Quil Ceda Elementary 4th grade students sing at the Annual Winter Program, held at the Heritage High School.
Article and photo by Jeannie Briones
The sounds of Christmas filled the air on December 19th as the students of Quil Ceda Elementary School presented their annual Christmas program. Due to the abundance of community members that regularly attend the event, this year’s program was held in the gymnasium at Tulalip Heritage High School. And with over 400 students, parents, and friends in attendance this year, the space was much needed.
The students put on a festive evening of holiday music, with selections presented by each grade level in the school, while family members took photos and videos of the little stars.
Native American Liaison, Eliza Davis enjoys having the community gathered for the winter program to show their support and love for the kids. Family and friends enjoyed songs, “Candle for Remembering,” which was belted out the fifth graders.
“I really enjoy singing for family and elders,” said Tribal member, Jasmin Mclean, a 5th grade student at the Quil Ceda Elementary School.
“It gets better every year. The spirit and the variety; it’s different every year and it’s not the same traditional Christmas songs,” said proud parent Krista Haley, supporting her daughter at the winter program.
Following the show, refreshments were served and attendees even got their photos taken with Santa, a perfect ending to a wonderful night of holiday magic.
The Hibulb Cultural Center hosted “The Greens of the Earth” holiday wreath making day on Wednesday, December 19th. From 9am to 3:30pm people were invited to come and make holiday wreaths with fresh picked cedar boughs, salal, ferns, twigs and pinecones and decorate with items such as bows, presents and ornaments. Attendees arrived eager to make their own holiday arrangment and enjoyed refreshments of cider, fireweed tea, cookies, fruit, cheese and crackers.
For information about this event contact:
Veronica (Roni) Leahy, Diabetes Care and Prevention Program (360) 716-2635
Inez Bill Ce um ton not, Cultrual Resources (360) 716-2638
Article by Monica Brown and Photos by Francesca Hillery, Public Affairs
Nearly 2500 concerned citizens gathered Dec 13th at Seattle’s convention center for the last Coal meeting in order hear others thoughts and ideas and voice their own opinions about the coal train proposal. Tulalip Chairman Mel Sheldon was one of many that were able to speak to the crowds.
“The Tulalip Tribes support job creation. We are one of the largest employers in our area,” Sheldon said. “But we will not tolerate anything that poses threats to our cultural resources, our health and our treaty rights to fish, hunt and gather. The tribes and local, state and federal governments have worked hard to improve the environment, but it won’t mean much if we find coal dust in fragile waters of the Salish Sea.”
The proposal is to transport tons of coal by railway, eighteen trains a mile and a half each, from the Powder River Basin of Montana and Wyoming through our backyard to Cherry Point for tanker shipment to Asia. Cherry Point, a sacred site for our neighbor tribe the Lummi nation, have vehemently stated their position against the Cherry Point proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal which would be detrimental to the current ecosystem at Cherry Point which harbors not only a fragile herring population but also a sacred burial site of the Lummi nation.
“Never will Tulalip support the degradation of our ancestral burial grounds as would in this project. Whether they be here at Tulalip, or on Lummi burial grounds at Cherry Point, we stand in solidarity with our Coast Salish relatives in our solemn responsibility to our ancestors and to our sacred lands” Stated Mel Sheldon
The proposed coal exports to china would mean millions of dollars in revenue and new jobs that would be available for years to come. The negative impacts on the environment from the use of coal outweigh the positives with the damage mining causes to its place of origin, the dust that comes off seeps into everything from water to our lungs and the burning of coal emits CO2 which depletes the ozone layer.
Mel Sheldon finished with, “From whitecap to whitecap, or the peaks of the Cascade Mountains to the Salish Sea, it is our responsibility to our ancestors, our elders, and to future generations to protect and preserve the air, water, fish and other resources that we depend on.”
Recently, tribal members from the Northern Cheyenne Reservation along with the National Wildlife Federation and conservation groups have started protesting the coal mining in the Powder River Basin stressing that the mining is destroying the habitat and polluting the Otter River which connects to the Tongue River and Yellowstone River.
The US is the second largest coal producer, producing and estimated 1004 million tons in the year 2011, with Wyoming being the top coal producing state, mining 438.5 million tons (mt) in the year 2011. China is the largest coal importing and coal producing country, importing an estimated 190mt and producing 3471mt in the year 2011.
Thousands of comments from residents of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Montana addressing their concerns of the coal trains environmental impact can be viewed here,
Tulalip Heritage High School students look forward to a new empowerment program, specifically designed for teen girls, being introduced in the 2013 school year.
Article and photo by Jeannie Briones
TULALIP, Washington – Tulalip Family Haven is working to empower adolescent Native American girls and to help prepare them spiritually, physically, socially, and emotionally for adulthood.
