“Over the past month we’ve lost over 12 fellow officers with the shootings in Dallas, and Baton Rouge. And as you all know this community has gone through a lot over these past few weeks, so what we’ll do is take a moment of silence and we will release the balloons,” stated Tulalip Police Chief Carlos Enchevarria.
The balloon release was both a memorial for people we lost as well as a symbolic message for unity amongst law enforcement officials and the community. The Tulalip Police Department (TPD) hosted National Night Out on Tuesday, August 2 in the Battle Creek Neighborhood of Tulalip.
The two-hour event included a BBQ and stands promoting local programs and departments. Several police officers and firefighters interacted with the local children playing tetherball, basketball, and on the playground.
The main event was a basketball showdown between TPD and Tulalip Bay Fire Department. A game that started out with a fun half-speed vibe quickly turned into an exciting competitive match. The nail biter contest came down to the wire as the Tulalip Bay Fire Department hit a two-pointer on the right side wing to take the game and a years worth of bragging rights until next years National Night Out.
Although a difficult time for both the community of Tulalip and Police Departments across America, TPD hosted a feel good event that allowed community members to escape and enjoy great company.
During the pleasantly warm and sunny summer days of July 18-22, the old Tulalip Elementary gymnasium was home to the 21st Annual Lushootseed Day Camp. The camp was open to children age five to twelve who wanted to learn about their culture and Lushootseed language through art, songs, games, weaving and storytelling. Each year the Lushootseed Department teams up with the Cultural Resources Department, along with a select number of very vital community volunteers, to hold two one-week camps. Each camp has openings for up to 50 participants, but this year the demand was so high that 64 kids were signed up and participated in Language Camp week 1.
“We are dedicating the 21st Annual Lushootseed Language Camp to Morris Dan and Harriette Shelton-Dover, for their guidance and teachings bringing back the Salmon Ceremony, as well as honoring Stan Jones Sr. “Scho-Hallem” for his decades of leadership and determination to keep the ceremony going,” said Lushootseed language teacher and co-coordinator of the camp, Natosha Gobin. “This year we are recreating the Salmon Ceremony to pass on the teachings to our youth. With the generosity of the Tulalip Tribes Charitable Table, we have received a grant to make regalia for each youth who is signed up for camp. This is exciting, as we will be able to ensure that all the youth who sign up for camp will have the ability to stand up and sing at every opportunity. Vests and drums will be the regalia for the boys, while the girls’ regalia will be shawls and clappers.”
Using the 1979 Salmon Ceremony video to help pass on the earliest teaching of what is still practiced today, the young campers learned a selection of highlighted songs and dances. The lessons learned each day during Language Camp were based on the teachings of the Salmon Ceremony by way of songs and dances, traditional teachings, language, art, weaving, and technology. The goal this year was to provide our youth with some basic regalia along with the knowledge and ability to sing and dance. Staffers hope the youth that have participated have the teachings and experience needed so they will stand up and sing at every opportunity.
With the emphasis of honoring the past and impacting the future with education and practice of Salmon Ceremony, there was a renewed sense of excitement and vigor to both the teachers and bright, young minds who participated. There was so much to do and prepare for that the parents of each camper were also called upon to participate in create long-lasting memories while working with their kids and fellow community members to help make regalia.
During the evening of Tuesday, July 19 the parents came through in a big way. The parents and guardians joined their kids in the gymnasium and were guided on how to make the drums and clappers. There were lots of laughs and stories shared as the evening went on and slowly, but surely every camper was assured of hand-made regalia.
“This is what we wanted to bring back; families coming together to spend some time working on the drums and clappers, lots of smiles, and most importantly lots of happy kids,” stated Natosha after the evening of regalia making concluded. “A huge thank you to the parents, aunties, uncles, grandparents, siblings and cousins who come out tonight to make sure every child would have a drum or clapper. I know our ancestors are watching over us all and proud the teachers are still being passed on.”
Throughout the duration of camp, the children participated in seven different daily activities. The following list is what each child accomplished throughout the week:
Art – Salmon bracelets, Salmon hands, paddle necklaces.
Weaving – Pony Bead loom beading, small raffia baskets.
Traditional Teachings – Salmon Ceremony videos, traditional stories, realia experience in traditional story and science face of how Salmon migrate.
Games – Various games and playground time.
Language – letter sounds, Salmon Ceremony key words, Lushootseed workbook.
Technology – children learned and practiced Lushootseed materials related to Salmon Ceremony using the Nintendo DSi handheld games created by Dave Sienko.
