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Life of the Salmon cemented on UW campus

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

In constructing a brand new building as part of a Foster School of Business expansion, the University of Washington sought to honor its commitment to respect the Coast Salish lands upon which the school resides. The planning committee was tasked with seeking art installations reflective of the thriving Native culture found on the reservations of present-day tribes of Western Washington.

The privately funded 85,000-square-foot building is now known as Founders Hall and debuted to much excitement among University staff, students and several guests of honor to kick off the 2022-2023 academic year.

According to Foster Business Magazine, the facility is a model of sustainable construction, collaborative learning and community building. A cathedral of collaboration. An incubator of innovation, an accelerator of ideas, a convergence of team projects, case solutions and business plans. It is a forum, a gathering spot, a hangout. A place to learn, express, engage, brainstorm, formulate, ideate, implement, celebrate. A place to honor the past and create the future.

Quite the description, right? Intentionally built upon bedrock principles of sustainability and collaboration is the key take-away here. Because imbedded within the bedrock of Founders Hall is an unmistakable essence of Tulalip.

Tulalip master carver and contemporary sculptor, James Madison, sitting with tribal youth in Founders Hall.

Dubbed “Life of the Salmon”, Tulalip artist James Madison traces the epic upstream run of sacred king, sockeye, silver, humpy and chum. In the form of polished bronze cases embedded into concrete floor, the fish grow and mature as they swim from the ground floor to the 5^th floor Founders Gallery.

Known largely as a master carver who specializes in creating stunning, one-of-a-kind pieces of art from cedar wood, James is far from an amateur when it comes to working with metal. In fact, a large part of his education that earned him a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from UW in 2000 was bronze casting.

“In discussing idea concepts with the planning committee, it was clear they and the Dean wanted to pay respect to the local tribes of this area, and wanted to combine that respect with a core teaching we have to protect the salmon,” explained James. “It only made sense then that creating bronze salmon in the actual concrete of the building would serve as an irremovable reminder that our people are here and we will always be here.

“For me, this kind of work is all about keeping our culture alive,” he added. Commemorating the opening of UW’s latest building and the cultural artwork within, the hundreds of college students in attendance stood respectfully as a group of Tulalip culture bearers offered traditional song. “UW honored not just my art, but our people, our traditions and our protocols by giving us space to share our songs. It meant a lot to hear those drums and those words shared by proud Tulalip youth who aren’t afraid to get up in front of hundreds of strangers and share their culture.”

Younger generations of Native students who visit Seattle’s prestigious UW campus and spot the bronzed salmon may feel a part of their spirit soar and even begin to ponder life as a Husky. Such was the experience shared by 13-year-old Kyla Fryberg after taking part in the opening ceremony.

“I do dream of being a UW student one day,” said the ribbon skirt wearing 8^th grader. “When I grow up, I want to be a veterinarian. I know education plays an important role in the veterinary field, and where better to attend college than here, especially knowing it’s important to the school to acknowledge Native Americans. I have people in my family who are fishermen, and I hear them say we are the salmon people. Seeing this salmon art all over the building means we are connected here and maybe gets more people to understand just how important the salmon are to all of us.”

Frank Hodge serves as the Dean of the Foster School of Business and led the building’s opening celebration. He boasted how on a campus with predominantly stone buildings, one of the most impressive facts about Founders Hall is that the shell of the building is entirely mass timber, sourced sustainable from managed forests. Resulting in the greenest building at the UW by achieving a 76% reduction in carbon emissions and using 70% less energy to operate in comparison to facilities of equal size built with conventional methods.

“The purpose of the Foster School is to bring communities together to better humanity through business,” said Dean Hodge. “Founders Hall, with its connections to the Pacific Northwest forest products industry, its Native art, its significantly reduced carbon footprint and its intentional design fostering community and collaboration, is an example of how we are living our purpose as a forward-thinking business school.”

To honor the heritage of the land on which it stands, UW’s Founders Hall is a showcase for original Native artwork representing modern Coast Salish styles. The University commissioned installations by two prominent local Native artists, Tulalip’s own James Madison and Puyallup tribal member Shaun Peterson.

Commemorating the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

The scenic town of Mukilteo is home to the new Washington State ferry terminal and whether rain or shine, the views of Possession Sound, which the ferries travel, are quite captivating. During a quick walk around the ferry terminal, one can take in all the beautiful artwork, traditional language, and rich history of the original people of this land. As the signage indicates, that particular area of the Washington State ferry terminal is where close to 5,000 Salish People met with US government officials to negotiate the terms of the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott.

“This land is so important to us,” expressed Tulalip Chairwoman Teri Gobin while at a recent gathering at Mukilteo. “It’s where our ancestors had longhouses. We signed the Point Elliott Treaty here. All of our tribes used these waterways like our freeways to go from one place to another, and we have many relatives at all these different tribes. Our people met here together, and all agreed to sign the treaty. By ceding that land, from the water to the mountains, they guaranteed us our treaty rights for future generations. I’m so glad that our ancestors thought about that when they did that, because they were trying to protect our tribes.”

On January 21^st, many tribal members from across the Puget Sound region, including Tulalip, Swinomish, and Lummi, will be taking time to commemorate the signing of the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott in an annual tradition known as Treaty Days. This year marks 168 years since the treaty was signed and 111 years since William Shelton organized the first potlatch under the guise of celebrating the treaty.

Through Treaty Days, William Shelton preserved his culture during the era of boarding schools and assimilation efforts. Following the burning of longhouses and the relocation of tribes, William convinced the Tulalip Superintendent and the U.S. Secretary of Interior to allow the construction of a longhouse on the shore of Tulalip Bay, where the descendants of the signatories of the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott could gather and celebrate the treaty once a year.

