Category: Tulalip News

New beginYINS are on the way for Tribal families with troubled youth

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

A new program will soon be available for Tulalip families who are weathering those years of adolescent growing pains and teenage rebellion. A collaboration between Tulalip Family Haven and the Tribal Court, the program focuses on bringing the family unit together to address some of their teen’s actions and misbehaviors, and help right the ship before those real consequences start to kick in. 

“When this idea came to the floor at General Council, it was by the parents,” explained Family Haven Manager, Alison Bowen. “They felt that there were a lot of supports for families when things got really bad, but not for families that were trying to resolve issues before it came to the point of being unchangeable. And so, this program is for youth, who are still in the care of their parents or guardians, who are trying to solve a problem and not enter into beda?chelh or the juvenile court system.”

The program is called Youth in Need of Services, or YINS for short. It is open to Tribal families with troubled youth between the ages of 13-17. The youth must be experiencing one of the following issues: has been absent from home for at least 72 hours without consent of parents or guardians, has substance abuse problems with no pending criminal charges related to substance abuse, has excessive unexcused absences or is excessively late to school, is not participating in their education, are beyond the management of their parents/guardians, or their behavior is endangering their own health, safety, or welfare or others around them.

Getting to know the YINS Case Manager.
“I am Andrea Coberly. I’m a Quileute tribal member and a Tulalip descendant. I was previously a home liaison at the Quileute tribal school and worked with kids from kindergarten to 12th grade. I have dealt with the juvenile court system and worked on truancy cases and with youth at risk. And I have experience in helping guide the parents and the kids through this process because it can be hard to understand at times. I’m excited to be working here, because in La Push we didn’t have anything like this, and just because of the amount of resources that this Tribe and area can provide for the parents and the kids.”

From their mission statement, Family Haven states, ‘The goal is to not punish youth or their families, but rather to reconcile and work together for the family.’ Alison likened the new program to the successful Family Wellness Court, which is a program where tribal parents follow a personalized plan to regain custody of their children. Upon acceptance into YINS, the family will also follow a plan tailored to their needs and services required. The individualized plans will be developed by the YINS Case Manager, Andrea Coberly, along with courthouse officials. And similar to Family Wellness Court and the Healing to Wellness Court, cultural and community engagement from the family will more than likely be implemented into their plan, depending on the case. 

“I can help the parents find resources like therapy, I think that’s a very big one, and the other big one is medical,” Andrea stated. “And we have other resources and other departments and locations that we can refer them to. I will be the mediator, so the parents and kids aren’t going at each other’s necks. And I can help the parents communicate that they just want their kid to do good and succeed. And help the kids realize that what they are doing isn’t okay and it can lead to criminal charges or juvie, and how that can affect their future.”

After Family Haven receives a referral form for the family, they will reach out to them within three business days to schedule an intake meeting. At the initial meeting, Andrea will have the families fill out an intake form, give a complete overview of YINS, schedule a follow-up meeting, and determine if the family meets the qualifications for enrollment into YINS. Andrea also notes that the intake meeting is parent-led, but the kids will have an opportunity to say their piece as well.

Said Andrea, “If we decide it needs to go to the court, then we would file the first petition, which I will be helping the parents through because it is kind of lengthy, and then send it over to the court to get put on the docket. The first [court appearance] is not considered a hearing, it’s more of a conference with the court to develop the plan.”

Alison added, “And then following that, the court will set a date to review the progress of the plan. Did the youth do their part? Did the parents do their part? Were there any barriers? And if so, what can we do to work around those barriers? It’s really to facilitate the process and also try to reduce or shorten the timelines of barriers for the families that are in crisis.” 

The team laid out a timeline as they start to roll out the new program to Tulalip’s membership. YINS will officially start meeting with parents and guardians on November 18. On December 2, they will begin the filing process, to get any potential cases on the docket. And the first YINS court hearing will be held on December 5. 

For more information, or to refer a Tribal family, you can reach out to Andrea directly at either her desk phone, (360) 716-4342, or her cell phone (360) 913-7357. She can also be contacted through e-mail at ACoberly@TulalipTribes-nsn.gov.

“A big aspect of Native American culture is family,” expressed Andrea. “And separating us ties into that generational trauma of not being able to be with your family.  We want to keep the families together and prevent the youth from ending up in beda?chelh, where there might be placement problems and shortages, and they might have to be sent to a different state. It’s important to keep the tribal kids together with their families and connected to their Tribe’s awesome traditions.”

