Walker Ames Room, Kane Hall, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195
SAVE THE DATE! The University of Washington’s American Indian Studies Department invites you to a two-day symposium to be held May 1-2, 2013 in Seattle, Washington.
“The Living Breath of Wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ: Indigenous Ways of Knowing Cultural Food Practices and Ecological Knowledge,” will bring together primarily Northwest Coast and regional Native leaders, elders, and scholars who will share their knowledge and expertise on topics such as tribal food sovereignty initiatives, food justice and security, traditional foods and health, global climate change’s impact on coastal indigenous food systems, treaties and reserved water rights, and treaty fishing rights and habitat protection.
Indigenous peoples in the Northwest have maintained a sustainable way of life through a cultural, spiritual, and reciprocal relationship with their environment. Presently we face serious disruptions to this relationship from policies, environmental threats, and global climate change. Thus, our traditional ecological knowledge is of paramount importance as we strive to sustain our cultural food practices and preserve this healthy relationship to the land, water, and all living things.
This symposium will be the inaugural event to honor UW’s future longhouse-style community building, Wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ (a Lushootseed word meaning Intellectual House), that will open its doors in 2014. This event symbolizes the spirit of Wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ and embodies the essence of the work we envision doing in this cultural and intellectual space.
Registration details are forthcoming.
Coordinators:
Dr. Charlotte Coté, Clarita Lefthand-Begay, Dr. Dian Million, and Elissa Washuta.
Charlotte Coté (Nuu-chah-nulth) Ph.D., Associate Professor, UW’s Department of American Indian Studies; Affiliated Faculty, Canadian Studies Center, Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies; Chair, UW’s Wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ (Intellectual House) Planning and Advisory Committee.
Clarita Lefthand-Begay (Diné) MS, Ph.D. candidate, UW’s School of Public Health, Graduate Student Representative, Wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ (Intellectual House) Working Committee Member, 2012 First Stewards Witness.
Dian Million (Athabaskan) Ph.D., Assistant Professor, UW’s Department of American Indian Studies.
Elissa Washuta (Cowlitz) MFA, Academic Counselor and Lecturer, UW’s Department of American Indian Studies.
Acclaimed author, environmentalist and activist Winona LaDuke, White Earth Ojibway, Minnesota, shares her experiences, insights, and philosophies about how to build sustainable communities using traditional indigenous ecological knowledge and caring for the land. Learn what we can do individually and collectively to make the changes necessary to live in balanced ways for ourselves, our families and communities, and honoring the web of life.
With special guests Red Eagle Soaring Native Youth Theater Arts.
Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon announces his resignation, effective May 31, at the conclusion of his State of the County speech to members of Economic Alliance Snohomish County at the Everett Golf and Country Club in Everett on Thursday morning. Photo: Mark Mulligan,The Herald
Enough is enough,’ county executive says after latest controversy, battle with County Council
EVERETT — Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon announced Thursday he will resign effective May 31, a move that came as he and his staff faced mounting calls for an investigation to determine whether laws were broken in a campaign that appears designed to harass and conduct surveillance on Reardon’s political rivals.Reardon’s announcement came at the end of his 10th State of the County address before business leaders in Everett.He also said he supports an independent investigation, not only of himself and his staff, but of others in county government.The executive alleged that since before his re-election in 2011, he has been the focus of “false and scurrilous accusations” leveled against him. It’s part of “a concerted effort by groups that oppose” him that are intent on undermining his ability to lead, he said.
Reardon was investigated last year by the Washington State Patrol, and never charged, for allegations of misusing county money during an extramarital affair. He is the focus of a state Public Disclosure Commission investigation into using county resources on political campaigns, and he has been subject to repeated efforts by a Gold Bar blogger to recall him from office.
Reardon said that defending himself has taken a toll on his marriage, his ability to govern and has cost him “tens of thousands of dollars” in legal fees.
“Candidly, I don’t know how much a family can take or should take …” he told the crowd. “Enough is enough.”
Reardon’s announcement came the day after the County Council voted unanimously to remove his authority over the county’s computers and records management system.
That step was taken in response to articles last week in The Herald, detailing evidence that members of Reardon’s staff engaged in a campaign against his political rivals using public records requests, spoof email addresses and attack Web pages.
Many of those targeted were interviewed as part of the State Patrol investigation.
