Category: Tulalip News

A sduhubš summer: Tulalip community is set for an eventful season

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

The sun is out, and the temperature is steadily growing warmer with each passing day, as we officially reached the season of summer. Time that was previously occupied by school work, sports, after school activities, and indoor projects, has opened up and many will be looking to have some fun in the sun. Tulalip is known for planning an entertaining summer each year, which always includes a healthy dose of imparting cultural knowledge to the next generations. 

For tribal members, events and activities are often based around the act of exercising your treaty rights and flexing your tribe’s sovereignty through harvesting cedar, huckleberries, and salmon, as well as selling federally legal fireworks at Boom City. Throw in some summer camps geared toward tribal youth, a golf tournament, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, a salmon bake fundraiser, and a variety of health-focused events, the Tulalip community is set for an eventful summer.

With all the events scheduled to happen over the next two months, it might be easy to overlook and ultimately miss out on any number of the upcoming gatherings. For this reason, we compiled a list of some of the major happenings taking place at Tulalip throughout the summer. We invite you to pull out your red felt tip pens and mark down the following events on your personal calendar.

Boom City 

Open Daily 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. through July 4

The Northwest pyrotechnic capital is officially open for the holiday season. Tulalip entrepreneurs set up their vibrant and creatively designed stands at the lot located behind the Tulalip Resort Casino. 

The stand owners have innumerable types of fireworks available for purchase including cakes, firecrackers, bottle rockets, sparklers, Roman candles, fountains, smoke bombs, pop-its, and many more. Boom City also offers a designated area for people to enjoy their fireworks safely and legally. Several food vendors are stationed at Boom City as well serving up treats such as Hawaiian shaved ice, frybread and tacos.

Tulalip Health Clinic Garden Day

July 8, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

This event is dedicated to pruning the beautiful and serene Medicine Wheel Garden & Wellness Garden Trail, located behind the Tulalip Health Clinic. A fun gathering for the entire family, the community spends time tidying up the trail and garden beds. This is the perfect opportunity for the young ones to learn some tips on planting new crops and maintaining a home garden.

Hosted by the Diabetes Care and Prevention program, the Garden Day events are sure to draw a large amount of participants, who in turn are treated to a delicious and nutritious breakfast, snack, and lunch for their dedication and efforts. Each volunteer gardener is also gifted with a box of fruits and veggies, donated by Klesick Farms, as well as gardening tools and seedlings to transplant into their home gardens.

Special guest: Leslie Lekos from Wildroot Botanicals.

26th annual Lushootseed Language Camp

Week one July 10 – 14, Week two July 17 – 21

Registration for Language Camp is now open!  The camp tends to fill up quick and is limited to 50 kids per week. So be sure to reach out to the Lushootseed Language Department for a sign-up form to get your kiddos enrolled to this cultural enriching day camp. This year’s Language Camp will take place at the Kenny Moses Building from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. every day and is open to youth between the ages of five and twelve. 

During each fun-filled week, the youth learn several teachings of the Coast Salish culture including weaving, smudging, beading necklaces, and harvesting local plants, like devil’s club, for medicine and ceremonial art. Throughout the five-day camp, the young Lushootseed Language Warriors will be fully immersed in the traditional language, stories and songs of their people through a combination of interactive lessons, including outdoor play and a series of visual programs that are taught on tablets.

Tulalip Education Division Summer Camp

Starts July 10, Daily Hours 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m

The Tulalip Education Division has quite the summer planned for the teens of the community. Open to youth who are in grades 6 – 12, the summer camp has activities scheduled for every day of the week including mini-outings on Mondays, swim days on Tuesdays, Teen Center fun on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and Field Trip Fridays. 

Just one look at the schedule for Field Trip Fridays will have your teen excited and ready to sign up for the summer camp as soon as possible. Field trips include excursions to Snow Goose Produce, the Family Fun Center, the movies, Game Works, as well as to a Seattle Storm game and a Mariners game. The camp also planned for a cultural empowerment week during July 17 – 20 with activities such as beading, weaving and ribbon skirt crafting.

Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be served daily. For more info, please contact the Teen Center at (360) 716-4909.

2nd annual Tulalip Recovery Campout

July 13 – 19

A six-day trip to Lopez Island is scheduled for the recovery community of Tulalip. The campout is hosted by the Recovery Resource Center (ODMAP) and was a great success last year. This year promises more fun in the great outdoors. 

Lopez Island is a sacred place for the sduhubš people and is the location where many of the tribe’s ancestors journeyed to every summer to harvest salmon and shellfish.

Said ODMAP Project Coordinator, Kali Joseph, “The Campout will include a variety of activities including hiking, kayaking, camp fire recovery meetings, a coin ceremony countdown, incentives/prizes, team building activities, game nights, and more. This Campout was established to support our recovery community and foster a strong peer support network among those walking a sober life. It is also designed to bring healing to the trauma and grief associated with substance use disorder and addiction. Its mission is to bring forward awareness and to highlight that recovery is possible because we are all connected.”

To RSVP and learn more information about the Recovery Campout, please contact (360) 722-2255.

Leah’s Dream Foundation 9th annual Golf Tournament 

July 15

Beloved by golfers all across the county, this annual tournament provides an opportunity for hundreds of players to hit the links of the Battle Creek course while advocating for inclusion, promoting awareness, and raising funds for the special needs community of Tulalip and Marysville. 

Leah’s Dream Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to empowering children and young adults diagnosed with autism. By hosting events and get-togethers for the local youth living with disabilities, the organization provides a safe space where the kids can simply be themselves and build friendships within the special needs community.

The foundation was established in 2015 by Tribal member Deanna Sheldon, whose daughter Leah Stacy is on the spectrum and is diagnosed with apraxia. The golf tournament is an event that Leah looks forward to every year and she lends a hand in preparing for the event by posting signs of all the sponsors throughout the 18-hole golf course. 100% of the tournaments proceeds goes directly back to the local special needs community for both events as well as for learning tools, resources, and curriculum. 

To sign up for the annual golf tournament, please visit Leah’s Dream Foundation on Facebook for more details. 

spee-bi-dah

July 22, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Connecting multiple generations and families, the summertime potlatch celebrates the lifeways of the sduhubš people. Held on the Spee-Bi-Dah beach, the gathering provides tribal members a chance to socialize with friends and family while traditionally harvesting and preparing the foods of their ancestral diet, including salmon, clams, and crab. 

A main attraction of the day is when the community pulls together, literally, by using the traditional method of seining to capture fresh foods for the salmon and clam bakes. 

Canoe Journey – Tulalip Landing

July 27

While enroute to this year’s final destination at Muckleshoot, canoes from all across the Pacific Northwest will make a quick visit to the tribal nation of Tulalip. Celebrated every summer by Coast Salish tribes and First Nation bands, the canoe journey affords tribal members of all ages the opportunity to connect to their ancestral way of life. By navigating the Salish Sea on cedar dugout canoes, the people are exposed to several traditions, songs, foods, and dances as they journey from one village to the next.  

The Tulalip Family Canoes will take to the waters following the landing at Tulalip Bay. The canoes are scheduled to arrive at Muckleshoot during the week of July 30th. A weeklong protocol will then ensue, and every tribe will get the chance to share their culture with the Indigenous community at large. 

Tulalip is currently holding canoe practices every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in anticipation of this year’s paddle. 

Tulalip Health Clinic annual Health Fair

August 4, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Promoting overall health and wellness, the Karen I. Fryberg Health Clinic is once again hosting their annual Health Fair gathering this August. During the six-hour event, community members can visit a number of informational booths and learn the importance of prioritizing one’s health, and also pick up new tips on how to manage their medical diagnoses and concerns. In addition to helpful resources, the community can also receive free screenings and donate blood. And of course, the fan favorite fun run/walk will also be occurring at the health fair. 

This year’s event will take place at the Tulalip Gathering Hall. 

