Lorne Alexander Moses was born to Robert Moses Jr, Kimberly Bustamante. He was raised on the Tulalip reservation by his grandmother Johanna Moses and auntie Annie. He was so loving and helpful to them both. He journeyed on surrounded by his loving family to be with the Lord. He was known for his infectious laugh, his perfection flare for style and keen eye for the ladies: following with nickname or coin phrase was always a given (he was a big flirt). Time spent at the family home with all his cousins siblings and family made for the greatest celebrations. “LMo’s” Love for $primetime$ at adventure with friends/Bros Included any sports, music, boom city, good food, fishing, crabbing and definitely travel. We were blessed to have this handsome man in our lives, dearly missed we know he is now finding comfort in the arms of his wonderful brothers and father loved by all never forgotten.
He leaves behind sisters Athena Moses, Aimee Moses, mother-Kimberly Bustamante, grandmother Johanna Moses Aunty Annie Moses, Uncles Jon Moses Sr, Anthony Moses Sr, Aaron Moses Sr, Willie Moses, Benjamin Burchell, Rachel Proper, Marvin Burchell, Allen Burchell; nieces and nephews,Tianna,Kiera Moses, D?sean Moses, Kathryn Elliott, Ira Moses-Snyder, Aaliyah Camaro Downing Tiana baby♥??? Kohen, Kaine,KamBrea,Kendalynn,Kwynn Moses, h is Wife, Leah Moses; Numerous cousins, friends, bros, family. Preceded in death: father-Robert “Be-Bop” Moses Jr, brothers, Warren Moses, Blake Moses; Grandfather Robert Moses Sr, great grandparents, Marya Jones Moses, Walter Moses Sr, Albert and Annie Moses, Cherri Beirley, a nd special Uncle Raymond “Teatmus” Moses and Auntie, Teresa Whitish. We love you and will miss you. Until we meet again rest in peace.
An evening service will be held Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 6:00 PM at the Tulalip Gathering Hall. A celebration of his life will be held Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 10:00 AM at the Tulalip Gathering Hall with burial to following at Mission Beach Cemetery.
On the evening of May 3, hundreds of Tulalip citizens and members from nearby tribes convened at the Gathering Hall for the 2nd Annual MMIWP Awareness Day event. Designed to bring attention to the MMIWP epidemic, as well as uplift those families who have been affected by the crisis, the MMIWP gathering at Tulalip is a rollercoaster of emotions that is equal parts heartbreaking and healing.
“The number of MMIP grows so much every year at Tulalip and across the land. The duty of spreading awareness on this matter falls on every one of us,” said Anita Matta, Tulalip Police Department Program Manager, and lead organizer of the MMIWP gathering. “I would like to share a few statistics: in Washington State, Native people make up 1.6% of the population, but make up 17% of missing people in the State. And as for violence against Indigenous women and girls, 4 out 5 of our women have experienced violence and 55.5% have been physically abused by their intimate partners. And 40% of sex trafficking victims are Native American and Alaskan Indian women.”
Nationally, May 5 is dedicated to raising awareness about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Persons epidemic that continues to plague Native America. Every day, more and more of our relatives are reported missing, and thousands of individuals have yet to be found. Additionally, the rate at which Native people are murdered in the US is higher than any other ethnicity. And it’s important to remember, that with any statistics gathered while dealing with the MMIWP epidemic, the true numbers may never be known as many cases and incidents are either underreported, misreported, or left unresolved.
Though still in its infancy stage, the MMIWP Awareness Day event has been met with great reception from the community, and has done an amazing job of paying tribute to those Tulalip members who have been reported missing or who have been murdered and are no longer with us. A recurring theme and important piece to this event is based around the phrase ‘SAY THEIR NAMES’, which has been featured on the back of the event t-shirts at each of the awareness gatherings thus far.
Upon stepping into the entryway of the Gathering Hall, attendees were handed red t-shirts and the Tulalip Youth Council were also passing out candles for the candlelight vigil. Directly behind them was a large poster, where the youth invited the people to write down the names of their loved ones or a message to the victims of the MMIWP epidemic.
