Tulalip Archives - Page 23 of 63

Lady Hawks finish season playing their best volleyball

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

On Thursday, October 29, the Tulalip Heritage Lady Hawks (5-9) hosted the Skykomish Rockets (4-10) at Francy J. Sheldon court for a play-in game to the Northwest District 1B Volleyball Tournament. It was either win and advance to the playoffs or lose and the season was over for the Lady Hawks.

This would be the third matchup between these two teams, with Tulalip having beaten them at home 3-1 earlier in the season but then losing 2-3 at Skykomish just two weeks ago. The pressure was on Tulalip.

The Lady Hawks would rise to the occasion and win the 1^st game 25-11, lose the 2^nd game 16-25, bounce back to take the 3^rd game 25-16, and finish them off 25-13 in the 4^th game to claim the match victory, 3-1, and punch their ticket to the postseason.

The 2015 Northwest District 1B Volleyball Tournament was held at Mt. Vernon Christian High School on Saturday, October 31. By winning their play-in game, the Lady Hawks had earned the right to play the #1 seeded team in the playoffs, the Mount Vernon Christian Hurricanes, in the opening game of the tournament.

In the 1^st game the Lady Hawks managed to jump out to a 5-0 lead before the Hurricanes went on a massive 25-1 point run and down the Lady Hawks 6-25. In the 2^nd game, Tulalip played Mt. Vernon Christian to a 10-10 tie before losing, 16-25. Again, in the 3^rd game, Tulalip would play the Hurricanes to a 9-9 standstill early on, but then Hurricanes went on a game ending runs to win 11-25.

Losing 0-3 to the #1 ranked Hurricanes was a moral victory for Lady Hawks, as they took solace in knowing they were able to go point-for-point with the best team in the district when they played together and communicated effectively. The loss put Tulalip in a ‘loser out’ match versus the Cedar Park Christian Lions, so there would be only a 30 minute turn-around before they had to play again.

The Lady Hawks vs. Lions match would be the best match the Lady Hawks have played all season long. The two teams matched up almost identically with their style of play and athletic ability.

In the 1^st game the Hawks would take a 12-8 lead before trailing at 19-22. Digging deep, the Lady Hawks finished the game on a 6-1 run to win the opening game, 25-23. The 2^nd game would again see the Lady Hawks take a 12-8 lead before going up 20-18. However, this time it was the Lions who went on a game ending run, 7-1, to win 25-21. Tulalip bounced back in the 3^rd game; after trailing 8-12 early, they would take an 18-16 lead before closing out on a 7-2 to win 25-18.

The 4^th game saw the both teams match each other point for point to a 10-10 tie before the Lady Hawks managed to take a 23-19 lead. It looked like the game would go to the Lady Hawks after an Ace by Keryn Parks, but the court judges declared the ball went out of bounds. (Upon replay it was obvious the Ace was good, but volleyball doesn’t use replay) The terrible call gave the Lions new life and they rallied to beat Tulalip, 26-24.

Tied at 2 games each, the match would game down to a deciding 5^th game. In volleyball, 5^th games are played to 15 points instead of the usual 25 points. The Lady Hawks did their ‘pump it up’ huddle rally to make sure everyone had their focus back. Both teams were relentless in their pursuit of the ball in this final game. Players from both sides were flying around and diving on the ground to save each possible rally. The score was tied 8-8, then tied 13-13 before the Lady Hawks connected on back-to-back aces by Aliya Jones to win the game 15-13 and the match 3-2.

Winning the match meant the Lady Hawks had made it to the 5^th place game, where they would play the Shoreline Christian Chargers. As in their previous match, this one would be another 5 game affair. The Lady Hawks continued to battle, set each other up for good passes and strikes, while also talking it up.

In the 1^st game the Lady Hawks would fall 20-25, bounced back to win the 2^nd game 25-21, fell in the 3^rd game 19-25, and rally to win the 4^th game 25-19. In the 5^th and deciding game, the Lady Hawks would again be in a highly competitive, every point counts mode. Every point and rally by either team was countered right away, to the point that the game was tied 14-14 before the Chargers won back-to-back points that clinched match victory.

After the very up and down regular season the Lady Hawks had, it was a delight to see them play with as much energy and team spirit in their play-in game to make it to the playoffs, then to rise to the occasion over and over again versus grade-A competition. Finished 6^th in the entire 1B District is definitely an achievement for the Lady Hawks and their coach summed it up best following the season ending game.

