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Empowering our Native girls

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

“Every day I ask, what are your goals?” said Sasha Smith, Family Haven Project Coordinator, about her Girls Group. “And one day they asked in return, ‘OMG Sasha why are you always talking about goals?’ And I told them if you don’t have goals, you’re not thinking about your future. Your future can be tomorrow, six months, or a year away so you need to be setting little goals such as graduating or buying your first car while focusing on the bigger picture like your career, buying a house, do you want to get married? Do you want kids?”

Goal setting is just one of many life skills that the Girls Group, created by Tulalip Family Haven, practices every day

Girls Group, located next to the Tulalip Boys and Girls Club, is a year-round program designed specifically for Native American teen girls, ages 14-17, from the Tulalip Community. The group meets every week, Tuesday through Thursday, is free to join and transportation is provided. The group offers the girls a safe place to learn life skills, discuss important topics, and just be themselves. Not only that, Girls Group also gives them the necessary tools and resources for every situation the girls may face during those trying adolescent years.

Based on June LeMarr’s curriculum created for Native youth, Canoe Journey, Life’s Journey, Girls Group is customized for the girls in the program. Life skills are practiced daily and allow the girls the opportunity to learn a variety of new efficient techniques for cooking, budgeting, and being active in the community, transforming them into healthy successful leaders of tomorrow.

Who Am I? is a section at the beginning of LeMarr’s curriculum that covers the important topic of cultural awareness. This lesson reminds the girls of the history and values of Native Peoples. The group frequents culturally rich places around the community visiting elders, collecting trash from the beaches, and touring the Hibulb Cultural Center.

“Most of the girls hadn’t visited the museum yet, so it allowed us to revisit our history and to also talk about who we are as natives, women, and as a society in general,” stated Sasha.

Other life skills that Girls Group practices is the art of communication and the importance of your emotions. Effective communication equips the girls with skills in listening, expressing yourself and coping with negative moods. This skill teaches the girls how to overcome obstacles in relationships at school, work, and home in a positive way.

It was when studying communication that a group of girls, who weren’t particularly fond of each other, began to work on a problem solving poster board together. The poster board required the girls to work as a group and come up with alternatives to fighting, consequently teaching the girls about conflict resolution. Sasha states the girls expressed real life situations and feelings they were going through and the project resulted in the biggest lesson Girls Group has to offer, the importance of friendship.

“In the beginning we had booklets and PowerPoints, the girls weren’t really into it because it was like they were leaving school to come to school,” Sasha said in regards to the first year of Girls Group.

Eventually working out the kinks, Girls Group hit a stride and has been running smoothly ever since. By customizing the curriculum Sasha has attracted more girls to the program. The most noticeable and notable change being paperwork is no longer a requirement. Instead Sasha creates handouts daily and has open discussions with the girls, allowing them to speak honestly with a group that they feel safe talking to. This subtle change made it possible for the girls to build and experience trust with each other.

With the girls’ best interests at hand, the group helps its participants with both job and college prep. Sasha, having previous experience in the employment department, teaches the girls what to expect during an interview and why picking the right outfit is crucial to the interview process.

The group helps young native women create their own paths by offering them the opportunity to discover who they are through fun and inspiring activities. Arts and crafts, Pokémon Go, and outdoor field trips are a few of the many activities Girls Group has to offer.

Once a month the Girls Group hosts a family night, and the girls are encouraged to bring their families as well as their friends to show them projects they have been working on and share the memories created while at the program.

Other than countless activities the group has to offer, the program gives the girls the opportunity to travel to attend conferences. This past February two girls from the program had the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. to attend the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s Annual National Leadership Forum and Prevention Days, where attendees learned how to actively decrease the drug and alcohol usage within their communities. Another conference the group recently attended was an All Native Women Conference held in Chehalis.

Members of the Girls Group were also in attendance at Tulalip’s Annual Wellness Conference, where the youth of the community learned about native activism. “After that conference we were able to talk about activism, being a woman today versus ten to thirty years ago, and not depending on significant others to take care of you. It’s important for them to know they can succeed on their own,” stated Sasha.

One of the greatest things Sasha loves about her job is watching the process of evolution the girls go through. Most girls begin the program quiet and reserved until they become comfortable and start to come out of their shells.

