Category: Arts & Entertainment

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

For more than forty years now, the Tulalip Tribes have transformed a vacant space on their sovereign land into an excitement fueled marketplace for those looking to satisfy the celebration demands of Independence Day. 

Tens of thousands of prospective customers from all across the Pacific Northwest journey to the fireworks-filled Boom City every year seeking the perfect purchase. The most highly desirable family order typically consists of child friendly sparklers, Roman candles and snap poppers that accompany the thrilling sights and sounds of the more advanced pyrotechnics, like booming artillery shells and mesmerizing 500-gram, finale cakes.

Largely illegal in Washington State, the distribution and discharge of fireworks is permitted on the Tulalip Reservation as a direct result of tribal sovereignty. Snohomish County at large, including the surrounding cities of Marysville, Arlington and Everett, have instituted fireworks bans. However, those municipal and county government structures have no authority over Tulalip. Praise the Point Elliot Treaty!

Embodying that sovereignty are the 100 or so stand owners who create the always lively wheeling and dealing atmosphere Boom City is well known for. Each stand owner is a Tulalip entrepreneur looking to cash-in on 4th of July festivities while creating a loyal, return-customer base to add to Boom City’s lore.

Following another successful season, we caught up with a handful of those who best embody the entrepreneurial spirit and have grown up within and around the proud Boom City tradition. Each was asked three simple questions. What did you like this year? What did you dislike? And if you had the power to make a change for next year, what would it be and why?

Eliza Davis

Q. What did you like? 

A. I like that we are able to have a lighting area to accommodate customers who are not able to light fireworks elsewhere due to bans in their towns or cities. Without the lighting area, I think we would have a definite decline in our business. 

Q. What did you dislike? 

I didn’t like that our layout. The rows and space for stand owners to A. set up is so uneven. We had some rows with way more space to put merchandise out in front of their stands and then other rows with a significantly less area to work with. The parking lot was also very uneven for those on the North entrance. There was a lot more available parking near the South entrance.

Q. If you had the power to make a change for next year, what would it be and why?

A. So one change I would like to see is finding a way to ensure equal parking on both entrances and that our layout is evenly spaced out. That way all stand owners have access to the same amount of area in front of and around their stands, as well as equal access to foot traffic from both ends of the parking lot.

One other thing I would like us to consider is aligning our fireworks code with our employment code for preference tiers 1-3. We have a lot of decedents who want the opportunity to work and they are not enrolled so they don’t get the opportunity unless their parent has a stand. It makes sense to look at this code through the employment code preference tier from 1-3 to me. These folks live in our community, impact our economy, and many give back to our community.

 

Krislyn Parks

Q. What did you like?

A. I love the community of beautiful Natives coming together to make a living for their family by using our sovereignty and selling people fireworks to celebrate with their friends and family!

Q. What did you dislike?

A. I personally didn’t like that my customers walked around all the bathrooms that were supposed to be open for public use that had locks on them. They couldn’t go to the bathroom, but were sold food and drinks. I don’t understand why our people put locks on free bathrooms. It was really sad to watch kids pee their pants and elders freaking out not being able to use the restroom.

A. If you had the power to make a change for next year, what would it be and why?

Would probably be to have more or better transparency of all aspects because too much is left unsaid and secretive. But also, our customers need bathrooms so let’s start with that.

Wade Sheldon

Q. What did you like? 

A. I liked being there, and being able to hang out with friends and relatives I don’t normally get to see. 

Q. What didn’t you like? 

A. I don’t like how more and more cities are cancelling people being able to light off fireworks by imposing bans, issuing citations, and making it illegal. 

Q. If you had the power to make a change for next year, what would it be and why?

A. I would have all of Boom City lean more into safety. I think that a lot of people buy these fireworks and don’t give them the respect they need. We need to show people how to properly respective fireworks by showing how to handle and light off correctly. By creating safety videos and offering a fireworks safety class at Boom City, we could get more families to come up and more customers for every stand. The more we prepare for the future, the longer we will be able to keep selling fireworks at Boom City.

