Category: News

Native Veterans honored with National Monument

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

“Even though it rained on our parade, it was awesome,” exclaimed Tulalip Veteran, Dan Bradley (Marine Corps ’72-’74). “As we were walking through the parade all the spectators were clapping, giving us the thumbs up, and saying thank you for your service. It felt good.”

For the first time in the United States’ history, Native American service men and women have a monument to call their own, which honors and pays tribute to thousands of veterans from tribes all across the nation. Located on the National Mall in Washington D.C., the circular monument stands in front of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and was designed by Harvey Pratt (Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma).

According to the Smithsonian website the memorial is, “an elevated stainless-steel circle balanced on an intricately carved stone drum, the design of the National Native American Veterans Memorial is simple and powerful, timeless and inclusive. The design incorporates water for ceremonies, benches for gathering and reflection, and four lances where veterans, family members, tribal leaders, and others can tie cloths for prayers and healing. The memorial creates an interactive yet intimate space for gathering, remembrance, reflection, and healing. It welcomes and honors Native American veterans and their families and educates the public about their extraordinary contributions.”

Construction on the memorial began prior to the pandemic and due to social gathering limitations, the Smithsonian was unable hold a celebration when the memorial was complete. Once limitations lifted, plans for a dedication were quickly set in place and invitations were sent to tribal veterans across the country. 

The dedication of the National Native American Veterans Memorial took place this year on Veterans Day. Hundreds of brave and proud Indigenous veterans traveled to Washington D.C. to take part in a historic moment, not only for Native America, but for the entire country as well. 

The memorial was commemorated with a procession through the streets of D.C. and many veterans wore their traditional regalia and sang and danced to their ceremonial songs. Sage filled the air while the vets proudly carried their tribes’ respective flags, the U.S. flag, the POW flag, and a few eagle staffs were sighted too. 

After nearly a mile march, through wet streets and humid and rainy conditions, the veterans arrived at a stage that held this nation’s capital building in the background. A timelapse video of the erection of the monument played from start to finish, and various tribal leaders spoke about what the memorial means to those tribal members who bravely defended America’s freedom. 

Veterans from the Vietnam War, the Korean War, Desert Storm, and the Global War on Terrorism were in attendance, including 28 Tulalip veterans. The highlight for many of these brave warriors was meeting Navajo Code Talker Thomas H. Begay, who marched alongside his fellow Native veterans during the procession. And among all the family members and supporters cheering on the veterans during the procession were Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids (Ho Chunk) and Actor and Film Producer Wes Studi (Cherokee), who many people were excited to meet and take selfies with. 

The Tulalip veterans, along with many other veterans from around the nation, enjoyed an extended stay in D.C. following the Veterans Day ceremony. The vets had the weekend to explore the busy and scenic District of Columbia; some spent their time visiting sites like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and the Arlington Cemetery to pay their respects to their fallen brothers and sisters in arms, while others visited the Capital, the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, and several of the historic museums, such as the four-story National Museum of the American Indian.

 

“The most important thing I hope our veterans take away from this are the memories,” said Tulalip Veterans Coordinator, William McLean III (U.S. Marine Corps 03-07).  “It’s not often the entire nation comes together to honor tribal veterans; this is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m hoping they take good memories and that they enjoyed themselves.”

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Tulalip Vets visit Washington D.C.

Twenty-eight veterans traveled on a direct flight from Sea-Tac to the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to witness and participate in the dedication of the National Native American Veterans Memorial at the National Museum of the American Indian. After a moving ceremony which took place on Veterans Day, a handful of Tulalip Veterans took the time to reflect upon their visit to D.C. for the historic dedication. 

Cara McCoy Tohannie, US Army 

We flew from Tulalip and got here a couple days early so we could explore. My dad was actually stationed here, so we lived here for a while. We went to the Arlington Cemetery for a walking tour, we had the procession, and we went on a night tour of all the monuments. It was great to see all the Native American veterans from around the United States in the procession. I felt really proud to be here because it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, to be able to represent Tulalip. My dad, my grandpa, and my uncle were also in the military but couldn’t be here. 

It’s great that they have a monument specifically for Native American veterans. I think having it on Veterans Day is significant because it’s important to honor veterans, and of course November is Native American Heritage Month, so just to have everything come together, it felt pretty amazing.

Dan Bradley, US Marine Corps.  

We came from Orange County near Disneyland. I really enjoyed it and it’s about time, because look at all these years that have gone by, and they finally have done something for the Native American Veterans to recognize them. We haven’t been recognized like this before, so I thought it was awesome that this happened. A lot of people came from different tribes. It took a while because of the pandemic, but here we are. 

Cyrus Hatch III, US Marine Corps.

I’ve been looking forward to this for months! I want to thank the Tulalip Tribes, the Board, the Vet department. I was stationed here for years, twice, and it’s great to be back. It’s a walk down memory lane to see everything again. I haven’t been here since ’89. Good thing it was rainy because I was getting misty eyed. I’m really happy we have a memorial and something to reflect on us to be proud. 

Hank Williams Sr., National Guard & US Army

It was wonderful. It’s probably something that happens once in a lifetime. We get to see and meet friends, people from different states and tribes – all friendly people, and get to know each other – where were from, what we did, what service we were in.It was exciting to shake hands with everybody. 

That parade we had, we got see a whole bunch of people, I haven’t seen so many Indians in my life. I carried the flag which was an honor for me. I’m 92 years old and I can still get around and I was proud to do it and help show off my tribe and people. Not all the veterans came, some couldn’t make it. A lot of our veterans are old age now, we are from Korea and Vietnam.

David Fryberg Jr., US Marine

It was a great experience. I never had such feelings and receive such blessings from seeing some of these Cherokee and Comanche warriors from other tribes that really went out and did what they did. We are asked to do a lot of things that other people wouldn’t do. 

I had a great time here in D.C., I was even able to sneak off and do an Okinawa reunion with my best friends in Philadelphia. The comradery you build in the service, its beyond brother and sister, it’s something I can’t even describe. Thanks Tulalip tribes for sending us here, for the procession and to commemorate the Native American war memorial. It’s here. It exists. It’s been a long time coming. It’s an honor to join the service and do what I did, and know that someone is grateful and appreciative of it. 

Richard Dean Ledford, US Air force

I’m so thankful to be a member of the Tulalip Tribes and I’m proud of that. This is my second visit here. There are so many things to see. The National Museum of the American Indian, you get to go on each floor and read about all the different stories of what took place over the years. We’re all proud members who were trained to be warriors. This is important because I know we lost a lot of tribal veterans over the years, I’m happy we got to be here together and that we get to pass this on to the members of Tulalip.