2nd annual Pride Everyday BBQ

August 13, 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Following last year’s great turnout, the Tulalip Pride BBQ returns with the promise of more fun, more dancing, and more delicious barbeque. DJ Monie will be spinning tunes during the event, so you can be sure to expect some fun dance competitions throughout the summertime celebration. 

The event includes face painting, a ribbon shirt and skirt contest, and a sidewalk chalk art station. All ages are welcome to join the gathering to honor and support the local 2-Spirit and LGBTQ+ community. The Pride Everyday BBQ is set to take place on the teen center campus, at the outdoor shelter between the skate park and the baseball diamond. 

Hibulb Cultural Center annual Salmon Bake Fundraiser 

August 19

The Tulalip Foundation puts together an exquisite night that highlights Tulalip’s rich culture every August 19. While showcasing the songs, art, and history of the tribe, the foundation hosts the Salmon Bake to help bring in funds to benefit the Hibulb Cultural Center’s exhibits, classes, and events. 

During the gathering, the museum opens up its exhibits to all those in attendance. And often times, several Tulalip artists are invited to hold live demonstrations in carving, looming, and weaving. Leading up to the Salmon Bake, the foundation acquires numerous items from around the tribe to put up for bid during the silent auction. Those items include paintings, beadwork, sculptures, and cedar woven pieces, as well as gift baskets and gift certificates for the Tulalip Resort Casino.  

War Canoe Races – Tulalip Bay Circuit

August 19 & 20

A thrilling occurrence for both competitors and spectators alike, the Salish-wide canoe racing event will make its appearance at Tulalip Bay during the third weekend of August. Over a hundred racers take part every year and hit the waters at full speed, making laps from the Tulalip longhouse to Hermosa beach and back again. Designed with swiftness in mind, the war canoes are sleek and narrower than traditional cedar dugouts. 

Racers train year-round in hopes of bringing home the first-place trophy for the Tulalip Bay circuit. This year there will be single, double, six-man, and eleven-man races throughout the weekend. 

Tulalip Health Clinic Farm Tour & U-Pick

August 22, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

This summer’s Farm Tour & U-Pick event will be hosted at Hazel Blue Acres, Fuentes Family Farm. The event is organized by the Diabetes Care and Prevention program of the Tulalip Health Clinic and is a great way to learn about the produce you consume and how it is grown and harvested. In previous years, families gathered fresh vegetables and brought them home to incorporate into their meals. 

With a change of location, the community will be excited to learn that Hazel Blue Acres specializes in cultivating blueberries. Tulalip tribal members, their families, and patients of the health clinic are invited to the Arlington based farm to harvest up to five pounds of blueberries per family. 

Keep safety in mind this fireworks season

By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News

Tulalip’s Boom City is upon us once again. And with that, comes the variety of explosive, incendiary fireworks, which have become synonymous with Independence Day, or known around rez as the fourth. Lighting fireworks is a long-standing tradition with local families who have participated for generations, while some critics wish they would get rid of them altogether. 

In recent years, media outlets have been highlighting the dangers of lighting fireworks. Yes, fireworks have an element of danger to them, and are not to be taken lightly. However, with the proper techniques and the right safety precautions in mind, fireworks can be enjoyed by many. 

The first step to fireworks safety is to be pre-emptive. This means to think about what you are doing and prepare for accidents that might happen. For example, when finding a spot to light fireworks make sure that there is a flat surface, and nothing in the way of the projectiles. This way you don’t have to worry about the firework tipping over or hitting a tree, light post, or house. 

Have a bucket of water, a fire extinguisher, a hose, or all three readily available to help with extinguishing any sparks that might go into your yard. These are also great to have if the fireworks fail to go off. Do not try and re-light the firework. Instead douse with water, or put into a bucket of water. 

Often, age is a factor. What age is right for your child to be lighting fireworks or holding sparklers? Many firework manufacturers would say it’s preferred if the person lighting the fireworks were over the age of 18. Though some fireworks are considered less dangerous and can be used by youth, with parental supervision. 

