A year ago, then 11-year-old Tulalip youth Spencer Horne jokingly asked if he could have a cedar hat, a very specific cedar hat; one that belonged to elder Monie Ordonia. She would’ve gladly given it to him, but she couldn’t because it was gifted to her. The not at all bashful youth then asked if she could gift him something. To which Monie replied, “I’ll make you something special if you dance with all your heart for me.”
Dance Spencer did. He danced to Monie’s admiration whenever possible. He danced at Canoe Journey practice after Canoe Journey practice until, ultimately, he was dancing when the pressure was most intense, on Puyallup territory during Tulalip’s protocol.
“The real beauty of this process was we established a truly beautiful relationship that began with respect,” explained Monie. “Today, not many youth pay attention to that very important aspect, respect. It’s part of our teachings; treating others, especially elders, with respect. When you carry yourself in a good way, represent your tribe in a good way, then you show respect to not just your own family, but other families and other tribes, too.
“Spencer carries himself in a good way,” she continued. “He dances with his whole heart and when he sings, he sings as if his ancestors are listening. That means so much to me. As a creator, watching him, seeing him, and hearing him got me excited to create something that depicted my respect he had earned.”
What she created was a one-of-a-kind, from the heart painting that captured the essence of his and his fellow youth’s Salish spirit as she witnessed them rise and soar on the dance floor. Titled Snohomish Warrior, Monie gifted the finished product to the beaming with pride Spencer during the Tulalip Canoe Family’s post-journey celebration.
After unwrapping it and giving Monie the biggest of hugs, he casually strutted around the Gathering Hall offering all in attendance a glance at his long-awaited gift.
When asked what he sees in the painting, he responded, “I see me, my sister and my cousins. I like it. It’s powerful!”
And his message to his elder? “Thank you, Monie. I love you.”
An Alkali bee lands on an Echinacea looking to grab some pollen.
By Nathan Roberts, Wetland Technician, Quil Ceda Village
Quil Ceda Village Administration recently undertook a beautification project with new plantings along the front walkway. If you come to the Administrative offices, you’ll be able to see various grasses, spirea, primal-looking ferns, two young rhododendrons and many others. In addition to beautifying our workplace, many of these plants will attract and benefit pollinators. In fact, pollinators moved right in almost as soon as the plants were in the ground!
A pollinator is any organism which moves pollen from the male organ of one plant to the female organ of another plant, thereby instigating fertilization and seed production. With this, that means that pollinators play a critical role in the production of various culturally important foods, such as salmonberry (στəγʷαδαχ) and huckleberry (σωəδαʔξ̌). With the newly planted flowers joining their cousins in bloom this time of year, we tend to think of bees being the biggest help to fertilization of flowers and formation of fruits and seeds; however, there are many more pollinators than just bees. We have to thank not just bees, but birds, bats, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, wasps and even small mammals for their contribution to native flowering plants and our food supply’s endurance.
A Great Golden Digger wasp looking for nectar on this Tropical Milkweed.
We’re very lucky to call this state our home; a home we share with many species of native bees such as the cute Bumble Bee, the Blue Orchard Bee, the Western Leafcutter, the Metallic Green Sweat Bee and hundreds more. Many of the bees native to our state, about 70% of the 600 species, are what are known as “ground nesters”, meaning they might make their home under your feet rather than a hive above ground. Many of the pollinators you will see at our new plantings are ground nesting, some are also solitary. These pollinators use their mandibles to dig tunnels that can extend deep into the soil. At the end of these tunnels are small areas they nest in called “brooding cells.” Since most of these pollinators are solitary and dig deep underground, you can put your mind at ease about disrupting an underground hive.
Some of the flowers planted at Quil Ceda Village will particularly attract ground nesting pollinators. One of the first flowers to catch the eye are the two larger, planted Echinacea, or Coneflower. These are not just visually attractive to us, but to bees, butterflies and wasps as well with their vibrant colors and giant domed head, which makes for a perfect landing pad for many species. On these flowers, you might catch a glimpse of the Alkali bee, which is a ground nester and loves damp, silty soils such as that found at the garden of QCV. Another favorite of the local critters is the Tropical Milkweed, which is a delight for bees, but also Woodland Skipper and Monarch butterflies, and Great Golden Digger Wasps. With its long stems and small flowering bodies of golden yellow and red, it has a very sweet nectar that is a favorite among the crawlers. It should be noted that the Golden Digger species of wasp is classified as non-aggressive and is one of the before mentioned ground nesters, meaning they will not be seen creating hives in corners of the entrance and swarming as they are also solitary in nature. Plus, they prefer the nectar of flowers to human food.