The closing ceremony for week one’s camp was held on Friday, July 22 in the Kenny Moses Building. The joyous, young play-performers made their debut to a large community attendance, as family and friends came out in droves to show their support.
“The young ones continue to honor our ancestors by learning their songs and words. It fills my heart with so much joy to watch them speak our language and perform the dances of Salmon Ceremony,” marveled ceremonial witness Denise Sheldon.
After the youth performed their rendition of Salmon Ceremony and the ceremonial witnesses had shared a few words, there was a giveaway. The camp participants gave handmade crafts to the audience members, which preceded a salmon lunch that everyone thoroughly enjoyed.
Reflecting on the conclusion of this year’s 21st Annual Language Camp week one, Natosha Gobin beamed with pride, “Week one has come to an end, but it is truly just the beginning of our youth rising up! The fire has been lit and they will be the ones to keep it burning. I can’t say it enough, how thankful we are for the parents that sign their youth up to participate. Shout out to the volunteers who mentored our young Language Warriors and to the staff who prepped and taught the lessons, and those who did all the behind the scenes work. Thank you to each and every person who made this week’s camp a success.”
For any questions, comments or to request Lushootseed language materials to use in the home, please contact the Lushootseed Department at 360-716-4499 or visit www.TulalipLushootseed.com
Color shapes our daily lives because the colors that surround us can influence and even inspire us. We respond to color when we choose something to wear in the morning, when we see traffic lights or go shopping at the grocery store. Since time immemorial, color has influenced humans historically, socially and artistically, as color has been an integral part of the natural world. Throughout time, humans have manipulated color for social, spiritual, emotional and artistic purposes.
Celebrating color is what the latest featured exhibit on display at The Hibulb Cultural Center and Natural History Preserve, Vibrant Beauty: Colors of our Collection, is all about. Additionally, the exhibit honors our local Tulalip tribal artists.
At the heart of the exhibit is a large panel display with several unique and vibrant designs created by Tulalip artist Ty Juvinel. After being approached by Hibulb curators and asked to add his inventive touch to the latest exhibit, Ty spent a series of afternoons working on and finalizing his vibrant beauty addition.
“Color is emotion, and the color I choose for my art depends on the emotion of the piece,” states Ty. “I like to use bright colors in my work because it makes a statement. I use all colors because nature uses all of the colors. Some have more significance like red, black and white, which have greater significance to us. Color to me is emotionally dependent on how I am feeling. I’m feeling drawn to yellow right now because I want it to be spring. Last week, I felt drawn to the color purple.”
Using modern day technology to advance his art methods, Ty printed his tribal designs on transfers that were then paint masked to the panel walls. This method saves an enormous amount of time compared to a traditional method of stenciling and painting by hand. Using this refined technique also allows Ty to color his designs with spray paint. After choosing his selection of color, he went to work on spraying the transfers, then meticulously peeling the transfers off the panel.
Lastly, Ty goes over each design in a detail enhancement process, so that the quality of his artwork is up to par by his standards. As Ty explains, each of his designs are inherently Tulalip because he is Tulalip, but there is some real creativeness to his ingenuity. For example, he created a Tulalip family tree design, which he fittingly colored green. The tree contains eight spirits with each one representing the spirit of a generation.
“I’m always looking for new ways to push myself as an artist and being open to try new methods and techniques, but at the same time I’m always looking for ways to put our culture out there in a good way,” continues Ty. “People come in here to Hibulb and there’s a pride in seeing our culture displayed as Tulalip or Coast Salish people. My goal is to create something that I’m proud of, so the community is proud of it, too, because all the work I do represents Tulalip.”
Check out Ty’s contribution to Vibrant Beauty: Colors of our Collection on display at Hibulb through February 2017.
History was made at the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club over the weekend of July 8, as the National Basketball Association (NBA) selected the Tulalip Tribes to host a first of its kind summer basketball camp focused on engaging Native American youth. The three-day Jr. NBA camp was developed to be a youth basketball participation program for boys and girls ages 10-14. With the NBA holding this event on Tulalip Tribes’ land, it marked the first time ever a Jr. NBA camp took place in Indian Country.
“The Jr. NBA is always looking to engage different communities that love basketball,” said David Krichavsky, the NBA’s vice-president of youth basketball development. “Working with Tulalip provides us a unique opportunity to connect with our young fans and their coaches alongside some of the NBA’s best ambassadors.”
