Tulalip Tribes Archives - Page 5 of 45

Twenty-three students celebrate TERO graduation

TVTC grad, Jackson Bascue (Tulalip), is ready to build a better tomorrow, equipped with proper certifications and new tool belt.

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

“It feels great,” says TERO Training Vocational Center (TVTC) graduate and Tulalip tribal member, Joseph Henry. “It’s a blessing to be a part of this program. It gives us a lot of opportunities, opens many doors for us. It’s the stepping stone of where we want to go. What I learned from this program is to be humble, utilize all your tools. It gives us a career, more than just a temporary job. I have several trades that I wouldn’t mind pursuing, cementing, masonry or carpentry, that really caught my eye. The goal is to build my own house one day. We’ve gained so much skills, it’s really an honor to be Native and take part in a program like this.”

TVTC is a hands-on learning experience that trains Native Americans, from all tribal nations, and their family members in the construction trades. During the sixteen-week course, the students learn several skills that they can apply at a variety of well-paying jobs including carpentry, cementing, plumbing as well as electrical and mechanical work. In addition, they also earn their flagging, first aid and safety certifications.

TVTC is well known throughout the nation and has welcomed Indigenous Peoples from many tribes. It is one, if not the only, Native pre-apprentice program in the United States. Most recently, the training center began adding new vocational trainings for their students such as marine technology and medical pre-apprenticeship.

On the morning of December 17, friends and family of twenty-three TVTC students gathered at the Hibulb Cultural Center longhouse to witness their loved ones graduate from the program.

With fifteen Tulalip graduates, seven graduates from other tribal nations and one Tulalip spouse, this latest graduating class saw a whopping twenty-two students complete the construction program and one student successfully finish the medical apprenticeship program. TERO strives to provide ‘training for a better tomorrow’ by teaching tribal members how to work with their hands, giving them the tools and foundation to build a new future for themselves.

“Our construction students did sixteen weeks of intense training,” explains TERO Director, Summer Hammons. “That’s five hundred and sixty-hours and twenty-eight college credits. They’re walking away with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) training, forty-hours of HAZWOPER [Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response] training, forty-hours of scaffolding, flagger certification, CPR/First Aid training and boom, scissor, and fork-lift certification.

“Our medical apprenticeship program, we started at our health clinic,” she continues. “It’s about a year-long and we worked with the Washington Association of Community and Migrant Health Services. They do forty hours a week, completing a 2000-hour apprentice program in the medical field, requiring additional online classes, ten to fifteen hours a week, plus three Saturday, full-day clinical workshops. And bringing the cultural element, we’ve also brought a new aspect called marine technology and that’s working with the waters and the fishing component, so that our students can learn how to fabricate their boats and work on their engines.”

Indigenous mother and TVTC graduate, Katrina Black Elk (Fort Belknap), with her kids who proudly display their mom’s achievements for student of the quarter and perfect attendance.

The TVTC participants work on a number of projects throughout the course, all while developing important and necessary skills like time management, finance and resume building. The program is largely based on creating a brighter future for tribal families. Therefore, TVTC puts a special emphasis on including the families throughout their loved one’s journey, hosting fun family nights and providing a number of resources for children, to parents who are enrolled in the classes.

As the graduation ceremony continued, the students received their diplomas as well as a tool belt they can put to use once they’ve landed their first job. Upon receiving their certificates, it was easy to see that each student shared a unique connection with their instructors Mark Newland, Billy Burchett and Lisa Telford.

“When I first started I wasn’t sure if I would complete it because my whole life I’d quit things before finishing,” expresses Tulalip tribal member and TVTC grad, Rose Runningwater. “Lisa pushed me really hard to do this for myself. I completed this class because I wanted it and I realized that because she pushed me. It was a really good experience and I know today that I’m a woman who can spread my wings, fly and get what I want out of life.”

Many students offered hugs and even shared a few words of appreciation about their teachers, gifting them with items such as paddles and blankets.

“I can’t describe it; it makes me want to well up right now,” says Mark after receiving a beautiful Eighth Generation wool blanket. “I’m so humble, I just try to pass on what I know to the people of my community. We had a large class – lots of strong personalities, leaders and also six strong women to help out. We built four tiny houses that will be utilized here in Tulalip and we also built some looms for this museum that are on display right now. It was a really fun class and I’m excited to see where this will take them.”

Committing to a program that takes months to complete is no easy feat by any means. Although a majority of the class lives locally, a handful of student’s live hours away from Tulalip and made a long-distance trip every day, including Warm Springs tribal member, Nalani Brisbois, who lives nearly one hundred miles away in Nisqually. By befriending fellow classmate and Colville tribal member, Annette Squetimkin, Nalani fortunately did not have to make the entire commute alone.

“I would wake up at 3:30 every morning, get ready and hit the road by 4:30,” Nalani says. “I’d stop in Tukwila and pick up Annette and we’d get here around 7:30. It was kind of hard – early mornings every day. Sometimes I didn’t want to come back but I kept at it and I’m happy because it was really worth it.”

Puyallup tribal member, Sandy Dillion, can relate to his classmates as he had early mornings as well and would return home late evenings after traveling through stop-and-go traffic, taking away much needed family time from his wife and kids.

“It was pretty tough,” he says. “Waking up at 4:30 in the morning and having to leave the house at 5:05. It was worth it for me though because just thinking about it, in the long run, driving this far every day to make some money in my future is definitely going to pay off. Our TERO department [in Puyallup] is not as big as this one, so for them to reach out to other tribal members to get them educated and started on a career path is important. I’m really appreciative of this opportunity and I want to thank the Tulalip Tribes.”

Several union representatives were in attendance, looking to introduce themselves and recruit new employees. The TERO department recognized two local construction business owners, Chris Winters and Gordy Sansaver, who acted as liaisons, assisting TVTC graduates find work throughout the years. Many TVTC Alumni sat amongst the crowd, supporting the new graduates. Alumni took a moment to share their success stories and experiences with the program, encouraging other tribal members to consider a career in the trades.