“It’s spiritual healing,” explained Tribal member, Celum Hatch. “When I go, it’s because of the strength of everybody’s songs. The strength within those four walls gets me through the next couple of months. When I go in there I go with a good head, because I know what I’m going in with, I’m not walking out with. I go for healing, and I go to help everyone else and support them.”

Treaty Days is an event that tribal members across the region look forward to attending every year. Although the original longhouse, which William Shelton convinced the government to build, was replaced in the sixties, people continue to meet at the historical location every January for the commemoration of the treaty. Within the walls of the longhouse, innumerable teachings of the culture and traditions are passed along and kept alive. Many of those songs, dances, spiritual practices, and stories made it through the passage of time and are still practiced 111 years later.

“Treaty Days is really important to me because all of us, as sduhubš people, come from that longhouse way of life. That’s just who we are,” expressed Tribal member, Roselle Fryberg. “That’s the way our ancestors prayed, that was their healing, that’s how they protected their families. And it was also a way for our people to celebrate our treaty at a time when practicing our culture was outlawed, and we were thrown in jail for singing and dancing.”

For a little historical background, the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott was signed by those tribal leaders with their future generations in mind. Altogether, the tribes ceded upwards of 5 million acres of their ancestral lands to the United States government for white settlement. That vast amount of land presently makes up Washington State’s King, Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties.

The treaty established current day reservations including the Tulalip, Port Madison, Swinomish and Lummi reservations. Through the signing of the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott, the US government acknowledged each tribe as a sovereign nation. And in exchange for ceding such large portions of their ancestral homelands, the tribes reserved the right to fish at usual and accustomed grounds and stations, as well as the right to hunt and gather on open and unclaimed lands.

Said Tulalip Elder, Virginia Carpenter, “The treaty is important to me because it gives us a permanent place to live and because it gives us all of our rights. If we didn’t have the treaty, we really wouldn’t have anything, they would’ve kicked us off of our land. It’s an umbrella for us to live safely and the way we want to live.”

Ever since the treaties were signed in the late 1800’s, tribal nations across America have worked diligently to protect and defend their treaty rights when the US government attempted to ignore or defy the supreme law of the land for its own agenda. Because of those rights that the tribal ancestors fought to include in the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott, each Tribe has grown and persevered over the years, with the ability to govern their own affairs while also continuing their traditional way of life.

If you wish to view the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott in its entirety, a copy is currently on display at the Hibulb Cultural Center as a part of their The Power of Words: A History of Tulalip Literacy exhibit. For further details including pricing and hours of operation, please contact the museum at (360) 716-2600 or visit their website, www.HibulbCulturalCenter.org.

This year’s Treaty Days Potlatch will be held at the Tulalip Longhouse on January 21^st. This event is intended for tribal members only. For more information, please refer to your tribal leadership or, if available, check out your Tribe’s tribal member-only Facebook group.

“Our treaties are everything as Native American people,” stated Tribal member, Josh Fryberg. “We need to protect our treaties as much as possible and thank our ancestors for fighting for what we have today. Without everything they suffered for, we wouldn’t have a lot of things we have today as far as our fishing and hunting rights, and also being Native American in general – to be able to sing our songs, carry our culture and preserve that for our future generations.”

Strengthening Tulalip sovereignty and building relationships in D.C.

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

The White House is pleased to announce the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit at the Department of the Interion in Washington, D.C.

Building on the 2021 Summit and the progress made to strengthen our Nation-to-Nation relationships and invest record levels of resources in Tribal communities, we look forward to hosting a robust and meaningful engagement with Tribal leaders on important issues facing Tribal communities. The Summit will feature new Administration announcements and efforts to implement key policy initiatives supporting Tribal communities.

The Biden-Harris Administration is deeply committed to honoring its trust and treaty responsibilities to federally recognized Tribes, and this Summit provides an opportunity for Tribal leaders to engage directly with officials in the highest levels of the Administration.

The preceding paragraphs were the opening sentiments expressed in a letter written on behalf of the White House to Tulalip Chairwoman Teri Gobin, inviting her to the Tribal Nations Summit held on November 30^th and December 1^st, 2022. She accepted the invitation, of course, and journeyed to the nation’s capital to represent her Tulalip people as best she could.

Much excitement came with this summit as it was the second one held by the Biden Administration, but, even more notably, it was the first one held in-person in six years. The exclusive guest list was reserved for one government representative per Tribe, which resulted in a truly once-in-a-life-time White House visit for the Tribal leaders who travelled from all across Indian Country to convene as sovereigns with the 46^th president of the United States, Joe Biden.

“To all the Tribal leaders: Thank you. Thank you for being here and for your partnership,” remarked President Biden during the summit’s opening session. “I made a commitment when I ran for President…that my administration would prioritize and respect nation-to-nation relationships. And I’m going to make sure that happens.

Deborah Parker, Chairwoman Gobin and senior attorney Lisa Koop in the nation’s capital.

“I hope our work in the past two years has demonstrated that we’re meeting that commitment. That’s why I re-launched this convening and elevated an event into a White House Tribal Nations Summit after the previous administration failed to convene any events, anything on this scale. On my watch, we’re ushering in a new era for the federal government to work with Tribal nations. And it starts by appointing Native Americans to lead the frontlines of my administration.

“Starting with Secretary Haaland, we’ve followed dozens of Senate-confirmed Native American officials, over 60 Native American appointees all across my administration, including in the federal court,” continued President Biden. “I restored the White House Council on Native American Affairs to improve interagency coordination and decision-making. Together, I emphasize the word together, my entire administration is advancing the economic agenda and making historic investments in Indian Country that are long overdue.”