Jr. NBA camps are designed to teach the game’s fundamental skills and core values at a grassroots level to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches, and parents. Within the Tulalip community, we know how much our people, especially our youth, love the game of basketball. To have NBA players involved, such as SuperSonics legend Detlef Schrmpf and former University of Washington stand-out Spencer Hawes, the opportunity for camp participants to make life long memories and have memorabilia signed added even more benefits.
“Our Native community loves basketball and the NBA,” stated Marlin Fryberg Jr., executive director for the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club. “The Jr. NBA camp acknowledges our Native American passion for the game and will help make NBA fans for life while teaching basketball’s important values.”
With the assistance of NBA and Boys & Girls Club staff, the Jr. NBA camp taught our youth the importance of hard work, teamwork, discipline and self-respect. Their focus was to provide the young Tulalip athletes of all skill levels with the instructions and training that have made some of the NBA’s brightest stars elite on and off the court.
“Skills like teamwork, passion, accountability, and responsibility are at the core of these communities and the core of our game,” said Brooks Meek, NBA vice-president of International Basketball Operations and 1994 graduate of Marysville-Pilchuck High School. “I am especially excited to help bring the NBA to my home community, having grown up with so many friends from Tulalip. We are very fortunate to work with such committed partners as we bring our League to these passionate fans.”
Every camp session started with plyometric warm-ups that got the youth primed for the next series of basketball training. After several rotations through four different fundamental skill stations that emphasized proper footwork, ball handling, shooting and defense the campers would get a short water break before moving on to team competitions. Team competitions varied by day and age group. There were shooting competitions showcasing the forgotten art of the mid-range jumper, a team oriented 3-point shot contest, and even a point-blank range, lay-up style competition. But what the youth looked forward to most were the daily 5-on-5 half court and full court games that ended every session.
During the spirited team competitions there were several game winning shots made. Each one was met with a booming celebration from the kids and the NBA staffers. A highlight of day 3 took place during the 5-on-5 full court championship game between the 10-12 year olds. With the score tied and only seconds remaining, 11-year-old Frank Salomon from Lummi corralled a rebound and launched and connected on a fade-away jumper as the game buzzer sounded.
“Hitting the game winning shot was amazing,” boasts Frank. “I didn’t know it would go in. I just shot the ball and can’t believe I made it before the buzzer. It was awesome!”
It was an unprecedented weekend all around. From all the youth who got up and got to the Boys & Girls club by 8:00 a.m. on a Saturday and Sunday, the dedicated parents who made it happen, the NBA and Boys & Girls Club staff and trainers who made this Jr. NBA camp special and memorable for all the youth participants, to breaking down a barrier and hopefully forming a lasting partnership between the NBA and the tribes.
“The Tulalip Boys & Girls Club had a great experience working hand in hand with the Jr. NBA basketball team,” adds Marlin Fryberg Jr. “We were selected to be the first Tribe ever to host a Jr. NBA camp for kids. Talking to the kids over the weekend they really enjoyed themselves. We had approximately 140 boys and girls participate, which involved representation from other tribes including Puyallup, Nooksack, Lummi, Muckleshoot, Swinomish, Klamath, and Alaska Natives.
“We are very proud to say we are the first tribe in Indian Country to host a Jr. NBA camp. To know now that Tulalip has opened the door for the NBA to expand their basketball clinics and resources to include tribes is truly an honor.”
Contact Micheal Rios at mrios@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov
TULALIP, Washington and PINE RIDGE, South Dakota, July.1, 2016 – The Jr. NBA next week tips off the first of two summer camps focused on engaging Native American youth. As part of the NBA’s youth basketball participation program for boys and girls ages 6-14, Jr. NBA camps are set for July 8-10 in Tulalip, Washington, and from July 29-31 on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
The camps are designed to teach the game’s fundamental skills and core values at this grassroots level to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches and parents.
NBA legend Detlef Schrempf and Spencer Hawes of the Charlotte Hornets – both alumni of the University of Washington – will headline the Jr. NBA camps at the Tulalip Boys and Girls Club about an hour north of Seattle. Sacramento Kings head coach David Joerger, who began his professional coaching career in the Dakotas, will work with youngsters at Jr. NBA camps hosted by the Red Cloud Indian School on the Pine Ridge Reservation outside of Rapid City.
“The Jr. NBA is always looking to engage different communities that love basketball,” said David Krichavsky, the NBA’s vice president of youth basketball development. “Working with Tulalip and Pine Ridge provides us a unique opportunity to connect with our young fans and their coaches alongside some of the NBA’s best ambassadors.”
