Tulalip citizens, their families, patients of the Tulalip Health Clinic and employees of Tulalip Tribes flocked to Garden Treasures Nursery & Local Farm on Thursday, September 5. While there, they excitedly wandered the six-acre organic farm and were offered ample opportunity to harvest from a delicious medley of in-season fruits and vegetables.
Our local award-winning Diabetes Care and Prevention team have regularly partnered with the Arlington-located Garden Treasures to offer the Tulalip community such well-regarded ‘u-pick days’. These days are typically well attended by multi-generational families because of the intrinsic access to traditional foods, engagement in gentle outdoor exercise, and ability to embrace with community through family-friendly activities.
“My favorite moments are inspired by those who have never attended before, true first timers, and they come out, try something new, and enjoy the offerings of fresh foods,” shared Veronica Leahy. She’s been serving the Tulalip Health System as a Diabetes Care and Prevention Coordinator for sixteen years now. “This specific u-pick day, we had additional offerings like a delicious lunch provided by our Ti Kupihali staff and a couple craft activities.
“I love watching and listening to the newcomers share their u-pick experiences. This makes all the effort it takes to plan and coordinate these days so worth it,” continued Roni. “I love seeing our regular supporters for these events, too, since they are the foundation of building our healthy foods and prevention program. With their support over the years, these newcomers have had the experience of picking and connecting with their food in a more traditional way.”
An estimated 130 community members took advantage of the u-pick day. In what may be the last blast of summer heat, with temperatures near 90 degrees, toddlers to elders strolled the paths of Garden Treasurers naturally grown farm and bountiful green houses.
For their efforts, they were greeted by leafy greens (kale, chard and collard greens), herbs (parsley, basil, mint, and lemon balm), classic vegetables (broccoli, onions, zucchini, and tomatoes) and a sweet selection of berries (strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries).
“Garden Treasures is such a wonderful place for families to come in general, but the days the Diabetes Program is here with their knowledgeable and supportive staff, you can typically see Tulalip tribal members and other Natives of all different ages enjoy everything this place has to offer,” said community health director Verna Hill. “Seeing grandparents with their children and grandchildren come out and enjoy the gardens and pick their favorite fruits and vegetables is so wonderful. There’s so much joy created here. Something as simple as watching faces and seeing our people become inspired after trying a new fruit or vegetable is really a wonder to behold.”
That sense of wonderment carried over into the community lunch, where Roni and her team could be seen assisting with the making of flower bouquets and wreaths to be taken home as a colorful reminder of what Garden Treasurers has to offer.
Among those in attendance was a special guest visitor all the way from Macedonia (a country in the Mediterranean, north of Greece). Natasha Coumou, a restoration ecologist for the Tribes’ Natural Resources department, brought her mother Marija, who is visiting from Macedonia, to the u-pick day in search of stew-ready tomatoes.
“It’s beautiful. This entire event is just awesome; from the people I’ve met to the opportunity to pick from all the vegetables and fruit. I thank those who organized this,” said Macedonian citizen Marija Krstova. “I picked broccoli, peppers, eggplant and of course tomatoes to make a stew for my daughters that will remind them of our village back in Macedonia. There’s a lot more sun where I came from. We have vegetables growing everywhere, so to be here and see this outdoor garden and everything it has to offer, I must say the gardeners have done an exceptional job.”
Eating more fruits and vegetables is one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve health and reduce the risk of chronic disease. By making fruits and vegetables a larger part of your diet, you can enjoy the benefits of increased energy, better digestion, and a stronger immune system, while significantly lowering the risk of developing serious health conditions. As we officially enter the Tribes’ season of healing, it’s time to make plant-based foods a priority in our daily lives.
An Alkali bee lands on an Echinacea looking to grab some pollen.
By Nathan Roberts, Wetland Technician, Quil Ceda Village
Quil Ceda Village Administration recently undertook a beautification project with new plantings along the front walkway. If you come to the Administrative offices, you’ll be able to see various grasses, spirea, primal-looking ferns, two young rhododendrons and many others. In addition to beautifying our workplace, many of these plants will attract and benefit pollinators. In fact, pollinators moved right in almost as soon as the plants were in the ground!
A pollinator is any organism which moves pollen from the male organ of one plant to the female organ of another plant, thereby instigating fertilization and seed production. With this, that means that pollinators play a critical role in the production of various culturally important foods, such as salmonberry (στəγʷαδαχ) and huckleberry (σωəδαʔξ̌). With the newly planted flowers joining their cousins in bloom this time of year, we tend to think of bees being the biggest help to fertilization of flowers and formation of fruits and seeds; however, there are many more pollinators than just bees. We have to thank not just bees, but birds, bats, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, wasps and even small mammals for their contribution to native flowering plants and our food supply’s endurance.
A Great Golden Digger wasp looking for nectar on this Tropical Milkweed.
We’re very lucky to call this state our home; a home we share with many species of native bees such as the cute Bumble Bee, the Blue Orchard Bee, the Western Leafcutter, the Metallic Green Sweat Bee and hundreds more. Many of the bees native to our state, about 70% of the 600 species, are what are known as “ground nesters”, meaning they might make their home under your feet rather than a hive above ground. Many of the pollinators you will see at our new plantings are ground nesting, some are also solitary. These pollinators use their mandibles to dig tunnels that can extend deep into the soil. At the end of these tunnels are small areas they nest in called “brooding cells.” Since most of these pollinators are solitary and dig deep underground, you can put your mind at ease about disrupting an underground hive.
Some of the flowers planted at Quil Ceda Village will particularly attract ground nesting pollinators. One of the first flowers to catch the eye are the two larger, planted Echinacea, or Coneflower. These are not just visually attractive to us, but to bees, butterflies and wasps as well with their vibrant colors and giant domed head, which makes for a perfect landing pad for many species. On these flowers, you might catch a glimpse of the Alkali bee, which is a ground nester and loves damp, silty soils such as that found at the garden of QCV. Another favorite of the local critters is the Tropical Milkweed, which is a delight for bees, but also Woodland Skipper and Monarch butterflies, and Great Golden Digger Wasps. With its long stems and small flowering bodies of golden yellow and red, it has a very sweet nectar that is a favorite among the crawlers. It should be noted that the Golden Digger species of wasp is classified as non-aggressive and is one of the before mentioned ground nesters, meaning they will not be seen creating hives in corners of the entrance and swarming as they are also solitary in nature. Plus, they prefer the nectar of flowers to human food.
A Woodland Skipper butterfly basking in the sun on the newly-applied compost.