The particular summit provided opportunities for Tribal leaders to engage with members of the Biden Administration in robust and meaningful discussions that are foundational to strengthening nation-to-nation relationships. By being able to convene in-person once again, the conversations were even more meaningful when issues facing Tribal communities were brought up, which they routinely were.

Chairwoman Gobin presented Secretary Deb Haaland with a beaded staff made by Tulalip artist Richard “2 Dogs” Muir.

This year’s summit included presentations from President Biden, Vice-President Kamala Harris, and Secretary Deb Haaland. It also included panel discussions with representatives from the Department of Education, Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, the White House Climate Policy Office, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Veterans Affairs, and more.

A definite highlight of Chairwoman Gobin’s summit was when she got to sit front and center on a panel dedicated to discussing Tribal strategies and priorities on the hot button issues of public safety and justice. Her fellow panelists were Chairman Peter Yucupicio (Pascua Yaqui Tribe), associate attorney general Vanita Gupta (United States), Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (Dept. of Homeland Security) and Secretary Deb Haaland (Dept. of Interior).

Specifically, Chairwoman Gobin was asked to speak on the importance of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and how it impacts her home reservation. “Tulalip was one of the first Tribal courts to exercise the special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction under VAWA 2013…we made 15 arrests in that first year. However, one of the things we noticed was that half of the incidents involving the non-Natives included crimes against our children, which weren’t covered by VAWA 2013,” she explained.

“We used this data and other data we had to show why it was so important to extend protections to Native American victims of sexual violence, stalking, trafficking, and child abuse,” added Chairwoman Gobin. “The VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022 was a huge win for public safety in our community, especially for our women and children. VAWA 2022 was a necessary second step. Now, we are looking to build upon that momentum and do more.”

Within Tribal communities, it is well known that public safety and justice are entangled in a complex web of Treaties, federal acts, state laws, and lots of Supreme Court decisions that conflict with each other. This entanglement creates an incredibly complex situation when it comes to Tribes protecting their own people from violence, and pursuing justice for their people who’ve been victimized by non-Native offenders.

However, recent mainstream spotlight and federal focus on these Native American social issues, such as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and the atrocities committed during the Boarding School Era, have amplified attention to the high rates of violence experienced over multiple generations. In these times, it’s become imperative for the movers and shakers of Washington, D.C. to actually engage with Tribal leaders in order to ask questions and seek valuable insight on realistic strategies that can foster long-term improvements to public safety.

In that regards, the White House Tribal Nations Summit was a huge success. Elected leadership and officials from Tribes from all across Indian Country were at the decision-making table, while D.C. lawmakers listened and learned. In that sovereignty affirming space, Tulalip’s voice was heard and its knowledge valued through the heartfelt messaged conveyed by Tulalip’s own Chairwoman.

Ryan’s REZ-ipes named King 5 ‘Best Food Truck 2022’

By Kalvin Valdillez; photos courtesy of Ryan Gobin.

It was nothing but love in the comment section of Ryan’s REZ-ipes’ most recent Facebook posts. While some fondly recollected about Ryan Gobin’s early beginnings inside the blue concession trailer in front of Tulalip Bay CrossFit gym, others listed their favorite dishes by one of the most in-demand food trucks and catering services in the Pacific Northwest. “I need me a shrimp n’ steak rice bowl,” said Magdelina Spencer. Jim and Rhenee Florian commented, “We were just there and had your nacho cheese smash burgers, kalbi burrito, fries and cinnamon sugary frybread. SO Good!”. And Melissa Peacock simply shared, “Those smash burgers… heaven!”

Among the hundreds of congratulatory comments, perhaps the most heartfelt came from some of Ryan’s fellow Tulalip community members who beamed with pride about his rise to fame in the food industry. Samantha Rose stated, “So great watching your growth! Great job Ryan!”. “Congratulations! It’s a blessing watching your journey. Keep growing your dreams,” encouraged Sunshine Jess. Elena Wilson, who also cooks on the 2022 Best Food Truck, shared, “Congratulations for all your hard work and dedication to loving the food you serve. [It] means a lot to everyone who shows up to the truck. You earned it, you the best.”

After years of service to his community as a Tulalip Police Officer, Ryan made the courageous decision to follow his lifetime passion in 2016 – a passion that was developed in his adolescent years and inspired by all the cooks within his very own family. After soaking up all the knowledge his family could offer in the art of cuisine, he began experimenting and creating his own recipes. Today, Ryan has thousands of devoted followers hailing from all across the country who love his unique and tasty dishes.

“I am forever grateful and deeply appreciative for all the support I’ve been given by my family and friends from our Tulalip community for supporting me in my food truck journey,” Ryan shared. “I was recently nominated by King 5 Evening News as the number one food truck in Western Washington. It’s a huge achievement for me, because I’ve worked very hard over the past five years to get where I am today, and I never let anything stop me.”

Now don’t get it twisted, Ryan’s food could easily speak for itself – it is that delicious. However, he has worked his ass off ever since he decided to start his culinary endeavor, not only in the kitchen but on the business end as well. Over the years he went from a local trailer to an upgraded sleek blue food truck that travels around western Washington serving up the likes of frybread, truffle fries, pulled pork sandwiches and tacos, the ever-popular smash burgers, shrimp bowls and a variety of weekly specials and experimental dishes. In addition to investing in a new truck and cultivating a strong following, Ryan has also expanded his services to include catering for large parties to enjoy his food. He has also worked numerous corporate events, baby showers, weddings, and other gatherings.

Said Ryan, “There have been many hurdles, failures, and lots of sacrifices over the years, but I kept pushing forward in a good way with passion and drive to show my kids and others that you can really do anything you put your mind to. The way I see it is this – if you give up because it gets difficult, it’ll never be a success. Never give up!”