“If you have any interest at all, come sign up,” said Mark. “You’ll find out that working with your hands, working outside and building a future is for you because the rewards are tremendous. The Tulalip TERO program has paved the way for so many students. It’s there for the taking, you just have to reach out and put your mind to it and go for it.”

The TVTC pre-apprentice construction program is accredited through Renton Technical College and South Seattle Community College and is funded by the Tulalip Charitable Fund and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. There is no cost to enroll in the apprenticeship and the program comes highly recommended from previous students.

For further details regarding the TVTC program, please contact TERO at (360) 716-4747.

Healing to Wellness Court graduate, Verle Smith, proves recovery is possible

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

The Tulalip Police Department issued a recent press release that included a report from the Washington State Department of Health, stating that there were eighty-one deaths linked to fentanyl in the first half of 2018. An increase of nearly seventy percent from the previous year. Last year there were approximately 72,000 deaths nationwide, which was shocking on its own. This latest news means that the opioid epidemic is still very much on the rise in America, as families and communities continue to search for solutions to help their loved ones recover.

At the beginning of 2017, the Tulalip Tribes decided to take different approach to help heal their people struggling with addiction by introducing the Healing to Wellness Court. Similar to a state drug court, Tulalip’s five-stage program also requires addicts convicted on drug-related charges to take random drug tests and attend mandated court appearances. When conjuring up the idea of the wellness court, the tribe put together a team dedicated to reinstilling traditional values that tribal societies hold so dear, community and culture.

“We take in what’s called high-risk, high-need,” explains Healing to Wellness Court Coordinator, Hilary Sotomish. “High-risk to reoffend criminally and a high-need addiction, meaning they can’t do it [sobriety]by themselves, they need a team to help them through it. Our program is about eighteen to twenty-four months and depending on how well they go through each stage determines how long it takes. For some people it takes eighteen months, but we expect relapse to happen. If they have relapses or have things that they can’t get done, we require them to take life skills classes and have a job or be in schooling. We don’t go over twenty-four months. Research has shown that if you have somebody in a wellness court or drug court for over twenty-four months, it’s not successful.”

Tribal member Verle Smith joined the Healing to Wellness Court a few short months after the program began. For nearly two years, he’s followed the program, rebuilding relationships with his family and within the community, rediscovering who he is.

“At the beginning it was a struggle, I didn’t know which way to go,” he says. “I had to give it to my higher power, listen up and work on myself. It slowly got brighter.”

Verle mentioned that he relapsed during the course of the program but didn’t let that dark moment deter him from his path to sobriety. He instead used the relapse as a learning experience, a reminder of what was truly important to him. On December 10, Verle’s family, friends and supporters gathered at the Greg Williams Court to proudly cheer him on as he became the first graduate of the Healing to Wellness Court.

“There was one struggle in between but I brightened up and just punched forward,” he states. “Life became so lovely. I now have the opportunity to be around family. I love it. I still struggle today but every morning I have the opportunity for another day, so I’m living it one day at time. I do my mediation prayer and I believe that’s the key, make sure you say your morning prayers. I talk to a lot of people every day, like my best friend. Him and my family are my inspiration to fight harder for other people who need it. I love that people still have my back after everything.”

Hilary and the Wellness Court team presented Verle with three gifts in recognition of his accomplishment; a blanket, a drum and plaque that showcased the five coins he received when completing each phase of the program. Over the course of an emotional two hours, Verle’s friends and family members offered teary congratulatory speeches as well as many long embracing hugs and a couple traditional songs. All six Tulalip Board of Directors expressed their happiness of Verle’s success, including Les Parks who helped get the Healing to Wellness Court started.

“This was initially a pilot project that is obviously working,” Les expressed. “The wellness court team is tasked with ascertaining who is on highest risk, highest need in our community. Our court identified nineteen high-risk, high-needs and I bet you there are over two hundred members out there who would love to take part in this program, who don’t fall under that category. We need to expand this program and keep working to bring on some of those low-risk, low-need people.”

Every Tuesday, wellness participants attend court at the Tulalip Justice center and speak directly with Judge Ron Whitener about their struggles and successes. Depending on their setbacks or progress, Judge Whitener awards the participants with either a sanction or an incentive.

“Tulalip, like most communities, are facing a lot of issues with heroin,” says Judge Whitener. “Programs like the wellness court are a more traditional way of doing things. Regular drug court is very hands off, not very supportive and the person’s expected to go and fix themselves. You got to work with them, try to get through it with them, knowing it takes a long time. I think that process is really more appropriate for Tulalip.

Just as Board Member Parks said, we’re looking to expand the ideals of this wellness court, which is for our highest risk people, and move those ideals down into the other cases and try to make the whole court look more like the wellness court. I’m really proud of Verle, I’ve known him a long time and he’s a good person. I’m really happy he was our first graduate. We have serval others coming up, so we’re looking to make these celebrations quite regular in the community.”

The Healing to Wellness Court is on track to present seventeen more plaques to recovering addicts, who are slated to graduate from the program throughout 2019.

The wellness court participants developed their own community of support and often encourage each other to stay focused on their journey. Each participant was in attendance of Verle’s graduation and a few even spoke, stating that Verle serves as an inspiration to his fellow participants. This was something that Verle was pleased to hear and reassured the community that he’s willing to help others and hopes that his story shows that recovery is possible through hard work and determination.

“My son is here with me today, you have no idea what that means to me,” Verle emotionally expressed. “My daughter was by my side all day today, like she wasn’t going to let me go again. If it wasn’t for the wellness court, I don’t know where I’d be – if I’d even still be here. They gave me the opportunity to experience something that works for my life. I didn’t know which way to turn, so I figured I’d try something different and I’m grateful for it. When I first went to treatment, I told my wife that I’m in the place that I need to be. I want to thank the wellness court for it all. I now plan to go through the rest of my life bringing the next person closer to where they’re supposed to be, to where they’re needed.”