Safer items that are easier and not as dangerous are such things like fountains, sparklers, and novelty items that spin in place on the ground or have very little crackling effects. There are also pop-its and snappers. Pop-it’s you throw on the ground, and snappers you usually pull the string or trigger to shoot confetti. These are examples of fireworks that can handled by responsible kids with their parents watching over them. Remember sometimes just telling your child isn’t enough, you need to show them 

A very helpful tool for lighting fireworks is a punk, which allow people to light fireworks without getting their hands close to the flame and ignition. This is where most injuries occur. Trying to use lighters and matches next to fuses that shoot off sparks can causing burns to your hands. With punks you light it once and it stays smoldering for a few minutes allowing the user to light multiple items. Punks are usually 12 to 16 inches long giving plenty of space between your fingers and the firework ignition. 

Remember your neighbors when lighting fireworks. People have different schedules, and also may have young kids or animals. Take them into consideration, be respectful and try lighting fireworks during appropriate times. 

Everybody who enjoys fireworks wants to have a good time. Just remember to be conscientious about what you are doing. Apply safety measures to ensure a less likely chance of an accident. And be respectful of your community.

Container for Life: Help when you need it most

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Container for Life is an exciting and potentially life-saving program being welcomed into our Tulalip community. In a collaborative effort led by Community Health and Tulalip Bay Fire to not waste a single second while attending to on-reservation residents during emergency situations, the family-friendly Container for Life launch event was held on June 16.

Hosted at the Tulalip Bay fire station, the always on alert firefighting team teamed up with the endlessly patrolling police officers to offer a memorable BBQ spread that got hungry passers-by to stop for a bite. After filling their bellies with grub, they were offered dessert in the form of sweet information about the many benefits of becoming a Container for Life participant.

“When a medical emergency occurs, it’s very hard for the person involved or their family to answer all the questions that Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and/or medical personnel will need to ask,” explained the lead nurse for Community Health, Ashley Schmidt. “With the Container for Life, most of that information is in the container. This helps ease stress and errors that can occur when people are under duress.

“Tulalip consists of 22,000 acres or 35 square miles. Much of the area has limited access, often only one road in and out,” she added. “Four out of five Tulalip emergencies happen in the home. The Container for Life will greatly assist in addressing medical needs immediately and possibly prevent a need to go to the hospital, not to mention this could be lifesaving. In addition, there is a section on the medical information form for tribal members to include preferences and goals of care. For example, this would be a great place to include cultural considerations such as not cutting one’s hair or spiritual preferences.”

  The Container for Life program is nationally recognized for saving countless lives each year by providing emergency responders with life-saving medical information during an emergency. The Container for Life is a form that is stored in your refrigerator. When emergency responders are called to your home they will see the Container for Life sticker on your front door and know to go to your refrigerator to get your important medical information.

The simple to fill-out form, held in an easily recognizable container is designed to speak for you when you can’t speak for yourself. The container holds all the information you deem important enough to share in the event that emergency services are called to administer proper medical treatment, or you are in a situation that requires treatment at a new medical facility.

“My dad has had several health scares over the past year. We’ve noticed that when he’s gone by ambulance to the hospital, and we’ve followed by car, they keep the family out while administering medical care,” shared Amy Sheldon, daughter of Container for Life participant Ray Sheldon. “This can sometimes be as long as an hour or even two, where we can’t be with him. It’s always a concern whether or not they know all his relevant information. With this container, we know that they can find all his important information, like what medications he’s currently taking and what his allergies are.”

It’s the mission of Community Health and Tulalip Bay Fire to ensure every elder on the reservation is given the opportunity to become a participant. But this program isn’t limited to just elders, all adults and kids can benefit from participating, as well. 

“We came for the learning experience and to let the kids see the fire trucks up close, and to enjoy the BBQ,” said Annette Cheer with four young ones in tow. “They were so excited to interact with the firefighters and Buster the police dog. We learned a lot. I can attest to the importance of children needing to participate in the Container for Life, especially if they have really bad allergies or are taking any medications. You never know what could happen, so it’s better to be prepared.”

