It’s huckleberry harvest time!

swədaʔx̌ali is a sustained effort between a Tulalip Tribes and U.S. Forest 
Service partnership.

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

For thousands of years, huckleberry has served as an important food, medicine, and trade good to the Coast Salish peoples. Mountain huckleberry is most abundant in the middle to upper mountain elevations, and favors open conditions following disturbances like fire or logging. Prior to European colonization, Native peoples managed ideal harvesting locations by using fire and other traditional means to maintain huckleberry growth for sustainable picking.

In 2011, the Tulalip Tribes began working cooperatively with the U.S. Forest Service to sustain huckleberries at a 1,280-acre parcel of land, 4,700 feet above elevation in the upper Skykomish River watershed. This particular location is one of several co-stewardship areas throughout the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest where Tulalip collaborates with the Forest Service to preserve and maintain important cultural resources. 

“The huckleberry co-stewardship work is one of the ways we are partnering with the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest to help sustain huckleberries on the forest, and ensure that tribal members will continue to have the opportunity to gather important resources and practice traditions central to their culture,” said Tulalip Environmental Policy Analyst, Libby Nelson, back in 2016. “Treaty rights encompass more than an opportunity to pick berries, hunt game or harvest fish. Having a meaningful role on the ground, in the stewardship of these resources, helps reconnect tribal peoples to these lands and the teachings of their ancestors.”

Named swədaʔx̌ali, Lushootseed for ‘Place of Mountain Huckleberries’, this end of summer destination gives Tulalip tribal members an opportunity to walk in the steps of their ancestors and harvest the highly prized mountain huckleberry. The official announcement that the berry bounty at swədaʔx̌aliι was ripe and ready for picking came from our forestry program manager, Nick Johnson, on August 24. 

“The huckleberries are ripe. The gate to swədaʔx̌ali now has a combination lock on it to enable tribal access. To get the combination of the lock please call the Admin Building front desk at 360-716-4160,” Nick’s announcement read. “After your party has gone through the gate please lock it behind you, so that any non-tribal groups don’t enter and potentially end up getting stuck behind a locked gate. The road has some deep-water bars where you’ll probably want a high-clearance vehicle to get through. Also the new gate is heavy and can take some effort to close and lock in place.”

An excellent source of antioxidants, both vitamin A and B, huckleberries are great for promoting a healthy metabolism.

Northwest mountain huckleberries generally ripen in the late summer and can be picked into the early fall. Huckleberry, well-known for boosting the immune system and being rich in antioxidants, has always had a strong relationship to the area’s Indigenous cultures. Coast Salish tribes consider the huckleberry to be an important dietary staple because of its medicinal properties and sweet, delicious taste. 

“Huckleberry is a food and medicine to our people,” explained Tulalip elder Inez Bill. “Our ancestors visited certain areas for gathering these berries. They knew where the berries were growing, what companion plants were growing there too, and how to use them. 

“Through the teachings of how we value, take care of and utilize our environment, we pass down our history and traditions, and what is important to the cultural lifeways of our people,” she continued. “This connection to the land enables us to know who we are as a people. It is a remembrance. Today, it is not only important that we continue the struggle to uphold our treaty rights, but we need to be involved in taking care of those resources our culture depends on so they will be available to future generations.” 

swədaʔx̌ali is a prime example of how Tulalip is diligently working to reclaim traditional areas. Stemming directly from the Point Elliot Treaty, which secured claims to gather roots and berries in all open and unclaimed land, the ‘Place of the Mountain Huckleberries” is clear expression of Tulalip’s sovereignty.

Embracing that sovereignty is every tribal member who journeys to this ancestral harvesting area and practices their cultural traditions that continue to be passed on from one generation to the next. The mountain huckleberry is intimately tied with traditional Tulalip lifeways and culture. 

Historically providing an end of summer harvest opportunity, the journey to swədaʔx̌ali strengthens a deep connection to the land.  Nearly 5,000 feet up, in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, berry pickers are completely immersed in the grand splendor that is the Pacific Northwest. Epic views of luscious, green-filled forestry, towering mountains, and clear waterways can be mesmerizing.