“Our Native community loves Basketball and the NBA,” said National Indian Athletic Association Basketball Hall of Famer Marlin Fryberg Jr., a longtime Tulalip Tribal Council member currently serving as executive director for the Tulalip Tribes Boys & Girls Club. “The Jr. NBA camps acknowledge our Native American passion for the game and will help make NBA fans for life while teaching basketball’s important values.”
“Skills like teamwork, passion, accountability and responsibility are at the core of these communities and the core of our game,” said Brooks Meek, NBA vice president of International Basketball Operations and 1994 graduate of Washington’s Marysville-Pilchuck High School. “I am especially excited to help bring the NBA to my home community, having grown up with so many friends from Tulalip. We are very fortunate to work with such committed partners as we bring our League to these passionate fans.”
“As a young basketball player on the reservation, the values of the game helped me succeed in the classroom and in life,” said Christian McGhee, a 2008 graduate of Red Cloud and the school’s current athletic director. “Bringing the Jr. NBA to Pine Ridge is a dream come true and will expose a large number of our boys and girls to the lessons only basketball can teach.”
The Jr. NBA will reach five million youth in the U.S. and Canada over the next two years through a series of basketball clinics, skills challenges and tournaments. As part of this effort, the NBA has developed a Jr. NBA partnership network that includes youth basketball programs of all NBA, WNBA and NBA Development League teams, elementary and middle schools, military installations and longstanding community partners, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Jewish Community Centers of North America, National Association of Police Athletic Leagues, National Recreation and Park Association, National Wheelchair Basketball Association, Special Olympics, and YMCA of the USA.
For additional information on the Tulalip camp, contact Marlin Fryberg at the Tulalip Boys & Girls Club: mfryberg@bgcsc.org
Percentage of Sales from Entire Weekend to Benefit Wounded Warrior Project®
KODAK, Tenn. (May 2016) – Beef Jerky Outlet locations across the U.S. are gearing up for National Beef Jerky Day, which takes place annually on June 12. This year, the Beef Jerky Outlet is celebrating the entire weekend leading up to National Beef Jerky Day with the $25 Extravaganza and a new charity partnership with Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP).
Five percent of the purchase price on all Beef Jerky Outlet transactions from June 10 through June 12, 2016, will be donated to WWP. The partnership is a natural fit because beef jerky is the number one favorite snack of the U.S. military. Jerky is easily transportable and a long-lasting food source, making it an ideal treat for our soldiers. In fact, NASA has sent beef jerky into space with our astronauts on multiple occasions.
“Our partners understand that wounded veterans need our compassion and support as they heal from the visible and invisible wounds of war,” said Gary Corless, chief development officer at WWP. “Thanks to the generosity of partners like Beef Jerky Outlet, we’re able to continue to provide the programs and services that meet injured service members, their families, and caregivers, wherever they are on their road to recovery. Whether its access to mental or physical health treatments, employment assistance programs, or continuing education opportunities, Wounded Warrior Project’s programs and services are offered free of charge, for a lifetime.”
In addition to partnering with WWP the Beef Jerky Outlet honors active and retired military personnel by offering them a 10 percent discount on any transaction, year round. The discount jumps to 50 percent for active and retired military franchisees purchasing their first Beef Jerky Outlet location.
“The Beef Jerky Outlet is a huge supporter of the U.S. military,” says Kathy Raines, Beef Jerky Outlet COO. “We’re proud to support our nations wounded veterans, by partnering with Wounded Warrior Project.”
The Beef Jerky Outlet specializes in more than 200 premium jerky varieties and sizes. Some popular specialty meats include alligator, elk, kangaroo and venison. They also offer a variety of exotic jerky flavors such as Moonshine and Cajun.
Jerky is lean, high in protein and nutritional value, and low in calories, carbohydrates, and fat (jerky is only 3 percent fat). It truly is the perfect treat for meat lovers of all ages and the popularity is rapidly growing.
IRI, a Chicago based market research firm, reports sales of jerky jumped 46 percent from 2009- 2015, catapulting it to a $1.24 billion industry.
In 2015 alone, Americans spent $2.8 billion on beef jerky
Jerky is in the beef snack category — the fastest growing segment of the snack food industry (Convenience Store Decisions, Nov. 2012).
The Beef Jerky Outlet will have specials available starting on Friday, June 10 running through National Beef Jerky Day, Sunday, June 12. The Beef Jerky Outlet is proud to offer their customers the following:
Register to win free jerky for a year!
