Tualip says “Hell no to Coal”

Article by Monica Brown and Photos by Francesca Hillery, Public Affairs

Nearly 2500 concerned citizens gathered Dec 13th at Seattle’s convention center for the last Coal meeting in order hear others thoughts and ideas and voice their own opinions about the coal train proposal. Tulalip Chairman Mel Sheldon was one of many that were able to speak to the crowds.

“The Tulalip Tribes support job creation. We are one of the largest employers in our area,” Sheldon said. “But we will not tolerate anything that poses threats to our cultural resources, our health and our treaty rights to fish, hunt and gather. The tribes and local, state and federal governments have worked hard to improve the environment, but it won’t mean much if we find coal dust in fragile waters of the Salish Sea.”

The proposal is to transport tons of coal by railway, eighteen trains a mile and a half each, from the Powder River Basin of Montana and Wyoming through our backyard to Cherry Point for tanker shipment to Asia. Cherry Point, a sacred site for our neighbor tribe the Lummi nation, have vehemently stated their position against the Cherry Point proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal which would be detrimental to the current ecosystem at Cherry Point  which harbors not only a fragile herring population but also a sacred burial site of the Lummi nation.

“Never will Tulalip support the degradation of our ancestral burial grounds as would in this project. Whether they be here at Tulalip, or on Lummi burial grounds at Cherry Point, we stand in solidarity with our Coast Salish relatives  in our solemn responsibility to our ancestors and to our sacred lands” Stated Mel Sheldon

The proposed coal exports to china would mean millions of dollars in revenue and new jobs that would be available for years to come. The negative impacts on the environment from the use of coal outweigh the positives with the damage mining causes to its place of origin, the dust that comes off seeps into everything from water to our lungs and the burning of coal emits CO2 which depletes the ozone layer.

Mel Sheldon finished with, “From whitecap to whitecap, or the peaks of the Cascade Mountains to the Salish Sea, it is our responsibility to our ancestors, our elders, and to future generations to protect and preserve the air, water, fish and other resources that we depend on.”

Recently, tribal members from the Northern Cheyenne Reservation along with the National Wildlife Federation and conservation groups have started protesting the coal mining in the Powder River Basin stressing that the mining is destroying the habitat and polluting the Otter River which connects to the Tongue River and Yellowstone River.

The US is the second largest coal producer, producing and estimated 1004 million tons in the year 2011, with Wyoming being the top coal producing state, mining 438.5 million tons (mt) in the year 2011. China is the largest coal importing and coal producing country, importing an estimated 190mt and producing 3471mt in the year 2011.

 

 

Thousands of comments from residents of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Montana addressing their concerns of the coal trains environmental impact can be viewed here,

http://www.eisgatewaypacificwa.gov/get-involved/comment/all

 

To view the Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal/Custer Spur visit this sight,

http://www.eisgatewaypacificwa.gov/about/overview

 

 

Comments can be submitted until January 21, 2013 here,

http://www.eisgatewaypacificwa.gov/get-involved/comment

 

 

 

Statistical information from; World Coal Association and Bureau of Land Management

Forgotten Warriors Christmas “Thank You” hosted By Seattle Indian Center

Press Release, Camille Monzon, Executive Director

Too often people think only of children & families during Christmas. News media is replete with tearjerking stories about what kids are doing without for the holidays and the public is shamed into digging deeper into their pockets for kids less fortunate. You see the US Marine Corps beating the drwn with their “Toys for Tots,” which fails to distribute their toys to smaller community-based organizations that help the children in various communities of color in Seattle-King County.

“It’s disgraceful that during this holiday season many people in our so-called great country have completely forgotten about the courageous men and women who have served in the military and fought for our basic freedoms,” said Camille Monzon-Richards, executive director emerita. “At the Seattle Indian Center we call these men & women The Forgotten Warriors because they are largely ignored and are thrown under the bus because they don’t fit the paradigm that makes fer a touchy-feely little Christmas story,” continued Monzon-Richards.

Americans have forgotten the tremendous sacrifice made by these veterans from the Korean War, VietNam War, the first & second Gulf Wars and Afghanistan. The veterans have come home to a wretched economy with too-few job opportunities and a disillusionment with society. Many have been marginalized and are forced to live a hand-to mouth existence, or are homeless. Some are amputees and have difficulty securing wheelchairs; many are suffering from the after effects of Agent Orange in Viet Nam. The Seattle Indian Center helps these veterans every day.

