By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News
On Saturday, September 28, culture bearer Tillie Jones taught a second wool headband weaving class at the Tulalip Hibulb Cultural Center as part of the Season of Healing. A small group attended the event, which provided a warm and welcoming environment. It was a beautiful day characterized by focus and a peaceful atmosphere.
Tillie expressed her appreciation for the class, noting how much she enjoyed witnessing the bonding experience between families. “It was a great class,” she said. “I loved seeing mothers and daughters learning side by side.”
Attending the weaving class with her daughter was a meaningful experience for Tulalip tribal member Stephanie Fryberg. She shared her enthusiasm for the session, saying, “I loved the class. I’ve always wanted to try weaving, and doing it with my daughter was great. It was easy to do, and I liked being able to focus on the task. It helped me imagine my ancestors doing this, making me feel connected.”
Stephanie also spoke about the more significant impact of the Season of Healing, saying, “I think it’s been great. Our community needs to think about how we push back against settler colonialism. Colonialism taught us to be mean to one another and not to love ourselves or each other. This focus on bringing love back and weaving it into our everyday lives is the first step toward truly finding healing in our community.”
As the wool headband class ended, the room buzzed with laughter and pride as participants admired their creations. With fall just beginning, the cozy spirit of the Season of Healing felt more like the start of a new tradition—one that wrapped everyone in warmth and connection, just like the wool headbands they’d made.
The Season of Healing continues through October, and there is more to look forward to. Up next is Dentalium earrings with Santana Shopbell-Proehl on Saturday, October 12, followed by a painting session with Monie Ordonia to wrap up the month on Saturday, October 26. To save your spot and get pricing details, call the Hibulb Cultural Center at (360) 716-2600 or email info@hibulbculturalcenter.org.