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 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons. Plus, all the bragging rights.
Such was the case with 1st 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 7th 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 1st 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 1st 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 1st, 2nd or 3rd 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 12th 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 4th 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 45th 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.