The stands were electric, without concern for the rain, thanks to the newly covered bleachers at the Alpheaus “Gunny” Jones, Sr. ball field in Tulalip. The Tulalip-Marysville Hawks Midget and Peewee football leagues faced off against the Golden Eagles from Ferndale on Saturday, September 23.
First up was the Midget league consisting of boys and girls 10–12 years old. The Hawks were off to a slow start and fell behind early in the game as Ferndale took the lead 14-6. After some halftime adjustments, the Hawks battled back with two touchdowns in the 3rd quarter due to a couple of fumbles by Ferndale, giving the Hawks the lead heading into the fourth. With another fumble in the fourth quarter by Ferndale, the Hawks recovered the ball, drove down the field, and put the game out of reach with a 6-yard touchdown, extending their lead to 18. The final score of the contest was Tulalip-Marysville 32, Ferndale 14.
A tough fought contest; ultimately, the several turnovers Ferndale endured in the second half, mixed with some great runs by the Hawks, gave Tulalip-Marysville the win and brought their record on the season to 2-2. Coach Marshall Guthrie said, “It started slow, but we ended up doing good. The kids did great and fought hard out there, and we got the win.”
Next up were the Peewee League kids from 9 to 11 years old. Coming off a 3-game losing streak, the crew from Tulalip-Marysville were looking to turn things around. The Hawks offense started on high cylinders, bouncing off defenders and bursting across the field, scoring early in the first quarter. Their defense ran a shutdown performance, holding the Golden Eagles scoreless in the first half. Looking in control on both sides of the ball, the Hawks extended their lead 19 to nothing in the fourth quarter. Looking like a shutout, the Ferndale Golden Eagles managed to break free for a long run, scoring a touchdown as time ran out, leading to the final score of Tulalip-Marysville 19, Ferndale 6, giving the Hawks their first win on the season and bringing their record to 1-3.
Catch the Hawks on their home field, Saturday, September 30th; kickoff starts at 10:00 a.m.
Lindy Lee Morris Sr. was born on August 27, 1967 in Bellingham, Washington to parents Dawn Williams and James Morris Sr. Lindy joined our ancestors on September 17, 2023. Lindy was a proud Tulalip Tribal member and resided on the Tulalip and Lummi Reservation most of his life. The family reminisced about the earlier days and time spent at the family home on J street. Lindy attended Chemawa Indian School and returned home, embracing his inherited rights. Fishing on the Elusive Dream and The Western Warrior, he fished with his cousins, uncles, especially his son Colin in Tulalip and Bellingham . Lindy was a crabber, clam digger and hunter as well. Most of all, he enjoyed life with the oxygen to his lungs and love of his life, Dora Johnson. Lindy survived by his mate, Dora; children, Zack, Talin, Tyson, Dravon, Tristen, Trevor, Collin, Chase, Lindy Jr., Logan, Bryson and only daughter, McKayla. Brothers, James Morris Jr, Joseph Morris (Deanna), Steven Morris; aunties, Sharon James (Andy), Jean Morris and uncle Ron Morris (Gloria) and numerous nieces and nephews. Lindy proceeded in death by his parents, Dawn Williams and James Morris Sr. Son, Zack Morris; Sister, Crystal Wassillie; grandparents, Ron and Cecilia Morris and numerous family members. Interfaith services will begin 6pm Monday, September 25th at the Tulalip Gathering Hall. Funeral service, 10am Tuesday, on September 26, 2023 with burial to follow at Mission Beach Cemetery.
Step into a world of sun-kissed sophistication as you enter the doors to Tropical Flutter. The Tulalip tribal owned business, which opened in June of this year, offers tanning, lashes and more.
Owner Deanna Muir, alongside her son and daughter, brought in several high-tech tanning stations that offer a few different options. Each tanning bed is different, and you can lay down or stand up, the choice is yours. Some features the tanning beds offer are air-conditioning, red-light therapy, UVA and UVB bulbs, extra sun, and aroma therapy.
Tulalip News recently sat down with Deanna Muir to discuss what it’s like to be in the tanning business.
