Category: Tulalip News

Call of the Trumpeter: How a tribal veteran provides good, healing medicine to the community through Taps

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

There is a special moment that happens as Tulalip families say their goodbyes to their loved ones who served in the military. This moment is held as one of the highest honors that service men and women can receive when they are laid to rest. It’s both beautiful and bittersweet, and it’s the perfect way to send off tribal veterans to their next journey. Once a year, on the cusp of summer, all the families of those veterans who passed, including their brothers and sisters in arms, gather at the gravesites and once again recreate that moment of solace and honor to pay tribute to all of Tulalip’s fallen soldiers. 

  Tulalip tribal member and Marine veteran, David ‘Chip’ Fryberg Jr., plays a significant role in providing that moment of closure for families at the funerals for tribal veterans, and also at the tribe’s Memorial Day services. When the order is given, seven rifles, an eagle head staff, as well as the POW, Tulalip Tribes, Tulalip veterans, and the US flags are raised in the air for the 21-gun salute. At the same moment, Chip raises his brass horn up into the air, consisting of three valves and as shiny as ever. And as the second shot rings through the air, he begins to play Taps on the trumpet. 

“I really love what our Honor Guard does, and I enjoy being a part of the tribute,” Chip stated. “The firing – bangs, the pops, and the smoke, it’s a great feeling and I feel it’s a good thing to do for the community, for Memorial Day. I went into the Marines in 1982 and got out in ’89. When I came home to the reservation, I got asked by my aunt Cookie to play Taps on Memorial Day. They borrowed a trumpet from somebody and asked me to play, and I’ve been doing it ever since.” 

Chip explained that originally, he didn’t know if he would be asked to return to perform during the Memorial Day services, but he continued to graciously except the call year after year. They say musicians are their own toughest critics, and throughout the ‘90’s, David claimed he wasn’t that good and thought somebody would eventually replace him. But he vividly remembers the moment he decided to take on the title with authority and dedicate more time to perfecting his craft.

He shared, “Every now and then, we volunteer to play for (non-tribal) spouses and some of our good friends who we were in the military force with. We don’t do as many as we used to, but I’m always more than happy to get my trumpet out and perform for our veterans. A highlight for me was the first time I played in Schaefer-Shipman Funeral Home. Shipman himself came up and said, ‘I’ve heard a lot of people play Taps and I have something to say to you’. I was listening and I thought he was going to yell at me or something. But he goes, ‘I just got one thing to say, you are the greatest in the nation’. That lit a fire under me – about how well I have to play and take care of that song. I’m glad to take care of it and honored to bring it out with the guys in the Honor Guard.”

That line of thinking, taking care of the song, exposes Chip’s Indigenous roots in a substantial way. Just like a traditional song passed down through the generations, Chip is responsible for practicing the ceremonial song and performing it with a good mind, heart, and spirit, as well as with honor, pride and respect for those veterans who transitioned to the other side. David does this not only with a tribal mindset, but also that of a vet who knows what these men and women may have encountered or been exposed to while stationed at bases all throughout the world, what they witnessed and experienced on the battlefield, the vigorous trainings they went through and the multiple sacrifices they made while defending the nation’s freedom. 

Said David, “Growing up, my grandmother Rose Fryberg had three pictures mounted on the wall, my two aunts and my dad. My dad was in his Marine Corps. uniform. When your dad is a Marine, you are kind of born a Marine. I just followed the tradition. After high school, I really didn’t want to go to college or deal with money issues – so I joined the Marines. I talked to the Army and the Navy, but I didn’t see myself as anything but a Marine. I chose to sign-up in November of ’81 and shipped out on January 27 of 1982.

“I went to San Diego, and I was a communications electronics tech. I fixed telephones and switchboards. I went to school for it for about nine months at Twentynine Palms. And then I went to Okinawa for two and a half years. I had a successful tour over there, went out into the field a lot. I reenlisted in Okinawa and did my last three and a half years at Camp Lejeune where I was a shipping and receiving NCO for communications electronics, which was a big deal.”

Early in his journey in the military, the Marines discovered that Chip had a background in music, and they encouraged him to try out for the Drum and Bugle Corps. at Twentynine Palms. And after playing the trombone all throughout middle school and high school, David was happy to learn he could continue to study and express his passion for music during his time spent at the southern California Marine base. 