Reardon last week said that activity didn’t happen at his direction, but he condoned the conduct, reasoning it was OK because he was told it occurred outside the office.
It’ll be up to the Snohomish County Democratic Party to nominate three candidates to replace Reardon. A majority of the County Council will have to agree on the final choice after they receive the list of nominees.
The person appointed to be the next executive would serve until November 2014. Then it will go to the winner in an election for someone to fill out the remaining year of Reardon’s term, which ends in 2015, county elections manager Garth Fell said.
No election is possible this year because Reardon’s resignation is to take effect after filing week, which closes May 17.
The County Council will have 60 days after Reardon’s resignation to appoint a successor. If the council is unable to reach a decision during that time, Gov. Jay Inslee will have 30 days to decide.
The state Republican Party called Reardon’s decision to resign on May 31 a “final act of defiance” because it will extend by a year the term of whomever county Democrats nominate for the appointment.
“After everything he’s put the voters through, it’s time for Reardon to do the right thing and resign effectively immediately. Residents in Snohomish County deserve a chance to pick a replacement on Election Day 2013,” the GOP press release said.
State Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, also said he found the timing of Reardon’s resignation interesting because of the additional year it would give the appointee.
Before the day was out, people who watch politics closely were buzzing about who could be tapped to fill the opening.
Reardon’s announcement came after he spent the better part of a half-hour delivering a speech about government and economic growth.
He began by stating that it has been an honor and privilege to serve for a decade in the community where he was born and raised. He said he was proud of accomplishments that should position the county to retain its place as a hub for aerospace jobs.
Then he acknowledged the controversies that have dogged him since November 2011. It was almost exactly a year ago that the County Council was urging Reardon to go on leave while he was being investigated by the State Patrol.
The Herald’s editorial board endorsed Reardon two of the three times he ran for county executive. On Thursday, the editorial board wrote that Reardon’s response to the recent revelations had created an “integrity vacuum.”
County Councilman Dave Gossett, who attended Thursday morning’s speech, said he was “totally surprised” by Reardon’s resignation announcement.
Council Chairwoman Stephanie Wright also appeared caught off guard, but said she appreciated signs that Reardon wants to focus on collaboration during what are likely to be his final two months at the helm of county government.
Regardless of what happens next, the council still wants an investigation into the records requests linked to Reardon’s staff, but they are not sure what form that probe will take, she said.
Prosecuting Attorney Mark Roe was not at the gathering. In recent days he’s been talking with police agencies about staging an independent, outside investigation of conduct by Reardon’s staff.
Last year, he asked the State Patrol to investigate after a county social worker came forward to County Councilman Dave Somers as a “whistleblower” and reported that she had been traveling with Reardon for out-of-town rendezvous she believed were paid for using county money.
Patrol detectives became the focus of a formal complaint by one of Reardon’s aides. Other people involved in the investigation, including witnesses who were approached by police, have been accused by Reardon and his backers of orchestrating a political smear.
Given that history, Roe said he’s encountered “understandable reluctance by people who have too much to do already to delve into Snohomish County’s laundry hamper.”
But Reardon’s resignation and his stated support for an investigation may change that, Roe said.
“Hopefully that will make for a compelling reason for an outside agency” to take the case, he said.
Reardon told the crowd Thursday that he planned to cooperate fully with the investigation he’s requested.
On the advice of his attorneys, he declined to speak with patrol detectives last year.
Reardon’s wife, Kate Reardon, a spokeswoman for the city of Everett, joined him after the speech. They left the Everett Golf and Country Club, hand in hand.
Reardon did not acknowledge reporters’ questions except to say he had no comment.
Organized labor has typically been among Reardon’s largest political supporters, but the biggest union representing county employees said that the county executive’s troubles have made it difficult for members to work.
“You can notice the distraction when you’re doing the type of thing that our organization does, which is represent the employees,” said Chris Dugovich, president of Council 2, the AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) affiliate that represents about half of the county’s union employees.
Dugovich said their members continued to do their jobs, regardless.
“They’re pros, they’re doing the same jobs that they’ve always done, even though the past few years have been difficult because of the economy. Those have been exacerbated by the public records requests, which have been coming allegedly from the executive’s office,” he said.
Some union members were targeted by the records requests. Other county employees spent hours pulling documents together.