For more information about the Healing to Wellness Court, please contact (360) 716-4773.

Holiday season kicks off with Festival of Trees

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Extravagantly festive Christmas trees and wreaths, each decorated with its own unique theme and style, brightened the Orca Ballroom at the Tulalip Resort Casino during the 33^rd annual Festival of Trees.

The week-long celebration kicked off November 27 with Opening Night festivities, continued with the excitement-filled Gala Dinner and Live Auction on November 30, and concluded December 1 with the family friendly Teddy Bear Breakfast.

Each year, thousands of community members take part in the Festival of Trees – including volunteers, sponsors, and attendees – to raise funds for Children’s Services at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett. For more than three decades, Providence Children’s Center has been providing comprehensive, family-oriented care and highly specialized therapies – such as physical, occupational, speech and feeding therapy – for children with a wide variety of special needs.

“Knowing this is one of the largest charitable events for Snohomish County, it is appropriate for us to host and participate with goodwill and sharing the opportunity to help all children in need,” explained Marilyn Sheldon, manager of Tulalip Tribes Charitable Fund, on the importance of hosting the Festival and being the title sponsor. “We recognize that over 50% of Tulalip’s population is 0-24 years of age and Providence is our local hospital for care most tribal members use for emergency situations and other needs. Also, this event brings many people to our facilities for the week and encourages them to come back and host their own business/charity event at our venue.”

A highlight of the holiday season, the Festival of Trees provides entertainment for countless families and children. Whether it’s a black-tie evening with a three-course dinner or a free afternoon with cookies and Santa, the Festival’s variety of events offer holiday cheer for all kinds of crowds. The stunningly decorated Christmas trees won’t soon be forgotten as their specialized themes like ‘Tiding of Comfort’ and ‘Christmas with Rudolph’ to ‘Escape with Alaskan Wildlife’ and ‘Holiday at Hogwarts’ capture the imagination.

During the elegant Gala Dinner and Live Auction, the dazzling Christmas trees and wreaths were sold to the highest bidders, with proceeds going to Providence Children’s Services. Several of the trees were reserved to be put on display throughout the Children’s Center as a special treat for the kids this holiday season.

“We continue an annual tradition that has raised more than $11 million over the past 33 years for children and families who come to Providence for care,” stated Festival Chairs, Sean and Lisa Kelly. “Funds raised will not only provide critical support for pre-term and at-risk infants, but will also touch the lives of thousands of children in our community, from birth through age 18.”

The generosity of the donors and Festival attendees support Providence in growing and expanding the specialized therapies, equipment and educational classes that do so much to change young lives. All funds raised will support Providence programs and services such as Pediatrics, the Newborn Intensive Care Unit, the Children’s Center, the Autism Center, and Camp Prov, a summer camp for children with special needs.

For nearly two decades, Tulalip Tribes has been an important partner to Providence in the Northwest Washington Region, by helping provide the funding and support needs to care for the health of our growing community. Contributions made by Tulalip to Providence General Foundation since 2002 have totaled more than $700,000. For their dedication to the Festival of Trees, the Tulalip Tribes were honored with the third annual Spirit of Festival Award.

“The lives of thousands of children, that includes Tulalip tribal children, will be helped thanks to the generosity received from the Festival of Trees fundraising efforts,” said Board of Director Mel Sheldon, thirteen-year member of the Providence General Foundation. “We are very fortunate to have a relationship with Providence Medical Center and to support such an amazing opportunity that really looks at the bigger the picture. We all want to do our part to create a sustainable and healthy community.”

One of Snohomish County’s largest and most well attended holiday events, the Festival of Trees has been a beloved community tradition for 33 years. The magical setting and community spirit at the Festival is a wonderful kick-off to the holiday season.

Subaru Shares the Love with the Tulalip Foundation

Robb McCalmon, Roy Robinson Subaru General Sales Manager, with the Tulalip Foundation display.

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

You may recall a heartwarming TV commercial from last year’s holiday season where several families and individuals sang a cover of the popular song, Put a Little Love in Your Heart. Towards the end of the commercial it was revealed to be an advertisement for Subaru, with a message of spreading love throughout the local communities of America. The company stated that for every new Subaru sold or leased during the holidays, they would donate $250 to the purchaser’s choice of charity, for a campaign known as the annual Subaru Share the Love event.

Their latest television spotlight showcases that over the past ten years, Subaru donated approximately $140 million through Share the Love, claiming the money raised help protect over one hundred National Parks, rescue over 50,000 animals, deliver over 2 million meals to elders across America and grant 1,800 wishes for youth living with life-threatening illnesses; donating the funds to the National Park Foundation, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Meals on Wheels America and Make-A-Wish Foundation respectively.

In 2013, Subaru afforded each dealership the opportunity to choose a local charity or non-profit as a fifth option for their customers to choose from each year. Out of six hundred and thirty dealerships nationwide, six hundred and twenty-eight participate in the Share the Love event annually, including the friendly crew at Marysville Roy Robinson Subaru.

“We used to do Make-A-Wish, the Washington and Alaska chapter, but this year wanted to do something more local,” says Robb McCalmon, Roy Robinson Subaru General Sales Manager. “The Subaru Share the Love event is a campaign that Subaru does with their retailers starting each November and running through the new year. They allow us to partner with a hometown charity and it hit us last year that the community does so much for us, we want to return that love and show our appreciation. We reached out to some of the elders of the tribe and we discussed where the donation would best benefit the community, and with their guidance, we selected the Tulalip Foundation.”

The Tulalip Foundation is a non-profit organization that’s been dedicated to empowering the wellbeing of the Tulalip reservation and surrounding communities since 2007. The Foundation works with a number of programs to create a brighter future for the tribe; programs that are based on three important values to many tribal families: education, culture and justice.