To see the people supporting you, clapping, it was great. I was wondering if I was going to make it with my walker, but I did all the way around. It was great to see all the different tribes and veterans.  

Raymond Fryberg, US Marine Corps 

        It was a really unique opportunity because I know for a fact, per capita wise, Native Americans volunteer more than any other ethnic group in the United States, and I was proud to be part of that. At Tulalip, one of the veterans in WWI Elson James, they wrote back to his mother that it was possible he was the first Native American causality.

In WWII and the Korean War, we had some really highly decorated veterans. One of my uncles had his leg shot off, he was a medic. And one of my dad’s first cousins was a paratrooper who was shot and wounded in an air drop. And of course, the late Teat-mus (Raymond Moses) was very decorated in the Korean war, he had a silver star, bronze medal, and a lot of purple hearts. Because he was Indian, he knew a lot about terrains and being out in the environment, he was very effective, they looked to him a lot to help them out.

I took a picture with one of the code talkers. They influenced the war; that gave us an advantage in WWII. And a lot of the others who were here, a lot of people from Vietnam and the Korean War. I’m proud to be a part of that because I appreciate my freedoms in this country – freedom of speech and the right to vote. They laid it all on the line for it. 

Morena Lopez, US Air Force 

I’m coming from San Antonio, Texas. It’s really awesome because I didn’t grow up on the reservation, so I don’t really know anybody here. Being able to meet everybody and connect and find out how we’re related has been awesome. To be here on Veterans’ Day at the Nation’s Capital was phenomenal. I didn’t know about the museum, so that was really cool too and I saw that our tribe was recognized in there and I felt like a fan girl.

When Bill asked if anyone wanted to hold (the flag) I stepped up immediately. That was such an honor.  I wanted to hold our flag because I’m not that involved with the reservation, the tribe and our ways, that felt like a way to connect. In some ways it felt like a big powwow, I really enjoyed that comradery and listening to the singers, the drumbeats and the burning of the sage. And to have people on the side cheering us on, I thought was really neat as well.

This has been the greatest thing that happened to me since I retired. Thank you for the Tulalip Veterans group to invite me and keep me involved, I’m so grateful and blessed.

Rocky Renecker, US Army 

It was surreal. I got to view veterans from all over, and they’re all Indigenous so it meant a lot to my spirit and heart to see. We’re still here. To see them all in their regalia and their uniforms and all the different colors, it was really surreal to be able to march with not only my fellow Tulalip veterans but my fellow Indigenous veterans from all over the country and be a part of this. It’s going to mean a lot to me for the rest of my life.

It’s nice to be here to represent Tulalip, our community, and the rest of the veterans at home. It’s an honor to be able to stand for them and march and be present for the ceremony. The memorial, I like the simplicity of it, it’s right to the point. Everything about us is full circle, so it hits home. 

William McLean III, US Marine Corps. 

The tribe donated a few years ago when the project was first getting started. When we found out about it, I thought it would be good to send as many Tulalip veterans as possible to represent the tribe. The memorial has been up for a few years, but they had to shut down the in-person dedication ceremony. And when they decided to host one, I got everything situated and got as much funding as possible.

Getting 20-40 people situated on a cross country trip is a task, but once we got passed all the speed bumps and ironed out all the wrinkles and got everybody here, I think it went well. I really hope everyone enjoyed themselves. My only goal was to represent for Tulalip and in doing so have Tulalip veterans enjoy themselves. 

The gathering was unique, it was powerful. There are not very many opportunities for so many tribal people to come together from all over the nation. It’s really good to see that people care and are willing to take time, effort, funding. And just in general, that feeling of having people’s admiration and respect for doing something a lot of people wouldn’t do is good to see.

Native American Heritage Reads

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

We’ve reached another November. As the temperature drops and the leaves continue to fall, now is the perfect time to grab your favorite hot beverage, whether that’s hot cocoa, peppermint or pumpkin spice lattes, herbal tea, or hot cider, and curl up with a good book. 

Now a national celebration, Native American Heritage Month happens to land every November. While most of the country is focused on shopping for the upcoming Christmas season, many are taking the time and space to honor, celebrate, and learn about the true history of the many tribes, bands and families who are Indigenous to North America. 

Below, we’ve compiled a book list for you to check out during Native American Heritage month. Although there are numerous Native storytellers who have had their works published over the years, we wanted to highlight a few books that have local ties, as well as a couple authors who are well-known in the community of Native writers. And if you are out and about shopping for the perfect gifts, a few of these recommendations are available through audiobook platforms such as Audible, and often times feature a Native narrator. And while you’re at it, pick up one of these great reads for the reader in your family.

Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko

We are starting off with a classic. Ceremony was first published in 1977 and has served as inspiration for Native Novelists ever since. Sherman Alexie stated that Ceremony is the greatest novel in Native American literature, making Leslie Marmon Silko your favorite Native author’s favorite Native author. We also chose this novel because of the main character’s experience in the U.S. military, and as you may know, Tulalip is home to countless proud and brave veterans who also defended this country’s freedom and returned home to the reservation with PTSD. 

Set in the Insular world of the Laguna Pablo Reservation but resonating far beyond, Leslie Marmon Silko’s novel tells the story of Tayo, and army veteran of mixed ancestry who returns to the reservation, scarred by his experience as a prisoner of the Japanese. Only by immersing himself in the Indian past and its traditions can he begin to regain the peace that was taken from him. Masterfully written, filled with the somber majesty of Pueblo myth, Ceremony is a work of enduring power.

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Stephen Graham Jones, a.k.a. the Indigenous Stephen King, has been on the Native writing scene since the early 2000’s. With over 20 books published, he has shared a number of twisted, haunted, and thrilling stories while weaving traditional tales, cultural concepts, Indigenous issues, and reservation life into each chapter. Once you read a Stephen Graham Jones novel, you are automatically going to want to check out his other works. And might we suggest the shapeshifting novel Mongrels, the fancy dance horror fiction Mapping the Interior, or two modern slashers with Native leads The Night of the Mannequins and My Heart is a Chainsaw. 

Seamlessly blending classic horror and a dramatic narrative with sharp social commentary, The Only Good Indians follows four American Indian men after a disturbing event from their youth puts them in a desperate struggle for their lives. Tracked by an entity bent on retribution, these childhood friends are helpless as the culture and traditions they left behind catch up to them in a violent, vengeful way.