“That was a really hard thing for me,” he recalled. “Not going to college meant giving up my trombone. I started playing trombone in the sixth grade in Vancouver, Washington at Jason Lee Junior High School, we were a stage band. We were also a marching band, and we did parades all the time. On top of that, I was actually a member of the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps. through seventh, eighth, and ninth grade. In high school I joined the Columbia River High School band, and we were the show band of southwest Washington. I marched in – I don’t even know how many parades. Even though I grew up in Vancouver, I got to march in the Strawberry Festival because our Drum and Bugle Corps. would get invited – and that was always neat, seeing family.”

He continued, “I was quite the horn player when I was a kid, I could pick up a trumpet and play some crazy stuff. But I’ve always been able to pick up any brass instrument. I was able to pick it right back up when I was down at Twentynine Palms. I made the Drum and Bugle Corps., and they were like, ‘we know you’re going to be in comm. tech, but in case you rock out, you can come with us and be a lead soprano for the Marine Corps. Drum and Bugle Corps. So, if I didn’t pass my electronics course, I would’ve been a Drum and Bugle Corps. member at Twentynine Palms and could’ve switched over immediately to the Marine Corps. Drum and Bugle Corps., which is a big honor. But needless to say, I became an electronics tech and went overseas.”

Since returning to Tulalip, and after agreeing to play Taps on Memorial Day in ’89, Chip has created lifelong bonds with his fellow veterans as the official trumpeter of the Tulalip Honor Guard. And as a member of the Honor Guard, there have been many opportunities that David has received, that he wouldn’t have otherwise experienced. For example, last Veterans Day, Chip packed up his trumpet and jumped on an airplane to Washington D.C. with the Honor Guard to participate in a march with thousands of other Native American military veterans during the unveiling of the new monument at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. During this trip, Chip was able to reunite with some of his friends, fellow comrades who he served alongside with during the ‘80’s, and they spent the day catching up and reminiscing on their time in the service.

There have also been a handful of times when David’s fellow veterans and members of his family wondered if he would be able to perform Taps, or if he even felt up to the task, when the funeral services were held for one of his loved ones, his close friends and relatives. But in each of those instances, Chip felt that it was his responsibility to ensure they were sent off in a proper manner and in high honor, so he equipped his horn with the metal mouthpiece and took up his position with the Honor Guard during those final goodbyes. This was also the case with the man who inspired Chip to join the Marines in the first place, his father. 

“He was my inspiration,” he emotionally shared. “All I know is that lived by his picture and to me, he was the greatest Marine ever. That’s why I did everything I did, because I wanted to be like my dad. Last year, we lost my dad, last February 14. And a lot of people didn’t know if I’d be able to play. But it’s a lot different when your dad is not only your dad, but he’s also your brother, he’s also your best friend, and he knew everything what you went through. So, playing Taps at my dad’s funeral was something I had to do.”

After contracting the coronavirus, Chip was hospitalized and put on a respirator for a number of weeks. When he woke, he was faced with a hard decision of either giving up the trumpet after years of playing for tribal veterans, or restart from scratch and dedicate even more time to the instrument to rebuild the endurance of his lungs back up following the near-death respiratory infection. 

Chip withstood it all and came back determined as all hell to continue on as the Honor Guard’s trumpeter. Chip says he owed it all to his wife and daughter who not only encouraged him through the process but also kept him on schedule, waking him early everyday so he could practice his instrument following his late-night shifts in the table games department of the Tulalip Resort Casino. 

Although Chip was happy to share his story and to be featured in the syəcəb, he was quick to share the glory with his fellow Honor Guard members. He stated that it’s the comradery that he shares with those men and women of the Tulalip Honor Guard that keeps him coming back year after year. 

He exclaimed, “The song I play, I have a lot of respect for it and it’s an honor to play it. The Honor Guard is a team, and I’m really glad when we get together. It’s an honor to play Taps during the 21-gun salute. When we put it all together – that’s one pretty good package. I like to focus on being a part of the Honor Guard, it’s special and I like being a part of that special tribute. We all pitch-in and what we convey is what’s on our hearts – and we really mean that. We pay tribute to our fallen comrades and we’re glad to do it.”