The program consists of about twenty girls throughout the year, however, around half of the girls are involved in extracurricular activities such as sports and attend Girls Group whenever they have the opportunity to join in on the fun. As for the other ten girls, Sasha states they are present and ready to participate every night that Girls Group meets.

“The girls who aren’t interested sports, this is their team. They come here to learn, grow, and laugh with each other and they are still able to create that really close bond with each other.”

Topics that young girls in today’s society need to be aware of and know how to respond to when in particular situations such as bullying, depression, sexual harassment, domestic violence, and drug and alcohol abuse are discussed throughout the year.

Heading in the right direction, Girls Group is becoming a beloved program and is giving the Youth Center and the Boys and Girls Club some friendly competition. Although all three offer amazing programs, Girls Group provides a little something special with its customized curriculum, and the bond the girls created with the Family Haven team members is incredible.

Sasha reflected on the evolution of Girls Group stating, “I remember it used to be like pulling teeth. ‘Come on girls, you should come to group today we are doing this.’ And now three years into the program I get texts hours before group begins asking where I am, if I am still picking them up, and what are we doing today? Girls Group has come a long way. I remember it feeling like it was just a job, but now I love waking up in the morning to come to work to make a difference for these girls. This is for them; this is their home away from home.”

Contact Kalvin Valdillen at kvaldillez@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov

Colin Ivarra, Tulalip’s Chief for a Day

Article by Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

Photos by Tulalip police officer Joe Dyer

Helicopters, armored trucks, motorcycles, and multiple squad cars rolled into the city of Burien on August 18, 2016. All of these vehicles, some transporting precious cargo, were en route to the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center. Many passengers in the vehicles were police chiefs hailing from multiple jurisdictions in the state of Washington. The ‘precious cargo’ is in reference to whom those police chiefs were handing over their reigns and titles to: the little chiefs.

Witnessed by police officers, family and friends, law officials held a swearing-in for local children to the honorary role of police chief. Kids who have been diagnosed with chronic illness and life threatening medical conditions were celebrated for the strength, love, and inspiration they show daily to their communities in an event known as Chief for a Day.

Among the dozens of police departments in attendance was none other than the one that protects our community, the Tulalip Police Department (TPD). Chief Carlos Echevarria made the trip to Burien to transfer his authority to a twelve-year-old Tulalip tribal member, decked out in a TPD uniform, Colin Ivarra.

Full of excitement and always sporting a smile Colin has reminded the Tulalip community about the power of optimism. Colin, who is visually impaired, has already won a battle, a battle that most people with similar conditions to Colin often fight their entire lives.

Colin has conquered self-acceptance. A lot can be said about the little chief – all of it positive. Colin radiates so much positivity and good vibes because he never allows being blind to interfere with having fun, being a kid, and most importantly, his values.

Although he might not know it yet, family is one of the values that Colin, taught by his Auntie Sarah Ivarra, practices everyday. A close-knit family, perhaps a main contributing factor, is Colin’s key to success. Sarah and his entire family have stood by his side, supporting him every step of the way in his young life.

Sarah stated that Commander Kenn Johnson personally contacted Colin to recruit him for the Chief for a Day event. In preparation for the event, Colin completed an ‘About Me’ questionnaire and submitted it to the TPD.

The event included police demonstrations, pony rides, face painting, and carnival rides. The highlight of the event was the swearing in ceremony. Chief Echevarria and Commander Johnson presented Colin with an authentic TPD badge and array of gifts personalized for Colin based on his ‘About Me’ quiz. The gifts included an iPod, toys, movies, camping gear, and Colin’s favorite gift, a scooter.

“It was awesome! I was excited cause I got to talk and control a robot, I watched some people get tased, there was a robot boat, and free ice cream,” Colin exclaimed about his experience as little chief of Tulalip. “It was sooo cool, everyone is nice and the gifts are really cool.” His advice to future little chiefs is simply to have fun.

“It was just really nice to see [Colin’s experience] so personalized,” Said Sarah. “It is great to see him honored.

Sarah thanks the TPD, especially Chief Echevarria, Commander Johnson, and Officer Dyer for honoring Colin and accompanying him to the event.