Native Peoples of the Olympic Peninsula: Who We Are by the Olympic Peninsula Intertribal Cultural Advisory Committee

With a page count of 162, this short read can be enjoyed during a quiet afternoon or over the course of a weekend. However, Native Peoples of the Olympic Peninsula: Who We Are will most likely be found in the hands of college students as this particular book serves as the focus of study for many Intro to Native Studies courses, especially in the Pacific Northwest. Locally, this text is often utilized in classrooms at the University of Washington, Shoreline Community College, Everett Community College, Northwest Indian College, and the Evergreen State College. This read gives insight to the Tribes whose homelands are located on the coastline of the Olympic Peninsula and focuses on their traditions, stories, and way of life. Plus, the book is filled with remarkable illustrations, maps, and photography. (And on page 112, you’ll find a shot of yours truly, as cute as can be at the age of four, before my claim to fame with Tulalip News.)

The Native tribes of Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula share complex histories of trade, religion, warfare, and kinship. Yet few books have depicted the Indigenous People of this region from a Native perspective. Native Peoples of the Olympic Peninsula: Who We Are introduces readers to nine tribes: the Elwha Klallam, Jamestown S’Klallam, Port Gamble S’Klallam, Skokomish, Squaxin Island, Quinault, Hoh, Quileute, and Makah. Written by members of the Olympic Peninsula Intertribal Cultural Advisory Committee, edited by anthropologist Jacilee Wray, and enhanced by photographs and maps, the book is divided into sections focusing on each of the tribes. Each section relates the tribe’s history, its current cultural and political issues, and its tribal heritage programs. Each section also includes information about places to visit and offers suggestions for further reading.

Reclaiming the Reservation: Histories of Indian Sovereignty Suppressed and Renewed by Alexandra Harmon

Reclaiming the Reservation is a deep dive into tribal sovereignty, specifically centered around the Quinault and Suquamish tribes in the 70’s, and their jurisdiction, or lack thereof, over non-Natives on their reservations. The book opens up with Quinault’s decision to bar non-tribal members from their scenic beach in 1969 due to pollution, stolen gill nets, and the defacing of seaside rock formations that are important to the tribe’s heritage. To this day, non-tribal members are still prohibited from stepping foot on the Point Grenville beach that is more commonly known as ‘the Indian beach’, ‘the big beach’, or simply ‘our beach’ by Quinault members.  Another large portion of the book focuses on Oliphant v. Suquamish where the Supreme Court ruled that tribal courts have no criminal jurisdiction over non-Indians in 1978. The book was written by Alexandra Harmon, emerita of American Indian Studies at the University of Washington and supported by a grant from the Tulalip Tribes Charitable Fund. 

In the 1970’s the Quinault and Suquamish, like dozens of Indigenous nations across the United States, asserted their sovereignty by applying their laws to everyone on their reservation. The Supreme Court’s 1978 decision in Oliphant vs. Suquamish struck a blow to tribal efforts by ruling that non-Indians were not subject to tribal prosecution for criminal offenses. The court cited two centuries of US legal history as justification but relied solely on the interpretations of non-Indians. In Reclaiming the Reservation, Alexandra Harmon delves into Quinault, Suquamish, and pan-tribal histories and activism to illuminate the roots of Indians’ claim of regulatory power. She considers the promises and perils of relying on the US legal system to address colonial dispossession and shows how tribes have sought new ways to assert their sovereignty since 1978.

Where the Salmon Run: The Life and Legacy of Billy Frank Jr. by Trova Heffernan

Billy Frank Jr. Fish Wars. The Boldt Decision. Do we need to say more? This detailed account of the Native activist and Nisqually leader, Billy Frank Jr. is a must-read. The book is filled with quotes, interviews, photos and wisdom from the man who put his life on the line for Native fishing rights. He took part in fish-ins to demonstrate his right to fish in usual and accustomed areas, verbiage that is clearly stated in most Northwest tribal treaties. During these fish-ins people were arrested and beaten, and Billy was at the forefront of this movement that ultimately led to the Boldt decision. And of course, the book brilliantly depicts the leadership Billy displayed during the Fish Wars, as well as for his tribe following the Boldt decision, and for Indian Country as a whole. 

Billy Frank Jr. was an early participant in the fight for tribal fishing rights during the 1960s. Roughed up, belittled, and arrested many times at Frank’s Landing on the Nisqually River, he emerged as one of the most influential Northwest Indians in modern history. His efforts helped lead to the U.S. v. Washington in 1974. In which U.S. District Judge George H. Boldt affirmed Northwest tribal fishing rights and allocated half the harvestable catch to the tribe. 

Tulalip, From My Heart: An Autobiographical Account of a Reservation Community by Harriette Shelton Dover

No bias here. We honestly think that this is the perfect read for Native American Heritage Month because it is informative about what many tribal nations went through following the signing of their treaties, but from a Tulalip perspective. This story includes a Lushootseed phonological key and introduces the traditional sduhubš language to any reader who picks the book up. Tulalip, From My Heart opens with the signing of the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott and follows one of the most influential leaders, and the first Tulalip Chairwoman, through her life and trials while growing up Tulalip. For those who recently gained knowledge about forced assimilation, the boarding school era, and the Every Child Matters movement, this book recounts Harriette Shelton Dover’s time spent at the Tulalip Boarding School and covers all the atrocities she and her fellow tribal members experienced in the name of Catholicism. The book also sheds light on the Tulalip way of life and the traditions of her people, while also highlighting the tribe’s growth over the years. Along with the captivating, heartbreaking, and inspiring story, Tulalip, From My Heart includes photos from the Tulalip Boarding School as well as its daily schedule that the kids had to endure, and also photos of tribal members exercising their treaty rights and proudly engaging in cultural activities.

In Tulalip, From My Heart, Dover describes her life on the Tulalip reservation and recounts the myriad problems tribes faced after resettlement. Born in 1904, Dover grew up hearing the elders of her tribe tell of the hardships involved in moving from their villages to the reservation on Tulalip Bay: inadequate supplies of food and water, harsh economic conditions, and religious persecution outlawing potlatch houses and other ceremonial practices. The first Indian woman to serve on the Tulalip Board of Directors, Dover describes her experiences in her own personal, often fierce style, revealing her tribe’s powerful ties and enduring loyalty to land now occupied by others. She died in 1991 at the age of eighty-six.

Thanks for reading our suggestions, and if you do happen to check out any of these great books, please feel free to share your review with us. We hope everyone is having a great and informative Native American Heritage Month!