“It was a beautiful, uplifting experience. Once we hit the forest, where there were no buildings, no cars, no people, just trees…my spirit soared,” shared annual huckleberry harvester Maria Rios. “I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to speak my language, but that is only a piece of my culture. Berry picking feels natural, like I’ve always done it. The smells are intoxicating. The sounds are beautiful, from the buzzing bugs and chirping birds to the gentle breeze rustling the huckleberry leaves. These are the meaningful experiences that we all need to share in.”

“Oh my god. What a great day in the mountains!” added first time swədaʔx̌ali visitor Lena Hammons, who ventured up the mountain cautiously with her companion Jamie Sheldon. “This was my first time out gathering since I was a little girl. Definitely my first time participating in the tribal harvest. It was awesome listening to the laughter, trying to fill my bucket with huckleberries and wild blueberries. Was fortunate to get some awesome devil’s club, too, which makes my truck smell amazing. We got to wash our faces in the river on the way down. The entire experience was so healing and filled my spirit with love. All our people need to experience the beauty of swədaʔx̌ali.”

 Mountain huckleberry season is short, lasting only a few weeks between August and September. The sought after super food and medicine ranges in color from red to deep blue to maroon. They are similar to a blueberry in appearance and much sweeter than a cranberry, with many people rating huckleberries as the tastiest of the berry bunch. The gate to swədaʔx̌ali will only remain accessible to Tulalip membership for a few more weeks, so don’t miss the opportunity to harvest and take in breathtaking views, while expressing your inherent tribal sovereignty.

Huckleberry Health Benefits:

  • Huckleberries are full of antioxidants, compounds that are essential for improving the health of numerous systems within the body, while also preventing the development of serious health issues.
  • An excellent source of vitamin A and B, huckleberries are great for promoting a healthy metabolism which in turn helps reduce the risk of stroke. They are also known to help stave off macular degeneration as well as viruses and bacteria.
  • Huckleberries are associated with lowering cholesterol; protecting against heart diseases, muscular degeneration, glaucoma, varicose veins, and ulcers.
  • Huckleberries are an excellent source of iron which helps build new red blood cells and helps fatigue associated with iron deficiency.
  • High in vitamin C, huckleberries protect the body against immune deficiencies, cardiovascular diseases, prenatal health problems, and eye diseases.

Back 2 School Party sends students off to school in a good way

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

The Don Hatch Youth Center parking lot was shut down on the afternoon of August 24. At the center of the campus, surrounded by a dozen of smiling faces, a creature with white fur and a blue face happily danced to a feel-good set curated by local Mixmaster, DJ Monie. 

You may ask why in the world the mythical legend known as the Yeti, a.k.a. the Abominable Snowman, was getting its grove on in near 80-degree weather. And the answer, of course, is to celebrate the Tulalip Education Division’s annual Back 2 School Party. 

“I think today was awesome,” exclaimed young tribal member, Peyton Gobin. “I came down because I wanted to see my friends and my family. I’m going into the 7th grade. I’m excited and think the new school year will be really fun.”

The Yeti tagged along to the shindig with the Grove Street Church, whose membership volunteered to supervise the rides and attractions. In addition to the many volunteers, the church also donated two bouncy houses so the youth could get their jump on during the back-to-school bash. 

To provide endless amounts of fun throughout the day, the Tulalip Education Division also enlisted the Reptile Girl, the Tulalip Police Department, the Tulalip Bay Fire Department, Paws With A Cause, Skate Like A Girl, Hatter Mike Balloon Twister, and QuakeHOLD! 

Youth of all ages had a blast during the five-hour event while they visited all of the activity booths, rides, and petting zoo animals including alpacas, turtles, and alligators. 

“I liked the lady with the whistles,” said Sophia Quimby. “Everyone’s been getting whistles from her, so I went up to her and she’s really nice. I got a whistle and also got a picture, and pencils from the fire department that I can take home. But my favorite part of the day was probably the pirate ship.”

Gia Joseph agreed, “Yes! The pirate ship was probably my favorite too. And I’m taking home a picture, a highlighter, and a coloring book.