The Seattle Indian Center is hosting an American Indian/Alaska Native “thank-you” to all veterans on Friday, December 21, 2012 from 12 noon to 3 pm. The tribute will take place at the Seattle Indian Center, 611 Twelfth Avenue South, Ste. 300, Seattle, WA. 98144. Phone number is 206.329.8700. The S.LC. welcomes all veterans to the event. They do not have to be American Indian or Alaska Native.

The S.l.e. will have a traditional welcome ceremony for the veterans to be followed by a dinner and distribution of gifts to acknowledge a grateful “thank-you” to the service these men and women have rendered to our country. Attendance at the gift-giving portion will require a DD214 or other proof of eligibility.

Counselors will be available to assist with referrals as needed for housing, employment, education and other emergency services.

For those who care to donate new unused socks, caps, gloves or other new warm clothing for the event are asked to call the Seattle Indian Center at 206.329.8700, 9 to 4 pm.

College Speech Contest Awards Scholarships

speech project1st Annual Scholarship encourages Native youth to showcase their speaking skills

 Press Release, Cut Bank Creek Press

Suquamish, WA [December 7, 2012] – Cut Bank Creek Press, a Native-owned publishing company, will award two $1500 college scholarships to the winners of its first speech contest titled “Speakin’ in Indian.”

Currently enrolled college students will upload 5-minute video entries to YouTube in response to one of two theses:

1)    “Native people and Tribes should expend substantial resources on the preservation/restoration of Native languages and make it a top priority because…”, or alternatively,

2)    “Native people and Tribes should not expend their limited resources on the preservation/ restoration of Native languages and make it a top priority because….”

One scholarship will be awarded for each argument – the best argument in favor of language preservation and the best argument against making language preservation a priority. Spokespeople for the contest are Dallas Goldtooth (Dakota and Dine), a renowned speaker and language preservation advocate, Mike LaFromboise (Blackfeet), Blackfoot language scholar and computer nerd, Gyasi Ross (Blackfeet), author of Don’t Know Much about Indians (but I wrote this book about us anyways), and Steven Paul Judd (Kiowa and Choctaw), a renowned visual artist and filmmaker. Dallas, Gyasi and Steven will also serve on the final panel of judges. Ross created the scholarship specifically to increase the amount of young Native people that feel confident speaking for themselves and for Native people. “It’s a very small step. Still, those that speak persuasively and passionately tend to be leaders within our communities. Native people are, and always have been, perfectly capable of speaking for ourselves, yet we haven’t had a formal pipeline to develop strong Native speakers and leaders. Now, of course we have some amazing and great Native leaders, but they succeeded through sheer will and without a formal mechanism to develop them. This scholarship is a start to creating a formal program because the leaders of today need to take the initiative to help mentor and cultivate tomorrow’s leaders.”

Contest rules will be announced on January 1, 2013. Submissions will be accepted from January 15 through February 15, 2013 and will be reviewed from February 15 to April 1, 2013. Finalists will be announced the first week in April.

In late April, four finalists will be flown to Albuquerque to present their speeches, after which the two winners will be selected. Finally, scholarships will awarded at the beginning of the ’13-’14 academic year.

Speakin’ in Indian is presented in partnership with Red Eagle Soaring Native Youth Theatre, a progressive 20-year-old Seattle non-profit engaging Native youth in creative self-expression and critical discussions about the issues affecting their lives.

Interior Launches Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations to Manage $1.9 Billion Trust Land Consolidation Fund

Implementation plan to help unlock lands for tribal economic development, self-governance purposes; initial plan emphasizes tribal consultation, flexibility as keys to success

 Press Release, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.doi.gov

WASHINGTON D.C. –The Department of the Interior today announced the initial framework of the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations that will purchase fractional interests in American Indian trust lands from willing sellers, enabling tribal governments to use the consolidated parcels for the benefit of their communities.

The initial implementation plan, based on consultation with tribes, outlines how Interior will carry out the land consolidation component of the Cobell Settlement, which provided a $1.9 billion fund to purchase the fractionated interests in trust or restricted land, at fair market value, within a 10 year period. These acquired interests will remain in trust or restricted status through transfer to tribes.

“Freeing up fractionated lands for the benefit of tribal nations will increase the number of acres in tribal land bases, stimulate economic development and promote tribal sovereignty and self-determination,” said Deputy Secretary of the Interior David J. Hayes. “This initial plan will guide this landmark effort, and we will continually update the plan to reflect lessons learned and tribal input. We know that success will only happen with the leadership of tribes, and we look forward to working through our nation-to nation relationship to implement the important initiative.”