The organization originally began as a way to raise the remaining million dollars needed to open the Hibulb Cultural Center. Since the museum’s opening, the Foundation has raised money, accepted donations and applied for a number of grants to provide several programs and departments with money for events, incentives and services including the Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy Parent Committee, Tulalip Office of Civil Legal Aid, Tulalip TERO Vocational Training Center and the Tulalip Veteran’s Quilt Project. Additionally, the Foundation also hosts a number of fundraisers throughout the year such as the Hibulb Cultural Center Salmon Bake and the Foundation’s annual Giving Tuesday event.

“It was a huge surprise that we were selected for the Subaru Share the Love Event,” says Tulalip Foundation Executive Director, Nicole Sieminski. “We have to give credit to Gus Taylor. He’s a friend of one of the upper management team members at Roy Robinson. They mentioned to him that they were looking for a local charity for the event this year, Gus shared that information with Marjorie James, one of our trustees, and together they got the ball rolling.”

In recent years, the Share the Love event has generated upwards of $40,000 each year at the Marysville dealership, a number that Robb is hoping to match but Nicole and the Foundation isn’t necessarily anticipating, stating she’s happily thankful for whatever amount is raised. Because the final donation remains to be unknown until the end of the event, the Tulalip Foundation Board of Trustees will determine how the donation is distributed once the total is revealed. Robb ensures that his crew is dedicated to working hard this holiday season, with a goal of delivering a ‘big check’ to the foundation. Roy Robinson also created an information kiosk located inside the dealership so people buying or leasing a new car can learn more about the Tulalip Foundation when determining which of the five charities they can select.

“Anybody who wants to buy or lease a new Subaru, we’ll give them the opportunity to donate that $250 towards the Tulalip Foundation,” he says. “It’s an awesome event during the holidays and we’re hoping for a successful season like we’ve seen over the past few years.”

The Tulalip Foundation is assisting with the upcoming Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy Christmas Concert & Silent Auction and is also raising funds for the Tulalip Veteran’s Quilt Project by selling hand painted stone pendants, created by Tulalip Artist David Spencer Sr., at the Hibulb Cultural Center gift shop.

“We are so thankful to be selected as the hometown charity for Roy Robinson’s Subaru Share the Love event,” expresses Nicole. “We have a pretty broad umbrella and we now have the opportunity to support even more programs and help a lot of people. We’re excited to partner with a company that has such a large presence in the greater Marysville area and hopefully this will help get our name out there too, because right now we’re still pretty small in terms of a non-profit.”

For more information, please visit Marysville Roy Robinson Subaru or contact the Tulalip Foundation at (360) 716-5400.

November’s students of the month

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Marysville School District’s very own Equity, Diversity, and Indigenous Education department created the Student of the Month Awards to recognize outstanding students who have demonstrated commendable academic success in the classroom. Student awardees in the past have displayed an admirable dedication to their school work and active involvement amongst their peers.

Previously, only one girl and one boy student were honored, but the program has grown to include one impressive student from each of the elementary, middle, and high school levels. For their commitment to excellence in the classroom and backed by strong recommendations from school faculty, 3^rd grader Leah Stacy of Kellogg Marsh Elementary, 8^th grader Hudson Reyes of Cedarcrest Middle School, and 9^th grader Jaycynta Myles-Gilford of Heritage High School were announced as students of the month for November.

The three students, all Tulalip tribal members, received special recognition and were given a commemorative certificate during the Marysville School District’s school board meeting held on Monday, November 19.

Leah Stacy, 3rd grade, Kellogg Marsh Elementary.

Special Education Liaison Amy Sheldon introduced Leah to everyone in attendance. “Leah is an amazing little girl and works very hard on her school work,” said Amy. “She has made significant academic growth. In fact, over the last year Leah has made a tremendous jump in her reading skills.”

Leah’s teacher Ms. Whitfield added, “Leah is becoming a wonderful citizen at school and is so kind and polite to others. She works hard through so many challenges and doesn’t give up until she accomplishes what she needs to.”

Next up, 8^th grader Hudson was described by Native Liaison Terrance Sabbas. “We’ve noticed a lot of growth from Hudson this school year, especially with his improved attendance. His grades have gotten a lot better, but most importantly as an individual he has matured into a very respectful and awesome person to be around.”

Hudson Reyes, 8th grade, Cedarcrest Middle School.

High school student of the month honors went to freshman Jaycynta, daughter of Lushootseed Teacher Michelle Myles. Heritage High School’s Acting Principal praised the 9^th grader by sharing, “When I first met Jaycynta there were two things I noticed right away. First, she’s a super talented athlete, to the point when she’s playing her sports she is so intense and focused. But secondly, when she’s away from sports she’s super personable and kind. I was very happy to see this duality in her as a young woman. Jaycynta is a member of ASB and contributes to our Lushootseed weather program. She’s just amazing.”

Jaycynta Myles-Gilford, 9th grade, Heritage High School.

While receiving her award, the usually unassuming Jaycynta shared she aspires to be a pediatric anesthesiologist or neo-natal nurse. “I really want to study medicine and use that knowledge professionally to help children, especially our youngest ones who are in the most need,” she shared.

Going forward, a selection committee will review all student nominations based on their academics and school engagement. Each month three students (representing elementary, middle and high school levels) will be recognized as students of the month.

Quilting for Veterans

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

On a brisk, fall afternoon, seven Tulalip women gathered behind the Hibulb Cultural Center, a place where they often met over the past several months. Rae Anne Gobin, Lena Jones, Sherry Dick, Benita Rosen, Edith Johnny and Sara Andres continued the annual tradition of quilting blankets for Tulalip Veterans, making this their third consecutive year honoring those who served in the military.

Each member of the quilting bee has created one quilt for the project every year with the goal of blanketing all of Tulalip’s veterans. As they arranged their quilts for a number of photos, the quilters all shared a certain excitement with one another as they admired each other’s final product. Ooh’s and ahh’s followed by compliments about color schemes and patterns were heard as each quilter proudly showcased her work to the group. Seven beautiful red, white and blue quilts were completed after months of hard work and the quilters couldn’t wait to gift them to seven lucky local veterans at the annual Hibulb Cultural Center Veterans Day event.