“I am so very proud of our Lady Hawks volleyball team,” stated Coach Tina Brown. “The girls made it to districts for the first time, they played with pride and fought hard. What a great season.”

Strengthening our community: Red Curtain Arts Center hosts Tulalip culture night

by Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

On Friday, October 23, the Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts, in partnership with the Tulalip Tribes’ Lushootseed Language Department, hosted a free cultural event from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tulalip tribal member and Lushootseed teacher, Maria Martin, shared the legend of “Her First Basket” in Lushootseed and English, accompanied by tribal illustrations and artwork.

Scott Randall, president of the Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts in Marysville, first approached Maria at the annual Raising Hands event in 2014 with his idea for bringing the Marysville and Tulalip communities together with a culture night.

“We, Scott and I, thought it would be beneficial to everyone in the Marysville and Tulalip communities. There is a separation between the two and we wanted to break down that wall,” stated Maria. “We know we can be a strong community, but there is so much unknown about one another. This event is just one way for our communities to come together and grow.

“We plan on having a story and activity once a month. It is a free event, with donations if you feel up to it. We just want to break down those walls of curiosity. I’m sure that there are many Natives/ Tulalip community members that have encountered some sort of silly question about Native Americans and how we live. This is a way to educate outsiders, to understand one another.”

Maria chose to share her favorite Lushootseed story “Her First Basket”, a core story in the Lushootseed Department’s values book, and pass along the significant meaning it holds to both her and her people.

“It’s a story about not giving up and there is a bit of community unity within it as well,” explains Maria. “A Cedar tree helps this little girl to see her potential and she gains friends for it. Bringing people together and seeing their potential, it’s something every teacher strives for.”

Marysville and Tulalip community members were invited to partake in the evening of culture. Each table within the auditorium had at its center a “Her First Basket” picture book, so that children and adults could follow along as Maria first told the story in her traditional language, Lushootseed.

Following the storytelling sessions, the audience members were taught some basic weaving skills, using paper and yarn as substitutes for traditional cedar strips, to create their own basket and memento from the evening.

“After telling the story in Lushootseed and in English, we worked on making paper and yarn baskets. For many it was their first basket. It was a fun experience, and people’s talents are so amazing,” says Maria. “I hope to see more community members from both the Marysville and Tulalip communities at future events. We are all related, we live right next to one another, and our care for our neighbors is so important. It was so nice to see the people that showed up; the outcome of their basket making was beautiful. Accomplishing something you haven’t done before is such a great feeling, and meeting new people with the new experience is a beautiful thing too. There are so many people out there that we can all learn something from.”

Contact Micheal Rios, mrios@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov

Tobacco-Free Together

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Smoke Salmon, Not Cigarettes. That was the theme at this year’s first ever Tobacco-Free Together Day, held on Wednesday, October 28 at Greg Williams Court from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Planned by the Adult and Youth Smoking Cessation programs, the event brought members of the Tulalip community together with the goal of getting as many people as possible to quit smoking for the day, begin thinking about quitting, and celebrating a journey to becoming smoke-free together.

Some quick, sobering facts. Although Native Americans make up approximately 1% of the United States population, we have the highest smoking rates of any racial/ethnic group in the United States. Two out of every five Native Americans will die from tobacco-related diseases if the current smoking rate of 40.8% persist. Currently, there is no proven, effective culturally-tailored smoking cessation program designed specifically for the Native American population.

Fortunately, there are dedicated folks within Tulalip’s Smoking Cessation programs who are committed to creating culturally-tailored stop-smoking events and strategies to help combat cigarette smoking, the number one cause of preventable death among Native Americans.

“Attendees shared a salmon lunch, learned some interesting facts about nicotine, and received a goodie bag including smoked salmon, facts about tobacco, and shirts sporting our motto for the event, ‘smoke salmon, not cigarettes’,” said Ashley Tiedman, Tobacco Cessation Program Coordinator. “It was a very positive day full of good vibes! On top of the delicious lunch, we had the Rediscovery Program from Hibulb Cultural Center on hand teaching attendees cedar weaving. Also, Taylor Henry taught beading as a way to use cultural activities to cope with and get through nicotine cravings.

“It was a great start for an event we plan to have annually. A total of 120 people attended. Of those, about 30 people were thinking about quitting smoking, currently quitting, or committed to quit for the day.