Tulalip News: What led to opening your shop?
My kids and I wanted to open something that would sustain us into the future. I’m looking at retirement in 3-5 years and I wanted someplace to go after I retire.
Desribe some of biggest obstacles when opening your own business.
Financing was the biggest obstacle. But we were able to get a small business loan which is a feat in and of itself. Then we had supply chain issues due to covid. Our equipment was supposed to be here in March but didn’t come until May, and we weren’t able to open until June.
What are some benefits of using tanning beds?
We have UV tanning beds. They have UVA and UVB bulbs and they help give you vitamin-d and give you bronze skin. We have red light therapy that helps with fine lines and wrinkles.
What are some of the amenities offered?
We also have spray tanning, lash extensions, lash extension fills, and acrylic nail and nail art.
What else do you want readers to know about when it comes to Tropical Flutter?
We want them to come in and feel like family because that’s how we feel they are.
If you would like to know more about Tropical Flutter, they are open Monday through Friday 10:00am to 8:30pm Saturdays 8:30am to 6:30pm and closed on Sundays. Located 8825 34th Ave NE Suite K, Marysville, WA 98271. Or call 360-716-2979
The Seattle Seahawks logo is that rarest of birds: a culturally accurate sports icon directly inspired by a Coast Salish masterpiece — and one seemingly universally embraced by the Coast Salish people who inspired the original formline design.
A design that is making a long overdue and welcomed return during the 2023 NFL season after the Seahawks announced details of the team’s official throwback uniform set to debut this fall. Over the summer, the Seahawks released photos of the Kingdome-era threads on all their social media pages and official team website to much excitement amid the fanbase.
“I’ve always been a big fan of these jerseys just seeing pictures around the building, so to put this on is pretty cool,” quarterback Geno Smith said via the team’s website. “I think fans are going to love it. It’s cool that they’re bringing it back, and it’s cool that we get to be the team that brings them back. Hopefully, the fans will love it, and we’ll go out there and kick a lot of butt in these things.”
(Photo: Twitter/Seattle Seahawks)
For some fans, this was a reintroduction to the team’s traditional uniforms worn from 1976-2001 that Hall of Famers Steve Largent, Cortez Kennedy, and Walter Jones wore on game days. For other fans, it was a history lesson as they viewed the royal blue, Northwest green, and metallic silver color combo for the very first time.
But beyond the traditional colors of the ‘70s is the return of the original Seahawks logo, which is generally considered a highly stylized spin on classic, Pacific Northwest formline.
Origin story unmasked
Not so breaking news! There is no such thing as an actual Seahawk. Ornithology experts theorize the term Seahawk refers to a combination of an osprey, which is a bird of prey native to coastal North America, and a skua, which, in the Pacific Northwest, we usually call a seagull. If there isn’t an actual “Seahawk” found in nature, then what inspired the professional football team’s original logo?
The consensus is that in 1976, the NFL commissioned a logo for the newly formed Seattle football team. Then-General Manager Ted Thompson wanted the Seahawks’ logo to reflect “Northwest Indian culture.” He and his team of concept designers must have been Native culture enthusiasts who stumbled across a truly remarkable piece of Indigenous Northwest Coastal art. That artwork in question was a Kwakwaka’wakw (pronounced: KWA-kwuh-kyuh-wakw), a transformation mask from northeastern Vancouver Island.
In September 2014, the Burke Museum on the University of Washington campus learned of the mask’s whereabouts and launched an online fundraising campaign to bring it back to Coast Salish territory. Raising the money needed to conserve, insure, and ship the mask across the country didn’t take long. Within weeks of arrival, the hidden history of the mask was unveiled, and the origin story of the Seahawks logo went public.
Even though the exact inspiration behind the Seahawks’ logo remained a mystery for decades, what has always been certain is its positive celebration by Coast Salish tribes. All along the Salish Sea, citizens of sovereign Native nations have used the logo to empower contemporary artists who have re-appropriated the Seahawk’s iconic imagery into our culture.