As outlined in a Secretarial Order also announced today, the organizational structure for the Buy-Back Program will consist of a core group in the Office of the Secretary to provide management and performance expertise under the supervision of a Program Manager. The program relies on the extensive expertise and services within Interior, primarily in the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Office of Special Trustee for American Indians, to implement the operational aspects, including valuations and acquisitions.

To ensure high-level accountability, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has established an oversight board, which includes the Deputy Secretary, Solicitor, Director of the Bureau Indian Affairs and the Special Trustee for American Indians.

Fractionation of Indian lands stems primarily from the General Allotment Act of 1887 which allotted tribal lands to individual tribal members, often in 80 or 160-acre parcels. The lands have been handed down to heirs over successive generations, causing the number of shared interests in one parcel to grow exponentially. Currently, more than 92,000 tracts of land held in trust for American Indians contain 2.9 million fractional interests.

When tracts have so many co-owners, it is often difficult and impractical to obtain the required approvals to lease or otherwise use the lands. As a result, highly-fractionated tracts lie idle, unable to be used for any economical or beneficial purpose or for direct use by tribal communities for their members.

“This program is our chance to begin to solve a fractionation problem that has plagued Indian Country for decades,” said Kevin K. Washburn, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. “Tribal leadership and community participation are the cornerstones of this program, and we look forward to extensive communication and continuing consultation with Indian Country as we move forward.”

The plan will use a flexible, adaptive management approach to make continuing improvements based on tribal feedback, lessons learned, and best practices. To unlock the beneficial use of the land and facilitate economic development, the proposed acquisition strategy will prioritize the consolidation of the most highly fractioned tracts of land and will structure acquisitions to maximize the number of tracts in which the tribe gains a controlling ownership interest. To achieve this goal, the Program will target fractionated tracts that are most amenable to cost-efficient valuation techniques.

The Buy-Back Program will be structured to allow as much opportunity for tribal participation and assistance as practical, including consulting with Indian tribes to identify acquisition priorities. The program will actively report progress and communicate with tribal communities throughout the life of the initiative.

Interior has been working on land consolidation efforts since the program was authorized by the Claims Resolution Act of 2010, but could not officially implement the program until the settlement was considered final on Nov. 24, 2012 after appeals were exhausted through the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Now that the Cobell Settlement is final, we are eager to connect with American Indian individuals and tribal leaders across Indian Country about the opportunities the program has to offer,” said Interior Solicitor Hilary Tompkins. “We urge tribal leaders to participate in the consultation processes outlined in the initial implementation plan, including the upcoming consultation sessions.”

As part of the Interior’s continuing dialogue with tribal nations, Interior will host three consultation sessions early next year to discuss the Initial Implementation Plan and receive tribal feedback — on Jan. 31 in Minneapolis, MN; on Feb. 6 in Rapid City, SD; and on Feb. 14 in Seattle, WA.

The Initial Implementation Plan reflects the comments received from tribal consultation sessions in the summer and fall of 2011 and the draft Implementation Plan released in January, 2012. The plan outlines the initial goals and priorities of the program, summarizes key parameters and operational concepts, and outlines ways in which tribes can participate in the Buy-Back Program through cooperative agreements. The Initial Implementation Plan is available for public comment for 75 days.

Interior holds about 56 million acres in trust for American Indians. More than 10 million acres are held for individual American Indians and nearly 46 million acres are held for Indian tribes. The department holds this land in more than 200,000 tracts, of which approximately 92,000 contain fractional ownership interests subject to purchase by the Buy-Back Program.

For additional information on the Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations and to view the Initial Implementation Plan, please visit www.doi.gov/buybackprogram.

For information about the individual class-action payments under the Cobell Settlement, please contact GCG, Inc. at 1-800-961-6109 or via email at Info@IndianTrust.com.

Empowerment program for teen girls expected for 2013 school year

Tulalip Heritage High School students look forward to a new empowerment program, specifically designed for teen girls, being introduced in the 2013 school year.

Article and photo by Jeannie Briones

TULALIP, Washington – Tulalip Family Haven is working to empower adolescent Native American girls and to help prepare them spiritually, physically, socially, and emotionally for adulthood.

Alison Bowen, Family Haven Program Manager, June LaMarr, Health & Human Services Program Director and Co-Principal Director for Healthy Hearts, and Cherol Fryberg, Wraparound Coordinator, are in the developing stages for a new program for young Tulalip Tribal member girls, ages 14-17, aimed at fostering healthy living. Girls involved in the program will learn about positive life choices and building relationships with peers and adults, boosting their self-esteem and confidence and helping them through the tough transition to adulthood.

The program, which will accommodate approximately 20 girls, is designed to be an after-school venture, where three times a week girls can meet up and participate in a variety of educational and fun activities, while learning life skills.