“I really look forward to how this event will grow,” continued Ashley. “Tobacco-Free Together Day is a day for the whole community, whether you smoke or not, to come together and celebrate being smoke-free. The goal of this event was to help raise awareness on the dangers of smoking while also being a fun and relaxing environment where people wouldn’t feel pressured to quit, but be able to walk away with valuable resources rooted in culture, so when they’re ready to quit they’ll know what is available to help them on their journey to becoming smoke-free.”

Ready to quit smoking? Tulalip Tribes Stop Smoking Program can be reached at (360) 716-5719. Please call for supplies and support in your journey to become smoke-free.

Contact Micheal Rios at mrios@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov

It’s time to end the ‘shh, don’t tell’ mentality

Robin Poor Bear, Oglala, and her two children Anthony and Darian appeared in the PBS series, “Kind Hearted Woman.” Photo/PBS.org

Robin Poor Bear visits Tulalip, speaks out against abuse

By Kim Kalliber, Tulalip News

An estimated one in three Native American women are assaulted or raped in their lifetimes, and three out of five experience domestic violence. Robin Poor Bear, an Oglala Sioux and member of North Dakota’s Spirit Lake tribe, is one of these women.

After facing years of abuse, which began at the age of three when she was molested by her father, and continued through a foster father and two uncles before an abusive husband, Poor Bear continues to fight to improve her life and the lives of others.

Poor Bear turned to alcohol as a way to cope with the psychological issues stemming from abuse. Following her divorce, and the conviction of her ex-husband for molesting their daughter, her two children were taken away from her.

“Kind Hearted Woman,” A PBS documentary created by acclaimed filmmaker David Sutherland, tells the powerful story of Poor Bears struggle to sustain herself, overcome addiction, and gain custody of her children against daunting odds. And throughout it all, she remains kind hearted and devoted to helping others.

Since the making of the documentary, Poor Bear has been traveling to various reservations and communities, serving as a role model and a symbol of strength to other women.

“A lot of people tell me that I’m so brave and so courageous, and I don’t feel like that,” said Poor Bear on her recent visit to Tulalip. “I think that the Creator gives you strength to carry through whatever it is you have to go through. When I told my story, it was Him, I was just going through the motions.”

Poor Bear spent two days, October 19 and 20, on the Tulalip Reservation, speaking with community members about overcoming the fear to speak out about abuse, recovering from tragedy, and urging others to reach out for help.

“I’m so grateful for all of it. There were tons of people that attended these two days of workshops. What an honor. What a beautiful, beautiful place that is here. The people are so amazing. What can we do, is the response I got from the people. I want to give each and every one of them a big thank you, because we need more of that.”

Speaking on VAWA and tribal courts, she impressed, “Law enforcement attended. There were law enforcement in this. That speaks volumes in how far this reservation is. Even though people don’t feel like you’re that far, you are. You’re dealing with historical trauma, generational trauma and genocide. That was instilled upon us, in our bloodline. We are just now getting into this process that has been long coming, like VAWA and all the work of the amazing women who changed legislation. They’re the ones who have helped me tell my story.”

“It’s time to end the ‘shh, don’t tell’ mentality,” Poor Bear said, acknowledging that many cases of abuse fail to get reported because of close-knit communities and family members. “It’s time to say, you know what, I want to hear what you have to say. I want to hear your voice.”

Poor Bear strongly encourages everyone to reach out, to speak up. A good place to start is by contacting an advocate. “It was an advocate that helped me and introduced me to Davis Sutherland. It was an advocate that helped me through the toughest times in my life, when my own family wouldn’t.

“One thing I did, was with a relative that stayed with me, who was in this situation. I invited her and her boyfriend to come and stay with me and I left my pamphlets all over the house, in the bathroom, in her laundry. Finally she said, is this me? And I said, I don’t know only you can answer that. Is it you? And that’s where she started.”

“We have a wealth of resources. Call an advocate, call and reach out to the mental health workers. National hotlines are also available. There is just so much information and so many places to go and to know that you are not alone. I want to tell them all, you are not alone.”

For information about the “Kind Hearted Woman” documentary, visit PBS.org

If I am a survivor of domestic violence or sexual abuse or know someone who is, how can I get help and support?