Upon reading the first few paragraphs of this feature, you may have thought this story was about a local bugler, a trumpeter who plays at the funerals of Tulalip veterans and at the Tribe’s Memorial Day services. And sure, that is a large aspect of Chip’s journey and the services he provides today. However, this story is much bigger. It is the story about a man of dedication – whether it’s to his instrument, his community, his family, his fellow veterans, his culture, his country, Chip has laid it all on the line multiple times throughout his life for the values he believes in and for the people he loves. 

Through the ups and downs, Chip always returned to his love for music. And through the performance of his trumpet, he has been able to spread love and good healing medicine to those in need from the community as their loved ones enter the spirit world. 

Chip shared, “To my fellow veterans and the Tulalip Honor Guard, I’d like to thank everyone for answering the call and carrying yourselves the way you do. It’s heartwarming to see us come together to pay tribute to our veterans, we recently did a couple of funerals together for David Spencer and Pat Elliott. We love doing this for our fallen comrades and I love doing my part in what we do. I couldn’t do it without you guys. I’ve heard a lot of great stories over the years, and I can’t emphasize how grateful I am to each and every one of you for your service. Happy Veterans Day.”

Nourishing Culture: A peek inside Tulalip’s food sovereignty kitchen

By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News

In a transformative and visionary step towards reclaiming their ancestral culinary traditions, the Tulalip Northwest Indian College (NWIC) recently unveiled the groundbreaking Tulalip Food Sovereignty Presentation Kitchen. This innovative kitchen space, formerly a conventional classroom, symbolizes cultural revival and health empowerment. The soft opening event on Friday, November 3, was nothing short of a culinary journey, inviting the community to savor the flavors of Indigenous cuisine while unraveling the profound concept of food sovereignty. Step inside this unique kitchen and discover how it’s poised to revolutionize the relationship between tradition, health, and community.

The newly renovated space has undergone a remarkable metamorphosis, evolving from a mundane classroom into a welcoming haven of culinary exploration. With an expansive, open kitchen at its heart, it beckons onlookers and perhaps even a camera crew to witness the intricate process of preparing Indigenous foods. The kitchen’s primary mission is to serve as an educational hub where students can immerse themselves in traditional food preparation. It’s a place where the rich heritage of Indigenous cuisine is brought to life, instilling in the next generation the knowledge and skills necessary to honor and preserve their culinary traditions.

“I grew up in a fishing and hunting family, and I didn’t know that I was already practicing food sovereignty,” said NWIC teacher, Linzie Crofoot. “Our food kept us a healthy community. Food sovereignty is about community health; our traditional foods and medicines and their direct ties with resource management. Traditionally, we have been the gatherers, hunters, and fishermen responsible for tending the land and keeping it healthy and our people healthy.”

Linzie continued, “When I am teaching Native Environmental Science, and I am teaching about our native plants, I am incorporating tribal health into it. I am incorporating our traditional values into it. That’s how I plan on using this kitchen; as a gatherer and a Native Environmental Scientist, I want people out on the land to be restored to their natural role on the land, and then be able to come back here and make meaningful relationships with each other and the community through food. That is how we have always built community. There’s nothing more traditional than feeding each other and coming together to make food.”

After the meal, Linzie demonstrated how to make a sweetgrass lemonade and started by creating a simple syrup. A mixture of sweetgrass water and sugar boiled create a tasty syrup that can be stirred into the lemonade. The goal of the demonstration was to show that you can start small with your introduction to a more native plant diet by creating one ingredient and building off that. 

“When we tell people they need to eat traditional foods, they don’t know where to begin and get overwhelmed. They think they must be a gatherer or a hunter, or they need access to a bunch of land, and then they freeze and continue to eat all the same Western foods they have been eating their whole life. I want to incorporate easy things that you can do in your everyday lives. So, start with one cup of tea a month and sweeten it with a native plant, then work your way up. And don’t feel guilty about it,” said Linzie.

