Extreme Makeover: Tulalip Edition 

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

It was a warm and sunny day on May 11, with temperatures reaching the high 70’s for the first time since last summer. Along Mission Hill Road, between beda?chelh and the Mission Beach Cemetery, a crew of men and women were hard at work at the Village of Hope site. The focus of the day was centered on the original site’s communal building that stood for over two decades and accommodated numerous homeless tribal members and families while they worked to get back on their feet. 

Previously known as the homeless shelter, the site took on a new name when the Tribe set plans in 2018 for a revamp that would usher in new opportunities for tribal members  looking for a fresh start, by adding seventeen tiny homes to the site. Originally intended to open at a much earlier date, the Tribe held a ground breaking ceremony in October 2021, after meeting many challenges during the height of the global pandemic. And just a year and some change later, the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Village of Hope took place in December 2022, and those seventeen doors were opened for a large portion of Tulalip’s homeless population, just in time for the holiday season. 

Teri Nelson, Executive Director of Tribal Services, stated, “Since December until now in May, seventeen cottages are full of singles and families with children. Seven of those residents have gotten full-time employment and two have signed up for college classes. And they’re able to do their classes online in our computer lab, which is set up with five computer stations. Everybody has a different story as to why they ended up where they are. It has a lot to do with the cost of housing. When you’re looking at rentals over $2,000 a month, it’s kind of like well, do I want to eat, or do I want to be house poor?”

Along with the seventeen new homes, the Tribe also added a new community center where the residents can gather to break bread together and join-in on fun activities throughout the week. However, even with the addition of the new community center, the previous communal building still remains a functioning place that people visit for some quality R&R, and to also use the amenities of the building’s kitchen and laundry areas. 

Now, when looking at the old site next to the newly established Village of Hope community, it became highly noticeable that the original building needed some updates and repairs. Enter LGI Homes, a national construction company whose slogan is ‘we don’t just build houses, we build homes.’ The community-focused corporation began a company-wide initiative in 2015, known as Service Impact Day, in which they shut down business operations every May 11th to dedicate time and elbow grease to help local communities with their projects for an entire day.  

After completing a successful day of manual labor in the springtime heat, Division President of LGI Homes, Ryan Stokes, exclaimed, “This is our favorite day of the year because we get to come out and give back to our communities. We’re the 15th largest home builder across the United States. We founded Service Impact Day in 2015 and we’ve been doing it every year since. We’ve donated over $350,000 and over 450 employee service hours. This was a great project, and we got a lot of work done today. We appreciate the opportunity to come out and serve the community of Tulalip and the Village of Hope.”

In a side-by-side photo comparison of the building, provided by Teri, it is pleasing to see that the newly refurbished community center kept its signature charm, that originally stood as a sign of hope for the homeless population throughout the years. Only now, the building showcases a rejuvenated shine with a fresh coat of paint and a brand-new deck/wheelchair ramp. 

“It felt like Extreme Makeover,” said Teri. “I hung around for a while after they started and I checked in on surveillance every now and then, wondering if they were going to make it before the day ended. And they did! The original deck was dilapidated, there were carpets and plywood laying on top of it to cover up all the holes, so that was our main wish. And they even provided the lumber, which is expensive. And we also wanted painting done, so they painted the front of the building for us – they spruced it up!”

Following a group photo with LGI Homes, in front of the completed project, Teri expressed a desire to replace the ‘Homeless Shelter’ sign next, as they actively move away from that name due to the negative connotations it brings. She explained that there is a new Village of Hope sign that is similar to the current neighborhood welcome signs throughout the reservation, and that it’s just a matter of figuring out a time to install it with Public Works. 

“Homelessness is not an identity, it’s an experience,” she passionately stated. “When you are serving families and those children say they live at a homeless shelter – that is not their identity. We are always mindful to say this is your home. We help people who are in a vulnerable state in their lives, and there’s a lot of people out there who are not very friendly to the homeless population. They’re very judgmental and place a lot of blame and shame on them, and that’s not what’s going to help them. They want to feel seen. And since we became the Village of Hope, our residents are really coming together as a community. There’s a lot of community engagement, we have weekly resident dinners, monthly resident meetings, and we are working on creating a resident council that gives them a voice.”  