If you or someone you know is feeling threatened or experiencing abuse, contact service providers at one of these national hotlines for confidential support. Advocates can refer you to local resources in your state or territory.

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

Advocates are available for victims and anyone calling on their behalf to provide crisis intervention, safety planning, information, and referrals to agencies in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Assistance is available in English and Spanish, with access to more than 170 languages through interpreter services.

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

Among its programs, the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline. This nationwide partnership of more than 1,100 local rape treatment hotlines provides victims of sexual violence with free, confidential services around the clock.

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)

Serving the U.S., its territories, and Canada, the hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week with professional crisis counselors who, through interpreters, can provide assistance in 170 languages.

National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline: 1-866-331-9474 or 1-800-331-8453 (TTY) or text “loveis” to 77054

The National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline provides 24/7 phone, text, and chat services designed for young people involved in dating abuse relationships as well as concerned friends, parents, teachers, clergy, law enforcement, and service providers.

A full resource list and hotlines for survivors of domestic and/or sexual abuse can be found at PBS.org

___________________________________________________________

Warrior of mine

Do warriors still exist today…

Yes they do when they Kneel and Pray…

Understanding ALL is not lost…

Walking the “Red Road” not what they were taught…

They lived a life of drugs, booze VIOLENCE, and lust…

Now they are learning in the “Creator to trust”…

They don’t…always believe in “OUR WAYS”…

After all We were “SAVAGES” raped of our PRAISE…

Some Fight Harder, Louder, some still do wrong…

Most are living…walking…looking strong…

Those are our “lost warriors” who still suffer today…

And its for those whom I ask to KNEEL and PRAY….

It was NEVER their FAULT just something “THEY” taught…

HOPING TO “KILL EVERY INDIAN THEY CAUGHT”…

We will carry OUR TRADITIONS through time…

I am grateful to know the WARRIOR and a Friend of MINE…

Written by Robin Poor Bear

Lady Hawks snap losing streak with 3-1 win over Orcas Christian

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

On Tuesday, October 20, the (3-7) Tulalip Heritage Lady Hawks hosted the (2-8) Orcas Christian Saints. Back in late September the Lady Hawks defeated the Saints 3-0 and were looking to snap their 3-game losing streak with another victory over the Saints.

Tulalip started out very sluggishly in the 1^st game, trailing 13-14 to a team they could have easily been blowing out. Coach Tina Brown called a timeout to chat with her team.

“We aren’t communicating. You girls have to play hard. This shouldn’t be a close game. Communicate, move your feet, stop second guessing and play had like I know you can. Let’s go and finish this game strong,” Coach Tina told her team.

The Lady Hawks responded by going on a 12-1 run that won them the opening game, 25-15. Highlighted by five straight aces served up by Adiya Jones, the Lady Hawks looked prime to finish this match off quickly.

Orcas Christian had other ideas though. The Lady Hawks started the 2^nd game by going up 4-1 before the Saints countered with 8-1 run of their own. Now trailing 5-9, the Lady Hawks appeared to shut off their intensity switch. They completely stopped communicating, resulting in easy aces for the Saints and multiple times where players ran into each other because no one was calling for the ball. Down 6-14, Coach Tina again called for a timeout to try and rally her team. Her team didn’t respond like they did in the 1^st game and wound up losing the 2^nd game 19-25.

Before the start of the 3^rd game, Coach Tina pleaded with her team to find the energy and intensity that had disappeared from her players. “Trust, communication, the setter gets the 2^nd hit. You all know the game plan but aren’t doing it. It’s all about communication. You have to get rid of the attitudes and negativity. We’re killing ourselves with the negativity.” Coach’s sentiments were echoed by players Mikaylee Pablo and Jaylin Rivera, who both tried to pump up their team and get everyone’s head up.

It took everyone’s effort to get the Lady Hawks back into the game, it may have taken some talking to, but it worked. In the 3^rd game, the Lady Hawks jumped out to a 15-5 lead. Most importantly, the girls looked like they were having fun again. They were talking it up and running for the ball. For their efforts they won the 3^rd game 25-12.

Their solid play continued in the 4^th game, and really the game was only semi-close because of the 6 points the Lady Hawks gave away on bad serves. They won the game 25-20 and claimed match victory 3-1.

