Frog Feast Bowl, 1997. Blown glass. Preston Singletary (Tlingit). Singletary worked at Pilchuck Glass School, an international center for glass art education, for thirteen years where he studied with Dale Chihuly. His work is renowned for incorporating Northwest Coast design into the non-traditional medium of glass, synthesizing his Tlingit cultural heritage, modern art, and glass into a unique blend all his own.
By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News
Killer Whale, 2003. Fused and sand carved glass. Preston Singletary (Tlingit). Growing up in west coast cities and trained in European glass techniques and practice, Singletary began incorporating Native iconography into his work in 1987, explaining: “I found a source of strength and power in Tlingit designs that brought me back to my family, society, and cultural roots.” In this, his first monumental work, the artist studied the house screen and fused his clan’s Killer Whale crest into sixteen panels. Thus recharging an ancient tradition and bringing the past forward.
Traditional teachings spanning countless generations and highly detailed craftsmanship are imbedded within the foundation of Native American artwork. These fundamental aspects continue today much as they did thousands of years ago, even as today’s Native artists continue to evolve in response to social changes, new markets, and a desire for unique, personal expression.
The resurgence of canoe carving teaches youth how to strengthen body and spirt by working together, while increasing importance on tribal food sovereignty assists healers combat modern diseases in a traditional way. Like so many aspects of their vibrant culture, Native artists have an important dual role of simultaneously creating works for their family and community celebrations, but also for public consumption via private sales, art galleries and educational displays.
Think of how far Indigenous representation in the greater Seattle area has come in just the last several decades. Thirty years ago, you couldn’t find a map using the term ‘Salish Sea’ for the Puget Sound region. Present day, the term ‘Salish’ is a part of local vernacular and commonly understood as describing tribal culture spanning the Northwest Coast.
Through the efforts of many, a vision of authentically produced flowing formline to represent its homelands has come to fruition. The characteristic sweeping lines and subtle patterns of Salish art is now recognizable and emblematic of the Northwest Coast, as it was always meant to be.
Canoe Breaker: Southeast Wind’s Brother, 2010. Acrylic on canvas. Robert Davidson (Haida). According to Haida oral traditions, Canoe Breaker is one of ten brothers of Southeast Wind, who is responsible for the turbulent weather on Haida Gwaii. “In the form of a killer whale, the white ovoid actually separates the lower teeth from the upper teeth in the mouth. And the top shape would be the tail and this U-shape could be the pectoral fin and dorsal fin. When we see the killer whale in their world, we being to understand them, so that’s why human attributes are often mixed in with what they look like.”
We bring you now a collection of Indigenous artistry that evokes traditional ties to the land and sea, while showcasing innovation and a look to the future. Today’s artists aren’t afraid to push boundaries nor experiment with non-traditional materials. Instead, they welcome the challenge to display the beauty of Salish culture across all mediums.
Right: Eagle and Salmon, 2007. Deer hide, acrylic paint. Manuel Salazar (Cowichan).Thunderbird mask and regalia, 2006 Wood, paint, feathers, rabbit fur, cloth. Calvin Hunt (Kwagu’l). “In our culture, we believe the animals and the birds can take off their cloaks and transform into human beings.” Spectacular, articulated dance masks are the specialty of Indigenous artists who craft the elaborate regalia worn in the dance-dramas depicting mythic events and deeds of ancestors. They transport the viewer to a time when spirits and humans interacted, as represented by this mask, in which the Thunderbird transforms into a human. Breakfast Series, 2006. Five boxes digitally printed on Fome-cor. Sonny Assu (Southern Kwakwaka’wakw). Breakfast Series appropriates the form of the familiar cereal box and decorates its surfaces with commentary on highly-charged issues for Indigenous people – such as the environment, treaty rights and land claims. The pop art-inspired graphics on the five boxes in the series contain recognizable imagery, but upon closer inspection we see that Tony the Tiger is composed of formline design elements, the box of Lucky Beads includes a free plot of land in every box, and contains “12 essential lies and deceptions.” The lighthearted presentation, upon further investigation, exposes serious social issues.
“I bead pretty much every day,” said Tulalip tribal member, Donna Chambers. “I really want good energy to go out to the people through the gifts I make. I don’t make anything sad, mad or upset. I do everything with good spirit in my heart and I just go by what my heart says to do.”
Sometimes life gives you a sneak peek into your future when you find something you absolutely love, care for and are deeply passionate about. For some it’s sewing, drawing, carving, singing, dancing, photography – you name it. You know instantly when your passion finds you. And it matters little if you practice every day from that point on or if you acknowledge that connection and agree to revisit it later on in life. When your soul and your life’s passion align, that bond cannot be broken, not even by the hands of time, especially when your culture has significant ties to your calling.
This was something Donna knew when she fell in love with her passion at the age of 18. When she picked up a thread and needle to bead her first pair of earrings, she couldn’t tear herself away from her newfound traditional hobby for months on end. She also knew it when she no longer had enough time in her day to continue her practice while raising a young family and working a full-time job. When she set down her beads only one year later, she knew it was temporary and that she would return to her art one day in the future. Over thirty years later, after living a fulfilled life, watching her kids grow up and caring for her parents until they transitioned to their next journey, Donna’s passion found its way back into her life and has brought her endless joy and good vibes, which she in turn cycles back into her artwork and therefore, into the Tulalip community.