Lushtooseed, songs and games at MSD Family Night

By Shaelyn Smead, Tulalip News

On November 8, the Marysville School District (MSD) Indian Education Department and the Tulalip Education Division kicked off Native American Heritage Month by hosting the Tulalip/MSD Indian Ed Family Night. The Totem Middle School library was filled with laughter and joy as students, families, and staff participated in various cultural activities and gathered resources from informational booths.

MSD and the Migrant program, the Marysville Public Library, and UW students, Tessa Campbell, shared numerous free resources for students and families, including free laptop/hot-spot rentals, tutoring, funding opportunities, the Read-a-Rama program, and college resources. 

Matt Remle, Indian Education Department coordinator, talked about the value of these events, “The goal with cultural nights like this is to bring families together, have fun, and learn different aspects of our culture. This year we have a big emphasis on supporting the Lushootseed Department. One of their goals is to start bringing Lushootseed to schools that don’t have language classes. By partnering up with them, through these events, we can connect the department to families and kids who may not have access.”

Lushootseed teacher Nikki St. Onge shared a story about bear and rabbit learning how to play stick games. The story was as a fitting transition for the room to break out into groups for  activities like building sticks for stick games. 

Attendees learned the history of stick games and some basics of how to play. After sanding and putting tape lines on their sticks, they were ready for action. Singing and drumming accompanied the stick games competition. 

Matt spoke about how they hope cultural events like these will continue to bring in more families, staff, and resources for tribal members to use. “We had students from the Getchel Native club come tonight. We’d love to get to a point where we can pass down these events to Native student groups and have them lead it; having all of our students, staff, and families working together for our Native youth.”

For future cultural and family nights, stay tuned to the MSD newsletter or contact Native Student Advocate Marc Robinson at marc_robinson@msvl.k12.wa.us and Native American Program Liason Terrance Sabbas at terrance_sabbas@msvl.k12.wa.us.  

Raising Hands celebrates $7.2 million in Tulalip Cares charitable giving 

Ken Kettler, Tulalip Resort Casino president, is blanketed by Marilyn Sheldon and 
Mytyl Hernandez

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

During the evening of Saturday, October 29th, the Tulalip Tribes recognized and gave thanks to more than 375 Washington-based nonprofits and community groups who contributed to a sustainable and healthy community for all. 

The typically annual Raising Hands celebration went on a temporary hiatus during the coronavirus pandemic before making its much anticipated 2022 return. Held in the Tulalip Resort Casino’s Orca Ballroom, the always stylish space hosted hundreds of representatives of these high-impacting organizations that came together to create an atmosphere of appreciation.

“In the Tulalip tradition, we raise our hands to show appreciation to the numerous organizations whose good works help to make our communities strong,” opened event emcee and board of director, Mel Sheldon. “This evening is an opportunity for Tulalip Tribes to honor and show respect to all the hard work each organization has contributed to the progress of all our communities.

“We are here to honor all 378 unique charities that Tulalip Cares has supported over the last year,” he continued. “During Covid, as we all hunkered down in our homes, many of you were out on the front lines working to help those in dire straits. Your work does not go unnoticed. Tulalip takes great pride in pulling together with all our community organizations, charities and members to support and provide guidance through this healing process.”

The exciting return of Raising Hands was bolstered by the significant community achievement stimulated by an astounding $7.2 million in tribal support to more than 375 nonprofits and community groups. Since 1992, the Tulalip Tribes charitable giving program has donated over $116 million in support to the community and, indirectly, to their own membership by supporting regional efforts to improve education, health and human services, cultural preservation, public services, and the environment.

But the Raising Hands event isn’t all about dollars and cents. It’s also a highly coordinated celebration where our community’s change makers are given a chance to share their plans for the future and learn how other like-minded charities are striving to make a difference. This is an invaluable benefit for organizations who can sometimes struggle to get their message broadcast to larger audiences. 

During the 2022 rendition of Raising Hands, six standout nonprofits received special recognition for their exceptional creativity and effectiveness. Raven Rock Ranch, Museum of Glass, Sherwood Community Services, NOAH Center, Salmon Defense, and Innovative Services Northwest were each highlighted for their innovative work serving local communities. 

“The NOAH Center is the northwest organization for animal help. We are a no kill, nonprofit animal shelter. The dogs and cats that come to us, we work really hard to find homes for them. They came here because they were facing euthanasia at other animal shelters, so we really try hard to give them a second chance to find that home and have an opportunity for a family.
We transfer in and adopt out about 4,000 to 4,500 animals every year. We just love to see those animals go from a scenario where they may have faced a completely difference outcome to end up living their best life with their new family. It’s so amazing to hear the squeals of excitement from kids who are getting a kitten or puppy. These animals bring so much joy to the lives of their adopters.”
– Stacie Ventura, NOAH Center executive director

“When you see people coming together to have these amazing, positive conversations, that is when we know we are helping make a difference,” asserted Marilyn Sheldon, manager of Tulalip Tribes Charitable Fund. “We try to show respect and honor these charities that give so much of themselves for this community. We want them to feel like the red carpet got laid out just for them.

“Each year, as soon as the event is over, we ask ourselves how we can help make the next one even better,” she continued. “Giving people the opportunity to work together is priceless. We are so fortunate to be able to work with these amazing organizations throughout Washington State that do so much good in our communities.”

“Children come to us because they’ve experienced some kind of trauma in their lives. We don’t talk about past traumas. Instead, we ask them to rewrite neuro pathways by having experiences with horses that give them a healthy relationship that can transfer to human relationships. Horses are good at that because they are a prey animal, so they have very distinct needs. You must be a good leader because they are trusting you with their lives. 
In order to lead a horse around, you must be confident in where you are going. Horses really depend on their handlers stepping up and taking care of them, and our kids can really feel that connection. When kids come here they are responsible for taking care of their horse. Offering something to another living being is an important piece of feeling valuable and worthy.”
– Sandy Matts, executive director of Raven Rock Ranch

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) of 1988 allows tribes to conduct certain types of gaming if they enter into a gaming compact with the state. Tulalip’s tribal-state gaming compact, like most, includes a provision to donate a percentage of gaming earnings to organizations impacted by gaming, as well as other charitable organizations. From this provision the Tulalip Tribes Charitable Fund was created.