Twelve Tulalip tribal members, who are missing or were murdered, were recognized during the Friday night gathering. Their selfies and family photos were highlighted in a slideshow, that was casted on several large projector screens, and it continuously played on a loop throughout the entire evening. Their portraits were also featured beside red dresses, a national symbol that helps bring attention to the MMIWP crisis, all throughout the Gathering Hall. And keeping true to Tulalip’s MMIWP slogan, we’re going to pay our respect and say their names here as well; Cecil Lacy Jr., Anthony Kitsap Sam, Bridgette Simpson, Mary Davis Johnson, Nina Mae Dell, Kyle Van Jones-Tran, Sophia Solomon, Hayleigh Jo McGhie, Jessica Christian Jones, Andrew M.L. Fryberg, Gina Blatchford, and Jolene Leanne Flores.
While the people settled in and shared a meal together, members of the Tulalip Board of Directors offered a few words to kick-off the event.
Said Theresa Sheldon, “I’m so grateful that we can come together and actually be honest and open and talk about what MMIWP means to us. We wear them on our shirts, and we post on social media who we lost. We say their names, so they’re not forgotten. We say their names, so they know they were loved and cared about.”
Added Chairwoman, Teri Gobin, “My heart goes out to those who are still missing, the families whose hearts are broken, and all of those families who have suffered from the loss of a loved one. I know that by having these events, by saying their names, by being here together, we honor those who are missing or were murdered. Keep a warm place in your heart for them and always remember their names. They were our members, they were our family, they were our community. We will always be here to try to do whatever we can to honor them and tell the families how much we love them; how much we appreciate them. And we’ll pray for those to come home and those who are still suffering, we just love them.”
Other guest speakers that evening included the Tulalip Chief of Police, members of the Tulalip Bay Fire Department, Lena Hammons who is on the National Board for Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence, as well as the team who helped organize the event, which consisted of both government employees and community members. The Tulalip Legacy of Healing and Child Advocacy Center were in attendance, providing information about the services they offer, as was the recently established Crisis Response Team.
“I am here to ask all of you to start working toward prevention. Educate yourself. If you or someone you know is in a DV relationship, reach out for help,” urged Lena. “The Tribe has a lot of resources. TPD takes it very seriously. The Child Advocacy Center and the Legacy of Healing take it very seriously, you just have to reach out. We can save each other. We can protect each other. Let’s take care of each other and please, let’s love each other.”
There wasn’t a dry eye in the Gathering Hall when it came time for families to share the stories of either the disappearance or murder of their loved ones. Through heavy sobs, the mothers and fathers who spoke on the mic, pleaded for the parents in the building to tell their kids they love them on a daily basis. And they advised everyone in the hall to step-in and step-up if they notice their loved one has become involved in an abusive and unhealthy relationship. Whether looking for the whereabouts of their lost family member or seeking justice for those who were murdered, each family asked for the community’s support and help in bringing closure to the families.
Nona Davis, sister of Mary Davis Johnson, shared, “I would just like to say that we appreciate everybody who is here today. We ask that you please tell anybody and everybody about our sister, Mary Davis Johnson, who has disappeared. All we want is her to be back. I want her back. Our family wants her back. And with everything that we been through, it’s been a struggle – but tonight I can say that we’ve all been through this together, because everybody that is gathered here today is going through the same thing we’re going through. And we support everybody here, and all we want in return is the same from everybody else, the support to help us find our sister.”
Tribal members Sarah Hart and Monie Ordonia were honored and recognized for their efforts in bringing attention to the epidemic. The week leading up to National MMIWP Awareness Day, Sarah and Monie dedicated their time to help raise awareness for the MMIWP crisis by placing red dresses and red shirts in highly visible areas throughout the reservation. As mentioned earlier, red dresses have become the national symbol to help raise awareness for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Persons epidemic. Each dress is hung upright to give the illusion that someone is wearing it, but the woman whom it belongs to is missing. Sarah and Monie painted the names of those Tribal members who fell victim to the epidemic on each article of clothing that they hung up this year.
While they were in the process of conducting this work, Sarah took to Facebook and said, “In 2020, I knew I wanted to bring awareness for our communities, for our brothers and sisters. I started hanging up red dresses, and my first year I did it alone. My second year, I put the call out asking if anyone wanted to come with. Monie showed up bright and early to meet me and we have been doing this every year together since. We pray, smudge, and do this with the best intentions and love in our hearts. It’s not for the clout. It’s not about likes. It’s not about being boastful. It’s about awareness.”
Sarah and Monie then invited all the women in attendance up to the floor, and together they created a beautiful and powerful moment as they sang the Women’s Warrior song. On the last verse, they all put their fist in the air to send strength and honor those lives lost and those souls who are still missing.