“Great things inspire imitations. In the same way that so many Native people and white people and Asians are inspired by hip-hop, an art form created by Black people, many people are inspired by our beautiful art,” said Native advocate, criminal defense lawyer, and Seattle resident Gyasi Ross. “Native people have some beautiful artwork; of course, it inspires people to want a piece of it. The Seahawks logo is a perfect example of that. And we love it.
“But also, the Seahawks are actually active and respectful of the huge Native community here in the Pacific Northwest,” he added. “From speaking at graduations to speaking out against the [old Washington] Redskins mascot, the Seahawks have a great relationship with the Native community here, both urban and reservation-based.”
The Tulalip-Seahawk connection
Their commitment to Native communities distinguishes the Seahawks from so many other organizations that claim to honor Native culture with their logos and mascots, yet contribute little or nothing to their local tribes. In fact, the Seahawks have a history of significantly impacting the Tulalip Tribes.
Back in 2008, Seahawk Bobby Engram collaborated with Home Depot, the Kaboom! Program, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County to build a 50-by-50-foot playground at the reservation’s ‘Club.’ In 2014, following the tragic Marysville-Pilchuck High School shooting, the Seahawks hosted tribal member Nate Hatch and his family at CenturyLink Field (now Lumen Field), where they received VIP treatment from both players and coaching staff.
Additionally, Seattle Seahawks legend Michael Bennett hosted a once-in-a-lifetime football camp for Tulalip community youth in June 2019. Nearly 250 participants, ages 7 to 18, had an opportunity to catch a pass from and do drills with the Super Bowl champion. Afterward, Bennett stuck around to sign autographs and take photos with every single one of his adoring fans.
Most recently, former Seahawk players Cooper Helfet and Jermaine Kearse landed a seaplane in Tulalip Bay in exciting fashion before spending an afternoon with 30 Tulalip youth at the local youth complex.
Empowerment through representation
A history of positive impact. Countless moments to uplift Tulalip youth and inspire them to always dream big. Promoting healthy lifestyle choices and physical fitness as a means of self-discipline to achieve long-term goals. The reciprocal nature of the Seattle Seahawks organizational respect for local tribes and the empowering, prideful Native fandom they’ve garnered in return continues to manifest itself in truly imaginative ways.
For starters, it’s common to see the Seahawks logo reimagined via eye-catching Coast Salish craftsmanship via all possible mediums. Native American artisans have reimagined the formline-based Seahawk as blankets, clothing, beaded earrings, attention-grabbing medallions, wooden panels, furniture, flags, face masks, and even six-foot chainsaw carvings that come together to celebrate the evolution of art, ingenuity, and true fandom.
“The Seahawks have given back to our community in so many ways and really made a difference in the lives of our youth,” shared Youth Services manager and lifelong fan Josh Fryberg, whose large family buys new Seahawks jerseys representing their favorite players every year. “As for the connection between the Seahawks and Coast Salish art, the roots definitely run deep. For my family, we have a lot of Seahawks-themed artwork created by very talented Native artists, both from Tulalip and other tribes. More than the art, though, the Seahawks mean family togetherness. Every Blue Friday, we rock our jerseys, and every game day we gather as a family to cheer on our Seahawks.”
The unique partnership between the Seahawks organization and Coast Salish tribes, who comprise part of the devout 12th Man fan base, took on a whole new meaning after the surprise announcement of a 10-year partnership deal with the Muckleshoot Tribe. This partnership is embodied by a Muckleshoot-created installation at Lumen Field’s north entrances. Dubbed “Muckleshoot Plaza,” this Indigenous space features a massive, reimagined Seahawk, two salmon, a canoe, and even Lushootseed text. The impossible-to-miss architecture designed by Muckleshoot artists reminds all who pass by that they are guests on Coast Salish land.
“This artwork will not only inspire our communities but also educate them on the important history of the Native Americans in this region,” said Chuck Arnold, President of the Seattle Seahawks. “We look forward to a long and meaningful partnership for many years to come.”
2023 throwback and beyond
Whether the Seattle Seahawks contend for this year’s Super Bowl or not, in the hearts and minds of tens of thousands of Coast Salish tribal members, they will always be champions. Not because they’ve hoisted a Vince Lombardi Trophy, but because our professional football team respects their local Native American communities off the field – where it matters most.