“I originally started when I was young just to get involved with our culture, to try to get in-tune with my heritage,” she said. “I didn’t live here on the reservation during my childhood. I was born and raised in Oregon, so I pretty much lived away from the area until I was about the age of 12 when I moved back here. At the beginning, I did bead a lot and made a few things for myself like my dangly earrings, just learning the basics. I was beading before my kids were born and I put it away because I was busy with the kids and the family all the time. I decided to pick it back up after I lost my mom and dad. I’ve been going for about three years now and I’m now 56.”
Donna’s kids knew little about her passion and her heart’s desire to bead. In fact, her daughter, Alicia Budd, is the person who reintroduced her back into the world of beading. According to Donna, Alicia attended a beading-circle over a long weekend, returned home and immediately told her mom ‘you should learn how to bead, this would be really good for you’.
“I like to do things with my hands, I also like to crotchet,” Donna expressed. “I’ve made lap blankets for my family and the kids who’ve come into my life, so that they have blankets when they are reading their books or watching TV. My daughter sat down with me and showed me what she learned. She refreshed my brain because I lost it for so many years. I picked it up that day and never set it back down. Now it’s something I look forward to doing every single day.”
Almost as important as the artform itself is the creator’s personal environment, how they set themselves up in order to get into the proverbial ‘zone’ while maximizing production and minimizing distractions. Some artists require certain foods, vices, lighting and people around in order to generate their best work. Donna claims that all she needs is the love of her family and friends, some good tunes (ranging from classic oldies to Hip Hop and R&B, all the way to heavy metal), and her beads. She goes into each project with good intentions and sans game plan, letting her heart freestyle the design and guide her until the work is complete. Her workstation includes her late father’s comfortable chair, her work materials meticulously arranged all around her and of course, a variety of vibrant beads.
When asked what type of items she creates today she replied, “Oh just about everything! I still occasionally make my dangly earrings, but most of the things I make now are lanyards. Somebody at the clinic saw the lanyards my daughter and I wear and asked where they could get them, so some of the nurses at our health clinic ended up buying a lot of lanyards from me. I make sure to make a lot of them because lanyards are something that people can always use. The other things I make are keychains, earrings, headbands, medallions, bracelets, barrettes, broaches, bolo ties. I made an entire wallet from scratch once. I also made Seahawk medallions for myself and my grandson, JD Rinker, and I made him a full-length tie that he can wear at Youth Council meetings and gatherings where they have to dress up.”
She continued, “I’ve also beaded center pieces for the headbands that some of our youth wear with their regalia during salmon ceremony. And I’ve made bracelets for the guys, I made three of them, one I gave to Louie [Pablo], it had Eddy’s name on it, he was Louie’s brother who passed away. I gifted him one because it felt like it was the right thing to do at the time, something to remember his brother by.”
Several times Donna expressed that she allows her heart to lead when it comes to her art. And my oh my, Donna has quite the big heart. Not only does she bead cool custom pieces for family or bracelets to honor loved ones, Donna also gifts a lot of her work to our local heroes including police officers, judges, firefighters, and the men and women who bravely serve in the US military.
“My daughter works at the courthouse so I surprised everybody at her work with a gift,” Donna said. “All the judges got something from me, as well as the clerks and the secretaries. I’ve done work for some of the funerals out here, I made their families keychains and necklaces. I also make a lot of pieces for police officers. I made these little medals, shaped like a police badge, and I beaded around them and put them on a necklace. I’ve given about twenty away so far. I just give them to any police officer that I see and feel like that’s the one. I’ve given some to our Tribal police officers and three to Marysville police officers. I usually carry some of my work in my car, so if I do see a police officer, a fireman, or somebody serving in the army or the military, I can offer it to them as a way to thank them for their service and everything they do. I’ve gifted pieces to [TPD] Officer Jeff Jira and just completed something for our Chief of Police.”
During the coronavirus pandemic, Donna was presented with the opportunity to focus more on her beadwork. In addition to beading, she also poured her efforts into a new project, creating masks. She explained that after she saw the need for more masks in the community, and the demand for something a little more aesthetically pleasing than the standard surgical mask, she started sewing immediately, creating clothed masks with Native, floral and paisley designs. Whenever she leaves home and is headed to the local grocer, she is sure to grab a handful of masks, which are often distributed to the store’s employees and shoppers before she even checks-off the first item of her shopping list.
Donna strongly believes that beading is an essential tradition to the Native American culture, noting that it is an artform that is easily identifiable and synonymous with the Indigenous way of life and teachings. The relationship between Indigenous people and beadwork dates back generations prior to colonial times to when our ancestors crafted beads from bone and stone. Beads were worn as a status symbol of wealth and beaded items were featured on traditional regalia, jewelry and artwork. Due to the introduction of glass, metal, crystal and various beads through trade, the colorway and pattern possibilities for Native beadwork holds no bounds.
Donna is doing her part to keep the tradition going, teaching the future generations of Tulalip all of her tricks of the trade, ensuring the art of beading extends well past her children’s children. Since returning to the bead game, she has shared her knowledge with many Tribal and community members, including Facebook friends, and many of the kids from her neighborhood. Donna also has some future classes with the Tribe in the works and plans to conduct Facebook Live tutorials in order to help aspiring beaders with the fundamentals.
“I just hope the more I bead, the more kids around me will want to pick it up,” she said. “Sometimes it does show. Louie’s three little kids were over here last summer, watching me bead. They kept saying they wanted to learn how to bead. They were persistent, so I made them each a beading packet with all the tools and showed them how to do it. They sat here for over two hours with me and they picked it up really fast. They each made something that day. When they were done, I told them they couldn’t keep it and they looked at me kind of sad because it was their first piece. I explained that since it was the first thing they ever made, they had to give it away in order to get good vibes back. They decided to gift them to their mom and grandpa so their very first pieces could stay in the family.”