Following the event, Monie shared, “Thank you all who came over to the Tulalip Gathering Hall for our MMIWP Awareness Day event. It was a very emotional evening. I pray that we were able to honor those loved ones we have lost, who are either missing or murdered. I hope in some ways we could be part of the medicine that brings healing to the survivors who are still affected by the loss of their loved ones.”
Josh Fryberg, the event’s emcee, called for a moment of silence for the victims of the epidemic and their families. He then asked the families to gather at the center of the floor so that the singers and dancers could offer their prayers and medicine byway of traditional drumbeats. Antone George (Lummi) was in attendance to lead the drummers with the impactful MMIW song, which he composed and contain the lyrics: Every day and every night, I pray, pray for you. I love and miss you. Sister, come home.
The night concluded with a coastal jam as the crowd formed a circle to witness the dancers and singers pour their hearts out on the floor, in dedication of their lost or murdered loved ones.
Tulalip tribal member, Cary Williams, stated, “I’m in support here today for my family, our Tribe, in solidarity of all the families affected. Personally, I am affected. One of my best friends from high school is currently missing right now. It affects all communities. These prayers are something we can do on our part to uplift those relatives who are missing, to call out to their spirit and call them home, here to us. And for the relatives who are gone, who are not with us any longer, this is a time for us to let our emotions go, on this floor. And this is the best way we can be possible – in our culture, active in our lifeways here in Tulalip. Today, it really uplifts my heart to lay it out on the floor and walk out of this place much lighter than when I walked in. And to be able to put my best friends name on that poster was healing for me that I didn’t know I needed.”
If you would like to learn more about the MMIW epidemic, please visit www.NativeHope.org for more information. And if you have any information regarding those Tribal members who are missing, please contact TPD at (360) 716-9911.
“This was healing for me, especially after what happened with my cousin Jenzele,” expressed Youth Council member, Arielle Valencia. “It just felt really nice being here and to heal in a way of decolonization. It really proves how healing our culture is and how far we have come.”
When asked what the key takeaway is for the youth she said, “Learn your culture, be able to respect others, and be on the lookout for other people. You may not know the person, but you’re related. You’re related to everyone on the rez no matter what. Blood or not. Be connected to them.”
Vern Ledford, 85, of Marysville passed away peacefully with family by his side April 26, 2024.
Vern was born to Alan and Louise Ledford (Sheldon) at the family home on the Tulalip Indian Reservation January 23, 1939. Vern had four siblings Bobby, Allen, Dean and Bernita. He graduated from Marysville High School in 1957 and lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. After graduation Vern served in the United States Army. He returned to Marysville and opened a barber shop on 3rd Street where he developed numerous friendships in the community. He later had a career with the Snohomish County PUD as a heavy equipment operator.
Vern was married to the love of his life Lavern for 60 years. They had four children together: Tami Burdett and Steve, Shawn and Rose Ledford, Tonya and Jay Nelson, and Lance and Anne Ledford. He had six grandchildren: Taylor and John Williams, Courtney Burdett; Kaiden Ledford, Mason Ledford; Coby Nelson, Shane Nelson; and Elizabeth Anderson. Three great grandchildren: Graham, Lottie, and Lachlan Williams.
Vern was active in the community throughout his life. He was a member of the Everett Yacht Club, Marysville Rotary, Marysville Jaycees, Moose lodge. He served on the Indian Education Committee for the Marysville School District, served on the Tulalip Tribes Gaming Commission, and the Boom City Board. Vern played softball into his sixties, stayed busy developing and maintaining properties and sold fireworks for over 40 years. Over the years, Vern enjoyed spending time with family and friends at their cabin in Darrington, house in Eastern Washington and vacationing in Makaha Hawaii. He enjoyed attending Marysville Pilchuck Tomahawk football, basketball, and baseball games throughout his life. Vern was one of the proud Tribal Elders who supported Marysville Pilchuck keeping the Tomahawk name.
Vern was a supportive husband, father, grandfather, and friend who will be greatly missed.
His funeral will be held on Monday, May 6th at 10 AM at the Tulalip Tribes Gathering Hall, located at 7512 Totem Beach Road, Tulalip. All are Welcome.
Summer is right around the corner! As the weather warms up and the kiddos prepare for their last stretch of school for the year, one can’t help but look ahead at all the exciting, engaging, and educational events that are on the horizon at Tulalip.
