Arts & Entertainment Archives - Page 12 of 112

Indigenizing the Airwaves

By Kalvin Valdillez, photos courtesy of Dom Joseph and Faith Iukes

For over 50 years, the Daybreak Star Cultural Center at Discovery Park has been a space for local Native Americans to connect and celebrate their culture. Whether gathering to attend their annual powwow or Indigenous People’s Day celebration, or perhaps visiting art exhibits or attending one of their many cultural events throughout the year, Natives of all ages, and from multiple tribes across the nation, have shared laughs, stories, tears, traditions, artwork and meals with one another at Daybreak Star. The cultural center has earned a special place in the hearts of many.

The Daybreak Star Cultural Center is headquarters to the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, a non-profit organization established in 1970, when a collective of over 100 urban Seattle Natives reclaimed Indigenous land near the Magnolia neighborhood, which would then become Discovery Park. Over the years, the non-profit has provided an array of services and resources to Natives living in the Seattle area, including outdoor pre-school education.

Due to the pandemic, people haven’t had the opportunity to gather at the cultural center as frequently as they once had prior to COVID, especially for cultural events. However, that did not stop the organization from doing what they do best, and have been doing for over a half-a-century, and that’s connect Indigenous people with each other to celebrate our culture and share our way of life.

Last summer, the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation announced a new project aimed to reach as many reservations and Indigenous homelands as possible, bringing that signature Daybreak Star experience to your home. Via the internet, the newly established Daybreak Star Radio Network brings music, stories, news and on-air interviews, podcasts and conversations to Indigenous people throughout the world.

The online radio station is perfect to listen to while on your daily commute, at work, exercising, studying, or simply doing chores about the house. It features all genres of music including R&B, hip-hop, country, EDM, rock and funk, as well as traditional music such as flute, drums, coastal and powwow. Daybreak Star Radio not only welcomes, but encourages Indigenous artists to submit their art to the station to be featured on-air, helping creative Natives gain more exposure and expand their fan base.

The Daybreak Star Radio Network enlisted Lummi tribal member, DJ Big Rez to host a daily hip-hop and EDM session, as well as DJ Abe Cortez who hosts a Latin rock, freestyle, R&B and dance two-hour slot every Sunday evening. And Seattle-based creative, Luminous Pariah, plays ‘classic Chicago house music with new sounds from Europe and the Americas’.

Tulalip’s own Dominick Joseph, of The Dom Joseph Podcast fame, was named the Daybreak Star Radio Network’s Audio Producer and has been featured on KIRO 7 News and Q13 Fox News to talk about his work with the online radio network. Dom has a strong passion of amplifying the Indigenous voice, and helping Native artists and creatives share their stories and experiences through their choice of medium.

“Daybreak Star Radio Station is more than just storytelling and music,” he shared. “It is a non-profit organization that provides a platform and opportunity for Native American artists to showcase their art to the world. Having this space allows Native Americans across the country to be portrayed the way we would like to be represented in media, instead of the mold made for us by society. We here at Daybreak Star Radio are Indigenizing the airwaves one piece at a time.”

Dom is not the only Tulalip tribal member involved in the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation’s latest project. Social media influencer, Faith Iukes, recently signed-on as the youngest on-air personality and will begin hosting her own show on the radio network in the near future. Faith’s show will be geared toward the Indigenous youth of the world and she will play music from some of her favorite Native musicians.

Faith expressed, “I believe that not only are we still here, we are thriving. In film, news, fashion, radio, in all forms of media really. We are a part of this world today, not some relic of a past culture. We are growing, evolving and surviving. We aren’t going to disappear.”

The radio station is active 24-hours a day, seven days a week. You can tune-in by visiting www.daybreakstarradio.com. Daybreak Star Radio also recently launched an app that is available in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, making listening on-the-go a fun and easy experience. For more information, including how to submit your own music, please visit the radio network’s website at www.daybreakstarradio.com.

Ryan’s REZ-ipes: From best-kept-secret to a countrywide fan favorite

By Kalvin Valdillez; photos courtesy of Ryan Gobin

Six years ago, a Tulalip man took a leap of faith and gave up his ten-year career as a police officer for his love and passion of food. Briefly opening a concession stand outside of the local CrossFit gym, Ryan Gobin began serving up tasty dishes to the tribal community, and the response he received from that endeavor led him to the investment of a small food truck. After hitching a smoker to the food truck, he held a competition online asking his friends and family for ideas on what to call his new restaurant-on-wheels. With a name and a very interested and hungry patronage, Ryan’s REZ-ipes officially opened up shop in 2016.

Serving up the likes of frybread, truffle fries, pulled pork sandwiches and tacos, burgers, shrimp bowls and a variety of weekly specials and experimental dishes, Ryan’s REZ-ipes has gone from a locally known best-kept-secret to a countrywide fan favorite with thousands of followers on social media. Many self-proclaimed foodies and food industry professionals alike often tag their friends on Ryan’s photos with a comment along the lines of ‘we gotta try this’. Ryan’s REZ-ipes is now available through delivery services such as DoorDash and he even began selling some of his signature spices and mixes for you to try at-home.

Ryan’s journey is the perfect blueprint for up-and-coming tribal entrepreneurs to follow. From a concession stand to a shiny beaut of a food truck, he has grown his brand incredibly over the past several years, incorporating a Native American logo and adding catering to the business. It’s gotten to the point that whenever you see his blue food truck, your stomach might growl and your mouth will more-than-likely water just thinking of his Indigenous and multi-cultural inspired cuisines.