Tulalip Lady Hawks outmatched by Grace Academy, lose 0-3

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

The (3-6) Tulalip Lady Hawks volleyball team traveled to Grace Academy on Friday, October 16, to face the (6-2) Eagles. It was the third straight road game for Tulalip and second time this season they’d play the Eagles. Their first match was played in Tulalip and was a 0-3 defeat for the Hawks.

In the 1^st game of the match, the Lady Hawks were unable to match the intensity of the Eagles and lost a very quickly played game 13-25. In the 2^nd game, the Lady Hawks upped their play and matched the Eagles point for point early-on. With an 8-8 tie game, the Eagles started to pull-away and went on to win the game 19-25.

It was in the 3^rd game where the team from Tulalip displayed the competitive spirit we are accustomed to seeing. They came out firing on all cylinders, taking a 5-1 lead, extending it to 8-2, and then making it 14-5; forcing Grace Academy to take the first timeout of the match. Tulalip was playing as a team and doing a commendable job of hustling to earn every one of their points. Following the timeout, Tulalip continued to dig in and maintain their lead. They were leading 23-16, only needed to score 2 point more to win and force a 4^th game. However, Grace Academy wouldn’t make it that easy and they called another timeout to adjust their serving game strategy.

Following another timeout, Grace Academy scored 5 straight points, 3 of them were on aces, to close the Tulalip lead to 23-21. The Lady Hawks called a timeout of their own to calm their nerves and make a couple substitutions. The Eagles scored 2 more points to tie the game at 23-23. The tension was in the air with both teams really wanting to win this game. Both team refused to give in and they matched each other point for point to a 25-25 standstill. Normally the winner is the first to 25 points, but you have to win by 2, so this was basically like an overtime. First to claim a 2 point lead would win the game. The next two points scored by each team was very quickly countered by their opponent, keeping the game tied at 27-27. The Lady Hawks were running, diving, and hit the floor on numerous occasions to salvage every point, but unfortunately it just wasn’t enough on this night. They gave up another ace to the Eagles, followed by an unforced error that resulted in a 27-29 loss and a 0-3 match defeat.

1st anniversary of Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrated

Sweetwater Nannauck from the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian tribes of southeast Alaska and Director of Idle No More Washington speaks at the Indigenous People’s Day celebration at Westlake Center. Photo/Kim Kalliber — Sweetwater Nannauck from the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian tribes of southeast Alaska and Director of Idle No More Washington speaks at the Indigenous People’s Day celebration at Westlake Center.
Photo/Kim Kalliber

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Congress made the second Monday of October a federal holiday honoring Christopher Columbus in 1937. To all Indigenous, Native, and Fist Nations people, the commemoration of the man responsible for initiating the European colonization of the Americas, which led to hundreds of years of disease, colonial rule and genocidal extermination following the Italian explorer’s accidental trip to the Americas, is just another reminder of the ‘social silence’ we have had to endure as a culture.

‘Social silence’ is the anthropological term for a phenomenon that occurs in a human society when the subjects that are core to how the society function are exactly the ones that are never mentioned. Because European colonialism of the Americas and the mass genocide of millions of indigenous peoples led to the development of the United States (the beacon of hope, prosperity and freedom of the civilized world), there continues to be ‘social silence’ around the cruel and violent history of the United States, of colonialism, and of one Christopher Columbus.

If we maintain the social silence around colonialism, our past and present will always be bewildering. But if we break the silence, and talk about what truly matters, the confusing swirl of struggle and conflict can suddenly make sense. We become silent no more. We become Idle No More.

Last year, the Seattle City Council unanimously voted to change the federal Columbus Day holiday to Indigenous Peoples’ Day, making it the second major U.S. city after Minneapolis to adopt the change. The holiday’s new designation follows a decades-long push by Native American activists in the Coast Salish area to abolish Columbus Day.

Seattle’s decision garnered national media attention and, since then, major cities along the west coast, including Anchorage, Alaska, Portland, Oregon, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and San Fernando, California, have passed legislation changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Days. Only days ago, Alaska Governor Bill Walker signed a momentous proclamation declaring the second Monday of October to be Indigenous Peoples’ Day. While the state of Alaska is the first to rename the federal holiday, credit must be given to South Dakota, the first state to rename the federal holiday as Native American Day in 1990.