But why should we care about whether or not our local bees are native or not? For a few reasons. With bees and butterflies in decline worldwide, planting pollinator-friendly gardens helps provide a stop-over and much needed foods to our local pollinators in areas that can be nectar and pollen deserts. Also, when invasive or non-native species are introduced to an area by humans or of their own accord, diseases are more likely to spread that the native populations have not encountered yet, leading to a possible drastic decline in numbers. Another reason is that native bees and other insects are highly responsible for the pollination of many of the beautiful flowering plants, such as those on display now at Quil Ceda Village, as well as native plants important for tribal foods and medicines. Native bees and other pollinators have special associations with our native flowering plants. Interestingly, the common Honeybee is not native to North America and was brought over by European colonialists. However, after hundreds of years of their pollination efforts, they are considered domesticated in the U.S. as they are essential for the growing of crops in the agricultural industry. In fact, according to the Bee Conservancy, while it is true that about a third of our food is grown thanks to honeybees, about 80% of flowering plants are pollinated with thanks to our native bees.
A Sand Wasp was made landing on this Echinacea, doing its part to help pollination.
This is all not to say that balance of pollinators and plants is invincible. One of the most devastating factors leading to the decline of native bees within the U.S. is the application of pesticides and insecticides. One of the immediate effects is of course, the reduction of insects that are essential to help the plants reproduce. However, a much darker effect is the scenario of insects bringing the poison back to their hives, where now other pollinators, or even a whole colony, could die. This is a less likely scenario for solitary pollinators; however, the more ornamental pesticide-treated plants there are in the world, the higher the number of these individual pollinators will die. Those who were born before the mid 90’s likely remember there once being a bounty of Western Bumble Bees in our state, however their numbers have been drastically declining since then and astonishingly, are now considered rare. Likely due to a combination of multiple factors, notably the competition with non-native species and disease, but their populations plummeting is certainly aided by the wrongful use of pesticides. This is why it is absolutely essential that there be more pesticide free zones, so that there can be areas for both plants and pollinators to prosper.
We are very fortunate to be able to live in a part of the world that is bountiful with life and green. The dance between plants and pollinators has been going on since time immemorial, and is beyond ancient. It is therefore imperative we do not lose sight of the delicate balance that all life depends upon so that our future generations may thrive in a world alongside plants and the creatures that pollinate them.
In a transformative and visionary step towards reclaiming their ancestral culinary traditions, the Tulalip Northwest Indian College (NWIC) recently unveiled the groundbreaking Tulalip Food Sovereignty Presentation Kitchen. This innovative kitchen space, formerly a conventional classroom, symbolizes cultural revival and health empowerment. The soft opening event on Friday, November 3, was nothing short of a culinary journey, inviting the community to savor the flavors of Indigenous cuisine while unraveling the profound concept of food sovereignty. Step inside this unique kitchen and discover how it’s poised to revolutionize the relationship between tradition, health, and community.
The newly renovated space has undergone a remarkable metamorphosis, evolving from a mundane classroom into a welcoming haven of culinary exploration. With an expansive, open kitchen at its heart, it beckons onlookers and perhaps even a camera crew to witness the intricate process of preparing Indigenous foods. The kitchen’s primary mission is to serve as an educational hub where students can immerse themselves in traditional food preparation. It’s a place where the rich heritage of Indigenous cuisine is brought to life, instilling in the next generation the knowledge and skills necessary to honor and preserve their culinary traditions.
“I grew up in a fishing and hunting family, and I didn’t know that I was already practicing food sovereignty,” said NWIC teacher, Linzie Crofoot. “Our food kept us a healthy community. Food sovereignty is about community health; our traditional foods and medicines and their direct ties with resource management. Traditionally, we have been the gatherers, hunters, and fishermen responsible for tending the land and keeping it healthy and our people healthy.”
Linzie continued, “When I am teaching Native Environmental Science, and I am teaching about our native plants, I am incorporating tribal health into it. I am incorporating our traditional values into it. That’s how I plan on using this kitchen; as a gatherer and a Native Environmental Scientist, I want people out on the land to be restored to their natural role on the land, and then be able to come back here and make meaningful relationships with each other and the community through food. That is how we have always built community. There’s nothing more traditional than feeding each other and coming together to make food.”
After the meal, Linzie demonstrated how to make a sweetgrass lemonade and started by creating a simple syrup. A mixture of sweetgrass water and sugar boiled create a tasty syrup that can be stirred into the lemonade. The goal of the demonstration was to show that you can start small with your introduction to a more native plant diet by creating one ingredient and building off that.
“When we tell people they need to eat traditional foods, they don’t know where to begin and get overwhelmed. They think they must be a gatherer or a hunter, or they need access to a bunch of land, and then they freeze and continue to eat all the same Western foods they have been eating their whole life. I want to incorporate easy things that you can do in your everyday lives. So, start with one cup of tea a month and sweeten it with a native plant, then work your way up. And don’t feel guilty about it,” said Linzie.
“This is the first tribal sovereignty kitchen in the nation,” said Colette Kieth, NWIC site manager. “The primary goal is that students understand what food sovereignty is and what tribal food sovereignty is and use our traditional foods. I also wanted a place where our students could have a camera-ready place for great presentations, like on Instagram and Facebook. I want our students to feel what it was like to work in a nice kitchen.”
The Tulalip Food Sovereignty Presentation Kitchen will have its grand opening in May, where students can create in the kitchen. Registration for winter classes opened on Monday, November 6th. To learn more about NWIC, visit nwic.edu.
“When you see the people come together, it’s emotional, it really is,” expressed Veronica ‘Roni’ Leahy, Diabetes Care and Prevention Program Coordinator. “The people were all gathered around talking and the kids were running around. The elders were sharing with each other – the foods they picked, the foods they saw, and talking about recipes. We’re just warmed by each other’s friendship and love. And you can feel that you can feel that sense of community.”
The rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of dozens of Tulalip families who ventured off-rez on the afternoon of October 24, for the last Garden Tour and U-Pick harvesting event for the year. Held throughout the spring, summer, and fall seasons, the event allows the community to see food in an entirely new light. The idea is that by seeing the process take place, from planting to harvesting, people can develop not only an understanding of cultivating produce, but also gain a deeper appreciation for fruits and veggies, and all of their benefits.
“I wanted to get out with my friend Marvin today, come get some fresh produce, and see what Roni has going on,” said community member, Jessica Leslie. “Roni is filled with a lot of good information, and they always have healthy snacks. Everything here is fresh, local, and really nice to have. I think it’s a good way to get people out and about.”
Tulalip elder Marvin Jones, who was just happy to ride shotgun with Jessica for the day, exchanged stories with Roni as Jessica gathered an assortment for veggies. Over a cup of hot apple cider, he spoke of the importance of having access to fresh produce, something that was much more difficult for tribal members to attain during his years of adolescence. He also touched on his gardening skillset that he developed over the years, explaining that he can ‘grow my own anytime I want it,’ and identified several harvesting spots on the reservation for the likes of apples, berries, and a variety of plants.