“I really want to be Chief again in a couple years, when I grow up,” expressed Colin. With a goal set in place and a great supporting cast, Colin is now stepping into a lead role, in which he portrays resilience, more exciting and important than any blockbuster on the big screen this summer. A role that promises to grab the attention of it’s viewers immediately. An action-packed story that will involve plenty of good laughs and happy tears, the story of a future Chief, Colin Ivarra.

AbOriginal Soul: Annual Tulalip Wellness Conference (Day 3)

“Got this history in my blood

Got my tribe that shows me love

So when I rise,

You rise.”

–Frank Waln

“It comes down to the decisions you make in your life. Most of the time the right choice isn’t the easy one. It’s easy to run away. To run away to drugs and alcohol and I’m not judging, but I am here today because I’m always making the difficult choice,” stated Native American Hip Hop Artist and Motivational Speaker Frank Waln. Along with Tanaya Winder, Megan Red-Shirt Shaw, and The Sampson Bros, Frank closed out the final day of the Annual Community Wellness Conference at the Tulalip Resort and Casino on August 11.

Frank shared his entire life story with the future of the Tulalip Tribes for one reason: inspiration. The history of Native America isn’t well known to the rest of the world. Our story is often watered-down or not mentioned at all in schools throughout the United States. Growing up as a Native American in today’s society, we always had difficulties finding role models that weren’t appropriated by stereotypes. Frank easily flipped the script by actively advocating Native American rights, and is clearing up any misconceptions during the process.

Now in his mid-twenties, Frank spoke to the youth about everything he went through as a young Indigenous man. From a fatherless childhood to the culture shock of leaving his reservation for college, Frank has seen it all in only 27 years.

Frank spoke about his own experiences with drugs, alcohol, depression and suicide, so the youth can identify when they are caught up in one of those life-threatening cycles and can ask for help. More importantly, he shared those experiences so the youth, who might be going through a difficult time right now, could relate. He let them know that they aren’t alone, and how finding a healthy outlet is crucially important because it can break those cycles.

Before Frank took to the stage to perform his music, three of his colleagues and close friends shared their uplifting words with the conference attendees. Frank’s long time friend, fellow activist, dancer, and half of The Sampson Bros, Micco, encouraged the youth to follow their passion and to give it everything they got. Poetess, activist, and Frank’s manager, Tanaya Winder, performed poems from her new book Words Like Love and spoke about losing a loved one to suicide. And activist, writer, and founder of Natives In America, Megan Red-Shirt Shaw, talked with the community about finding and utilizing your voice while encouraging the youth to pursue higher education.

In between speeches, airbrush artists from Dzul Ink were at hand, making custom t-shirts for the youth with slogans such as Smoke Salmon Not Cigarettes and Pizza Rolls Not Gender Roles. Each person in attendance had the opportunity to choose a slogan they wanted to advocate for and the Dzul Ink artists created the t-shirt while the youth enjoyed the performance by Frank Waln and The Sampson Bros.

The perfect way to end any conference is with a musical performance. Frank and Company took it a step further by incorporating the message they were expressing with the most influential genre of music in the past three decades, hip-hop.

Frank performed some of his notable songs including AbOriginal and My Stone and debuted a new track, What Makes A Red Man Red, which samples dialogue from the Disney classic, Peter Pan. The inspiration for the new song came from the frustration of how Tiger Lily and Native Americans are portrayed in the movie.

While Frank passionately spit bars over beats he made on his own, the Sampson Bros performed along side him playing the flute and both fancy and hoop dancing. Micco shared the story of how he met Frank followed by spoken word poetry he wrote for his father, Will Sampson, who played Chief Bromden in the classic film adaptation of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.

The event was a success from the first day to the last. Each speaker gave the youth something to reflect upon and let them know they are loved, because sometimes when people get caught up in the everyday struggle it can be hard to overcome the overwhelming pressure of todays society. Sometimes we get lost in depression created by multi-generational trauma, and we desperately search for an escape. The wellness conference not only acknowledged that depression and anxiety are disorders that Native Americans are suffering from on every reservation, but also gave the Tulalip community healthy ways and the tools to help cope with those disorders.