Sabrina Moses

Q. What did you like? 

A. I love the family time I get. It’s our dad and auntie’s business, Monty Hall Fireworks. To be able to come together every year as a family and Tribe is a blessing to me. This year, it was my brother Brandon Moses, my dad Jon Moses, my nephew Brayden Moses and a family friend Bruce Mosqueda who all worked the stand.  I am very happy with this year’s results. 

Q. What did you dislike? 

This year, I dislike that it was shorter selling season. We rely on all the days we can get.

A. If you had the power to make a change for next year, what would it be and why?

I think all stand owners should have to show up to the Boom City meetings they have each year.

Josh Fryberg

Q. What did you like?

A. What we liked about Boom City was friends and family coming together and helping keep family traditions alive. I remember working Boom City with family when I was just 7 or 8 years old. There are a lot of great memories for so many. We are looking forward to more of our kids being more involved, learning the business side of fireworks, and passing on what they’ve learned to their kids one day.

Q. What did you dislike?

A.We disliked the weather. There was a lot of rain this year leading up to the final week.

Q. If you had the power to make a change for next year, what would it be and why?

A. If we were able to make one change, it would be to have a few meetings with our Tulalip Board of Directors, Boom City committee and stand owners, so we all come together in a good way and create solutions that benefit all of us.

By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News

On a cozy, rainy Saturday afternoon, June 15, the Hibulb Cultural Center was alive with a shared sense of creativity. The unique ribbon shirt class, led by the renowned Tulalip artist Winona Shopbell-Fryberg, brought together a diverse crowd. From the Sauk-Suattle Reservation to local enthusiasts, everyone was united in their eagerness to delve into the art of creating their ribbon shirts.

The ribbon shirt, whose origins are deeply rooted in the Great Lakes and throughout the Prairie, Plains, and Northeast tribes, carries a profound historical significance. Shopbell-Fryberg explained, “These shirts were created as replacements for war shirts when there was a shortage of hides to make them.” 

Following the French Revolution, extravagant clothing decorated with ribbons went out of style and was exported to the Americas. There, the French traded silk ribbons along with metal for knives and cookware, bells, small mirrors, glass and brass beads, guns, alcohol, and wool blankets to the Native Americans in the latter part of the 18^th century. By the 19^th century, Europeans noticed that many tribes had incorporated ribbon work applique into their culture.

Shopbell-Fryberg is widely recognized as a respected cultural leader. She is revered for her exceptional beadwork on earrings and medallions and her expertise in creating ribbon skirts. Her classes offer invaluable guidance to those looking to acquire these skills, and given the success of her second ribbon shirt class, it’s evident that her teachings are highly sought after. 

“I’m self-taught in making ribbon shirts,” Shopbell-Fryberg said. “My son needed a shirt, so instead of finding a pattern, I used one of his existing shirts to create my design. I have been teaching various classes for over ten years. This is my second ribbon shirt class, and I would like to teach more classes if there is a demand.”

Her hands-on teaching approach effectively demonstrates simplified methods for creating ribbon shirts. Anyone with basic sewing machine skills can quickly master these methods. By breaking down the project into manageable steps, she instills confidence in individuals with limited sewing experience, showing them they can achieve success.

One of those who was there to learn a new skill was Tulalip tribal member Bryce Carpenter-Juneau, who said, “It was easier than I thought. I was nervous about the sewing going into it because my wife usually sews. So, I figured I would try to learn myself. That way, I could help her out in a pinch. I enjoyed the class, and instead of just purchasing a ribbon shirt, I thought it would mean more to make one myself, knowing my sweat went into it. I would definitely retake this class.” 

“I made a ribbon shirt about 20 years ago,” said Hermina O-Raven from Sauk-Suattle. “I like this style because you can use anybody’s shirt as an outline instead of buying a pattern. I enjoyed the class, but we always want it to be longer. I couldn’t finish my shirt, but with the start I got from the class, I will be able to finish it at home.”

As the afternoon concluded, participants left the Hibulb Cultural Center with new ribbon shirts and a deeper connection to their heritage. 

For more information on workshops and other events at Hibulb, visit their website at www.hibulbculturalcenter.org.

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

Whether you’re catching some rays by the relaxing shores of the Salish Sea, out harvesting traditional foods in the natural world, or looking for something to capture your attention to pass the time while working in a firework stand at Boom City, make this short list of Indigenous novels your companion this summer for some fun, entertaining, thrilling, and emotional reads. 

