Category: Arts & Entertainment

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

The final landing for the 2025 Canoe Journey is set for July 31, with the weeklong protocol taking place at Elwha during the first week of August. The Tulalip Canoe family will join the journey mid-July and are determined to be ready for weeks of pulling, dancing, singing and fully immersing in the traditions of the Coast Salish tribes.  The culture-sharing event has been going strong since its revival in 1989 and is popular amongst the youth of multiple tribes, helping them find a solid sense of identity by exposing them to their ancestral teachings. 

Participation for the first week of Canoe Journey preparation was at an all-time high with upwards of 80 people showing up for Culture Night and Canoe Practice. Led by the Tulalip Rediscovery program, these two weekly events will be held throughout the next few months to ensure that this year’s Canoe Journey participants are well equipped to not only hit the water, but can also offer songs, dances, and gifts to the numerous tribes they will be visiting en route to Lower Elwha this summer and represent Tulalip in a good way.

Culture Night

There was a buzz in the air at the Tulalip Gathering Hall on the evening of April 15, as the people caught up with their friends and family over dinner before the night’s festivities began. After 30 minutes of laughter, conversation, and the little ones chasing each other about the hall, Natsha Fryberg and Taylor Henry of the Rediscovery Program opened the event with a few words and instruction for the first Culture Night gathering of the year. 

The people were excited to get their craft on and start creating their regalia for this year’s Canoe Journey. Participants perused a number of tribal designs that included salmon, canoes, killer whales, and thunderbirds in traditional formline. With their design of choice in hand, each person received a pencil and tracing paper and began outlining their design onto the paper. 

Once that task was complete, they picked out what color they wanted their design to be, between red, black, white, and gray and were handed fabric to iron their design on to. And finally, they were given X-ACTO knives and scissors to cut out their design, which will eventually be transferred on to either a shawl or vest. 

While the adults and teens worked on their regalia, the kiddos joined Lushootseed instructor, Natosha Gobin for a language lesson. Keeping true to the Canoe Journey theme, Natosha taught the young ones the words for each section of the canoe. After practicing the words together, colored pencil sets were placed on the table and the kids got to design their very own canoes. While some chose their favorite vibrant and bright colors to spruce up their cedar canoes, many children chose to go with the classic black and red colors that adorn the Tulalip Family canoes, Little Sister, Big Sister, and Big Brother. 

“We have a lot of different things planned for Culture Night,” shared Natasha Fryberg. “We will be sending out a schedule as to what we’re going to be doing. Each week we will be working with language and we will alternate between regalia making and then giveaway items for our journey to Elwha. I think that during those weeks we will sing and dance as well. I want to welcome everybody here. I hope even more of our community turns out and participates. This year, I really want it to be a thing where they are involved from the very beginning, and we continue on with a large canoe family.”

The Rediscovery Program will continue with Culture Nights on Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m. as the Paddle to Elwha approaches, so be sure to drop by if you are planning on joining the Paddle to Elwha.

Canoe Practice

After a long winter, the people of Tulalip were eager to get back on the canoe and reconnect to the Salish Sea. It was the perfect weather for the first Canoe Practice of the season on the afternoon of April 16. With clear skies, bright sunshine, and minimal wind, the participants were all smiles as they ran a few laps around the marina prior to breaking out their paddles. 

The excitement grew as everyone jumped into the water to help unload Big Brother, the Canoe Family’s large cedar strip, from a trailer and welcome its spirit back to Tulalip Bay. Once Big Brother was on the water, the first crew boarded the canoe one by one, and put on lifejackets before striking the water in unison with their paddles and launching out into the Bay. 

The course was set for Hermosa and back. While the pullers made their way through the local waters, they were met with a pleasant surprise. The mist spouting from two gray whales in the vicinity could be seen from the docks of the marina, but Canoe Practice participants got an up close and personal look at the large mammals, enhancing the cultural experience and connection for everyone on the canoe. 

As the first crew arrived back at the marina, they couldn’t wait to share the tale of the two whales with the other participants. Luckily, the whales decided to hang out in the bay a little while longer, and the second crew also got to witness the whales along their excursion as well. 

“This is my third year pulling, so going back out on the water was pretty nice, got to feel the sacred connection again,” expressed Tribal youth, Maleia Kickingwoman. “The water was a little rough at the beginning but once we got towards Hermosa it got more calmer, and we got to cruise a bit. We saw two whales. It was pretty fun. We had some laughs and funny jokes out on the water.”