For The Kids: Tulalip Annual Wellness Conference (Day 2)

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

Native American activism is the message that Ashley Tiedeman, Tobacco Cessation Program Coordinator, and her team delivered to the Tulalip youth during the second day of the Annual Community Wellness Conference. The three-day event, held July 28, August 4 and 11 in the Orca Ballroom at the Tulalip Resort and Casino, included a remarkable line-up of speakers. The second day’s focus, Exercising Our Rights, featured The 1491’s, Deborah Parker, and two Tulalip Board of Directors.

The 1491’s

“Everyday we wake up and think of our image. What clothes and what logos we wear, that’s part of how we define ourselves. We are not that stereotype, we are not mascots that is not how we want to be represented,” stated Bobby Wilson of the comedy sketch group, The 1491’s. The group, including members Migizi Pensoneau and Ryan Red Corn, were the keynote speakers for day two of the event.

The 1491’s YouTube channel has nearly seven million views and is filled with hilarious Indigenous satire. The group shared a few videos during the event including an episode from the popular series A Day in the Life of a Pow Wow Emcee. The 1491’s effortlessly filled the room with laughter and were able to naturally transition into serious topics such as racism, mascots, and politics.

Deborah Parker

When you speak about activism for Native America in today’s society, one of the first names that come to mind is Tulalip’s own, Deborah Parker. As many know Deborah has done outstanding work for the community of Tulalip, starting both the Young Mothers Program and the Tribal Tobacco Program. Most recently Deborah played a large role in the Bernie Sanders campaign, and is an advocate for improved access for education and health care for Indigenous people.

A young Tulalip Native American woman with so many accomplishments is the perfect role model for activism. As she spoke, the entire ballroom listened intently. She touched on an array of topics including projects she is working on, and gave advice to the youth on where to start and how to make sure their voices are heard.

Deborah compared Native American activism to a battle stating, “It’s a fight unfortunately, for us to be acknowledged by the United States Government. For us as Native people to be seen on television for our voices to be heard, that’s what we are fighting for.”

Exercising Our Rights

Tulalip BOD member Theresa Sheldon shared motivating words on the importance of making sure your voice is heard through voting. With a moving story Bonnie Juneau, another member of the Tulalip BOD, spoke of the struggle of addiction.

Before the event shifted back to a light-hearted atmosphere with a fun run, Bonnie shared an extremely important message urging the Tulalip community to support and show love to our youth, stating, “We can get to a place that we can work through our emotions, where we can learn to deal with our pain in a healthy way. Let’s honor our children in life; lets encourage them in life. We can’t wait until it’s too late.”

National Night Out at Tulalip

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

“Over the past month we’ve lost over 12 fellow officers with the shootings in Dallas, and Baton Rouge. And as you all know this community has gone through a lot over these past few weeks, so what we’ll do is take a moment of silence and we will release the balloons,” stated Tulalip Police Chief Carlos Enchevarria.

The balloon release was both a memorial for people we lost as well as a symbolic message for unity amongst law enforcement officials and the community. The Tulalip Police Department (TPD) hosted National Night Out on Tuesday, August 2 in the Battle Creek Neighborhood of Tulalip.

The two-hour event included a BBQ and stands promoting local programs and departments. Several police officers and firefighters interacted with the local children playing tetherball, basketball, and on the playground.

The main event was a basketball showdown between TPD and Tulalip Bay Fire Department. A game that started out with a fun half-speed vibe quickly turned into an exciting competitive match. The nail biter contest came down to the wire as the Tulalip Bay Fire Department hit a two-pointer on the right side wing to take the game and a years worth of bragging rights until next years National Night Out.

Although a difficult time for both the community of Tulalip and Police Departments across America, TPD hosted a feel good event that allowed community members to escape and enjoy great company.

Honoring the past, Impacting the future

21st Annual Lushootseed Day Camp

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

During the sizzling, summer days of July 25-28, the old Tulalip Elementary gymnasium was glowing with rays of joy as it was home to the 21^st Annual Lushootseed Day Camp, week 2. The camp was open to children age five to twelve who wanted to learn about their culture and Lushootseed language through art, songs, games, weaving and storytelling.