When he was first getting his start, Tulalip News sat down with the tribal chef and businessman to talk about the inspiration behind his new venture, to which he responded, “I first got into cooking in my teen years. I have lots of family members that are amazing cooks and have been taught many recipes from all of them. I watched when people cooked in my younger years and began trying my own recipes. I could name everyone I learned from, but that would be a long list.”

With six successful years under his belt, Ryan recently took some time out of his very busy schedule to talk with Tulalip News once more about his passion for cooking and growing his business, as well as to discuss all the success he’s had since first beginning his culinary experience.

Since we last spoke, Ryan’s REZ-ipes has continuously leveled up every year. Can you talk about your journey since then? What has been a few of the major highlights of the business over the years?

I’d have to agree with leveling up! The business has definitely taken off at a rapid pace since the upgrade of a new food truck. The amount of events and weddings have quadrupled in the past two years and are continuing to increase. I already have 18 weddings booked for 2022, and I am still getting more requests weekly.

You mentioned the new truck, can you touch upon some of the truck’s features and equipment? How has that benefited your dream of serving tasty dishes to the community?

Having a new food truck has helped immensely – having all brand-new equipment and an on-board smoker. Instead of having to plug multiple warmers in a power source, and having to use a loud generator mounted on the back, I now have professional plumbed propane heating warmers, a fryer and a flat top griddle.

It’s the Cadillac of food trucks. I even incorporated a stereo system that sounds like an outdoor nightclub and LED lighting to create a colorful ambiance. Since having this truck and showing others the potential of what can be done, I now have had over a dozen other food truck owners coming to me for advice, from multiple states across the U.S.

You have a lot of new items on the menu and many of them have cultural ties. What are some of those dishes and what is the inspiration behind some of those popular plates?

I have multiple new items and some of my oldies too. Over the years I’ve utilized my skills with trial and error – making everything better and better, and finding where to gather those ingredients to achieve the best quality.

I’ve been all over the board in bettering different items, such as my marinades, creating more sauces, my seasoning rub for my smoked pork and coming up with desert toppings for frybread. Years ago, I was selling frybread and always ended up running into issues where it just wasn’t perfect every time, it was either too heavy or just didn’t look right. I was given my Grandma Nonie’s recipe years ago and I just couldn’t get it right, so I gave up. This past year I tried again, but told myself I wouldn’t stop trying until I got it exactly how I want it – fluffy and perfect. I achieved my goal and now sell my own Ryan’s REZ-ipes fluffy frybread mix in professionally sealed pouches.

I love to travel and experience new kinds of foods everywhere, which is how I came up with a few of my dishes like my Korean-style kalbi steak, my Hawaiian-style chicken tacos and even my shrimp dishes. Whenever I try something and just crave it, I figure out how to make it myself, then I put my own twist on it. Different cultures have their own kind of traditional flavors, and they all inspire me to create explosive flavors that make your tastebuds dance. It’s pretty obvious that I’m greatly inspired by the Hawaiian Islands just by seeing a lot of the dishes I choose, such as one of my recent specials the loco moco with fried rice, which is a Hawaiian traditional dish. You will also see Hawaiian shaved ice on my menu, which actually originated in Japan.

After cheffing it up over the years, you are obviously still very passionate about cooking and providing meals to the people. What motivates you and fuels your drive now that you are living your dream?

My passion continues to grow the more I see smiles on everyone’s faces after they eat my food. It enhances my drive to continue to figure out new dishes and to give everyone new foods to try. I now have over 8,000 followers on social media, so my foods are seen across the U.S. and also in other countries. That drives me to want to build an even larger business, which will happen in due time.

Catering is now a big aspect of Ryan’s REZ-ipes that I don’t believe you were doing yet at the time of the last article. Could you talk about your catering options and the process? What are some of the events you’ve catered this far and what makes catering enjoyable for you?

Catering is huge in the food industry. I have now catered over 150 events and still growing daily. We cater anywhere from 100 people to 1000. I have catered multiple birthdays, corporate events, baby showers, celebrations of life, weddings and we even catered last years Tulalip employee day at the amphitheater. I love it because food makes everyone happy. I also cater weekly for a company that is building an all-electric airplane, over 100 employees each week. I have a large catering menu to choose from and that can be located at ryansREZipes.com.

Can you talk about some of the new and exciting updates happening at Ryan’s REZ-ipes?

My newest update is that I’m adding garlic rosemary truffle fries and frybread to my menu, and I will be finding new unique ways of utilizing them, such as adding dessert toppings, or pairing with a hickory smoked hot dog and a number of toppings. One update that I’m happy to announce is I will be looking to add a food trailer to the fleet. I will be separating the shaved ice from the food truck. This will allow me to have more room to focus on shaved ice and Lotus drinks with amazing toppings, and maybe even cotton candy will be added to the mix! We will also do dessert frybread there, so it will basically be more of a dessert trailer.

Ryan’s REZ-ipes serves as an inspiration to many tribal members and proof that you can follow your life’s passion, not only to aspiring chefs, but to all tribal entrepreneurs as well. Any words of advice for those just starting out, or those who are looking to start their own business?