Each of the following books are filled with rez humor, traditional lessons, and haunting tales that ultimately bring attention to issues that we face as Indigenous people in 2024, such as boarding school trauma, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women/People, and substance abuse/addiction. 

What makes all of the stories so powerful and inspiring for the Native community is the fact that most of the main characters must recall and rely on their ancestral teachings to get through a number of dilemmas and survive the story. What that looks like in today’s modern society is half the fun, and it’s what makes each of these books certified page-turners. 

If you are an audiobook listener or old-school paperback reader, be sure to pick up a copy of these works to help support Indigenous art and writers. Happy reading!

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

Following up his classic debut, There, There, Tommy Orange returns with an emotionally heavy novel that takes a deep dive into the assimilation era, and the trickle-down effect it’s had on tribal families for multiple generations since. 

Wandering Stars is technically a sequel and revisits some of the main characters from There, There and digs into their family history. However, Wandering Stars can easily be read as a standalone. But there are several references and connections between the two novels, so if you have the time and haven’t read There, There, just yet, we highly recommend it!

“Extending his constellation of narratives into the past and future, Tommy Orange once again delivers a story that is by turns shattering and wondrous, a book piercing in its poetry, sorrow, and rage—a masterful follow-up to his already-classic first novel, and a devastating indictment of America’s war on its own people.”

Never Whistle at Night:  An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology by Shane Hawk

Fair warning, some of the stories in this book will stick with you for several days and are downright scary. We’re talking ghosts, monsters, curses, hauntings, sinister revenge plots. But of course, you were probably able to surmise that on your own from the title, as the message to Never Whistle at Night is embedded into the brain of every Indigenous youth, adult, and elder all across the nation. 

In this book, we are introduced to nearly thirty original stories by well-known Indigenous authors like Stephen Graham Jones, Morgan Talty, Kelli Jo Ford, Nick Medina, Norris Black, Waubgeshig Rice, and many, many more.

“Many Indigenous people believe that one should never whistle at night. This belief takes many forms: for instance, Native Hawaiians believe it summons the Hukai’po, the spirits of ancient warriors, and Native Mexicans say it calls Lechuza, a witch that can transform into an owl. But what all these legends hold in common is the certainty that whistling at night can cause evil spirits to appear—and even follow you home.”

Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina

Like most of Nick Medina’s works, Indian Burial Ground, is extremely difficult to put down once you get started. With fast pacing and short chapters, you are sure to fly through this book in no time.

Through his stories, Nick Medina tackles Indigenous issues head-on. In his bestseller, Sisters of the Lost Nation, Medina does an excellent job of bringing attention to the MMIW epidemic and its effects on a tribal community. The two underlying themes that he explores in Indian Burial Ground are teen suicide and alcoholism. 

In an attempt to make this recommendation completely spoiler free, we’ll leave the shocking mystery to you. But what we will share is that Medina ramps up his storytelling ability and has the reader following two timelines; one in present time and the other occurs during the summer in the 80’s. 

“All Noemi Broussard wanted was a fresh start. With a new boyfriend who actually treats her right and a plan to move from the reservation she grew up on—just like her beloved Uncle Louie before her—things are finally looking up for her. Until the news of her boyfriend’s apparent suicide brings her world crumbling down. But the facts about Roddy’s death just don’t add up, and Noemi isn’t the only one who suspects something menacing might be lurking within their tribal lands.”

Where They Last Saw Her by Marcie R. Rendon

Set on the Red Pine reservation in Minnesota, this novel follows Quill as she decides to take it upon herself to find answers after another woman from her rez goes missing. Out of all the fantastic reads on this list, Where They Last Saw Her, has the highest rating across all platforms, including Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, and Apple books. 

Trigger warning, this book touches on difficult subjects that Indigenous women unfortunately often experience such as violence against women and sex trafficking. This book is raw, heartbreaking, as well as powerful and educational, and Rendon masterfully provides insight and perspective on the MMIW/P epidemic. 