In addition to resident dinners and meetings, the Village of Hope partners with other Tribal departments to bring classes to their community, including a nutrition and cooking class with Snap-Ed. More classes are on the horizon for the residents as the Village of Hope plans on bringing in culture bearers for a drum making class, as well as professionals to teach a homebuyer’s class and a credit building class. Teri stated the plan is to build a robust calendar filled with activities and events for the residents. A portion of those classes will be funded thanks to a monetary donation from LGI Homes, a surprise presented on the day of the remodel. 

Said Teri, “It is amazing to have people come with compassion and good hearts, and who genuinely want to give back. It really aligns with a lot of our values as a tribal community. The Division President is over the entire Pacific Northwest region of four different states, and he picked this project. I think that’s so great, and I just have a lot of gratitude for their staff and team.”

Unofficial Mayor of QCV retires

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

The longest tenured unofficial mayor in Quil Ceda Village history has retired. After serving his Tulalip community in numerous roles at various tribal entities for 29 years, the last 10 of which were as QCV general manager, Martin Napeahi said farewell to his dedicated staff and elected leaders in an emotional retirement ceremony held on Friday, May 12.

“I’ve been so blessed to empower my employees to feel like an actual team, each having not just a voice that is heard, but also being equipped with the tools to provide all the services QCV offers to our people. Because at the end of the day, all of this is for our people,” said Martin while giving his farewell speech. 

In 2001, the Bureau of Indian Affairs approved QCV’s status as a tribal municipality. Quil Ceda Village became the first tribal political subdivision in the nation established under the Indian Tribal Governmental Tax Status Act of 1982, and one of only two federal municipalities in the country. The other being Washington, D.C. As the first tribal city of its kind, Quil Ceda Village is an innovative model of tribal economic development.

QCV is widely regarded as an economic powerhouse, located entirely on federal land held in trust by the United States for the benefit of the Tulalip Tribes. The Village contains the Tulalip Resort Casino, Tulalip Bingo, Walmart, Home Depot, Cabela’s, the 110 designer store Seattle Premium Outlets, and provides jobs to over 5,000 employees. 

During his decade-long reign as QCV general manager, Martin has helped fulfill the vision of past tribal leaders who sought to create a destination marketplace on the Tulalip Reservation. 

“When I think back to all the business partnerships and significant developments that QCV has helped usher in during my time here, I think of the tax case victory, the Big Water project, and the 116th overpass project. But what I may be most proud of is Remedy,” shared Martin. “From all the behind the scenes stuff that went on just to get approval, to creating the infrastructure and building the Remedy team, to what it became now, which is probably the number one dispensary in Snohomish County. The tax revenue that it’s provided to the benefit of tribal government and QCV is incredible, and something that I can hang my hat on.”

Martin also mentioned this past winter’s stunningly successful ‘Lights & Ice’ event that brought millions of dazzling Christmas lights and an ice-skating rink to the Village as one of his favorite achievements. “To be able to bring our community together with the greater Snohomish County community in that way was amazing. I heard so many joyous stories from families who either got to ice skate for the first time ever or just loved being able to stroll all the light designs with their parents and grandparents,” he explained. 

Although the 48-year-old Tulalip citizen is now officially retired from the government life, he won’t be jobless for long. He shared that he’s already accepted a director position with Nakani Native Program. A Native-led nonprofit based in Seattle with the goal to provide programs that are grounded in Indigenous knowledge which brings traditional and western medicine together to transform the way people access healthcare.

“On behalf of Tulalip, I thank Martin for all his hard work and commitment to his tribe and community. He built a team that trusted him, appreciated him, and worked hard to fulfill all the goals he set,” said Chairwoman Teri Gobin. “We wish him the best as he starts this new journey, and want to let him know there’s always room to come back.”

Marlys Diane Dover

February 17, 1955 – April 8, 2023 

Marlys Diane Dover, 68 of Everett passed away April 8, 2023.
She was born Feb. 17, 1955 in Everett, WA to Charles and Jean Weldon. She grew up in Lake Stevens. She graduated from Lake Stevens High School. She married William Dover on Oct. 25, 1982 in Lake Stevens. They had two beautiful daughters, Carly and Courtney. She loved reading and her dream was to own a book store.

She is survived by her two daughters, Carly (Elliot Jenkins) Dover and Courtney Hymer; sisters Janet Butler and Bonnie Fortner; 3 grandchildren Zoe, Emery, and Castile, She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and brother Kenneth Jensen.
A celebration of her life will be held Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Schaefer-Shipman Funeral Home with burial to follow at Mission Beach Cemetery.