The best advice I can give to those that would like to start their own business is never give up – ever. You will have doubts and there will be a lot of roadblocks. You just need to always remember that nothing is ever instant. It can take years to create the profits you aim for, not days, weeks or months. Trial and error is key. If you make a mistake, learn from it and keep pushing forward in a good way. Lastly, make small goals and work daily to achieve them. No matter how small the achievement is, it’s still an achievement.

What are your typical hours and where can people find you? Any upcoming events or anything new on the horizon you’d like to share?

In the upcoming months and years, our locations, days we’re open and times of operation will change, being it’s a food truck that serves food and does private catering as well. But typically, right now, we’re located at the Tulalip Market which is a great location. We are there Thursday – Saturday and every other Sunday. Those days and locations will even rally change though. So, you can stay up to date by following the Ryan’s REZ-ipes Facebook page.

Desperate for a family daytrip? New Burke Museum is a prime destination

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

“The Burke Museum stands on the lands of the Coast Salish peoples, whose ancestors resided here since time immemorial,” said Burke executive director Julie Stein to a crowd of 400+ people representing tribal nations from all across the Pacific Northwest. “Many Indigenous peoples thrive in this place. Part of that history is embedded in the museum, allowing us to move forward in a good way.

“You all are the first to be invited to tour and experience the all-new Burke Museum,” continued the museum’s executive director. “We are truly honored by your presence. The Burke recognizes our colonial legacy, and we promise to dedicate ourselves to learning from communities and building a more ethical and collaborative future together.”

Julie’s words were direct and heartfelt as she greeted hundreds of Native American visitors who convened for the Burke Museum’s Indigenous Preview in late 2019. Only a matter of months after that glorious day, the global landscape would be upended by a coronavirus. The museum, along with countless other establishments worldwide, would soon close out of an abundance of caution.

Mary Jane Topash, Burke Assistant Director for Cultural Education Initiatives

Now, more than two years after the Indigenous Preview that created legendary memories, the Burke has reopened and welcomes Tulalip families to visit. Located on the University of Washington campus, it’s a 45-minute drive from the Reservation to the $99 million, 113,000-square-foot facility dedicated to preserving creative, complex knowledge. As a thriving cultural resource officially reopened to the public, the Burke staff are excited to host local Native culture-bearers from the greater Tulalip community.

Among the Burke’s staff is Tulalip’s own Mary Jane Topash. She spent eight years at the Hibulb Cultural Center before transitioning to the Burke as its Assistant Director for Cultural Education Initiatives. The UW campus is a home away from home for Mary Jane as she earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees while dawning the purple and gold.

In honor of the Burke’s collaborative spirit with Indigenous communities, Mary Jane invites all Tulalip families to visit the redesigned museum.

“Tribal members and their families should visit the new Burke because it’s our only natural history museum in the state, but if that isn’t enough then you should know the Burke isn’t a typical museum. It’s a place we can actually see ourselves and related tribal cultures represented and showcased in the best kind of way,” explained Mary Jane. “It’s an opportunity to learn about fun and excited things beyond just our tribal history, too, like the prehistoric era. We have Dinosaurs!

“We’re still in a pandemic, so I know circumstances may be difficult for some of our people, especially families with multiples kids in the house asking questions that seem to have no answers, but that’s why the Burke is a prime daytrip destination,” she continued. “You can escape to the museum and be immersed in imagination. It’s a perfect family outing for children because it gives them a different outlet for learning and we can answer so many of their questions. Plus, the Burke offers family-based activities such as interactive crafting and scavenger hunts.”

Nearly a decade’s worth of planning and consultation went into the unique redesign of the natural history museum that boasts a massive 16 million object collection. An emphasis on transparency and treating Native cultural artifacts with their proper respect, while acknowledging their rightful creators, is sure to be a conversation starter for museum patrons as they peruse the Culture is Living gallery. From intricate weaving creations to generations old traditional regalia to a truly stunning dedication to canoe journey, Northwest Native artistry and craftsmanship is proudly displayed.

According to the Burke, the Culture is Living gallery breaks down traditional museum authority and brings the expertise and knowledge of communities to the forefront. Cultural objects aren’t tucked away on the shelves. They are alive, embodying the knowledge, language, and stores of people and cultures.

“We wanted to share how diverse our Indigenous cultures are and share the fact that we are still here,” said Sven Haakanson (Alutiiq), curator for North American anthropology. “To us, the cultural pieces we have on display are living. We are representing a hundred-plus cultures in our Culture is Living gallery and to pay them their proper respects we interwove elements of Earth, air, water, our ancestors, children, and community.

“As a curator, one of the things I’m most proud of is we put the Native languages first on every item. Over the next decade, I’m hoping to work with our local tribes to get more item descriptions written in their languages and to add quotes from those communities telling us what the item’s story is from their perspective,” continued Sven.

No trip to the Burke is complete without sampling the palette enriching food cooked up at Off the Rez café. Located inside the Burke, Off the Rez is a permanent outpost spawned from Seattle’s first and only Native food truck. Menu hits include handmade fry bread with choice toppings, braised bison Indian tacos, and smoked BBQ pulled pork wild rice bowls.

It’s a new kind of museum with a whole new way to experience our world. The Burke is located on the UW’s Seattle campus and is free to all visitors on the first Thursday of every month. You can expect to be blown away by the attention to detail the dedicated curators used in setting up each and every item in the multiple galleries. And with Native voices prominently featured, there is sure to be an opportunity for learning and reflection.