The award-winning Diabetes Care and Prevention program partnered with Garden Treasures Nursery and Local Farm well over a decade ago to host the U-Pick gatherings. Ever since, the six-acre organic farm has been the backdrop for Tulalip members and Tulalip Health Clinic patients to learn and share knowledge about diabetes care, as well as harvest in-season produce and explore new foods that they otherwise wouldn’t have come across on a trip to the supermarket.
By opening their barn and greenhouse doors to the tribal nation, Garden Treasures is fulfilling their community-driven mission FUBU style – for us, by us. As a local Arlingtonite, owner Mark Lovejoy spoke on this mentality and his inspiration for growing crops solely to give back to his hometown, our region, and the community of farmers that sell their produce along the local farmer’s market circuit. Mark has opened a large retail space at the Garden Treasures property, and partnered with local farmers and meat markets to make their goods available for purchase six days out of the week, in addition to his products.
Mark shared, “It feels good, that’s the purpose of the farm. We’re supported by the community, for the community, we’re growing food for people right here. That’s been the mission all along, and the more we do it, the more we get connected. We designed this vertically integrated produce farm in the image of the old truck farmers from the 30s,40s, and 50s that were on the east coast serving the metropolitan areas. We wanted to serve our area with an abundance of food that we can grow in our climate.
“We designed our store to sell our products that we grow here ourselves. At the same time there are very few local farmers in our community who have a retail presence like this or even own land these days. Our farm is set up to be like an everyday farmers market. Anybody can come here any day of the week and have an experience like you would at a farmers’ market. Even though it’s a privately owned family business, it’s using a lot of vendors from the farmer’s markets to fill the shelves. And other people outside of the region that have other products too, like avocados that are from the same type of farmers that we are, but are from Mexico or southern California. We always try to source our products from people who are like us, who are interested in community supported agriculture.”
With multiple greenhouses throughout the property, Garden Treasures Nursery and Local Farm cultivates an array of colorful and nutrient dense vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers throughout the year. Roni is sure to schedule a U-Pick event at least once per season so that the community can enjoy everything from strawberries to winter squash. Now that we are in the midst of autumn, Garden Treasures has orange gourds in every size placed along the entryway to the farm. Each tribal family or THC patient selected a pumpkin before concluding their Garden Treasures adventure.
“It was a pretty good harvest,” exclaimed young Kayden Palmer while holding a box of produce, her day’s bounty, in-hand. “It was wet and cold but still a lot of fun.”
Upon picking out a pumpkin and heaving it up for a photo, Kayden continued, “My family and I enjoy carving these and sometimes we feed the excess of the pumpkins to our sheep. I don’t know what design I’ll carve yet, but I’ll figure it out. [U-Pick gatherings] mean a lot to me, and it’s always nice to come out and see everybody.”
Community member Justine Jones shared, “I’m glad I was able to come here, check it out, and just get out of the house. I really like Halloween now because we have two boys who were born on the same day of October 12. And my little guy loves pumpkins. He calls them pum-an-ah-nos. We’ll carve our pumpkin and possibly enter it in the pumpkin contest at the community Halloween party.”
In addition to knowledge sharing through the act of harvesting, the Diabetes Care and Prevention program brought on professionals from the Puget Sound Kidney Centers, Registered Dietician Grace Scarborough and Medical Social Worker Michelle Rowlett.
“We are really big into community health, so we’re partnering with the Tulalip Tribes to promote healthy living and healthy eating,” Grace explained.
Michelle added, “Diabetes is one of the main causes of kidney disease. We try to talk about ways to keep your kidneys healthy, keep your body healthy, just the whole gamut of everything involving healthy living. We do things like this because if you’re eating fresh foods, fruits and vegetables, cooking with herbs and spices instead of salt, you’re going to have healthy kidneys, a healthier body, a healthier heart – it’s all connected.”
After years of setting aside a small percentage of the Diabetes Care and Prevention program’s funding, Roni feels that the importance of these outings and the experience of harvesting one’s own foods has not been lost on the community. With each event growing in attendance, she believes it’s now time to expand these services and hold U-Pick gatherings more frequently, and at varying times, so that more people get the chance to take freshly grown produce home to their dinner tables.
Said Roni, “When it comes to being with the plants, it’s about that connection that we have to them because the plants give us the nutrients that we need in our bodies. But they also feed us emotionally, because of how you feel when you’re harvesting the plants. And then to be able to talk about the spiritual side of our plant relatives and how we feel about them.
“Those plants live just a short life only to give you health, to give you that medicine. They share that with you and they are grown here for that purpose. So, when you start thinking of your food as a type of medicine, it helps in the sense of a spiritual connection. That has been one our teachings here; feeding our Indian. Feeding who we are and satisfying that. I think the satisfaction comes not just from eating it and keeping within us to nourish our bodies, but it also comes from learning how to plant it, how to care for it, how to harvest it, and then prepare it. It’s this whole process that we do and that’s what we try to show here. These foods are the gift of health. And to see the kids, to see the adults, and the elders enjoy that, because it’s truly a gift.”
The Diabetes Care and Prevention program is gearing up for a series of classes developed by the American Diabetes Association and is tailored to Natives living with diabetes. The classes will begin at 2:00 p.m. every Wednesday in November, at the Karen I. Fryberg Health Clinic. The classes will focus on self-management of the disease and are targeted toward individuals who were diagnosed with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic and have yet to attend a Diabetes Care and Prevention class. For additional details, please contact Roni at (360) 716-5642.
Across the land, and within each tribe, many Native Americans are fortunate and blessed to grow up surrounded by the culture. Learning the ways of our ancestors who came before us, tribal members are often gifted knowledge at numerous intervals throughout our lives, whether that be our traditional languages, the importance of ceremony, or how to live and thrive of the land, several teachings are passed through the generations. Countless tribal members develop a strong cultural identity at a young age, and that foundation helps keep our way of life alive and is in-turn taught to the future leaders – a beautiful cycle. Which is amazing considering that our traditions were once outlawed with the intention of being completely erased and stripped away during the era of forced assimilation.
However, there is a percentage of Natives who aren’t raised within the culture, especially in today’s modern society. Maybe they grow-up away from their homelands, and only visit their reservations every so often. Or perhaps, with the everyday hustle, their families can’t attend local cultural happenings as often as they would like. And of course, there are those who simply haven’t gravitated to their traditional lifeways just yet. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they do not want to get involved at some point in their lifetime.
For those individuals who are ready to learn their ancestral teachings, where do they begin? How do they attain that foundation, that base of knowledge to the point where they can practice their traditions with confidence in both a group and personal setting, without feeling awkward, embarrassed or looked-down upon? These are common concerns for urban Natives and others who grew up outside of the culture, especially at large gatherings when you are expected to just jump-in.