The Charitable Fund, also known as Tulalip Cares, provides the opportunity for a sustainable and healthy community for all. The Tulalip Tribes strives to work together with the community to give benefits back to others to help build stronger connections to local neighborhoods. That’s why, in Tulalip, it is tradition to ‘raise our hands’ to applaud and give thanks to the numerous organizations in our region that strive to create a better world through positive action. 

“The museum of glass is a museum dedicated to glass and glass making. Our mission is to ignite creativity, fuel discovery and enrich lives. We’re doing that with youth. We’re doing that with emerging artists that come into the hot shop to work with our experienced team. We’re doing that with the great masters around the world that come in and want to experiment and start a new body of work. 
It’s a place where you can see first-hand art being made. You see the struggles. You see how an idea comes to life. Shaping the future of glass is our vision and I feel like we do it every day. And maybe even more important than that, I think we are helping to shape community and the future of the people who come here and experience the beauty of glass art.”
– Debbie Lenk, Museum of Glass executive director 

Nonprofits and community groups are encouraged to apply for quarterly awards through the Tulalip Cares program. For more information, visit the Tulalip Tribes Charitable Funds website at www.TulalipCares.org 

“As tribal people, we have a spiritual connection, cultural connection, and subsistence connection with salmon. They are such a vital part to the ecosystem. Unfortunately, every year our salmon are getting less and less. I don’t want to know or experience what happens when we have no salmon.
When the tribal governments are fighting for their treaty rights they are fighting for clean water, they are fighting for salmon, they are fighting for clean air, they are fighting for a healthy environment. Treaty rights don’t just protect our tribal people, they protect all our people. We want people to not fear the tribes and their treaty rights, but embrace them for the gems that they are because they protect and enhance our health and our quality of life.”
– Peggen Frank, executive director of Salmon Defense

Beading as Healing

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

“As women, there are a lot of things that we go through in our lives, and the one thing I always had was beading,” said Tulalip artist, Winona Shopbell-Fryberg. “It is healing. You space everything out and you’re focused on the work. To bead and to continue to do these things, you have to have good feelings and a clear mind. If not, you have to lay it down. When you’re expressing all of that, your emotions come out. There’s a lot of thinking and patience that goes into it and I think that’s a part of the healing process.”

Fifteen local women showed up in support of domestic violence (DV) survivors during the Legacy of Healing’s (LOH) final event for the month on the evening of October 25. LOH hosted several events in recognition of National DV Awareness Month and each event had great turnouts, averaging twenty participants for each gathering. 

DV Awareness Month closed with the Beading as Healing Class. What made this class special was that it was instructed by a Tulalip tribal member whose beautiful beadwork and regalia are well-known not only amongst the sduhubš territory, but also on the powwow trail which her family regularly participates in. 

Winona explained, “I’ve been beading since I was 16 – self-taught. One day I was like ‘Dad, take me to the bead store. I want to learn how to bead’. I just kind of figured it out from there. I’ve had some tips along the way, but it’s been 30 years of beading for me. It’s therapeutic; just to get to know your creative self is amazing. My husband and I made most of our kids’ beadwork. When we go to powwows and see it out there, it’s like ‘wow, I really did that’. It’s just beautiful to see your thoughts and vision come to life through that work. I’ve been beading leggings, moccasins, everything for powwows, earrings, whatever. For me it helps a lot in healing.”

At the center of room 162 were numerous containers filled with beads varying in size and color. Once the ladies selected their beads and received their needle and thread, Winona taught the class how to create beaded keychains. 

The two-and-a-half-hour class was relatively quiet as the students took the opportunity to go inward and spend some time with their thoughts while they worked on their keychains. That was ultimately the LOH’s goal behind the class, but there was plenty of laughter and a number of stories shared throughout the class as well. 

“I started a beaded keychain today, I’ve always wanted to make one of these” expressed tribal member, Veronica Iukes. “I haven’t beaded in a long time, so it was cool to get back out. You get in the zone and start thinking. Doing it bead by bead makes it more meaningful. Each bead to me represents something that I was thinking about. If you’re having a stressful day, beading helps smooth things out.”

The ladies put a good-sized dent in their personal beading projects and before they knew it, it was time to pack up their beads for the night. Winona encouraged them to complete their keychains at home where they can continue healing through a traditional Indigenous artform. Before heading out, many of the participants stopped and chatted with the LOH team, thanking them for creating a safe space where they could learn about DV and gather resources throughout the awareness month.

“Making the keychain today was really calming and peaceful,” said Kelly Waibel, Victims Services Coordinator for the Tulalip Police Department. “The beading helped me feel more centered and grounded. These events provided the people a space to learn during DV Awareness Month. LOH does amazing work, they are here for the victims and survivors of DV, and they support our community. It’s nice that they are able to bring the community together, so the people know they are not alone.”

If you or anybody you know is experiencing an abusive relationship, please do not hesitate to call the LOH at (360) 716-4100 for assistance. And if you are in a crisis or an emergency situation, the LOH provided a list of three additional hotline numbers that you can utilize during your time of need: 

  • The National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
  • Strong Hearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483
  • Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County 425-25-ABUSE (22873)

As seasons change, Club doors remain open

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

The season has quickly changed here in the Pacific Northwest. Only a matter of days ago, on October 17 to be exact, we had the warmest October day in 45 years when the temperature soared to 89 degrees. Now though, a quick glance at the local weather forecast and we see only daily highs in the mid-50s and overnight lows in the 40s. Plus, a near constant barrage of much anticipated rainfall every single day.

With the wet and cold season upon us, many community families are quickly having to adjust and figure out ways to keep their kids healthy and active while remaining warm and dry indoors. Well, the leadership of our Tulalip Boys & Girls Club want to remind parents and guardians of school aged youth that ‘the Club’ is an ideal option. 

The Club is open for new and returning members, and staff eagerly await that high-spirited energy to fill their complex once again.

“We can’t wait to have all our kids back again experiencing the large variety of fun and safe programs we offer. Whether that be activities like coloring or building with LEGOs for the real young kids who are learning their shapes and colors, playing bumper pool, or standard pool for the teenagers. These are simple, yet effective, activities that develop hand-eye coordination. Then there’s basketball and volleyball in the gymnasium that promote physical education and teamwork,” said office manager Diane Prouty. 

During her 23 years of dedicated Boys & Girls Club service she’s proudly earned the title ‘Grandma Diane’ by the multiple generations of Tulalip youngsters who have called the Club a home away from home.