“The inclusivity is awesome!” shared Stephanie Masterman (Tlingit) of her Burke experience. “Yes, there are artifacts dating back hundreds of years, but there is so much contemporary art, too. So many young Native artists have works included among the galleries. The voice and presence of the future generations we always talk about is definitely represented.”

Due to King County restrictions, proof of vaccination for visitors ages 12 and older is required for museum admission. Burke staff also encourage pre-purchasing your museum tickets online at www.burkemuseum.org to make your trip as seamless as possible. Current museum hours are Tuesday – Sunday: 10AM – 5PM (Closed on Mondays). For more information please call (206) 543-7907

Carrying on culture through the power of storytelling

By Shaelyn Hood, Tulalip News

Storytelling is a cultural tradition passed through generations of Native American people. These stories speak of legends, folktales, and fables. They also have the ability to recount the history of our people, rituals, relate to everyday life, and educate children about cultural morals and values.

Luckily today, many traditional stories are now readily available in books, various audio formats, and videos. But before these technological advances, they were carried on through oral communication. Today if you were to find the written records of historical events and stories, they would contain more visual aspects than narration. Every time a story is shared from one generation to another, it is preserving Native culture, cultivating the Native languages, and honoring our ancestors before us.

Language is one of the most important aspects of any culture. Language paves the way so that people can communicate with one another, build relationships, and create a sense of community. Like many other tribes across the nation, our language and having the freedom to use it is a privilege that our ancestors fought so desperately to keep.

Tribal stories often reflected the land they were on at the time, like hunting routes, local plants, how tribes came to be, family lineage, their spiritual leaders and elders, etc. Therefore, if you listen to stories told by the Inuit of Alaska, their stories may differ from the Seminole of Florida.

In other ways, storytelling acted as a tool. It is how Native Americans maintained their symbiotic connection to the earth and relationships with animals. As they explored various parts of their land, the language and verbal use of storytelling helped them to live off the land, survive their environment, and how to best utilize the natural resources around them. Some of the themes surrounding storytelling were about creatures, fantasy and realism, places, tricksters, the creator, heroes, society, rites of passage, and disasters.

Most of these stories were shared through talking circles, similar to events that the Hibulb Cultural Center puts on. On January 8^th, 2022, a small group gathered to listen to Maria Rios share this tradition. She recited stories both in English and in Lushootseed.

Rios currently works for the Tulalip Tribes Lushootseed Department. But her love for the language goes as far back as when she was three years old. Her older cousin Tony Hatch was her teacher and helped her learn the language. She said, “Storytelling is a part of our culture and who we are. For me, as a kid, it was a way to learn how to behave and the ways of the world without being scolded.” She went on to talk about the values of people learning about Tulalip through these stories, “The words, the language, it all comes from the land. We have stories about the animals, because we observed them and picked up on the characteristics of them. Everything you learn, you can find a story related to it.”

One of the audience members, Mae Mcgehee said, “We try to come to all of the storytellings. We moved up here a couple of years ago, and it was important that we understand and respect the land and the people on it. Everything is connected, and we knew we needed to come here to listen to these stories.”

There is a lot of historical value that comes from people continuing storytelling today. Repeating the stories that were once told is an opportunity to share the mindsets that our ancestors had and continue our cultural values for future generations. Knowing our Native language is an essential aspect for storytelling, but understanding the worth and meaning behind these stories is what will continually shape our people.

If you or someone you know is interested in reading some of these stories, or want to share them with your friends and family, you can find most of them through the Lushootseed Department’s website. If you would like to listen to the stories in-person, you can find more information about related events on the Hibulb Cultural Center’s website, or call (360) 716-2600 and ask about their upcoming Storytelling event.

Youth Summit uplifts, inspires and empowers

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

On a frigid December morning, close to one hundred Tulalip community members rose at the crack of dawn in order to attend a brilliantly designed event held in the Tulalip Resort’s Orca Ballroom. Created in collaboration by the tribe’s Problem Gambling Program and Youth Council, the 2021 Youth Summit created memories galore through a variety of team building workshops and a series of inspirational Native influencers offering a unique blend of unforgettable entertainment mixed with words of wisdom.

Envisioning Our Indigenized Future was the theme of this year’s Youth Summit, held on December 11.

“We are happy to provide the momentum to do this and co-host a gathering with you all here today,” said youth council chairman Kaiser Moses during the early bird breakfast. “We chose the theme ‘envisioning our indigenized future’ because essentially the youth are the future and today we want to envision what we are capable of with all the opportunities available to us by our tribe. A lot of these opportunities are only possible by educating ourselves in order to avoid the pitfalls that effect so many of our people. We want to help each other develop the tools necessary to stay on a good path and realize those opportunities.”

The “pitfalls” Kaiser spoke of include substance abuse, gambling addiction, and a general lack of responsibility for one’s own actions when repeatedly choosing short-term pleasures over long-term success. Academics, physicians, and all other manners of wellbeing experts have written and lectured at length over these pitfalls and most recently have come to refer to them as ‘diseases of despair’.

Instead of dwelling on these negative concepts and bringing everyone down emotionally, Youth Summit coordinator Sarah Sense-Wilson went with a more effective strategy to showcase endless possibility through groundbreaking Native role models whose stories emphasize sobriety, self-respect, and conviction of culture. This star-studded lineup of all-Native entertainers shared a common belief that as Native people we are not bound by despair, but by resiliency and the ability to overcome any obstacle, real or imagined.