When asked if she would be attending this year’s Canoe Journey, Maleia enthusiastically replied, “Yes, I am! And I am excited about meeting new friends at Canoe Journey this year.”

To help build endurance for Canoe Journey, Canoe Practice is set for every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., beginning with a run/walk before heading out on the water.

Said Tulalip Skipper, Natasha Fryberg, “Today was exciting. I think that the first practice can be nerve-wracking for people and many feel uneasy. We had some new participants, and they enjoyed being out there. And today was really just about talking to them and teaching them through the expectations and how to properly do things, so it’s all just a good teaching experience. Not only does it teach our community how to properly pull, but we always think about safety first and building the strength and endurance to go on these journeys, from one destination to the other. I’m excited for this year, it’s a blessing. There were whales out there and it was a beautiful day, and we had a great turnout.”

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Run amuck. An idiom meaning to behave in an unrestrained manner. Perhaps, there’s no more heartwarming goal than that of a youth’s desire to run amuck. To be free from restraints and restrictions, free from limits and boundaries. Alas, that may not be the best route for success in the real world. But, and it’s a big BUT, a youth’s inner artist running amuck may be the best route for success at the Tulalip Tribes annual Art Festival. 

The 2025 rendition of Tulalip’s art extravaganza marked 45 years of showcasing the free-flowing imaginations let loose via various mediums by tribal students of the Marysville School District. Held on the evening of April 17, hundreds of friends, families and community educators wandered through the makeshift gala that was the Don Hatch Youth Center.

“Our annual Art Festival is an opportunity for each Native student within the District to express themselves in a unique and creative way,” explained Deyamonta Diaz, positive youth development lead advocate. “All the work that goes on behind the scenes to make this event possible, it’s like an all-hands-on-deck effort, is so worth it for our community to witness the pride and joy every student puts into their art. 

“Each year our expectations are surpassed because we receive hundreds and hundreds of submissions. For me, I look forward to seeing what new ways our kids find to express their Native culture or even developing their own way to retell a traditional story. There’s always something new and eye-catching that they come up with.”

For more than four decades now, Tulalip has dedicated an evening to empowering emerging creatives to let their inner artist run amuck. They are rewarded not just by having their completed works displayed for all to see, but the most heartwarming and eye-catching efforts are awarded 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place ribbons. Plus, all the bragging rights.

Such was the case with 1^st grader Penelope Joseph. She radiated pure joy while leading Festival attendees to her four ribbon winning submissions. Her favorite creation was her supersized rainbow that depicted the majesty of sunray reflections following rainfall. “I like rainbows because they are pretty, and all the colors!” declared young Penelope.  

Also, beaming with pride from his inner artist literally running amuck in custom made Prowler Version 42 sneakers was 7^th grader Mason Madwell. His parents scurried behind him as he couldn’t wait to see if his mixed media submission won a ribbon. Sure enough, on his purple, pink and black colorway was a shimmering blue 1^st place ribbon.

“My inspiration was Prowler Version 42 from the new Spider-Verse movie,” explained Mason. For the uninitiated, the next installment of the animated blockbuster Spider-Man will feature an alternate dimension Miles Morales from Earth-42, who will portray a villain known as Prowler. “Finding a pair of shoes similar to his, I hand-painted the Prowler’s colors onto them, got the same lace color that match his mask, and cut into the soles to install LED lights, just like what he’ll have in the movie.

“It’s really cool to get 1^st place in the category,” continued Mason. “I feel like I spent my time well and the judges really understood what my design was. I just feel proud and have to thank my mom for helping me.”

Penelope, Mason, and their fellow student culture bearers were able to win 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd place, plus honorable mention, in a variety of artistic mediums. Categories included culture, drawing, painting, writing, mixed media, sculpture, digital art, and pure heart. The top four from each grade and category received a ceremonial ribbon recognizing their talents.

This year’s Festival received over 650 submissions, with the most popular category by far being painting. There were dozens of artists who showed off their diverse talents by submitting artwork in as many categories as they could. There are also artists who continue to evolve their artwork and challenge themselves each year to claim one of those coveted ribbons in different categories.

Twelfth grader Kaylikwa Fryberg had herself quite the championship run by wowing judges and Festival attendees with her wide-range of eye-popping creations. She wove a father and son matching wool tunic set for Culture, turned thought and emotion into ink on paper for Writing, used India ink to create depth of shade and shadows in recreating a memory from Ross Lake in Painting, and used her recently acquired skills from a Schack Art Center internship to make a wobbly bowl for Mixed Media.