Alison Bowen, Family Haven Program Manager, June LaMarr, Health & Human Services Program Director and Co-Principal Director for Healthy Hearts, and Cherol Fryberg, Wraparound Coordinator, are in the developing stages for a new program for young Tulalip Tribal member girls, ages 14-17, aimed at fostering healthy living. Girls involved in the program will learn about positive life choices and building relationships with peers and adults, boosting their self-esteem and confidence and helping them through the tough transition to adulthood.
The program, which will accommodate approximately 20 girls, is designed to be an after-school venture, where three times a week girls can meet up and participate in a variety of educational and fun activities, while learning life skills.
“We are trying to focus on the positive parts of life and not necessarily talk about all the negative things that are out there, and experience ways to deal with stress, anger and things that are going to help them be successful,” said Alison.
Native American culture will be incorporated into the program, with girls learning native arts and crafts, like cedar basket making, and cooking healthy meals to share with the community.
Computer animation, photography, and writing and playing music will be taught to expand the girls’ minds and reveal hidden talents. Girls will also learn self-protection skills, how to regulate their emotions, and reproductive healthcare.
“We are exposing them to every possible thing we can. We want them to do community work, like cleaning up the beach. We will teach them what a full life is all about, like giving back and not being afraid to experience new things,” said Cherol.
“We plan to have activities for the young women like trips to Seattle, to a play or an opera, to have them experience things that they normally don’t experience and to get off the reservation,” explained June.
Students and parents can look forward to this yet-unnamed program being available for the 2013-14 school year at HeritageHigh School.
In the meantime, Alison, June and Cherol will be working diligently on gaining information and feedback from the community to assess what types of information and topics will be best suited for this program.
Once the program is in effect, a registered nurse will be available at the high school one a day a week to address any issues or concerns the girls may have.
For more information about this upcoming program, please contact Alison Bowen at 360-716-4322 or email abowen@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov.
Tulalip Tribal Chairman Mel Sheldon gets his blood drawn, at the health fair, to check blood sugar levels
Article and photos by Jeannie Briones
TULALIP, Washington – Men are much less likely than women to look after their health and see physicians. They’re 25 percent less likely to have visited a health-care provider in the past year, and almost 40 percent more likely to have skipped recommended cholesterol screenings, according to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
In an effort to lower these statistics at Tulalip and encourage men to seek preventative care, staff at the Karen I. Fryberg Tulalip Health Clinic coordinates a yearly event for men in the community to educate and promote health awareness and importance of regular check-ups. The Annual Men’s Health Fair pulled in a large crowd of tribal members, community members, and tribal employees on December 14th.
“This is the fourth year for our men’s health fair. We really wanted to touch base with our men to get them to take care of their health; it is so hard to get them in here for their annual visits. We provide prostate screenings, cholesterol screenings, diabetes checks, blood pressure checks, and dental screens,” said Jennie Fryberg, Health Informatics Manager for the clinic.
This fair is an excellent place for men to ask providers questions or concerns they may have to ensure wellness and general good health. The Tulalip clinic is working to get the word out that early intervention can make a huge difference when it comes to health and to stress. Some, like Tulalip Tribal Chairman, Mel Sheldon, Jr. have found the fair to be beneficial for early detection of cancer.
“I am so grateful that we are having this wellness fair for men. I encourage all our tribal men to participate in this annual health fair. It was but a few years ago that I came to one myself. I took a blood test and my PSA was high. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and if it hadn’t been for the health fair, and the fact that we were able to catch it early enough, who knows what would have happened. What I learned from that experience was to come to the health fairs and take the tests they offer, because if you catch anything early enough, it’s usually treatable,” said Mel.
A number of informative booths at the fair, providing resources on topics that impact men’s health, such as nutrition, mental wellness, fitness, and flu shots were well received by community members.
“I am visiting to get information about nutrition. I’m thinking about changing my eating habits and getting back in shape,” said Tulalip Tribal member, Joseph Williams.
“What is so special about this health fair is that the men are the role models; they are the examples for the family. The more they learn about health, the more they can teach their children and can encourage their wives. They show leadership by taking care of their health,” said Veronica Leahy, Diabetes Prevention Coordinator.
Included in this successful day of men taking charge of their own health, is the raffle. Attendees that visited a minimum of 17 informational booths were entered into the raffle. Prizes like ab weights and even a chainsaw were up for grabs.
Gerald Charles, homeless shelter resident, received a clothing donation from the Tulalip Church of God.
Article and photo by Jeannie Briones
TULALIP, Washington- “Many people come to the shelter with almost nothing. They have no food, no money and inadequate or ill fitting clothing for themselves and their children. The children may have no school supplies. When the weather gets really cold, the children often don’t have hats, gloves or a warm coat. When the residents move out they usually need everything; dishes, silverware, pots and pans, towels, and bedding and may have little or no furniture. The shelter has no storage space, but we often know of people who need donated furniture,” said Homeless Shelter Coordinator, Sandy Tracy.