A Woodland Skipper butterfly basking in the sun on the newly-applied compost.
But why should we care about whether or not our local bees are native or not? For a few reasons. With bees and butterflies in decline worldwide, planting pollinator-friendly gardens helps provide a stop-over and much needed foods to our local pollinators in areas that can be nectar and pollen deserts. Also, when invasive or non-native species are introduced to an area by humans or of their own accord, diseases are more likely to spread that the native populations have not encountered yet, leading to a possible drastic decline in numbers. Another reason is that native bees and other insects are highly responsible for the pollination of many of the beautiful flowering plants, such as those on display now at Quil Ceda Village, as well as native plants important for tribal foods and medicines. Native bees and other pollinators have special associations with our native flowering plants. Interestingly, the common Honeybee is not native to North America and was brought over by European colonialists. However, after hundreds of years of their pollination efforts, they are considered domesticated in the U.S. as they are essential for the growing of crops in the agricultural industry. In fact, according to the Bee Conservancy, while it is true that about a third of our food is grown thanks to honeybees, about 80% of flowering plants are pollinated with thanks to our native bees.
A Sand Wasp was made landing on this Echinacea, doing its part to help pollination.
This is all not to say that balance of pollinators and plants is invincible. One of the most devastating factors leading to the decline of native bees within the U.S. is the application of pesticides and insecticides. One of the immediate effects is of course, the reduction of insects that are essential to help the plants reproduce. However, a much darker effect is the scenario of insects bringing the poison back to their hives, where now other pollinators, or even a whole colony, could die. This is a less likely scenario for solitary pollinators; however, the more ornamental pesticide-treated plants there are in the world, the higher the number of these individual pollinators will die. Those who were born before the mid 90’s likely remember there once being a bounty of Western Bumble Bees in our state, however their numbers have been drastically declining since then and astonishingly, are now considered rare. Likely due to a combination of multiple factors, notably the competition with non-native species and disease, but their populations plummeting is certainly aided by the wrongful use of pesticides. This is why it is absolutely essential that there be more pesticide free zones, so that there can be areas for both plants and pollinators to prosper.
We are very fortunate to be able to live in a part of the world that is bountiful with life and green. The dance between plants and pollinators has been going on since time immemorial, and is beyond ancient. It is therefore imperative we do not lose sight of the delicate balance that all life depends upon so that our future generations may thrive in a world alongside plants and the creatures that pollinate them.
The long-abandoned greenhouse at Marysville Pilchuck High School, unused for the past 15 years, is being revitalized for the start of the 2024-25 school year as part of the MPHS Greenhouse Project. It all started when a few teachers, including Biology teacher Kayla Carter and Head of the Science Department Claire Luvera, walked by the neglected lot and thought, “Why is this land just going to waste?” This question inspired Kayla and her colleagues to bring the greenhouse back to life, seeing it as a valuable resource for students and the community.
Kayla and Claire took the issue to the school administration, who approved their plan to clean up the greenhouse. This was no small task, as the greenhouse had been an eyesore on the MP campus for over a decade. Undeterred, they gathered tools, secured funding, and rallied support through community donations. Blackberry bushes had overtaken the buildings, walkways, and even the inside of the greenhouse. The monumental undertaking began at the start of summer, clearing the overgrown foliage, removing debris, digging out walkways, and bringing in an electrician to get the building operational.
Inspired by this potential, Kayla Carter, who was in her first year at Pilchuck, saw an opportunity to transform the space. “From my classroom, I could see this big greenhouse and land,” she said. Motivated by what it could become, Carter started the greenhouse project. “To get it going, we needed a lot of help from the community,” she explained. Initially, it was just her and another teacher working on the project, but the community’s response has been incredibly supportive. According to Carter, they’ve been offered tools, donations of lumber and compost, and a tree company helped trim trees.