“This bowl holds a special place for me because it was the first I’ve made,” shared Kaylikwa. “For the colors, I chose my sister’s favorite colors – purple and white. My favorite part about making it was being able to spin the heated-up glass really fast to get the floppy edges to take shape. That’s why it’s called a floppy bowl. I actually burned myself for the first time at the Schack Center while making it, but that only adds to the memories.” 

Interwoven through many of the thought-provoking youth creations were both subtle and not so subtle tie-ins to ongoing social awareness campaigns, human rights issues and demands for a sustainable future. From artistic renditions on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s crisis, to declarations of Native-inspired rally cries like ‘Water Is Life’ and ‘Protect the Salmon’, to even a rather imaginative way to represent Tulalip’s own professional basketball player RaeQuan Battle.

Lennox Luong, a 12^th grader at Heritage High School, used the Mixed Media category to submit a one-of-one ledger art drawing. Using what appears to be colored pencils, he drew RaeQuan midflight, enroute to a tomahawk dunk, while surrounded by Charlotte Hornets colors and imagery. It just so happened that RaeQuan was in town to play in the Rep Yo Roots tournament when he was notified of the drawing. He had to peep the drawing for himself and blown away by the tribute.

“Coming back and finding out the Art Festival was going on, I had to stop by. I loved art as a kid and always looked forward to creating a few things for the Festival when I was a student,” reflected the hoops icon. “Seeing my influence represented in the artwork of our youth is amazing. I’m blown away, really.”

From awe-inspiring carved, painted and woven cultural items to interpreting the depths of color and vivid images on display, a message being conveyed loud and clear by the inner artists running amuck is that yes, in fact, the youngest among us are paying attention to the current social climate and tribal developments of home. They have a firm grasp on how their culture is viewed, both historically and contemporary. More importantly, their artist endeavors demonstrate our youth are capable of channeling their traditional teachings and spiritual strength into pure artistry.

Maybe the best illustration of the strength of cultural power from our emerging artists was 4^th grader Priscilla Valencia who wrote truth to power.

I am proud to be me, 9-year-old girl who is Tulalip and Cree.

I am trying to learn my culture, Everything that I can.

I love being Native and I hope you understand.

They wanted to kill the Native way.

We are still keeping it alive, Every time we speak, dance, and pray.

My hair is long and I love a braid or two.

To all my ancestors whose long hair was cut,

I proudly wear it long for you.

I am young, I am little,

But my voice is loud.

Native pride always,

Forever making my ancestors proud.

-Priscilla

Positive Youth Development manager Courtney Jefferson reveled in the artistry conveyed and memories made at another successful Art Festival. “When our kids create artwork for this event they are able to mix in elements of their personality, culture, family values, and what matters to them as individuals. It’s really incredible to see how even when there are twenty entries of the same type, each is different and unique in its own way because they reflect the artist who created it.

“Witnessing our kids get inspired from cultural pillars and advocacy movements is nice to see because that means they are learning about these foundational teachings while in school and retaining the information,” she added. “This proves how powerful it is to educate our people about our shared culture. Especially for the elementary-aged children. It’s so important they learn about the legacy of those who came before us and made it possible for us to thrive today.”

The 45^th annual Art Festival showcased a wide-range of artistic skills among our Tulalip youth. Confirming, yet again, what inspiring imaginations these artists are capable of creating when empowered to express themselves wholeheartedly and authentically. To be given a platform where their inner artist can run amuck without judgement. Well, unless that judging comes with a shiny ribbon. Then it’s cool.

By Wade Sheldon; photos courtesy of Walter Moses 

As the 2025 Annual General Counsel Meeting countdown intensifies, a pivotal moment is on the horizon. There is an opportunity to elect two vital members for the Board of Directors (BOD). This meeting and election present a crucial chance for the tribal community to unite and express their views, ensuring that every voice counts, navigating challenges ahead, and selecting visionary leaders to uplift and inspire the community.

On April 12 at the Tulalip Resort Casino, the Tulalip Tribes will gather to determine who will join the leaders on the BOD. To enhance the experience, early arrivals who cast their votes will receive a gift box containing six unique items, carefully curated by the BOD and provided by tribal businesses. 

We are excited to introduce culture bearer, Walter Moses in this segment of our six-part series. Walter has prepared unique gifts for this event—yellow cedar clappers that he has intricately carved and embellished with his art. These clappers symbolize sovereignty and the ability of Tulalip and other tribes to create and provide from the land. 