The Tulalip chef and entrepreneur serves as an inspiration to many, and he is quick to share his success and guidance with those on the same career path. He humbly expressed, “To me, other food trucks or other food vendors are not my competition. We are all attempting to achieve the same goals – creating amazing foods and making others happy when they eat it, and also supporting our families at the same time. We should all support and help one another. Recently, I had the food truck at the Tulalip Amphitheater for the Lights and Ice Festival, that was such a beautifully set up event full of Tulalip tribal food vendors and everyone supported one another as a big family. That’s what it’s all about! It was all love and warmth together.”

To get an idea of how amazing it is to receive recognition from King 5’s Best in Western Washington Awards, Ryan joins the likes of PNW heavy hitters such as the best taco award winner, Taco Time, and the best burger award winner Dick’s Drive-In. If you have yet to experience the mouth-watering food at Ryan’s REZ-ipes, be sure to follow his Facebook and Instagram pages for the most up-to-date menu items and all the locations that they plan to visit.

After winning the Best Food Truck of 2022 award, Ryan took to Facebook and shared, “This just goes to show how far you can get when you have an amazing support system at home, have a great team through the years, and never give up! Cheers to many more years of progress and expansions!”

Congratulations to Ryan and the entire Ryan’s REZ-ipes crew. We are excited to see what’s next up on the menu for his tribal member-owned business.

A future for unhoused tribal members

By Shaelyn Smead, Tulalip News

On December 19, Tulalip Tribes hosted the ribbon cutting and blessing for the newly built extension of Village of Hope. The intimate community consists of 17 one- and two-bedroom tiny homes created as permanent residences for unhoused tribal members. Of the 17 tiny houses, seven residents moved in before Christmas, and the other ten are moving in this new year.

The Village of Hope’s extension project was created in 2018 and overseen by the Executive Director of tribal Services, Teri Nelson. It is the first permanent housing available for unhoused tribal members. Compared to the temporary transitional housing that Tulalip has, tenants can stay for as long as they need if they follow the community requirements and their case manager’s expectations.

Teri said, “I’ve been to many conferences and serve on Snohomish County Partnership to End Homelessness as the tribal government board member. Permanent housing has been proven to be more successful than transitional housing. They [residents] don’t have the stressor of the ticking clock, counting down to the moment when they have to move out. Whatever barriers they face, like credit issues, claiming an address, seeking employment, obtaining a driver’s license, etc., they have as much time as they need to accomplish it and better focus on their goals.”

The project was submitted to the Board of Directors in 2019, where they quickly approved the concept. The initiative was shaped more definitively after a stakeholder survey was sent out to community members in 2020. After seeing the high demand for shelters and concerns about chemical dependency, an examination of Snohomish County’s statistics for unhoused people was also taken into consideration. All these helped assess the number of homes needed and the specific needs the Village would strive to provide.

The parcel for the Village was chosen based on its proximity to Behavioral Health, medical care, child care, and other support services that the residents would utilize later on. After seeing the progress with tiny homes and pallet shelters for unhoused communities in various rural areas, it was decided that this would be the route for Village of Hope.

For a project initiated in 2018, the Village of Hope had obstacles to overcome. Due to various landscaping and covid-related complications, the project took much longer than anticipated. Tulalip’s primary source of income from the casinos took a hit during the pandemic, making the project’s financial status questionable. Inflation was starting to affect supply costs, and the demand for help increased. Ultimately after putting out bids in 2021, native-owned Reece Construction won and began to build. To help finance this project, the Village of Hope received funding from the Tulalip Foundation, the state Department of Commerce, and tribal government.

Covid-19 regulations during that time also affected the design and structure of the homes. The initial goal was to have a kitchen within the community building for tenants to use, but with extremely limited gatherings allowed, the plan no longer seemed feasible. The designs for the homes were quickly changed to include kitchenettes for each home.

In the hopes of Covid-19 lifting, the Village of Hope built a community building where tenants can gather, do their laundry, utilize the computer work center, partake in cultural practices, and break bread.

In addition, the Village of Hope wanted its tenants to start on the right foot. The units were set to be fully furnished and include household items like pots, pans, bedding, dinnerware, etc. Each tenant has access to tribal resources, such as medical care, behavioral health care, employment training, counseling services, cultural services, education, vocational training, and more.

The Village had approximately 27 applicants, but the 17 residents chosen were based on the severity of their situations. Each tenant was also designated a case manager to help them set and achieve their goals, ensure they’re following community guidelines, and set them up for success. As each tenant’s case is unique, so are specific requirements.

Teri said that the potential tenants worked closely with tribal staff to help create the community guidelines. “We wanted to create a sense of agency. They’re the ones that are going to have to work at it every day, and if they don’t feel like they have a voice in it, then it might make accomplishing their goals more difficult. We wanted to empower them to build their community and support each other,” She said.

Overall, to apply for the Village’s permanent housing and maintain their residency, they must obey the curfew, the tenants must remain sober, they must meet a specific financial status, have an enrolled tribal member living within the unit, and have zero history of sexual crimes/offenses.

With an understanding of the demand to help tribal homelessness, plans are already being set to build additional housing and accommodate tribal members struggling.

Board Secretary Debra Posey was at the ribbon cutting and spoke fondly about the efforts made toward the Village. “This is what a tribe does. A tribe is about its people and the well-being of its members, and I’m grateful that our people have this opportunity to get out of the cold and start something new. My hands go up to the people who made this possible and the people moving in and beginning their journey. May they finally have some comfort,” Deborah said.

As the moving day came for some tenants, they were overjoyed and overwhelmed with emotion, with some even comparing the experience to the television show Extreme Makeover. Teri noted, “The world is changing so quickly, and some people could be only two paychecks away from losing their home. And that is exactly what happened to some of these people. Homelessness isn’t an identity, it’s people that are experiencing homelessness.”