Each year the Lushootseed Department teams up with the Cultural Resources Department, along with a select number of very vital community volunteers, to hold two one-week camps. Each camp has openings for up to 50 participants, but this year the demand was so high that 64 kids participated in week one, while a whopping 80 kids comprised Language Camp week 2.The two-week total of 140+ Tulalip youth involved in Language Camp smashed the record for youth participation and attendance.

Using the 1979 Salmon Ceremony video to help pass on the earliest teaching of what is still practiced today, the young campers learned a selection of highlighted songs and dances. The lessons learned each day during Language Camp were based on the teachings of the Salmon Ceremony by way of songs and dances, traditional teachings, language, art, weaving, and technology. The goal this year was to provide our youth with some basic regalia along with the knowledge and ability to sing and dance. Staffers hope the youth that have participated have the teachings and experience needed so they will stand up and sing at every opportunity.

Throughout the duration of camp, the children participated in seven different daily activities. The following list is what each child accomplished throughout the week:

Art – Salmon bracelets, Salmon hands, paddle necklaces.
Weaving – Pony Bead loom beading, small raffia baskets.
Songs and Dances – Welcome Song, Eagle Owl BlueJay Song, Snohomish Warrior Song.
Traditional Teachings – Salmon Ceremony videos, traditional stories, realia experience in traditional story and science face of how Salmon migrate.
Games – Various games and playground time.
Language – letter sounds, Salmon Ceremony key words, Lushootseed workbook.
Technology – children learned and practiced Lushootseed materials related to Salmon Ceremony using the Nintendo DSi handheld games created by Dave Sienko.

The closing ceremony for week two’s camp was held on Friday, July 30 in the Kenny Moses Building. The joyous, young play-performers made their debut to a large community attendance, as family and friends came out in droves to show their support.

“I want the kids to know that I love each and every one of you. When teachers are new to our community and they hear their Principal telling kids ‘I love you’ it’s foreign to them, but it’s one of our most important traditional teachings,” stated ceremonial witness Dr. Anthony Craig, former Principal of Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary. “We have to make sure we are expressing love every single day, otherwise people forget that it’s a traditional teaching. I love that they are here today and I love that they practicing their culture because culture is not something that just exists in a building or during a season. Culture is every day; every day we have to figure out ways to strengthen our culture and here they are doing that.”

Also in attendance to witness the youth Salmon Ceremony were two very special guests. The 21^st Annual Lushootseed Language Camp was dedicated to the late Morris Dan, our Swinomish relative, and the late Harriette Shelton-Dover, our Snohomish relative. Together Morris and Harriette brought back the teachings, songs and dances to the Salmon Ceremony that is still held yearly in Tulalip. Neah Martin, daughter of Morris Dan, and her daughter Merla Martin, oldest granddaughter of Morris Dan traveled to Tulalip to witness the teachings of their father and grandfather being honored by Tulalip’s next generation.

“I’m glad that all you children honored these beloved elders here today,” said Merla Martin, who was one of the lead dancers in the 1979 Salmon Ceremony video that the children learned from. “I’m very happy the teachings are still being passed on. Thank you for honoring my grandfather.”

After the youth performed their rendition of Salmon Ceremony and the ceremonial witnesses had shared a few words, there was a giveaway. The camp participants gave handmade crafts to the audience members, which preceded a salmon lunch that everyone thoroughly enjoyed.

Reflecting on the conclusion of this year’s 21^st Annual Language Camp, Natosha Gobin beamed with pride, “My spirit is so happy. My heart is full. I raise my hands to each of the 140-plus kids who spent time with us to learn the teachings, rising up to sing, dance and carry these lessons on for the next generations. I’m grateful to the volunteers for giving their all to our youth while mentoring them daily during camp. You have created lifelong bonds with them and they will continue to look to you for guidance. My co-workers busted their buns planning, prepping, working, making sure every detail was taken care of. To all the parents we say ‘thank you’ from the bottom of our hearts for sharing your kids with us and showing them their language, culture and teachings are relevant!”

Being Frank: Hatcheries Bridge Gap Between Habitat, Harvest

By Lorraine Loomis, Chair, NWIFC

Despite their unbreakable connection, salmon harvest and habitat restoration continue moving down separate roads in western Washington. Many people either don’t see or choose to ignore the fact that habitat determines harvest, and that we continue to lose habitat faster than it can be restored.