“This is our third year sewing quilts, bringing a total of twenty-one quilts,” expresses Tulalip Quilter, Rae Anne Gobin. “For 2018, the Tulalip Veteran Quilt group took the challenge of sewing the Hollow Star pattern by Krista Moser, who designed, taught and long-armed the quilts. The pattern was full of Y seams that presented challenges until we began to master them. Each one of us took the time to select our fabric and put our love in each of these quilts. We hope each recipient finds the quilt comforting.”

The Tulalip Veteran Quilt Project has been funded through the Tulalip Foundation since their first year. Around this time last year, the Foundation decided to honor the ladies for their loving efforts by selecting the group as their Giving Tuesday recipients.

“Giving Tuesday is the response to Black Friday and Cyber Monday,” says Tulalip Foundation Executive Director, Nicole Sieminski. “It’s an idea of giving back to the community after all of the consumerism over Thanksgiving weekend. We chose the Tulalip Veterans Quilt Project this year and raised almost $1,700, covering all of the supplies for the quilting. We love supporting community driven projects. It’s always great to see the amazing work these ladies do and it’s such a great opportunity to support our veterans.”

The ladies presented their quilts to Veterans Ronald Burns, Peter Henry Sr., David Fryberg Sr., Cyrus Williams and Leonard James in a moving moment during the museum’s Honoring Our Veterans event on November 11. Each veteran displayed youthful exuberance, joyful smiles and tears of happiness when accepting the beautiful blankets from their makers. Everybody in attendance of the event were wowed by the patterns of the quilts and gave both the quilters and the veterans a standing ovation after the gifting. Veterans Ernest Millholland and Wesley Charles Jr. were unfortunately unable to attend the event, but the Tulalip Honor Guards will be sure they receive their quilts on behalf of the ladies.

“We enjoy doing this work and giving back to our community, making sure our veterans are recognized for protecting us and our country,” expresses Rae Anne. “We know our veterans put their lives on hold while serving and helped protect us to keep our freedom. We care for and love our Tulalip veterans and want to honor them for their service and let them know, you are not forgotten and will always be remembered.”

Honoring our Veterans

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

Each year, the Tulalip-Marysville community takes a little extra time to ensure our local veterans feel exceptionally appreciated on November 11. After spending years away from home, traveling to dangerous locations throughout the world and putting their life on the line to protect this country, it’s important to make sure our veterans are taken care of and well-respected when returning to civilian life. Because of combat, many veterans are living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and due to the economic climate, many veterans struggle finding employment, contributing to the rise of homelessness among veterans in the United States. As Americans, we tend to get caught up in the everyday cycle and often miss opportunities to show kindness, compassion or gratitude to the vets within our communities who are transitioning back to a life of normalcy. Many veterans throughout the weekend voiced these concerns, stating the impact of a simple thank you outside of Veterans Day can last a lifetime.

“For me, Veterans Day is a day where we can come together as communities to say thank you to our veterans for their service,” expressed Navy Veteran, James Lovely, to the students of Totem Middle School at their annual Veterans Day Assembly. “Although, we shouldn’t only thank our vets on just that one day out of the year. I’ve been in the Navy for seventeen years, done four deployments and seen a lot of cool places around the world while serving my country. After my first deployment ended in September 2004, I went to New York to watch a baseball game, I’m a big Yankees fan. When I was in line to get my ticket, the National Anthem started playing and after it played, a little girl, about eight years old, got my attention and said ‘thank you for keeping me safe and defending our freedom’. That was fourteen years ago, it wasn’t on Veterans Day, but I still think about her thank you every single day. It stuck with me and reminded me why I joined the military and to keep fighting when I thought I no longer could.”

The Totem Middle School assembly is always a grand event that includes live patriotic music from the school band and speeches from the students. Held on the morning of Friday November 9, the young adults were excited to take a break from their first period class to listen to the veterans recall their days in the service. The annual assembly ended with the famous Armed Forces Melody, where the students honored all five branches of the military by saluting each of their flags; Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard.

Meanwhile on the other side of the freeway, the students at Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary sat respectfully on their gym floor as the Tulalip Honor Guards presented the American, Prisoner of War/Missing in Action and Tulalip flags to begin the school’s daily morning assembly. The kids were treated to a number of stories from honorable veterans and in return, offered many adorable thank-you’s by way of special classroom presentations.

After a heartwarming morning, the veterans said good-bye to the young students as they returned to their classrooms. The Quil Ceda assembly was just the first event for the Tulalip Honor Guards as they journeyed south to make an appearance in the 53^rd Annual Veterans Day Parade on Saturday November 10, a huge celebration that takes place throughout the streets of Auburn. The Honor Guards returned to Tulalip for the Hibulb Cultural Center’s annual Honoring Our Veterans event, held on Veteran’s Day every year.

“I work at the Tulalip Veterans Department, proudly following the footsteps of David Fryberg, Gene Zackuse and Mike Dunn,” stated Tulalip Honor Guard William McLean III to a packed longhouse the morning of the museum’s honoring. “First and foremost, I want to thank everyone for coming out today, it means so much to all of us veterans. Everyone in this room is here for a reason, for somebody. And I appreciate all of you coming out, whether it’s for a family member, loved one or for a friend, we thank you and thank them for their service.”

Veterans Day at Hibulb begins with a roll call where all of the veterans in attendance state their name and which branch they served in. Veterans who couldn’t make the trip to the museum or are no longer with us are also honored during roll call and recognized by their family members. The gathering unites service men and women from all branches of the armed forces. Tulalip elders who served shared several colorful stories that painted a vivid picture of wartime. Reflecting on the horrors of enemy fire, the brotherhoods formed within infantries and journeying into the unknown at a young age, the vets spoke about their tours, sharing stories that always ended with a strong sense of pride for both this Nation as well as their respective tribes.