If you or someone you know require tribal transitional housing, don’t hesitate to get in touch with dparks@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov to see if you qualify.

Festival of Trees raises a record $1.6 million for Providence Children’s Services

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Extravagantly festive Christmas trees and wreaths adorned the Orca Ballroom at the Tulalip Resort Casino during the 37^th annual Festival of Trees. The multi-day holiday fundraiser kicked off November 3^rd with a free community day and teddy bear celebration. Opportunities to give generously via an online auction accompanied the much anticipated, excitement-filled Holiday Gala and Live Auction held in-person on December 2^nd.

Each year, thousands of community members take part in the Festival of Trees – including volunteers, sponsors, and attendees – to raise funds for Children’s Services at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett. For more than three decades, Providence Children’s Center has been providing comprehensive, family-oriented care and highly specialized therapies; such as physical, occupational, speech and feeding therapy for children with a wide variety of special needs.

“Knowing this is one of the largest charitable events for Snohomish County, it is appropriate for us to host and participate with good will and sharing the opportunity to help all children in need,” explained Marilyn Sheldon, manager of Tulalip Tribes Charitable Fund, on the importance of hosting the Festival and being the presenting sponsor. “We recognize that over 50% of Tulalip’s population is 0-24 years of age and Providence is our local hospital for care most tribal members use for emergency situations and other needs. Also, this event brings many people to our facilities for the week and encourages them to come back and host their own business/charity event at our venue.”

A highlight of the holiday season, the Festival of Trees provides opportunities for local families and organizations to make a significant contribution to benefit their community neighbors. Not to mention the festive, memory making opportunities for those seeking a post-Covid experience in a heart-warming atmosphere. Whether it’s a decadent black-tie gala or afternoon with cookies and Santa, the Festival’s variety of events offer holiday cheer for all.

The tremendously decorated Christmas trees won’t soon be forgotten as their specialized themes like ‘Gnomes for the Holidays’ and ‘Walking in a Winter Wonderland’ to ‘Baby’s First Christmas’ and ‘Reindeer Games’ capture the imagination.

During an elegant gala, the dazzling Christmas trees and wreaths were sold to the highest bidders during a frenetic live auction that saw auctioneer Mark Schenfeld’s contagious energy get table after table to lift bidding paddles. Of course, all proceeds raised at Festival of Trees goes directly to Providence to aid, invest in, and expand programs and infrastructure related to Children’s Services.

The Children’s Services Fund is designed to provide a full spectrum of support for services that benefit children at Providence. Funding supports programs and services such as Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Children’s Center, Boyden Family Autism Center, and Camp Prov, a summer camp for children with special needs. Several of the trees lining the Orca Ballroom were reserved to be put on display throughout the Children’s Center as a special treat for hospitalized kids this holiday season.

“For nearly four decades, funds raised from this annual event have touched countless lives and spanned generations,” stated Festival Chairs, Tom and Kiersti Lane. “Tonight, while we are all celebrating and reigniting Festival traditions, let us pause to reflect and remember the reason we are all here. Your gift tonight will help provide health, hope and happiness for the babies and children in our community who need it most.”

Because of the great generosity of various donors, sponsors and an estimated 530 gala attendees, this year’s Festival of Trees raised a record-breaking $1.6 million. This enormous amount of financial support allows Providence to continue growing and expanding specialized therapies, equipment and educational classes that make miracles happen for children and families every day.

In attendance at the history making fundraiser were two first time Tulalip attendees, Vanessa Flores and Amaya Hernandez.

“It was nice to dress up and wear my fancy Air Force Ones,” shared 14-year-old Amaya. “I had a lot of fun being here and listening to all the conversations. I think it’s important for us to host events like this because our Resort is really nice and it’s good for people not from here to see just how nice it is.”

“It’s so important for Tulalip Tribes to give back to the greater community and local charities,” added Vanessa, Quil Ceda Village operations manager. “Providence could host their Festival anywhere, but they choose Tulalip because it’s centrally located in Snohomish County and guarantees a great, friendly staffed event that everyone can feel safe at. Everyone was so kind and giving for a cause close to all our hearts. This is probably the best event I’ve ever attended at our Resort.”

For two decades now, Tulalip has been an important partner to Providence in the Northwest Washington Region by helping provide critical funding and support needed to care for the health of our growing community. Contributions made by Tulalip to Providence General Foundation since 2002 have totaled close to one million dollars. For their dedication to the Festival of Trees, the Tulalip Tribes were honored with the Spirit of Festival Award during 2018’s Festival.

“The lives of thousands of children, that includes Tulalip tribal children, will be helped thanks to the generosity received from the Festival of Trees fundraising efforts,” said Board of Director Mel Sheldon, seventeen-year member of the Providence General Foundation. “We are very fortunate to have a relationship with Providence Medical Center and to support such an amazing opportunity that really looks at the bigger picture. We all want to do our part to create a sustainable and healthy community.”

One of Snohomish County’s largest and most well attended holiday events, the Festival of Trees has been a beloved community tradition for 37 years. The annual outpouring of community spirit, combined with such a magical setting, delivers a wonderful event that unites so many during the holiday season.

Indigenous café opens in Seattle

By Shaelyn Smead, Tulalip News

On November 29, the ?ál?al Café by Chief Seattle Club (CSC) opened in the heart of Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood. Unlike the other 300+ cafes in Seattle, ?ál?al Café disrupts this metropolitan lifestyle by reclaiming and reintroducing traditional Indigenous foods in a modern café setting. CSC’s ideologies and the basis of their work are to uplift our culture across North America and support unhoused Natives in Seattle.