“It’s a very exciting event,” Sophia added.

“It’s pretty much the best.” Gia concurred. 

With painted faces and snow cones in hand, the kids of Tulalip met with their friends and relatives as they explored the youth campus, taking plenty of time to ride the Pirate’s Revenge carnival ride and joust against each other in a padded ring, American Gladiators style.

“Seeing all the interactions with the children, it’s the big start for the new school year,” said Tulalip BOD, Hazen Shopbell. “I like seeing them all having fun together. I think this is a wonderful event where everyone comes together to help support the kids. It’s a good way to prepare them for school, I try to make it every year with my children.”

Inside the gymnasium were rows upon rows of information and resource booths. The idea of bringing-in departments such as Tulalip Higher Education, the Homework Support Club, and Family Resources, as well as Marysville School District (MSD) representatives including faculty from Heritage High, Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary and the MSD Native American Liaisons, was for students and families to get acquainted with their teachers, counselors, and all those who they will be working with throughout the academic year. 

“It’s important to celebrate back to school because our children need to see our excitement for learning,” expressed Tulalip Education Division Director, Jessica Bustad. “We want to thank all the volunteers, staff, vendors, MSD employees, and the Positive Youth Development team for providing the excitement of going back to school. It was great seeing the kids visit with their teachers, youth workers, and other organizations that serve them. It’s important for us to set that example for the kids. We want our kids to know that education is a priority to us, and we support them 100%. It’s been a long summer, so seeing all the smiling faces in one place is a good feeling. It’s nice to see the staff engaging and reuniting with their students.” 

The Back 2 School Party was the perfect way to close out summer and celebrate new beginnings as the 2022-2023 school year quickly approaches. 

“This event sends our kids back to school in a good way,” explained Tulalip Youth Advocate, Deyamonta Diaz. “It’s fun for the families to hang out, no stress, and meet with staff from their schools without the pressure of the school setting. We provide food so the families get to eat some good food and just enjoy the end of the summer before gearing up to get ready for school.”

Good luck to all the young scholars as they begin their new academic year! 

Elders welcome guests from British Columbia to senior center lunch

By Kim Kalliber, Tulalip News

The Tulalip elders welcomed special guests from the Wei Wai Kum First Nation of Campbell River, British Columbia for a luncheon on Tuesday, August 30. 

Guests were greeted at the door of the senior center and given cedar roses. Members of the elders commission and craft club members of the senior center were introduced after everyone said smile-filled hellos had taken a seat. 

Dale Jones and Marlin Fryberg both welcomed the guests and thanked them for traveling from Canada, along with thanking the cooks for all their hard work. 

Dale spoke of bringing the potluck back to Tulalip and the days of community clam bakes. He also encouraged the crowd to call their friends and neighbors, to always keep in touch and love one another. 

Then a song and prayer blessing, led by Sheryl Fryberg, opened the lunch. The much-appreciated guests dined on chowder and frybread, followed by a tasty dessert.

Tribes connected through culture and art

By Shaelyn Smead, Tulalip News

On September 27-28, weaving artist Leanne Campbell, traveled to Tulalip and held a weekend long Columbia Plateau Basketry workshop at the Hibulb Cultural Center. Leanne is Coeur d’Alene, Colville, Nez Perce, and travels frequently to connect and teach twining throughout different tribes in the area. 

Twining is a form of weaving that can be used for various baskets, bags, hats, etc. It’s a style of basketry that is very specific to Natives in the Columbia Plateau. When speaking with Tulalip tribal member Rae Anne Gobin, Leanne learned that there are some Colville and Nez Perce descendants within Tulalip, and thought that they might find the class interesting. But no matter who showed for the class, Leanne was excited and found this opportunity of teaching at Hibulb an act of preservation for traditional arts. 

Leanne first picked up weaving in the late 90s and didn’t start teaching until the mid 2000s, when she was asked to demonstrate at a weaving conference. From there, she branched out and began traveling more, offering her Columbia Plateau Basketry workshops, teaching at the Hazel Pete Institute, and participating in weaving conferences. When teaching workshops, Leanne provides basketry kits that are available for purchase, that way everyone can have the supplies that they’ll need to learn.