Innovative hip hop artist Supaman stunned the crowd with his one-of-a-kind presentation combining Native culture, comedy and urban music. He dazzled onlookers with his vibrant fancy dance regalia before captivating them with his uplifting words full of compassion and encouragement.

Supaman’s uncanny ability to connect with his audience was exemplified by his message, “Yes, this country was founded on the attempted genocide of our people. Yes, they employed all kinds of violent means and federal policies to eradicate us from the face of the Earth…But you know what this means don’t you? This means that you all come from families who defied the odds. As beautiful, young Native people in 2021, each breath you take is in defiance to a system that didn’t want you to exist. Each one of you is a blessing that our ancestor’s prayed for.

“That’s why it’s so important for us to embrace who we are,” he continued. “We must uphold our culture and pass it on like our ancestors did long before us. I challenge you to learn as much as you can, participate as often as you can, and share everything you know because one day you will be an elder. And when you’re an elder the younger people will look to you for traditional teachings and protocols for ceremony. They will look to you for that knowledge and you’ll want to be able to give them the knowledge and guidance they’re searching for. That is how we pass on our culture in a good way. I believe in you. Your ancestors believe in you.”

After Supaman’s riveting performance and many good words shared, high schooler and Tulalip tribal member Image Enick shared his appreciation by gifting him a handmade drum. Many in attendance then waited their turn to take photos with the Native hip hop icon.

The full day’s Youth Summit was filled with uplifting messages echoing the sentiments shared by Supaman, exercises in compassion building and benefits of team work, and informative presentations regarding the energy drain that social media and unchecked video gaming can have on youth’s social and emotional development. There was also an informative breakout session with Tulalip’s own podcaster Dominick Joseph. He shared his educational journey and gave listeners a glimpse into his podcast world, while receiving a number of topic requests for future episodes.

Performances by DJ Element on the turntables and Swil Kanim with his serenading classical violin both received a huge round of applause. However, it may have been a pair of brothers standing a whopping 4 feet and 7 inches tall that made the biggest impression. Known for their roles in the Emmy nominated TV show Reservation Dogs, Lil Mike and Funny Bone captivated their multi-generational audience through comedy, hip hop lyrics, and motivational stories about not letting haters get in your way of excellence. They shared that they’ve been overlooked their whole lives. If they let what others think of them matter, then they’d have never made it to primetime actors on a hit TV series.

In between performances and leadership sessions, Summit participants had many opportunities to fill up on event swag designed by Native artists and businesses. From t-shirts and backpacks to hoodies and essential school supplies, many could be seen leaving the Resort with their hands, bags, and hearts full of newly acquired swag and renewed confidence for their Indigenized future.

After the exhilarating eight-hour Youth Summit, event coordinator Sarah Sense-Wilson shared, “We are thrilled with amount of participation and engagement we had today by such a special group of Indigenous youth. Our goal was to provide valuable and meaningful workshops that centered on our youth, while promoting health, well-being and resilience. Our workshops and presentations ranged from QPR (Suicide Prevention Certification), to a wide range of motivational speakers, to teambuilding and ropes course activities. We hope all the local Native youth who joined us for a full day of energizing, fun-filled edutainment will remember the messages shared today and use them as fuel for empowerment whenever needed. Their future is our future.”

Canoes Carvery set to reopen Friday, December 10, at Tulalip Resort Casino

A LONG-TIME FAVORITE FOR CASUAL FARE, “THE CARVERY” WILL BE OPEN EACH WEEK FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

TULALIP, Wash. (December 9, 2021) – A favorite option for casual dining at Tulalip Resort Casino, Canoes Carvery is set to reopen Friday, December 10, providing a quick bite, beverages and a respite from gaming fun and entertainment offerings. Canoes Carvery offers freshly made sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads, wraps, pastries and more and will be open each Friday through Sunday from 6 to 11 p.m.

Menu favorites include the Jackpot Burger, turkey bacon wrap, French dip and nacho grande. Canoes Carvery is located on the southwest end of the casino floor next to Canoes Cabaret, Snohomish County’s premier live entertainment venue.

When all you want is everything, Canoes Carvery is among several culinary choices at Tulalip Resort Casino where guests experience award-winning cuisine, Asian-inspired dishes and high-quality casual fare, all under one roof.

For more information about Tulalip Resort Casino visit www.tulalipcasino.com.

25th Anniversary (plus one) of the Evergreen State longhouse

Vickie Era-Pancretz (Alutiiq) **AWIRNAQ – Alutiiq Hunting Hat.**
Spruce root, sea otter fur, dentalium, antique Russian trade beads, imitation sea lion whiskers,
suet, cloth straps
“AWIRNAQ represents my hunt for my roots, which started as a student of Native American Studies in 1994. Through the Longhouse community, I connected with and studied under many Northwest Master Basket Weavers and participated in Pacific Art Northwest 1997 – 1999, winning two awards.
As a member of the Northwest Native Basketweavers Association, I first connected with an Alutiiq grass basket weaver. In early 2010, I traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia with the director of the Alutiiq Museum, plus four other Alutiiq weavers and one Tlingit weaver. We studied collections of hundreds of Alutiiq weavings from the Koniag region, including many spruce root hunting hats. These were highly decorated and some brightly painted to express hunting prowess.
After several years, I was able to collect and process enough spruce root to weave this hat—similar to one that is in the Smithsonian Museum. Fellow Alutiiq artist, Jerry Laktonen, honored me with his painted whale design. This has been a meaningful journey of connection for me and I would be honored to have AWIRNAQ on exhibit where my journey began. I am grateful to our Creator for guiding my hands and heart, and for bringing me to the Longhouse.”