Lady Hawks celebrate ‘Senior Night’ with a W

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

The Tulalip Heritage volleyball program recently held its ‘Senior Night’ in a memorable home matchup with Evangel Classical School. Community filled the stands of Francy J. Sheldon gymnasium to celebrate the on-court growth and achievement of three Lady Hawks seniors – #6 Kayleena Follestad, #7 Elizabel Ramos, and #16 Laniyah Moore.

    Prior to the match’s opening game, each senior was shouted out by team co-captain Raylee Lewis and took to center court. There, they were met by family, flowers, and hand-made signs full of admiration and well wishes.

Senior Elizabel said her favorite part of senior year is “getting to meet amazing people a.k.a my friends and having a class that showed me how to be an assistant for elementary teachers.”  She shared her plans after high school are to “become a nurse midwife.” 

Fellow senior Laniyah said her favorite part of senior year is “the morning circle, it’s pretty cool. And meeting new people and friends.” When considering life after high school, she shared, “I’m not entirely sure just yet, but I do want to go to college and I think law school sounds pretty interesting.”

All those positive vibes created by the ‘Senior Night’ festivities carried over into actual gameplay. The Lady Hawks came out firing on all cylinders. In the first set, they took an early 10-3 lead over Evangel, extended it to 15-6, and ended up taking it 25-12. 

As they’ve been doing all season long, the Lady Hawks were all smiles and cheers, but this time there was just a little extra oomph in all their attacks. Their bumps were crisp, their sets well organized, and their spikes were actually finding their way through the defense and resulting in resounding points for the home team. Of course, this got the home crowd fired up at the prospect of getting a much-needed win.

Chants of “Tulalip power!” rang out through both the 2nd and 3rd sets while the girls continued to execute and score at will. They took a 16-8 lead before claiming the 2nd set 25-15. Then, followed that up with a 5-0 lead in the 3rd set. Senior Laniyah caught fire with her serves and connected on several aces. This allowed the Lady Hawks to repeatedly perform their choreographed ace celebration that got bench players, cheerleaders, and fans to echo “Ace, ace, ace!” 

Behind the impressive serve game, Heritage vanquished Evangel 25-8 in the 3rd set and earned a well-deserved 3-0 match W. It was a fairytale ending for the inspiring Lady Hawks team celebrating their seniors on their home floor.

“It felt really good to get a win on my senior night. It would’ve sucked if we lost,” admitted ace machine Laniyah after the victory. “I like serving. It’s one of my favorite parts of playing volleyball and something that I’m just naturally good at. I’m just happy to get the win because we’ve been working together so well and our teamwork is starting to pay off.”

“We have so much love for our seniors and, as a team, you could really tell with the energy and extra motivation we brought tonight just how much we wanted to get the win for them,” added co-captain Raylee. “Our last game vs. Lummi, we went to five sets and almost won. We’ve been getting better each game and know this is something we can build on to really end the season strong.”

The Lady Hawks will wrap up their season of enthusiasm and memory-making with back-to-back home games on October 23 and 24. Both matches scheduled for a 5:00pm start.

From Rez Rat to Rez Ball

By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News


Growing up on the rez, basketball is more than just a game—it’s woven into our culture. From broken-down hoops in backyards to the pristine hardwood of tribal gymnasiums, rez rats are always ready. You’ll spot them with shorts on under their pants, prepared for a pickup game or to jump in for a tournament. Always in the gym, with a ball in hand, dribbling away the troubles of the world, they live for the game and its escape.


 If that sounds familiar, Netfix’s Rez Ball might make for the perfect watch for you and your family, especially if you have a few rez rats under your roof. The story follows a high school basketball team from Chuska, New Mexico, as they try to come together after the tragic loss of one of their teammates. The team faces adversity on and off the court, navigating the challenges of rez life through hardship, unity, and their shared love for the game, all while striving for victory.


Recently, Tulalip News sat down with one of the stars of Rez Ball, the Pacific Northwest’s own Damian Henry Castellane, who plays Ruckas Largo. Castellane, enrolled in the Puyallup Tribe but raised on the Squaxin Island Reservation in Washington’s Mason County, shared insights into his journey to becoming part of the film.

Scene from the movie Rez Ball, now streaming on Netflix. Courtesy of Netflix. 