$25 for three 4-ounce bags of jerky
$25 for a Wild Game Box
$25 for five bags of popcorn
Free PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals) T-shirt to the first 10 customers each day
Launch of the BJO Loyalty Cards Program (spend $25 five times and get $10 off)
About the Beef Jerky Outlet:
The Beef Jerky Outlet was founded in 2010 and is the country’s first national jerky franchise. There are currently 57 franchise locations, including 6 founder-owned stores. Over the next 18 months, this number will grow to more than 100 locations across the US. The Beef Jerky Outlet specializes in more than 200 jerky varieties including kangaroo, alligator, venison and elk. It is available in various sizes, as well as exotic flavors ranging from Moonshine to Cajun. Today, jerky is one of the fastest growing snacks in the snack food industry. This dried, smoked meat is the number one snack of the military, including NASA, which has been sending astronauts into space with jerky since 1996. Jerky is lean, high in protein, low in calories, is very low fat and has a very long shelf life. Millions seek out and enjoy this very nutritious snack every day. IRI, a Chicago based market research firm, reports that jerky sales have turned into a $1.24-billion industry. Across the country people are literally eating it up!
About Wounded Warrior Project®:
The mission of Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.
Ryan Gobin, owner of Ryan’s REZ-ipes food truck. Photo/Kalvin Valdillen
By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News
New food truck hits the streets of Tulalip. Tribal Member, Ryan Gobin, talks about his new business, his unique menu, and his long time passion for food.
What inspired you to open your own food truck?
My inspirational drive comes from within myself in wanting to inspire others to reach for the stars and know that goals are achievable. Going from being a law enforcement officer for ten years to owning a food truck is a huge change, but it was a goal set by myself and I wanted it bad enough to not stop until it became a reality.
I know there are a lot of Tribal members who are great cooks and I want to inspire them to do the same and hope one day to have a line of food trucks within Tulalip owned and operated by Tribal members who do what they love and follow their passion.
I’m all about supporting others in following their dreams and I feel it’s never about being competitive. It’s about supporting one another and lifting each other up to do better. I feel that treating others how I want to be treated will create a better outcome in life and positive empowerment is a great way of life.
I’ve always wanted to start something that had to do with food because I’ve always had a passion for cooking and it brought me joy to see others enjoy my food. I never thought it would be a food truck though.
Over the past few years, I set a goal for myself to start my own business and made attempts at others that didn’t work in my favor. Most importantly they just weren’t my passion; food is my passion.
So after many attempts and fails seeking a venture in food, I came across a concession stand at an auction and purchased it. The concession needed a lot of work and I had little to work with. I then started a Kickstart account and received help with funding by many within our own community and even several I didn’t know. The concession needed over 10k in work to pass health inspection.
During the time of putting money into the concession and attempting to fix it up, I saw a food truck and smoker combination for sale on Craigslist. I believe God had a plan for me and I felt it was meant to be mine. So I purchased the truck and smoker and began my work in piecing it together. After months of work, with the help of community members, it was finally complete and ready for business.
How did you come up with the name?
I had a hard time coming up with a name as I was trying to come up with something different. After going through several names in my head, I thought to myself that I wanted to get others involved within our own area. So I put it out there on social media as a contest.
I asked for others to come up with a name for a food truck and whoever’s name I chose would get two free meals upon grand opening. After going through over 100 names from everyone’s ideas, I finally stopped on Ryan’s REZ-ipes; it had a ring to it and stayed with me. Ding-ding we had a winner and stuck with it!
When did you first get into cooking?
I first got into cooking in my teen years. I have lots of family members that are amazing cooks and have been taught many recipes from all of them. I watched when people cooked in my younger years and began trying my own recipes. I could name everyone I learned from, but that would be a long list.
I took a little from everyone and began making my own. One thing I kept the same was my salsa. I can’t really call it my salsa because I was taught by Gerald Lugo Sr., who wrote down on a piece of paper for me how to make his salsa. Which is why I’m going to eventually jar my salsa with a label that says ‘Uncle G’s salsa’ dedicated to Uncle G who has passed on and left us all with his amazing teachings of happiness and great tasting recipes.
With food trucks growing in popularity in the Northwest, you are one of few in our area, what was the initial reception from the community?
The community was a huge help in getting my food truck off the ground and I have got nothing but great feedback from everyone within our area.
What’s your best seller and what makes it a fan favorite?
Being we are in our fourth week of being open, it’s difficult to say what our best seller is as of yet. However, when I observe customers approach the food truck and look over the menu, I see they have a difficult time choosing what to order being all of the items are amazing choices. I honestly don’t think we have a best seller as of yet, it seems pretty even with all items sold.
What’s your favorite part about owning your business?