So it was with great pleasure and pride that the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, in partnership with Indigenous Peoples’ Day resolution author Matt Remle, held an all-day celebration in Seattle on the 1^st anniversary of Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday, October 12.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day resolution author Matt RemlePhoto/Kim Kalliber — Indigenous Peoples’ Day resolution author Matt Remle
Photo/Kim Kalliber

The celebration was comprised of three main events, to which any and all Native community members and supporters were freely invited to. The first event was a celebratory march from Westlake Park in downtown Seattle. Hundreds of people gathered at Westlake Park, most decked out in their Native regalia, and they beat their drums and sang as loud as they could while marching to their Seattle City Hall destination.

The second event took place in the Bertha Knight Landes room of Seattle City Hall, where Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrators were greeted by the Seattle Mayor and Seattle City Councilmembers.

Crowd gathered at Seattle Cith Hall where Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrators were greeted by the Seattle Mayor and Seattle City Councilmembers. Photo/Micheal Rios — Crowd gathered at Seattle City Hall where Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrators were greeted by the Seattle Mayor and Seattle City Councilmembers.
Photo/Micheal Rios

“Last year we took a historic step in the city of Seattle, and today it is an honor to be here and be with all of you to celebrate the 1^st anniversary of Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” said Seattle Mayor Edward Murray. “It marks a new history in the city of Seattle and continues our dialogue with the tens of thousands of Native Americans who call Seattle home. It goes without saying that the history of this city is intertwined with the history of our Native peoples. We know we face challenges with the institutional discrimination that remains today, in housing, addiction and education. We will continue to work on these issues in Native communities. If anywhere in the nation we can make progress on these very challenging issues, it’s us. We have an incredible heritage of tribal communities who have been groundbreaking and leading this state long before my ancestors were here. Going forward, we have a lot of healing to do, but today we are here to celebrate. Today we are here to honor. Today we are here to say Indigenous Peoples’ Day is more than just a day, it’s every day.”

Lunch, consisting of salmon chowder, frybread, and a healthy fruit salad, was served to all those in attendance.

Following lunch, a very passionate, keynote speech was given by Winona LaDuke. She is a member of the Anishinaabe nation from the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota and is renowned for her activism on behalf of indigenous people and the environment. She is also a two-time Green Party vice presidential candidate.

Winona LaDuke, keynote speaker at City Hall. Photo/Micheal Rios — Winona LaDuke, keynote speaker at City Hall.
Photo/Micheal Rios

“What a great day it is. It is so happy, so liberating,” marveled LaDuke. “On our march here I noticed ‘Columbus Day Sale’ signs in the windows of some stores, and I was thinking does that mean I can walk around those stores and take whatever I want?”

“It is so liberating for me to be here and celebrate with you all in just how awesome it is be Indigenous people. You know, it’s always perplexed me how someone can name something as large as a mountain or sea or an entire day after someone as small as a human. It changes how people view things when everything is named after all these white guys. We are just beginning. There is a lot of work ahead in the renaming and recovering and restoration of our homelands. In doing so we remember our ancestors. In doing this we honor all those before us, all those here, and all those yet to come. And we reaffirm our place here as a people who remember, as a people who do not suffer from historic amnesia. We are a people who live today in a civil society who knows where it is exactly and is willing to be healthy, healthy and beautiful.”

“We are living proof that it is possible to live in a worldview that does not include empire, the destruction of our Mother Earth, and being ran by the morally corrupt oil and pharmaceutical companies,” continued LaDuke to a crown of cheering Native community members and supporters. “As we open our minds here I’m really honored to be with you in Seattle, a place that is in process of deconstructing the colonial renaming of our mountains, rivers, and oceans. I have great admiration and respect to y’all out here for standing up in what you know is true and being here to celebrate this great day.”

There was an evening celebration held at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center that consisted in Native and Indigenous people from all over the nation performing their cultural songs and dances, not entertainment, but to celebrate each other. Celebration in recognition of a day that not only provides us with a platform to raise awareness, but it also commemorates a history of survival and perseverance.

Lady Hawks keep games competitive, but unable to close against Lobos and Knights

by Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

On Friday, October 9, the Tulalip Heritage Lady Hawks (3-4) volleyball team traveled to Lopez Island to take on the (5-1) Lobos. It was the second time these two teams have faced each other, with the previous being a 0-3 loss at home for Tulalip.

This time around the Lady Hawks had their full squad of players and have been playing very good team volleyball. The Lady Hawks were able to keep the score close in each game, countering each Lobos point with a point of their own. Surprisingly, two of the three games were played beyond the 25 point mark because neither team was able to take a two-point advantage. Unfortunately, even with the great effort being displayed by the Lady Hawks they would fall just short in both of those games.