When asked about his connection to basketball, Damian shared, “I started playing reservation basketball at about five years old. I’ve only played in tournaments and never played school ball. For us rez kids, basketball is all we have. It’s the only way we know to escape our home and school lives. Growing up, my uncles were excellent basketball players, and I was always encouraged to pick up where they left off, so I just had to take it there.”


The conversation then turned to how Castellane landed his role in Rez Ball. He recounted, “I like to tell this story because it encourages people to take risks. My good friend Thomas sent me a casting call he found on Facebook for a Netflix movie produced by LeBron James. I laughed and thought, ‘They’re not going to pick me; I’m from Squaxin.’ But he insisted I give it a shot. I submitted my name, and they called me for a video audition. They liked my look — the tattoos, the hair — and asked me to read for the role. I set my phone up, had my girlfriend read the other lines, and sent it in. They loved my humor and invited me to audition in person in Albuquerque. There were 5,000 auditions for Rez Ball, and I felt honored to be picked from such a large pool. I performed well in both the basketball and acting sides of the audition. Two days later, they called to offer me the role of Ruckas Largo and asked me to fly out in four days. I stayed for two months, and the rest is history.”


When asked what it meant for him to be part of the film, Damian said, “It meant everything because I feel like I was doing it for Indian Country. Basketball is so meaningful and powerful to me. What better film to be a part of than Rez Ball? I can’t express enough how grateful I am for this opportunity.”

Castellane also spoke about how his community has responded to his success. “What’s funny is that on the Squaxin Reservation, people still treat me like the same person I was before. They don’t see me as a Netflix star, which I love. I can walk into the tribal store, and it feels like home. However, when I go outside my reservation, such as to the Puyallup area, I can’t go into stores or casinos without being recognized. It’s picture after picture in those places, but I appreciate that my reservation treats me like I’m still just me.”


In today’s era, shows like FX’s award-winning Reservation Dogs offer hope to Indigenous youth. Many of us grew up without seeing anyone who looked like us in movies. All we had were films like Dances with Wolves and Smoke Signals. But now, shows like Reservation Dogs have paved the way for Native representation in Hollywood. “Now we see people who act and look just like us,” Castellane said. “I believe Native cinema is opening doors for many young Indigenous individuals, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Photo courtesy of Damien Henry Castellane


Damian shared his childhood dream of acting: “Since I was a kid, I would tell my mom, ‘I’m going to be on TV one day, Mom. I’m going to go to Hollywood!’ She always supported me, saying, ‘I believe you, son.’ Growing up, I’d tell my friends I wanted to be in movies or become one of the biggest rappers of all time, and they would laugh at me, saying things like, ‘Yeah, right. Pick a different dream.’ So finally achieving this dream by being in the film has been the best experience ever. I’m a humble person, and I’m just proud of myself.”

One of Castellane’s favorite memories from filming was a lighthearted moment involving sheep herding. “During the scene where we were herding sheep, it was real—we were actually pushing those sheep to the pen. There was this one timid sheep that was hyper. A background character named Cooper is in the movie, and that sheep managed to juke him out, causing him to fall. I hoped that would make it into the film, but it didn’t. It was a funny moment that everyone on set still talks about.”


Regarding the heavier themes in the movie, including struggles with suicide and addiction, Damian said, “I can relate a lot. In Indian Country, issues like drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and suicide are significant concerns. If you haven’t experienced it personally, you’ve likely seen it firsthand through family, friends, or in your community. For example, when I was 13, my aunt Jamie committed suicide. The film addresses suicide—like the character Nataani taking his life—which brought back memories for me. I also connected with Jimmy, who tells his mom he’ll get her beer money. I had a neighbor growing up who struggled with alcohol, so that resonated with me.”


As the interview concluded, Castellane urged, “I encourage everyone to watch the film. If you need to, watch it again because it’s truly an amazing movie. The whole cast and crew of Rez Ball would appreciate your support as we aim to win awards with this film.”


As for his future, Damian teased exciting projects ahead. “Whether in music or acting, I want to take everything as far as possible. I have a big acting gig coming up that I can’t discuss yet, but it’s exciting. I also recently dropped an album titled AJ’s World, dedicated to my little brother, who passed away on March 9. You can find it on all platforms—Apple Music, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and more.”


Damian Henry Castellane’s path from reservation basketball courts to the big screen is a quiet reminder of the power of pursuing one’s passion. You can catch his work in Rez Ball, which is now streaming on Netflix.