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Native artists are luminaries of their shared cultures, lighting the pathway back into the far reaches of history, and leading the way into the future with their creative vision. In continuing our celebration of November as Native American Heritage Month, we offer our readers a stunning collection of artwork offered by such luminaries. These examples of fine Native craftsmanship were curated by the devoted longhouse team at Evergreen State College.

The “House of Welcome” longhouse education and cultural center is a public service center on the college’s Olympia campus. Built in collaboration with Northwest Tribes, it is the first building of its kind on a public campus in the United States. It was a dream of Native students, tribal artists and faculty member Mary Ellen Hillaire (Lummi Nation), who founded Evergreen’s Native American Studies program in 1972.

Kelly Church (Grand Traverse Bay of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians) **Fiberge Egg #9**
Black ash, black ash seed, Rit Dye, sweet grass, copper, velvet, sinew
“The Emerald Ash Borer was discovered in 2002 in Michigan in the eastern side of the state. At that time thousands of ash trees had died. It is called the Emerald Ash Borer because it is a beautiful emerald green color with a copper colored belly. This basket represents the Emerald Ash Borer, with its green and copper colors, and opens to a vial containing the Emerald Ash Borer and a black ash seed;
The End and the Beginning.
The black ash tree is the last to get its leaves in the summer, and the first to lose the leaves usually.
The seeds take 2 years to germinate. They drop to the ground in the fall time, go through a winter, spring, summer, and the next summer it begins to grow. It grows in the swamps and wetlands and provides food
for our white tail deer.
The tree provides the community with splints for baskets that provide utilitarian baskets such as baby baskets, fishing creels, ceremonial baskets and more, as well as the finances for food, shelter, and future harvests to do it all again. It provides communities with teachings that bring together families, weavers, and future generations to carry these teachings on into the next generation. While it seems like the end is inevitable, I also see this as a new beginning. A new resurgence, an urgency, a recognition, the awakening of blood memory. Our people are strong and with good hearts, they are learning, they are weaving, they are hearing the voices of their ancestors, and they are listening.”

In 1995 their dream came true thanks to the perseverance of Evergreen graduate Colleen Jollie and since that time, the mission of Evergreen’s “House of Welcome,” has been to promote Indigenous arts and cultures from not only the Pacific Northwest, but nationally.

Since opening, the Longhouse has awarded over $800,000 in individual artist grants; it has hosted over 200 artists residencies and workshops; it has premiered 15 art exhibitions; sent six Northwest Native American artists to New Zealand for artist residencies; and hosted two international artists gatherings featuring Indigenous artists from around the Pacific Rim.

Chholing Taha (Cree First Nations) **We Are One Bond**
Acrylic on plywood
“This collaborative piece was designed as one of twelve puzzle pieces adorned with traditional stories by both North and South American Indigenous artists. This work discusses many aspects of the interconnectedness of all life. The home fire (society), the stars (sweat lodge elements), tipi poles (each has teachings on how to behave as a thinking human being), rock around the tipi bottom (a woman’s skirt, modesty), the rope binding the tipi poles (We Hold Our Life Together), and the lovely plants that provide medicine and food for all.”

This past summer, Kara Briggs (Sauk-Suiattle) was appointed as Vice President for Tribal Relations, Arts and Cultures. Briggs is determined to continue Evergreen’s 50 years of success as an institution that serves Native students, helping them to which has pave the way to successful careers in their own Tribes, as well as in government, arts and sciences.

Alex Swiftwater McCarty (Makah)
**Friendship Mask.** Red cedar, red cedar bark
“Along with the print Pacific Connection, this piece is influenced by my collaborative work with master carver Lyonel Grant during the summer of 2015. We had the opportunity to make monumental carvings for the new Evergreen Fiber Arts Studio that truly blends Northwest Native and Māori design
elements and motifs.
`As an artist, I work with both contemporary and traditional mediums, and I am always fascinated with translating three-dimensional carved elements into two-dimensional printed images. I first carved the Friendship Mask out of old-growth red cedar and adorned it with cedar bark for hair. This mask represents the new connections made between Pacific Indigenous nations and peoples.”

“The Evergreen Longhouse is a nationally important center for Northwest Native arts and model for other state and private colleges in how to work with Tribes and Native artists to advance Native cultural and artistic expression,” Briggs said. “As The Evergreen State College looks to the next 50 years, and the Longhouse to the next 25 years, we must continue to grow our relationships with Tribes and Native artists, so that we are always creating pathways for Northwest Native peoples to advance.”

2021 marks the 25^th Anniversary (plus one) of Evergreen’s longhouse. The faculty and support staff who embody the heart of the longhouse enjoy convening groups of artists, providing a venue, forum and tools that are needed for artists to express their creativity.

A retrospective art exhibition opening on November 20^th, featuring Indigenous artists from throughout the Pacific Rim who have contributed and participated in the work of the longhouse for the past 25 years. The exhibit is free to the general public and can be seen in Evergreen’s gallery located in the Daniel J. Evans building on the college’s Olympia campus. It runs through January 29, 2022.