In addition to the Café’s full espresso bar, ?ál?al offers quick-serve cuisine highlighting Indigenous ingredients from all over North America. The café strives to use elements that predate colonial descent, including Great Plains’ bison, the Southwest’s Three Sisters, the Northwest’s salmon, etc. These Indigenous foods have been carefully procured by selected indigenous-owned companies and suppliers across the continent. Some ingredients and food products were displayed and available for purchase, along with Indigenous-made cookbooks for customers to take home and try for themselves.

So often in the modern world, we see restaurants, cafés, grocery stores, and markets covering various cultures, yet Indigenous culture is still often overlooked and ignored. But as many cultures across the US proclaim, representation matters.

The café manager Anthony Johnson agreed, saying, “We want to decolonize the food industry. You look at areas like Chinatown and see a massive district full of vibrant culture and community. We believe that as this land’s first peoples, we should be no different. It is important to have representation and for our people to be seen. We want Native folks to come in, feel like they control themselves, and can call this place a home.”

Along with consuming delicious foods and drinks at their live edge spruce-made tables, patrons also enjoyed the handcrafted and curated Indigenous artworks displayed all over the café. The art is also set to change seasonally throughout the year and feature different artists. Shown on the center wall of the café is a 3-D mural collage of Chief Seattle, an eagle, Mt. Rainier, a canoe, basketry, salmon, etc. Additionally, on the street-facing windows, a display of translucent salmon artwork is visible for bypassers to see.

In the background, customers will hear singing, drums, and various Indigenous music. With this idyllic atmosphere, decolonization expands from food and drink to Indigenous conversations, artwork, and spaces. Their website says, “Connection to traditional dishes goes beyond taste and conversations around the dinner table. Food connects us to our culture; to our Indigenous roots and identity.”

Anthony also spoke about how the storefront acts as a bridge from Native communities to the public, “It opens up a broader conversation for people. If they see some characters, glottal stops, or linguistics marks from our language that they don’t understand or don’t know how to pronounce, it opens up new discussions. People will become more curious about the language of the Puget Sound, how we speak it, and what it means.”

The name ‘?ál?al’ derives from the Lushootseed language that is Native to this land, and the definition of it means ‘home.’ Currently, the café employs an entire Indigenous staff with a few job openings still available. ?ál?al Café is located on the ground floor of their landmark Native urban permanent housing complex that CSC constructed with 80 units in January earlier this year. The residence provides housing for struggling Native Americans to find connections and stability. According to CSC, in 2022, Native Americans face the highest poverty rate than any racial group in King County, with over 15% of the homeless community being American Indian or Alaskan Native.

Being involved with CSC for over 12 years, Anthony said, “A vast majority of Seattleites ignore or turn a blind eye to the housing security crisis. But we want our communities to take action. This is just one of the ways to help. Come in, have a cup of coffee, and think deeply about the issues that the city and our people are facing.”

100% of the Café’s net profit will go back into the 501(c)(3) organization and support the work for unhoused Native people. Private donations are a significant source for the non-profit; they always look for donors and people to get involved. You can visit ?ál?al Café at 122 2^nd Ave S. Seattle, WA 98104, Tuesday-Friday from 6:30 AM – 2:30 PM. For more information, please visit their website at: www.alalcafe.org.

Quil Ceda Village presents ‘Lights & Ice’

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Millions of dazzling Christmas lights make Quil Ceda Village (QCV) impossible to miss for an endless number of passers-by driving along I-5 this holiday season. The beautiful illuminations, which span the entire color spectrum, provide a timely electric décor wrapping towering trees and ground level shrubbery at the Tulalip Resort Casino, Tulalip Bingo and Tulalip Amphitheatre properties.

“This is years is in the making,” explained QCV general manager Martin Napeahi. “We’ve been thinking of different events we could have at our Tulalip Amphitheatre for families. Last year, we partnered with Blue Line Entertainment to sponsor a skating rink at the Everett waterfront. After seeing the success of that rink, we decided to bring it here to Quil Ceda Village.

“The atmosphere is electric. It brings added excitement for our customers at the outlet mall and guests at the casino to have another way to experience the holiday season,” continued Martin. “This Ice & Lights event is really geared towards our families and is a fun, festive experience for all to enjoy. Between the food vendors and craft vendors, this is an opportunity for our tribal entrepreneurs to make some extra cash. It’s a really great feeling to be able to bring this to our community and help boost the local economy.”

An additional boost of excitement invigorated the local community during the debut of an ice-skating rink at the amphitheater, located between the Resort Casino and Seattle Premium Outlets. Tulalip families and friends were afforded the privilege of first skate on the evening of November 21^st after a proper opening ceremony held by Tulalip and QCV leadership.

While some ventured around outside in search of the perfect family Christmas photo, others sought their first ever experience at ice skating. The enthusiastic naivety of Elementary-aged children rushing to put their skates on and hit the man-made glacier provided smiles, candid photo moments, and a laugh or two by elders seeing the kids quickly plunk to their butts on the ice.

Present to witness the ceremonial switching on of the lights was Patrick Walker of Gig Harbor, owner and operator of P. Walker Inc. who was contracted to install QCV’s electric atmosphere.

“Tulalip’s entire Quil Ceda Village display entails 3.1 Million lights. There’s two million at the casino, eight-hundred thousand in the amphitheater and another two-hundred thousand at the bingo hall,” said Patrick. “Timeline-wise, we started on October 3^rd and worked seven days a week up until November 22^nd. I’d estimate it was about six-thousand man hours in total from an average crew of 15-18 hardworking guys. We had nothing but good experiences working with the Tribe, and I can attest to the fact that in the entire state of Washington there’s not another light display bigger.”