The class was filled with people from all walks of life. Some of those in attendance were Tulalip tribal members, Tulalip community members, Natives traveling from other tribes, and people from the general public. Traveling the furthest were Siletz tribal members, Charlene Holycross and Nadia Mosqueda, from Oregon. This mother and daughter duo have been following Leanne for quite some time and even traveled to see her in Idaho. They originally had connected with her through Facebook, and had won a hat that Leanne was raffling off. Since then, they’ve been dedicated students, absorbing as much knowledge as they can. 

“After I get the basics down, I want to start learning our Siletz baskets,” Nadia said. “Our tribe traditionally weaves with materials like fern, bear grass, and hazel root, so eventually I’ll be able to work my way towards that. But Leanne is such a great teacher and I love the designs she teaches, and hopefully I can incorporate them into our hats.” Nadia also spoke of her weaving journey and how none of it would’ve existed without inspiration from her mom, Charlene.

 “I’m not going to be here forever,” said Charlene. “You try to teach your kids and it can only go so far sometimes, but with the help of teachers like Leanne, her guidance has really helped. I love the time that I’ve been able to share with my daughter and even though it’s not our traditional style of weaving, I’m excited to use it with everything we have back home. I hope that this art can continue in my family.”

With the creation of organizations like Northwest Native American Basket Weavers Association, the Okanagan Basket Weavers, and many others, artist are able to travel to other tribes to learn from them and also share their craft. 

“This style of basketry is one that we were starting to see a decline in the number of people still doing it,” Leanne expressed. “For me, being able to teach this will help revitalize this traditional art and help keep it going. That’s what’s great about conferences, we all get to learn from each other. No matter what tribe we’re from, or what we’re sharing with each other, every tribe brings so much value and purpose, and it’s important that we keep traditional art alive.” 

Leanne also spoke about how our cultural learnings can go beyond just what is in our tribe. But as Native Americans, we can learn so much from each other, and work together to keep our cultural practices strong. 

Traditionally, Native Americans have taught each other different teachings from one generation passing down to another. With the advancement of technology, learning new skills like weaving have become so accessible. People are connecting with other artists on social media, watching tutorial videos online, and promoting conferences and/or events to increase awareness. Since then, new forms and styles of teaching have also expanded. Even new and modern-day materials are being introduced to these traditional skillsets. Some use contemporary materials like hemp twine, acrylic yarns, and wool that are typically more accessible are being used as an adaption to our modern world. 

No matter the material, it’s important to remember the cultural significance behind weaving. Leanne said, “Anyone could look at the baskets we make and say ‘oh that’s just a basket.’ But basket making is such a time perfected technique that has been passed down countless generations and for that traditional art to survive, it really speaks to the resiliency of that art to transform to modern time and modern materials,” 

The room was filled with concentrated intentions, collaborative storytelling, and amusement in their shared mistakes. One thing Leanne kept mentioning, is the importance of patience, and kindness to yourself whenever you’re taking on a new skillset.

She also spoke on the cultural importance behind the baskets. How even though it is an art form to be able to make a basket, to remember that these baskets have purpose. “Baskets are a part of food gathering practices, landscape, and seasons. When teaching, it’s also important to remind everyone of the cultural importance, and the celebration of our first foods,” she said. “Being able to work with other tribes and bond over these practices is very special.”

Leanne expressed extraordinary gratitude towards the Tulalip community, the hospitality they provided and the opportunity to teach at such a beautiful cultural center, and hopes one day she’ll be able to teach there again soon. 

The Hibulb Cultural Center continually brings in talented Native artists, be sure to stay updated and on the lookout for future events at /www.hibulbculturalcenter.org/Events.

Salute to Native American Night

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

The annual Salute to Native American Night hosted by the Seattle Mariners was a great success, once again. So many proud Natives from across the Pacific Northwest journeyed to T-Mobile Park on August 23 to celebrate the Puyallup Tribe canoe family as they shared their songs and dance on the immaculate baseball field.

