing our game and urged the boys to push the ball for quick shots. In the last five-minutes, the boys got loose and let their shots go naturally and that’s when the game turned in our favor. Another minute or two and we could have won that game.”

The Hawks play two home games this week – January 22nd vs Lopez and January 25th vs Chief Kitsap Academy. Senior night is scheduled for Tuesday, January 28th vs Cedar Park Christian.

Lady Hawks fall to Lummi, 32-41

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By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

In a battle between the Northwest 1B’s top two teams, record-wise, the Tulalip Heritage Lady Hawks hosted the Lummi Nation Blackhawks on January 17th. Heritage entered the game winning three of their last four games and looking to avenge their nail-biting 43-45 loss to Lummi earlier this season.

The 1st quarter was a struggle to score points for the home team, as rising star Jacynta Myles was forced to sit out the opening eight-minutes. Without her domineering presence holding down the painted area, the girls had difficulty executed their offense. Sophomore forward Shalana McLean scored on a running floater to give her team their first points nearly five-minutes into the game. A few plays later, Krislyn Parks muscled in a layup to give the Lady Hawks their second score. 

Heritage trailed 4-10 entering the 2nd quarter, and received a boost when Jacynta checked into the game. She immediately made an impact by scoring in the post and grabbing one rebound after another against the much smaller Lummi players. However, Lummi did a good job of adjusting their game plan and focused on perimeter shooting. 

The Lady Hawks trailed by double digits for most of the 2nd half until going on a late surge in the 4th quarter. An 8-2 scoring edge in the game’s final minutes cut their deficit to 29-36, but the girls couldn’t build upon that spark. Critical turnovers stopped their momentum and the Lady Hawks fell to Lummi, 32-41. 

Krislyn led her team with 14 points, while Jacynta finished with 12 points, 19 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots.

“It was a difficult week with all the school closures and delays because of the snowy weather. Because of that we only practiced once all week,’ said Krislyn postgame. “We need to get back to practicing our passes because in this game especially we turned the ball over a lot on bad passes. We did have moments where we played really well together, but will focus on our chemistry and cutting down the turnovers.

“Our defense has really gotten better and showed in this game. We held Lummi scoreless for stretches and considering both our match ups were really close, we feel like we can beat them if we play again.”

The Lady Hawks play a home game January 25th vs Chief Kitsap Academy. Senior night is scheduled for Tuesday, January 28th vs Cedar Park Christian.

Help prevent stalking and human trafficking

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By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

On the evening of December 23, Tulalip community member and Muckleshoot tribal member, Brittany Nelson-Jones, urgently sent out a message to her friends and family via her Facebook account.

“TULALIP-MARYSVILLE FAMILY/FRIENDS: You always read these things and never expect it to happen to you,” her post read. “I was last minute shopping for my family for Christmas. I went to Ross in Marysville then the Tulalip Walmart right after. Some guy was legit following my sister, my daughter and I in each store and it made me super uncomfortable. He had one item and was standing too close to us at Ross, he even held onto our cart and was trying to ask questions about my daughter. And then he was following us around Walmart. He was looking for us when we were checking out. Very scary! All I know is I wasn’t letting my baby go and I was just trying to hurry up and get us home safe. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE BE CAREFUL AND ALWAYS STAY ALERT!”

Within minutes the social media warning was shared over a dozen times and several people added comments, recounting similar experiences at businesses throughout the area, while others suggested contacting the authorities or investing in pepper spray. 

“My sister is 16, my daughter was 7 months at the time of this incident and I’m 25,” explained Brittany. “Ross’ carts have these long blue poles on the side, he grabbed that pole and he started asking about my daughter. I was uncomfortable and my sister was too, we got a weird vibe like something wasn’t right. So we hurried out of Ross as fast as we could. That’s when things got very sketchy. 

“We got to Walmart and he followed us there too. That same guy, watching us. As we were in line paying, I saw him towards the front of the store lurking down every cashier aisle looking for us. I alerted my sister to keep her eyes open. He noticed that I caught him looking for us and tried to play it off. He then just stared at us from behind. After we paid for our stuff, we walked as fast as we could to my car and got out of there. That situation was very scary. When I warned everyone and told my family they asked why I didn’t tell an employee at Ross or Walmart. But when you’re in the moment, you don’t think about that, you don’t think of anything but your safety.”

Thankfully, due to their attentiveness, the young ladies returned home safely that night. Too many times communities nationwide dismiss these instances as coincidence or pay little mind to accounts like Brittany’s. That is, until it’s too late and someone turns up missing. For the betterment of the Indigenous community as a whole, it’s important that we learn exactly what to do in those terrifying moments because, quite simply put, Native Americans are being targeted. 

The results of a study conducted by the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) indicated that approximately 40% of women forced into sex trafficking identified as Native American. Another shocking statistic is that 48.8% of all Indigenous women experienced some form of stalking in their lifetime, per the National Institute of Justice.

The Tulalip Legacy of Healing and Child Advocacy Center are taking part in a national campaign to raise awareness for the countless victims and survivors by educating the community with prevention methods. They are teaching people how to recognize key indicators one might display if they are currently being trafficked or stalked.

“January is the month where we focus our efforts on educating our people about the real dangers of stalking and human trafficking,” said Sydney Gilbert, Forensic Interview Specialist at the Tulalip Child Advocacy Center. “We often unintentionally minimize it by saying things like, ‘I Facebook stalked you.’ Which can be harmless if you have consensual social media friends, not fully understanding that it is a very dangerous and chargeable offense and crime.