Tulalip gathers to recognize and remember lost loved ones on MMIWP National Day of Awareness

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

“When we gather and do this work together, we protect each other,” said Tulalip elder, Don ‘Penoke’ Hatch. “We need to care for each other a little bit more today than we did yesterday. We got to take care of each other, take care of ourselves, take care of our children, and make sure we don’t lose anybody again. I want us all to be more dedicated in how we take care of each other. We are a cultured people and we got to carry it on that way, carry on the love that we have for each other. We don’t want to lose anyone else, because one is one too many.”

The parking lot of the Tulalip Gathering Hall was packed full on the evening of May 5. So much so, that people were parking along Totem Beach Road and the Tulalip Health Clinic to attend an immensely important gathering. As community members walked into the entrance of the hall, they received a black t-shirt that featured a Native designed logo on the front that read ‘Tulalip MMIWP Healing’. The back of the shirts, in large capitalized red font, displayed the message ‘SAY THEIR NAMES’. 

A collaboration between the Tribe, the Tulalip Police Department (TPD), and the Tulalip Education Division, the MMIWP Day of Recognition and Healing event brought together hundreds of Tulalip citizens, as well as a number of Indigenous people from surrounding tribes including Lummi and Lower Elwha. After collecting their t-shirts, each person received a candle and were invited to indulge in a buffet-style dinner while the open remarks and prayers took place. 

Nationally, May 5 is dedicated to raising awareness about the Missing Indigenous Women and People (MMIW/P) epidemic that continues to spread throughout Native America. Every day, more of our relatives are reported missing, and many of those individuals have yet to be found. Additionally, the rate at which Native people are murdered in the US is higher than any other ethnicity.

Addressing the packed room of the Gathering Hall, TPD Program Manager and local MMIWP Liaison, Anita Matta, shared a few statistics, “Indigenous people make up 17% of missing people in Washington state, but we only are 1.6% of the state’s population. At 84.3%, more than 4 out 5 Indigenous women have experienced violence.”

Overwhelmed by that information, Anita could not hold back tears as she informed the people she could not continue reading the statistics. 

Tulalip Events Manager, Malory Simpson, presented the rest of the statistics while standing by Anita’s side. She said, “55.5% of Indigenous women have been physically abused by their intimate partners. 40% of sex trafficking victims are American Indian/Alaskan Native women. 56.1% of Indigenous women experience sexual violence. 48.8% of Indigenous women have been stalked in their lifetime. Murder is the third leading cause of death for Indigenous women – ten times higher than all other ethnicities. As compared to Caucasian women, Indigenous women are 1.7 times more likely to experience violence, two times more likely to be raped, and have a three times higher murder rate. Out of the reported cases [for MMIW], 4,089 were 0-17 years old, and 1,398 were over 18 years old. There have been 5,487 incidences, and 658 cases are still open from the end of 2022. Washington state has one of the highest numbers of reported cases, with 57 open cases.” 

Seven Tulalip tribal members were recognized throughout the gathering including the one open case of Mary Johnson-Davis, as well as individuals who were murdered, and whose family has yet to receive justice, such as Kyle Van Jones Tran and Cecil Lacy Jr. Family photos of each of those tribal members were highlighted in a slideshow that was displayed on five large projector screens and played on a loop throughout the evening. 

Tribal members Sarah Hart and Monie Ordonia were honored and recognized for their work during the event. Sarah and Monie dedicated their time to raise awareness for the MMIWP epidemic by placing red dresses and shirts in highly visible areas throughout the reservation. Red dresses are used as the national symbol to raise awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. 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. 

Said Sarah, “It’s been a busy, heavy week hanging up dresses. A few years ago, I knew that I had to do something. I felt there wasn’t enough being done. I had to get the attention of people. I wanted to advocate for our community and for our families. I wanted to educate. Congratulations Tulalip for making the first step in acknowledging our missing women, brothers, sisters, and our girls. Our next step is being proactive – how do we teach our young girls how to protect themselves? We need to put things in motion to protect our women, our girls, and our young boys. There’s a lot of work to be done.”

Monie added, “MMIWP is not to just honor our fallen loved ones, but also to be the protectors of them. If one of my cousins, one of my nieces, or one of my nephews are being abused, am I going to be quiet or am I going to be the strength, the voice for them when they have no voice? You have the power and strength to be the change you want to see in this epidemic of losing our loved ones. The more we make people aware, the more they can’t get away with it. It takes one person to make a difference.”

To follow up those powerful messages, Sarah and Monie conjured up another powerful moment by inviting all the ladies in attendance up to the floor. After forming a circle at the center of the Gathering Hall, they sang the Women’s Warrior song and on the last verse, they all put a fist in the air to honor those lives lost and those who are missing. 