“This is the first tribal sovereignty kitchen in the nation,” said Colette Kieth, NWIC site manager. “The primary goal is that students understand what food sovereignty is and what tribal food sovereignty is and use our traditional foods. I also wanted a place where our students could have a camera-ready place for great presentations, like on Instagram and Facebook. I want our students to feel what it was like to work in a nice kitchen.”

The Tulalip Food Sovereignty Presentation Kitchen will have its grand opening in May, where students can create in the kitchen. Registration for winter classes opened on Monday, November 6th. To learn more about NWIC, visit nwic.edu. 

This is Halloween! Community Halloween Party & TELA Pumpkin Extravaganza

By Kalvin Valdillez

October came and went in the blink of an eye. But before November arrived, the Tulalip community was sure to get in some spooky time fun during the season of candy and costumes. One of the more popular holidays on the reservation, the people get into the Halloween spirit as soon as Autumn has sprung and begin to deck their lawns and office spaces with creepy decorations at the turn of the season. 

Earlier in the month, local non-profit Together We’re Better held their annual Trunk or Treat gathering which was met with great success and served as the official kick-off to the Halloween season. Although there have been many Halloween department parties, school celebrations, and family get togethers, there were two events that many tribal families had circled on their calendars: the TELA Pumpkin Extravaganza and the Community Halloween Party.

Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy Pumpkin Extravaganza

Laughter echoed throughout the TELA hallways on the morning of October 27, as the children arrived to their school in full costume. It was a little too chilly for the academy’s usual outdoor pumpkin patch, so dozens of mini pumpkins were scattered throughout one of the staff conference rooms. Upon picking out a pumpkin to call their own, they were able to visit a decorating station to adorn their gourds with stickers to make jack o’ lanterns with wacky faces and silly smiles.

The students and their families participated in a number of activities including bouncy houses, caricature portraits, and face painting. A cute highlight of the day was when the kids bravely walked through the spooky halls of the academy and visited their teachers while trick-or-treating and participating in a variety of carnival style games!

“I think it’s important to show that we’re just not a school, we’re a community, we’re a family, and we love interacting with one another,” said Absyde Decoscos, TELA Family Engagement Coordinator. “And it’s also important to show to the children that it’s not a separation between teachers and family, we’re all together and here for them. It’s good for the kids to see us all interacting together. It turned out good. It’s really fun. They loved seeing us all dressed up and we loved seeing them dressed up.”

Tulalip Community Halloween Party

The Community Halloween Party returned for the first time since 2019 and did so in a big way. The party was jumping throughout the entire four-hour window on October 29, and hundreds of families came out to showcase their creative costumes. This was the type of event that the kids of the community will fondly look back on years from now, just off that feeling of togetherness as everyone from event planner to event go-er had a hand in making the night special, recreating those ghoul time vibes from the days of old, before the COVID pandemic. 

Families had a blast at the monster mash where there were numerous games, activities, pizza, and also a costume contest and a pumpkin carving contest. DJ Monie had the eerie tunes bumping and had the crowd at her command during the popular cake walk to close out the evening. A heartwarming thing to witness at this year’s party was members of the local recovery community working hard – setting up activity stations before the start of the event, manning said stations in full costume during the entire event, and sticking around until the very end to break down tables and help clean up the teen center, but most of all interacting with the people and getting reacclimated into the community in a good, healthy way. 

Said DJ Monie after the party, “We had a blast today! Thank you to everyone that came, and for the crew that helped make it happen. Also, thanks to the judges that volunteered for the costume contests. Happy Halloween everyone!”

Six million holiday lights brighten the skies as spectacular “Tulalip Lights” – the largest display in Washington State – returns Wednesday, November 22

Dazzling holiday tradition presented by Quil Ceda Village features outdoor skating rink, visits by Mr. & Mrs. Claus, The Grinch and Buddy the Elf, a holiday marketplace, which doubles last year’s three million lights at Tulalip Resort Casino, Quil Ceda Creek Casino and Tulalip Bingo & Slots

TULALIP, Wash. (October 26, 2023) – The largest holiday lights display in Washington state will be back and twice as big as last year, when “Tulalip Lights” returns with a massive showcase of more than six million holiday lights brightening the winter sky starting at 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 22. Seasonal displays will adorn Tulalip Resort Casino (with 4.2 million lights alone!), Quil Ceda Village, Tulalip Bingo & Slots and Quil Ceda Village Retail Center, and will be on display through January 15, 2024.