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, summertime 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.
With several 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 May and June. So, make sure to bookmark this story and input these following dates into your digital calendar!
Culture Night – Every Tuesday – 5:30 p.m. at the Kenny Moses Building
Come join the community for a night of jamming and regalia crafting! This is a great gathering to help introduce the kiddos and newbies alike to the cultural way of life. Songs and dances are practiced at a slower pace, ensuring that the youngins learn every step and chant, so they will be ready to perform at game speed when the time comes.
This year, the community is focused on making color matching regalia items that include shawls and vests, so they can proudly represent Tulalip at all the upcoming cultural events taking place this summer.
Canoe Practice – Every Wednesday – 5:30 p.m. at the Tulalip Marina
Build up your endurance for this year’s pull to Puyallup for the youth canoe journey! Although the paddle to Ahousaht was canceled, the epic and fan favorite event will continue with a journey for tribal youth throughout the region.
Not participating in the canoe journey? Come on out anyway and enjoy that powerful connection to the Salish Sea, that is a unique spiritual experience for coastal tribal members. And who knows, there may be an opportunity for you to navigate the traditional waterways this summer. In years past, when the Canoe Journey was canceled during the pandemic, the Tribe organized a pull to Lopez Island for a camping trip. Similarly, the recovery community often plans a recovery camp out at Lopez, that is sure to include a canoe pull through the local waters.
Salmon Ceremony Practice – Every Thursday – 5:30 p.m. at the Tulalip Gathering Hall
Learn about the importance of the Tribe’s annual Salmon Ceremony and the story of its revival that occurred in the seventies. Salmon Ceremony practice is special to witness because this a space where Tribal leaders and elders pass down teachings to the next generation in real time. There are nearly a dozen songs and dances that the Tribe rehearses each practice, which of course is all in preparation for welcoming and honoring the first king salmon of the year.
Salmon Ceremony is set for June 1 at 10:30 a.m.
War Canoe Races – Happening this weekend (5/4 & 5/5) – All Day at Tulalip Bay
A thrilling occurrence for both competitors and spectators alike, the Salish-wide canoe racing event will make an early appearance at Tulalip Bay this year. In fact, if you are reading this fresh out your mailbox, get yourself over to the teen center campus to catch a good view of the races!
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.
Memorial Day – 5/27 – 10 a.m. service at Priest Point Cemetery, 11 a.m. service at Mission Beach Cemetery
In observation of Memorial Day, the Tulalip Tribes holds two services every year, as many of the Tribe’s membership enlisted and proudly served in the US military. The community gathers at both the Priest Point and Mission Beach cemeteries to honor and remember those fallen soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice while protecting this Nation’s freedom.
The Tribe also takes time to thank the Tribal veterans, Gold Star Mothers, as well as any current active-duty members of the military for their service. At the end of each ceremony, the Tribe pays tribute to the fallen soldiers with a 21-Gun Salute by the Tulalip Honor Guard, as the names of those who served and are no longer with us are read aloud during roll call.
Tulalip’s Annual Stick Games Tournament – Weekend of May 31 – all day at the Tulalip Amphitheater
The Tulalip Amphitheater has become the official home for the Tribes annual stick games tournament. Natives from all across North America journey to the Tulalip rez to try their luck at the traditional game that has been practiced amongst Northwest tribes and First Nation bands for thousands of years. Numerous teams participate every year at Tulalip and play for a chance to win cash prizes.
This year’s total payout is $50,000 and the grand prize is $25,000. There will also dozens of vendors at the tournament selling the likes of Indian tacos, snow cones, smoked salmon, kettle corn, as well as Native-designed clothing, blankets, and jewelry.
Salmon Ceremony – June 1 – 10:30 a.m. at the Tulalip Longhouse
Once a year, during the first weekend of June, Tulalip members gather at the Tribe’s longhouse to honor and pay tribute to big chief yubəč, the king salmon. For generations, the salmon have provided delicious nourishment for the people. And to show their respect, Tulalip holds an annual Salmon Ceremony celebration at the start of each fishing season to welcome the first king salmon of the year.
Celebrated since the beginning of time, the traditional ceremony was once outlawed during the assimilation era. In the mid-70’s, the ceremony was revived by Harriette Shelton Dover and a number of Tulalip elders. The gathering also serves as a way to bless the local fisherman as they prepare for a season on the water.