“As Quill closes in on the truth behind the missing woman in the woods, someone else disappears. In her quest to find justice for the women of the reservation, she is confronted with the hard truths of their home and the people who purport to serve them. When will she stop losing neighbors, friends, family? As Quill puts herself, her family, and everything she’s built on the line to make a difference, the novel asks searing questions about bystander culture, the reverberations of even one act of crime, and the long-lasting trauma of being invisible.”

The Indian Lake Trilogy by Stephen Graham Jones

Truth be told, every single literary piece of fiction by SGJ should be on everybody’s TBR list. Ahead of The Indian Lake Trilogy, Stephen Graham Jones became famous for weaving in traditional stories into contemporary reads with a horror twist. However, this series isn’t that. Sure, there may be callbacks to certain Indigenous legends and lore, but the main character in this series is a badass Indigenous teen girl, Jade Daniels, whose love for slasher films may just save her life as well as her loved ones. 

The three novels of the trilogy are: My Heart is a Chainsaw, Don’t Fear the Reaper, and The Angel of Indian Lake. This series is like a cross between Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and the entire Friday the 13^th film collection. The Indian Lake Trilogy is a must read. It is gory, beautiful, and most importantly, it teaches a significant lesson about caring for the land and the impact colonization has on sacred territories. 

“You won’t find a more hardcore eighties-slasher-film fan than high school senior Jade Daniels. And you won’t find a place less supportive of girls who wear torn T-shirts and too much eyeliner than Proofrock, nestled eight thousand feet up a mountain in Idaho, alongside Indian Lake, home to both Camp Blood – site of a massacre fifty years ago – and, as of this summer, Terra Nova, a second-home celebrity Camelot being carved out of a national forest. That’s not the only thing that’s getting carved up, though – this, Jade knows, is the start of a slasher. But what kind? Who’s wearing the mask? ….. Go up the mountain to Proofrock. See if you’ve got what it takes – see if your heart, too, might be a chainsaw.”

The Moon Series by Waubgeshig Rice

This series is comprised of two novels: Moon of the Crusted Snow and Moon of the Turning Leaves. Many of you can easily buy into the premise of this series as lots of Indigenous families have experienced this at least once in their lives, albeit at a much smaller degree. This is especially true for those who call Tulalip home and have dealt with days-long power outages from windstorms, where we felt disconnected from the world. 

These books take place on a remote reservation, far away from the conveniences of city-living. When the entire rez loses power and communication from the outside world, tribal members have to hunker down and survive a long and cold winter. Days turn to weeks and weeks turn to months as they return to their traditions and are able to get by on the strength of community alone. However, things take a fast and dark turn when the people agree to take in non-Tribal refugees who are fleeing a post-apocalyptic society. 

“With winter looming, a small northern Anishinaabe community goes dark. Cut off, people become passive and confused. Panic builds as the food supply dwindles. While the band council and a pocket of community members struggle to maintain order, an unexpected visitor arrives, escaping the crumbling society to the south. Soon after, others follow…. Blending action and allegory, Moon of the Crusted Snow upends our expectations. Out of catastrophe comes resilience. And as one society collapses, another is reborn.”

STICKS AND BONES

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

The Tulalip Tribes Annual Stick Games Tournament was held during the weekend of May 31, and featured a total payout of $50,000. Over 130 teams competed for a chance to win the grand prize of $25,000 this year as Native families from all across the region journeyed to the Tulalip Amphitheater to try their luck in the tournament. 

The tournament is open to all ages and provides an opportunity for multi-generational families to learn, share, and enjoy the traditional game together.

According to stories passed down throughout the generations, stick games was originally introduced to the coastal tribes and First Nations Bands thousands of years ago. The traditional game is also known as bone games, slahal, hand games, and lahal. And while each tribe and band have different stories and legends pertaining to stick games, the origin story of the game is consistent throughout all Coast Salish nations.

Northwest tribes seemingly agree that the game was gifted and taught to the people by the Indigenous wildlife of our territory as a way to settle intertribal disputes like the rights to hunting and fishing grounds, and also as a means to prevent warfare between tribes.

During gameplay, two opposing teams, consisting of three to five players, face off against one another. The teams alternate turns, and sticks are used to keep score throughout the contest. A set of bones is discreetly distributed amongst the team that is in-play and the opposing squad must correctly guess where the bones are hidden and how many pieces the player has concealed in their hands. 