The plan is to form a garden club to maintain everything, and involve students in activities like testing water and soil, and growing different plants in various areas. Carter said, “The garden club will sell flowers and, hopefully, tomato starts for the program,”
For Carter, this project is about more than just gardening; it’s about bringing kids outside and connecting them with nature. “Some kids these days don’t go outside enough,” she said. She hopes that by having students grow plants they helped start, they will enjoy getting their hands dirty and seeing nature up close. “One of my dreams is to have students eat what they grew,” Carter shared, emphasizing her desire to have the students experience the entire cycle of growing and enjoying their food.
Luvera expressed enthusiasm for the new project and its potential impact on the curriculum. “We will be able to do so many labs and hands-on activities in all our life sciences,” she said. She explained that the decision to start this initiative was made earlier in the year. “Back in April, we looked around and decided to work on this project,” Luvera recalled. Her excitement for the future is apparent, especially regarding increasing student engagement through practical learning. “I am excited to get more hands-on activities for the kids,” she added. Luvera also shared her hope to revive an agriculture program, which would provide even more opportunities for experiential learning.
Eliza Davis, a member of the Marysville School Board, has been actively involved in supporting positive initiatives within the district. “I reached out to different organizations,” she said, explaining her efforts to find support for the greenhouse project. As someone deeply familiar with the challenges and negativity within the district, Davis wanted to focus on something positive happening in the schools.
“While on a tour, the Principal of MP, Peter Apple, told me about some teachers interested in getting this program going again,” Davis explained. Motivated by this opportunity, she connected with a few organizations and the non-profit Best Schools Marysville, which is dedicated to restoring schools in the community. The organization was eager to help and donated money to support the program.
Davis recalls that the program was once award-winning, with students making wreaths for Christmas and growing flowers for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. “There are lots of opportunity for students to learn about business and practical, real-world skills,” she said. She is enthusiastic about seeing passionate young teachers. “It’s nice to see young teachers come in and want to change the culture and rebuild the program,” Davis added, reflecting on the potential for growth in the district.
The greenhouse project will continue throughout the school year, with plans to turn the greenhouse back into a functioning classroom. The district will decide later in the year whether to reopen the class. In the meantime, Carter and her team are hopeful for ongoing community support and involvement. For more information and updates, visit their Facebook page, MPHS greenhouse project.
By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News; photos courtesy of Nicole Sieminski, Stephanie Cultee and Tessa Campbell
A record breaking $70,000 was raised during the Tulalip Foundation’s Annual Salmon Bake Fundraiser benefiting the Hibulb Cultural Center. It was the hot ticket event of the summer and sold out during the week leading up to the gathering. Close to 250 people were dressed to the nines on the evening of August 17, as they convened at the cultural center’s terrace where they were greeted by the welcoming aroma of traditional baked salmon.
“Our ultimate goal is to support the cultural center and to feature it’s work and all the good work that it’s doing,” expressed Nicole Sieminski, the Tulalip Foundation’s Executive Director. “It is gratifying to see people’s support and that they keep showing up for us. And we’re grateful that we keep getting new supporters as well. My goal is to keep growing, which we did by a lot. We raised $52,000 last year, which was big because it was the first time we broke $50. And this year we raised $70,000!”
Since its establishment, the Hibulb Cultural Center has imparted a vast amount of knowledge about the Tribe’s history and ancestral teachings to the wider community. With historical artifacts, photos, and documents, the center has provided insight and a tribal perspective on issues such as colonialism and assimilation while simultaneously celebrating the ancestral teachings, values, beliefs, and stories of the Tulalip people.
Many of the cultural center’s gatherings, exhibits, and workshops are possible due in large part to the Tulalip Foundation’s annual salmon bake fundraiser. This is an all-hands-on deck event and is organized not only by the Foundation, but also the team from the cultural center.
The Tulalip Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports tribal programs and projects based on five support areas – culture and natural resources, education and workforce, law and justice, community and development, and health and social. The Foundation has made a great impact on the tribal community and has become well-known throughout the region. Many local companies and nationwide corporations have donated thousands of dollars for the betterment of both Tulalip’s governmental programs, as well as community-led and focused projects.