“I want to thank all of our veterans both men and women,” said Tulalip Board of Director and Vietnam Veteran, Mel Sheldon. “Tulalip has a rich history for volunteerism and participation in the military. There’s also another segment of people we can’t forget about and that’s the spouses. Wherever a veteran goes to their next post, we don’t get to hear what it was like for the spouses, to be in a strange place at different parts of the country. We want to raise our hands and thank the spouses who went along with and supported their loved ones.”

To close the 2018 Honoring Our Veterans event, the ladies of the Tulalip Veteran Quilt Project gifted their beautiful handmade quilts, that they put much time, effort and love into, to seven Tulalip Veterans for going to war and defending our country. Tulalip Chairwoman, Marie Zackuse, whose husband Gene served in the military, shared a few words before the veterans and their families emptied the longhouse.

“I want to thank each and every one for coming out to support our veterans today,” she said. “As we honor all the veterans who are here present with us, our prayers are also with those elders who couldn’t be with us today. Thank you for the sacrifice you made to leave our reservation to serve our country and our people. Today we also want to honor our fallen heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice as well as our gold star mothers who suffered that loss. I want to thank the Creator today for all of those veterans who are still physically with us. I also want to thank our women who are doing this wonderful gifting to our veterans and honoring them in that special way with your beautiful talents and quilting.”

Be sure to extend a huge thank you to any veteran you may meet along your journey for bravely defending us and our freedom.

Hibulb Cultural Center opens new wool weaving exhibit

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

Generation after generation, the Coast Salish tradition of wool weaving was historically passed down from mother to daughter, since the beginning of time all the way until the years of assimilation. The art of creating clothing, regalia and blankets from wool was nearly lost until it saw a sudden resurgence in the early 2000’s. Of course, the tradition wasn’t completely lost, after the boarding school years a number of families continued to practice weaving. Both oral history as well as several artifacts served as reference points when bringing back traditional wool weaving.

Master Weavers Betty Pasco (Suquamish), Danielle Morsette (Suquamish), Dr. Susan Pavel and Frieda George (Sto:lo Nation) are among the few names who deserve the most credit for the revival. These ladies took it upon themselves to host a number of classes on local reservations to teach tribal members the tradition that seemed to be fading from existence due to the advancement of technology.

The revitalization allowed Coast Salish people to reconnect with the tools and textiles our ancestors created, as well as reflect on the significance certain woven items possess within tribal communities. Now all of the students from the wool weaving resurgence are passing their knowledge down to the next generation as more and more tribal members want to learn how to traditionally weave blankets and regalia, as well as the history of wool weaving.

On the night of November 2, Tulalip and surrounding communities gathered at the Hibulb Cultural Center (HCC) for an exclusive first look at the museum’s new exhibit, Interwoven History: Coast Salish Wool. As the guests entered the museum’s longhouse they were welcomed by HCC Senior Curator, Tessa Campbell.

“This exhibit demonstrates the resilience of our people, our culture and how the teachings have been passed down,” explained Tessa. “Coast Salish wool weaving started to disappear around the early 1900’s with the introduction of the boarding schools. Around 1905 you started seeing the sale of goods by tribal members such as vegetables because they were learning how to grow crops. But basketry and woven blankets were being sold around this time also. Around 1920, tons of socks were being knitted, which seemed to replace wool weaving. And in the 30’s, the Tulalip Home Improvement Club was started by a group of Tulalip women and this one woman started teaching Coast Salish wool weaving. It seemed to disappear up until around 2000-2005 when Tulalip people start weaving again and it seems they learned from Susan Pavel and Danielle Morrissett. Those two weavers were the forces that brought back Coast Salish weaving in Tulalip.”

Master Weaver Frieda George traveled all the way from Chilliwack B.C. with her family and was honored as the evening’s guest speaker. Frieda recalled first learning how to weave as a child, when she would visit with her grandmother. She also stated that she is a fourth generation weaver and has carried the tradition for her entire life, sharing her techniques with Coast Salish people for decades. Frieda’s daughter, Roxanne, then took the floor to share a story about how her great-great-grandmother used to cleverly place branches along pathways in the Canadian mountains where mountain goats were known to pass through. After a few days, she would return to the mountains and collect all of the fur from the branches to use for weaving traditional blankets.

Museum attendees were free to explore the new exhibit in an open-house style setting. Upon entering the exhibit, your eyes immediately meet a beautiful wool woven shawl that was gifted to Tulalip Board of Director Mel Sheldon. You’re then taken on an interactive adventure that is fun for the entire family. The exhibit features a number of hands-on activities for the youth including a puppet show, a touch-screen weaving game as well as a sensory station. On display were a number of pieces created by Tulalip tribal members including a spindle whorl by Tulalip carver Mike Gobin and several regalia pieces woven by a number of Tulalip artists.

“We reached out to the community to see who was an active weaver and if they wanted to loan any pieces,” says Tessa. “We had twelve pieces donated by weavers Virginia Jones, Carolyn Moses, Sarah Andres, Joy Lacy, Tessa Campbell, Andrew Gobin and Taylor Henry.”

“I did two pieces for this exhibit, a speaker sash with a matching headband,” explains Taylor Henry. “I’ve been weaving since 2014 and have been beading since 2004. Once I mastered beading, I wanted to expand my knowledge and put my hands in other textiles. I did these pieces on my own, it was my second project that I made on the loom my auntie Marci gave me. I wanted to stick with traditional colors, I did the natural white and brown, I didn’t want to go too contemporary.

“It’s an honor to be asked to have something displayed in the museum,” he continues. “It’s important because it teaches us our identity and where we come from, who we are. We may work with commercial wool now, but we still use that traditional technique and style of weaving and that’s something that connects us to our ancestors.”