Donna hopes that by sharing her story and her passion for beadwork, she can garner enough attention to reach the representatives of one Ellen DeGeneres, stating “I have an Ellen DeGeneres piece. My dad was really into Ellen, he faithfully watched her show. When he passed, I felt like I needed to bead her name on a medallion. I have not yet been able to gift it to her because I don’t know how to go about giving it to her or getting it there.”
With a new and fully-restored love for beadwork, there is no project that Donna is afraid to tackle. In fact, she is happily welcoming any challenge that comes her way because, as she said, all she needs is her beads and her beats. All of Donna’s work comes with a guarantee, as she tells all of her customers that if anything happens to a piece you purchase from her, she will fix it for free. If you are interested in purchasing any of Donna’s work, please contact her via Facebook for more information.
“There’re things that I make to sell, but there are a lot of things I make simply because my heart tells me to do it,” Donna said. “I gift them to all types of different people because it feels like something I need to do. But I do enjoy selling items when I can because it does put extra money into my funds so I can continue to bead more. It gives me good energy, that’s why I like to put good energy back into it. It makes you feel good that you’ve accomplished something for the day. All I can say is if you’re interested in beading, try it out, pick it up. I bet you’ll like it because I definitely do.”
By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News; photos courtesy of Walter Moses
“Cedar is a sacred tree to the Tulalip Tribes, there are numerous stories behind the cedar tree,” said Tulalip Artist, Walter Moses. “I’ve been in the lumber industry for a decade and I’ve seen and worked with all types of cedar and learned a lot of history behind the cedar tree. Every piece has a specific grain to it, all the grain is not going to be the same. Some of them will have different shapes and different lines. To me, that piece of cedar is actually telling a story. Sometimes you’ll see little waves inside the cedar. At that time in the tree’s life, there was a lot of turbulence and a lot of stress on the tree. When you see someone wearing a pair of my earrings, they’re actually wearing something that came out of a 200, 300-year-old tree, a tree that has been here longer than the country itself. What they’re wearing is a piece of history.”
Long before colonists arrived to this sacred land, the Indigenous people of the Northwest took great care of the region, living and thriving off the land’s natural resources. As Walter stated, the cedar tree played a significant role in the lifeways of the Salish people. The cedar was used for a number of means in all aspects of our ancestors’ everyday lives. Some traditional items created from cedar include bentwood boxes, paddles, rattles, totem poles, baskets, hats, masks, headbands and canoes. Whether it was for fishing, hunting, gathering, ceremonial, medicinal or spiritual purposes, the cedar tree could be fashioned into a number of tools by way of weaving or carving techniques, teachings that have been passed on generation after generation.
“My dad is a carver and his father was a carver, it just runs in the family,” Walter proudly expressed. “As far as I can remember, my dad’s always been carving stuff like masks, paddles, totem poles, just a large variety of traditional things. When I was about 11 years of age, he sat me down to teach me how to carve, how to use an adze and the simple techniques that we use in carving. My first project was a shovel-nosed canoe, that’s a traditional mountain canoe, not like the sea-going ones that you see on the canoe journey. It’s the ones our people used to go up and down the rivers in the mountains, and they look quite different than the ones you see out on the Puget Sound, they have thicker hulls and are in the shovel shape. I still remember the lady who bought it from me, she bought it for $40 and I spent the money at the Marysville Strawberry Festival.”
Walter is quick to point out that his personal journey with art, however, did not begin with carvings. Although he observed his father and Tulalip Master Carver, Kelly Moses Sr., perfect his craft from a young age, Walter initially fell in love with drawing, often sketching scenic pictures, animals and whales. He was encouraged daily by his father and teachers. His art was showcased at the front of his classrooms at school and he also received ‘A++’ reviews from Kelly Sr. on the regular.
Walter said, “I actually started drawing when I was about 5. As far as I can remember, I’ve always been drawing. Drawing is one of the main fundamental skills that I had to master in order to become a carver. There are multiple skills when it comes to carving, that isn’t carving itself. You’re talking about blueprinting everything out; you have to be a good drawer, you have to be able to look at something and draw it down. You have to know the cedar type, the grain, how to get the cedar. So, it’s not just carving, there’s a story and you have to know how to tell those stories. There’s a multitude of things you have to learn over time.”
Historically, carvings are integral to traditional ceremonies. Songs, dances and stories are shared utilizing cedar carvings; singers shake rattles, dancers pull paddles and stories are commonly re-enacted with masks. Today, Walter took that knowledge from generations prior and found a way to honor the traditional art of carving and blend it with his own unique style, creating modern day jewelry such as bracelets, pendants and his highly popular and extremely limited earrings.
“Nowadays I’m creating a lot of jewelry which would include earrings, pendants, bracelets, and I can still do some masks and paddles,” he said. “The reason I’m doing earrings and pendants is because masks and paddles are something for the home, something to showcase on the wall when guests come over. With jewelry, it’s art you can take with you. It’s a piece of history that you’re taking with you, that you can adorn your body with because the spirit lives in the body, so why not adorn the spirit with a piece of history.”
For two-years, the full-time family man and lumberman dedicated his weekends to his passion. He explained that the decision to follow this journey just may have been his destiny as his grandfather, on his mother’s side, also handcrafted jewelry, specializing in beaded necklaces.