Open to the public now until January 8^th, QCV’s ‘Lights & Ice’ is set to feature a variety of food vendors, craft vendors, weekend Dickens Carolers, and even cameos by Santa and Mrs. Clause. For more information and hours of specific festivities, please visit www.quilcedavillage.com

Ballin’ with a Braid

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

November is Native American Heritage Month. A time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures and traditions, and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. Heritage Month is also an opportune time to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and presently, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to overcome these challenges.

Most people should know Native peoples aren’t a monolith. That is to say each of the 574 federally recognized tribes is unique, each with their own set of traditional teachings stemming from treaty rights, connection to regional lands and resources, and level of economic freedom to express tribal sovereignty.

Encompassing each tribe is a beautiful diaspora of tribal citizens who live their lives expressing their own sense of personal identity according to a unique set of cultural values, whether that be traditional or contemporary or some combination of both. For young Tulalip phenom Charlie Contraro, the answer may be both or, better yet, simply something as unique as she is.

For starters, Charlie isn’t just a girl who plays basketball. She’s a hooper. Meaning she has the offensive range to shoot a deep 3-ball just as easily as she could beat her defender off the dribble and score a lay-up. And defensively she’s even better. Willing to dive on the deck for a loose ball, defend her opponent’s best or biggest player, and really, like for real, really looks forward to someone attempting a shot within her vicinity so she can swat that thing outta there like Dikembe Mutombo.

“I’d rather have a game saving block than a game winning shot,” said the defensive minded Charlie as she detailed her October basketball tournament in New York. “Because when my team is up or we’re already winning, then I can really get after it [defensively] and get lots of blocks. Yeah, I like blocks instead of shots for sure. I got lots of blocks in New York. So many that my mom started calling me Charlie Mutumbo.”

Measuring in at 4-foot-11-inches, Charlie is typically one of the tallest girls on the court when she’s playing within her own age group. That level of verticality, plus her swift movement, allows her to soar through the air in pursuit of her coveted blocked shots. However, the recently turned 10-year-old often plays multiple years up against competition older and more physically mature. It’s a welcomed challenge that gives Charlie plenty of opportunity to play her favorite position – point guard.

“Charlie’s been a baller since the womb,” said her mom Annie Jo Parish proudly. She’s well known as Miss A.J. from her years of teaching at Tulalip Montessori. “I played ball until I was at least six months pregnant with her. Then as a toddler she would watch from the sidelines as I coached her older sisters at the boys and girls club. She was at all their practices and at a certain point she started participating in their drills and conditioning exercises. So, really, Charlie has always been immersed in basketball culture, but she had to be patient and wait her time to play because, generally, competitive teams for girls don’t start until 4^th grade.”

Now, after years of watching and learning from her sisters, the Jackson Elementary 4^th grader has been unleashed to play to her heart’s desire on select level travelling teams. She’s also a regular on the Native tournament circuit, playing with older competition and against the boys.

No matter the competitive setting, whether it be on concrete or hardwood, Charlie is impossible to miss on the basketball court because of a Native asset she’s been growing her entire life, her hair.

Charlie’s near body length, beautiful black hair is a form of cultural expression naturally woven all the way back to her earliest ancestors. There are many teachings and practices that vary from tribe to tribe and generation to generation, but one that is near constant since time immemorial among all the tribes is the importance of hair to cultural identity. A Native American’s hair is considered sacred and significant to who they are as an individual, family, and community.

In many tribes, it is believed that a person’s long hair represents a strong cultural identity. For young people especially, a strong cultural identity promotes self-esteem, self-respect, a sense of belonging, and a healthy sense of pride. For Charlie, the constant chatter about her hair from teammates and competition is something she uses to elevate both her game and her culture. In fact, a few of the gyms she’s showcased her budding basketball talents at thus far, she’s been referenced as the baller with the braid.

“Some of the things I hear all the time on the court is ‘Wow, your hair is really long!’, ‘Can I have some of your hair?’, ‘Your braid is so big. I wish I had hair like that’ or even ‘You’re like Rapunzel except your hair is black’,” reflected Charlie with a huge smile. “It’s cool to get compliments about my hair from my teammates and people I’m playing against, too. My mom tells me all the time that my braid is my signature.”

How we as Native Americans relate to our hair is a constant reminder of our connection to our culture and a distinct worldview grounded in the sacredness of relationships. Braiding a child’s hair is the beginning of establishing an intimate and nurturing relationship. For Charlie, it’s her father Mike Contraro who braids her hair before basketball games and practices.

“It makes me so proud to watch her playing the game she loves, running up and down the court with her braid trailing behind her,” said Mike during an intermission between Charlie’s tournament games. “It’s funny, too, because if you watch her, Charlie has a habit of rubbing the end of her braid in between free throws or during timeouts. Almost like it’s a lucky charm.”

Sure enough, during Charlie’s next game she was spotted at the free throw line holding the end of her braid before she swished one in. Maybe its muscle memory from a lifelong relationship with her hair and her parents braiding it before sports, or maybe it’s a continuation of her family’s grounding practices they do during travel.

“When we travel, my older daughters and I practice grounding or what’s sometimes called Earthing,” explained momma bear A.J. “This is something Charlie does, too. We’ll go barefoot in a safe space and take time to ground, reflect and reconnect with the Earth. The intention is to allow the Earth’s positive charges to enter through our feet and reconnect our bodies to our natural world.”

The inspiring 10-year-old hooper and her family have recently returned from a Nike Phenom camp in the sunshine state. Charlie’s mom shared that shortly after landing in California they went on a hike near the Golden Gate Bridge, where they were able to take in the iconic view while grounding themselves.

Her stellar play in California resulted scoring high in all her player evaluations and an exclusive invitation to Phenom National Camp in 2023. Her parents’ dedication to their youngest child, from the countless miles driven to her practices along the I-5 corridor and east side near Issaquah to the hours in the gym rebounding tirelessly as their daughter shoots jump shots, continues to bolster Charlie’s love for the game. She looks forward to filling out her skill set and working on her step back 3-pointers like she sees her favorite Seattle Storm players, Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart, routinely hit on the game’s biggest stage.