Traditionally, the Coast Salish people utilized fur from mountain goats as well as from wooly dogs when weaving. Wooly dogs were a breed that the Northwest tribes held in high regard because of their fur, so much so that tribes kept the dogs on nearby islands away from village dogs to prevent crossbreeding. In his expedition log, Captain George Vancouver stated that the wooly dogs resembled pomeranians but larger. The dogs were sheared every summer and their wool was used to prepare for the upcoming cold seasons. After the arrival of blanket manufacturers like the Hudson Bay Company and the importation of sheep, tribes no longer had to use wooly dog fur as sheep fur was more water resistant and blankets became easily accessible. Tribes eventually brought the wooly dogs back to their villages and because of crossbreeding, the breed went extinct in the early 1900’s.

Shortly after the opening of the museum, HCC sent a traditional blanket to the University of Victoria so they could determine what type of fabric was used to create the blanket. The university recently contacted the cultural center with the results and to great surprise, the blanket was comprised of both mountain goat and wooly dog fur.

“I think the focal point of the exhibit is the fact that we have a wooly dog blanket which is very rare and very few museums throughout the whole world have them,” Tessa exclaims. “We’re so fortunate to have something from the 1820’s that helps preserve our culture and helps us tell the history of this important part of Coast Salish weaving.”

Master Weaver Tillie Jones held a live demonstration during the exhibit’s first night. On large looms, she displayed two of the projects that she’s currently working on and explained the many intricacies and the importance of weaving.

“We have a twill pattern, twine pattern and tabby pattern,” she says. “I really like to mix them, it reminds me of the blankets I grew up seeing, the significant ones the chiefs would wear and the status that comes with those different pieces. We also have different dyes. We use huckleberries and different natural materials whether it’s nettles, walnuts, madrona bark, you can use commercial dyes as well. Twining really teaches patience. You have to be present when your weaving, if you let your mind wander, you can make a mistake. It’s important because you’re putting yourself into your work, whether you’re a carver or a weaver, you’re bringing that work to life, you’re breathing life into your piece.”

Tillie is currently hosting a six-week course at the museum, teaching the community the art of wool weaving. The class immediately filled up upon its announcement but she encourages you to call HCC and request to be put on a waitlist for the next course and to visit the Interwoven History exhibit in the meantime.

“Whether we’re teaching or creating our weavings, we’re keeping it alive for the generations to come,” says Tillie. “We’re showing that this is the regalia that we used to wear, that we still wear and that this is who we are as Coast Salish people. That’s how we’re recognized, by our regalia. When we travel people recognize where we come from, who we are and what our roles are in life.”

Interwoven History: Coast Salish Wool is on display until the end of 2019, be sure to visit soon. And for more information, please visit www.HibulbCulturalCenter.org

Music yoU ROCK

By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News

For one hour, every Monday evening, the Tulalip Youth Council board room is turned into a music studio where a live rock band rehearsal takes place. As you approach the building, you hear the sound of drum patterns increasing and decreasing in pace and volume, accompanied by small fits of laughter. In the middle of the youth council chambers was a small circle of young musicians banging out beats on large paint buckets. The band is so caught up in the moment and exuding so much joy that their smiles become extremely contagious and every four measures somebody ends up making the entire group crack up with just a grin.

As the drums started to decrescendo, a voice that many local youth would instantly recognize, began to sing the hello song, welcoming everybody to the rehearsal. Victoria Fansler, of the Snohomish County Music Project (SCMP), led the band with the first song of the day. Victoria often works with the Tulalip youth at the Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy, Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary and many other schools and tribal programs, helping the kids overcome traumatic experiences through music therapy. Over a year ago, representatives of SCMP attended a meeting held by the Tulalip Youth Services Inclusive Advocacy Committee, and from the meeting, Music yoU ROCK was created – an interactive, inclusive rock band instructed by SCMP Music Therapist, Colby Cumine.

“We started about a year ago,” says Colby. “We attended a few parent committee meetings for tribal youth with special needs and there was talk about a lack of opportunities for kids with special needs, especially those who are aging out of services. After high school, there are no federal requirements to continue providing services for individuals with disabilities who graduate from high school. We started the program a year ago and we had three or four people sign up each quarter. And we’ve had three other successful quarters since then.”

After Victoria welcomes everybody to the class, the band practices a few more rhythmic exercises before Colby calls upon someone to pick a song the class can get down to. Colorful scarves are passed out as Colby queues up the jams on his phone. Once the beat drops, everybody is out of their seats, dancing and waving their scarves. Following the dance party, the group picks the instrument and partner of their choice and begin practicing a song. This particular day, the band worked on the Michael Jackson classic, Billy Jean. After practicing with their partners, the band reforms their circle in the middle of the room to perform the song altogether.

“We are using music for goals that aren’t necessarily musical,” says Victoria. “In Music-Ed or a typical rock band experience, the focus would be on the final product, the performance and quality of the music. Here we’re focusing on that ensemble connection, noticing how each other plays and communicating together.”

“Music is a level playing field, everyone enjoys music in some form or another,” adds Colby. “In the music therapy setting, we don’t emphasize how well you can play the instrument but how much fun you’re having while playing the instrument. So if you’re a super talented guitar player who can play all the chords, licks and chops, or if you’re just strumming along having fun, both of those are equally as successful in this program.

“It’s a really good way to bring people together,” he continues. “People are sharing songs here; every week we drum along to a song chosen by someone attending the group. Even today one of the guys was singing along to a song he doesn’t listen to outside of this group but he’s picking those lyrics up and connecting with other people through that song and that makes my day. It’s always cool to see their growth, it’s always such a rewarding reminder of why we started this program and why we want to continue it.”

Before the class ends, Victoria sings farewell to her bandmates. Many of the musicians meet up briefly after the class to discuss their day and speculate on how much fun next week’s class will be.

“I come in every Monday,” says young rocker Ernie Mapanoo. “I like to play the guitars and learn to play the piano. Today I was working on a Michael Jackson song, I like that song a lot too, it was fun. I work on all kinds of songs though because I love music. I play the drums and guitar, that’s why I come out all the time to this rock band. [Colby and Victoria] are pretty cool too; I like them a lot.”