Dentalium earring workshop at Hibulb

By Wade Sheldon, Tulalip News


Dentalium was once a symbol of wealth for the people of the Salish Sea. Often used as ornaments in clothing, headdresses, or even as currency by some tribes in the Northwest Coast of the United States and Canada, dentalium comes from scaphopods, a hollow-shelled mollusk. Its tusk-like shape and shiny white appearance made it highly prized. Today, dentalium holds cultural significance and is often crafted into jewelry.

Cultural bearer Santana Shopbell-Proehl and her husband, Nick Proehl, incorporated this material into a jewelry-making class they led. On Saturday, October 12, over 20 participants gathered at the Hibulb Cultural Center to learn how to create their own dentalium earrings. During the session, which lasted a couple of hours, attendees worked with the delicate material, creating unique jewelry pieces to take home.

Santana described how she became involved in teaching jewelry-making classes. She explained that her connection to the class began through her work as an artist in the community. “I recently started making dentalium earrings, and I’ve also done a lot of salmonberry, abalone work, and bracelets. I’ve had a couple of classes here already, so they had me on their list of artists, and that’s how I was invited.”

When discussing the concept behind her class, Santana reflected, “Honestly, it’s weird. I wanted to make something modern but with a story of Indigenousness—a modern touch. When I create pieces, sometimes I think, ‘Oh, that would look good,’ or, ‘Maybe this would look good.’ It’s a process of trial and error. I now look at some of my first pieces and think, ‘Oh no, I wouldn’t make that again.’ But as you grow as an artist, you start seeing and envisioning things differently.”

She explained that the class was designed to be both creative and accessible. “When I pieced this set together, I wanted to make something easy—a beautiful earring design that anyone could learn.”

Tulalip tribal member Aliana Diaz shared her experience attending the jewelry-making class. “It was terrific, and Santana’s detail-oriented. She helped us feel welcomed. I’ve never made Native jewelry before. It was my first time dealing with dentalium, and I found it was a little more delicate than I thought it would be, so it made it a little bit harder,” 

 She further expressed the importance of connecting with her cultural heritage. “Beadwork has been in our family—my aunties have done beadwork—and ever since I was a kid, I’ve been interested in it. Being able to connect with our culture is important to me, and for my daughter to connect with it as well.”

Gloria Warner, Diaz’s daughter and tribal member, spoke about the class. “One of the biggest reasons I wanted to return to the rez was more than just making earrings; I wanted to be around other Native people to heal that historical trauma. Art and culture are a huge part of that, and it’s been scientifically proven to help heal historical trauma.”

Diaz echoed Warner’s sentiments, adding, “We’re trying to fill the gap that our family has experienced with the loss of culture.” 

 As the class ended, participants proudly admired their handmade earrings, each piece showcasing a blend of creativity, culture, and connection. 

 Only two more arts/crafts Season of Healing events remain; on October 19, Jamie Sheldon will lead a cedar jewelry class, followed by a painting session with Monie Ordonia on October 26. Also, bonus carving classes with Ty Juvinel are every Thursday throughout October. For class times and pricing or to register, call (360) 716-2600 or visit online at info@hibulbculturalcenter.org.

A coastal connection on Indigenous Peoples Day

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

“When I say Indigenous People, you say hell yeah!,” instructed Tulalip Board of Director, Theresa Sheldon. The call was met with a resounding response that reverberated off of the Gathering Hall walls, and was accompanied by many whistles, cheers, and drumbeats. 

Native pride was on display as the people of Tulalip arrived at the Hall in full regalia on the evening of October 14. They were greeted by the aroma of traditional foods as salmon was prepared over flame for the gathering. 

More than a day of recognition, Indigenous Peoples Day has become a time to celebrate our heritage, traditions, and culture across the nation. All of which were nearly stripped away from us due to colonialism and assimilation efforts. It’s become a day to educate the wider population about our history and our connection to the land, the waters, and how the stewardship of Mother Earth provided sustainability for our people generation upon generation. Perhaps most importantly, it’s a day to hold our youth up and pass those teachings on to ensure our way of life continues well into the future. 

Fittingly, nearly the entire Indigenous Peoples Day gathering was led by the youth. Approximately 250 community members were in attendance. After an hour of socializing and enjoying that salmon dinner, event emcee, Deyamonta Diaz, asked everyone to take a seat at the center of the Gathering Hall as the festivities of the night began.