Merging the past with the present while paying tribute to tradition is embodied by those who dawn the Seahawks throwback jersey. This is why the iconic logo can be seen so vividly on Blue Fridays, worn by casino patrons as they wager on the home team, and throughout Coast Salish territory by proud members of the 12th Man Army.
Stepping into the new 2.9 million-square-foot Amazon PAE2 distribution center in Arlington, what first captures your attention are the extensive networks of conveyor belts that seem to extend for miles in every direction. These high-tech belts are just a small piece of the enormous operation that create a smooth flow of items throughout the facility. But what truly gives a glimpse into the future are the thousands of driverless robots moving seamlessly throughout their designated areas.
Equally fascinating is the collaboration between Amazon’s dedicated human workforce and the robots. People work in harmony with the machines, unloading to loading the 6-foot high shelves with various types of merchandise that the robots transport in and out of each workstation.
Thursday, September 14, Amazon PAE2, named after the Paine Field airport in Everett, PAE1, held a ribbon cutting unveiling the colossal structure that will offer over 1,000 jobs.
Tulalip board member Mel Sheldon and Chairwoman Teri Gobin were thanked for attending. Alongside of Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, Arlington Mayor Barbara Tolbert, and Bruno Arnal, PAE2 General Manager, they participated in the cutting of the ribbon and celebrated the grand opening with a tour of the facilities. First of all, we are safety always,” Bruno Arnal, Amazon General Manager said. “We have the latest technology in the Amazon fulfilment center. Amazon this year alone invested over 550 million dollars in safety related project across the network. And this site, when you tour it, you will see all the latest research and development that lead to a safer workplace.
Bruno continued “Once full, this building will hold the largest number of items in the northwest. It’s a 5-story building and can house up to 40 million units of inventory. And because this building is located so close the Seattle metropolitan area, it’s going to help deliver selection at the right speed with safety, because we have the technology.”
Mayor Tolbert had the privilege of packing the first order in of the facility, saying, “This is a modern facility is built not only to serve the customer, but the employee. With the safety standards that are put in place, someone like me could step in and be trained and do the first shift effectively and safely with all the right equipment without getting hurt.
“We at the county are very much aware that the jobs of today are very different from the jobs of yesterday,” Executive Somers said. “We structured our workforce development process and have a future workforce alliance which is looking out to the future. Because we want to understand what the requirements are so we can provide the training necessary to make this facility successful.”
An inspiring cultural reclamation is happening throughout Native America as tribes are actively working to restore their traditional languages. Once outlawed and considered a punishable offense during the years of assimilation, many Native languages were all but lost. But thanks to each respective tribe’s knowledge keepers and traditional linguists, there has been a resurgence of the dialect of our ancestors over the years.
Within the sduhubš nation, the revitalization of the Lushootseed language seems to grow stronger with each decade that passes. Ever since Hank Gobin and Toby Langen set the foundation in the early 90’s, when the Lushootseed department was established, the language has spread amongst tribal families and is now often used conversationally.
Many of today’s traditional speakers were introduced to the language by the Lushootseed department along their educational journey or through a course offered to the community. Today, the department has grown considerably in size as a number of tribal members fell in love with the language and developed a passion for sharing that knowledge with the next generation.
Known as the Language Warriors, the team of culture bearers teach Lushootseed to tribal members as young as newborn babies, infants, and toddlers at the Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy, as well as to students at every grade level within the Marysville School District. The department also teaches college courses and frequently holds community classes and events to ensure the language is accessible to Tulalip’s members and its community.
Keeping with the times, the Lushootseed department offered online lessons and storytelling videos through the stay-at-home ordinance during the pandemic. They also developed an educational app geared towards kids that is based around foods. And we’d be remiss to mention their website, an online Lushootseed database that provides the spelling of a variety of words and phrases in the Lushootseed alphabet as well as an audio clip of the pronunciation of each word. The website also includes several video lessons and as well as traditional stories. Their homepage is updated regularly and shares the department’s upcoming events and activities.