Crafting 1,200 cedar clappers for the gift boxes, Walter utilized skills he developed from a young age. He learned to carve at age 11, studying under his father, the renowned Culture Bearer Kelly Moses. Walter states, “What I like most about creating is that it keeps me busy. I was taught as an artist that if you are good with your hands, you must always keep them busy. It makes me feel good, and knowing I can preserve the culture also makes me happy. It also relieves stress and is beneficial for creativity.”

He offers a wide range of artwork, from jewelry like earrings and bracelets to carved paddles and masks, as well as t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, and sublimation prints. His designs have been featured in events such as Tulalip Youth Services Orange Shirt Day. He also has art installations at Starbucks in Seattle’s U-Village. In response to whether he has ever received an order this large, Walter remarked, “I’d say this is the largest order I have ever had. I didn’t think it would be this much, but I am always up for the challenge. I am using a killer whale and salmon design on yellow cedar.”

For those interested in purchasing his art, Walter said, “I usually vend during the holidays, and that is mainly how you can find me. I will also be at the Hibulb vending on March 29.” Walter said, “I’m thankful that the tribe has taken an interest in local artists, and for orders this large, it’s awesome. I like how they are reaching out and supporting us.”

The BOD selected six Tulalip artists and entrepreneurs to create handcrafted items for the gift boxes, highlighting their talent and cultural heritage. This initiative honors tradition and encourages future generations to preserve and share their artistry. 

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

Located in the heart of the U Village shopping center is a coffee spot that has withstood the test of time. Originally opening its doors in 1972, this shop has seen many businesses come and go as the U Village has gradually grown into the high-end retail mecca that it is known as today. Nowadays, you’d be hard-pressed to not find a Starbucks within a 5-mile radius of any given location. But back then, this was the only Starbucks in the entire world, aside from the flagship store in Pike Place Market, which opened 60 years prior in 1912.

The second Starbucks to ever exist has received a couple of renovations throughout the years, in 1994 and once again in 2009. Most recently, the establishment decided to feature local artwork at the historic location, enlisting three Seattle artists to work on designs for the building’s exterior. And with a desire to incorporate traditional art from a local tribal artist, Starbucks also reached out to Tulalip’s own Walter Moses for a project inside the store. 

“I just finished up my project with the Starbucks in the U Village,” exclaimed Walter. “One day I was checking my e-mails, and I got a random e-mail from somebody at Starbucks. I’m not sure how, but they got my info and said we would like you to do some designs for us, are you interested? And I was like, ‘uh, yeah!’.”

There is a significant amount of foot traffic in this particular Starbucks by shoppers who need a little extra boost as they check out the dozens of retailers in the village. The lounge is often filled to capacity by local UW students who enjoy a grande or venti sized beverage while they actively work toward their degree. Which of course means that there are many eyes that are constantly drawn to Walter’s work each and every day. 

Said Walter, “It’s exciting because I get to leave something behind. They actually had a theme in mind, which was water. Being that it’s in the Pacific Northwest and next to the Puget Sound, they wanted to encompass some kind of water into the design. I told them, ‘Hey, good news because you know, we’re like thee water people. Because we eat salmon, we’re fishermen, and we live by the water. So, this is right up my alley,’.”

 Upon entry to the store, customers are welcome to hop in line to place an order or find a space to take a seat in their lounge. Splitting the floor into those two areas is a partition in which one side features booth-style seating for the lounge. On the other side there are a number of high-top tables. Sitting directly on top of this partition, that aesthetically curves throughout the store, is a wooden rail. And this is where Walter’s designs are showcased. 

“I did a salmon design, the salmon are spawning and going up a stream, and there are little salmon eggs around it. Another one I did were otters, because the otters are part of the water, and I think the design looks pretty cool. The otter is swimming on his back and holding a clam. The other one is two killer whales, and I did that because it’s a symbol of our Tribe. And I also did canoes with paddles in them, and there’s a salmon egg in the middle. It’s like the canoes are on the water and you can see the islands in the background.”

Last time Tulalip News caught up with Walter was during the pandemic as he was launching his business Salish Art Designs. This was highly anticipated at the time due to the rise in popularity of his cedar carved earrings. Since then, he has continued to expand that business and opened up an Etsy page to feature his items for sale and reach more potential buyers. 

Originally, all of Walter’s earrings were hand painted onto cedar scraps that he salvaged from his job at a lumber mill. However, once he was featured in the syəcəb he began to receive an overwhelming amount of orders, requests, and inquires for the earrings. This is when he started looking into laser engraving machines to help streamline the process and keep up with the demand of his clientele.  