The answer comes in the form of a newly established, non-profit organization called Indigenous Beginnings. Founded by Nooksack tribal member and Tulalip community member, Stephanie Cultee, Indigenous Beginnings hosts a variety of cultural workshops and helps tribal members connect to their traditional lifeways.
“Indigenous Beginnings started after COVID happened,” explained Stephanie. “All the programs were kind of shut down, and I thought that it was possible to host a workshop in a safe environment while still practicing our ways. The organization is geared toward passing down the knowledge, so it stays alive and preserving it. There was a whole generation that couldn’t practice or learn their ways from their grandparents because of the boarding school era. And there are a lot of programs that happen at each tribe, but they are all kind of geared towards the youth, and I always felt left out. What about us who aren’t youth? It would always feel weird to attend those events and programs.”
She continued, “With Indigenous Beginnings, all of our workshops are for all ages. For those older generations who want to learn, they could come and don’t have to feel weird about it. I am from Nooksack and moved down here when I was fifteen. I have three daughters who are Tulalip, and I want them to learn their Tulalip heritage and Nooksack’s as well because they are descendants from Nooksack too. I didn’t know much about my tribe, because I moved away when I was young, and I thought this could be a way that I could teach them, and a way that I can learn as well.”
Officially established in the late summer of 2021, the non-profit has already hosted numerous workshops over the past several months. Over ten in fact, and each project is different, so the participants are always learning something new or receiving a fun and interactive refresher. So far, Indigenous Beginnings has hosted harvesting classes, and gathered devil’s club, fireweed and mountain huckleberries, as well as a number of carving classes where participants crafted canoe paddles, fish sticks and cedar earrings. Other classes included a two-part beading seminar, a drum making workshop, and a salmon canning lesson.
For their most recent gathering, a stinging nettle harvesting workshop, the organization enlisted Tulalip tribal member Thomas Williams to lead the class. On the frosty morning of March 6, approximately a dozen participants met at a clearing in a nearby forest, a local area known as Arcadia.
After teaching the group Lushootseed words for several local Indigenous plants, Thomas shared, “I arrived early in the morning as the birds were still waking and I prayed for the work we are doing today. Before you start harvesting, I ask that you get yourself in a healthy state of mind and let the plant know that you’re a good person and that you come in a good way. That’s part of why I feel that it doesn’t sting me as much, because I have a relationship with this plant and I’m learning how to protect it.
This is our land, and it’s our responsibility to protect it. If we’re coming here and utilizing the medicine, it’s our responsibility to also use our ability to speak and stick up for these resources. We need your help protecting this area so that future generations can continue to come here and utilize that medicine.”
Thomas then demonstrated harvesting techniques while informing the participants what and where to look for when harvesting the stinging nettle plant, indicating that they grow in families and can be seen along the tree lines. Equipped with gloves, buckets and a pair of scissors, the group spent two hours scouring Arcadia for stinging nettles and discussed amongst themselves how they would utilize the plant after the day’s bounty was collected. During this time, the group also shared stories, laughter, prayers and songs, providing each other with the medicine of good company while they worked.
“When you harvest nettles, you talk to them and let them know who you are, who your family is, and that you’re there with good intentions,” said young Tulalip tribal member, Kaiser Moses. “You let them know that you care about the plants, and you care about the environments that the plants exist within. This is important to me because it makes good tea, it’s good in stews and it has good practical benefits, but it also connects me to the environment that I exist in. The forests I drive-by every day, I walk in them and have a connection to them. That plays a big part in my life, because I need the grounding that it provides.”
Many participants echoed Kaiser’s sentiment about feeling connected, not only to the culture, but also to the natural world while taking part in the Indigenous Beginnings workshop. Tulalip tribal member Kali Joseph noted that this work is important for our people going forward and continuing to learn and pass on the knowledge of our ancestors.
Said Kali, “It was so cool, and it was super healing. I felt very connected to the land today. It was an honor to be a part of this. It makes me so thankful for Stephanie’s organization because it brings the culture to the people. This was my first-time harvesting stinging nettle. I’m really looking forward to using the medicine further and maybe making a pesto and dehydrating some for a tea. I know that sometimes it’s hard to get connected to your culture when life is so busy, with work and school and other things. So, just to take some time, where everything is set-up for you, where she facilitates it for you, and your instructor teaches you how to harvest and how to use what you harvest further. I think it’s awesome to be a part of.”
She added, “It’s important, the work that we do to sustain and revitalize our culture, because as Native people, we have lots of healing to do and I think that we could utilize this type of work to collectively heal. Indigenous Beginnings is thinking about what’s in the best interest for the next seven generations. Everything we do today has a ripple effect down the next seven generations. And since this my first-time learning, and my little sisters first time learning, we’ll be able to pass those teachings on to many generations down the line.”
There are many fun and exciting events and classes planned for Indigenous Beginnings that the people can look forward to over the next couple of months as the weather warms up. In addition to more harvesting workshops, rose hips and morel mushrooms are due up next, the non-profit is in the process of coordinating a cedar-pulling workshop, as well as a cedar weaving lesson.
It is Stephanie’s goal to host workshops on different reservations, in addition to both of her homes at Tulalip and Nooksack, and get other local tribes involved in the organization. She also has aspirations of starting a hiking club, where participants can journey, by foot, through their ancestral homelands. Indigenous Beginnings also commissioned a cedar strip canoe from Canadian Native carver Neil Russell, which should be completed before the end of spring. They will teach participants how to pull the canoe out on the open waters.
Stephanie shared, “I want this to be a model, the framework, so other tribal members can form their own branches of Indigenous Beginnings, like Muckleshoot Indigenous Beginnings workshops. Or maybe Alaska, because there’s a lot of Alaskan Natives here in Washington and they could start their own. This is also a great way for our teachers to get funding, to compensate them because they are teaching our traditional ways. It’s mind blowing that there are still people who hold that knowledge, those teachings, and we just want to help pass that knowledge on.”
Indigenous Beginnings is currently looking to add a board member to their team who can advocate for the organization, build connections, assist in fund raising opportunities and attend all of their meetings. If you are interested, or if you would like to find out more about the non-profit, please visit their Facebook page for more information.
For thousands of years, huckleberry has served as an important food, medicine, and trade good to the Coast Salish peoples. Mountain huckleberry is most abundant in the middle to upper mountain elevations, and favors open conditions following disturbances like fire or logging. Prior to European colonization, Native peoples managed ideal harvesting locations by using fire and other traditional means to maintain huckleberry growth for sustainable picking.
In 2011, the Tulalip Tribes began working cooperatively with the U.S. Forest Service to sustain huckleberries at a 1,280-acre parcel of land, 4,700 feet above elevation in the upper Skykomish River watershed. This particular location is one of several co-stewardship areas throughout the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest where Tulalip collaborates with the Forest Service to preserve and maintain important cultural resources.