“We are trying to focus on the positive parts of life and not necessarily talk about all the negative things that are out there, and experience ways to deal with stress, anger and things that are going to help them be successful,” said Alison.

Native American culture will be incorporated into the program, with girls learning native arts and crafts, like cedar basket making, and cooking healthy meals to share with the community.

Computer animation, photography, and writing and playing music will be taught to expand the girls’ minds and reveal hidden talents.  Girls will also learn self-protection skills, how to regulate their emotions, and reproductive healthcare.

“We are exposing them to every possible thing we can. We want them to do community work, like cleaning up the beach. We will teach them what a full life is all about, like giving back and not being afraid to experience new things,” said Cherol.

“We plan to have activities for the young women like trips to Seattle, to a play or an opera, to have them experience things that they normally don’t experience and to get off the reservation,” explained June.

Students and parents can look forward to this yet-unnamed program being available for the 2013-14 school year at HeritageHigh School.

In the meantime, Alison, June and Cherol will be working diligently on gaining information and feedback from the community to assess what types of information and topics will be best suited for this program.

Once the program is in effect, a registered nurse will be available at the high school one a day a week to address any issues or concerns the girls may have.

For more information about this upcoming program, please contact Alison Bowen at 360-716-4322 or email abowen@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov.

 

Jeannie Briones: 360-716-4188; jbriones@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov

Tulalip event encourages men to take better care of their health

Mel Sheldon, Chairman of Tulalip Tribes participated at the 4th Men’s Health Fair and gets his blood drawn to check blood sugar levels with a Glucose Test
Tulalip Tribal Chairman Mel Sheldon gets his blood drawn, at the health fair,  to check blood sugar levels

Article and photos by Jeannie Briones

TULALIP, Washington – Men are much less likely than women to look after their health and see physicians. They’re 25 percent less likely to have visited a health-care provider in the past year, and almost 40 percent more likely to have skipped recommended cholesterol screenings, according to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

In an effort to lower these statistics at Tulalip and encourage men to seek preventative care, staff at the Karen I. Fryberg Tulalip Health Clinic coordinates a yearly event for men in the community to educate and promote health awareness and importance of regular check-ups. The Annual Men’s Health Fair pulled in a large crowd of tribal members, community members, and tribal employees on December 14th.

“This is the fourth year for our men’s health fair. We really wanted to touch base with our men to get them to take care of their health; it is so hard to get them in here for their annual visits. We provide prostate screenings, cholesterol screenings, diabetes checks, blood pressure checks, and dental screens,” said Jennie Fryberg, Health Informatics Manager for the clinic.

This fair is an excellent place for men to ask providers questions or concerns they may have to ensure wellness and general good health. The Tulalip clinic is working to get the word out that early intervention can make a huge difference when it comes to health and to stress. Some, like Tulalip Tribal Chairman, Mel Sheldon, Jr. have found the fair to be beneficial for early detection of cancer.

“I am so grateful that we are having this wellness fair for men. I encourage all our tribal men to participate in this annual health fair. It was but a few years ago that I came to one myself.  I took a blood test and my PSA was high.  I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and if it hadn’t been for the health fair, and the fact that we were able to catch it early enough, who knows what would have happened. What I learned from that experience was to come to the health fairs and take the tests they offer, because if you catch anything early enough, it’s usually treatable,” said Mel.

A number of informative booths at the fair, providing resources on topics that impact men’s health, such as nutrition, mental wellness, fitness, and flu shots were well received by community members.

“I am visiting to get information about nutrition. I’m thinking about changing my eating habits and getting back in shape,” said Tulalip Tribal member, Joseph Williams.

“What is so special about this health fair is that the men are the role models; they are the examples for the family. The more they learn about health, the more they can teach their children and can encourage their wives. They show leadership by taking care of their health,” said Veronica Leahy, Diabetes Prevention Coordinator.

Included in this successful day of men taking charge of their own health, is the raffle. Attendees that visited a minimum of 17 informational booths were entered into the raffle. Prizes like ab weights and even a chainsaw were up for grabs.

 

Jeannie Briones: 360-716-4188; jbriones@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov

Heritage High School has GIS education day

Students observe exhibits setup for GIS day at Heritage High School
Students observe exhibits setup for GIS day at Heritage High School

By Monica Brown, Tulalip Communications Department

TULALIP, Washington – Heritage High School classrooms were set-up on the morning of December 13th, geared towards teaching students the many aspects of what a Geographic information system is and how to use it. GIS is  a system for storing and manipulating geographical information on computers. Throughout the day students rotated on thirty-minute classroom sessions which covered software, planning, surveying/ground penetrating radar, natural resources, trivia and geocaching, which is basically a world-wide scavenger hunt using GPS technology.  Students were given hands-on experience using a GPS outside and were able to navigate on-foot to set points through a GPS. GIS day was hosted by the Tulalip Data Services GIS team and Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources.