Powerful songs, stories and dances are shared as the first salmon of the season is escorted onto the shore of Tulalip Bay. After the people offer a blessing, through song, prayer, and dance, the salmon is prepared, served, and enjoyed by the entire community together. The remains are sent back to the Salish Sea, so that yubəč can return to his village and tell the salmon people how well he was treated by the community of Tulalip. And in turn, the salmon will continue to run through the waterways of Tulalip Bay and serve as sustenance for the Tribe throughout the summer.
Boom City – Mid-June – July 4th at Boom City site
The Northwest pyrotechnic capital will officially be open for a two-week period this June! Tulalip entrepreneurs will set up their vibrant and creatively designed stands at the lot located behind the Tulalip Resort Casino approximately around the weekend of June 21.
As always, the stand owners will 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 will be stationed at Boom City as well, serving up treats such as Hawaiian shaved ice, frybread and tacos.
Help spread the word! A four-hour event, dedicated to empowering Tulalip fathers, and other tribal dads, will be held at the TELA gym on Wednesday May 22. Known as the Fatherhood Community Café, the event is organized by the Washington Fatherhood Council and has been held in various counties in our state over the past few years.
Tulalip will be one of the few, if not the first, Washington State tribe the council has collaborated with. The departments that are involved in planning the event, which is officially dubbed ‘Dad Allies Community Café’ for the Tulalip stop, include Family Haven, TELA, and Housing. In addition to the abundance of resources and information that will be available at the community café, the departments incorporated time for some culture and is inviting fathers to bring their drums for a mini coastal jam.
According to research by the National Fatherhood Initiative, 1 in 5 children live without a father in the home unit within Washington State. The same study showed that 30% of single parents in our state are dads.
Said Dieter Jacobs, Child Support Program Administrator at Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, “Research shows that when fathers are engaged, the children do better, and we need to support that. Dads bring something different to the table in that fatherhood role. We need to support fathers – we need to support the whole family. With the café, we want to get providers at the table to chat with the dads. We want them to talk about local happenings as well as things like child support, court, access to education, and for those incarcerated– how to support them while they’re in jail and how do we continue that when they come out. But it’s important we get them talking about what’s working, what’s not working, and what would work. Just sharing info and giving them an opportunity to ask questions. And dad allies are invited too – in laws, girlfriends.”
Dieter, who is also a member of the Washington Fatherhood Council, explained that the council is advocating for local fathers statewide by raising awareness, assisting in policy changes to be more inclusive for dads in state programs and schools, and also through a number of activities that include an annual fatherhood summit, a workshop series, and the fatherhood cafés.
Space is limited, so if you are interested in attending the Dad Allies Community Café, please sign-up at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fathers-matter-a-community-conversation-with-tulalip-tribal-dads-tickets-850985940857. The event begins at 10 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m. Fathers who choose to participate in the café will receive a gift card incentive for their time. Childcare will also be offered during the day of the event, so dads can take their time and learn about a number of topics such as housing, employment, and fatherhood services.
A free lunch will be catered by local Hawaiian restaurant, Taste of Aloha. And there will plenty of chances to win an assortment of prizes by participating in a basketball shooting contest, a cornhole contest, and a raffle.
“We want to make sure our fathers have support and can come together and build a core group, build community, and have space to move forward in a good way,” expressed Sasha Smith, Family Haven’s Youth and Family Support Coordinator. “We want to help give them tools to feel more successful and to engage in services, culture, community, and help them be the dad that they want to be. We hear you, Indigenous dads. We’re here for you, we want to support you. Make sure you sign up and come break bread with us.”
Excitement filled the Tulalip Bingo Hall as members of the Tulalip Tribes gathered for the 21st annual Tribal Bingo Day on Monday, April 29. Including all three gaming sessions, 1,074 tribal members tried their luck. With cash prizes and exciting trips up for grabs, the atmosphere buzzed with anticipation.
MC of the night Mel Sheldon kicked off the event with a drawing, giving 20 people a chance at the prizes on hand. Names were called to the announcer’s booth where the lucky recipients could choose a prize and then draw the next contestant. One of them was tribal member Shelly Barto, who has been coming to Tribal Bingo Day since its inception.
“I was overjoyed when my granddaughter’s name was called, and then, to my surprise, my name was called too,” Shelly exclaimed. “Winning the washer and dryer set couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. I am moving into a new apartment, and these prizes will greatly help me and my family.”