I can control the outcome. If I want to make it a success, I will make it happen with consistency, dedication and passion.
What I also like about it is that I can create a team of people that also share the same passion for food and wanting to make others happy by producing amazing tasting food, which comes from a happy, positive environment.
One person that has been with me in this truck since day one is Dale Grove. Dale is very passionate about food and a huge help in getting my business off the ground and has also taught me a lot along the way. I’m very thankful to him as he also works a full time job and still finds the time to help me.
What makes your truck unique?
I believe my truck has it’s own uniqueness in a couple different ways. One would be the name. When someone looks at our name, it’s usually followed with a smile, which is always my first intent. The second would be by looking over the food menu. Honestly, I’ve never even heard of smoked salmon fried rice (some may have, but I haven’t).
In thinking of different recipes, we thought about something that nobody around has which would make it unique. Eating a burger with smoked salmon, cream cheese and caramelized onions I’ve never heard of, but sounded amazing so we tried it and BAM! It was amazing! Everything that is sold in the food truck is always fresh and never frozen. We even provide hand cut fries and hand made chips which are deep fried in peanut oil, which provides an even better flavor.
Besides your own, what is your favorite food truck?
In all honesty, I don’t have a favorite food truck being I haven’t eaten at very many. I think the only food truck that sticks out to me is from an event I attended in Seattle, which sold deep fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I mean, who wouldn’t love that?
How would you describe your food and menu?
Ryan’s REZ-ipes menu is best described as unique. Our menu has a variety of things to choose from, from smoked meats to smoked veggies. I try to have a little for everyone, whether they want to eat just veggies, smoked salmon fried rice or a bowl of BBQ baked beans infused with smoked brisket. I’ve had many say they may just have to come back once a day to order one or two things on the menu at a time until they try every single item. The options are just that amazing.
Where can we find you?
Ryan’s REZ-ipes food truck can be found within the boundaries of Tulalip Tuesday through Friday and eventually I plan to extend the days and hours.
We can be located on Facebook; just type in ‘Ryan’s REZ-ipes’ and hit the ‘like’ button and you will see locations, photographs of food served and daily specials.
A few days ago the Washington Post, a daily newspaper widely circulated in Washington D.C., published their findings of a poll supposedly showing that Native Americans don’t care that much about the term ‘Redskin’. In fact, the Washington Poll found that an overwhelming 90% of Native Americans weren’t at all bothered by the term. Following their publishing of the poll, news outlets across the country picked it up and ran with it. All the sports related networks, TV shows, talk radio and on-line media were quick to have “Native Americans don’t care about term Redskin” as a major talking point.
Here’s the thing though and it’s a biggie…the Washington Post poll was grossly inaccurate in its methodology. So much so that as a fellow media outlet and news organization, we are embarrassed for them.
“Accuracy is the foundation of good journalism. However, the methodology used to conduct [the Washington Post] poll was fundamentally flawed and as a result, its data set and all conclusions reached are inherently inaccurate and misleading,” stated the Native American Journalist Society in their response to the poll. “The reporting fails to pass the test of accurate and ethical reporting in an example of creating the news rather than simply reporting it.”
The poll was severely flawed on two fronts. First, it relied completely on self-identified Native American respondents in its sampling. So individuals would be asked if they are Native American or not. Then they would be asked if they did claim to be Native, if they were enrolled in a tribe. No research or fact gathering was done to verify whether a respondent was indeed Native or if they were actually enrolled. Secondly, the vast majority of respondents to the poll lived nowhere near a tribal reservation, let alone actually lived on one.
So the Washington Post polled individuals who did not live on or near a reservation and who self-identified as being Native American with no kind of process in place to determine if these people were actually, you know, Native American. Terrible, terrible methodology which led to wide-spread inaccurate reporting in the mainstream media. We can’t begin to assume what every Native American in the country thinks about the word Redskin, but we can figure out what Tulalip thinks about it. While on the subject we also wondered how our people felt about the word Indian. So we did our own poll.
Here’s our methodology. With a quick stop to the Tulalip Admin. Building, Senior Center, Youth Services, Hibulb Cultural Center, Heritage High School, and a few places in between we were able to poll 110 Tulalip citizens. That’s 110 tribal members who are firmly connected to the reservations through residence, school, and work. Of the 110 it was a seemingly 50/50 split of males vs. females, while ages ranged from high school student to tribal elder. It’s interesting to note that every single person polled responded in-person to the polling staff member; no one refused or abstained from questioning.