Selling Golden Eagle and other migratory bird parts

Submitted by Monica Brown, Tulalip Tribes Communications Department

Department of Justice

Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Selling Golden Eagle and Other Migratory Bird Parts

WASHINGTON – A Tuba City, Ariz., man pleaded guilty in federal court in Phoenix to illegally selling golden eagle and other migratory bird parts, a felony criminal offense, announced Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division, and John S. Leonardo, U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona.

According to the plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court in Phoenix yesterday, in January 2008, Patrick Scott, 46, used the Internet to illegally offer to sell a golden eagle fan for $950.   An undercover law enforcement officer exchanged emails with Scott and ultimately agreed on a purchase price of $900.  In February 2008, a second undercover law enforcement officer went to Scott’s house and bought the golden eagle fan by making an initial payment of $550 and later deposited the remainder directly into Scott’s bank account in two installments.  Also according to the plea agreement, between July 2007 and February 2009, Scott sold, purchased, and/or offered to sell other migratory bird parts, from species including bald eagle, red-tailed hawk, golden eagle, crested caracara, anhinga and rough-legged hawk.

 Golden eagles and other migratory birds are protected by federal laws and regulations.  Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, it is unlawful to possess, offer to sell, sell, offer to purchase or purchase any migratory bird or migratory bird part, or any product that consists, or is composed in whole or part, of any such bird or bird part.  It is a federal enforcement priority to prosecute those who violate federal laws by engaging in commercial activities involving federally protected bird feathers or other bird parts.  The objective of these enforcement efforts is to reduce and eliminate the unlawful taking of federally protected birds by prosecuting not only individuals who kill protected birds but also individuals who seek to profit from the commercialization of federally protected birds or their feathers or other parts.  This helps to ensure that golden eagle and other bird populations remain healthy and sustainable.

“The Department of Justice will not tolerate the commercial exploitation of federally protected birds, which are important not only as protected species but also as sacred elements of the religious and cultural traditions of many Native Americans,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.  “This is why the department recently published a policy to clarify that while the possession and use of migratory bird feathers and other bird parts is permissible for religious or cultural purposes by members of federally recognized tribes, it remains illegal to buy, sell, or trade in them for compensation.”

Klallam language dictionary now available

By Monica Brown, Tulalip Tribes Communications Department

The Klallam native language was nearly lost until it was preserved in a Dictionary by linguist Timothy Montler of the University of North Texas. In 1978 Montler began studying and documenting the native language when he was a student until 1991 when he began to record the language on his own.

Montler worked with elders in order to document and record the ancient language and created an alphabet that conveyed the unique sounds and pronunciations used. Elder Adeline Smith was the major contributor with a 12,000 words and sentences translated.

Basics of the Klallam language have been used in booklets guides and lessons which are used in schools of all age levels in the area and will now have the use of a dictionary to extend their knowledge of the native language. The families of Port Gamble S’Klallam and Tribal Government Department each received a copy.

Research was funded by the National Science Foundation’s Documenting Endangered Languages Grant and the National Endowment for Humanities. The Dictionary was published by the University of Washington Press and is available for purchase for $85.

Montler will be book signing in Port Angeles during the month of January although no set date has been scheduled, please view Timothy Montler’s page for other project work and check out the  website for the S’Klallam language

Native American Gallery opens in Bellingham

Submitted by Kim Kalliber

Doralee Sanchez, a prominent artist from the Lummi Nation, opened her new gallery, Coast Salish Creations, in Bellingham, Washington this November. A center for Native arts education in the community, the gallery will not only feature Native American art from around the region, but will offer regular classes to nurture local artists.

Sanchez, who comes from a long line of Lummi artists, is thrilled to have opened her own gallery after years of showing her art at various shows, including selling at Pike Place Market in Seattle. Her gallery represents artists mainly from the Lummi and Nooksack Nations, but she hopes to add more art from other Northwest tribes.

Stop by to shop and view paintings, ornaments, cedar hats and baskets, dolls, drums, purses and other authentic handmade tribal art.

Coast Salish Creations is in the Bakerview Square Shopping Center, 424 W. Bakerview Rd., Suite 102 Bellingham, WA 98225. 360-922-7902.