“Tulalip Lights” is located along Interstate 5 and accessible at westbound exits 200 or 202. The event is presented by Quil Ceda Village at Tulalip, WA. Viewing of all the lighting displays is free to the public.

When all you want is everything, in addition to the massive lights display – which rivals some of the largest in the nation – there will be much more fun for those in the holiday spirit, including an outdoor ice skating rink, holiday marketplace, visits by iconic holiday characters, and more.

“Tulalip Ice” Outdoor Ice Skating Rink

The holidays wouldn’t be complete without a trip to “Tulalip Ice,” a 40’x 80’ outdoor ice rink made of real ice at the Tulalip Amphitheatre surrounded by a display of more than 1.3 million lights. Presented by Blue Line Sports and Entertainment, the rink will be open to the public Wednesday, November 22, 2023 through January 15, 2024. Rink hours are as follows:

Tickets for one-hour skating sessions (with skate rentals included) are $15 for adults and $12 for children (12 years old and under) and can be purchased at the rink or in advance at  https://tulalipice.ticketspice.com/tulalip-ice. A $1.50 processing fee will be added to all tickets at checkout. Special rates are available for private use of the rink and birthday parties. Visit Tulaliplights.com. for more information. Entry to the Amphitheatre is free, where visitors are encouraged to view the on-the-ice fun. The only cost is for those who wish to skate. 

Mr. & Mrs. Claus, The Grinch and Buddy the Elf Visits and Holiday Market at Tulalip Amphitheatre 

More family-friendly activities will be happening throughout the season at the Tulalip Amphitheatre as part of the “Tulalip Lights & Ice” festivities. This includes appearances by “Mr. & Mrs. Claus,” “The Grinch” and “Buddy the Elf,” an open-air holiday market featuring a variety of delicious, quality food vendors, gifts and crafts, and fun activities like balloon artists, caricaturists and much more. A full schedule is as follows:

“We launched this grand event in 2022 and it became an instant favorite with visitors. It is bigger and even more spectacular this year and we encourage folks to add this tradition to their ‘must do’ experiences this holiday season,” said Kevin Jones, general manager for Quil Ceda Village. For more information on “Tulalip Lights & Ice” visit www.quilcedavillage.com, www.quilcedavillage.org or www.everythingtulalip.com.

Weavers Delight: Traditional teachings at the NNABA

By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News 

Steeped in tradition forged by our ancestors, master weavers came from Canada, Oregon, Idaho, and all over Washington state to teach at the Northwest Native American Basketweavers Association (NNABA). The two-day event, October 28 to 29, was held at the Muckleshoot Casino in Tacoma. 

Hundreds of attendees eagerly awaited their chance to learn traditional style teachings from weavers who have dedicated their lives to learning the ways of our ancestors. Creating clothing, baskets, and art connects us to our roots and creates strong bonds between one another when we share these teachings. 

“Since Covid, this will be our first year back in four years,” Teresa Harvey of Puyallup tribes said. “Everyone at the event belongs to the NNABA, and different tribes get to host. All the teachers at this event are master weavers, and they create different things you get to learn at each table. There is easy all the way to difficult, and you pick what you want to learn and sign up at the different booths. If you choose a hat, it may take you all day, or if you pick a different item, it may only take a couple of hours.” 

Throughout the day, when someone finished an item, the announcer had them show the room what they had created. Eruptions of applause let the students know their accomplishment didn’t go unnoticed. 

“This has been a wonderful event, Alfred Lane, aka “Bud”, from the Siletz tribe in Oregon, said, “The Puyallup’s have been wonderful hosts. There’s a lot of support for NNABA. We are a non-profit and rely on help to put this thing on. It’s a labor of love for everybody here. It’s fantastic. One thing I would like to see is expanding our youth track; there’s an area for the youth to learn. To me, that’s the future, and I’m amazed at the interest they are taking. If you’re not teaching that younger generation, or if there’s a link missing in that chain, you’re heading over a cliff at some point, and we must ensure that doesn’t happen.”