“It is not only important that we continue the struggle to uphold our treaty rights, but we need to be involved in taking care of those resources our culture depends on so they will be available to future generations.”
– Wisdom from elder Inez Bill
Named swədaʔx̌ali, Lushootseed for ‘Place of Mountain Huckleberries’, this end of summer destination gives Tulalip tribal members an opportunity to walk in the steps of their ancestors and harvest the highly prized mountain huckleberry. The gate to swədaʔx̌ali was officially opened on August 23 and will remain opened, tentatively, through the end of September.
Northwest mountain huckleberries generally ripen in the late summer and can be picked into the early fall. Huckleberry, well-known for boosting the immune system and being rich in antioxidants, has always had a strong relationship to the area’s Indigenous cultures. Coast Salish tribes consider the huckleberry to be an important dietary staple because of its medicinal properties and sweet, delicious taste.
“Huckleberry is a food and medicine to our people,” explained Tulalip elder Inez Bill. “Our ancestors visited certain areas for gathering these berries. They knew where the berries were growing, what companion plants were growing there too, and how to use them.
“Through the teachings of how we value, take care of and utilize our environment, we pass down our history and traditions, and what is important to the cultural lifeways of our people,” she continued. “This connection to the land enables us to know who we are as a people. It is a remembrance. Today, it is not only important that we continue the struggle to uphold our treaty rights, but we need to be involved in taking care of those resources our culture depends on so they will be available to future generations.”
Wild mountain huckleberries only grow in soils at elevations between 2,000 to 11,000 feet.
swədaʔx̌ali is a prime example of how Tulalip is diligently working to reclaim traditional areas. Stemming directly from the Point Elliot Treaty, which secured claims to gather roots and berries in all open and unclaimed land, the ‘Place of the Mountain Huckleberries” is clear expression of Tulalip’s sovereignty.
Embracing that sovereignty is every tribal member who journeys to this ancestral harvesting area and practices their cultural traditions that continue to be passed on from one generation to the next. The mountain huckleberry is intimately tied with traditional Tulalip lifeways and culture.
Historically providing an end of summer harvest opportunity, the journey to swədaʔx̌ali strengthens a deep connection to the land. Nearly 5,000 feet up, in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, berry pickers are completely immersed in the grand splendor that is the Pacific Northwest. Epic views of luscious, green-filled forestry, towering mountains, and clear waterways can be mesmerizing.
swədaʔx̌ali is a sustained effort between Tulalip Tribes and U.S. Forest Service partnership.
“It was a beautiful, uplifting experience. Once we hit the forest, where there were no buildings, no cars, no people, just trees…my spirit soared,” said Lushootseed teacher Maria Rios after staining her hands purple from a day of Huckleberry picking. “I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to speak my language, but that is only a piece of my culture. Berry picking feels natural, like I’ve always done it. The smells are intoxicating. The sounds are beautiful, from the buzzing bugs and chirping birds to the gentle breeze rustling the huckleberry leaves. These are the meaningful experiences that we all need to share in.”
Mountain huckleberry season is short, lasting only a few weeks between August and September. The sought after super food and medicine ranges in color from red to deep blue to maroon. They are similar to a blueberry in appearance and much sweeter than a cranberry, with many people rating huckleberries as the tastiest of the berry bunch. The gate to swədaʔx̌ali will only remain opened for a couple more weeks, so don’t miss the opportunity to harvest, take in breathtaking views, and, most importantly, express your tribal sovereignty.
Huckleberry Health Benefits:
Huckleberries are full of antioxidants, compounds that are essential for improving the health of numerous systems within the body, while also preventing the development of serious health issues.
An excellent source of vitamin A and B, huckleberries are great for promoting a healthy metabolism which in turn helps reduce the risk of stroke. They are also known to help stave off macular degeneration as well as viruses and bacteria.
Huckleberries are associated with lowering cholesterol; protecting against heart diseases, muscular degeneration, glaucoma, varicose veins, and ulcers.
Huckleberries are an excellent source of iron which helps build new red blood cells and helps fatigue associated with iron deficiency.
High in vitamin C, huckleberries protect the body against immune deficiencies, cardiovascular diseases, prenatal health problems, and eye diseases.
Have you been desperately wanting to have a family outing to enjoy the summer weather, but want to stay close to home and not break the bank? Well, a trip to Garden Treasures to harvest from a variety of nutritious food, grown locally may be the ideal destination. This organic u-pick farm is located just over 20 minutes from the heart of the Tulalip Reservation. Conveniently located off exit 208, Garden Treasurers offers an everyday farmers market and garden center filled with fresh food.
Taking the family on a farm excursion to pick produce allows children to gain a sense of where their food comes from, demonstrates the satisfaction of seeing how seeds grow into fresh produce that nourish their body, and is a fun way to spend a summer day together.
“I really enjoy having elders and kids visit the farm,” said farm regular, Tulalip elder Dale Jones. “They have big smiles on their faces while enjoying the opportunity to be out in the farm and eat the fresh foods. The kids can see how the food grows and they learn how it’s better for them than fast food and candy. Too many of our people our battling diabetes and obesity because they learned bad eating habits as kids. Making fruits and vegetables a priority at a young age can really make a lifetime’s worth of impact.”
Spending time outdoors while wandering the vast berry fields and green houses at Garden Treasurers is an opportunity to get back to nature, both physically and spiritually. Their seasonal u-pick garden is currently filled with an assortment of flowers, perfectly ripe raspberries and strawberries, and a variety of vegetables, like bell peppers, cucumbers, zucchini and onions. They don’t use any synthetic chemicals or fertilizers, so your u-pick experience is safe, clean, and all-natural.
Tulalip tribal members, their families, patients of the Tulalip Health Clinic, and Tulalip employees were encouraged to take full advantage of a unique partnership between Garden Treasures and Tulalip’s own award-winning Diabetes Care and Prevention Program. From 10am to 4pm on July 13th, the Tulalip community turned out in droves to visit the farm, enjoy a healthy bite to eat, and receive a tour by Diabetes Care staff. Most importantly, each visiting household was allowed to pick $30 worth of nutritious produce.
Unlike overly priced grocery stores and organic shops, $30 worth of fruits and vegetables at Garden Treasures goes a long way. You can easily pick an assortment of sweet and spicy peppers, enough raspberries for the kids to snack on for days, some herbs to season up your favorite meals, and make a flower bouquet with the $30 credit. Numerous Tulalip citizens did just that, and for many it was their first time ever picking veggies.
Donna and Jim Furchert brought their daughters, Joy and Patience, to Garden Treasures and came away with quite the colorful harvest. “We’ve never picked fresh fruit or fresh veggies before, so I wanted us to experience this as a family,” explained Donna. “We’re going to incorporate everything we picked into our dinners over the next few days.”