Making their sixth consecutive return to the event, the Taylor Family once again prepared the salmon over fire. What makes this special is that the people get to see this traditional method of cooking in real time. Attendees witnessed an act of passing knowledge to the next generation, as Lance Taylor guided his grandson Jared throughout the entire process.
Ryan’s Rez-ipes, renowned for their delicious eats, was the official caterer for the event. And there were 22 sponsorships in total this year. Nicole shared that there were a few new sponsors, who have active contracts with the Tribe, that showed their support to the community including Korsmo Construction, KPFF Engineers, and the Wenaha Group.
While the food was being prepared, the guests were invited to tour the cultural center’s exhibits and gift shop. This was also the time to peruse the items that were up for bid at the silent auction. Rows of tables displayed artwork and regalia that was donated by nearly 30 Tulalip artists. Beside each donation there was an informational note, detailing the art piece and the artist, as well as a sheet of paper where the guests could place their bids.
“It’s always nice to see everybody’s work,” shared Nicole. “One that I loved this year was made by Jose Roja, who is a Tribal youth. He made his first traditional wool skirt and matching headband. Since it was his first one, he’s supposed to give it away, so he donated it to us to put in the silent auction. We actually had several Tribal youth who donated items for the silent auction, that was really cool to see our youth participate and show their support.”
Once the silent auction placed a last call for bids, the event began with an opening prayer by Natosha Gobin and the presentation of colors by the Tulalip Honor Guard. Young Tribal member Lizzie Mae Williams shared a traditional story, followed up by opening remarks from the Hibulb Cultural Center’s Museum Manager, Mytyl Hernandez.
DJ Monie was behind the turntables and helped set the vibe of the soiree throughout the night. As the attendees enjoyed their fresh king salmon dinners, they were treated to a live spoken word and flute performance by Renee Roman Nose and Peter Ali.
From the comfort of their seats, the guests could scan a QR code, where they could donate to a canoe restoration project via their smartphones. They also had the chance to enter in a drawing to win a canvas painting by Tulalip artist, Ty Juvinel.
“This is the first year we did a specific fund a project,” said Nicole. “This was a canoe that was donated earlier this year that needs some serious restoration and treatment, it was outside for a very long time. Hopefully it will go on display in the canoe hall. This is a full-sized river canoe, the one in the canoe hall now is actually child sized. This is very similar to what we’d use here along our Snohomish, Stillaguamish, Skagit rivers. And Ty’s donation was great. We decided to use that for our special drawing. We always like to feature something unique for the special drawing. It was a very large print, almost 4ft x 4ft.”
This year’s fundraiser was dedicated in memory of David Spencer Sr., who was an active participant in countless events at the Hibulb Cultural Center for many years, notably at the annual film festival and the salmon bake. And according to Nicole, David also voices the introduction video that plays inside of the cultural center’s longhouse as people tour the museum.
Once everybody collected their winnings, the 2024 Salmon Bake Fundraiser was officially marked as a success in the books.
“I am extremely grateful for everyone’s support from friends, community, tribal partners,” Nicole stated. “Hopefully it means we’re doing our job well and showing them how the cultural center is continuing to serve the community. Every year the funds are going to future exhibitions and programming. Thankfully, the cultural center staff are able to continue to offer events. They just released their September events, and they have a busy schedule. It’s good to see that and hopefully our donors can see that as well.”
For more information, and to stay up to date on the Hibulb Cultural Center’s events, exhibits, and activities, be sure to give their Facebook page a follow. And for addition details about the Tulalip Foundation, please visit www.TulalipFoundation.org.
It’s impossible to know exactly how many Native Americans attended the Seattle Mariners vs. Tampa Bay Rays baseball game on Monday, August 26. But what we do know is the game’s official attendance was announced as 29,755 and, based on pure observation, one can safely say that a good percentage of that was proud Indigenous culture bearers from across the Americas who journeyed to T-Mobile Park to celebrate ‘Native American Heritage Night’.