If you follow Tulalip News on Facebook, you may have recently noticed that as soon as person is reported missing from Tulalip, a detailed flyer with that person’s picture, age, height, weight and their last known location is immediately posted. That quick response has helped locate several people over the past few months. And the reason for this expediate release of information is thanks to a Tribal Community Response plan, in which Tulalip is the first tribe in the state of Washington to implement into their community. 

TPD Chief of Police, Chris Sutter, explained, “The purpose of that plan is to bring together, in our coordinated way, all the resources to help families through victim services. To get the word out timely through media, to use community resources effectively, and also to coordinate with law enforcement. We’re proud to work with our US Attorney’s Office on this important mission of bringing our loved ones and missing and murdered people home. We also want to recognize the FBI, and our partnership in working closely with investigators, analysts, victim services and advocates, we’re in this all together. We work very closely with the Attorney General’s office in Washington State to coordinate our efforts, we’re on a taskforce with them. We want to emphasize that we’re working really hard to try to bring justice and to bring in our current open case, Mary Davis-Johnson, home to her loved ones. We won’t give up until that job is done, until that mission’s complete. Through the coordinated Tribal Community Response plan, when we do have a missing person, I want you to know that we take it very seriously. We activate our team very quickly and we have been highly successful in getting the word out and locating people very quickly.”

Families of those missing or murdered bravely paid tribute by sharing their loved one’s stories and recounting happy memories spent together. The tears were flowing as the people listened and shared the pain, grief, anger, and heartbreak with the families. 

Gerry Davis, sister of missing Tribal member Mary Davis-Johnson, shared, “We want to send love to the families of Sophia Solomon, Jessica Jones, Cecil Lacy Jr., Kyle Van Jones Tran, and Bridgette Simpson. You are all our family. We know all of your pain. We accept you as our family because we are going through the same thing. Some may be murdered, but there’s a lot of people missing, and our sister is one who is missing. Our hearts go out to all of you. And I wish that everybody out there gets peace. We love you all.”

Through tears and sorrow, Nona Davis also shared, “I’m Mary’s older sister, we thank you all for coming out here and being with us. It will be three years in November since our sister’s been gone. I love seeing all the pictures of Mary, you can see how much she loved her family and loved life. If you have any information at all, please call it in. Our family is hurting really bad.”

After each family and a number of guest speakers shared a few words, the tables placed at the center of the Gathering Hall were removed. The people created a big circle and were asked to light their candles. As they raised their candles in the air and shared silent prayers, the sound of drums reverberated through the hall as the West Shore Canoe Family led the people in a song dedicated to all the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. The song is composed by Antone George (Lummi) and contains the lyrics:

Every night and every day I pray, pray for you, I love and miss you. Sister, come home

The night ended with a coastal jam as the sduhubš people engaged in song and dance and utilized the medicine of their culture to uplift the people and start the healing process after a heavy night of raw emotion.

TPD has a dedicated tip line for any information on Mary Davis-Johnson’s disappearance or whereabouts. That number is (360) 716-5918. The FBI and the Tulalip Tribes have offered a $10,000 and a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Mary’s disappearance. 

Heritage Hawks tee off for inaugural season

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Now, that spring is in full bloom in the Pacific Northwest, there are hordes of reservations being made at local golf courses to capitalize on the warm weather. Most seek a full round of 18, while some prefer the laid-back atmosphere of just the back 9. We’d like to take a moment to advise locals enjoying an afternoon on the links intending to collect birdies or highly sought-after eagles, please be on the lookout for them hawks. Heritage Hawks that is.   

This announcement comes as Tulalip Heritage High School is in the midst of its inaugural season for golf. Coached by husband and wife duo JT and Dinesha Kane, the history making team members are Lincoln Pablo, Damon Pablo, Matthew Miranda, Johnathon Rinker, Seattle Sabbas, Hazen Shopbell, Ponciano Guzman, and Tieriana McLean. They are impossible to miss while driving, chipping, and putting on carefully manicured, green golf courses while wearing their custom-made white polos featuring stunning black and red Coast Salish imagery. 

“When we were asked to coach there was no hesitation from my wife or I that we would accept the opportunity to co-coach. We believe our co-coaching model demonstrates to the youth how to work together and gives us the best opportunity to showcase our strengths as coaches,” said coach JT Kane.