Six-year-old Patience said she liked digging for peppers the most and was super excited to stumble upon the strawberry patch. She was seen devouring the bright red, heart-shaped berry straight off the bush at every opportunity.
Michelle Martin was another first timer to the Arlington farm. She brought her three young boys Anthony, Brayden and Caiden on an afternoon outing with their grandma and grandpa. “It’s our first time out here and we absolutely love it!” said Michelle while perusing the fields. “Never knew we had a u-pick farm this close to the reservation. This seems like an ideal way to get fresh veggies and fruit. My boys love fruits and were excited to run around the farm to pick their own berries.”
When 5-year-old Anthony and 3-year-old Brayden were told they could pick out some flowers to make their mom a bouquet, they quickly scoured the spacious flower gardens for a colorful bounty.
For a Tulalip community desiring to eat healthier in order to escape the processed food and refined sugar wasteland, Garden Treasurers is an oasis offering a variety of essential nutrients and vitamins that can make everyday meals more nutritious. Those who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of chronic diseases and a better immune system. Plus, eating fresh produce will make you feel better and have more energy to take on every day challenges of the 21st century.
In addition to all the health benefits is the wisdom and positive encouragement the dedicated Diabetes Care and Prevention Program staff had to offer to those visiting the farm. They were willing to assist in produce selections, answer any questions, and offer advice about healthy meal making and dietary requirements for those managing diabetes.
“I am getting to an age in life when it’s important to pass down knowledge and share my gifts with others, especially the younger generation,” explained Roni Leahy, Diabetes Program coordinator. “I love being with the people and listening to them talk about their experiences in the garden or the kids discovering how the plants they eat grow. It is such a precious opportunity to talk about the plants and how important they are in health of our bodies. This truly is prevention of diabetes and other chronic diseases.”
“My favorite part is seeing the community members and their families out at the farm enjoying the vegetables and knowing they are going to go home and prepare a meal they will all remember and enjoy,” added Brooke Morrison, Diabetes Program assistant.
Visiting Gardening Treasures u-pick farm to harvest the freshest foods can boost your family’s health without creating a dent in your wallet. Bringing the kids can only help them create a lasting relationship with their nature world, while planting seeds of curiosity and excitement for eating a variety of clean food, grown locally. Maybe even, this will be the inspiration your family needs to plant a garden at home.
During the summer months, the farm offers some of the best fresh produce around. Try and grow a diverse palette of seasonal products for a single meal, or stock up the pantry for winter. The next few weeks are the perfect time to find sweet strawberries, delicious raspberries and other garden-fresh produce at your local, organic u-pick farm.
Cooking healthy, affordable meals can often feel overwhelming, especially for working parents and caregivers. Many people feel overworked with little time or motivation to cook, some feel they don’t have the cooking skills or knowledge on what a healthy meal should look like and simply don’t know where to start. Though it may seem overwhelming, there are plenty of tools and strategies you can apply to help make healthy meal planning fit into your household routine. Here are six tips to help you create successful meal planning strategies at home.
Create a Family Friendly Menu with the 5 Basic Food Groups:
Start slowly – aim to eat meals that contain fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low fat dairy or calcium fortified foods. There are a lot of great free, online resources that provide a plethora of healthy recipes – from bloggers, to foodies to Dieticians, the list is endless. Cookbooks are also a great resource of healthy recipes – you can buy these online, at the used bookstore and even at your local Goodwill or Value Village. Trying new recipes can be a bit out of our comfort zone – but is a great way to introduce new flavors, fruits, vegetables and a variety of health benefits into the home. Take an evening to sit down with your family and look through cookbooks together. Have children place sticky notes on the recipes they would be willing to try. Make a menu for the meals you plan on cooking at home Monday – Sunday. Incorporate both some of your favorite recipes as well as some new recipes to keep the menu interesting. If you can’t plan out recipes for an entire week, that’s ok. Attempt to plan at least 2-3 days’ meals in advance. Some great online recipe resources for affordable and healthy meals are found below!
Eatfresh.org
wasnap-ed.org/live-well/recipes
EatRight.Org
Make a Running Grocery List:
Keep a running grocery list throughout the week. Write down the things you run out of, ingredients for a new recipe, and staple items you may be running low on. Refer back to your weekly menu that you planned for you and your household. Look for coupons at the grocery store in the weekly ads to help save money. Make sure all of the ingredients are on the list – this will help prevent unwanted trips to the grocery store throughout the week. Be sure you aren’t hungry before going grocery shopping. This can help prevent buying excess food, while also helping us stay away from processed foods that have little nutrients and health benefits.
Stock up on Staple Items:
To help get started with meal planning, try stocking up on the basics, like produce, shelf stable and freezer foods. Having healthy ingredients in your home is the key to successful meal planning! Invest in ingredients you know will get eaten in your household, and will get used in your favorite recipes. This will ensure you have the ingredients you need to get through the week without having to make unnecessary trips to the grocery store, saving both time, money and energy. The lists below provide healthy ingredient ideas for both pantry and freezer items from the main food groups. Personalize the list – adding or omitting ingredients that work for you and your household.
Food Groups Pantry List (eatright.org)
Fruits: Raisins, dried cranberries, dried apricots and other dried fruits are loaded with dietary fiber. They add flavor and texture to your morning breakfast, midday salad and dinner grains. Canned fruits like pineapple, peaches, and pears are a great addition to meals and snacks -these are a great addition to yogurt and salads. Apples, oranges, bananas are great to have on hand for quick, easy and healthy snacks around the house!
Vegetables: Keep a variety of canned tomatoes in stock (diced, crushed, whole, stewed). Use them in soups, stews, sauces, casseroles and more! Also, pick up a bottle of your favorite spaghetti sauce. Look for low-sodium canned vegetables such as mushrooms, artichokes, corn, green beans, chilies, and beets – these are great pantry items because they can add depth of flavor to your meals. Fresh onions, potatoes, garlic, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower and celery are great vegetable basics to have on hand that tend to have a longer shelf life if stored properly. These are great for soups and side dishes any day of the week.
Protein Foods: Stock up on canned or dried lentils, black, pinto, cannellini, garbanzo and kidney beans. These legumes are a great source of protein and fiber. Toss cooked beans in salads, soups, stews and other dishes. Nut varieties are also a great protein source to have on hand, packed with vitamins and minerals. Canned tuna, oysters, anchovies and sardines are a pantry must — they are a quick way to add protein, healthy fats and flavor to meals. Canned chicken is a great addition to the pantry – great when you’re in a pinch for time and don’t have time to thaw out and cook frozen chicken. Last but not least are hard boiled eggs – these make easy, healthy protein packed snacks that help keep you fueled throughout the day.