You may be wondering how a poll of only 110 Tulalip citizens can be indicative of the entire Tulalip Tribe. Well, basically that’s how surveys and polls of nearly any nature work. For example, in the Washington Post poll they used 504 so-called Native people to represent the 5.4 Million Native American population. Here, we are using 110 Tulalips to statistically represent the 2,845 adult members of the Tulalip Tribe.
The polling consisted of two straight-forward questions; 1. Do you find the word Indian offensive? 2. Do you find the word Redskin offensive? Accepted responses were ‘yes’, ‘no’, or ‘depends on the context’. The following is our results.
A whopping 83% of Tulalip citizens said they are not offended by the word Indian, while only 9% said they were offended, and the remaining 8% said it depends on the context.
Now, for the as-of-late, media driven buzz word Redskin: 46% of Tulalip citizens said they are offended by it, 37% said they were not offended by it, and the remaining 16% said it depends on the context. The results were quite mixed, but definitely a far cray from the 90% the Washington Post found to be not bothered by the term. Interesting to note that of the 16% who said it depends on the context, almost everyone said that the context is whether or not a Native or non-Native person was using it.
Interpretation of the results is an entirely different discussion. People can talk about political correctness, media narratives, and social science theories on linguistics and imaging for days on end. That’s not what we are doing at this time. Instead, we just wanted to show what an accurate polling representation of Tulalip citizens would illustrate in regards to the level of offensiveness of two words, Indian and Redskin, on the Tulalip Reservation.
Dr Stephanie Fryberg spoke about building on the strengths of Native students at her lecture held in Kane Hall, on the UW campus. Photo/Micheal Rios
Article/photo by Micheal Rios, Tulalip News
The way we learn is shaped by our culture. For indigenous children, there is often a mismatch between their culture and the classroom. This has been a long held belief in the Native community. For Tulalip tribal member and associate professor Stephanie Fryberg, Ph.D., she had the unique access to resources and methodology necessary to examine how indigenous children’s approach to learning and how the teaching model of their educators can coalesce to create a more supportive academic environment. Dr. Fryberg shared her findings during a lecture held at the University of Washington on Wednesday, April 20.
Dr. Fryberg’s lecture was part of the Connecting the Dots Between Research and Community series, where a UW Psychology professor partners with a visiting colleague to tell the story of how their research is addressing some of society’s biggest challenges. Presented by the UW Department of Psychology and the UWAA, this event was free and open to the public. In attendance to support their fellow Tulalip tribal member were Senator John McCoy, General Manager Misty Napeahi, and Board of Director Glen Gobin.
Dr. Fryberg’s lecture was titled Using Cultural Models to Build on the Strengths of Native Students. The description is as follows: Individuals are a product of the culture they inhabit, and also play an important role in creating and adapting to that culture. For many indigenous students, the culture of educational institutions in the U.S. reflects a set of ideas and practices about what it means to be a “good” student, the purpose of education and the nature of the relationship between teachers and students. This results in a cultural mismatch between indigenous students’ model of self and the model prevalent in mainstream educational contexts.
A central theme to the lecture was an examination of the “struggling Native student” narrative. We’ve all heard about this narrative and probably seen the statistics that are often used to defend it. Taking it up another notch, we’ve also heard that even when Native students do manage to graduate high school, they are not adequately prepared to achieve success in higher education. Dr. Fryberg attributes this narrative to being one of a cultural context and to alleviate the narrative we must reframe the idea altogether.
“We are going to reframe this idea of the struggling Native student by looking at it through a bigger picture, which we in my field refer to as the cultural cycle,” stated Dr. Fryberg. “The culture cycle reminds us that to truly alleviate the achievement gap we have to start by looking at every piece of the culture cycle. So when we think about a child in a classroom, it isn’t just about the child and the teacher, it’s about so much more. It’s about the ideas that stand behind why children go to school, it’s the ideas that lead to the development of the school, or that set the stage for what we see as the ‘good’ or ‘right’ way to be a student.
“Within that we setup institutions. We have schools and we have the media, but we also have classrooms and we have micro-cultures within classrooms, in which teachers play a role. So we get to this level of the interaction that’s between the student and the teacher, but sometimes what our field has shown is that interaction is not just between us in relationship, it’s between us and representational space. It is the idea the teacher has about me, as a student, that allows that space between us to shape the interaction and ultimately, for young children, to shape their development and the outcomes that we see.”
Within the cultural cycle it is critical to be aware of two distinct cultural models of self, the independent model and the interdependent model, that play major roles in how the shaping of interactions between student and teacher effect student development and achievement outcomes.