“Something we’ve always been proud to say is we keep our kids well fed with hot, nutritious meals,” she continued. “Since we’ve been back to our normal routine of cooking and serving a breakfast for the kids before school and late lunch after school, plus a snack or two, the kids have really been swamping back in. We have our own on-site nutritionist and cook, her name is Ariana, and she does an amazing job of whipping up tasty meals that our kids devour. 

“We’re also proud to be part of the T.R.A.I.L. to diabetes prevention program, which guides our meal and snack making. This is why it was a big deal for us to go close to sugar-free by doing away with soda and high fructose juices. Instead we make fruit-infused water that the kids get a real woot out of. They drink barrels and barrels of water every day.”

Keeping children fed with freshly prepared meals and nutritious snacks is something that’s always separated the Tulalip’s Club from thousands of other Boys & Girls Clubs in the country. Those meals are especially important when it comes to the ever-growing minds and bodies of our youth who need all the vitamins, minerals, and proteins they can get.

Then there’s the 4000-square-foot, multimedia filled expansion that was added to the Club right before Covid hit. This tech hub is intended for the Club’s teenage membership and offers all the digital goodies this current era of teen yearns for. There’s Xbox One gaming stations complete with 4k televisions, a dedicated high-speed internet server, and a sound system that rivals most music studios. Cyber Café functions as a self-serve snack bar. There’s even a makeshift graffiti wall available for those artsy types who can create masterpieces with just chalk and their imagination.

There are conventional games as well for those who prefer their games of skill without computer assistance, like a pool, foosball and chess. A dedicated homework area consists of several computer stations equipped with all the necessary programs to meet the modern coursework demands, while also aiming to shrink the Reservation’s homework gap. 

In the spirit of providing programs that promote growth through education, Club director Shawn Sanchey recently debuted ‘power hour’. The Tulalip tribal member and graduate of Heritage high school routinely shares his story of being a Club kid, including how having caring adults in the community to help guide him had a significant impact. Power hour is one example of how the 27-year-old Club director strives to pay that guidance forward.

“Power hour focuses on our kids’ education and is intended to help develop positive mental health as it relates to learning,” explained Shawn. “Instilling a work ethic and positive view on education is huge in our youth. How it works is when our kids get to the Club, they have to earn their screen time or gym time or any other recreation by completing their power hour first. 

“It’s one hour, just 60-minutes, where they focus on their education. It could be completing math packets or other homework, reading a book, or could even be for the older kids to read to the younger kids or play UNO with them to help teach shapes and colors. It’s a small step that can have a big impact. We’re always talking about creating future leaders, that requires taking accountability over learning and instilling our values at a young age.

“It’s been awesome for me, personally, to witness kids go from being resistant to reading and doing school work to being excited to complete their power hour,” he added. “It’s also had a big social influence on our kids. We know that they watch and learn behavior from each other, so the more they see their peers getting excited to read to others or even form groups to review multiplication tables, it goes a long way in making a motivation difference.”

  Since the new school year started, the average attendance at Tulalip’s Boys and Girls Club has increased to about 125 kids per day. With the increased capacity of the Teen Center expansion and recently added staff, the Club is able to serve 300 kids a day.

Over the next month or so, special events and activities are being planned so the kids can celebrate Halloween, Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving in a culturally appropriate way. Also, with basketball season right around the corner, there are plenty of opportunities to get eligible kids signed up so they can take to the court to get buckets.

Current Club hours are 6:00am – 7:00pm, Monday – Friday. Plus, every other Saturday for teen night. For all questions and inquiries about membership eligibility or day to day operations, please contact 360-716-3400 or email director Shawn Sanchey directly at  ssanchey@bgcsc.org

Vamping up emergency preparedness for the tribe

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

A group of twenty people circled up outside of the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) on the afternoon of October 13. Cars, semis, and motorcycles zoomed down Washington State Route 526 and airplanes flew by overhead as the group exchanged introductions and pleasantries at the DEM, which is located at the Paine Field area of Everett. With notebooks and writing utensils in-hand, the group was comprised of several representatives of Tulalip departments who showed up ready and eager to learn about the DEM and tour its facility. Collectively, this group is officially known as the Tulalip Emergency Response Team. 

“The team; we have our public works department, our utilities department, community health department, Fire department, Police department, GIS, and TDS,” explained Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Angel Cortez. “We’re going to need more departments to assist because when something happens, there is a whole army that’s needed – boots on the ground workforce to make sure that everybody is able to respond, that we’re connecting to who we need to connect with to get resources. To get all these different departments involved is important.”

Since stepping into the position of Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Angel has been on a mission to ensure his community is best prepared for any situation if a disaster were to strike the sduhubš homelands. Upon visiting the DEM for the first time, he found inspiration to create a similar setting on the reservation that can be readily available to assist the Tulalip people in the event of a crisis or natural disaster. Angel organized the tour of the DEM for the tribal emergency response team to give them a glimpse of the vision he has in mind for Tulalip. 

Leading the tour was the Snohomish County Emergency Management Program Manager, Jarrod Dibble, who gave a detailed account of what the DEM is, how they service local communities, as well as a few examples of how they handled emergency situations in the past such as the Oso landslide and more recently, the Bolt Creek wildfire. 

“We started outside today with our deployable assets,” said Jarrod while recapping the tour. “We have a couple small trailers that are solar powered that provide network capability and Wi-Fi calling – redundant capability with internet for those kinds of standalone deployable trailers. And then we looked at a couple of our other deployable vehicles that are command and control centers. One is a vehicle that can actually drive to our trailers, but act as a mobile emergency operation center (EOC). And inside is our actual EOC, where we talked about the upgrades we’ve done over the years, the lessons learned about what works well, what doesn’t work well, how we coordinate, and the room being set up to follow the instant command system structures that are standard for emergency management.”

The two-hour tour was intriguing, to say the least, for the Tulalip Emergency Response Team While viewing the high-tech trailers filled with monitor screens, cables, and CB radios, the members of the Emergency Response Team shared excited glances with one another, no doubt already exchanging telepathic ideas about how to design deployable trailers for the community of Tulalip.

The highlight for many was the in-person viewing of the DEM’s EOC. Multiple computer stations are set up in a large room of the facility, which accounts for nearly half of the entire DEM. The workstations are sectioned off by departments and agencies such as public safety, planning, resourcing, and GIS. According to FEMA, “An EOC is a central command and control system responsible for carrying out the principles of emergency preparedness and emergency management, or disaster management at a strategic level during an emergency, and ensuring the continuity of operation of a company, political subdivision, or other organization. The primary function of staff in EOC’s include collecting, analyzing and sharing information, supporting resource needs and requests, including allocation and tracking, coordinating plans and determining current and future needs. And in some cases, providing coordination and policy direction.”

