Category: Tulalip News

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

At the heart of Boom City, dozens of vehicles formed a large circle inside of the gravel lot. The owners of the vehicles, which consisted of approximately 30 families or groups, then proceeded to decorate the trunks of their cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans. Two motorcycle clubs set up shop in their respective areas, as did the Tulalip Police and Fire departments. From the vibrant and pixel world of Super Mario to haunted and spooky graveyards, there were numerous fun, creepy, and lighthearted Halloween-themed trunks this year. 

Together We’re Better held their annual Trunk or Treat event on the afternoon of October 14 and brought smiles to over 500 community members from the Tulalip and Marysville area. Over the past decade, Trunk or Treat has become a community favorite event and a fun opportunity for the kids to participate in the trick-or-treat tradition in a safe environment. 

Wearing costumes of their favorite characters, superheroes, villains, princesses, or monsters, the kids visited each trunk and received a sugary snack. The Apple Guy was in attendance and gifted each trick-or-treater with fresh fruit, which many of the younger kids received with enthusiasm. Members of the local recovery community got into the Halloween spirit and dressed in costume, as a group, as various characters straight outta Andy’s toy box, from the Pixar classic, Toy Story. Instead of candy, Sandy Pitchforth and family let the children pick a book to take home from a large assortment.

The best interactions were between the kids who were overjoyed anytime they met another kid dressed in a costume from the same universe. Countless Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Batmans and Jokers, Marios and Luigis, Buzzs and Woodys, and Spongebobs and Patricks crossed paths on that cloudy October day. Many of the kids used the power of imagination to fully immerse themselves into the world of their characters. And before anyone knew it, damsels were in distress, heroes were chasing villains, goofy goobers were goofy goobering, and turtles were sharing radical fighting techniques amongst each other. 

Throughout the years of the pandemic, this was one of the only events that survived a slew of cancellations due to health and safety concerns. Trunk or Treat adapted to the times and altered their event to practice social distancing by changing their gathering to a drive-thru celebration. During this time, the Tribe cancelled their popular community Halloween party, but collaborated with Together We’re Better to keep the ghoul times rolling. The first year, the Tribe donated candy to the event. The second and third year, the Tribe donated buckets and candy, and a number of departments reserved spaces and decorated trunks of their own as well. 

Now that the Tribe’s Halloween events are making a comeback, Trunk or Treat returned to its (grass)roots and this year’s event was back to being 100% volunteer-based and community funded. It was a great turnout, good times were had by all, and TWB’s Trunk or Treat entered a new decade with thrilling success. With the holiday just around the corner, this was the perfect way to get everybody into Halloween mode and get their spooky on. 

Said Malory Simpson, Together We’re Better Founder, “I love to see all the kids and it’s really exciting to see all the people come together to make it a successful event for our community.  And that’s for both Marysville and Tulalip, a part of Together We’re Better has always been about bringing the communities together. And it’s important for me to continue Trunk or Treat because it’s one of my favorite events. I think people really had a lot of fun, as well as the volunteers.” 

If you are looking to get more involved with the community, Together We’re Better is always accepting donations, whether that is goods, funds, or your personal volunteered time. For more information, please contact Malory Simpson at (425) 905-9137. 

By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News

In commemoration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the Tulalip Tribes hosted a heartfelt dinner and coastal jam on Monday, October 9, at the Gathering Hall. Several hundred individuals gathered to honor and celebrate our Native traditions, fostering a deep spiritual connection that breathes life into our cultural heritage.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day emerged as a profound shift from the previously observed Columbus Day, marking a fundamental change in how we honor and acknowledge the original inhabitants of this land. This transformation represents a collective recognition of the enduring resilience and rich cultural heritage of Native Americans who have called North America home for millennia. It’s a day that seeks to celebrate their unique contributions, honor their enduring traditions, and acknowledge the profound history of Indigenous peoples, emphasizing a more inclusive and accurate narrative of the past.

When asked what Indigenous People’s Day means to you, Tulalip tribal member Faith Valencia said, “What Indigenous Peoples Day means to me is mostly our community coming together for something that’s not sad or another reminder of a sad event. It’s a day to be ourselves. Learn our culture, be able to sing our songs, do our dance, and hang out with our family.”

“Indigenous Peoples’ Day means we are celebrating our ancestors and how they took care of the land, learned how to survive, and helped one another,” Tulalip Tribal Elder Loretta Tom said. “It’s about how strong our native heritage is and the resilience it took to overcome the many atrocities they faced so that we could be here. It’s important to show the young ones how we gather, carry our tradition, and show what being Native is all about. It’s not just a gathering to have fun, but also to teach the young how to carry on when not here.”

“To me, it’s just embracing your culture and being able to welcome everyone into one space and show what we represent and what we are about,” Tulalip tribal member Krislyn Parks said. “We used to have ceremonies like this every day, and we need to bring back those moments and show that we can still do what our ancestors did back in the day. I’m excited that a lot of people are out in their regalia showing out. It’s exciting to see what we have coming for the future.”

Bradley Paul William, dancer, and Tulalip tribal member, had this to say, “What Indigenous Peoples’ Day means to me is all of us gathering around to do our cultural and traditional things. It also means honoring our ancestors, doing what they couldn’t do, and keeping our culture alive.”

By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News

A candlelight vigil was held in Marysville on Sunday, October 8, to remember Gina Blatchford, a beloved Tulalip tribal member. Family and friends gathered to show their support and create awareness, hoping someone may have information about the tragic incident. 

Gina Blatchford, a member of the Tulalip community, lost her life tragically in a hit-and-run incident. She was struck by a vehicle traveling northbound on I-5 near exit 199 in Marysville, Washington, on the morning of Wednesday, October 4. 