Knowing full well how chaotic evening traffic can be, citizens of the region’s Coast Salish tribes hit the road early to ensure arrival into the Emerald City prior to the game’s 6:40pm opening pitch. Additional incentive to arrive early came in the form of a highly coveted, limited-edition jersey created by Muckleshoot tribal artists. Jerseys were only made available to the first 10,000 fans.
Last year, Muckleshoot and the Seattle Mariners announced a long-term, multi-faceted partnership allowing the organizations to work together to impact the broader community throughout the Pacific Northwest.
“This partnership is the result of two organizations coming together who share common values and beliefs. We’re excited to celebrate the Tribe’s culture and traditions with fans at T-Mobile Park, while providing enhanced baseball and softball access to more children throughout our region,” stated Catie Griggs, Seattle Mariners President of Business Operations.
“To be able to assert … our place and our identity within the city, within the region, with organizations like the [Mariners and Kraken], it’s hugely important and it’s hugely meaningful and really a powerful step for our tribe, for our people,” added Muckleshoot tribal councilman Donny Stevenson at the time of the announcement.
Prior to Monday night’s first pitch, the Muckleshoot Canoe Family took to the always stunningly manicured green grass of T-Mobile Park and shared their culture though dance and song.
The Mariners’ 11,000-square-foot scoreboard routinely displayed facts about Indigenous tribes of Washington State throughout the evening. The monstrous digital screen even showed Tulalip tribal members on multiple occasion. The first being 7-year-old Anthony Jefferson Jr. saying “Let’s play ball!” in Lushootseed. Then again, when the cameras panned to Morning Star Creations founder Nina Gobin-Scott hard at work sewing a ribbon skirt. She was asked by members of the Mariners’ public relations team to represent Indigenous entrepreneurs on the center field foyer, where her custom-made ribbon skirts were being sold and auctioned off to benefit Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services.
“It’s a huge deal for me as an Indigenous woman and small business owner be asked to setup and display my work for so many people and communities to see. I feel so honored,” shared Nina while taking a brief break from her devout sewing machine. “An underrated part of opportunities like this are being able to impart insight and expand perspectives of non-Indigenous people who may be curious about our cultures, arts and businesses, but unsure of who or how to ask.
“One of my favorite moments from the night was being able to sell a skirt to a First Nations relative from Canada attending her first Native Night,” continued Nina. “It’s truly breathtaking. There are so many places someone can go to buy a ribbon skirt and recognizing this, I don’t take it for granted when someone sees one of my designs and is excited to purchase from me.”
Turns out that Canadian purchaser was Councillor Morning-Star Peters of Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc. Think of her as a tribal councilwoman of her First Nation. Morning-Star graciously shared, “My family was determined to not miss out on Native American Heritage Night this year, so we got the specialized tickets and got here early for the jersey and hat. I definitely did not expect to find a ribbon skirt, but that’s the beauty of our people – they always find a way. I’m so excited to bring this ribbon skirt back home with me. It’ll be a precious memento of this special night.”
During actual gameplay, the Mariners gave their adoring fans much to cheer about for 9 full innings. Second baseman Jorge Polanco (Dominican Republic) hit a 341-foot homerun in the second inning to tie the game at 1-1. In the following inning, recently acquired outfielder Randy Arozarena (Mexico via Cuba) smashed a 376-foot, 3-run homer that gave the home team the lead for good. Starting pitcher Bryce Miller went 7 strong innings and tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts.
Ultimately, the M’s won an excitement-filled game, 5-1, in front of the largest Monday home crowd they’ve had all season. Only adding to the growing legend that is ‘Native Night.’
It’s been five long years since the Tribes’ annual back to school bash featured its iconic backpack giveaway. Missing since 2019, the double shoulder strap carry-all bags made a triumphant return on Wednesday, August 21, to the delight of students and parents, alike.
Anticipation was so high that several families lined up in front of the Youth Center doors a good two-and-a-half hours before the giveaway started. Misty Flores wanted to guarantee teenagers Caianne Santee, 17, and Skylar Flores,16, had first choice among the ever popular and extremely limited Skyn Style backpacks that feature stunning Native designs.
“It was important for us to be first in line so they could get the backpacks they wanted and so that I could get back to work,” said Misty.