At the head of the hall stood fourteen young adults, ten Tulalip tribal members and four visitors hailing from O’ahu, Hawaii. Now, we don’t want to gloss over this moment, because it was beautiful and powerful. And beyond the dreams of many Tulalip ancestors, who faced unspeakable punishments for this very act while attending Indian boarding schools. Every single member of the youth coalition took time to introduce themselves, and their lineage, in traditional Lushootseed. And what followed was equally heartwarming and promising as the youth took matters into their own hands and introduced the Tulalip Youth Education Declaration to the public.

With the assistance from those four visitors, Maliatoa Tuallii, Ka’iwa Foster, Lilia Iokepa-Guerrero, and Maui Iokepa-Guerrero, the Tulalip youth spent the entire weekend, leading up to Indigenous Peoples Day, building a detailed declaration. The areas of focus included youth protection, elder and youth interactions, tribal sovereignty education, and health and wellness. 

Maliatoa, Lilia, Ka’iwa, and Maui are members of Hawaiian nonprofit, Papahana Aloha ʻĀina. Ten years ago, the organization wrote their own declaration dedicated to Hawaiian cultural education, youth leadership development, language preservation, as well as land stewardship and environmental advocacy. Since then, the group spent those years spreading their message and sharing their culture across the nation. With their experience and success, the Tulalip youth called upon Papahana Aloha ʻĀina to not only learn how to design their declaration, but also to learn new ideas of how to implement those motions and initiatives into everyday Tulalip. 

The result was astounding. In solidarity, the group presented the declaration as one, taking turns stepping up to the podium and passing the mic with each PowerPoint slide. 

Tribal youth, Ariel Valencia, shared, “We chose food sovereignty to highlight because we can decolonize from the inside out by eating our traditional foods – being able to harvest and differentiate the native plants, being able to survive off the land. We want to have traditional medicine classes for devil’s club and stinging nettle – harvesting it, making salves, and making tea. It is all connected to food sovereignty and our traditional plants/food. Being able to gather also follows the medicine wheel which has four sections and four directions – spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional health, which helps you harvest right and produce the good medicine from those plants.”

Highlighting another topic of the declaration, Tribal member Lilly Jefferson got the crowd fired up. She said, “We want to implement the Lushootseed Young Learners program. I think this is an idea that we can take active steps to. It opens the door so that kids of all ages can learn Lushootseed outside of school. I think it’s a good opportunity for young adults who want to learn the language. Every Tribal department should be required to incorporate our language into their work. I think this is really important because we, as a people, should be using the language on a daily basis. So, why not incorporate it into our work? We think it should be expected of our Tribal members to be using our language on the daily.”

Lilly continued, “The next thing I wanted to highlight is that the Board of Directors have to know how to use our language – write it, read it, and speak it. This is very important because you’re the leaders of our Tribe, you should be speaking our language. Also, why would you even run if you’re talking like a colonizer? I think I speak for us all when I say that we’re so very proud of all this work that we’ve done in the last three days. And how much we’ve gotten to know each other, problem solve and create this beautiful document that will grow and thrive in the next couple years.”

After the thirty-minute presentation by the youth, Deyamonta invited three Lushootseed language warriors to the podium to kick off the cultural exchange between Tulalip and Hawaii. Tribal members Thomas Williams, Oceana Alday, and Natosha Gobin each shared an interactive and traditional story in their ancestral language. The stories told were Crow and Octopus, Owl and Chipmunk, and Grandmother Cedar Tree. Like Theresa, the language warriors utilized the call and response technique to share their stories, and thereby introduce Lushootseed words and phrases to the attendees. Once all the stories were shared, the language warriors passed the baton to Papahana Aloha ʻĀina.

The similarities between the two cultures were recognized from the get-go as Ka’iwa blessed the floor beforehand by blowing on a conch shell in all four directions.  Lilia, Maliatoa, and Maui then took the floor in their traditional garb. They danced to the rhythm of the ipu, a drum unique to the Hawaiian Islands, all while chanting in their traditional language. 

“We greet you from Hawaii; from the highest of heavens down to your fertile lands of Tulalip; from the highest peaks to your waters here with abundant fish that has sustained your people,” stated Papahana Aloha ʻĀina member, Dino Guerrero. “The youth did a chant that talks about our people on our islands. How the islands were created. And how after the islands were created, our people stepped foot on those islands and sustained themselves for thousands of years. It was a traditional hula, a welcoming chant. We’re going to take you on a tour of our islands with our traditional dances, from our oldest island down to our youngest island.” 

