By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News
Warm embraces, soft songs, and tearful smiles filled the Gathering Hall as Tulalip came together in a powerful act of healing and homecoming. On Tuesday, October 7, community members gathered for the first ceremony of Season of Healing 2.0, guided by Sandy White Hawk, founder of the First Nations Repatriation Institute. Through the Welcoming Circle, those who had been abused, neglected, taken away, or simply finding their way back were greeted with open arms, wrapped in blankets, and surrounded by love.
The evening was led by Tulalip tribal member Tony Hatch, whose calm presence and thoughtful words guided the flow of the night. It began with a salmon dinner and healing teas, setting the tone for reflection and connection. Deep, heartfelt words were shared by local tribal members, each speaking from places of love, pain, and hope. One of the most touching moments came during the Welcome Home Circle, when community members came forward to wrap blankets around those being honored. As each individual was embraced, smiles began to break through, expressing relief, belonging, and acceptance that filled the room with emotion.
Tony spoke about the importance of cultural strength and carrying forward the teachings that once faced erasure. “It always makes us feel good when our young people get up and speak, especially when they speak our traditional language,” he said. “Those things were once punished, but our elders persevered. Because of them, our traditions and identity are still here, and they will continue for the next seven generations.”
Following the welcome and meal, Sandy White Hawk, a Sicangu Lakota woman and head elder of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS), shared a heartfelt message about reconnection, language, and the power of returning home. “I was adopted out when I was 18 months old,” she said. “It took me many years to find my family again, so much fear, so much worry about rejection, but when I finally made it home, I realized my mother had always been there. The land itself was hers.”
Sandy spoke about how healing begins when Indigenous people reclaim their language, culture, and place within their communities. “Our languages are healing,” she explained. “When I say, ‘I greet you with a good heart,’ I can’t say it unless I truly have a good heart.” She encouraged everyone to take pride in their roots, to speak their language without fear, and to remember that correction from elders is an act of love. “If someone corrects you, it’s because they care for you,” she said. “They don’t want you to be hurt again.”
Reflecting on the purpose of the Season of Healing ceremonies, Sandy emphasized that every community must shape healing in its own way. “Every nation must make it their own circle, with your own songs, your own words, your own way of welcoming people home,” she said. “That’s where the true healing lives.”
Among the voices that evening was Tulalip tribal member Linda Jones, who shared her own powerful story of survival, resilience, and healing. Taken from her parents at the age of seven, Linda spoke about the lasting pain of being raised in foster care and learning to carry that trauma into adulthood. “When children are taken from their parents, we think it’s our fault,” she said. “We start to believe we’re unlovable.” After years of struggle, Linda found her way back to community and herself. “This is a different experience for me,” she said. “In my healing journey, it’s the first time in a long time that I feel like I belong.”
Now four years sober, she spoke of building a new legacy of strength and presence for her family. “Every one of you is essential to the well-being of our community,” she said. “When you’re not in the circle, there isn’t anybody who can take your place.”
Another deeply moving moment came from Tulalip tribal member Princess Jones, who shared her journey of loss, survival, and rediscovery. Taken from her biological family at the age of five, Princess grew up in foster care, carrying wounds that followed her into adulthood. “When I came back, I was welcomed with open arms,” she said. “There was so much love, so many new faces, but it was overwhelming. I wasn’t comfortable with human touch. I felt like an outsider, and even now, I still struggle with that feeling.”
Her healing began when she reconnected with Tulalip’s teachings and Lushootseed language. “Something started to change when I was hired as a Lushootseed Warrior,” she said. “Reconnecting with our language and understanding the values our ancestors carried, that’s where I began to feel healing in my spirit and soul.” After decades of addiction and pain, Princess shared that reconnecting to her culture gave her purpose. “Now I hear our ancestors. I see them. I know the reason I made it back home is because they were watching over me, protecting me, and guiding me.”
Her message carried the heart of Season of Healing: “If we truly want to welcome our people home, we have to do more than open our arms,” she said. “We need to listen. We need to understand that some of us are coming back with wounds that don’t heal easily. Have patience and never give up. Be the light that we need when darkness consumes us.”
As the evening came to a close, Sandy White Hawk reminded everyone that healing is not a single event, but a lifelong journey, one strengthened by community, laughter, and love. For those wanting to continue their own journey of understanding, her book “A Child of the Indian Race: A Story of Return” offers a powerful look into her life and the broader movement of Indigenous reclamation and healing.
The next Season of Healing 2.0 gathering will take place on Monday, November 4, at the Tulalip Gathering Hall, focusing on “Honoring Our Elders.” The event will begin with a community lunch featuring James LaBelle Sr., Second Vice President of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, and his wife, Susan LaBelle, followed by a ceremonial dinner and an evening of reflection.
Through each gathering, Tulalip continues to show that healing is not only possible, it’s happening here, together, one circle at a time.