Indian and non-Indian harvest has been cut to the bone this summer because of expected historically low returns, especially coho. Yet habitat loss and damage – the root of the problem – continues every day throughout our watersheds and nearshore marine waters.

Poor ocean survival conditions certainly played a role in the low salmon returns of the past several years. But even when we can restore or protect salmon habitat, we aren’t helping ourselves enough.

You might be surprised, but fish really do grow on trees. Trees keep water temperatures low, the way salmon like it. Their roots help to prevent soil erosion that can smother salmon eggs. When they fall into a river, trees provide diverse rearing habitat for fish. When the salmon spawn and die, their nutrients feed the trees.

Yet from 2006 to 2011 we lost the equivalent of two Seattle-sized forests or about 170 square miles, according to the treaty tribes’ 2016 State of Our Watersheds Report. The report can be viewed at nwifc.org/sow.

When we lose habitat, we also lose the natural production of salmon it provides. The collapse of our fisheries is simply mirroring the collapse of the eco-systems that support them.

For more than 100 years, hatcheries have tried to make up for that loss, but hatchery salmon depend on the same declining habitat as naturally spawning salmon.

About half of the salmon harvested in western Washington are hatchery fish. Continued habitat loss means we will have to depend on hatcheries for as long as lost and damaged habitat continues to restrict natural salmon production and threaten treaty rights.

Hatcheries are simply a tool. Some provide fish for harvest while reducing harvest pressures on weak stocks. Others serve as nurseries to protect threatened salmon stocks. All are essential to salmon recovery and should be integrated in our salmon recovery efforts for every watershed. We need every tool in the box to reinforce remaining salmon populations as we work to restore habitat.

The importance of this tool should be reflected in its funding, but as the need for hatchery fish has increased, state funding for hatcheries has declined or remained flat. Treaty tribes have stepped up to fill the gap in recent years and provide more salmon for everyone by picking up the costs at a number of state hatcheries where production was threatened by budget shortfalls.

The connection between harvest and habitat is clear. We cannot expect to harvest salmon – either hatchery or naturally spawning – as long as we continue to destroy salmon habitat. In the meantime, hatcheries must continue to help bridge that gap and be included as the essential part of salmon recovery that they are.

Lorraine Loomis is the chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.

Honoring the past, Impacting the future: 21st Annual Lushootseed Day Camp

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

During the pleasantly warm and sunny summer days of July 18-22, the old Tulalip Elementary gymnasium was home to the 21^st Annual Lushootseed Day Camp. The camp was open to children age five to twelve who wanted to learn about their culture and Lushootseed language through art, songs, games, weaving and storytelling. Each year the Lushootseed Department teams up with the Cultural Resources Department, along with a select number of very vital community volunteers, to hold two one-week camps. Each camp has openings for up to 50 participants, but this year the demand was so high that 64 kids were signed up and participated in Language Camp week 1.

“We are dedicating the 21^st Annual Lushootseed Language Camp to Morris Dan and Harriette Shelton-Dover, for their guidance and teachings bringing back the Salmon Ceremony, as well as honoring Stan Jones Sr. “Scho-Hallem” for his decades of leadership and determination to keep the ceremony going,” said Lushootseed language teacher and co-coordinator of the camp, Natosha Gobin. “This year we are recreating the Salmon Ceremony to pass on the teachings to our youth. With the generosity of the Tulalip Tribes Charitable Table, we have received a grant to make regalia for each youth who is signed up for camp. This is exciting, as we will be able to ensure that all the youth who sign up for camp will have the ability to stand up and sing at every opportunity. Vests and drums will be the regalia for the boys, while the girls’ regalia will be shawls and clappers.”

With the emphasis of honoring the past and impacting the future with education and practice of Salmon Ceremony, there was a renewed sense of excitement and vigor to both the teachers and bright, young minds who participated. There was so much to do and prepare for that the parents of each camper were also called upon to participate in create long-lasting memories while working with their kids and fellow community members to help make regalia.

During the evening of Tuesday, July 19 the parents came through in a big way. The parents and guardians joined their kids in the gymnasium and were guided on how to make the drums and clappers. There were lots of laughs and stories shared as the evening went on and slowly, but surely every camper was assured of hand-made regalia.