The community was mesmerized as the Hawaiian youth danced each intricate step of their traditional songs. After several songs, the dancers left the floor for a brief intermission. During this time, Ka’iwa grabbed the attention of everyone in the hall when he began playing the guitar and singing soothing melodies in the Hawaiian language. Ka’iwa performed three songs before the dancers returned to the floor. After changing out of their regalia, Dino informed everybody that the first half of their cultural exchange was solely traditional dances. The second half was reserved for more modern songs and dances. 

Papahana Aloha ʻĀina closed their ceremony behind microphones, with a song performed in unison by the entire group. Our Hawaiian relatives were honored and blanketed by the Tulalip youth and leadership. Donning new shawls and cedar headbands, Papahana Aloha ʻĀina received a standing ovation from Tulalip.

Originally intended to be a two-hour event, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Indigenous Peoples Day Gathering and cultural exchange went late into the night, to absolutely nobody’s dismay. Grateful that Papahana Aloha ʻĀina gave the community a glimpse into their traditions and culture, Tulalip was excited to return the favor. The group was invited to front row seats, and the Tribe brought the evening to an end with high energy throughout several of their ancestral songs. 

Even the Darkness  premiere lights up Tulalip

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

The Tulalip Resort Casino’s Orca Ballroom has been an ideal venue for thousands of events, from extravagant weddings to charity auctions to stand-up comedian acts and a fair share of employee holiday parties. Most recently, for perhaps the very first time, the Orca Ballroom was redesigned to host a red carpet, TV series premiere.

In honor of Indigenous Peoples Day weekend, series director and Global Net Productions founder, Michael Lienau, held the first public viewing of his latest project Even the Darkness in Tulalip. An estimated 350 cinephiles convened for the exclusive October 13 viewing, including Chairwoman Teri Gobin, elected leaders from nearby tribes, Tulalip youth representatives, and many Even the Darkness cast members who basked in the limelight of their first red carpet experience.

Child actor Phillip James and his family enjoy the red carpet experience

One such actor was 8-year-old Phillip James who donned a cedar headband with abalone shells and a one-of-a-kind ribbon vest with imagery of his distinct Indigenous ancestry that spans the Americas. Most notably, he wore a heartwarming smile that was impossible to miss when he took front and center beside his family for his red carpet photo.

“I was happy and excited to get to act in a TV series,” said young Phillip after taking his seat in the Ballroom. “I thought it was going to be a fun thing and it was. My favorite memory [while shooting my scene] was seeing how happy my mom and grandma were. They were so happy they cried.”

Actress Amber Cantu and writer/producer Larisa Koenig greet the audience.

One of Phillip’s on set coworkers was actress Amber Cantu. She joined producer/writer and fellow stunning ribbon skirt wearer Larisa Koenig on center stage to welcome all those who managed to carve out time of their busy lives to celebrate an intersection of film, advocacy, and indigeneity.

“Even the Darkness started out as a dream, and now we’re all here at this red carpet premiere to celebrate it becoming reality,” shared Amber. “This project was a beautiful collaboration of amazing people with a vision to bring the realities our First Nations People face to the big screen. It’s about telling our stories of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), sharing traditional stories that connect us to the land and our ancestors, and so much more. I’m so thankful to be a part of this incredible series.” 

Even the Darkness features Coast Salish culture, gives credence to our stories that predate settler contact, has an Indigenous co-producer and several Indigenous advisors/consultants, and gave a number of aspiring Indigenous actors and actresses their official break into the film industry. Moreover, the independently created TV series seeks to honor and unite people of all ethnicities and generations, all while promoting environmental stewardship.

Bringing the Orca Ballroom hosted premiere full circle is the fact that several scenes were filmed within traditional Tulalip territory. One such scene took in the natural splendor viewed from Tulalip Marina and its central location within the Reservation.

Director Michael Lienau and his wife Shari at the Even the Darkness premiere.

Showcasing Native actors, Native lands, and Native stories within the creative lens of filmmaking is something Director Michael Lienau and the show’s producers were intentional about from the very beginning.