Walter originally stumbled across jewelry-making while raffling paddles and masks at local Indigenous gatherings. When he noticed the majority of people who purchased his raffle tickets were women, he began to take requests, one of which happened to be for earrings. Walter accepted the challenge and upon seeing the positive response after posting his first set of earrings online, he decided to pursue this path and dedicated his time and energy to making jewelry and regalia crafted from cedar.
“It’s just a natural thing,” he said. “I think about art like all the time. At work I’m thinking about art. If I see a certain shape on a piece of wood, I go wow that would make a really cool piece of art. My dad helped me develop a photographic memory. If I see something awesome, I build off that. I have an art disease in my brain that causes me to think about art all the time.”
Through his artwork, he still gets the opportunity to express his love for drawing, incorporating formline by hand-painting and micro-engraving Indigenous designs into many of his earrings. And because each piece is hand carved and painted, the earrings are in high-demand and extremely limited, often selling minutes after Walter adds them to his social medias. It is also very important to him that he does not replicate any of his past work, that each new pair of earrings, pendent or bracelet is an original one-of-one creation. Walter also incorporates modern-day meme-culture into his artwork, recently creating Baby Yoda and Bernie Sanders earrings which were a huge hit on his Instagram profile.
Walter explained, “I’ll look at something and think, ‘hmm, I can make something out of that’. I use a lot of rulers, rulers are very important. Fractions are also very important for measuring the wood, making sure each piece is measured and the thickness is correct. I’ll go from there and just build. I don’t blueprint, I just make them up as I go along. For my masks I’ll do a blueprint, but for the earrings I do the first design that comes to me. Even though there is a lot fine detail that goes into them, I’ll leave defects in there just because it shows the human spirit in it. You know, not everything is perfectly identical, it’s unique in its own way. Sometimes I’ll leave little scratches or dings on there because it adds character to it, its own uniqueness.”
Walter also does his part in sharing the knowledge of his craft, prepping the next generation of Tulalip artists, not only by involving his own kids in his work, but also by teaching classes at Tulalip-Heritage High School as well as sharing stories at a handful of elementary classrooms in the Bellingham School District.
“Last year, before COVID broke out, one of the Native liaisons reached out to me and asked if I was interested in teaching at Tulalip-Heritage. I used to go out there twice a month and teach them how to carve, how to make earrings and about our art in general, just to get them involved and get their hands moving,” he said. “My dad always told me to keep your hands busy all the time. That’s a lesson that I teach and practice. I also talk at the elementary classes in Bellingham, telling them some of our stories. I speak in front of the class for about an hour, a lot of its been online though, not in person. When we pick back up, I’ll actually share in-person. Kids should know the history of the people in this area and not think of us just as people who own casinos and live on the reservation. They should know we have a unique background, that there were people here before their ancestors came and that we’re still here and will always be here.”
Walter is proudly continuing in the footsteps of his bloodline, building upon what his father and ancestors passed on through the generations and continuing the Moses legacy of carving. And it appears as though his journey is just getting started as word about his work continues to spread across the social media platforms.
“My work is not just a piece of wood with a Coast Salish design on it, it’s also a piece of me – a bit of my teachings from my father and his father, a bit of my meditation, prayers and good-thoughts. My dad taught me that as sduhubš people, we all have a special gift, something that we are meant to do to help our people out,” he shared. “And the younger people might not know what it is yet, but they will find their way to help our people. Our special gift is something that we get from our maker. Not everyone is going to be a carver, storyteller, leader, spiritual worker, everybody has their own special gift that will help them. Mine has helped me through some tough times growing up. When I was younger, I knew that I could always fall back and count on my art to help me out.”
A gallery of Walter’s carvings can be viewed on his personal Instagram account, @WalterM2213. Walter also does special requests on a case-by-case basis, depending on his time available. Be sure to send him a direct message if you are interested in purchasing any of his handmade cedar jewelry.
“It’s important for me to carry this on because it’s a part of us, part of my family. I don’t really even consider it my art, I consider it our art. I carry it on because it’s a statement that we’re still here. I read somewhere that the revolution will come in the form of contemporary art. I like how that sounds, so I continue to do it.”
A recently finished mural project in downtown Edmonds, spanning two facing walls, portrays the pre-European life of our Coast Salish ancestors. Local residents and visitors can view the large-scale depictions of early encampments, canoes, smoking fish, cedar baskets and garments, and native plants and animals.
Completed in September 2020, the mural project is a collaboration of hard work and cultural understanding between Edmonds artist Andy Eccleshall, and Tulalip tribal member artist Ty Juvinel. The project was organized by Mural Project Edmonds, a committee of Art Walk Edmonds.
“I was approached by Andy because of the carving I am doing for the Edmonds Historical Museum, as well as various exhibits throughout Edmonds,” explained Ty. “Andy needed someone to create a mural that would represent the history of Edmonds and I mentioned the possibility of doing a mural depicting early contact, between fur trading.
“Andy did the amazing painting and I helped with the depiction,” said Ty. For more than a year, Ty shared history and photos with Andy, including a visit to the Hibulb Cultural Museum, to help him gain a better understanding of Coast Salish culture.
Everything from the way huts were constructed, the design and use of canoes, how cedar was used, traditional cooking methods and the inclusion of a woolly dog, were discussed by the two artists.
Ty explained that woolly dogs were bred for their long hair, which was perfect for weaving into blankets and other items.
“One thing I like to mention, is Andy was told by a passerby that the women in the painting were wrong,” said Ty. “The passerby said they were wrong because their hair wasn’t matted and the hair shouldn’t be that nice. Luckily, I was there that day to dispel that claim, and educated them both that the Salish people bathed religiously, sometimes up to three times a day. Even during the winter, with cedar bow’s dipped in water and brushed against the body.”
