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!
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.
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.
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!
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.”
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.
NASA astronaut Nicole Mann gives a thumbs up from inside the Orion mockup, Wednesday, July 10, 2019 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News; photos courtesy of NASA
The sky’s the limit. A popular saying largely attributed to the early 1900s after the invention of flight, and one that hasn’t aged particularly well. After all, there was the legendary space race of the ‘60s that resulted in NASA sending Apollo 11 to the Moon on July 16, 1969. Then hundreds of millions of Earthlings sat glued to their television sets in pure amazement as four days later, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin hopped around the Moon’s near zero-gravity surface, before ultimately planting the red, white and blue colors of the United States flag.
That singular moment changed the course of human imagination. In a manner of speaking the sky’s the limit was forced into early retirement that day. Young Earthlings no longer capped their imagination to the sky held within our planet’s atmosphere. Instead, they now thought of space as the new frontier. Such was the case for Chickasaw Nation tribal member John Herrington. He imagined himself as a crew member on voyages of the starship Enterprise, exploring strange new words, seeking out new life and new civilizations…to boldly go where no Native American has gone before.
John Herrington is the first Native American to accomplish space flight, aboard the space shuttle Endeavour, in 2002.
Like a true navigator, Herrington plotted his course and set out to make history. First was acquiring the education necessary. He graduated from his Texas high school in 1976, received a bachelor’s of science degree in applied mathematics in 1983, and then a master’s of science degree in aeronautical engineering in 1995. His stellar record in the classroom and as an officer in the U.S. Navy helped punch his ticket into NASA’s astronaut program in April 1996.
After logging over 3,800 flight hours in over 30 different types of aircraft, Herrington made history as the first ever Native American to accomplish space flight on November, 23 2002. He served as a mission specialist aboard space shuttle Endeavour on its 14-day mission to the International Space Station where Herrington was integral in completely station upgrades, equipment transfers, and the universally cool spacewalk.
In an interview with Indian Country Today, Herrington reflected on his 330 hours in space. “I got to do everything I would ever do as an astronaut on my one mission,” he said. “I was very fortunate. I flew some sage. I flew some sweet grass. I flew regalia for a friend of mine. Being able to take the flute and the feather out and actually float those in the International Space Station really meant a lot to my family.”
Native American astronaut, John Herrington (Chickasaw Nation), with young Zuni Pueblo members in front of the NASA Artemis banner at the 2019 AISES National Conference.
On his Endeavor journey, mission specialist John Herrington carried a flute made by Cherokee tribal member Jim Gilliland, a decorated eagle feather beaded by a Yankton Sioux citizen Philip Lane, and a Chickasaw Nation flag. Both significant cultural items, the flute and eagle feather, remained in his possession as he transferred from his crew’s shuttle into the space station. Soon after entering the International Space Station, he placed both items within the airlock where they floated together in the zero-gravity environment.
This once-in-a-lifetime moment is memorialized at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. within an exhibit holding the same flute and feather suspended midair as if they were still in space.
Herrington performed three spacewalks totaling 19 hours and 55 minutes. The Chickasaw legend’s historic achievement is commemorated on the reverse of the 2019 Sacagawea dollar coin. In 2017, he was also inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame. Herrington continues to speak across the country on the topics of STEM, space aviation and the Chickasaw Nation.
When asked by The Oklahoman why he is compelled to combine his oral storytelling traditions with his love for science, Herrington said “Our ancestors survived so we can be here; they were natural problem solvers and engineers. The structures they built and the decisions our ancestors made speaks volumes to me, as an engineer and from a leadership perspective.”
With John Herrington aboard, the Space Shuttle Endeavor prepares to launch on November 23, 2002.
It’s been nearly twenty years since the first Native American soared above our planet’s stratosphere and space walked 254 miles above Earth’s surface. Now, the time has come for another history making cosmic event for Native culture, especially for little girls everywhere with a scientific mind and dreams of being amongst the stars.
In a few short weeks, NASA astronaut Nicole Mann, enrolled in Wailacki of the Round Valley Indian Tribes in northern California, will serve as spacecraft commander over the next generation SpaceX rocket ship, Dragon Endurance. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission is targeted to launch around September 29 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the internationally shared microgravity laboratory in space.