Grains: Keep a stash of oatmeal, and other whole-grain cereals in the pantry. Barley, faro, quinoa and other grains provide staples for healthy meals. Also, keep a variety of brown rice on hand — long grain, short grain, and basmati are flavorful options. Spaghetti, penne and other pastas are great for an easy, quick and filling family meal. Give yourself an extra nutrition boost by buying whole-grain pasta or trying pasta made from legumes (eatright.org).
Condiments to Consider
Oil and vinegar: Extra-virgin olive oil and avocado oil are versatile, heart-healthy options. Other oils, such as peanut, walnut and sesame add a burst of flavor to meals. Pick up different types of vinegar, such as cider, white and balsamic. Each imparts a unique flavor to your recipes. They also make great homemade salad dressings and add great flavor to stir frys.
Stock: Vegetable, chicken and beef stock are the basics of many recipes. Opt for those that are low-sodium or contain no added salt. These are great for soups, stews, roasts, and even cooking rice.
Herbs and spices: Pick up small containers of ground herbs and spices. That way they are as fresh as possible when you use them. These often add extra health benefits and flavor to any dish. Popular herbs and spices include rosemary, cumin, basil, turmeric, pepper, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cloves, thyme, dill and paprika.
Food Groups Freezer List (eatright.org)
To help make sure you don’t store food beyond freshness, put dates on the packages before storing in the freezer. Use the oldest first to keep a rotation on freshness.
Fruits: Stash frozen berries and other fruits in the freezer. They are a great way to add nutrition to a morning smoothie. If you have any fruit that is starting to go bad, store it in a safe seal bag and throw it in the freezer. This will help prevent food waste and a great way to save money.
Vegetables:Pick up some of your favorite frozen veggies. These are a great source of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients because the flash-freezing process locks in the nutrition. Look for packages low in sodium. Frozen peas, corn, cauliflower, broccoli, and mixed vegetable bags are perfect or adding into soups, stews and stir fries!
Protein Foods: Stock up on salmon and other fatty fishes to ensure you have ready access to healthy fats. Frozen lean meats, poultry, shellfish, and wild game also store well in the freezer. One tip: make sure you move it to the refrigerator one day before cooking to give adequate time for defrosting.
Grains: Whole-grain corn tortillas freeze well and can be used for quick breakfasts, lunches or dinners. Can’t eat that loaf of bread fast enough while it is fresh? Make it a habit to freeze part of the loaf and defrost slices as you need them. Breads will keep their freshness for up to six months in the freezer.
Milk and Dairy Products:Freeze Parmesan and other pre-shredded cheeses — toss them into soups, stews and pasta dishes. Low fat Greek yogurt with fruit or in smoothies is a great addition to your weekly menu. Low fat, frozen yogurt can be a quick dessert for a special occasion (eatright.org).
Choose 1 or 2 days throughout the week to meal prep:
Choose a day that works best in your schedule to meal prep throughout the week. Take a few hours to wash, prep and cut your fruits and vegetables in ready to go containers. Cook desired grains like rice and quinoa in advance and store them in the fridge. Know what protein sources you are going to cook the night before, and have it defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Having lots of the ingredients prepped in advance will help save time in the kitchen throughout the week.
Cook Enough for Leftovers:
If you can master the beauty of leftovers, take advantage of it! In the long run, it will end up saving you a lot of time and money. Some meals are easier to re-cook than others, but try experimenting in the kitchen with what works for you and your family.
Invite Kids into the Kitchen to Help Cook and Clean:
Preparing and maintaining 3 meals a day, especially for a large family, can be a huge chore. Try inviting kids and other family members to help lighten the load of kitchen / food responsibilities. This is a great way to have some bonding time, as well as teaching opportunities to those who may not feel as confident in the kitchen as others. Parents – have children help with setting the table, washing the dishes, meal prepping and kitchen clean up. This is a great way to get them comfortable and familiar with cooking and kitchen responsibilities.
**This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
“Everybody sees soap as this magical thing, and it is kind of magical,” said Tulalip tribal member, Amoreena Anderson. “It cleanses your pores and takes away all the dirt and bacteria off your body, binds it to a molecule and washes it away.”
At a young age, Amoreena found her passion while on shopping trips with her mom in Mount Vernon. Little did she know of all the lives she would positively affect when she was drawn to a section of a local food co-op where they sold handcrafted soap, and her teenage, curious mind began to wonder how soap is made.
“My mom used to take me to the Skagit Valley Food Co-Op and they would have all these handcrafted soaps, I was always interested in knowing how they were made,” she said. “My mom told me she made soap before and I would probably learn when I got older. From that moment on, I was completely into it.”
She spent the next few years researching how to craft soap. If the co-op visits were the prelude to her journey in soap making, the first chapter took place in 2012 when she began experimenting and created her first product, which was a big hit amongst her family and co-workers.
She stated, “I have carpal tunnel and was always typing as a data entry clerk, so I started making shea butter body whip, basically whipped shea butter that I would add essential oils and vitamin E. My friend used to trade me massages for the body butter, it was for her child who had a skin condition. I believe all the high-end essential oils are wonderful, they reap all the benefits that you could use and I really wanted to know more.”
Amoreena explained that after receiving positive reviews about the body butter and learning more about essential oils, she was ready for the next challenge. Purchasing her first home in 2013, she now had the necessary space to fully immerse herself into her passion project.
“I had a typical first timer experience as I started perfecting my methods and recipes. They have soap calculators online that are very helpful in helping you get the right consistency. Cleansing and moisturizing are the two most important factors. Depending on your skin type, you can modify each batch to meet your specific needs. And then there’s also the oil properties; soy bean, coconut, shea butter, a lot of exotic oils that all have different properties. Pretty soon I had a lot of people who wanted to buy soap from me, so I start selling soap. But, I wanted to do more.”
“I had a typical first timer experience as I started perfecting my methods and recipes. They have soap calculators online that are very helpful in helping you get the right consistency. Cleansing and moisturizing are the two most important factors. Depending on your skin type, you can modify each batch to meet your specific needs. And then there’s also the oil properties; soy bean, coconut, shea butter, a lot of exotic oils that all have different properties. Pretty soon I had a lot of people who wanted to buy soap from me, so I start selling soap. But, I wanted to do more.”
Growing up Tulalip, she learned about the traditional lifeways of her people and knew a great deal about harvesting and the medicinal properties that plants contain. She wanted to expand her knowledge on the subject of herbalism even more to incorporate different plants and herbs into her soaps, salves, candles, bath bombs, and lotions to help people with their everyday ailments. She enrolled in an herbalist course to get a better understanding of the healing abilities that various plants offer.
“I took a class to learn different ways I could incorporate a holistic approach, to help people heal their skin issues and symptoms because a lot of herbalism can treat those symptoms,” said Amoreena. “Depending on the plant you’re using, some of these plants are adaptogenic and they alleviate and eliminate symptoms completely. I really feel like I’m doing my best work, sharing my passion for my work in general to give to my community. Whether it be information or product, it’s very empowering and uplifting and I like to not only give to them, but ask them if they would like to make soap with me, if they want to go harvesting with me, or if they want to sit in and watch.”