“That area of Edmonds used to be a marsh land, so I figured it may have been used as a summer camp area; summer foraging and prepping for winter,” explained Ty. “From there it was just trying to close my eyes and go back to those days of beach camps, elders teaching basketry, hunting, fishing, kids doing as they please, everyone is busy with their chores, preparing for the winter. I was hoping the idea of a community would be shown, and Andy shows it. Community is everyone bringing their resources and abilities together for the community. Again, Andy depicts this wonderfully. When I stand in front of this mural I feel like I’m waiting for them to come to life. The men on the water shouting ashore, the scent of the smoke mixed with salmon and gentle tides.”
Ty’s signature can be found, along with Andy’s, at the base of each mural.
“It was a joy to work within the Edmonds community. Every time I visit I’m welcomed as a neighbor and everyone seems very genuine. I look forward to my next visit,” added Ty.
The mural is located on facing walls in the alley between 4th and 5th Avenue in Edmonds, connecting to Main Street.
Tulalip, WA (Dec. 21, 2020) – Readers of Seattle Magazine have picked their favorite places for 2020 – and Tulalip Resort Casino has come out on top once again as the “Best Casino” in the publication’s annual Readers Choice Poll.
It is the second straight year Tulalip Resort Casino earned major kudos from Seattle Magazine readers, who also named their favorite spots for dining, travel destinations and shopping. The survey results appeared in the publication’s November/December issue.
Tulalip Resort Casino has garnered multiple awards and recognition in 2020 from travel organizations, meeting industry professionals, and resort and casino guests.
“We appreciate the recognition by our guests and Seattle Magazine. We strive to provide everyone who visits an exceptional experience, and this award is a testament to our team’s hard work in meeting the high standards we set for ourselves,” said Ken Kettler, Tulalip Gaming Organization COO/President.
Pestilence Dallin Maybee (Northern Arapaho) Materials: Czech gas mask, 13/0 charlotte cut beads, 24k Gold charlotte beads, freshwater pearls, 11/0 beads, ermine skins, satin ribbons, brass bells and thimbles, Swarovski crystals, rooster hackles. Technique: Applique stitch beadwork “[This] floral gas mask depicts one of the many contemporary issues of our modern lives. More than the devastating impact of these diseases upon our peoples, this art narrative is about our resilience and ability to find beauty in all things. I have always been extremely impressed in the beauty found in often simple, utilitarian items. This horrifying juxtaposition of the vulgarity of why gas masks even exist, coupled with the bacteria and viruses that have afflicted us, are visibly laid bare against beautiful beadwork and floral designs of bacteria and cross-sections of viruses. DNA vines weave through a petri dish of growth, with no discernable identification of whose DNA is there. Our DNA appears the same and unfortunately we all wear this mask.”
By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News; photos courtesy Cherokee Nation
One of the largest Native American art shows in the nation is currently underway and 100% free to attend online. The 15th annual Cherokee Art Market is where 90 elite all-Native artists and artisans from across the United States – representing 50+ different tribes – come together to display and sell truly amazing jewelry, pottery, paintings, sculptures, and more. Digital visitors will be blown away by the culturally vibrant, hand-made treasures that can make your favorite household room more striking and holiday gift giving even more memorable.
“Art is a powerful reminder of past and present, of grand traditions and daily routines,” said Cherokee Nation Chief, Chuck Hoskin Jr. “Art adapts to adversity. It is a clear note of perseverance in the worst of times and a powerful reminder of that perseverance in the best of times. Many of our ancestors were once forbidden to tell stories in their Native language. Today you carry their voices, and I look around with a sense of wonder at just how far those voices go.”
Originally scheduled for a traditional, in-person market to be held in October, changes were necessary under current conditions in order to bring the market to fruition. Perseverance by both artists and art enthusiasts was called upon to bring a virtual platform together.
“The 2020 virtual art market created a new and unique opportunity for Cherokee Nation to introduce our market to a worldwide audience,” added Chief Hoskin. “We have a responsibility to keep artisans and patrons safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, so the shift to an online format was the best way to move forward. In this challenging environment, we were able to ensure the most talented Native artists were still able to show their work and find a receptive audience.”
Going virtual for the first time ever expands the possible audience and online engagement, especially for those who live great distances or simply hadn’t been aware that such a market even exists until now. The Cherokee Art Market is currently ‘live’ and is scheduled to end the morning of December 21. It can be reached at visitcherokeenation.com/cherokee-art-market/art-gallery
“This year has been tremendously difficult for artists, with many shows being forced to cancel, so we offered the virtual platform at no cost to help them to show and sell their work safely,” said Deborah Fritts, Cherokee Art Market coordinator. “Not only does their dedication and creativity promote Native culture, it enhances timely and relevant conversations about our past, present and future. We look forward to celebrating their work and hope the public will take time to visit us online.”
Those individuals seeking authentic Native art, created by a wide range of tribal representatives, are encouraged to visit this unique digital marketplace. Even without making a purchase, visitors will be immersed in a bounty of traditional treasure that truly celebrates the diversity of tribal cultures and creativity.
Visit the all virtual Cherokee Art Market now through December 21 at visitcherokeenation.com/cherokee-art-market
Here are a few unique items that highlight the market’s broad range of elite Native artists and their stunning craftsmanship.