Each Container for Life kit includes:

  • The Container for Life vial
  • A branded magnet for the refrigerator 
  • A branded window cling for a front-facing door or window 
  • 2 medical information forms 
  • An instruction card explaining how to use all of the above items

Having your critical information available in an emergency could be the difference between life and death. If you or a loved one wish to participate, Containers for Life kits are available for pick-up both at the Tulalip Bay Fire Department and Community Health buildings. 

Community Health can be contacted for additional information at 360.716.5662 option 5.

hikw siyab yubəč: Big Chief King Salmon 

By Kalvin Valdillez; photos by Wade Sheldon and Kalvin Valdillez

Hundreds of Tulalip members stood upon a small bluff overlooking Tulalip Bay. Draped in traditional garb, the women and young ladies adorned shawls and ribbon skirts while the men and boys wore vests and ribbon shirts. Cedar woven headbands, hats, and jewelry were the accessories of choice, as well as bandanas, eagle feathers, and beaded medallions. The kids gasped with excitement and pointed out into the distance of the bay. With traditional hand drums and rattles, the people sang hikw siyab yubəč, and greeted the first king salmon of the season to the village as he arrived at the shore on a cedar dugout canoe.

“Today is our 47th annual Salmon Ceremony, that was revived 47 years ago,” said Tulalip Chairwoman, Teri Gobin. “We’re honoring hikw siyab yubəč, big chief king salmon. Welcoming him and showing him how well our community will treat him, so he will go back to the village under the sea and let them know he was treated well at Tulalip. And we’ll have a bountiful season. And it will also bless our fishermen to protect them from the storms and the weather and make sure they come home safe.”

As one of the main staples of their ancestral diet, the relationship between the salmon and the sduhubš is strong. The traditional belief is that Tulalips are descendants of the Salmon People who live in a village under the Salish Sea. At the beginning of every fishing season, the king salmon send a scout to the waters of Tulalip Bay, and it is his duty to report back to the Salmon People about his time spent amongst the tribal nation. 

In the early 90’s, Tulalip leader Bernie ‘Kai Kai’ Gobin penned a retelling of the traditional Tulalip story, the Salmon People, for the Marysville School District. Kai Kai shared, “The story goes that there is a tribe of Salmon People that live under the sea. And each year, they send out scouts to visit their homelands. And the way that the Snohomish people recognize that it’s time for the salmon scouts to be returning to their area is when, in the spring, a butterfly comes out. And the first person to see that butterfly will run, as fast as they can, to tell our chiefs or headmen, or now they are called the chairman. One of the other ways they recognize that the salmon scouts are returning is when the wild spirea tree blooms. The people call it the ironwood tree, and that’s what they use for fish sticks and a lot of other important things, like halibut hooks. It’s a very hard wood. So, when they see either one of these, a tribal member will tell the chairman, and he immediately sends out word to the people and calls them together in the longhouse for a huge feast and celebration to give honor to the visitors that are coming.”

Keeping with the tradition that extends across thousands of years, the Tulalip community prepares for the arrival of the scout weeks in advance. The tribe plans a special honoring for the salmon, thanking the local Indigenous species for providing healthy nourishment for the people year after year. 

“This is a ceremony that our people have done since time immemorial, since we were salmon,” explained tribal member, Chelsea Craig. “It was a commitment to our people under the sea that we would carry on this tradition. And when colonizers came and tried to stop us from practicing our ways, it went underground. And our ancestors maintained that knowledge and passed it through oral traditions. And when it was safe for us to bring it back, our elders brought it back. It’s our responsibility to keep that going until there is no more time.”

Along with the practice of spiritual work, the Lushootseed language, songs, dances, hunting, gathering, and traditional ceremonies were outlawed by the US government at the beginning of the 20thcentury. During this time, Indian boarding schools were established, and children were forcibly removed from their families. The kids were to learn the ways of the ‘new world’ and abandon their traditional lifeways. It was a dangerous time to be Native American. 