“This event gives us an opportunity to build our tribal community and develop must-needed awareness for the thousands of non-Natives in attendance. For many of them, this is may be their first time witnessing our songs and dance or have the opportunity to have a conversation with an actual tribal member of one of the surrounding Tribes,” shared Puyallup Tribe culture director and elder, Connie McCloud.

“We had so many of our people join the canoe family in the last year or so that we were really excited for just how many we’d have potentially for this special presentation,” she continued. “We had between 100 to 125 show up to the stadium. During practice we gave regalia to those who didn’t have any. There was such a huge sense of pride from knowing we are representing our Tribe, our families, and our community in such a good, positive way. And to do this in front of such a large audience only reaffirms the power of our culture and traditional teachings to the young ones. They are growing up in an era where they can truly embrace their culture and not be afraid to wear traditional clothing and ceremonial items in public.”

Official attendance of the Tuesday night game was a whopping 38,254 fans. Amongst that huge number was an estimated 200 Tulalips, many of whom were gifted free tickets and bussed to the game as one of our youth enrichment program’s summer activities.

On the field pre-game with the Puyallup canoe family was powwow circuit legend and Tulalip’s own Jobey Williams. He was accompanied by his 4-year-old son Dahnahhi as they both pounded their circular hand drums and sang in unison with their Puyallup brothers and sisters.

“First, I’d like to say just how appreciative I am for Puyallup to call and offer me and my son the opportunity to drum and sing with their canoe family,” said Jobey. “As Native people, we share the same spirit. Even if our songs and dance vary from tribe to tribe and region to region, the same spirit powers us all. To share in that moment with our neighbors from Puyallup was so amazing. 

“Being in front of such a huge Mariners crowd and offering them just a sample of what we do as Native people – our songs and dance, our beautiful children in their regalia, and the power of our community – as a Tulalip, I’m just so thankful,” he added. “Us old ones remember that long before basketball became the most popular sport on the Rez today, it was baseball that was number one. Previous generations loved baseball because for a long time it was the only sport broadcast on the radio. No internet, no tv, but they had baseball on the radio. Families would huddle around the radio and listen to the games. Hard to imagine today, right?”

Families huddled around a radio listening to any sports today is hard to imagine. But what’s not hard to imagine is just how significant the Mariners yearly tribute to Native Americans is. Look at all images accompanying this article that demonstrate pure pride and joy, full of smiling faces, multi-generations dancing together, and a larger sense of community for what it means to be Native in the Pacific Northwest. 

More impressive than the 430-foot bomb hit by third basemen Eugenio Suarez or the 7-strikeout gem pitched by Robbie Ray or even the Mariners 4-2 win over the Nationals, was the stunning display of Coast Salish culture that filled the ball park. Serving as a simple reminder to the tens of thousands in attendance and even more watching at home: we are still here and we are thriving!

Next Stop: Kindergarten

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

On the warm summer evening of August 18, over seventy young students made their final journey to the Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy (TELA) campus after successfully completing the preschool program. 

Instilled with all the necessary knowledge to make the transition from TELA to the elementary school of their choosing, as well as equipped with many traditional and cultural teachings, the little scholars of Tulalip took part in a parade-style graduation ceremony to celebrate their latest achievement. 

“This is our third year of doing the parade because of COVID,” said TELA Montessori Manager, Tami Burdett. “We could’ve had a regular graduation this year, but our staff and families really enjoy this, so I think we’re going to continue doing the parade.”

The students entered the TELA parking lot inside vehicles decorated in their honor and were gifted large magnetic paddle cut-outs to display on their cars. Each paddle had the student’s name written alongside the cut-out as well as the young leader’s respective classroom. 

TELA also scheduled professional graduation photos for each student prior to the moving up ceremony. Leading up to the graduation, the students had the opportunity to create their first headbands with their families, so they can wear their traditional cedar weavings for their grad photo and the ceremony as well. 