Quartet of Changes Will Evolve Over the Next 18 Months
Tulalip, Washington — Tulalip Resort Casino and Spa will soon be offering an array of new dining options as diverse as the property itself. Over the next 18 months, the food and beverage landscape will evolve with the arrival of an Asian concept, a sports bar, lobby bar, and a new steakhouse menu at Tulalip Bay restaurant.
This June, the four-star property will introduce a new, yet-to-be-named restaurant featuring time honored traditional Asian recipes alongside modern Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Thai favorites. This will be a Far East immersion course; a celebration of Asian culture. Featuring dishes such as fresh house-made noodles, rice, wok-fired items, hand-made dim sum, sushi, Pho and tempuras, the menu’s bold flavors and rich textures will come together in synergy.
The design will incorporate the use of wood, metal and glass elements creating a harmonious blend of Tulalip and Asian décor. In keeping with the Native American Potlatch tradition, as well as the Asian custom of family-style dining, the menu is the blueprint for individual or group dining. The bar will feature handcrafted cocktails, a large sake selection, and wine offerings from the Resort’s award-winning list.
About Tulalip Resort Casino
Award winning Tulalip Resort Casino is the most distinctive gaming, dining, meeting, entertainment and shopping destination in Washington State. The AAA Four Diamond resort’s world class amenities have ensured its place on the Condé Nast Traveler Gold and Traveler Top 100 Resorts lists, as well as Preferred Hotel & Resorts membership. The property includes 192,000 square feet of gaming excitement; a luxury hotel featuring 370 guest rooms and suites; 30,000 square feet of premier meeting, convention and wedding space; the full-service T Spa; and 6 dining venues, including the AAA Four Diamond Tulalip Bay Restaurant. It also showcases the intimate Canoes Cabaret; a 3,000-seat amphitheater. Nearby, find the Hibulb Cultural Center and Natural History Preserve, Cabela’s; and Seattle Premium Outlets, featuring more than 110 name brand retail discount shops. The Resort Casino is conveniently located between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. just off Interstate-5 at exit 200. It is an enterprise of the Tulalip Tribes. For reservations please call (866) 716-7162.
Call out to community! Indigenous people, Two Spirits-Idle No More-Allies & everyone concerned about respect for the Earth and the rights of Native people and women. Hosted by Gabriel Teodoros & Storme Webber, this will be a community sharing of conversation & culture.
Elders and children are especially welcomed, as are those Native people who have been sharing at teach-ins and gatherings here in the Seattle area. Allies are welcome!
Community is invited to share songs, poems, words or any creative expressions~
We invite you to bring something for the potluck so we can share a meal &/or snacks.
Admission is free.
Any questions: write us at voicesrising@gmail.com
From the Idle No More website:
“INM has and will continue to help build sovereignty & resurgence of nationhood
INM will continue to pressure government and industry to protect the environment
INM will continue to build allies in order to reframe the nation to nation relationship, this will be done by including grassroots perspectives, issues and concerns”
TULALIP, Wash.- “I never want to look at my granddaughter and say, sorry, there’s a one in three chance that you’ll be raped, sweetie,” exclaimed Theresa Pouley during the Lifting Our Sisters Up event held at the Hibulb Cultural Center on Feb 13th. Theresa Pouley is Chief Judge at Tulalip Tribal Court and a Colville tribal member; she was selected as one of the four witnesses asked to speak at the event.
It’s a shocking statistic when you realize it and if you turn to count the number of women in your own family; one in three of these women may have reported some type of sexual violence. Keep in mind though, 54 percent of sexual assaults are not reported to police. Until a remedial solution is found, Native woman will remain unprotected through current laws.
For Native women that are victims forging their way to become survivors, it is an uphill battle with the current laws in place today. The current ruling comes from a 1978 United States Supreme Court case, Oliphant v. Suquamish. The Supreme Court sided with Oliphant, stating that Indian Tribal courts do not have inherent criminal jurisdiction to try and convict non-Indians. The ruling ultimately left a loophole for offenders in which violence involving a non-Indian and an Indian on tribal land will result in the case being moved to federal court and since many cases don’t make it that far, and are unable to be prosecuted in tribal court offenders are able to walk free.