“This was one of the most successful Bazaars yet!”

By Shaelyn Hood, Tulalip News

Following last year’s Covid-19 cancellation of the Native Bazaar, many people were eager to see what this year’s Bazaar had to show. Many artists used the event as a time to hone in on their craft and create beautiful pieces for the sale. With over 49 vendors signed up, volunteer organizer, Tammy Taylor, knew this year was going to bring a lot of surprises.

The Bazaar started on Friday November 12 and continued through Sunday November 14. Vendors had a variety of items from, cedar hats/headbands, quilts, acrylic paintings, beaded jewelry, Christmas ornaments, knitted hats, smoked salmon, handmade drums and rattles, and much more. The event drew in such a large crowd that some vendors had sold out by Friday and Saturday. In their attempts to continue selling, vendors went as far as making new pieces overnight to bring the next day.

Monie Ordonia, a painter and vendor at the event, talked about her experience, “Everyone must have really missed this, we’ve had a lot of foot traffic. It makes me happy to get people excited about art; when they get into the wondering ‘awe’ state, where they want to take it home with them. I take that feeling with me.”

As we all know, COVID-19 caused a lot of disruptions for gatherings and the Native Bazaar became one of the first major events where the community could come together again. And for many, that was the most important thing.

“I usually travel with my family to different elders’ luncheons, it’s nice to be able to come back here and be with the community,” said vendor, Tammy Yelm

For another vendor, Lisa James-Rodriguez, this was her first year at the Native Bazaar, “I’ve been crafting for six years; art has really become my therapy. During quarantine, it helped keep my sanity, I got to explore new crafts and styles, and the art just speaks to me. Art is a feeling.”

Art can be such a fun and emotional process for a lot of artists, and in many ways, they are exposing themselves. The Tulalip community really came together and showed their support for the event and for these artists. Tammy Taylor was extremely happy, “This was one of the most successful Native Bazaars yet! We were all surprised at the turnout. Thank you to the Tulalip Community for coming out and supporting your local Tulalip artists.”

She also gave a shout out to the maintenance team, “Barry Davis, Don and their group, they helped set up everything in two hours. Every year they are so gracious and help with cleaning up and supporting our events. They help everything run so smoothly.”

The Native Bazaar will be taking place one last time before the end of the year, December 3-5 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Don Hatch Jr. Youth Center. The same vendors will be attending, but expect new things!

Unfortunately, at this time, the space is filled and cannot take anymore new vendors. If you would like to join the waitlist, or have any questions about the upcoming Bazaar, please contact Tammy Taylor at: 425-501-4141

Hundreds of Families turn out for Trunk or Treat 2021

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

A steady line of cars extended through the Tulalip reservation on the afternoon of October 31, beginning along Marine Drive and ending at the Tulalip Gathering Hall parking lot. Patiently waiting in each vehicle were little princesses, superheroes, beloved cartoon and movie characters as well as a number of scary villains and frightening monsters – all of whom were ecstatic to receive candy and check out all the creepy and creative decorations at the annual Tulalip Trunk or Treat community celebration.

Hosted by the local volunteer group, Together We’re Better, the Halloween-themed event has brought smiles to the kids and families of Tulalip for nearly a decade.

“This is our ninth Trunk or Treat,” exclaimed Together We’re Better Founder, Malory Simpson. “Our first Trunk or Treat was at the admin building. And then we added a potluck, we had mass foods and crafts, and lots of things for the kids to do. But with COVID, we had to do a drive-thru style this year and last year.”

As you may know, Halloween is quite the spooktacular holiday amongst Tulalip citizens. In addition to Trunk or Treat, there are usually multiple community and tribal department events that take place during the season. However, with the delta variant still on the rise, most of those celebrations were canceled for the second year in a row, which has contributed to more volunteers and participants during the yearly Trunk or Treat festivities.

This year, Together We’re Better collaborated on the popular event with the Tulalip Tribes. Many tribal departments and local organizations spent the holiday with the community including the Tulalip Police and Fire Departments, Tulalip Remedy and the Tulalip Lions Club. And as always, the Sacred Riders and other surrounding motorcycle clubs joined in on the fun.

Said Malory, “We have our regulars, like the Sacred Riders, they’ve been coming for years. That’s one of my favorite things about Trunk or Treat is when you hear the bikes come in. I’ve had steady people volunteer over the years and have lots of new people always coming in. The amount of Trunk or Treaters has definitely grown. I think word got through to the surrounding communities, and that’s what Together we’re Better is about, bringing the community together and that’s both Tulalip and Marysville. Seeing the different faces and our members of Tulalip coming through is pretty awesome.”

She continued, “Last year, the Tribe donated candy, this year, they donated the buckets and lots and lots of candy. It is also the first year that the staff has been involved with the collaboration, I think we have the CEO staff, custodial and public works lending a hand today.”

By altering Trunk or Treat to a drive-thru celebration, Together We’re Better found a way to provide a safe and fun Halloween event where kids can still show off their costumes while collecting sugary snacks, just like the good-ol’-days before the world-wide pandemic. By the end of the three-hour event, hundreds of kids left the drive-thru with buckets overflowing with candy as well as several fun and healthy items such as books and toothbrushes.