After the last of the names were announced and prizes chosen, the bingo began. As numbers were called, the sound of everyone’s daubers filled the air. The anticipation for a player’s number to be called and yell “bingo” grew. You could almost sense when someone was about to get bingo as the muttering got louder with every number. Finally, “bingo!” is yelled by one lucky player and the crowd sighs in disbelief that their numbers weren’t chosen.
“I have been a part of the Tribal Bingo Day tradition for about ten years,” tribal member Nicholas Martin shared. “I used to go with my dad until he passed. Now, when I go and play, I am filled with nostalgia for all the good times we used to have there. It’s a special time to be able to reconnect with all my friends and family that I don’t get to see very often. I didn’t have any luck at bingo, but I did win a little bit on the slots.”
For many, heading home with a win from Tribal Bingo Day feels almost out of reach. But for some, like tribal member Keith Rosen, getting a win seems almost a tradition.
“I just started coming about five years ago,” Rosen said. “I won tonight on the second to last blackout. I won last year in the drawing and getting a win this year made getting up early worth it because I work graveyard.”
When the final numbers were called and the last echoes of “bingo” faded, the energy of Tribal Bingo Day lingered, leaving behind fond memories for those who attended. From seasoned veterans to newcomers, each person left with a story to tell and a smile proving that Tribal Bingo Day isn’t just a game – it’s a tradition where fun and good times are always guaranteed.
Thousands of tribal representatives from the north’s frozen tundra, the south’s dessert pueblos, the west’s coastal villages, and the east’s endless plains came together on common ground in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There, the diverse representation of Native America’s thriving cultures formed an unbreakable bond that was made even stronger by the additions of Māori citizens from New Zealand and Aztec descendants from the heart of Mexico. Living up to its name, this was a true Gathering of Nations.
“As we begin the fourth decade of the Gathering of Nations, I am so pleased to welcome you all here to the 41st annual Gathering of Nations Powwow. Whether this is your first time attending or you are an old-timer who attended every year, the excitement is always ultra-high,” stated Derek Mathews, Gathering of Nations founder. “When we look back over the past decades and as we look to the future, the concept has always been and will continue to be to produce an event where Native people can come together to celebrate and share culture.
“Considered the most prominent and popular Native American event in North America, Gathering will once again host tens of thousands of people and more than 750 tribes from throughout the United States, Canada, and around the world. The three-day festival will include more than 3,000 traditional singers and dancers, as well as hundreds of Native artisans, crafters and traders displaying and selling their amazing work.”
In its 41st rendition, New Mexico’s Tingley Coliseum was home to the three-day Gathering of Nations that took place over the final weekend in April. Widely regarded as ‘North America’s largest powwow’, the near 12,000-seat Coliseum reached maximum capacity during both Friday and Saturday nights’ much-anticipated, evening Grand Entry’s.
It’s no exaggeration that Native American culture bearers of all ages journeyed from across the four directions to attend Gathering of Nations. There was a group of four elders from the Passamaquoddy Tribe of Indian Township, Maine who dawned immaculate deer skin, buckskins.
“This is the first-time members of our Tribe have attended Gathering of Nations,” said Passamaquoddy elder Mary Creighton. “It’s such an honor to be here. At my age (81) I didn’t really plan on dancing, but being here and feeling the energy created from all our beautiful people being together, I felt compelled to dance. It’s quite the feeling, let me tell you, but I’m so glad that I did. Together, we’ve kept our culture going.”
From an even higher Earth latitude journeyed a jingle dress group from northern Manitoba, Canada. Hailing all the way from Opaskwayak Cree Nation was Savanna Sayese and her group of young Cree woman who glimmered spectacularly under the Coliseum’s stage lighting.
“This has always been a dream for us to attend Gathering of Nations,” explained Savanna. “The girls have been fundraising for 7-months straight and raised about $30,000 to make their dream a reality. It took so much commitment and sacrifice from these girls in order to fund this 14-day road trip. Now that we’re here, I’ve witnessed their confidence soar by putting on their regalia and being able to dance with so many Indigenous jingle dress dancers. It’s so powerful to see the healing of our people and for these girls in particular because they dance not just for themselves, but for each other and for their people back home.”
The Manitoba girls group ranged in age from 12- to 16-years-old. For some of them it was their first time in the United States, while for all of them it was their very first-time dancing competitively. Together they form Naneway Iskew, which translates to ‘Cree Women’ in their traditional language.