“Human Trafficking Prevention Month is more aligned with bringing awareness to the prevalence of the issue because a lot of times when we think of human trafficking, we think of international sex rings,” Sydney continued. “There are all kinds of human trafficking, it’s not just sex work, sometimes it’s labor trafficking as well. Human trafficking prevention means equipping people with skills on how to recognize someone who is already a victim of human trafficking and how you can report that and help them get out of the life. We want to raise awareness on the red flags to look for if you think someone is being victimized and how to make a report.”

It’s important to note that in certain instances, stalking can lead to human trafficking, but that is not always the case. Sydney explained that stalking is often an extension of domestic violence and usually occurs between estranged partners. A stalker will use extreme measures while trying to stir-up a reaction, such as sending multiple threatening calls, texts, direct messages and e-mails, as well as tracking your movements by means of your cell phone’s GPS or driving by your place of work or residence. Sydney advises to never come into contact with a stalker or respond to their requests because it can lead to a more hostile situation. 

“If you feel like you’re being stalked, the first thing I would suggest is to contact the law enforcement and let them know, because it can turn dangerous fast,” Sydney stated. “Also, document everything. Save all the text messages, phone calls, incidents when that person is somewhere they shouldn’t be. If you are in a public space and feel like someone is suspicious and you’re worried about your child or yourself, notify security to make sure you get to your vehicle safe. And as much as you want to be there to protect your kid 24/7, the best thing you can do is empower them to use their voice when they’re not right by your side. Let them know they don’t have to go anywhere with a stranger and to yell out something like, ‘get away from me, you’re not my mom or my dad’.”

With the proximity to Interstate 5, one of the largest trafficking corridors in the country that extends from Canada to Mexico, the locals of Tulalip and Marysville should stay on alert when out and about. Studies show that traffickers prey on tribal populations due to certain jurisdictional complexities that often prevents them from prosecution. 

“We know that vulnerable communities tend to be targets of human trafficking or stalking,” expressed Sydney. “Human trafficking uses force, fraud or coercion to get someone roped in. If you feel someone is forcing you or someone you know to do something you don’t want to do, or is saying, ‘if you come with me and do this, I’ll give you a place to stay tonight so you’re not outside” – report it. It’s similar to reporting child abuse; you don’t have to have hard evidence to make a report. That’s someone else’s job, they’ll look into it. You just have to provide as much detailed information as possible.

 “Other signs to look out for would be if they’re not able to come and go as they please, and if they show any physical signs, including scarring, branding or certain tattoos. 

“And as it relates to MMIW, with the low reportings that we have, it is more likely that Native women have a proportionately larger amount of victims than other communities.”

The Legacy of Healing urges you to report any immediate human trafficking suspicions to the local authorities as well as to the National Human Trafficking hotline at 1-888-373-7888. For further details and guidance on these particular issues, please contact the Legacy of Healing at (360) 716-4100. 

“I really hope my story helps someone and alerts everyone to always pay attention to your surroundings,” Brittany said. “It’s scary how people around our area are stalking and contributing to trafficking. I truly hope our people will keep their eyes open and always stay cautious.”

Marilyn D. Mclean (1955 – 2020)

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Marilyn Diane Mclean Marilyn Diane McLean, 64 of Tulalip, WA passed away on January 14, 2020. She was born, March 29, 1955 in Everett, Washington to Daniel McLean Sr and Nora McLean. She loved gardening; cooking for people, giving to the food bank and gambling. Her cats were her kids. She worked as dealer at the Tulalip Casino and she worked on the fish processing boats in Alaska. She is preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Daniel McLean Jr., William McLean Sr., Wilfred McLean; and sister, Louise McLean. She is survived by her brother, Milton McLean; sister, Eleanor McLean; sister-in-law, Jeannie McLean; nieces nephews and other relatives. An interfaith service will be held at Thursday, January 23, 2020 at 6:00 pm at Schaefer-Shipman Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held Friday at 10:00 am at St. Anne’s Catholic Church with burial to follow at Mission Beach Cemetery.

Kathryn Gogo (1987 – 2020)

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Kathryn A. Gogo Kathryn A. Gogo, 33, of Marysville, Washington passed away peacefully on January 8, 2020 at Providence Hospital in Everett, Washington. Born April 16, 1987 in San Jose, California to Sau S. Gogo and Anny Gogo. Kathryn is survived by her parents; her children, Rudolfo, J’Aliyah, Lucciano and Queeniyah with Rudolfo Flores Jr, of Tulalip, Washington. She was preceded in death by their eldest son, Damian Flores. Visitation will be held Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at 1:00 pm at Schaefer-Shipman Funeral Home with an evening service to follow at 6:00 pm at the Tulalip Gym. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 10:00 am at the Tulalip Gym with burial to follow at Mission Beach Cemetery.

Bringing home a championship

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Submitted by JP Miranda, B&GC Athletic Director

 On January 11, 2020 the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club hosted a tournament at Seattle University. This tournament was for 5th and 6th grade boys and girls. The Muckleshoot tribe and Lummi were also in attendance.

All throughout the (2) Tulalip teams played tough, showed lots of heart, and were determined to make it to the championship game. In the 5th and 6th grade boys championship game, we saw Lummi route Muckleshoot to take the boys trophy, and in the 5th and 6th grade girls championship game the Tulalip girls beat a very talented Muckleshoot team by 1-point, 12-11.

The Tulalip girls’ team consisted of Monet Clemens, Hayleigh Enick, Annie Martinez and Saylah and Salma Lopez. The event at Seattle University was also a great success because of the Assistant Athletic Director Joe Knight and all of the student athletes that helped. I would also like to thank all parents that made the trip to support their respective Tribes and families.