This will be Nicole’ first spaceflight since becoming an astronaut in 2013. As mission commander, she will be responsible for all phases of flight, from launch to re-entry. She will also serve as an Expedition 68 flight engineer aboard the station. Like Herrington before her, Nicole was an exemplary student who took her education seriously. In fact, she earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering with a specialty in fluid mechanics from Stanford University.
“It’s very exciting,” she told Indian Country Today, referring to being the first Native woman in space. “I think it’s important that we communicate this to our community, so that other Native kids, if they thought maybe that this was not a possibility or to realize that some of those barriers that used to be there are really starting to get broken down.”
Besides the other crew members, Nicole will also be accompanied by several significant cultural items aboard the Dragon spacecraft.
Nicole Mann will serve as mission commander over her crew aboard SpaceX Dragon.
“I have some special gifts for my family, which I can’t say because they’re a surprise. Definitely taking my wedding rings, and I have this dream catcher that my mother gave me when I was very young,” she said. “It’s kind of always stayed with me throughout my time.”
Back in December 2020, NASA announced Nicole as part of the initial 18-member Artemis Team intended to return U.S. astronauts back to the moon in 2025 or 2026. Artemis will be the first crewed lunar landing since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
“There is so much exciting work ahead of us as we return to the moon, and it will take the entire astronaut corps to make that happen,” stated Chief Astronaut Pat Forrester in a 2020 press release. “Walking on the lunar surface would be a dream come true for any one of us, and any part we can play in making that happen is an honor. I am proud of this particular group of men and women and know that any of them would do an outstanding job representing NASA and the United States on a future Artemis mission.”
The Artemis mission plans to send two of the 18 astronauts to land on the lunar surface, specifically designated to be the first woman and first person of color. If Nicole is selected with that honor, then she would become not just the first Native American, but the first woman as well, to walk on the moon.
“It’s just this really overwhelming sense of emotion in the best of ways that I can describe,” she told Inverse. “Yes, you want to be the first person to walk on the Moon, you want to fulfill that role, but really it’s not about you … It’s about the bigger mission, so you’re just excited to support in whatever role you can.”
While the history books continue to be updated in real-time with Nicole’s tremendous story, the Native astronaut will continue to train and prepare intensively for her International Space Station mission in just a few weeks’ time. She’s also taking the time out of her busy schedule to share her message of self-belief and the possibilities that arise from chasing dreams.
“It’s so fun, I think, in our lifetime when you have firsts,” she shared recently with NPR. “And I think it’s really great to celebrate those and to communicate that, especially to the younger generation, right? These young women, maybe Native, maybe people from different backgrounds that realize that they have these opportunities. And so hopefully that will inspire that younger generation.
“[My advice to young Native women] is never discount yourself. If you don’t go after a dream or a goal and if you don’t try, you’re never going to make it. Pursue your passions in school, ask for help, meet people that have done that job to learn more about it. You’ll grow so much as a child into an adult, and your interests will vary quite a bit. It’s exciting to take this opportunity to just chase down all of those dreams.”
With binoculars at the ready, numerous spectators sat in lawn chairs near the edge of the bluff overlooking Tulalip Bay on a sunny August afternoon. “Back it up” a voice instructed over a loudspeaker, as sleek canoes began to slowly creep forward in anticipation of the air horn which signaled the start of the race. Four canoes, each guided by eleven Indigenous athletes, were guided back to a line of floating buoys. As soon as the long canoes were behind the starting line, the airhorn blasted and echoed across the bay, and forty-four paddles simultaneously struck the water.
Moving at high speeds through the local Salish waters, the competitors pulled the entire length of Tulalip Bay, and passed through the inlet before journeying out into the sea. For a while, the canoes were out of sight, and then they came back into view, and raced back to the Hermosa side of the bay before making the last stretch of the race back toward the longhouse.
“Tulalip has always been one of our favorite races,” said Karlie Kinley (Lummi) of the Merisa Mae Canoe Club. “It’s one of the newer courses to the circuit, and it’s on the US side. A lot of times we have to travel far away, because many of the canoe clubs are from Canada. Tulalip is close to home, and we can bring more of our families. The hospitality and everything is always really good here. And it’s saltwater, and we’re saltwater paddlers so we get a little bit of advantage in the water – it’s definitely one of our favorite places to come.”
For the first time since the pandemic hit, the annual Canoe Races returned to Tulalip Bay during the weekend of August 20. The tribal athletes were excited to get back out on the water and visit with friends and family hailing from other nearby tribes.