Decades passed by and the Salmon Ceremony was all but lost. However, thanks to a number of boarding school survivors, bits and pieces of those ancestral teachings were held onto while they endured the tragedies of assimilation. And in the mid-70’s, after the Meriam Report of 1928 helped abolish the majority of Indian boarding schools throughout the country, Harriette Shelton-Dover called upon her community. Forming a small group comprised of Tulalip, Swinomish, and Lummi elders, Harriette ushered in a new era for the sduhubš people with the revitalization of the Salmon Ceremony in 1976. 

Teri recounted, “My father [Stan Jones Sr.] was one of the main people to work with the elders to bring the Salmon Ceremony back. A lot of these songs were almost lost. It was Harriette Shelton Dover and all these iconic elders that wanted to make sure this was carried on. That was so important. My mom was the one who brought the cakes, and we would visit and write everything down to keep it for future generations. And that’s what’s most important, that these young ones are learning now.”

Tulalip’s future, some merely a few weeks old, were fully immersed in the ceremony, with their regalia and ancestral knowledge on full display. Accounting for over half of those in attendance, the youth put on their sduhubš warrior faces and treated the gathering with the utmost importance and sincerity. Each time they entered the sacred space of the Tulalip longhouse, they went in focused on the work taking place and beamed with Tulalip pride. 

“It felt so good in the longhouse,” exclaimed Chelsea. “It felt like we were bringing pride to our ancestors. It felt like a longhouse full of love. It felt good today. And to see all the kids, I was sitting down watching them, and it overwhelmed me with pride. Our young ones are taking up this culture with their full selves.”

Tulalip youth Rajalion Robinson expressed, “This was my first year at the Salmon Ceremony. It was really nice to learn more about my culture, especially during the practices. My favorite part of the ceremony was dancing to the Welcome Song.”

Upon witnessing the youth arriving at the year’s ceremony, Teri said, “It’s exciting because what it brings is all this culture and knowledge to the children so they can pass it on. I’m really excited about how many youth we have involved. We actually almost need a longer longhouse to accommodate all the children.”

In total, ten songs and blessings are offered at the Salmon Ceremony. And those powerful chants were amplified by all the voices of the young people this year. From start to finish, the kids were engaged and sang with booming voices that echoed out of the longhouse and rippled across the bay. The ten songs are offered in the following order:

  • The Welcome Song
  • Sduhubš War Song
  • Eagle/Owl Song (Tribute to Kai Kai)
  • Blessing of the Fisherman
  • Listen to our Prayers
  • hikw siyab yubəč
  • The Happy Song
  • Table Blessing Song
  • Canoe Song (Kenny Moses Jr.’s Song) 
  • New Beginnings Cleansing Song (Glen’s Song)

Once the guest of honor is welcomed into the longhouse, he is escorted on a bed of cedar branches to the Greg Williams Court where a feast ensues. The people share the first bite of salmon together as one tribe. 

“This first piece is representative of us all sharing the blessing of the yubəč,” said Salmon Ceremony leader, Glen Gobin, as he addressed the participants at the gym. “I ask that we all eat this piece at the same time together. Now, I’m going to ask that we all take our water and drink it together. This clear water represents the purity of life, and the lifegiving waters in which the salmon come from. Now I’m going to ask that we all eat this wonderful meal together.” 

After the meal, the people return the remains of the scout back to the waters so he can complete his journey back to the village of the Salmon People and tell his relatives about his journey to the sduhubš territory. To show their appreciation to the tribe for the special honoring, the salmon will travel to Tulalip Bay throughout the season to continue providing sustenance for the people. 

Derek Prather, Tulalip member and parent shared, “It’s a beautiful ceremony and I’m grateful to be able to share it with my kids, help cook the fish, and take part in the ceremony with the community. I’ve been doing it since I was my son’s age, 5 years old. My uncle was Stan Jones who helped restart the Salmon Ceremony, so it’s important to pass this on to my kids. I’m really grateful to see so many kids show up today. It warms my heart to see that.”

The following message is an excerpt from the 2023 Salmon Ceremony program:

This year’s Salmon Ceremony is dedicated to Donald ‘Penoke’ Hatch Jr. He was on the Tulalip Board of Directors for 27 years. And for every year he served on the board, he fought to keep the Salmon Ceremony and any activity for our youth alive here at Tulalip. Penoke was also on the Marysville School Board for 16 years to help keep our children in school. For all his hard work supporting our children, the Tribe named the new youth center gym after him. Our hands go up to him for all he has done for our tribe.