Tulalip homeless shelter donations have drastically dropped from the past year. Food, clothing, and household items are greatly needed.
Tulalip and other tribal families are provided with temporary shelter at the Tulalip shelter. Some food is provided, based on what they receive from community donations, and depending on their income, some shelter residents may qualify for food vouchers through Tulalip Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
The homeless shelter relies on community donations to provide residents with their basic needs. The shelter is currently in need of bedding, silverware, dishes, pots and pans, laundry detergent, kids toys, flashlights, school supplies, any food donations, and warm clothing for adults and children.
One of the shelter residents, Gerald Charles, received warm clothing donations from the Tulalip Church of God. The church also provided the shelter with bedding and a food gift card so residents will be able to enjoy a Christmas meal at the shelter.
If you are interested in making a donation, please contact Homeless Shelter Coordinator, Sandy Tracy, at 360-716-4705 or stracy@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov. Tulalip Homeless Shelter is located at2817 Mission Hill Road,Tulalip,WA98271.
LuLu Canales takes a break after of series of poetry she read to the crowd on at the Tulalip Hibulb Cultural Center on December 6th.
Article and photo By Jeannie Briones
TULALIP, Washington- Poetry is alive at the Tulalip Hibulb Cultural Center. Guest poet, Jamestown S’Kallam tribal member, Lulu Canales, is a student at the Northwest Indian College at the Tulalip site and on December 6th, she shared the most intimate moments of her struggles, pain, and joy, giving the audience a gritty look into her heart and soul.
Despite her small stature, Lulu stands tall in front of her audience, her words flowing with a fierce energy, piecing like jolts of electricity, sending out a tidal wave of emotions. The crowd responded, listening attentively to every word being spoken.
Only 20-years-old, she draws on past experience to provide her inspiration. She wrote her first poem at the tender age of seven, a poem about the loss of her mother, a woman she never knew. Poetry became a way for her to heal from the pain she felt throughout her lifetime.
“Poetry and music, that’s my life, poetry is the only way healthy way I know how to get the yuckiness out in a positive matter,” said LuLu. “If I am feeling angry about something and I feel like writing a poem, I will turn on real harsh hip hop beats, real fast, big base, really slamming and booming and it will come to me. One word turns into a phrase, a phrase turns into two lines, and into a stanza, and it will keep going and by the time I have come down, I’m sitting there with one to three sheets of paper. I try to let all my poetry have a beat,” said LuLu.
Lulu’s mother is Native American and her father is Hispanic. She never knew her mother and was raised most of her life by her father. As a young child, she had an appetite for words and read the dictionary for fun. Her need for knowledge and words fueled her curiosity and her natural ability to write raw emotions on paper.
At a young age, Lulu gained insight into her soul through poetry. She feels everything happens for a reason and that people good or bad have taught her valuable and tough lessons. She hales her late uncle, William Hunter, for changing her life. At thirteen, she recalls her uncle was the most sweet, loving, and charismatic man.
“With the exception of my father and my two little brothers, William David Hunter is one of the most important men in my life. He gave me the gift of being the women that I am today through learning my Native culture; he gave me back the other half of who I was.”
Another mentor to Lulu is her adoptive mother Renee Roman Nose. Both share a love for writing poetry. Renne inspired her to write and read her poetry, and through that support and encouragement she now shares her poetry and wants to help other through her poetic words.
“I am going to school for my certification in chemical dependency. Ultimately my goal is to be a social worker because I come from a hard background. I know there are kids out there like me who didn’t hear when they were younger that they have potential and that they have talent and what’s in their head and heart is important. I want to go out there and tell them, you are important and you do count, you are a person, and what’s inside is important. I want to take this poetry and writing and take it to people who need it and help them through my writing,” said LuLu.
For more information on future poetry series or other series at the Tulalip Hibulb Cultural Center & Natural History Preserves, please call 360-716-2600 or visit www.HibulbCulturalCenter.org
Graduates of the Native American Career and Technical Education Program.
Article and photo by Jeannie Briones
TULALIP, Washington – Nine students, surrounded by family, friends, instructors, and former students celebrated their graduation from the Native American Career and Technical Education Program (NACTEP) on December 6th at the Tulalip site. Through 12 weeks of hands-on training, students learned various skills in the construction industry, such as building frameworks and foundations, reading blueprints, electrical, plumbing, roofing and many other useful skills. In addition, students earned 18 credits at Edmonds Community College.
“I learned how to frame stair jacks, the mechanics of how to do framing, laying out a foundation, and how to frame walls. I did a lot of cool and fun stuff,” said Tribal member, Rafael Madera. “It [NACTEP] opened me up to a new group of people and it boosted my self confidence.”