“We thought it was significant to hold the premiere here in Tulalip because our series seeks to honor the Native American people and really amplify their voices,” explained Director Lienau. “Using the premier as a means to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day and to be able to bring so many together on such a significant day is really special. I’m just amazed to see so many people from Native communities all over the state came to celebrate with us and to view an unknown, unseen TV series.

“This outpouring of support proves why its so important to listen to our local Native American tribes’ stories and learn of their rich histories,” he continued. “Across this nation, especially here in Washington State, the Native American culture is so vibrant and filled with amazing stories that have stood the test of time. My hope is to see more filmmakers and media companies showcase these communities and not tell the stories for them, but work alongside them in a respectful way and allow them to tell their own stories.”

After all, honoring traditional stories and amplifying the Native voice is foundational to any proper Indigenous Peoples Day celebration. 

Hawks score season-high 58 points on Darrington, up to #7 in WA State rankings

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

The coaching staff of Heritage High School’s (5-0) football program had a midseason matchup with the Darrington Loggers (3-1) circled on their calendars for weeks now. They knew it would be the first real test for the new-look Hawks who continue to put the prep football world on notice, one win at a time.

Darrington is well-known for their run heavy, power formations that contrasts greatly to the 3- or even 4- wide receiver sets that are ideal for Heritage’s electric quarterback J.J. Gray’s natural play making abilities. The battle of skill vs. will would determine if Heritage would remain among the state’s unbeaten teams, and force the rankings makers and high school scouts continue keeping an eye on the Tulalip Reservation.

“This season has been our redemption tour. We’ve beaten several teams that we haven’t beaten in a long, long time,” explained Heritage Athletic Director and Hawks head coach Lonnie Enick. “For us, it goes beyond previous wins and losses. Before the season, our team got zero recognition, not even an honorable mention as a team to look out for. Now that we’re undefeated and beaten several good teams, we finally got a number next to our name, and we know that all it will take is one loss for that to go away.

“Every week, our boys are getting better and better. Our coordinators do a great job of coming up with schemes that put our players in the best position to succeed. That didn’t just happen overnight. Most of our players have grown up watching Willy and Deyamonta play football and basketball or have been coached by one of them at the Boys and Girls Club or in an all-Native tournament. All that time and commitment to player development and team strategy is playing out now before the whole community. It’s beautiful. When we built this field, that was the dream; for our community to be able to come out and be proud of what they see and to cheer on that next generation,” Lonnie added.

And cheer they did! Those in attendance from the greater Tulalip community and those who ventured from Darrington were treated to an instant classic hosted at the Tulalip Youth Complex. There were touchdowns galore as both teams maximized every possession and did everything they could to put points on the board.

Tulalip’s offense, defense and special teams each scored a touchdown in the early going. First, J.J. Gray, playing safety, recovered a Darrington fumble and ran it back 55-yards for a touchdown. He later set the crowd ablaze when he torched Darrington of a 75-yard kickoff return for his second touchdown. Add in a direct snap to Ziggy Myles-Gilford for a 5-yard rushing touchdown and the home team was up 24-8 late in the 1st quarter. Cue chants of “Tulalip Power!” from their adoring fans.

Down by multiple scores, Darrington continued to chug along with one run after another after another. Their coaches were intent on playing their ground and pound style regardless of time and score. To their credit, all the pounding began wearing out Heritage’s defense. Already down a couple starters, they lost two starting defensemen Kane Hots and Lennox Luong during the 2nd quarter. Using this to their advantage, Darrington pounded that rock until, before you knew it, the score was tied 30-30 at halftime.

In the 2nd half, the Hawks proved their style of play could ultimately win out vs a traditional power team. Quarterback J.J. Gray led an unstoppable air raid offense, wherein he routinely found his wide receivers Ziggy and James Diaz for highlight making touchdowns. 

Here’s the 2nd half scoring breakdown:

  • #3 J.J. Gray with a 30-yard pass to #33 James Diaz. (38-30)
    • Darrington responds. 38-38
  • #3 J.J. Gray with a 45-yard pass to #33 James Diaz. (44-38)
    • Darrington responds. 44-44
  • #3 J.J. Gray with a 1-yard rush. (52-44)
    • Darrington responds. 52-50
  • #3 J.J. Gray with a 45-yard pass to #15 Ziggy Myles-Gilford. (58-50)

With just 3:30 left to play in the 4th quarter, Darrington had possession was once again marching down the field with one rushing attempt after another. They were intent on tying the game. Until that is, the Hawks defense rose to the occasion. After nearly two and a half hours of real time tackle football and the endless slew of hits to take down Darrington ballcarriers, Heritage’s defense came up with a game-sealing stop. Ziggy and #51 Ryland Dumont combined for a backbreaking tackle that led to a Darrington fumble, recovered by none other than J.J. Gray.