When asked about the most challenging part about weaving, Bud replied, “Well, I always call it work, but the hardest part is the gathering. It’s also one of the most enjoyable parts. You get to go out in the woods, pick some things, peel some things, then prepare them for the next step. I always say gathering and preparing is 90% of the process of making baskets. We are basket makers. All we need is a place to sit inside, a table, a chair, and some water. Then we can create.”

“I have been teaching for over five years,” Jamie Sheldon of the Tulalip tribes said. “The event was awesome; everyone was excited to be back. I love teaching and want more people to come and learn because basket weaving is a part of our culture. If I can teach someone from our tribe, and they go on to teach someone, then that is an accomplishment for me and the next generation.”

To know more about the Northwest Native American Basketweavers Association, visit www.nnaba.net. If you would like to learn how to weave baskets or jewelry, and you live around the Tulalip Reservation, Jamie teaches every Wednesday from 5 to 7 at the Hibulb Cultural Center. 

TPD awards ceremony honors those who serve the community

By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News  

On Wednesday, October 25, the Tulalip Police Department (TPD) Awards Ceremony became a day filled with joy and gratitude as the TPD and the Tulalip tribal government joined hands to celebrate and honor the extraordinary efforts of our dedicated police officers, staff, and residents. 

They have all played a vital role in transforming our neighborhoods into safer, more vibrant, and inviting places to live. This heartwarming event was part of the Tulalip Police Department’s ongoing commitment to recognize the heroes in our community who go above and beyond to make our city a better place.

Sean Edge, 13 years with Tulalip Police Department, said, “I wouldn’t want to be a police officer anywhere else. I come from a family of fishermen, and to work in fish and wildlife is a great honor. It’s important for me to protect our rights so my children and my children’s children can fish the waters of their ancestors.”

When asked what working in the Tulalip community means after a year and a half, Nicholas Aldridge with the TPD said, “It means always doing what needs to be done no matter the cost. It’s also just that community, the people come together and rally around the TPD. I love working here. It makes me feel good when I come to work, and people are happy to see me.”

“I’m a Tulalip tribal member and I get to serve my Tulalip tribal community, and that’s always something I wanted to do since I was younger,” said Alyshia Ramon, TPD officer. “I come from a family of domestic violence and drug addicts, and I wanted to be a role model to others so that they don’t have to go through what I went through. Also, know that there are other pathways to success. I had to do a lot to transform myself. I’m a mother of six, and I had to drop 100 pounds to get in shape. To be a police officer, it takes hard work, dedication, perseverance, getting through adversity, and being strong mentally and physically. 

Alyshia continued, “There’s a new generation coming in, and I support all the people that want to put on the badge. It’s a different culture, a different vibe with social media and stuff like that. Times have changed, and I think new police officers coming in will bring a different perspective and possibly change how policing is done.”

Everett Municipal Building receives Coast Salish makeover

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Tulalip’s neighboring city to the south, Everett, is the seventh-largest city in all of Washington State by population, and it’s by far the largest city in Snohomish County. Established in 1890, the city of Everett is situated on a peninsula. Its city boundaries are designated by the Snohomish River to the east and the Salish Sea to the west.

In precolonial times, long before imaginary map borders, the land Everett was built upon was home to our Tulalip ancestors. As a sustenance people who lived off the land and natural environment, they flourished in the ideal fishing location. But that was then. And this is now.

To live in the now is to recognize and embrace the many ways modern Tulalip people have adapted while continuing to flourish well into the 21st century. One such way is evident through our boundary-redefining, limit-pushing artists who refuse to placate a binary system that deems their work traditional or non-traditional. Instead, they embrace challenges to create visionary works of art as they routinely use the latest technologies available in order to manifest their inspired visions via a multitude of mediums.

The latest example comes from a truly vibrant collaborative effort between the city of Everett and Tulalip master carver, James Madison. The Everett Mayor’s office desired an artist’s touch to remake the outside of the Everett Municipal Building, located at the intersection of Wetmore Avenue and Wall Street. After a call went out for artists, James was rewarded with the job.

His vision for the project, titled Save Our Salish Sea, was unveiled in late October. Taken together, this enormous metal fabrication installation made up of bold red, yellow, and black colors is impossible to miss for pedestrians and commuters alike. But forged into the durable aluminum and medicine wheel colored pallet is a traditional teaching that has been passed down from one Tulalip generation to the next.