Tell Me Turtle Stories Renee Hoover (Cherokee Nation) Materials: Commercial Reed and Dyes. Technique: Cherokee Double Walled – Round Reed “I have woven four story baskets that each contain a clear message; this fifth story basket is designed to be open ended and used by an adult and child to create stories unique to them and their setting. I have woven several turtles within the basket that can become a part of any child’s story. The large turtle on the lid could naturally become a parent/adult with the smaller turtles within the basket and used for whatever roles suit the story. It’s so important for families to create their own stories and this basket could become a starting point.”
Seen By Her Nation Beverly Moran (Standing Rock) Materials: Size 11 Czech Glass Seed Beads, Size 3mm, 6mm, and 8mm Burgundy Swarovski Crystals, Gold plated 6mm & 8mm beads, 1 1/2 inch & 4 inch bone hair pipes, sable minks, brain tanned deer & elk hides, sterling silver findings, canvas and cow hide. Technique: The beaded technique includes both the lane/lazy stitch and applique stitch. All components of the dress are completely handstitched. The dress took over 2 years to complete. “Seen By Her Nation is a unique and one-of-a-kind fully beaded Lakota Woman’s dress inspired by my daughter Andrea Bear King and titled in honor of a wife of our Lakota leader Sitting Bull. This dress is designed and created with the Woman’s Northern Traditional dancer in mind, but is a very beautiful piece of collectable art. Bold motifs of dragonflies, lightning bolts, tipis, turtles, and stars all of which are symbolic of the history and culture of my Lakota relatives are incorporated into this dress. The dress includes a fully beaded yoke, beaded skirt, belt, purse, beaded mink hair ties, strike-a-light bag, knife sheath, a bone choker and woman’s full size breastplate.”
Comanche People’s Homelands Monica Raphael (Grand Traverse) Materials: Birch bark, natural and dyed porcupine quills using various plants, insects and commercial dyes. Vintage, antique and 24k gold size 13 Czech seed beads, antique brass thimbles and hawk bells, size 4mm black fire polished antique glass beads, dyed horse hair and traditionally brain tanned and smoked deer hide. Technique: Woodland Porcupine Quillwork using natural and dyed quills embroidery on to birch bark.Leader of the Buffalo Joshua Adams (Easter Band of Cherokee Indians) Materials: Butternut Wood, Buffalo horn and Fur Technique: Woodcarving “My interpretation of the lead dance mask for the Cherokee buffalo dance or forest buffalo dance. The dance is reserved for mornings and nights before hunts. The Buffalo dance was not restrictive or private and was open for all to participate publicly. Despite the disappearance of the forest buffalo from the smokies centuries ago, the dance, like the Cherokee, has persisted through time.”MMIW: Remember Our Sisters Eugene Tapahe (Navajo) Location: Grand Tetons National Park, Wyoming Materials: Archival Watercolor Paper Technique: Lithograph Photograph Print “Art heals. The Jingle Dress Project is my dream to take the healing power of the Ojibwe jingle dress and dance to the land, to travel and capture a series of images to document the spiritual places where our ancestors once walked. My goal is to unite and give hope to the world through art, dance and culture to help us heal during the COVID-19 pandemic and these uncertain times.”Biskinik (top right) Deana Ward (Choctaw Nation) Materials: Cut Glass Beads, Sterling Silver Findings, Brain-tanned Buckskin Technique: Picot, daisy, whipped, embroidery, bead weaving, right angle weave stitching “The Biskinik is a sacred bird to the Choctaws. The English name is the yellow-bellied sapsucker. Our tribal newspaper is named after this bird because it is a bringer of ‘good news’.” Red Star Yonavea Hawkins (Caddo) Materials: Buckskin, size 11 cut beads, thread, and sinew Technique: Half -stitch (similar to an overlay stitch)One Nation Ashley Roberts Kahsaklawee (Cherokee Nation) Materials: Glass beads, leather, wool, vintage sign Technique: Loom beadwork tapestry warps sewn and leather along top ridge sewn to wool and attached to vintage sign. Leather backing. Loom piece is free from tack down and can be viewed from front and back.
Are you looking for interesting, artistic, and one-of-a-kind gifts this season? Meet artist Michael Hoover.
Bibliographic Information
Born in north Seattle’s Waldo Hospital at Northgate on February 6, 1973 I have been a lifelong resident of Washington state. I grew up in the township of Woodway, a small suburban community within the city of Edmonds.
I had the privilege of growing up in a household that practiced old fashioned family values. We prayed together, went to church on Sundays and were taught the values of hard work and honesty.
Life, however, was not always so Rockwellian. I spent many years enduring hardships, isolation, and a sort of self-imposed exile. I went down a hard road and developed a substance use disorder which led me to make some very poor and very regrettable decisions which in turn took me down a path of incarceration. In 2006 I was convicted of robbery and sent to prison for the rest of my life, and without the possibility of parole. As bleak as my prospects were, I was determined to make the best of the situation I had made for myself.
Although I had been sent to prison my father had become a staunch supporter and good friend. And so it was that I strived to live a life that would make my father proud. After several years and some adjustments in my thinking I was bestowed the great honor of serving as the Native American Pipe Man at the Washington State Penitentiary. I remained in that position from 2009 to 2018. I made many personal connections with individuals throughout this time. Within these connections I was reunited with humanity and the sense of dignity that comes with serving others. It was during this time that I grew as a person, and as an artist. I fell in love with the mate of my soul and I was given the opportunity to live life without the burden of addiction and the shame that comes with it.