“We have been coaching for over ten years starting at Tulalip Battle Creek PGA Jr Academy, Battle Creek Summer Camps, and to the Tulalip Boys and Girls Club Inaugural season last year,” added coach Dinesha Kane. “Our motto is ‘family, team, wins’. The passion of ours to make a difference in youths’ lives is clear, and it’s an honor my husband and I were asked to apply to be coaches. We are excited about our inaugural season and are passionate about the future of the program.”

High school athletics 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, boys golf has risen to the eighth most participated high school sport. With a whopping 143,000+ participants playing high school golf nationally.

Golf is a low-impact sport that requires players to walk long distances while carrying or pulling their clubs. This promotes cardiovascular health and helps to build endurance. Additionally, swinging a golf club requires the use of multiple muscle groups, including the arms, shoulders, and core, which can lead to improved strength and flexibility. All that’s to say, golf can do wonders for improving physical conditioning and getting otherwise sedentary teenagers to enjoy outdoor elements. 

Golf is most commonly thought of as 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 success on the course is largely determined by a player’s mental state. This mental discipline can carry over into other areas of a student-athlete’s life, such as academics, interpersonal relationships, and even other fields of competition.

“My main sport is basketball. I didn’t even know how to play golf two months ago, so this is all still pretty new to me,” shared 11th grader Tieriana McLean. She carries the mantle as only female golfer on Heritage’s inaugural team. “I’m fortunate that my dad is a really good golfer and has helped me, along with my team coaches, to learn the basics and develop a consistent golf swing. It’s been a struggle at times learning a new sport and I still get frustrated when the ball doesn’t go where I want it to, but being out here on the course, enjoying the weather, and being able to spend more time with my dad, I love it.” 

Golf is a sport that can be played and enjoyed for a lifetime. Unlike many other sports, which require a certain level of athleticism and physical ability, golf can be played well into old age. This means that high school athletes who play golf are not just developing skills for the short-term, but are also setting themselves up for a lifetime of physical activity and enjoyment.

For high school athletes who excel at golf, there are numerous scholarship opportunities available at the collegiate level. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), there are over 1,300 men’s and women’s golf programs across all divisions. This means that there are plenty of opportunities for talented student-athletes to earn scholarships and continue playing the sport at the next level.

“I come from a golfing family. I remember my uncles putting a golf club in my hands at a young age and seeing how much they enjoyed it made me want to be better so I could compete with them. So it would be pretty amazing if I became the first member of my family to earn a college scholarship by playing golf,” said Heritage team captain and 11th grader Lincoln Pablo. 

Lincoln was instrumental in developing the Heritage golf program. He recalled participating in the Boys & Girls Club’s golf academy last year and wanting to continue his pursuit of a legendary hole-in-one at Heritage. Unfortunately, Heritage didn’t offer golf as a spring sport, but that only motivated the 17-year-old to lay the foundation for them doing so. He spoke with his athletic director, had meetings with head pros of Battle Creek Golf Course, put budgets together and even developed a team schedule. For his dedication, Lincoln and his peers were rewarded with the creation of a Heritage Hawks golf team.

“It means everything to me to be out here with my cousins and friends, representing our Tribe and proving that we can compete not just in basketball and football, but golf too,” beamed Lincoln with his patented smile before taking a practice putt. 

Grace Academy student and Tulalip tribal member Emily Hegnes watches her putt attempt in a recent match with Heritage. 

Golf is a sport that is open to athletes of all shapes, sizes, and abilities. Unlike some other sports that require a certain level of physical prowess, golf can be played by anyone who has the desire to learn and improve. This inclusivity can help to foster a sense of community and belonging among student-athletes who may feel left out of other sports. It’s also one the rare sports where the girls can score just as well, if not better, than the boys. 

“The boys are more athletic and stronger, so they can of course hit the ball further than me, but I can make up for that with finesse, accuracy and a better putt game,” admitted Tieriana. “At least that’s my mindset. I’m so competitive that I know there’s always a strategy to success and if I get it down then I can achieve my goal of making it to State.”

For the Heritage Hawks newest sport participants, playing golf as a high school athlete can provide numerous benefits beyond just the physical ones. The sport can promote mental discipline, personal responsibility, and inclusivity, while also providing opportunities for scholarship and a lifetime of enjoyment. With the popularity of golf on the rise among young athletes, it’s clear that this is a sport that will continue to have a positive impact on high school students for years to come.