“Charlie is a scorer, a defender and an extra point guard. And she can play big. She can pretty much do everything on the court,” said 5^th grade Nike coach Chris Nolen. Charlie plays a year up to play on Nike’s Tree of Hope team. “She’s been a huge addition for us. She’s a starter and gets a lot of minutes.

“Any time you have a player playing with older competition that means they have a huge competitive spirit. I can always count on Charlie to compete on both ends of the floor,” her coach continued. “Tree of Hope is an AAU type program and under the Nike banner. We are part of the national recognition level which is really competitive. We want to prepare our players for the next level, and we want to win. Charlie definitely helps us win.”

Winning comes in many forms. There’s the score of the game and the game of life. For Charlie, when asked what some of her favorite basketball memories are, she responded with the most whimsical tales from shooting in the wrong basket once to seeing huge flocks of pigeons while in New York.

However, ask her about being challenged in basketball by boys at her school and her tone changes dramatically. “Oh, they always want to challenge. Most of the time I’m the only girl they’ll pick to play with them, even though others will watch from the side. One time this boy who is a bully tried guarding me and I dribbled between my legs, crossed over and then between the legs again into a jab step…he went for the fake and fell to the ground. Then I made the basket. Everyone watching started cheering and saying things like ‘OHHH!’ That was a pretty cool.

“Some boys say girls can’t play basketball, but they’re wrong,” she added defiantly. “Just look at woman’s college basketball or the WNBA. Those are professional girls getting paid big bucks to play basketball. Hopefully, that’ll be me one day.”

Charlie dreams of playing for one of the biggest college programs after graduating high school in 2031 before moving onto the WNBA. Which WNBA team? The Seattle Storm of course. Her mom is also planting seeds through all the travel basketball that she could continue her ball is life dream in far off lands like Europe or even China where they have huge followings for professional women’s basketball.

Until that dream comes true, Charlie and her signature braid will continue to work on perfecting fundamentals, beating the boys whenever possible, and being a beacon of inspiration to her Native American peers.

Make Tulalip your shopping destination this holiday

By Shaelyn Smead, Tulalip News

The holiday and gift-giving season officially kicked off with the annual Native Bazaar, held November 11-13. The Tulalip community showed up in droves as various tribal vendors sold their handmade crafts, baked goods, and art pieces.

This year’s event was tied for the largest Bazaar Tulalip has had thus far, with over 50 vendors committed. The event also needed a new place to settle into as the vendor list expanded and their collections grew. Ultimately, event coordinator Tammy Taylor, moved the bazaar from the gym to the Gathering Hall.

“This year was so successful. We had so many great vendors, and many of them sold out. Many of our membership, customers, and non-Natives were also in awe of how beautiful the Gathering Hall is. There really is no other building like this close to us, it is our sacred spiritual home, and it feels so good to have shared the bazaar there,” Tammy said.

A highlight of Native bazaars is that you find highly sought-after cultural pieces like drums, rattles, dreamcatchers, beaded jewelry, ribbon skirts, cedar hats, etc. Items like these are sacred to our culture and community that you can’t find in a typical retail environment. Even though the event is open to all, it creates a safe place for Native artists to sell their handmade crafts and keep them within our community.

Specialty goods like salves, lemongrass soaps, and local berry baked goods represent our community’s desire to maintain our traditional ways while adapting to a modern world. Some vendors carried out this thinking style by turning dreamcatchers into crib mobiles, adding small cedar roses to store-bought home décor, transforming cedar dolls into Christmas tree toppers, or simply using acrylic and contemporary materials for their craft making.

Ultimately, curating these crafts, goods, and art stems from our traditional ways. As seen at many of the bazaar booths, these traditional art forms are usually multi-generational. They illustrate the ways of our people, passing down a skill and cultural practice from one generation to the next. Some of these pieces become less about the works themselves and more about the family teachings, cultural preservation, time spent together, and bonds built with our people. Elders and master artists hold a special place in our community because of their experience and expertise; learning from them, purchasing their work, and sharing this time with them helps build room for our culture in the future.

Tribal member and master weaver Lance Taylor has over 30 years of weaving experience. His work can be found all over the community at weaving workshops, but more importantly, within his home. Lance has shared this art form with his family to preserve weaving and as a part of his legacy.

“Weaving has been a part of my family for some time; my great-grandmother was a weaver and made baskets out of fern and cedar roots. I’m glad my family could pick it back up and pass it down to our grandchildren. That’s what it’s all about, passing it down to the next generation. There’s a sense of pride looking at our community wear our work,” Lance said.

Tribal member Ronnie McClellan was seen selling handcrafted star quilts at the bazaar but gave full credit to his aunt and her friends. Like many other tribal artists, they consider their work a family business. Ronnie’s aunt and friends spend their days making quilts, and Ronnie will sell them for them at bazaars and community events.

“My family used to buy her quilts as gifts for people. But I wanted to help more. It’s such beautiful work, and there’s a lot of medicine in them. You can feel all the prayer, love, and passion that my aunt and her friends have for their work through the blankets. In our culture, it’s an honor to be blanketed and receive this medicine. It’s humbling, and I feel honored to represent her lifelong work. I love seeing people’s smiling faces when they buy a quilt, and I know they will cherish it.”

If you missed November’s Native Bazaar, don’t fret, you can support these Native artists and more at the next Native Bazaar, December 9-11, at the Gathering Hall. The event will also expand for more tribal vendors to join, so if you have any questions, please call Tammy Taylor at 425-501-4141.