In 2017 Governor Jay Inslee commuted my life without parole sentence to a determinate 231 months. I now have a release date of February 2, 2025. Since being given this rare and extraordinary act of grace I have enrolled in Walla Walla Community College and am working to earn my Associates Degree in Social work. Upon my eventual release I wish to continue working with at risk individuals who have found themselves in the unlikely place that is prison or those who are facing the trauma of their past who are at risk of incarceration. It will be my duty as a citizen to never again commit a crime and to honor those whom I have harmed in my past by being a beacon of change and a force for good.
I don’t know exactly how the future will play out but my faith in God and with the support of my family and beautiful wife I know I will be exactly where I am supposed to be. And, that whatever station I find myself in, I will continue to make my father proud.
Artist Statement
As a man of Lumbee Irish American ancestry, I was raised with Native and urban American influences. My works of art are inspired by the Powerful and ancient Northwest Coast Indian Art form and are a reflection of my cross-cultural experiences. Most works are executed in acrylic paint and often incorporate reclaimed wood as my medium. Mixed-media paintings incorporate items from the natural world such as abalone shell and unprocessed wood. A few of my older pieces from years ago are not original. I was learning the art form by replicating the beautiful art of others. To them I am grateful and do my best to refer to another artist’s work if I know the source.
I strive to create evocative pieces that pay respect to the history of the Salish people and the Native culture. Many of my pieces reflect cultural and religious function such as dancing, drumming, and praying which are a celebration and acknowledgement of all parts of my history. This art form allows me to express my world view: joy, sadness, freedom, incarceration and my ever deepening cultural awareness. I am honored to be practicing such a revenant and spiritual art form that spans generations and inspires transformation both internally and externally. This platform allows me to start from center, deepening my own understanding of all the complexities of culture and storytelling through the construction of ancient elements.
By highlighting the strength, beauty, power, gracefulness and legacy of Northwest Coast Indian Art I hope to inspire a recognition of indigenous art as a bridge between the past, present and future. The audience is invited to consider that the history of the past is truly intertwined with the present. I believe the past echoes in each of our hearts and that art strikes a vibrant chord in the soul which reminds us that parallel histories are truly intertwined.
It is my hope that my art will inspire a conversation about the challenges of indigenous artist who attempt to create art which is both evocative and meaningful from such an oppressive environment such as prison and the lack of representation of underprivileged artist in the mainstream.
Nathan Williams, Tulalip tribal member, actor and producer of In Spirit.
By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News
“How did I let this happen?” cried a mourning Indigenous mother.
“Did you know?” she asks, turning her attention away from a photograph to a young Native man standing in her doorway.
“I had no idea, I didn’t think it mattered,” he responded, fighting back tears of his own.
“He’s my son, he matters.”
This emotional dialogue may seem familiar to you if you grew up in Native America. However, it is directly quoted from an upcoming project titled In Spirit, a short film based on a story by Tulalip tribal member, Nathan Williams, also referred to as his moniker, DEAMA. For years, Nate has been expressing himself creatively, giving people a glimpse into his world, whether through music, street art, fashion or most recently, film.
“If I were to put it in my words, short and sweet, the film is about a troubled kid named Jared,” Nate explains. “He’s about 17 or 18 years old and he’s trying to come to grips with his own emotions, with the passing of his long-time best friend turned addict. I tried to make it like a saturated version of my story, as much of my reality as possible without making it the same exact scenario. I tried to paint a typical scenario for everybody else’s situation when confronting those emotions. So, I would say it’s based on a true story, but the film was not the actual timeline.”
There is a meme, or a statement rather, that occasionally will make an appearance on the social media platforms, stating “our generation has been to more of their friend’s funerals than to their weddings,” and unfortunately that is a reality that many Indigenous youth live with in modern society. At tribal gatherings that aim to bring attention to today’s drug epidemic, Tulalip Board Member Mel Sheldon often opens the events by asking attendees to raise their hand if they have ever lost anybody due to a drug overdose. Each time nearly everybody’s hand goes up.
According to current research conducted by the Washington Post, over the course of 8 years, 2006-2014, Native Americans were approximately 50% more likely to die from an opioid overdose than any other race. Furthermore, a new study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) showed that the suicide rate amongst Native teens is continuing to rise and is up 139% for Native women and 71% for Native men since 1999.
If you are a non-Native reading those statistics, you may find yourself shocked to learn of this news. This is felt on an even greater level for tribal communities because those ‘statistics’ are often our siblings, cousins, uncles, aunties, parents or friends. And while those articles may provide a lot of eye-opening info, more times than not, they fail to encapsulate the hardship Indigenous Nations are feeling – what they go through with each young tribal member that is buried far too soon.
In Spirit places you directly into that storm of emotions that we are left to deal with after our loved ones make the transition to the afterlife; the hurt, the anger, the guilt, all of those raw emotions are on display and they are portrayed so evocatively you almost feel like you’re reliving moments of your personal life. Nate explained that when casting the roles for the film, he called upon the people in his life that best fit the personalities of his characters, and that all of the cast members were first time actors.
“We tried to go across everything that could possibly happen emotionally in these scenarios,” said Nate. “I’m super impressed with how everyone killed their roles. For the most part, we kind of just gave people a template of what to say. We told them to say it naturally, how they would speak if we were having a normal conversation; the way you say it, your cadence, your emotion that comes out. I think that helped a lot of people with their performance because they didn’t feel like they had to remember their bars. Every shot was under ten takes.”
The 8-minute film was originally intended to be just a scene in a full-length feature that Nate was writing at the time he met the film’s director, Jonathan ‘Jon’ Salmon. The two creatives crossed-paths when Jon hired filmmaker Luis Perez, a close friend of Nate’s, for a 3-part series dubbed Residents. That project was shot in three neighborhoods in the Pacific Northwest; South Seattle, Tacoma and Tulalip. From that project, Nate and Jon built a collaborative relationship and the first project they worked on together, a music video for Seattle artist Ben Zaidi, won Best Music Video at the Tacoma Film Festival.