Marvin Nobe Smith

DECEMBER 29, 1949 – APRIL 29, 2023

Marvin Nobe smith of the Nex-Perce Tribe residing in Tulalip,

was born December 29 1949 to jack Smith and Irene Scott and passed away April 29 2023 Marvin Nobe Smith was a brilliant man that had mastered in fishing and hunting He never hesitated to help his fellow Fisherman with hanging their nets, fixing their boats and motors He also enjoyed the outdoors such as hunting and camping with his wife and two sons Merle hayes and Carnegie hayes along with numerous grandchildren and nephews He and his wife enjoyed spending time with the senior program going on trips and attending bingo day He’s survived by his wife April Smith, his daughter Paulette Smith, and Bernadette Hayes, siblings Janice Smith, Anna Ziegler, Elizabeth Murillo, Adrian Ziegler, numerous grandchildren, special nieces and nephews great grandchildren.

An evening service will be held Thursday, May 4, 2023 at 6:00 PM at the Tulalip Gathering Hall. A celebration of his life will be held Friday at 10:00 AM at the Tulalip Gathering Hall with burial to follow at Mission Beach Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Schaefer-Shipman Funeral Home.

Waking the canoes

By Kalvin Valdillez

“The canoes have their own spirits because they were living trees at one point,” said Tulalip Skipper, Taylor Henry. “Waking them up is part of that spiritual connection between us and them. It’s literally opening their eyes – because the circles on the canoe head are their eyes.”

One by one, the three Tulalip canoes were carefully hitched to the back of a pickup truck and removed from their designated resting place, at the canoe shed behind the Tulalip Veterans Park, on the evening of May 1. Placed side-by-side at the center of the park, the black and red cedar dugouts were a majestic sight to behold. They radiated with a spiritual energy that was felt by all tribal members in attendance who gathered for the annual canoe cleansing, a special tradition that has been passed through the generations.

With the coming of springtime and the promise of an eventful summer, which includes Canoe Journey and Spee-Bi-Dah, the canoes were called upon by the sduhubš people to return to their ancestral highways, also known as the Salish Sea, to help the people celebrate and engage in the traditions of the Tribe. 

Armed with soapy buckets of water and wash cloths, the people began to gently awaken the spirits of Little Sister, Big Sister, and Big Brother by thoroughly scrubbing every inch of the canoes. Tribal youth accounted for over half of those in attendance at the cleansing. The kids listened to instructions intently and took the task at-hand very seriously as they knew the importance of the work that they were conducting.

Tribal youth, Thomas Wenzel, shared, “I feel like it’s hard work, but not too difficult. I did it with a good heart and embraced that work that we did today. I’m excited because I really enjoy canoe practice.”

  To help build up that canoe puller strength and endurance, the Tribe plans on holding canoe practice once a week until the start of the 2023 Canoe Journey: Paddle to Muckleshoot. For this reason, it’s important that the canoes are awakened in traditional fashion prior to the start of the weekly practices across Tulalip Bay. Canoe practice is not only beneficial to the pullers, but to the canoes themselves in order for them to get reacquainted with the waters and long voyages through unpredictable conditions. 

Said Taylor, “Waking them up, it’s like lifting their spirits up, it helps us go smoother on the water. When we take care of them, they take care of us. Today made me feel good, excited to be out on the water, excited to see everybody come together, excited for Canoe Journeys, and to see old friends and families.”

Washing the canoes is only half of the work that takes place at the yearly cleansing event. Once the canoes were restored to their traditional shine, sparkle, and glory, each Tribal member received a cedar branch. Together, the people brushed away any unfavorable energy, emotions, and feelings from the canoes with the medicine of the cedar. The group circled counterclockwise around the canoes four times each, and sang the songs dedicated specifically to Little Sister and Big Sister, and the paddle song to Big Brother. 

“We were out here cleaning the canoes and getting them ready for this year’s journey,” stated Tribal member Mike Wenzel. “It’s a cultural connection and something that I like doing. I liked singing and circling the canoes to brush them off and bless them, just keeping the tradition alive.”

Added Tulalip Skipper, Andrew Gobin, “We brush them off to take anything off of them that may be there from last year, anything that they’re feeling. It feels good to get the canoes washed up and cleaned up, just making sure that they’re in a good place for us as we go out, and they’ll carry us on the water once more and take care of us.”

There are still several weeks before this year’s intertribal Canoe Journey takes place, so if you’re looking to get some reps in, or simply experience the medicine of being out on the water, canoe practice is held at 6:00 p.m. every Wednesday at the Tulalip Marina.