“Being able to do something for the community is very fulfilling,” expressed Together We’re Better volunteer, Natosha Gobin. “It was nice to gather with everybody and see the decorations and the excitement on the kids and parents faces when they drove thru. Everybody came together and did this for the kids, and that’s really powerful.”

If you are looking to get more involved with the community, Together We’re Better, is always accepting donations, whether that is goods, money or your personal volunteered time. For more information, please contact Malory Simpson at (425) 905-9137.

Coming Soon: 2021 Native Bazaar

By Shaelyn Hood, Tulalip News

On November 12-14, and December 3-5, Tulalip will be hosting their annual Native Bazaar, where local tribal members will be showcasing and selling their various crafts. The Bazaar will take place at the Don Hatch Jr. Youth Center, 6700 Totem Beach Rd, from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.

Tammy Taylor has been the volunteer organizer for 10 years. However, she said that the event itself has been going on long before she took it over. The event originally started by Carolyn “Uppy” Thornberry around 23 years ago, when she opened the doors for tribal members to gather and display their crafts. Tammy Taylor has been so glad to carry on the tradition, noting how every year is filled with laughs and smiles, “Getting to spend a weekend or two with our elders, all day long, and getting share stories amongst the tables, that makes me happy.” She voiced how she wants all of our membership to come out to this beautiful gathering and support one another.

Already, 49 different vendors have been listed to be at the Bazaar, making it the largest Bazaar that Tulalip has ever had. With 2019’s Native Bazaar being the second largest with 32 vendors. Some of the vendors will be bringing different Native art, cedar baskets, carvings, beaded jewelry, Native prints, crafts, drums, clothing, and more. You will also find food vendors like Lynette Jimicum, Brian Gobin, Jared’s Corner, and various other baked goods. Most vendors will accept cash, and only some will take card.

Tammy Taylor recognized that to protect our elders, our vendors, and our community, the COVID-19 mask mandate will be enforced.

The artists are excited to gather again with friends, and family, and display their different crafts, especially since, due to covid, there was no bazaar last year.

Some vendors to look out for are:

David Fryberg. He has been participating in the Bazaar since Tulalip first started the event. David makes drums, rattles, clappers, cedar woven baskets, and hats. He first started learning his different crafts to become more connected to his culture 30 years ago, and to hopefully start teaching his family. Often, he makes different items for his family as well, “One year, we made all the boys drums, and all the girls rattles, so they could play together.” Lance Taylor took him on, and first taught him how to weave. David typically will sell his pieces during the bazaars, Canoe Journeys, and on Facebook to friends and family, but he also travels to different reservations in the state.

Jamie Sheldon. She has been participating in the Bazaar for 4 years now. Jamie and her mom will be bringing cedar jewelry, knitted hats, cedar baskets, and headbands, and Pendleton tote bags. Jamie helps teach the Weaving Gatherings every Wednesday night at the Hibulb Cultural Center. She is most excited to see all the different art pieces everyone is bringing, “I like just seeing all the people. I mean, everyone comes out to do their Christmas shopping. So, I missed that. It’s good to see everybody and what they’re making, it’s fun!”

Margaret Henry Hayes. She has been participating in the Bazaar since 2017, but because of the COVID-19 shut down last year, she is most excited to just gather with people again, “I think what’s really exciting for me is getting to see family and getting to reacquaint with people I haven’t seen for a long time. I enjoy selling and being a part of that, but I enjoy even more being a part of something positive in our tribe and being able to connect.” She went on to say, “We all do something a little different. Each person is so unique, with what they’re doing and what they’re using. It’s really nice for me to scroll around to see what the rest of the families are doing.” Margaret will be bringing vaÍrious natural shea butter soaps, bracelets, cedar dolls, rice bags, apple butter and jams. She started learning how to make cedar dolls from a class 15 years ago, and it will take her on average a week to make each doll. You can typically find her cedar dolls at bazaars, and the shea butter soaps at a boutique in Everett.

Rocky Harrison. This will be his first year working the Bazaar. He will be selling smoked salmon. He catches the fish, and his cousin Dennis Reeves helps smoke it for him. Rocky has been fishing with his family since he was a child, and now he owns his own business and fleet of boats. Fishing became a saving grace for him, “When I was growing up, I was on a negative path. Fishing is one of the things that has helped me. I was able to develop a more businesslike mindset and better myself. Fishing has helped me change my life around.” He usually sells to fish buyers, so he is happy to have the opportunity to sell directly to tribal members, visit everyone before the holidays, and bless people with delicious fish.

Jasmyne Diaz. This is her third year doing the Bazaar. She mostly creates flat stitch beading and a lot of earrings. She works with various materials like beads, dentalium shells, fur, and cedar. She first learned in elementary school from her grandmother. She was inspired to carry the tradition, “I’m just trying to break generational curses. I collect jewelry to leave to my kids, like turquoise rings, ivory jewelry, etc. But my husband and I strive to not only leave material things, but also leave skills that they can carry on.”Í She typically sells most of her products on Instagram- @sageandsapphirebeading and her website- www.sageandsapphirebeads.com Her items sell quickly online, so she is excited to sell directly to tribal members and give them the first opportunity to buy.

These are just a handful of the many vendors that will be attending the event. Come check out the countless artworks and the amazing artists behind them. Please keep in mind, because of the limited space, the Bazaar is no longer accepting any new vendors at this time. If anyone has any questions about the bazaar, please contact Tammy Taylor at: 425-501-4141.