One of the perks to learning new skills sets, is students get to create their own projects, which many view as a highlight to the program.
“I like the personal projects. I made a couple of coffee tables, I gave one to my uncle and my mom,” said Tulalip Tribal member Mathew Crawford.
“My favorite part was my personal project. I didn’t know I was able to do this until they taught me how to use all the tools,” said Yakima Tribal member Vernon Ketchan, who describes his latest work as a surreal chief of nature coat rack sculpture. “I gained a craftsman’s eye, everywhere I go I can see how things are put to together.”
Vernon declared that this program is a good place for people with tough backgrounds to have a new direction and a positive focus. He enjoyed the experience and feels everyone in his class are like a brother to him.
Former student Morgan Dotson, a Cherokee tribal member, spoke at the graduation, sharing how the program changed his life. He credits Instructor Mark Newland, Administrative Assistant Wendy Thompson, and NACTEP Director Maureen Hoban as the positive role models and educators that helped him succeed. In addition to NACTEP, Morgan is an honor student at Everett Community College, where he is earning an associates degree.
“Mark, Wendy, and Maureen, have helped save my life, honestly. I have never met people with so much passion. Wendy and Mark love what they do and they give everything that they have to these kids. Mark pushed me and he didn’t take no for an answer and he didn’t put up with excuses. Something in me just changed and I grabbed onto their coat tails and pulled myself through this program,” said Morgan. “This program is a success story.”
NACTEP classes are open to Tulalip tribal members, tribal members enrolled in a federally recognized tribe, parents, and spouses of enrolled Tulalip tribal members, and employees of the Tulalip Tribes and starts January 2, 2013. The training runs for 12 weeks, Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For more information about NACTEP, please contact Mark Newland at 425-268-9145.
TULALIP, Washington- Makah tribal member Sandra Osawa, is known for her work as a producer, director, and co-owner of Upstream Production. Sandra along with her husband, Yasu Osawa, has created 63 films for various tribes, museums, and non-profit organizations, along with five films that have been broadcasted on PBS. Her production company explores political issues affecting Native American tribes, which is reflected through a variety of documentaries, and contemporary art mediums.
The documentary film “On and Off the Res with Charlie Hill” was featured as part of the Tulalip Hibulb Cultural Center Film Series on November 29th. Sandra directed the film which takes the viewer on an intimate journey through the life of a Native American comedian and his rise to fame.
At an early age, Sandra was aware that Native Americans were being depicted as stereotypes in the media. It wasn’t until she worked for her tribe that she became interested in making films that would correctly represent Native Americans in a more contemporary fashion.
“When I worked for my own tribe at Neah Bay, I was a Community Action Director. I couldn’t find any films relevant to Native people and that began my interest. I decided that I wanted to get into media to see if we can do something about the void in Native American films and to break down stereotypes.”
After working for her tribe for more than three years, Sandra attended UCLA Graduate film school in the 70s. During this time, Sandra notes there were sixteen minority students enrolled in her film class, more than she had ever seen. After working on experimental films, she received her first break in television in 1975.
“We [my husband and I] did a Native American ten-part series[“THe Native American Series”] for NBC Television. Historically that is important because it has become the first major series produced by a Native American for television in the country,” said Sandra. “The topics range from Indian religion, family, treaties, powerless politics, art, stereotypes, and fishing rights in the Northwest. Some colleges are now buying that series for historical archival purposes because it represents the start for Indians in films inAmerica, so I am really happy that it is getting a bit of attention.”
Through her travels and work in Indian Country she has realized the beauty and rich humor Native Americans have. She incorporated those experiences to portray the realistic personality and humor of Native Americans, by presenting films with real images of Native peoples in biographical documentary filmmaking.
“On and Off the Res with Charlie Hill” covers the life of Charlie through his early years as a comedian with brief reflections into his childhood and his family.
“Meeting all the different people that we have come in contact with in all the films, I have gained intimate relationships with each of our subjects and think in turn, it has made the films more powerful,” said Sandra.
Films that Sandra directed include, “Lighting the Seventh Fire” (1995), “Pepper’s Pow Wow”(1996), and “Maria Tallchief “(2007) produced and written by Sandra.
Visit Upstreamvideos.com for listings of her films or you can email Sandra Osawa at uproduct@aol.com.
Tribal member Crystal Gobin-Wassillie shares a moment with Tonia Elfing. Crystals speech touched people in the Audience.
Article and Photo by Jeannie Briones
TULALIP, Washington- Saturday, November 17, the Orca Ballroom at the Tulalip Resort Casino was packed with friends and community members celebrating the 33rd Annual Wellbriety event. Many people joined in the special evening to share good food and conversation, giving thanks to those celebrating their wellbriety from drugs and alcohol.