Said Tami, “Katrina [Lane], our Family Events Coordinator, made headbands with each of the families. They use that headband for their preschool poster and then they also wore their headbands tonight. On their t-shirts we also incorporated the canoe. For instance, the paddling to preschool shirt has three paddles and the paddling to kindergarten has five paddles, representing the years that they spent with us. Katrina designed the t-shirts, and this is our second year of t-shirts.”

  As they rode through the pick-up/drop-off zone of the academy one last time, the students were cheered on by all their friends, families, and teachers. The teachers showed an outpouring of love to their students and presented them with gifts to commemorate their time spent at TELA. 

“It warms my heart,” Tami tearfully reflected. “This is important to celebrate because this is one of their first academic milestones. It’s a milestone for the families, and it’s a great way for the kids to see their families excited about their achievements at school, so that they know school is important. All of their teachers have done a fantastic job of preparing them for kindergarten, and it was great to see everyone cheer on each of our students today.”

Congrats to all the young graduates.

A farewell and thank you to Lavinia Carpenter

By Shaelyn Smead, Tulalip News; photos submitted by Rosie Taupum 

On July 12, friends, family, and coworkers gathered for a farewell party to honor Lavinia Carpenter’s time and dedication to the Tulalip Tribes. Her almost 44 years of work touched the lives around her and impacted policies that the tribe continues to use. Like many Tulalip elders, Lavinia worked within the tribe for most of her life. It is that level of effort and commitment from tribal members that keeps our tribe strong and steadfast for the future. 

Unfortunately, because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the number of layoffs from an economic crisis that our tribe was facing, many other dedicated tribal employees departed and were no longer able to keep their positions. Being quarantined at home, many employees weren’t able to receive the farewell that they would’ve hoped for. And in addition to that, with the amount of deaths that our community faces every year, Enrollment Director Rosie Topaum began to understand the importance of honoring our elders while we still have them with us.

Lavinia originally had worked for the Tulalip Finance department for 37 years, and shortly after joined the Enrollment Committee for another 7 years. With Lavinia’s prior experience and ability to enforce policy, she provided a sound and unbiased voice for the Enrollment Committee to follow. Her finance background made it easy to carry a lot of precision in her work. She was extremely detail oriented and has been known for her admiration for compliance, all of which made for a true professional and added value to everything she was a part of.  

 “It is important and valuable for tribal members to work for our tribe and find ways to give back to the community, as long as people have pure intent and sincerity in their work,” Lavinia said.

The Enrollment Committee prides themselves on being a well-rounded group as they provide a variety of opinions, values, beliefs and understanding of our tribe and policies. The committee strives to have representation from multiple families, that can represent our people and leave out any possibility of favoritism or nepotism. The committee also has a variety of ages in their group, to ensure a more balanced understanding of the older generations that live with us, and the new families that are being created.

Tulalip Enrollment Committee Chair, Carrie Ann Fryberg, spoke of her time with Lavinia, “I want to thank her for her lifetime commitment and service to our tribe, and her years of service on the Tulalip Enrollment Committee. Elders are our most precious commodity as a tribe. All of her knowledge, and the way she was a stickler for codes and policies will be missed by all of us.”

Being an elder within the Tulalip community, Lavinia brought a lot of knowledge about the history of the different families that have lived on the reservation. After the enrollment committee obtain the required documents from each applicant, Lavinia was also able to adhere and vouch for the different familial connections and establishments within the tribe. All of which takes an important role when deciding to accept an applicant, and enroll them into Tulalip. 

Rosie spoke of the significance of our elders in our community and the value that Lavinia brought to the enrollment committee, “It’s important that our elders know that we cherish our time with them, and let them know that they are appreciated. We need to take the time to honor them while they are still here with us. Lavinia carried her work with a lot of dignity, and her knowledge helped make so many clear and important decisions. She treated everyone the same, and she had an overall kindness that rubbed off on people. I admire the time and connection I was able to make with her.”

Surrounded by some of her friends, family, and coworkers, the farewell party was a chance for people to speak about Lavinia, her time within the tribe, and thank her for her efforts. Lavinia was gifted with flowers, a blanket, and a plaque. A joyous event to commemorate all of her work.