If you were to visit www.tulaliplushootseed.com this very moment, you would find three phases listed at the top – ʔi čəxʷ, huyʔ, and t’igʷicid which translates to hello, goodbye, and thank you in English. The Lushootseed department chose these three phrases to kick-off a new initiative aimed at getting the entire community speaking the language on an everyday basis.
It’s been only a few weeks since the department announced the initiative via a cute video titled ‘Are You Smarter Than a 5-year-old?’, in which a tribal youth effortlessly spoke the three phrases and gave the definition of each word. The video ends with the tagline ‘get your Lushootseed on’, and challenges all of Tulalip to implement these words into their daily interactions and eradicate the English counterparts from their vocabulary completely.
“ʔi čəxʷ, t’igʷicid, and huyʔ are the three phrases we are starting off with – just trying to eliminate those three words in English, that is our goal for the rest of the year,” explained Interim Lushootseed Manager, Michelle Myles. “This was something fresh we could work on to get the community speaking the language. We were looking for ways to get the language out there to share it, where it’s not in the classroom, not with a teacher, and it’s something you could use with family members and share it in that way.”
With fall knocking on the door, the Lushootseed department recently provided a treat for the community in the form of eye-catching yard signs. Posted in highly visible areas, all throughout the 22,000-acre reservation, each sign displays one of the three phrases that local commuters can view and then in-turn practice while enroute to wherever their destination may be. For foot traffic, those active runners and walkers journeying across the rez, there is a QR code at the bottom of every sign. When scanned with a smartphone, the code will bring you to the Lushootseed department’s website where people can learn more about the challenge and hear the pronunciation of each phrase.
“These are three things that everyone can say,” exclaimed the Lushootseed department’s Video Producer/Director, Brian Berry, who has been instrumental in getting the initiative off and running. “It actually started here at the Lushootseed department. There are some signs here in the building that say, ‘English words we’re not going to use anymore’. That kind of got my brain spinning that we as employees and tribal members should replace these three phrases, using the Lushootseed ones instead of the English ones. The QR code will take you to our website. We got a little slot on there – three commercials that I put together, thirty second spots that we’re pushing out on Facebook, trying to get everyone to speak the language.”
The signs can be spotted all along Marine Drive, as well as in front of various department buildings and public spaces such as the Administration building, the Gathering Hall, the teen center campus, and the Tulalip Bay Marina. The signs are also located at the Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy, the 27th Ave. school campus which includes Heritage High and Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary, as well as at the Marysville Getchell campus and the Marysville Pilchuck campus.
The effects of the initiative are already taking place as numerous governmental employees are utilizing the three phrases in their e-mails and in-person interactions. It’s amazing to see how the Tulalip people are reclaiming their language and are making strong efforts in preserving Lushootseed by passing down the teachings to current day citizens and the future leaders of Tulalip.
“This is who we are and where we come from,” expressed Michelle. “Lushootseed is part of our culture, and we should be able to embrace it and share it with everyone. It’s beautiful. I’ve been working at the department for over 20-some years now and it’s nice to see this freshness and all the new innovations we can use to inspire people to speak the language. It feels good. It’s awakening the language. And this initiative is keeping it awake, spreading it and sharing it with everyone.”
For more information about the initiative, the three phrases and how you can help spread the ancestral word, please visit the Tulalip Lushootseed website.
Debra Diane (Hatch) Bob was born June 30, 1984 to Denise Martinez and Wayne John Hatch Jr. and passed away September 9, 2023. Her native name was “Chicdabee”. Debra grew up in Tacoma and Port Angeles and moved to Tulalip in 2008. She enjoyed beading and traveling with her children to rivers and lakes. She spent all of her time with her children whom she loved very much; she was a Koala bear momma. She also enjoyed listening to music and dancing.
Debra is survived by her grandmother Sandy Suppah, mother Denise Martinez, children Jazlynn, Jada and Damian. Siblings David, Johnny and Monica and Great Aunt Betty (Hatch) Smith. She was preceded in death by her father Wayne John Hatch Jr. and sister Ladeanea Marie Hatch.