“I love being in my regalia because when I’m in it I feel pretty,” beamed one of the teenage Naneway Iskew dancers.
“It’s all about healing,” added another. “When we wear our regalia and get to dance, we feel connected to our roots, to our ancestors.”
Outside the Coliseum seemed to be just as busy as inside, with thousands more perusing a gigantic Trader’s Market that showcased several hundred vendors who specialized in a wide range of unique handmade jewelry, art, clothing, and other highly sought-after goods popular within the powwow circuit. Plus, at any given time, there were multiple roaming performances happening on the Tingley Coliseum grounds that would stop individuals, couples, and entire families in their tracks; leaving them captivated in carefully composed cultural performances.
Within the intersection of indigeneity and cultural exchange, one could hear the celebration chants of life triumphing over death via a Māori Haka dance, feel the thunderous beats resonating from an Aztec Huehuetl (log drum) while vibrant plumed headdresses danced in unison, and see Apache Crown Dancers invoking the mountain spirits to provide a sense of renewal and healing to the gathering.
Found at this intersection, emitting a warrior’s spirit all her own, was Master Sgt. Shannon Myhre and her fellow tribal liaisons from the Indigenous Nations Equality Team (I.N.E.T.). This team is a specialized department of the Air Force that provides advocacy on behalf of Native American Airmen.
“I.N.E.T. was formed to lift barriers, provide career pathways for our Indigenous Airmen, and give our shared culture representation at important events, like Gathering of Nations,” said Master Sgt. Myhre whose homelands are in Shiprock, New Mexico on the Navajo Nation Reservation. “It’s so amazing to be here and be embraced as another branch of our proud warrior culture being shared. I love the intention behind I.N.E.T. and the fact we’re allowed to wear our medallions and jewelry in uniform at events so that everyone can see that we are here and proud of where we come from. As a unit, we are taking advantage of what we can to honor our ancestors and military veterans who came before us.”
Put simply, Gathering of Nations is much more than just another powwow. It’s a shared culmination of cultural determination, strength, and community unique to the Indigenous peoples across North America. It’s a pivotal gathering point of Indigenous people that provides a revered space to share stories, transmit the many forms of traditional dance, and, best of all, strengthens a sense of solidarity across state, country, and even continental borders. It’s a gathering, yes, but even more so it’s a celebration. A celebration of a shared cultural identity.
Creatively inclined Native American students of the Marysville School District wandered through a makeshift art gala that was the Don Hatch Youth Complex on Thursday, April 18 for an always eye-captivating Art Festival. Accompanied by their families, friends and educators, emerging artists ranging from 1st to 12th grade wowed Festival visitors and judges with a variety of imaginative creations that centered around a shared Tulalip culture expressed via a variety of modern-day mediums.
“Our annual Art Festival is an opportunity for each Native student within the District to express themselves in a unique and creative way,” explained positive youth development lead advocate, Deyamonta Diaz. “All the work that goes on behind the scenes to make this event possible, it’s like an all-hands-on-deck effort, is so worth it for our community to witness the pride and joy every student puts into their art.
“Each year our expectations are surpassed because we receive hundreds and hundreds of submissions,” he added. “For me, I look forward to seeing what new ways our kids find to express their Native culture or even developing their own way to retell a traditional story. There’s always something new and eye-catching that they come up with.”
For more than two decades now, Tulalip Tribes has partnered with Marysville School District to dedicate an evening to the art scene embraced by so many emerging artists from Tulalip and the surrounding area within the District. The Art Festival gives fledgling creatives an opportunity to show off their awe-inspiring talents to the community, while also getting a chance to take home a coveted 1st, 2nd or 3rd place ribbon. Plus, all the bragging rights that come with them.
Catherine Velazquez (16), Gabe Joseph (13), and Tehya Robinson (9) each showcased their inner artist across various mediums and earned multiple ribbons at this year’s Art Festival.
Such was the case with 9-year-old Tehya Robinson. She radiated pure joy while leading cousins and classmates to her five ribbon winning submissions. Then there was 13-year-old Gabe Joseph who beamed with pride as he posed for a picture with his 3rd place winning beaded earrings and 2nd place winning photograph.
“The photograph I took was from a family vacation to California. I was standing on the balcony and thought the view was so cool that I needed to take a picture to remember it. The sun was just right and seeing the dock and palm trees just made me feel peaceful and relaxed,” shared the St. Michael’s 8th grader. “My aunt taught me to make beaded earrings and so I thought I’d make some purple ones to give to a friend’s mom. Now, she’ll be happy to know they are award winning earrings.”