“This is what we wanted to bring back; families coming together to spend some time working on the drums and clappers, lots of smiles, and most importantly lots of happy kids,” stated Natosha after the evening of regalia making concluded. “A huge thank you to the parents, aunties, uncles, grandparents, siblings and cousins who come out tonight to make sure every child would have a drum or clapper. I know our ancestors are watching over us all and proud the teachers are still being passed on.”

Throughout the duration of camp, the children participated in seven different daily activities. The following list is what each child accomplished throughout the week:

Art – Salmon bracelets, Salmon hands, paddle necklaces.
Weaving – Pony Bead loom beading, small raffia baskets.
Songs and Dances – Welcome Song, Eagle Owl BlueJay Song, Snohomish Warrior Song.
Traditional Teachings – Salmon Ceremony videos, traditional stories, realia experience in traditional story and science face of how Salmon migrate.
Games – Various games and playground time.
Language – letter sounds, Salmon Ceremony key words, Lushootseed workbook.
Technology – children learned and practiced Lushootseed materials related to Salmon Ceremony using the Nintendo DSi handheld games created by Dave Sienko.

The closing ceremony for week one’s camp was held on Friday, July 22 in the Kenny Moses Building. The joyous, young play-performers made their debut to a large community attendance, as family and friends came out in droves to show their support.

“The young ones continue to honor our ancestors by learning their songs and words. It fills my heart with so much joy to watch them speak our language and perform the dances of Salmon Ceremony,” marveled ceremonial witness Denise Sheldon.

Reflecting on the conclusion of this year’s 21^st Annual Language Camp week one, Natosha Gobin beamed with pride, “Week one has come to an end, but it is truly just the beginning of our youth rising up! The fire has been lit and they will be the ones to keep it burning. I can’t say it enough, how thankful we are for the parents that sign their youth up to participate. Shout out to the volunteers who mentored our young Language Warriors and to the staff who prepped and taught the lessons, and those who did all the behind the scenes work. Thank you to each and every person who made this week’s camp a success.”

For any questions, comments or to request Lushootseed language materials to use in the home, please contact the Lushootseed Department at 360-716-4499 or visit www.TulalipLushootseed.com

A Good Day To Be Indigenous

Tulalip Tribes Chairman Mel Sheldon welcomes canoes ashore. Photo/Kalvin Valdillez — Tulalip Tribes Chairman Mel Sheldon welcomes canoes ashore.
Photo/Kalvin Valdillez

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

On a gorgeous July afternoon the Tulalip community welcomed several tribal canoes ashore and offered hospitality, food, and an evening filled with traditional song and dance. When your summer includes camping, salmon, and good people you know you’ve had a great vacation. Throw canoe pulling into the mix and you might be at the biggest Native American cultural gathering in the northwest, known as the Tribal Canoe Journeys.

As a member of both the Quinault and Ahousaht nations, I was fortunate to grow up in an environment where culture was strong and traditional songs and dances were practiced regularly. My parents met while working at Tillicum Village. My gram, Marjorie Valdillez, fought along side Joe DeLacruz in the sovereignty battle for the Quinault Indian Nation, and my late grandfather from Ahousaht, Edgar Charlie, was a well-respected and highly knowledgeable Chief. Although I performed on stage at Tillicum Village as a kid, was surrounded by culture my entire life and was related to so many influential Native people, Journeys still opened my eyes to an entirely new and thrilling world.

Journeys encompasses everything exciting about being a Native American in today’s society and is making a strong return to the Pacific Northwest after taking a hiatus in 2015. By practicing and participating in Canoe Journeys we honor our ancestors as well as keep the culture alive, and in-turn we pass our knowledge down to the next generations, preserving our traditions. And at a time when drugs is destroying America’s future, this clean and sober event offers strong and amazing alternatives for tribal youth.

Losing yourself in the culture is inevitable. Whether you are pulling for your tribe or traveling by car to each destination, you will become immersed in the songs during late night protocol. You will see familiar faces, and meet incredible new people during Journeys, and finding summer love is not uncommon during late July and early August when the event takes place.

Journeys does more than connect people from different tribes, it allows members from the same communities to create a stronger bond with each other. The majority of tribal members from any given reservation share exciting stories, and create a positive experience for the youth of Native America.