In possession of the ball with two minutes remaining, the Hawks were able to go into victory formation and bask in the cheers of the home crowd. As has been the case after every home win, a procession of fireworks lit up the Tulalip Bay sky when the game clock read all zeros. Still undefeated, Heritage moved to (6-0) on the season.

“I like the high scoring shoot-outs because there’s so much action and every possession matter that much more when the score is close,” shared breakout wide receiver Ziggy Myles-Gilford postgame. “When I transferred to Heritage over the summer, it was so I could play basketball here. I wasn’t expecting to play football, but the coaches and my friends on the team, like J.J., talked me into it.

“Now, I feel like every time I touch the ball I have an opportunity to score. At my size and with my speed, I just feel like no one in this league can matchup with me one on one,” beamed the Heritage sophomore. Indeed, he’s already amassed quite the ledger of touchdowns, especially 40-yard plus highlights, that have helped propel Tulalip to #7 in the WA State rankings. 

Bump, set, and enthusiasm

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Within the 1,743 square foot volleyball court at Heritage High School, the Lady Hawks continue to develop their bumping and setting skills. Normally, after bumping and setting comes spiking, but these girls the final ingredient of their on-court trifecta is enthusiasm. Unbridled enthusiasm to be exact. Plain, yet simple, and highly effective for making high school memories.

“We are just trying our best to be locked in during practice and in games. For me, I think being positive and focusing on the good things is an important, maybe the most important, part of life, not just sports,” explained Lady Hawks co-captain Lilly Jefferson. “You can see how its impacted our team, too, because regardless of the score we are doing our chants, cheering for one another, and actually enjoying the moments we get to celebrate. 

“Being able to be loud and scream out of joy and excitement if my favorite part of sports,” continued the high school junior. “As the season went along, the more and more of my teammates started to join along and now almost the whole team cheers and lets out good emotion when something good happens or someone puts full effort on the court, like diving or really hustling to try and make a play. These are moments are worth celebrating, or in my case, screaming for.”

While doing their best to maximize enthusiasm during their team as volleyballers, the Lady Hawks have unlocked a truly refreshing perspective for those who witness them play. They are making the best kind of memories, built from a united mission to have fun regardless of what the scoreboard reads. This was evident at girls’ latest home game when they hosted Shoreline Christian on October 2. 

 After dropping a quick first set, 10-25, the girls played a back and forth second set that saw them trailing by only two points, 18-20, at one point. If it’s possible to will a team to victory simply through enthusiasm, then co-captains Lilly and Raylee Fryberg nearly did just that. They were the driving force that made sure they team came together after every point, win or lose, to clap it up, express positive platitudes, or let out a cheer-filled scream.

The super competitive second set ended up going Shoreline Christian’s way, but that didn’t stop the Lady Hawks from boiling over with that unbridled enthusiasm. Not even close. Before the start of the third set, senior Elizabel Herrera huddled up her team and mimicked the legendary “Whose got my back?!” chant made famous by the Seattle Seahawks vaunted Legion of Boom.

Those vibes carried over to the start of their third set. The Lady Hawks managed to jump out to a 9-8 lead and were still in the think of things while trailing 15-20. Ultimately, they dropped the third set and lost the match 0-3. Don’t tell them they lost though because they aren’t interested in the wins and losses; they are interested in making memories and building friendships.

“This is my first year playing volleyball,” admitted 17-year-old Elizabel post-game. “I’m so thankful for Lilly and Raylee for bringing me up and talking me into playing. I feel like I mess up so much and am still learning where I need to be and when, but they act like I don’t and that makes me want to keep on playing and getting better.

“This whole experience playing volleyball and being a Lady Hawk are good memories that I’ll be thankful later for. Really, I just want to smile and make others smile because high school is only four years and, me being a senior, I only have a few months left. So I want to smile as much as I can and make as many memories as I can before it’s over.”

The 2024 volleyball season is quickly coming to an end. Catch one last glimpse of bump, set, and enthusiasm when Heritage celebrates Senior Night on October 15. The Lady Hawks will be hosting Evangel Classical School in their final home game of the season.