“We started in 2015 at the direction of one of the elders of our family,” said Natasha Fryberg, Tulalip Canoe Races organizer and hostess. “They thought it was very important to bring it back to Tulalip, we used to host it many years ago. We really wanted the canoes back on our waters, on our land. My favorite part of the races is everyone coming here, seeing everybody who we haven’t seen in a while, hearing all the laughter and stories, and seeing the participants on the water. You get to see so many different athletes who bring so much to the canoe circuit.”
You may already know that traditional cedar dugout canoes were created as a means of transportation, so that the Salishan ancestors could navigate from tribe to tribe or harvest from the sea. The canoes utilized for the races, however, are much different than those seen every summer at Canoe Journeys. Sometimes referred to as war canoes, this speedy canoe variation is narrower and much lighter in comparison. Developed centuries ago, many traditional stories claim that these canoes were created so that people could travel quickly to and from other tribal nations to conduct raids during wartime between tribes.
“This goes all the way back to the beginning of time,” explained Willie Jones Jr., Lummi tribal member and skipper of the Lady Rose Canoe Club. “Of course, through the years the stories change. But what these races evolved from is when our ancestors started racing the canoes just for something to do at our potlatches. This is part of our teachings – we’ve been racing canoes for as long as I can remember.”
Participants of all ages pulled in a number of competitions throughout the weekend including singles, doubles, 6-man and 11-man races. Several Coast Salish tribes, bands and canoe families were well represented during the event.
Vivianna Thomas and Kieneshia Dominic James, young pullers from the Scowlitz First Nation, reflected on returning to Tulalip Bay and participating in the races.
Said Vivianna, “I pulled in the women’s six, thirteen and under six, women’s eleven and thirteen and under eleven. We got fourth in both women’s. And thirteen and under, it was a bunch of little kids and I felt happy to take them out. Coming out to Tulalip is always really fun and I enjoyed everything we did this weekend.
Kieneshia added, “It’s really fun to do, especially throughout the summer. You get to meet and see a lot of people and compete against other kids. And being out on the water gives me peace and a strong mind. And I always send up prayers for all my people in need.”
The Canoe Race circuit consists of several waterway courses located at tribal villages throughout the Pacific Northwest region. As Natasha mentioned, the Tulalip Bay course was recently unlocked during the summer of 2015 and has been a racer favorite ever since.
“I love the scenery here,” expressed first time puller, Kendra Jefferson who also belongs to the Marisa Mae Canoe Club. “This is my first-year racing and it felt amazing. I really enjoy canoe pulling and being with friends and family. This is something that I grew up with, and it’s been in my family for years. To me, it’s very important and I know it’s important to my mom, my dad, and my grandparents to carry on the tradition, and I hope my kids follow along.”
Passing on the tradition, along with various techniques, is something that every racer looks forward to. In fact, many of the young competitors belong to a longline of canoe racers, and often race alongside their parents, grandparents, uncles and aunties during the team races.
“I like getting to race with my kids,” said Nooksack tribal member, Jeremy Roberts. “I have three kids who are ten and under and it was fun to get to race with them this weekend. This is important to the culture – to keep our traditions going, passing on our teachings, and just getting out there and having fun. It was a great weekend with good weather, good water, it wasn’t rough. It’s been a great season and I am thankful to be back on the water with family.”
In addition to keeping the canoe racing tradition alive, the summertime event serves as a great way to keep the youth away from destructive activities and behaviors, while engaging them in a positive and cultural experience.
“The Canoe Races gives our people a place to go,” Natasha stated. “People participate for many different reasons, whether it’s cultural, or their looking for their own self-healing. This is also a prevention tool for our kids. A lot of different clubs use it as a prevention tool for their club members.”
“These races are important to our people, especially for our youth and younger people nowadays,” Willie agreed. “We’re losing a lot of culture, values, and teachings in our school systems – they’re not teaching it there as much as they should. This is vital to teaching our youth a cultural way of life, showing them a good way of life, and keeping them away from all those things that get kids in trouble. We’re fighting a lot of drugs and alcohol on all of our reservations up and down the coast. Prevention plays a huge role, and this is a good way to keep our kids busy and support our youth.”
The last stop on the Canoe Race circuit will take place during the final weekend of August at Neah Bay. And although there were a handful of young sduhubš racers this year, Natasha expressed a desire to start a canoe club from Tulalip to participate in next year’s circuit.
For more information, including how to get involved in the races, please follow War Canoe Races page on Facebook.