Many people from the millennial generation grew up with Journeys and participated every year since its revival in 1989. The event taught us to have respect for each other, we gained cultural perspective while on different reservations, and we learned many teachings from our elders along with important values such as selflessness and patience.

Each year a different tribe hosts Journeys on their reservation. Similar to a local rock band tour, Journeys has organized stops throughout the Northwest where each ‘band’ gets to showcase their performances. Each tribe participating in the event has a dedicated stop where canoes will land on their reservation to interact and perform with the community. This year the Nisqually Indian Tribe hosted Journeys. The final landing includes a week-long protocol celebration at Nisqually.

Although the July 24 visit to Tulalip was brief, it is incredible to see different tribes pulling together for the Canoe Journeys comeback we’ve all been waiting for. Witnessing the youth’s passion for their culture is inspiring, and watching them embrace their heritage while at the same time enjoying adolescence with their families and new friends is reason enough to ensure that Journeys continues long into the future. After last summer’s hiatus, seeing Coastal Natives navigating the open water in traditional canoes again is extraordinary. As we observed the canoes arriving in Tulalip Bay, the anticipation of protocol set in. With the promise of drums and the sun reflecting off of the bay, a quote from Smoke Signals was the only way to accurately express how I was feeling in that moment: “It’s a good day to be Indigenous!”

Vibrant Things Found at Tulalip Hibulb Cultural Center Latest Exhibit

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

Looking to plan a fun yet educational activity for the entire family? Look no further, because Tulalip’s Hibulb Cultural Center has your back! This summer Hibulb unveiled its brand new exhibit, Vibrant Beauty: Colors of Our Collection. The exhibit, geared towards students in kindergarten through the third grade, is interactive and such a blast that youth will gain a whole new perspective on color. Hibulb’s Senior Curator, Tessa Campbell believes that although this exhibit is targeted towards youth, adults will also have fun and learn a few new things about color during their visit.

“We had the vision of creating the exhibit to be highly interactive, and we developed a total of 12 different colorful activities. Children will have the opportunity to reflect on how color affects them, vote for their favorite color, and discover why we like a certain color or choose to wear certain colors. In addition to the color reflection opportunities, children and visitors can learn how to say colors in our Lushootseed language,” stated Tessa.

Learning colors in Lushootseed is enticing on it’s own, pair that with the remaining 11 interactive activities such as a touch screen computer that not only allows you to learn about the color wheel but also shares traditional Tulalip stories, and you have yourself a culturally rich museum exhibit.

One of the many interesting facts about this exhibit is that everything on display was made in-house by the Hibulb staff, Tulalip artists, and Tulalip youth. Vibrant Beauty uses colors brilliantly; the exhibit incorporates new information on colors that the Tulalip youth frequently see around the community. Among the touchscreens, puppets, and engaging stories is a magnificent display featuring watercolor artwork made by the youth in the Tulalip community that attend the Boys & Girls Club.

Tulalip artist, Ty Juvinel, was extremely hands-on during the creation of the Vibrant Beauty project for Hibulb. Creating the main display in the center of the exhibit, Ty expressed the importance of individuality within a group project with both his contributions as well as his story he shared, How Hummingbird and Butterfly Painted All the Flowers.

Hummingbird and Butterfly, a Ty fan favorite, perfectly conveys why colors are essential to our community. Ty stated that colors are our emotions, that statement holds a significant amount of truth. Our brains associate colors with certain emotions and we often use colors to describe how we feel. For example, we might say we feel red when we are frustrated or angry and blue when we are upset or sad. The recognition of how colors affect your emotions is a big take-away for the youth.

The Vibrant Beauty exhibit is on display until February 2017. According to feedback from a lucky few families who got a sneak peak on Friday July 15, the exhibit will be a major success.

The cultural center is thrilled to have an exhibit on display that caters to the local kids. They found a way to reach the youth, families and the entire Tulalip community on a much deeper level than one would expect at first glance of advertisements for the Vibrant Beauty exhibit; while simultaneously creating an exciting, fun and informational environment.

Mytyl Hernandez, Hibulb Cultural Center Marketing and PR, shared her excitement of shaping the minds of Tulalip’s future leaders stating, “The kids are going to keep the cultural fire burning!”