Walter shared that he lives by a ‘keep your hands busy’ philosophy, so once he got the Etsy page up and running, he felt it was time to take his jewelry designs to the next level. By learning how to operate the Adobe Illustrator and Procreate software systems, Walter was able to elevate his art and utilize the latest technology and equipment, like laser engraving machines, to bring traditional artwork into modern day projects, such as the Starbucks railing. 

He stated, “To me, it’s important that I utilize any and all ways to create art. Whether it’s drawing on a notepad, watercolor, painting, carving. I use printers as well as a photo printer. And I essentially use it to forward the the cultural awareness of art. There’s some skepticism. There are people who are critical of how I do some type of art. Some people criticize using laser machines. I’ve always been called out by a lot of artists and people who say why don’t you do traditional – why don’t you use like rock and stones? And it’s like, no. We use chainsaws and if chainsaws were available at the time our ancestors were alive, they’d be using them too.

“I’ve always been a techie guy since I was a kid. I was there at the dawn of computers, word processing, and typewriters. I was there when all that started kicking off. I’ve always been into electronics and video games, taking apart like radios and stuff and putting them back together. Using software is something that’s like a natural thing to me.”

As a Tulalip artist, Walter is very proud of continuing his family’s legacy in traditional art. He shared that his father, Master Carver Kelly Moses Sr., taught, encouraged, and inspired him to be the best artist he could be from an early age. Walter expressed a tremendous amount of joy in the work he did in the Tribal Designs department, a position he held for 14 months, but ultimately had to give up due to the strenuous daily commute from Bellingham to Tulalip. He stated that one of the best parts of that position was visiting Heritage High to pass on his knowledge and work on projects with the students. 

“Our art is a visual way of telling stories,” he explained. “I don’t recollect us having a written language. The art was a way to tell a story and it’s an expression of self and family history. A lot of the stuff I do has some of the old traditional stories incorporated into them, but it also has modern stories, things that I’ve gone through, and my family has gone through. And also, just very important values.”

Next time you find yourself in the Seattle area, be sure take a trip to U Village to see his artwork in person. If you are interested in checking out some of Walter’s additional works, you can follow his Instagram page, @WalterMoses_Art. And to purchase his popular and beautiful jewelry, please visit his Etsy page, Salish Art Designs.  

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Embracing the spirit of the holiday season, Youth Services shuttled several dozen excited kids to Seattle for the unveiling of WildLanterns – a brand new experience at Woodland Park Zoo that is illuminated by large-scale animal and nature scape lanterns.

“We were particularly excited for this event because we know the holidays can be a financial strain for families, and by providing dinner, transportation, and zoo tickets we were doing what we could to create a memorable holiday experience,” explained Sarah Murphy, Youth Enrichment Manager. “In the days leading up to this trip, you could hear kids in the Youth Services building talking about it and asking their friends and cousins if they were going to go. Now that we’re here, you can definitely see the excitement on their faces. And for me, that’s the best part is witnessing their excitement and knowing they can have fun on and off the reservation.”

The youth, along with their chaperones, traversed through the zoo’s Mystical Forest where stunning creatures gleamed brightly. They then embarked on a journey through the bright Desert Highway to see desert flora and fauna. Imagination took flight in the Birds of Paradise Zone, where magnificent peacocks flaunted their flamboyant plumes and birds of a feather perched above on enchanted branches. 

Izzy Wolftail enjoyed everything WildLanterns had to offer while being both an event chaperone and proud father to his children in attendance. “The kids are just loving all the lights and attractions, especially the interactive jump pads,” shared Izzy what walking along the Mystical Forest with the kids. “I have a 7 and 9-year-old here, too, and they keep saying they want to see everything, and we better not be missing any cool displays. 

“As a tribal member and a father, I’m so grateful the Tribe gives my kids and, really, all our kids opportunities like this,” he continued. “Shoot, I’m enjoying being here and soaking in all the excitement, too. This experience is making good memories for my family to look back on one day.” 

During Izzy’s interview, his 7-year-old daughter Marilyn gleefully exclaimed, “It’s so much fun! Have you seen the monkeys? If not, you better check them out!”

If you have yet to experience Woodland Park’s WildLanterns, there is still plenty of time. The illuminated zoo attraction is running from 4:00pm to 9:00pm now through January 19, 2025. Tickets can be purchased online at www.zoo.org/wildlanterns 

At the behest of young Marilyn Wolftail, be sure to check out them monkeys.