The independent model of self is based on an understanding of self as independent from others and the social context. “Good” actions promote separation from others and individual self-expression. The independent model of self is best seen in the U.S. mainstream, where context is driven by a set of cultural norms, values and beliefs that center the individual as independent and separate from others. It is a unique cultural model that most of the world does not engage in.
In many parts of the world that notion to separate yourself from others is not only unheard of, but would be seen as unhealthy. A much more common model is the interdependent model of self that is based on an understanding of self as interdependent with others and the social context. “Good” actions promote connection to others and attention to others’ preferences. Most people and cultures in the world, specifically outside of the U.S., engage in this more interdependent model. It’s important to recognize that Native culture is inherently within the interdependent model, but because we are within the U.S. our actions, values, and norms are constantly scrutinized by the mainstream independent model.
Now, you may be wondering how all these concepts and social psychology terms tie-in with Native students, their teachers and academic success. It does all come together.
By recognizing Native students’ engagement in the interdependent model of self, but that in large part their teachers and schools adhere to the independent model of self, we can then understand how the prevailing education system is not setup for Native student to succeed. However, there are courses of action to change this, which Dr. Fryberg and her team demonstrated at Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary from 2011-2014.
Using the culture cycle to enhance academic performance by Native students alleviates the “struggling Native student” narrative by requiring culturally-grounded interventions that focus on all levels of the cultural cycle. This work is achieved by building schools that reflect and foster a diversity of viable ways of being; creating an immersion environment (e.g., morning welcome assembly, growth mindset, purposefully placing posters/images on walls); creating “matches” by helping Native students build identities that maximize potential while also providing them with a culturally-safe educational atmosphere; and by valuing old identities and scaffolding new identities.
In the study done at Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary from 2011-2014 by Dr. Fryberg and her team, with the inclusion of the previously listed methods and intervention, the results were staggeringly in favor of increased Native student achievement. Kindergarten and 1st graders led the district in oral reading fluency; 95% of Kindergarten and 80% of 1st graders were proficient or above benchmark in reading. Using measures of academic progress in literacy and math for grades 3-5, 60% made more than one year’s growth and at least half of these students made 1.5 to 2 years growth. Best of all, the school met state annual measurable objectives in every category.
It’s important to note that having teachers who are aware of their own biases towards the independent model of self and willing to retrain and reframe their teaching methods to suit their Native students is central to overall success as well. It’s a cycle of understanding and legitimizing the learning and cultural model of Native children that leads to them making greater strides in academic development and achievement. When this occurs not only do the expected outcomes of the students and their teacher benefit greatly, but the entire community as well.
A rainy day back-up plan was in place, but unnecessary, as the rain stayed away and Tulalip was gifted a pleasant mid-60s, sunny spring day. The perfect Washington weather to bring the community out in droves to celebrate the Grand Opening of the Debra Barto Memorial Skate Spark and Alpheus “Gunny” Jones Sr. Ball Field on Friday, April 15.
Youth of all ages, adults, and elders took in the good weather, complimentary assortment of BBQ food, and a variety of entertainment now available with Tulalip’s very own skate park and ball field. Those who arrived early enough received a novelty t-shirt with a custom a graphic commemorating the day’s event. The graphic was created by Tulalip artist Ty Juvinel.
Tulalip Tribal Chairman Mel Sheldon shows off his moves. Photo/Mike Sarich
There was a DJ playing hit music, providing the necessary soundtrack for the outdoor festivities. Taking place in and around the skate park were skate board clinics, demonstrations by local professionals, and even a skate competition for 12 & Under, 13-17, and 18 & Up. Members of the Skate Like A Girl organization were on hand with the equipment necessary to teach those with no skate boarding experiences the basics.
Meanwhile on the ball field, the younger kids were playing kickball and t-ball, while the older kids were busy showcasing their athletic prowess in spirited games of flag football.
Bouncy houses, face painting, and henna booths were also available to add in more variety to the grand opening celebration.
Giving even more significance to the day was the fact it was also Debra Barto’s, the skate park’s namesake, birthday. Members of Debra’s immediate family were on hand wearing pink remembrance shirts in her honor.
Debra Barto family members. Back row: son Rayvin, daughter Clara, sister Sue, daughter Heather, mother Linda, sister Teddi, and nephews Vincent and Aaron. Front: grandsons Keaganand Cory, nephew Kasidi and niece Kamri. Photo/Micheal ríos
The Tulalip community looks forward to many more good days that see the skate park and ball field being utilized by people, from young kids to adults and elders, with sports, activities and entertainment for all.