“I’m excited to pick out a really cool backpack for school,” added Caianne. She stated so eloquently, like only a current teenager can, that the importance of having a cool backpack is “to avoid being made fun of for having a weird or lame backpack.”
Skylar and Caianne accomplished their mission by both selecting Skyn Style backpacks. Skylar went with the subtle white and black tribal print design, while Caianne opted for the fearsome Warriors bag that features the portraits of Chief Joseph, Red Cloud, Geronimo, and Sitting Bull. Safe to say there’s nothing weird or lame about that backpack, that’s for sure.
Also, among the first ones in the doors after eagerly standing in line for two plus hours was Valerie Alcombrack and her kiddos. Six-year-old Zaida Castaneda was so full of excitement that she couldn’t help but shout, “A pink one!” when asked what kind of backpack she was hoping for. Minutes later, the soon-to-be 1st grader was radiating pure princess energy as she sported a sparkly pink backpack out of the gymnasium. Her eight-year-old, big brother Kain opted for the base blue, Minecraft themed bag to rock during his upcoming 3rd grade year.
Hundreds of Tulalip students eagerly picked out a backpack before filling it with classroom supplies, like pens, pencils, spiral notebooks, folders and so much more. The deep-seeded commitment to the educational well-being and academic future of our youth went beyond essential school items.
In addition to the distribution of backpacks, the event also includes various activities and resources that promote academic and personal development. Educational booths, cultural presentations, and health screenings are often part of the event, providing a holistic approach to preparing students for the upcoming school year.
There were several resource booths on site with local school district staff, volunteers, and educators intent on boosting the confidence of students and parents as they transitioned into school mode. These resources help to address the broader needs of the youth, ensuring they are not only equipped with school supplies but also with knowledge and support that will help them thrive both in and out of the classroom.
“It’s just good to see all the support the kids have to motivate them in and out of the classroom. They know they have so many who want them to succeed and rally want them to move forward in the best way possible,” described papa bear Cory Pablo as he perused the resource tables with his kindergartener and 1st grader. “My kids have been talking about this backback day for like a week and a half. Now, they can’t wait to finish up in here so we can check out everything that waiting for them outside.”
Oh, the marvels of being back outside. Like a scene out of Willy Wonka, there were free snow cones and popcorn being handed out by Tulalip Bay paramedics, literally a thousand slices of Costco pizza being distributed, and a variety of wildly fun shenanigans for the kids to enjoy. RECKLESS spinning carnival ride? Of course. Rock climbing wall? Sure. American gladiator style jousting? Why not.
Peak memory making and community building to end the kid’s summer vacation, the return of the backpack distribution is also a reflection of the Tribes’ emphasis on unity and mutual support. The excitement around the event brings together not only the children and their families but also local leaders, educators, and community members to socialize in a whimsical atmosphere.
“We did so much outreach behind the scenes to make this as successful an event as possible,” reflected Jessica Bustad, Executive Director of Education. “This is a prime opportunity to reach our people because there are hundreds, potentially thousands, who walk through our doors today. A big priority for us was recruiting departments and organizations that we know our students and families need access to prior to school beginning so that they can, hopefully, begin building a relationship that they can then carry forward into the new year.
“As a parent, too, I’m so thankful for all the resources the Tribe makes available to our kids so they are in the best position to succeed,” she added. “Beyond the backpacks and school supplies, we know that as Tulalip families that our students are fully supported with their educational journeys.”
Multi-sport athlete and Tulalip tribal member, Tucker Day, has taken up the grid iron challenge. Having already found early success on the baseball diamond as both a pitcher and hitter, the inspiring 11-year-old has swapped his glove and baseball for shoulder pads, a helmet, and a nifty forearm play sheet as a two-way player for the Concrete Lions youth football program.
“After I saw Tucker’s athletic potential and grittiness displayed playing baseball, I asked his parents if he could play football,” explained Lions head coach Arthur Sanchez. “He never played organized football before, but both he and his parents were on board with him playing. He’s shown a lot of potential already. He’s our starting wide receiver on offense and starting cornerback on defense.