Tehya, Gabe, and their fellow student culture bearers were able to win 1st, 2nd or 3rd place, plus honorable mention, in a variety of artistic mediums. Categories included culture, drawing, painting, writing, mixed media, sculpture, digital art, and pure heart. The top four from each grade and category received a ceremonial ribbon recognizing their talents and a monetary prize.
“It’s always amazing to see just how talented our Native students are. The new ideas and concepts they come up with every year continue to surprise us judges,” shared Festival judge Doug Salinas while admiring the middle school painting section. “I think every kid has the capability to be an artist because their imagination has no limits.”
Like in years past, this year’s Festival received hundreds of submissions, with the most popular category by far being painting. There were dozens of artists who showed off their diverse talents by submitting artwork in as many categories as they could. There are also artists who continue to evolve their artwork and challenge themselves each year to claim one of those coveted ribbons in different categories.
Tenth grader Catherine Velazquez is in the midst of quite the dynastic run, having won multiple ribbons since she first started participating in the Festival as an elementary-aged student. At 16-years-old now, she’s collected more ribbons than she can remember, but admits to looking forward to the Festival each year because of the opportunity to create new pieces and, yeah, collect some walking around money for her efforts.
“This past winter, I was at snow retreat in the mountains, it was night, the ground was completely covered in snow, and the moon casting this stunning red light. The moment was perfect for a picture. That photo won me 1st place this year,” said the Grace Academy 10th grader. She added ribbons from Digital Media, Mixed Media, Drawing, and Writing to her already large ribbon collection from past Festivals. “I love coming year each year and looking at all the art everyone does. Just walking around and admiring pieces that are my favorite inspires me to try new concepts and styles.”
This year’s art fest gala again offered several interactive tables, each led by an established adult artist. Representing possible career paths for the children to aspire to, or simply to have the young ones recognize art doesn’t have to stop when student life does. Tony Hatch, Tillie Jones, Ty Juvinel, and others did their best to engage Festival visitors and impart their cultural know-how through friendly, hands-on instruction.
Pure heart icon Sean-Paul Mace was on-site with his very own table to display his LEGO Star Wars collection. He dazzled with his depths of dark side knowledge and could even tell you which cinematic scenes his figures could be found in.
Interwoven through many of the thought-provoking youth creations were both subtle and not so subtle tie-ins to ongoing social awareness campaigns, human rights issues and demands for a sustainable future. From artistic renditions on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s crisis, to declarations of Native-inspired rally cries like ‘Water Is Life’ and ‘Protect the Salmon’, to even rather imaginative way to represent heritage through a Fabergé egg.
Fifth grader Lillianna Hope was gracious enough to break down the various elements of her heritage egg. “I chose copper as the equator line because is the closest color to yellow and yellow represents happiness. I chose to the eternal line because evil spirits will look at them and memorized by them and it will trap the evil spirit and it will stay in there forever. I did yellow dots because they represent happy memories. I chose the brown, yellow, and black swirls because I think it is pretty.”
Whether it was from reading written words or interpreting the depths of color and images on display from the inspiring artists, a message being conveyed loud and clear is that yes, in fact, the youngest among us are paying attention to current events and understand how their culture is viewed, both locally and nationally. More importantly, their art demonstrates they are capable of channeling their traditional teachings and spiritual strength into pure artistry.
“When our kids create artwork for this event they are able to mix in elements of their personality, culture, family values, and what matters to them as individuals. It’s really incredible to see how even when there are twenty entries of the same type, each is different and unique in its own way because they reflect the artist who created it,” reflected Courtney Jefferson, Positive Youth Development Manager.
“Witnessing our kids get inspired from cultural pillars and advocacy movements is nice to see because that means they are learning about these foundational teachings while in school and retaining the information,” she added. “This proves how powerful it is to educate our people about our shared culture. Especially for the elementary-aged children. It’s so important they learn about the legacy of those who came before us and made it possible for us to thrive today.”
Without a doubt, the 2024 Native American Art Festival showcased a wide-range of artistic skills among our Tulalip youth. Confirming, yet again, what inspiring imaginations these artists are capable of creating when empowered to express themselves wholeheartedly and authentically, without judgement. Well, unless that judging comes with a shiny ribbon. Then it’s cool.