Jarrod explained that the Snohomish County Emergency Management and the Tulalip Tribes have an inter-local agreement (ILA) which outlines everything that the County can provide for the tribe such as planning and training, as well as the ability to respond to a disaster on Tulalip’s behalf. The Snohomish County DEM will be offering said trainings in the near future to the Tulalip Emergency Response Team and in-turn, Angel hopes to offer those trainings to the community down the line. 

After re-establishing monthly meetings for the tribe’s emergency response team after the pandemic, Angel now hopes to build a permanent EOC at Tulalip that could be utilized during windstorms, power outages, water shortages, and during a number of incidents that require additional resources and/or medical attention. With an established EOC, the Tulalip Emergency Response Team will also have the ability to hire on volunteers and provide the necessary trainings in order for them to assist in the event of an emergency. And by training volunteers, Angel believes that this could ultimately lead to a career path for many, or at the very least beef up a few resumes. 

Angel said, “I want Tulalip to be an asset, not a responsibility or liability. To be able to manage an incident without having to rely on the outside partners, I think is going to be huge for our community. But it is also going to take time and a lot of effort and planning. I would like to see Tulalip take the steps towards having our own emergency operating center, so that when a situation does happen, we’re ready to go. The ILA that we have with the county, it’s very good that we have that. But I don’t want to solely rely on that, because if it’s a big disaster, they’re not just going to come and assist Tulalip with everything, they’re going to be spread out throughout the whole county. We need to be able to handle incidents on our own, to the best of our ability.”

The Tulalip Emergency Response Team left the DEM filled with optimism, and many of its members now share Angel’s vision of bringing an EOC to Tulalip. The tour was just the first step down a long road. But after experiencing the local DEM in-person, the response team is all the more committed to ensuring the safety of the Tulalip citizenship through disaster preparedness and emergency management. 

Indigenous film screened to raise awareness about domestic violence

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

The lights in room 162 of the Tulalip Administration Building were switched off on the evening of September 20. All eyes were watching a large projection screen at the front of the conference room as a movie was cast from the Panasonic overhead projector. There were over twenty ladies seated throughout the room. And although only visible by silhouette, they could not hold back some of the emotions brought on by the film, and were seen wiping tears from their eyes, shaking their heads in astonishment, and audibly gasping in shock as six Indigenous women shared their story in an 84-minute documentary titled, Sisters Rising. 

The 2020 film is a moving, heartbreaking, and empowering watch that details the abuse and domestic violence (DV) that Native women face in today’s society. The film exposed the frustrating roadblock that those individuals experienced when they attempted to report the crimes committed against them and their loved ones.

A Supreme Court ruling in the late ‘70’s ruled that tribal courts do not have the jurisdiction to try and prosecute non-tribal members who commit crimes against their membership. For decades, non-Natives targeted Native women, children and men on reservations throughout the country and got away with child abuse, sexual abuse, DV and much more, resulting from that ruling. 

The women featured in Sisters Rising retold their stories and showed how survived those horrific experiences of abuse and DV. More importantly, it showcased their resilience as each of the six women went on to help their communities, whether through prevention and awareness work or taking the initiative to change legislation in their respective homelands. All of the women are making a big impact in their tribal communities. 

The film’s synopsis leads with some eye-opening statistics: “Sisters Rising is a powerful feature documentary about six Native American women reclaiming personal & tribal sovereignty. Native American women are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault than all other American women. 1 in 3 Native women report having been raped during her lifetime and 86% of the offenses are committed by non-Native men. These perpetrators exploit gaps in tribal jurisdictional authority and target Native women as ‘safe victims’. Their stories shine an unflinching light on righting injustice on both an individual and systemic level.”

Following the film screening, Tulalip Prosecutor Brian Kilgore was on-hand for a quick Q&A and to talk about how the film relates to the Tulalip Court and community. He shared, “The Supreme Court took away the jurisdiction of tribes to prosecute non-Indians. In 2013 we got back the ability to prosecute domestic violence crimes with Indian victims, with a couple of exceptions. One of those exceptions was there had to be a tie to this reservation. If you had people that were just passing through, we didn’t have jurisdiction. In October of this year, it was expanded again. Now we have jurisdiction over everybody.”

He continued, “This year I have gotten a felony DV referral every week, on average. It’s a lot. The other overlay here is that it’s not just jurisdiction over people. Tribes until very recently didn’t have any jurisdiction, we could only charge the not serious stuff. And what often happened is that the serious stuff got charged as not serious stuff. So, there might have been felony conduct but they still got a misdemeanor. Felony is anything greater than a year, misdemeanor is up to a year. The Tulalip Tribes had felony jurisdiction since 2012. We had two felony cases in 2015, and we had 70 this last year. It’s increasing; it’s not a good thing, right? But my sense is that there isn’t more crime, we’re just catching more of it, and we’re able to prosecute more of it. I think it is a good thing. I think the numbers we’re seeing are more realistic, and it doesn’t really represent more violence.”

The film screening was hosted by the Tulalip Legacy of Healing (LOH) and the Child Advocacy Center (CAC) in observance of National DV Awareness Month. Throughout October, the two programs have held a number of events to help bring attention to the DV that occurs within Native America and more specifically, here at Tulalip. In addition to the Sisters Rising screening, they have also hosted a Resolving Trauma workshop with the Director/Consultant of the Midwest Trauma Services Network, Frank Grijalva MSCC, MSPH, as well as a self-defense class led by the Tulalip Police Department. 

“One of the core focuses with DV Awareness Month is the importance of breaking the silence,” expressed Sydney Gilbert, CAC/LOH Coordinator and Forensic Interviewer. “If people are not talking about and it’s not coming to light, it lives in the shadow. The more we can talk about it, the more we can bring it to attention, the more we can normalize the conversation around it. We know that there’s higher rates of intimate partner violence in communities that have experienced trauma. Another focus we have for this month is addressing that trauma, and not only bringing attention to intimate partner violence, but bringing attention on how we can heal from that as a community.”

After the documentary’s credits finished rolling, Tulalip tribal member Lena Hammons, who sat attentively in the front row, expressed, “I loved that they were in front of tribal council proposing new codes to protect their women. I think that we need more people doing that, and if not go to General Council because it is a serious issue. I didn’t know there was 70 cases already this year and I’m out in the community a lot so that was kind of scary for me. I love the strong women who were standing up, helping each other and helping themselves. I’m a DV survivor myself, and had to fight for myself and my kids. It was nice to see they weren’t presenting themselves as victims, they were presenting themselves as survivors and supporters. Women need to know that they’re not alone and we need to support each other. Whether you know someone or not, if you know something is happening you need to report it. 