“Whoever hit her on the freeway just kept going,” Tulalip tribal member Rocio Jack said. “Nobody has come forward with information about what happened or who did it. They just left her on the side of the freeway.”

Rocio continued, “Gina was well known in the community and had four children. She was the sweetest person, and she wouldn’t hurt a fly. We don’t know why she was on the freeway. We want answers. We’re asking people to come forward; it’s a bustling road, especially in the morning. If anyone has seen what happened, please report it to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.”

If you have any information about the incident, please come forward. Your help can make a significant difference in finding justice for Gina and her family. You can contact the Snohomish County Sherriff’s Office at (425)288-2845 or submit an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). There is a $1,000 cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. 

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

For the ninth consecutive year, the Pacific Northwest region and its tens of thousands of proud Native American citizens celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the second Monday in October. Replacing the former ill-conceived holiday dedicated to a slave trader and lost Italian navigator, Indigenous Peoples’ Day serves as a commemoration to honor the sacrifice of the past, the resiliency of the present, and the limitless potential of the future for our shared Indigenous culture. 

“People may ask, ‘Why Indigenous Peoples’ Day and why not American Indian Day or Native American Day?’ It’s only appropriate that we honor the legacy of work that’s been done,” said educator Matt Remle (Lakota). His efforts, along with other dedicated Native activists, were instrumental in getting a proclamation voted on by the Seattle City Council and signed into law by then-mayor Ed Murray in 2014. “It’s not only honoring legacy, but when we say ‘Indigenous peoples,’ it’s referring to more than just the tribes of the colonized United States. We’re talking about all Indigenous peoples who’ve been impacted by settler colonialism around the world.”

Since its inception into our shared experience, the Indigenous Peoples’ Day movement has spread to hundreds of cities across the nation. It’s been formally adopted by 19 state governments, and even a collection of universities and entire school districts are now including the day to celebrate global Indigenous cultures in their holiday calendars.

The movement has received so much praise, admiration and momentum that it even draws attention from The White House. Imagine that. Just days ago, in the United States capital of Washington, D.C, President Joe Biden from his Oval Office released the following proclamation:

“On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor the perseverance and courage of Indigenous peoples, show our gratitude for the myriad contributions they have made to our world, and renew our commitment to respect Tribal sovereignty and self-determination. They challenge all of us to celebrate the good, confront the bad, and tell the whole truth of our history.  And as innovators, educators, engineers, scientists, artists, and leaders in every sector of society, Indigenous peoples contribute to our shared prosperity. 

“Their diverse cultures and communities today are a testament to the unshakable and unbreakable commitment of many generations to preserve their cultures, identities, and rights to self-governance.  That is why, despite centuries of devastation and turmoil, Tribal Nations continue to thrive and lead in countless ways.

“Today, Indigenous peoples are a beacon of resilience, strength, and perseverance as well as a source of incredible contributions.  Indigenous peoples and Tribal Nations continue to practice their cultures, remember their heritages, and pass down their histories from generation to generation.”

Thank you, Mr. President! When local Native culture bearers and their allies from around the Pacific Northwest gathered at Westlake Park on Monday, October 9, for a march and rally to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day, they were indeed united in culture and honoring a rich heritage. The dedicated early morning group proudly wore cultural garb and traditional regalia while marching with a police escort from Westlake Park to Seattle City Hall.

“I love this moment. Feeling my drum vibrate through my soul, out of my feet into Mother Earth, and back up into my body,” shared Sarah Hart (Tulalip) after marching through Seattle’s urban landscape. “Empowering is an understatement. Being who we are as [Native] people is a way of life, it’s every aspect of who we are and it’s in every fabric of our being. We don’t celebrate the genocide of our people, we celebrate who we are as people. We celebrate together. One heart. One drum. One voice. Together.”

Later that evening, the festivities continued at Daybreak Star Cultural Center with a host of activities intended to celebrate all sovereign nations that comprise Turtle Island. Sponsored by the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, the Daybreak Star gathering included hundreds of urban Natives, culture bearers from various tribal communities, and non-Natives who wanted to share in the memorable event.

A series of high-energy cultural offerings, representing Indigenous communities across the Americas, kept the multi-generational audience engaged well into the night. From diverse song and dance performances to heartfelt words filled with inspiration and positivity to even a lengthy BINGO session, which the elders loved, that awarded the winners prizes of traditional medicines.

Outside Daybreak, a firepit grill was running at full capacity, in order to cook up enough locally caught salmon to feed all those in attendance. Hard at work manning the grill and ensuring all that salmon was cooked to perfection was Gregory Ebona (Tlingit/Haida). In between sets of salmon, he said, “To be able to provide food and feed all these beautiful people here with us is an honor.”

Keeping the outdoor fire going in order to sustain the flame responsible for cooking the food was Deedee Ebona (Tlingit/Haida). She connected her responsibility to keep the fire going with Indigenous peoples’ collective responsibility to keep the culture and our traditional teachings alive. “Being of service to our community is important, as is collaborating with our relatives from other tribes because our ancestors sacrificed so much to ensure their teachings, their culture would live on through us,” she shared.

Daybreak Star’s evening-filled celebration paid tribute to a still thriving, still resilient culture that was once on the brink of extinction as a result of genocide, colonization, and termination acts. The shared sense of pride and glorious Indigenous identity radiated off those in attendance only amplified with each passing song, each inspirational message spoken, and every hug shared by strangers, who in that moment became family.  

Therein lies the true beauty of being Indigenous. It makes every day a great day to be Indigenous.