          

During the feast, and moments before taking a generational photo as a member of the king salmon carriers of the ceremony, Penoke shared a few words about the special honoring. He said, “Right now, I’m going through a lot with my health. I’m not feeling too good because of my cancer and the medicine I take. But it makes me feel good when I wake up in the morning to another day. Today was a really special day and it was tremendous for me. My life here on the reservation, all the cultural going-ons and all the things that I’ve done in my lifetime, it’s coming back to me. And I appreciate our people for recognizing me and the years that I participated in education, sports and just in our community. Our tribe has given us so many things that we need to appreciate more. We have to appreciate each other more. We have to love each other more than yesterday. That’s the most important thing.”

A cultural approach to recovery

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

Aiming to build a strong and local recovery community so the people can heal together, the tribe’s Family Services Problem Gambling program is bringing the Wellbriety Movement to Tulalip. This past May, the program hosted a three-day training called the Medicine Wheel and the 12 steps. This training was limited to the first fifteen people to sign up and was focused on tribal adults in recovery. 

The training was created by White Bison, a Native American non-profit that founded the Wellbriety Movement in order to bring healing and recovery to tribal communities. By utilizing cultural practices and teachings to combat addiction, Indigenous nations throughout the country are seeing positive results thanks to White Bison’s trainings. 

The trainings are often referred to as fire starters, and they are designed to help get the ball rolling for recovering addicts and encourages them to take the initiative to build a recovery community from within the tribe. After a successful training for adults, the Problem Gambling program is preparing for another Medicine Wheel and 12 steps training, and this one is geared toward the youth of the community, ages 13 to 21. 

“We chose to do the youth training because it doesn’t seem like this is an area that’s talked about much with the youth; there’s not a whole lot of support in this area,” said Substance Use Disorder Professional, Robin Johnson. “And it’s intimidating when you’re a youth, to say that ‘I’m in recovery’ or ‘I don’t want to use’. High school and junior high are hard enough, it can be intimidating to take your stance.”

During the youth training, participants will delve into heavy topics including a look at how many of us were raised and how growing up in an environment where trauma lives and thrives, and where drug use and alcohol is often prevalent, can lead many children down a road to substance abuse, acting out, and depression. 

“Hopefully this helps bring a better understanding, because it talks a lot about intergenerational trauma,” Robin explained. “So, a better understanding of that and also their own family dynamics. Because that dynamic – if there’s no understanding, they feel responsible and start blaming themselves. This gives them an understanding of where it started, and why it’s happened within their families, and why it continues to happen.”

By providing that understanding , the program gives young adults the power back in their lives and teaches them how to ‘re-chart their lives with healthy choices and healthy behaviors’. The training harkens back to the teachings of our elders and uses the art of storytelling as an instructional method throughout the program. 

“What sets this training apart is, with the medicine wheel you do the steps in a circle,” stated Robin. “In the linear way, when you relapse you start over. In AA or NA, you start over. But with the medicine wheel, it’s in a continuous circle, so you just continue moving forward and that makes a huge difference.”

Along with the 12 steps, which helps with your personal character development, the youth will also sharpen a number of life skills in areas such as decision making, goal setting, solution finding, and creating a healthy self-image, among others. 

In addition to this training, the Problem Gambling program will also be hosting the White Buffalo’s Warrior Down this August. Warrior Down is a relapse and recovery support program for Natives who are completing treatment, as well as those who are returning to the community from incarceration. It’s also open to anyone with aspirations to become a local recovery coach, those who are on the road to recovery and are looking to be a pillar of support for others in the community who are going through similar tribulations. 

Said Robin, “By providing these trainings, people can then decide if this is something they want to bring into the community. And hopefully, they will get fired up about starting this. The ultimate thing that I would love to see is the youth, with the support of their parents or an adult, get some meetings started in hopes other youth would join in and want to take part.” 