Amoreena’s soap making journey was off to a great start. In fact, if her story was a biopic on the silver screen, the next few years would play out like a montage as her business, known officially as Coast Salish Soaps, took off. Not only was she selling soap to multiple families within the Tulalip community, her products were being shipped nationwide and could even be found for sale in other countries such as Canada, Italy, Japan, Germany and England. The quality of her products was spoken of highly by her clientele who provided testimonials and side-by-side before and after pictures to back up their reviews.
A major component to her success is the fact the she shares her knowledge with her consumers. When people approach her with different skin issues they wish to address, she not provides them with a product that works, she explains why it will work, what to expect and how the issue may have arisen in the first place.
“I really do care,” expressed Amoreena. “I have sensitive skin. My kids have sensitive skin. A lot of it stems from the food you eat. Your liver is basically your body’s second brain, and your skin is the largest organ on your body. Your skin is considered to be your second liver. Everything your liver doesn’t process out, comes through the skin and you end up having skin eruptions; eczema, cirrhosis, endocrine diseases are linked to the liver and heavy metal. There are so many people who suffer from skin flare ups like dry skin, rashes and they don’t know where it comes from.”
She continues, “When you go all natural with handcrafted soaps like I make, sometimes you go through a detoxing process for your skin and it’s weird for the first two weeks, but then you’re all good. A lot of people say soap irritates their skin and think what is sold over the counter is soap, when it’s not actually soap, it’s chemicals. People like it because it doesn’t leave soap scum, one of the complaints that happens regularly with handmade soaps. But then they’ll notice their skin is a lot drier, itchier, and tight-feeling, and that’s because their using surfactants versus soap. With what corporate America gives the public to use, small-business-handcrafted-soap-makers are really valuable people inside their communities, to bring that knowledge back to people. It’s empowering for a lot of people to take back control on what they use on their bodies.”
All great success stories are not complete without trials and tribulations, and Coast Salish Soaps are currently weathering a momentary hiatus brought forth in the form of an injury when Amoreena took a spill and broke both of her wrists. Although she hasn’t been in business for about a year, she still receives requests on the regular. When she has the necessary helping hands from her kiddos and plenty of notice in advance, Amoreena will occasionally concoct a batch of soaps to donate for local memorials and funerals in the Tulalip community.
“I usually have a feeling of gratitude when I do my work. When I’m called upon to make soap for memorials, or funerals for our give away practices, I always try to oblige. An important part of our culture, in the potlatch system, is our giveaways.”
Amoreena wants her loyal customers and interested parties to know that her love and passion for soap making hasn’t faltered through trying times, and that she plans on elevating her brand once she is back to 100% and healed from her injury. And although she constantly works with Native plants of this region, such as Devils Club, and has even rendered bear fat to use in her products, she wants to incorporate more traditional teachings and medicine into soaps and creations.
“One of my favorites to make is the emulsified sugar scrub because you’re in total and complete control of how moisturizing or cleansing it is, and how silky it’s going to turn out and how much lather it will have. My healing butter infused with plant medicine is another favorite. Soap is my favorite, that’s a given because that’s the base of my business. I like to make lotions and heavy creams upon request. Liquid soap is most definitely up there, people really like the liquid soap. My son’s out fishing and he’ll come home and it will take the fish smell right out of his skin. Any stinky smell, it’s just gone, don’t have to re-wash your hands from anything potent smelling. It’s really good for your skin too, it doesn’t leave it over dried.”
To stay updated on the latest news about Amoreena and Coast Salish Soaps, please join the Coast Salish Soaps group on Facebook and be sure to give their business page a like as well. Amoreena may not be selling products at this time, but she is always willing to share the knowledge she has attained over the years with those who are inquiring.
She expressed, “My goal with my business is to empower the people, to give back to the community. It’s important that we uplift each other and share our knowledge to keep our Tribe and our community empowered. You’d be amazed at what a bag of liquid soap, that’s full of essential oils, can do for somebody’s mental health just by that ritual of showering and inhaling the essential oils in the steam.”
Did you know?
Devils club salve is a sacred plant native to the United States, Canada and Alaska regions. They like to grow in areas that have a lot of moisture. A little bit can go a long way. It’s an anti-flammatory and it has multiple uses beyond herbalism that are sacred and spiritual. The plant itself will smoothen out kinked muscles, it will alleviate the pain and bring circulation in.
Magnesium is a mineral that our bodies need, it’s something that our body doesn’t reproduce on its own so you need to get it from food sources or topically. Magnesium does hundreds of positive things for your body; it relaxes your heart, it relaxes all of your muscles so you can get proper blood flow to damaged tissue, it alleviates leg cramps, it works with nerve damage like neuropathy that diabetics can get, it helps immensely with headaches and can be a very powerful pain reliever.
Earlier this summer, Tulalip elder Terry Parker Sr. was sitting on his front porch when inspiration struck. He thought to himself how wonderful it would be if his beloved chickens had an area to themselves in the front yard, with a clear line of sight from the porch.
“I called my son Torry who operates a construction maintenance company and let him know of my idea,” recalled Terry. “He said he had a young Tulalip man in mind, and that this would be a good solo project for him.”
The young man was Gerald Williams. A recent graduate of TERO Vocational Training Center, he was eager to further develop his construction skills while demonstrating everything he learned under the tutelage of TVTC instructors.
“Gerald came to my house and we talked about the design and specific dimensions I had in mind for the coop. He was quick to grasp my idea and make it into a reality,” said Terry.
And so Gerald got to work. Nearly two months of hard sweat and labor under the summer sun later, he completed a pretty elaborate coop for the Mr. Parker’s chickens. Complete with ample storage space, outdoor range for the chickens to stretch their feathers, and a running water spigot.
After painting his completed project a nice mellow yellow color, Gerald beamed with pride when Terry took in the finished product a few weeks ago.
“It’s exactly what I wanted. The quality is top notch and made to withstand our Washington weather,” Terry said from his front porch while admiring his new chicken coop. “Gerald is just a fantastic person. Doesn’t talk too much, just gets down to work every day and does his best.”
At 74-years-old, Terry thoroughly enjoys keeping chickens. They give him a daily routine to adhere to and now being able to watch them from his front porch, they bring additional peace of mind. The relationship is healing as well. Terry takes great care of his chickens, giving them an eye-catching living environment and good feed so they’ll lay many eggs.
“Their eggs are medicine. With my diabetes, eating eggs everyday helps keep my blood sugar down and [improves insulin sensitivity],” explained Terry. “Keeping chickens is something my wife and I enjoy very much. We can’t thank Gerald enough for building us this amazing coop. My hands go up to him.”