“And for men and our women who are violators, it’s important for them to know that it won’t be tolerated. It’s not our way. It’s not traditional. It’s not cultural. It’s colonized behavior. It’s important for everybody to know that. You don’t have to tolerate DV. If you’re a perpetrator of DV, there’s help for you. Go get the help. Because we love everybody, and we don’t give up on anybody.”

If you or anybody you know is experiencing an abusive relationship, please do not hesitate to call the LOH at (360) 716-4100 for assistance. And if you are in a crisis or an emergency situation, the LOH provided a list of three additional hotline numbers that you can utilize during your time of need: 

  • The National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
  • Strong Hearts Native Helpline: 1-844-762-8483
  • Domestic Violence Services of Snohomish County 425-25-ABUSE (22873).

Centennial Accord addresses Native concerns

By Shaelyn Smead, Tulalip News

On October 24-25, Tulalip Tribes hosted the 33rd annual Centennial Accord at the Tulalip Resort Casino and the Tulalip Gathering Hall. Washington Tribal leaders, State legislators, Governor Jay Inslee, and numerous government agencies were in attendance to discuss policies and issues regarding tribal sovereignty, humanitarian efforts, and other tribal concerns.

The Centennial Accord was developed in 1989 by the federally recognized Indian tribes of Washington State and the State of Washington to build trust and confidence among the parties in the government-to-government relationship. Meetings like the Accord help strengthen the foundation for the future of tribes in Washington and how our people operate. Having a Native voice to discuss, change, and implement state policies significantly affects how Washington handles Native issues in the future. 

Chairwoman Teri Gobin began the meeting by saying, “Thank everyone for all your efforts and being here today. My dad Stan Jones was a part of history and participated when the first Centennial Accord was passed. I remember praying that we would reach a point where our people would be treated as equals, our rights would be respected, and our sovereignty would be protected. Years of hard work have gone into this, and we are at a pivotal point in history where so many issues require us to take action now. Our ancestors are here with us and watching over us as we make these changes.”

Throughout the day, the parties discussed specific issues involving education, health, the Climate Commitment Act, the HEAL Act, environmental justice, Social Services, and Natural Resources. The first day of the Accord is used to finalize details and answer concerns before presenting these agendas to the state Governor on the second day.

This year’s Centennial Accord was the first gathering that Higher Education acquired its own roundtable discussion. One of the many topics discussed was the lack of Native employee and counselor representation within colleges, funding towards Native students, and hardships that first-generation Native college students face. And though many of the public colleges are willing and able to work with tribes, establishing the foundation of these efforts is what many tribal leaders are trying to develop. 

Representative Debra Lekanoff, D-Bow, was in attendance for the Accord and spoke about the actions that she is taking for Higher Education, “I’m proposing a Bill this year that provides free tuition, housing, and a stipend for food. This will apply to Native Americans of all federally recognized tribes across the nation attending (public) universities and colleges in Washington. If you are a Native from a federally recognized tribe from Montana and enroll in a university or college in Washington, then you can receive funding.” 

During the Social Services meeting conversation focused on the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the possibility of it being overturned by the Supreme Court on November 9. Ross Hunter, Secretary of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, and Honorable Loni Greninger, Vice-Chair of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, assured that they are working to prepare an argument for November 9 to preserve ICWA, and have been diligently working with other states in the US to do the same.

When speaking about the health struggles that Native people face, a State of Emergency was discussed, as Native Americans accounted for 63% of the suicide attempts in Washington in  2020. It was also noted that in 2001 the Native American mortality rate increased by 58%. To help mitigate this issue, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) set up a 24/7 emergency hotline dedicated to mental health crises called the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. When a Native is suffering a mental health crisis, they can dial 988, explain that they are Native, and be transferred to a Native mental health and substance use disorder professional in their territory and seek specific cultural and spiritual guidance. It is a new program that SAMHSA hopes to have operational soon. 

The opioid crisis was also heavily discussed at the Accord. Lummi Chairman William Jones Sr was transparent about their declaration of emergency, their struggles, and concerns about fentanyl, saying, “We keep talking about how it’s a crisis, and how devastating it is for our people, but why isn’t the government attacking this issue like they did Covid? I’m sure everyone in this room can say they have been affected by fentanyl. We’re becoming almost numb to hearing about overdoses, but we must figure out a solution and need real help from the state.” 

Many other tribes shared their problems with fentanyl and how the lack of law enforcement and healthcare on reservations only continues to play into the crisis. The Chair of the American Indian Health Commission, Steve Kutz, responded by saying there is a need for a summit dedicated towards fentanyl, to which Governor Inslee agreed.

Another concern for many tribes is the Salmon crisis. Some tribes explained a severe decline in the salmon population in their area and an urge for government involvement and funding towards rehabilitation.

  Senior Policy Advisor for Natural Resources for Washington, Ruth Musgrave, responded, “Although the Lorraine Loomis Act was not successful, this process is still ongoing, the two provisos were put into place. One was finding all the voluntary and regulatory programs agencies have for riparian restoration and protection. The other was to interview many of you [tribal leaders] and stakeholders about what would work for riparian restoration.”

  She continued to speak on the 3.2 billion dollars that have been used towards salmon recovery, the Lower Snake River Dam initiative, erecting fish passage barriers, seeking tribal consultation, and the various ways departments continue to work together to try and institute change. 

A historical moment occurred at the Accord as the Tulalip Tribes and the Department of Corrections held an additional signing ceremony for Senate Bill 5694, which Governor Inslee initially signed in March. The Bill recognizes tribes’ sovereign nations, equitable with any other state, state agency, county, or federal jurisdiction in decisions regarding the Department of Corrections. It also authorizes the Washington State Department of Corrections to negotiate agreements with Washington tribes to allow tribal court inmates to serve their felony sentences in an appropriate facility with access to Native rehabilitative services.

Throughout American history, our ancestors have struggled to protect our culture and way of life. With so many adversaries, the Accord continues to hold a place where tribal leaders get direct face time with Washington legislation, the state Governor, and government department leads. And though discussions can sometimes get heated, Governor Inslee stated, “Native Americans have a voice, and it is powerful.” 

The state and tribes continue to work together, hold meaningful dialogue, and fight for our peoples’ voices and generations to come.