While the bones change hands between teammates, the team sings traditional family songs to distract their opponents from seeing who is in possession of the bones. The team with the most correct amount of guesses wins the game and advances to the next round. 

There are also several unofficial game pieces that slahal players can use to their advantage during the tournament. Such items include foldable lawn chairs, so that teams can quickly set-up against their opponents and move and play about the grounds, as well as pull-over hoodies, blankets, and bandanas that can be used to cover a player’s hands and prevent opponents from seeing where the bones are placed.

In addition to the main competition, several mini matches were also held during the tournament such as the three-man tournament and the kid’s tournament.

Professional Slahal Player and Ahousaht member, William Mack, travels from Nanaimo, B.C. to participate in the games each year, along with his family. Following the tournament, William shared, “We want to thank the Tulalip Tribes for hosting a great weekend of stick games. It was good to see our stick game family. We played six games in the main competition and won the three-man single elimination for $7,500!”.

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Creatively inclined Native American students of the Marysville School District wandered through a makeshift art gala that was the Don Hatch Youth Complex on Thursday, April 18 for an always eye-captivating Art Festival. Accompanied by their families, friends and educators, emerging artists ranging from 1^st to 12^th grade wowed Festival visitors and judges with a variety of imaginative creations that centered around a shared Tulalip culture expressed via a variety of modern-day mediums.

“Our annual Art Festival is an opportunity for each Native student within the District to express themselves in a unique and creative way,” explained positive youth development lead advocate, Deyamonta Diaz. “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,” he added. “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 two decades now, Tulalip Tribes has partnered with Marysville School District to dedicate an evening to the art scene embraced by so many emerging artists from Tulalip and the surrounding area within the District. The Art Festival gives fledgling creatives an opportunity to show off their awe-inspiring talents to the community, while also getting a chance to take home a coveted 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd place ribbon. Plus, all the bragging rights that come with them.

Such was the case with 9-year-old Tehya Robinson. She radiated pure joy while leading cousins and classmates to her five ribbon winning submissions. Then there was 13-year-old Gabe Joseph who beamed with pride as he posed for a picture with his 3^rd place winning beaded earrings and 2^nd place winning photograph.

“The photograph I took was from a family vacation to California. I was standing on the balcony and thought the view was so cool that I needed to take a picture to remember it. The sun was just right and seeing the dock and palm trees just made me feel peaceful and relaxed,” shared the St. Michael’s 8^th grader. “My aunt taught me to make beaded earrings and so I thought I’d make some purple ones to give to a friend’s mom. Now, she’ll be happy to know they are award winning earrings.”

Tehya, Gabe, and their fellow student culture bearers were able to win 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd 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 and a monetary prize.

“It’s always amazing to see just how talented our Native students are. The new ideas and concepts they come up with every year continue to surprise us judges,” shared Festival judge Doug Salinas while admiring the middle school painting section. “I think every kid has the capability to be an artist because their imagination has no limits.”

Like in years past, this year’s Festival received hundreds of 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.

Tenth grader Catherine Velazquez is in the midst of quite the dynastic run, having won multiple ribbons since she first started participating in the Festival as an elementary-aged student. At 16-years-old now, she’s collected more ribbons than she can remember, but admits to looking forward to the Festival each year because of the opportunity to create new pieces and, yeah, collect some walking around money for her efforts.  

“This past winter, I was at snow retreat in the mountains, it was night, the ground was completely covered in snow, and the moon casting this stunning red light. The moment was perfect for a picture. That photo won me 1^st place this year,” said the Grace Academy 10^th grader. She added ribbons from Digital Media, Mixed Media, Drawing, and Writing to her already large ribbon collection from past Festivals. “I love coming year each year and looking at all the art everyone does. Just walking around and admiring pieces that are my favorite inspires me to try new concepts and styles.”

This year’s art fest gala again offered several interactive tables, each led by an established adult artist. Representing possible career paths for the children to aspire to, or simply to have the young ones recognize art doesn’t have to stop when student life does. Tony Hatch, Tillie Jones, Ty Juvinel, and others did their best to engage Festival visitors and impart their cultural know-how through friendly, hands-on instruction.