This quarter, the band was joined by future music therapists Lindsey and Kesha, Seattle Pacific University music therapy practicum students. Throughout the entire session, the young ladies assisted the musicians with chords and tempo and shared laughs during both of the dance and drumming sessions.

The musicians will continue vibing out the Youth Council board room every Monday from 4:30-5:30 p.m. until December 17. Towards the end of Music yoU ROCK, the band will record a few of their hits and have a listening party on the last day of the program.

Music yoU ROCK is funded through the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA). The program is open to the entire community. Those who are DDA participants can attend the program with no charge. For non-DDA particpants, the cost of the progam is $220.

For more information, please contact Tulalip Youth Services at (360) 716-4909 or the Snohomish County Music Project at (425) 258-1605.

N8tive Vote 2018 Rez-to-Rez tour visits Tulalip

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

On October 27, tribal leaders embarked on a momentous 10-day tour to visit all 29 of Washington State’s tribal nations in a first-of-its-kind effort to encourage Native citizens to have their voice heard by voting in the November 6 midterm election.

According to the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), nationwide 34% of eligible Native voters are not registered to vote. The turnout rate of American Indian and Alaska Native registered voters is also very low, being historically 5 to 14 percentage points lower than the rate of many other racial and ethnic groups. The Rez-to-Rez tour aimed to change that by going directly to Native voters and encouraging them to vote.

“The Puyallup Tribe is proud to sponsor the N8tive Vote 2018 Rez-to-Rez tour,” said Puyallup Tribe Chairman Bill Sterud. “This is the very first time we’ve had an intertribal tour like this. Now is the time to stand up and use your voice so get out and vote!”

While encouraging Native voter turnout, N8tive Vote 2018 also shared information about initiatives 1631 (Carbon Emissions Fee Measure) and 940 (De-Escalate Washington).

“This is a historical election year for Washington natives with both I-1631 and I-940 involving Native peoples and communities at their core,” said Quinault President Fawn Sharp. “As Natives, we have power… the power of our voice, the power of our unity and strength, and the power of our vote. We encourage all Natives to exercise that power by voting in this year’s election.”

The N8tive Vote 2018 movement came about thanks to a political coalition, called the First American Project, founded by an all-star collective of Native American leaders from within the state and their allies from fellow communities of color. With a mission to advocate for righteous environmental and civil rights policies, the First American Project’s first priority was to pass I-1631, the comprehensive climate change policy that was co-authored by tribal leadership.

After visiting 21 tribes in seven days, N8tive Vote’s Rez-to-Rez tour made their 22^nd stop at Tulalip on Friday, November 2. An engaged gathering of 40+ individuals from youth to elders convened at the Tulalip Youth Center for an evening dedicated to empowering each and every Native citizen to cast their votes and mail in their ballots.

“My hands go up to all of you who are committed to spreading awareness and encouraging participation in this most important midterm election,” expressed Tulalip Chairwoman Marie Zackuse during the voting rally. “We must work hard to protect our people and our sovereignty that is being attacked every single day. We must never forget our ancestors who stood up strong and fought for us as a people to have the right to vote, to have our voices count.”

Tulalip tribal member Ryan Miller was recognized for his steadfast commitment to advocating and creating policies that protect the environmentand our treaty rights.

During the evening’s event, Tulalip tribal members Terry Williams and Ryan Miller were both recognized for their steadfast commitment to strengthening our community by advocating and creating policies that protect the environment and our treaty rights. For their years of service and dedication they both were wrapped in blankets and gifted cedar woven headbands.

Tulalip tribal members Theresa Sheldon and Terry Williams with
Tim Reynon, Puyallip tribal council member. Terry was recognized by N8tive Vote Washington for his work in fighting climate change and protecting our treaty rights.

“It has been a very good day. A day where we came together as different tribes to speak the same language and see the same vision of what’s in front of us,” reflected Terry, who made his career as a treaty rights commissioner working for Natural Resources. “The togetherness allows us to walk in unison with good hearts and good minds as we look to protect our Mother Earth.”

Celebrating midterm election results

Progress, justice, and history is being celebrated around Indian Country as Election Day results showed Democrats regaining control of the House of Representatives, Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk) and Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) becoming the first-ever Native women elected to Congress, and the tribal-sponsored Initiative 940 (De-Escalate Washington) passed with strong support.

“Washington becomes the first state in the nation to respond to the national conversation about use of force by passing a ballot measure by a direct vote of the people,” stated De-Escalate Washington’s official campaign page following the victory. “Yes on 940 will improve training, save lives, and help build better relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”

A large contingent of 250+ Native citizens gathered at the Puyallup Tribe’s stylish showroom for an election night viewing party. The occasion also marked the final destination of N8tive Vote 2018’s Rez-to-Rez tour.

“We are so grateful for Theresa Sheldon’s (center) leadership during our Rez-to-Rez tour. I call her the cheerleader because at every tribe we visited she would always lead us with her enthusiasm.” – Puyallup Tribe councilman Tim Reynon.

“Today, we finished our 29^th tribe on our amazing Rez-to-Rez tour,” reflected Tulalip tribal member Theresa Sheldon while addressing the crowd of supporters. “We have driven across the state from plateaus to the ocean, up and down the Salish Sea to encourage our people to vote! It’s been a fast and furious trip and I’m so thankful for this time.

“It’s been an absolute honor and privilege to have served on this journey to empowering our Indigenous communities,” she continued. “That fact that Initiative 940 passed is amazing; that is victory, that is justice, and that is speaking to the power of what we can achieve when we stand united.”

Celebrations were also enjoyed more locally by the Tulalip Tribes and their allies thanks to tribal member Senator John McCoy retaining his position by defeating challenger Savio Pham, and the passing of Fire District 15 Proposition #1, which will provide the Tulalip Bay Fire Department with much needed funding to upgrade emergency medical services.