At the Lifting Our Sisters Up event Native woman gathered to share the painful truth of the peril that Native American woman are facing. Tulalip Vice Chairwoman, Deborah Parker opened the event by speaking encouraging words, “Today we are hoping to lift each other up, as sisters, as mothers, as aunties. Hopefully the words that are said here today will help you with your healing”.
The day of healing was filled with songs, prayers, and many tears. Women from Tulalip and surrounding tribes came forward to recount some of the most painful moments in their lives in order to break the silence and say, violence against Native women is more prevalent than you know, because it happened to them.
Tulalip Tribal member Carolyn Moses related memories of her youth growing up with domestic violence in her home life. She explained how her mother learned to be strong, and became a single mother who worked two jobs so that she could break the cycle of domestic violence and her children and her grandchildren would not have to endure it in their futures.
The Lifting our sisters Up event enabled women to speak out and tell the stories that are rarely shared in order to heal their spirit so that they may grow to be stronger women. The act of sharing personal hardships relieves some of the weight and to let go of the pain that can hold them down.
“Share your story, if someone can take what happened to you and use that. If someone is reaching out to you, help them, no matter if you get along with them or not,” urged witness and Tulalip tribal member Courtney Sheldon after recounting the injustices made against herself and her loved ones.
In order to overcome this hardship the laws in place need to change, whether it comes through VAWA or other means. Some may say they don’t understand the need for this type of rule adjustment and will even call it unconstitutional for non-Indians to be prosecuted in tribal courts. But, violations against Native women and some cases Native men need to be halted and the violators need to be held accountable for the life they ruin. What chance does a culture have to thrive when it is being torn down?
“We [Native Women] are an endangered species and what will happen to our tribal nations?” argued witness Cheryl Coan; who is from the Dine’ Nation and works at Tulalip’s Legacy of Healing.
To help spread the truth Canal Plus was invited to document these stories. Canal Plus, a French premium pay television channel that airs throughout Europe is similar to HBO in the U.S. Featured among many television selections, short documentary segments which focus on stories that are seldom told. Intrigued by the situation, Canal Plus traveled to Tulalip in order to document the stories of Native American women and the accounts of sexual assault and acts of violence which plague Indian Country.
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Squaxin Island Tribe, the Port of Olympia, the South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group (SPSSEG), and private landowners are joining together to clear toxic derelict pilings and other structures from much of the southern end of Budd Inlet in Olympia.
The work, which is funded by the 2012 Jobs Now Act, begins this week and continues through March 14. The project is expected to cost roughly $278,000.
The Squaxin Island Tribe’s involvement in the project began when they received three acres of tideland as a donation from a family estate. The tidelands included 224 pilings from a former industrial site.
“We saw this as an opportunity to restore these tidelands by taking out the pilings that are leaching pollutants into Budd Inlet,” said Andy Whitener, Natural Resources Director for the tribe. “There is a lot of work to be done in Budd Inlet to restore its ecological function. Getting these pilings out of here is a great start.”
By mid-March some 400 derelict pilings and 7,000 square-feet of abandoned docks and piers that represented the last reminders of a lower Budd Inlet shoreline once lined with lumber and plywood mills will be removed and shipped to the Roosevelt Landfill in Klickitat County.
It marks the latest step in a slow but steady transformation of West Bay Drive in Olympia from an industrial corridor to a collection of parks, office buildings and shoreline property undergoing hazardous waste cleanup and redevelopment.
The piling and dock removal project stretches across 1.2 miles of shoreline in lower Budd Inlet. It is spearheaded by the state Department of Natural Resources and also features four properties owned by the Port of Olympia, West Bay Reliable, the Delta Illahee Limited Partnership and the Squaxin Island Tribe.
EVERETT — While a federal study recently gave an environmental OK to the Snohomish County Public Utility District’s plan to try out two tidal power turbines, some don’t agree with the conclusion.
Three Indian tribes, a cable company and a cable trade group all sent letters last week to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission opposing the Admiralty Inlet project as it’s proposed.
The tribes, including the Tulalips, say the turbines could interfere with fishing. The cable interests believe the project could damage trans-Pacific cables that run through the inlet.
The letters were sent to meet Thursday’s deadline for commenting on the federal environmental study.
The tribes and others expressed concern earlier in the process as well, but the 215-page draft report concluded that the turbines pose no threat to the cables, wildlife habitat or fishing.