“With this project, I wanted to pay respect to our culture as this region’s first people,” explained James. “I tried to showcase our culture and who our people are, while paying respect to the Salish Sea through the blackfish, salmon, and our stories that have been passed on for generations.

“The salmon run that wraps around the building represents Sockeye,” he continued. “They used to be so abundant in our local waters, but now their runs are really short and even desolate in some places. It’s important that we continue to raise awareness of the dwindling salmon runs because their well-being is interconnected with the well-being of both blackfish and human populations. My grandpa always told me that it’s up to us to keep the blackfish and salmon alive because if they go away, then humans will go away as well.”

At the heart of this latest collaboration between a local city and one of our artists is a respect for the cultural heritage that pre-dates the urban landscapes that have taken over Coast Salish territory. 

By adorning municipal buildings, ferry terminals, college campuses, and other widely visited public spaces with Tulalip art embedded with iconic cultural imagery, local municipalitiesare finally moving in a positive direction to help preserve the vibrant traditions, intricate artistry, and spiritual symbolism that define our Native culture.

The Gift of Health: Diabetes Care and Prevention host final U-Pick gathering of the year

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

“When you see the people come together, it’s emotional, it really is,” expressed Veronica ‘Roni’ Leahy, Diabetes Care and Prevention Program Coordinator. “The people were all gathered around talking and the kids were running around. The elders were sharing with each other – the foods they picked, the foods they saw, and talking about recipes. We’re just warmed by each other’s friendship and love. And you can feel that you can feel that sense of community.”

The rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of dozens of Tulalip families who ventured off-rez on the afternoon of October 24, for the last Garden Tour and U-Pick harvesting event for the year. Held throughout the spring, summer, and fall seasons, the event allows the community to see food in an entirely new light. The idea is that by seeing the process take place, from planting to harvesting, people can develop not only an understanding of cultivating produce, but also gain a deeper appreciation for fruits and veggies, and all of their benefits. 

“I wanted to get out with my friend Marvin today, come get some fresh produce, and see what Roni has going on,” said community member, Jessica Leslie. “Roni is filled with a lot of good information, and they always have healthy snacks. Everything here is fresh, local, and really nice to have. I think it’s a good way to get people out and about.”

Tulalip elder Marvin Jones, who was just happy to ride shotgun with Jessica for the day, exchanged stories with Roni as Jessica gathered an assortment for veggies. Over a cup of hot apple cider, he spoke of the importance of having access to fresh produce, something that was much more difficult for tribal members to attain during his years of adolescence. He also touched on his gardening skillset that he developed over the years, explaining that he can ‘grow my own anytime I want it,’ and identified several harvesting spots on the reservation for the likes of apples, berries, and a variety of plants. 

The award-winning Diabetes Care and Prevention program partnered with Garden Treasures Nursery and Local Farm well over a decade ago to host the U-Pick gatherings. Ever since, the six-acre organic farm has been the backdrop for Tulalip members and Tulalip Health Clinic patients to learn and share knowledge about diabetes care, as well as harvest in-season produce and explore new foods that they otherwise wouldn’t have come across on a trip to the supermarket. 

By opening their barn and greenhouse doors to the tribal nation, Garden Treasures is fulfilling their community-driven mission FUBU style – for us, by us. As a local Arlingtonite, owner Mark Lovejoy spoke on this mentality and his inspiration for growing crops solely to give back to his hometown, our region, and the community of farmers that sell their produce along the local farmer’s market circuit. Mark has opened a large retail space at the Garden Treasures property, and partnered with local farmers and meat markets to make their goods available for purchase six days out of the week, in addition to his products. 

Mark shared, “It feels good, that’s the purpose of the farm. We’re supported by the community, for the community, we’re growing food for people right here. That’s been the mission all along, and the more we do it, the more we get connected. We designed this vertically integrated produce farm in the image of the old truck farmers from the 30s,40s, and 50s that were on the east coast serving the metropolitan areas. We wanted to serve our area with an abundance of food that we can grow in our climate.