An evening service for Debra will be held Monday, September 18, 2023 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Tulalip Gathering Hall, 7512 Totem Beach Rd, Tulalip, WA 98271. A celebration of life will occur Tuesday, September 19, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Tulalip Gathering Hall.
Slightly less than an hour’s drive from the Tulalip Reservation, going southbound on I-5, one can find the City of Kenmore. A relatively small city with an estimated 24,000 residents, it’s a suburban town that occupies the land where the Sammamish River joins Lake Washington.
Native Americans were the only people living in what is now the Kenmore area as recently as two hundred years ago. They lived on the waterway that later became known as the Sammamish Slough. It’s not difficult to imagine these Coast Salish ancestors establishing multiple villages in such a pristine fishing and hunting area, with each village having one or more cedar-plank longhouses to hold village families.
According to the Kenmore Historical Society, it was a great place to live, to fish, and to hunt. Migrating salmon entered the lake from the sea and swam to the mouth of the Sammamish Slough. Ducks and geese were abundant, landing in nearby marshes and the estuary on their annual migrations. Game was plentiful, and the area supported large populations of otters, beavers, muskrats, and other animals.
Flash forward to 2023, and that stunning Coast Salish identity that once thrived on those pre-colonized Kenmore lands is actively being curated once again by modern-day culture-bearers. The latest example of this reclamation process occurred just this summer as a special story pole awakening ceremony kicked off the city’s 25th anniversary celebration.
Installed in the heart of the town square and unveiled during a city-wide celebration is a towering 12-foot story pole created by Tulalip artist Ty Juvinel.
“I get asked the question often, “What is a story pole?” because people think we only made totem poles. When, in fact, our Coast Salish ancestors of this region made story poles and house poles,” shared Ty. “The difference was that a house pole was kept inside, while story poles were placed outside and were of utmost importance in acknowledging a nearby longhouse.
“I’ve been told there used to be a longhouse where the town hall used to be,” added the 36-year-old culture bearer. “The meaning behind this story pole actually explains the meaning of why Tulalip’s logo is the killer whale. The inspiration comes from the traditional story Seal Hunter Brothers as told by Lushootseed legend Martha Lamont. Further inspiration for this pole’s design and carving style was to intentionally reflect the style of [last hereditary chief of the Snohomish Tribe] William Shelton and the story poles he created.”
Ty spent hundreds of hours over the course of months to create this awe-inspiring story pole that started as a 12-foot tall by 30-inch wide single Cedar beam procured along the peninsula.
At their core, story poles are cultural storytellers. They are meticulously carved from large, straight cedar logs – chosen for their durability and resistance to decay – using various handheld tools. The intricate designs and figures adorning the poles are then carefully painted with earth tone or Medicine Wheel pigments.
Each story pole narrates a unique story, most often detailing a tribal village’s history or an iconic narrative that’s been told for millennia. They are central to preserving and spreading traditional teachings passed on via the oral tradition, a key aspect of Coast Salish culture.
In that vein, it’s become an artist’s signature for Ty to welcome members of the local community to leave a lasting mark on his story poles to both solidify allyship and serve as a reminder that they heard the pole’s story and can be held accountable to pass on the teaching. He achieves this by inviting all those in attendance at the story pole’s awakening to leave their painted thumbprint on a dedicated panel at the pole’s base.
“It solidifies the story pole being welcomed into the community. There isn’t a lot of opportunity for people to engage with art or our culture, making it much more memorable for those who leave their fingerprint,” said Ty. “Twenty years from now or even longer, those who were here might return, and when they do, they’ll be able to spot their print and, hopefully, remember what they witnessed and tell others about it.”
Coast Salish story poles are so much more than wooden sculptures, they are living embodiments of Indigenous history, culture, and spirituality. With their roots stretching back millennia, they stand as a testament to the resilience and enduring traditions of the region’s first peoples. As they continue to be celebrated and respected, their stories, like Martha Lamont’s Seal Hunter Brothers, will echo through the ages, ensuring that this tradition remains alive for generations to come.