Pure heart icon Sean-Paul Mace was on-site with his very own table to display his LEGO Star Wars collection. He dazzled with his depths of dark side knowledge and could even tell you which cinematic scenes his figures could be found in. 

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 rather imaginative way to represent heritage through a Fabergé egg.

Fifth grader Lillianna Hope was gracious enough to break down the various elements of her heritage egg. “I chose copper as the equator line because is the closest color to yellow and yellow represents happiness. I chose to the eternal line because evil spirits will look at them and memorized by them and it will trap the evil spirit and it will stay in there forever. I did yellow dots because they represent happy memories. I chose the brown, yellow, and black swirls because I think it is pretty.”

Whether it was from reading written words or interpreting the depths of color and images on display from the inspiring artists, a message being conveyed loud and clear is that yes, in fact, the youngest among us are paying attention to current events and understand how their culture is viewed, both locally and nationally. More importantly, their art demonstrates they are capable of channeling their traditional teachings and spiritual strength into pure artistry.

“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,” reflected Courtney Jefferson, Positive Youth Development Manager.

“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.”

Without a doubt, the 2024 Native American 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, without judgement. Well, unless that judging comes with a shiny ribbon. Then it’s cool.

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

After three years of constant hospitalization due to acute renal and respiratory failure caused by undiagnosed lupus, acclaimed artist Jeffrey Veregge passed away on Friday, April 12, following a heart attack. He was 50 years old. He is survived by his wife Christina and their three children.

Following his passing, Christina posted on their shared Facebook account, “We’re heartbroken to share the devastating news that our beloved Jeffrey passed away, unexpectedly, this morning from a heart attack. Our family is in shock and trying to process this unimaginable pain. For 1,025 days he fought lupus like the superhero we knew him to be. The strength, determination and courage he showed while being in the hospital for a total of 925 days was an inspiration to us all. He will be missed more than words can express. This world was a better place because of him.”

A proud member of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, Jeffrey will be remembered for the remarkable imprint he made on lovers of comic books, action figures, and all things superhero related through his unmistakable, formline reimagining of iconic Marvel and DC characters.

As a Tulalip News reporter, I’m so grateful to have had two opportunities to interview and profile the self-described Salish Geek, first in 2015 at PechaKucha Seattle volume 63 and again in 2020 after his Native American heritage collaboration with Marvel Comics. Using the best parts of those previous interviews, I now share with our readers a profile on the man, the myth, the legend, Jeffery Veregge.

________________________________________

Jeffrey Veregge is an award winning Native American comic book artist from the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, located in Kingston, Washington. His work uses Coastal Salish and contemporary graphic design techniques that created the look dubbed ‘Salish Geek’ by his creative peers. Along with his work for IDW Publishing, he has appeared in numerous websites and publications such as Fast Company Magazine, Cowboys and Indians, and Wired Magazine. His works and commissions are part of some prestigious collections located at Yale University, Washington State University, The Burke Museum and the Seattle Art Museum. He’s also the pop and nerd culture contributor for Indian Country Today Media, where he is known as NDN Geek.

“I was raised and spent a majority of my life on our Port Gamble reservation known locally as Little Boston. Although I am enrolled there, I am also both of Suquamish and Duwamish ancestry,” said Veregge of his Native American roots. “I am an honor graduate from the Art Institute of Seattle, and I have had the privilege to study with Tsimshian master carver David Boxley for a short time, learning the basics of Salish formline design.”

Veregge has been an artist since the moment he was able to hold his first action figure and created stories of his childhood superheroes on paper with whatever art utensils were available. That creative fire and passion for superheroes and comics never faded and eventually led him to the Seattle Art Institute where he studied industrial design technology. Later, he was fortunate to study with Boxley to learn Salish formline design, a traditional style that he would blend fluidly within the Marvel and DC universes

“My most popular works are a reflection of a lifetime love affair with comic books, toys, TV and film; taking my passions and blending them with my Native perspective,” he said.

After graduating from the Seattle Art Institute, Veregge had a great job at an advertising agency for eleven years. Working in advertising allowed him to tap into his creative side, but the Native artist within wasn’t satisfied, he needed something more. He went to art school to be an artist and to have fun, not to have his inner artist constrained by the everyday politics of advertising.