Officials with the PUD have seen the latest responses, said Jeff Kallstrom, an attorney for the utility.
“We’re still looking them over in detail. I don’t think anything that’s said is something that hasn’t been said before,” he said.
A final environmental study could be written this spring or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission could simply reference the comments in either issuing or denying a license for the $20 million project, Kallstrom said. Either way, he expects a decision this summer, he said.
The first draft of the study concluded the turbines would not interfere with tribal fishing in part because “the size of the project would be very small relative to the fishing area. There is no current use of the project site as a commercial salmon fishery.”
The Tulalip Tribes, the Suquamish Tribe and the Point No Point Treaty Council, representing the Port Gamble and Jamestown S’Klallam tribes, each sent letters disputing the report’s conclusions.
“Development of this project would force the state and tribe to close this area for all types of fishing due to the safety hazards of fishing gear or anchor lines getting caught in the turbines,” wrote Daryl Williams, environmental liaison for the Tulalip Tribes, in a 35-page letter to the federal agency.
In the PUD’s project, the turbines would be placed in a flat area 200 feet underwater. Each circular turbine resembles a giant fan, sitting about 65 feet high on a triangular platform with dimensions of about 100 feet by 85 feet. The turbines are made by OpenHydro of Ireland.
The turbines would be placed about 575 and 770 feet from fiber-optic cables owned by Pacific Crossing of Danville, Calif. The cables extend a total of more than 13,000 miles in a loop from Harbour Pointe in Mukilteo to Ajigaura and Shima, Japan, and Grover Beach, Calif.
The proposed distances from the turbines to the cables “significantly depart from industry standards,” said Robert Wargo, president of the cable association, in his letter to the federal agency.
Kurt Johnson, chief financial officer for Pacific Crossing, has said the company is concerned that the cables could be damaged by the placement of the 350-ton turbines or by anchors from boats in the area, he said.
Officials with the PUD earlier submitted to the federal agency a list of precautions that crews would take when operating near the turbines. The most important of these is that boats would stay running when in the area to eliminate the need for dropping an anchor, according to Craig Collar, senior manager for energy resource development for the PUD.
For placing the turbines, OpenHydro officials have told those at the PUD they can get them within 10 feet of their target locations, Collar said.
At peak output, the turbines are expected to generate 600 kilowatts between them, enough to power 450 homes, PUD spokesman Neil Neroutsos said. Most of the time the output will be less, officials said. They emphasized that this would be only a demonstration project intended to determine whether more turbines could be effective in the future.
The project is expected to cost $20 million to $25 million. The PUD has received nearly half that amount in a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Marysville Family YMCA Board honors Tulalip Tribes Board Member Don Hatch with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
By Kim Kalliber, Tulalip News staff
MARYSVILLE, Wash.- Tulalip Tribal Board Member Don Hatch Jr. was described as “being the bridge” between the Tulalip and Marysville communities during a ceremony in which the Marysville Family YMCA honored Hatch with a Lifetime Achievement Award on February 19th.
This sentiment was echoed by attending YMCA board members and representatives of the Marysville School District.
“When we first thought about building the Y, Don was on board. His favorite expression over the years has been, ‘it’s all about the kids,’ said Anthony Roon, YMCA board member.
Anthony went on to say that three words he uses to describe Don are respect, compassion and reasonable. “I like to see our country have such a good example of collaborative work. He is someone who has community in his soul. He always has the betterment of the community in his heart. That’s why we want to make Don a permanent member of our Board.”
Hatch, an original member of the 10th Street YMCA, reminisced about his early years. “In 1971 we got the Board together. It was really tremendous. There were about seven of us, and that was the start of everything.”
Over the years, Hatch has watched the YMCA grow into the thriving institution it is today, and was grateful to receive the award. “I feel really welcomed here and I feel great with this [award].”
Sheryl Fryberg, Tulalip Tribes General Manager and Ray Fryberg, Executive Director of Cultural & Natural Resources, said a prayer and sang a song in Hatch’s honor. “Let’s make it happen for the kids, is what Don always says. I lift up my hands to Don for all the good work that he’s done,” said Sheryl.
Sean King, YMCA board chairman and Mary Bredereck, YMCA associate executive, presented Hatch with a jacket and plaque, featuring the thumbprints of young YMCA members, in recognition of his many years serving the community.