“We designed our store to sell our products that we grow here ourselves. At the same time there are very few local farmers in our community who have a retail presence like this or even own land these days. Our farm is set up to be like an everyday farmers market. Anybody can come here any day of the week and have an experience like you would at a farmers’ market. Even though it’s a privately owned family business, it’s using a lot of vendors from the farmer’s markets to fill the shelves. And other people outside of the region that have other products too, like avocados that are from the same type of farmers that we are, but are from Mexico or southern California. We always try to source our products from people who are like us, who are interested in community supported agriculture.”

With multiple greenhouses throughout the property, Garden Treasures Nursery and Local Farm cultivates an array of colorful and nutrient dense vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers throughout the year. Roni is sure to schedule a U-Pick event at least once per season so that the community can enjoy everything from strawberries to winter squash. Now that we are in the midst of autumn, Garden Treasures has orange gourds in every size placed along the entryway to the farm. Each tribal family or THC patient selected a pumpkin before concluding their Garden Treasures adventure. 

“It was a pretty good harvest,” exclaimed young Kayden Palmer while holding a box of produce, her day’s bounty, in-hand. “It was wet and cold but still a lot of fun.”

Upon picking out a pumpkin and heaving it up for a photo, Kayden continued, “My family and I enjoy carving these and sometimes we feed the excess of the pumpkins to our sheep. I don’t know what design I’ll carve yet, but I’ll figure it out. [U-Pick gatherings] mean a lot to me, and it’s always nice to come out and see everybody.”

Community member Justine Jones shared, “I’m glad I was able to come here, check it out, and just get out of the house. I really like Halloween now because we have two boys who were born on the same day of October 12. And my little guy loves pumpkins. He calls them pum-an-ah-nos. We’ll carve our pumpkin and possibly enter it in the pumpkin contest at the community Halloween party.”

In addition to knowledge sharing through the act of harvesting, the Diabetes Care and Prevention program brought on professionals from the Puget Sound Kidney Centers, Registered Dietician Grace Scarborough and Medical Social Worker Michelle Rowlett.

“We are really big into community health, so we’re partnering with the Tulalip Tribes to promote healthy living and healthy eating,” Grace explained.

Michelle added, “Diabetes is one of the main causes of kidney disease. We try to talk about ways to keep your kidneys healthy, keep your body healthy, just the whole gamut of everything involving healthy living. We do things like this because if you’re eating fresh foods, fruits and vegetables, cooking with herbs and spices instead of salt, you’re going to have healthy kidneys, a healthier body, a healthier heart – it’s all connected.”

After years of setting aside a small percentage of the Diabetes Care and Prevention program’s funding, Roni feels that the importance of these outings and the experience of harvesting one’s own foods has not been lost on the community. With each event growing in attendance, she believes it’s now time to expand these services and hold U-Pick gatherings more frequently, and at varying times, so that more people get the chance to take freshly grown produce home to their dinner tables. 

Said Roni, “When it comes to being with the plants, it’s about that connection that we have to them because the plants give us the nutrients that we need in our bodies. But they also feed us emotionally, because of how you feel when you’re harvesting the plants. And then to be able to talk about the spiritual side of our plant relatives and how we feel about them. 

“Those plants live just a short life only to give you health, to give you that medicine. They share that with you and they are grown here for that purpose. So, when you start thinking of your food as a type of medicine, it helps in the sense of a spiritual connection. That has been one our teachings here; feeding our Indian. Feeding who we are and satisfying that. I think the satisfaction comes not just from eating it and keeping within us to nourish our bodies, but it also comes from learning how to plant it, how to care for it, how to harvest it, and then prepare it. It’s this whole process that we do and that’s what we try to show here. These foods are the gift of health. And to see the kids, to see the adults, and the elders enjoy that, because it’s truly a gift.”

The Diabetes Care and Prevention program is gearing up for a series of classes developed by the American Diabetes Association and is tailored to Natives living with diabetes. The classes will begin at 2:00 p.m. every Wednesday in November, at the Karen I. Fryberg Health Clinic. The classes will focus on self-management of the disease and are targeted toward individuals who were diagnosed with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic and have yet to attend a Diabetes Care and Prevention class. For additional details, please contact Roni at (360) 716-5642.