For him, being an artist wasn’t just to sell art and make money; it meant having fun, it meant viewing a blank piece of paper as a magical canvas to express the imagination of a cluttered mind of a Native American who loves comics, movies, Sci-Fi, and action figures. So, he left the advertising agency and embarked on an artist’s mission to create something truly unique. The search for a new, personal and bold direction in his work resulted in Veregge remixing iconic comic superheroes with his now highly tuned hand for formline.

“For me it wasn’t just trying to create art as a geek or nerd, but as a Native I felt like I had something unique to offer,” Veregge said. “That’s my appreciation for all art and design, my passion for heroes, robots, aliens and monsters, and my pride in where I came from.

“My origins are not supernatural, nor have they been enhanced by radioactive spiders. I am simply a Native American artist and writer whose creative mantra in best summed up with a word from my tribe’s own language: ταʔčαʔξʷéʔτəν, which means get into trouble.”

Following that mantra, constantly testing his creative boundaries, and, yeah, getting into trouble a time or two ultimately led Veregge to one solo exhibition opportunity after another to showcase the wonderful world inside the mind of a Salish Geek. Multiple exhibitions of his work were held from 2009 to 2020, the pinnacle of whish was the Smithsonian’s 2018-2020 show at the National Museum of the American Indian, Of Gods and Heroes, featuring two 50-foot murals of Marvel’s heroes battling the Celestials. 

“For thousands of years, Native and non-Native storytellers have used art as a means to share the tales of their people. For me, I am carrying on a tradition that started with my ancestors by simply using the means of today and all its modern conveniences to share the tales that I love. Art evolves, tools get better, but the essence of what I do is the same as those who did it on the canvases nature provided for them to tell the stories of gods and heroes long, long ago” stated the Salish Geek on his website prior to Of Gods and Heroes grand opening. 

His explosion onto the highest levels of the art scene eventually meant his one-a-kind designs reached the game-changing creatives at Marvel Comics. It was perfect timing, too, as the comic book goliath was in the midst of developing an all-new collection titled Marvel’s Voices.

“Marvel’s Voices started and evolved from a popular Marvel podcast into a larger program within our comics,” explained Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief, C.B. Cebulski in a press release. “Our first anthology in this program was released this past February and the reception from fans was incredible. It was clear we needed to do more to lift up more voices and talent and increase representation in and behind our stories. This is the first step of our next expansion of the program to discover new writers and artists who can bring their voices to our characters, both old and new. And this is only the beginning.”

In a cosmic shift for Native American representation, Marvel celebrated Indigenous history in November 2020 with a landmark special, Indigenous Voices #1. Written and drawn by some of the industry’s most renowned Indigenous talent, including none other than the Salish Geek himself, Jeffrey Veregge. Now a celebrated artist, he is leading this super powered movement alongside a team of creators to explore the legacy and experiences of Marvel’s incredible cast of Indigenous characters.

In addition to the Indigenous Voices comic series, Veregge illustrated Native American tribute variant covers for other popular comic titles featuring Dani Moonstar, Black Panther, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk and others. All depicted in his signature Salish style.

“I am truly grateful for the platform that Marvel has not only provided for me and my work, but with this edition of Marvel Voices, all of Native America,” said Veregge. “This is an opportunity to share the cultural influences that we as Native artists and writers grew up with that will add more depth and dimension to the Native heroes in the Marvel Universe.”

From blockbuster movie goers, animated series streamers, and a very devout base of comic book enthusiasts, there are hundreds of millions of Marvel superhero fans globally. The exposure to the limited-edition Indigenous Voices series and the must-have Native Heritage tribute covers illustrated by Veregge offered immeasurable cross-cultural learning experiences to the traditional Native storytelling and the thriving art scene that is Salish formline. 

In a world severely lacking in authentic representation of Native American culture, Veregge reached the highest pinnacle of his craft while elevating Salish formline into the bold and vibrant worlds of comic book lore and museum quality art exhibitions.

Within the pop culture realm, there’s a saying that goes something like “There’s heroes and there’s legends. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” The Salish Geek is a f*cking legend.