“He’s got great hands. He’s got speed. He’s got height. All things any coach would love to have in a pass catcher,” added the longtime football coach. “On defense, he doesn’t shy away from contact, he’s a great tackler. Having never played before, there is still so much for him to learn, but it’s obvious he’s a willing learner and wants to develop his technique on both sides of the ball to benefit his team.”
Tucker’s innate skill and ability on the football field was on full display during a recent jamboree hosted outside Burlington-Edison High School. Youth programs from across Snohomish, Skagit, and Whatcom counties were invited to the fast-paced football extravaganza. Games typically lasted only 15-20 minutes before teams would rotate and immediately begin playing a new opponent.
The quick turnaround and lack of prep for their opponents made the stakes low and competition high; yielding plenty of moments for Tucker to shine. Casual sideline observers could easily distinguish Tucker from the myriad of other players and teams because of his signature twin braids.
“I’m proud of Tucker for embracing his Native American heritage through his hair,” shared Tucker’s mom, Jerry Davis. “He’s known as the boy with the braid by other baseball teams in our area because he’s a pretty good baseball player and having a braid is something that stands out. I thought it would be cool if he went with two braids for football.”
Living in Sedro-Woolley, one could imagine a boy with a braid is a rare sight, let alone two braids. As Tucker continues to develop his athletic potential in multiple sports, traveling near and far, his braids are something that can always serve as his connection to tribe and community.
In fact, that connection will take on an entirely new meaning come September 7. On that summer morning, Tucker’s Concrete Lions will host the Tulalip Hawks.
“Baseball is my favorite sport. I really wanted to try out for football because it’s a cool sport and some of my teammates from baseball play on this team. I also love running and in football I get to run around, a lot,” said Tucker following the jamboree. “Playing wide receiver is fun because I get to run on almost every play. There are so many routes to run, like posts, slants, and go routes.”
Regardless of which route he’s runing, the desired result is always the same – a catch in the open field with nothing but day light in front of him.
Elders from near and far came together at the Tulalip Gathering Hall on August 15 for the Annual Elders Potlatch. With an impressive 898 elders signed in, the event saw over 1,000 attendees who gathered to enjoy camaraderie, delicious food, and thoughtful gifts. The line stretched out the door and down the street as people eagerly arrived to partake in the festivities.
A lively bingo game added to the festive atmosphere and allowed participants to win prizes, enhancing everyone’s enjoyment of the celebration.
The event began with tribal member Tony Hatch welcoming everyone. Following his introduction, the Tulalip Canoe Family performed traditional songs, enriching the atmosphere with their powerful voices. Reigning King and Queen Ray and Sheryl Fryberg were honored at the event, drawing smiles and applause from the attendees.
A special moment of the day was the recognition of the two oldest attendees: 96-year-old Donald Smith from Yakima, born on May 28, 1928, and 97-year-old Vera Drake (Charity) from Campbell River, born on June 6, 1927. Both elders were celebrated with handmade gifts donated by local artists, including a wool skirt, shawl, and handcrafted cedar hats.
Lloyd Belmont from Suquamish shared his reflections on the event, emphasizing the importance of connecting with the elders. “Meeting all the grandmas and grandpas, introducing myself, and getting to know who they are and what territory they come from—Yakima, Elwa, Lummi, Ground Round—is so meaningful. Receiving those blessings and experiencing the hospitality that Tulalip has to offer is something special,” he said.
For Lloyd, the event was more than just a gathering, it was an opportunity to watch, learn, and honor the elders. “Teachings come in many forms, and it’s important to give them that acknowledgment, from the youngest to the oldest,” he continued. “Often, people tend to leave their elders sitting at home alone. Sitting down with them, sharing a smile, and connecting is essential. We need to remember they blazed the trail that allows us to be doing what we are doing today.”
Stan Manzano from Yakima and Wiley Close from Lindale, Texas, both had high praise for the event. Stan particularly enjoyed the seafood selection, especially the crab, remarking, “It was a good event. I enjoyed it.” Wiley, who traveled back for the second year, added, “I loved the event. I came the first year and had to travel back for the second one. I liked the Canoe Families’ songs.” Both expressed their excitement by stating they would be back next year.
The Annual Elders Potlatch united generations, strengthened connections, and honored the elders. The day’s atmosphere of respect and community left a lasting impression on all who attended.