“From there, we started talking,” Jon stated. “A lot of people don’t know what happens on tribal lands, and they’re not too familiar with the genocide of Indigenous people and how the genocidal trauma can continue to affect and spread through the lineage of the people. We opened up and talked about our experience with death, how fast I thought I was losing people from the young age of 15 all the way up until today. And he talked about how it happens on the reservation and how it happens at Tulalip. We need to talk about that because that’s something that’s always put in the headlines, the opioid epidemic tearing apart suburban white neighborhoods, but you never hear that same focus and energy put in the tribal lands that need resources more than suburban families who have the means to deal with it, in a sense.”
After a ten-month writing session, the two created a script that they felt could honestly address the issue of generational trauma and how it affects the Native youth specifically. Once the roles were cast and locations were successfully scouted, filming began at the beginning of 2020 before COVID struck. And thanks to what Nate credits as Jon’s deep connections, multiple crews – filming, editing, makeup, colorists, were in place and the entire filming process took place over the course of only 48 hours. Post-production was relatively quick as well, taking approximately 5-6 months to wrap the film up.
Nate expressed, “I got to give it up to Jon for being such a good director, because he’s down to get real personal with you. There were times he would pull me to the side and remind me what I was there for. Coming from the situation we are in, you grow accustomed to suppressing your emotions to a degree. You don’t want to relive those emotions, because you don’t genuinely want to hurt yourself again, but you got to put yourself in that ballpark for the film and that is what Jon is good at getting you to.”
And while Nate praised Jon for his work ethic and his execution of bringing his vision to the screen, Jon was quick to reciprocate, claiming that it was a collaborative process the entire way through, stating, “The film was organically developed. It wasn’t me saying, let me tell a story that I didn’t know anything about or relate to any of their experiences. It was me and Nate walking through everything together because he’s also the main actor in the film and the producer as well.”
Jon is non-Native but has close ties to families within the Puyallup tribe, which allowed him to have a better understanding of the reservation lifestyle than many filmmakers throughout the region. Coupled with his conversations with Nate, he took on the project with intentions of not only raising awareness to the drug epidemic and dealing with the loss of a loved one at a young age, but also to find a way to support a program or organization that helps Natives work on their mental health as it relates to generational trauma.
“We understand that there is trauma,” he said. “We were trying to do something informative and insightful, we do believe we achieved that, but the film was also highlighting a very traumatic event and it kind of encouraged the cycle of trauma that I try to break in all of my work. We can’t open up a wound and not want to help people deal with it. We want to partner with an organization; whether it’s from the Tulalip Tribes, or any tribe in the State of Washington that offers services for the mental health and mental improvement for young adults between the ages of 13-30, to help them cope with experiences like this.”
The duo plan on officially releasing In Spirit on Indigenous Peoples Day, October 12th. The film is a must-watch; a modern day observation of how generational trauma is impacting the future of Native communities nationwide, as well as an important piece of work that helps open up a much-needed conversation about issues that are often overlooked or deemed too uncomfortable to talk about growing up on the rez.
“I feel like us, as Native Americans, are way too accustomed and jaded to these situations, and for the most part people aren’t seeking the therapy needed for certain things,” Nate expressed. “I don’t know if it’s because they don’t feel supported or if they just don’t have the resources. But as fortunate as the Tribe can be, I still feel like mental health is one of those things that’s not taken as serious as it should. We wanted this film to be the mirror; this is us – we are like this. As a community, we need to take it upon ourselves to help the people around us. That’s what I’m on.”
For kids and adults alike, Halloween is a favorite holiday. And this year it lands on a Saturday, with a full moon. But also, a pandemic. The end-of-year holiday celebrations may seem bleak this year, but there are ways to have fun and be safe.
Tulalip tribal member Malory Simpson and her team of volunteers are continuing to work hard to bring Trunk or Treat to the Tulalip community. Happening at 1:00 p.m. on October 31 at the Tulalip admin building parking lot, the group is determined to not let a fave holiday go uncelebrated. There are costumes to be worn and candy to be had!
“Although the event will look different this year, I believe our community looks forward to not only volunteering, but also allowing children to participate,” said Malory. “I think it’s good for the kids to see some type of normalcy, while we practice safe measures.”
“We haven’t had any events that have enabled us to bring the community together safely, and this will hopefully allow our people to reconnect with one another, added tribal member Natosha Gobin, “We all have been going through our own struggles during the pandemic, often times feeling like our kids are going without their normal interactions. Through hosting this gathering we will remind our community of the strength we share by showing up to serve: Together We’re Better!”
Trunk or Treat will still feature plenty of good Halloween fun with buckets of candy handed out at the entrance. And although party goers need to remain in their cars, they can drive slowly through to view the festive décor and wave to their friends, and any roaming ghosts, princesses, superheroes and more.
“I am not sure how many parents will allow their kids to go out and trick or treat so this will give them something to do to replace that safely,” added Malory.
To help out with the event, Malory and crew are accepting donations of pre-filled candy bags. They request that folks please wear a mask and gloves while preparing candy bags, as they are working to ensure the safest possible environment for the community.
Another necessity is Halloween buckets. These can be found at Wal-Mart for one dollar each.
And of course, cash donations are always helpful as well. If you can volunteer in any way, please contact Malory at 360.716.4722. Have a fun and safe Halloween.