The Medicine Wheel and 12 Steps for youth training is a three-day program and begins on June 20, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The training will be held at the Kenny Moses building. For more information, or to sign up for the training, please contact Robin Johnson at (360) 722-1067. 

“Your present situation isn’t your final destination, take every opportunity to learn and grow, be the next generation of leaders in this community. Find your truth, use your voice,” Robin expressed. “Tulalip offers so many ways to connect to its heritage and culture, this training is another way to cultivate an understanding of the history to influence positive change for the future.”

Calm confidence on the golf course

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Early last month, Tulalip News detailed the exciting debut of Tulalip Heritage’s golf team. The eight-person team was intently driving, chipping, and putting their way to success at the well-manicured Cedarcrest golf course, where they were matched up with rival school Grace Academy. While covering Tieriana McLean, the lone female golfer on Heritage’s team, we learned she was routinely matched up with another girl golfer from Grace who also happens to be a Tulalip tribal member.

Emily Hegnes, the daughter of Belinda and Don Hegnes is a sophomore at the K-12 private Christian school in Marysville. And she recently etched her name among the lengthy list of Tulalip athletes to find great success in organized sports. She blew even the loftiest expectations out of the water with a stellar 2nd place finish at Tri-Districts and earned a spot at State.

“I’ve been playing since I was young with my dad and my brother, so golf has always been around in the family. At first, I didn’t really like it, but I’ve gotten really used to it and have fun playing with friends and family,” admitted 16-year-old Emily. 

Her mom Belinda shared how her daughter started playing golf at five years old while on the course with her parents. They’d hand her a club between holes and watch her swing. Eventually, she grew increasingly competitive playing so often with her big brother that she could shoot even with him. That’s when everyone around her realized she had an innate skill on the green.

Those skills and more were on full display during her recent sophomore season. Her coach Elizabeth Callaghan said, “Probably the thing that sums up her season more than anything is the impression that she’s left on other golfers. I hear from other coaches and athletes what a joy she is to play with. She’s a kind and compassionate girl, and really in the community of golf, that’s something you want to develop in an athlete. The ability to be a lifelong player with whom others are excited to play is one of the highest compliments any golfer can get.” 

High school sports have been known to provide numerous benefits to student-athletes, including improved physical health, leadership skills, and teamwork abilities. While traditional sports such as football, basketball, and baseball have long been popular among high school athletes, golf is becoming increasingly popular. In fact, according to a study by Axios in 2022, golf has risen to the eighth most participated high school sport, with a whopping 143,000+ participants playing high school golf nationally.

Emily’s consistently low scores at one golf course after another culminated with her Tri-District performance hosted at Loomis Trail golf course in Blaine at the end of May. With her sleeves rolled past her shoulders, she not only looked like she meant business but, performance-wise, was ensuring she had a complete range of motion on all her golf swings. Going into the final three holes, Emily was near the top of the leaderboard. Her clutch ball placement and patient putting earned her an impressive 2nd place finish.

“Districts and Tri-Districts were both pretty straightforward for me,” said Emily. “I didn’t feel much pressure. I was a little nervous, but I was pretty confident in my ability to get a good score. Usually, it’s all about fun, but my coach provided some motivation and gave me a goal that I really wanted to accomplish.”

Golf is commonly considered a mentally challenging sport that requires players to stay focused and maintain a positive attitude. The game is often described as “90% mental and 10% physical,” meaning that a player’s mental state largely determines success on the course. High-achieving golfers like Emily routinely showcase unwavering concentration, mental discipline, and resilience. The ability to stay focused and composed under pressure translates into academic success and cultivates a strong work ethic.

“She has a calm confidence,” described Emily’s mom. “That mindset helps her to improve and keeps her motivated. I’m so proud as a mom and a Tulalip tribal member to have a daughter who took up the sport of golf, committed to improving one area at a time, set goals that she reached, and made it all the way to State.”

After her State experience, Emily shared it only made her love golf more because she got to compete with the best girls around and realized how much better she could be.