The Lobos won the match 3-0 over the visiting team, but Tulalip gave them all they could handle and if only a couple points had gone differently they could have won the match.

On Tuesday, October 13, the Lady Hawks (3-5) again hit the road and traveled the short distance to Cascade Christian Reformed Church in Marysville to play the Arlington Highland Knights (4-4). It was also the second time these two teams had faced each other, with the previous being a very competitive 0-3 defeat at home for Tulalip.

This match would have substantial repercussions on the Northwest 1B volleyball standings. Currently sitting in the #4 spot are the Knights and only one game behind them are the Lady Hawks at #5. With a win the Lady Hawks could have the inside track to being the #4 seed come playoff time, meaning they would host a home playoff game.

Prior to the game, coach Tina Brown spoke about the team’s mindset heading into this big matchup. “We’ve been working hard in practice and going over game film to have the girls see what areas of their game needs improvement. They agree communication is our number one area to focus on. Our communication has been the biggest factor in our wins and in our losses. If we focus on communicating and helping each other out, then this will be a great game. We have to communicate and trust each other.”

In the 1^st game, everything that could go wrong for the Lady Hawks did go wrong. Early season struggles of hitting their serves in play was once again an issue. The Lady Hawks were giving away easy points to their opponent simply because they weren’t getting the ball over the net on their serves. As this continued to happen in the first game, the team really struggled to play together and they stopped communicating. The Knights went on to win the 1^st game 25-13, in large part to the 7 unforced errors the Lady Hawks committed in their serving game.

In the 2^nd game, the Lady Hawks cleaned up their service game and only committed 3 unforced errors. Getting the ball over the net got the girls engaged into the game and they communicated like they know how. Tying the game at 10-10 and then again at 20-20, the Lady Hawks were in good position to win the game. However, the Knights called timeout after the game was tied at 20-20 to talk things over. Their coach noticed the Tulalip front line players were moving way too close to the net, resulting in holes in the back line of the Tulalip defense. Out of their timeout, the Knights were able to capitalize on their coach’s advice and went on a 5-2 run to seal the game 25-22 by aiming for those holes in Tulalip’s back line.

In the 3^rd game, the Lady Hawks started out hot and led by Adiya Jones serving four straight aces, took a 8-4 lead. The game was highly competitive and the Lady Hawks were playing their best ball of the match. After only giving up two points on bad serves, they were able to take a 23-18 lead. For whatever reason though, the Lady Hawks tightened up only needing a couple points to win the game and they stopped communicating with each other. Going back to what their coach said prior to the game, if they don’t communicate and trust each then they won’t be able to pull out a victory. And that’s exactly what happened. The Lady Hawks blew their 23-18 lead and lost the game 25-27, resulting in a 0-3 match defeat.

Both matches of this road trip were winnable by the Lady Hawks if they could just learn to communicate effectively for an entire match, not just for minutes at a time, and close out the games they are leading. Now sitting at 3-6 on the season, the playoffs are still a realistic goal, but only if the Lady Hawks clean up their game.

Lady Hawks claim 1st home victory vs. Skykomish, 3-1

by Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

On Tuesday, October 6, the Tulalip Lady Hawks (2-4) volleyball team hosted the Rockets (1-5) from Skykomish. The Francis J. Sheldon gymnasium was decorated with pink signs, pink balloons, and pink ribbons to recognize October as national Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

It was clear just by watching the two teams warm-up prior to their match that the Lady Hawks had a decisive advantage in skill and athleticism. All the Lady Hawks had to do was execute their game plan and not commit turnovers that result in points for their opponent.

The 1^st game started out rough for the home team to say the least. They weren’t communicating, there was no hustle, and most of all they were scoring most of the points for their opponent by committing error after error. Coach Tina Brown called timeout when the Lady Hawks went down 9-10, but was unable to get her team going. The Lady Hawks were visually stunned after giving away the 1^st game, 17-25, to the Rockets.

Before the start of the 2^nd game, coach Tina told her team, “All we have to do out there is talk, that’s it. Just talk and we’ll win this match. If you don’t communicate with each other then you make it very difficult to win.”

The Lady Hawks took that 1^st game loss personal, as they should have, and came out motivated and determined to make up for it in the 2^nd game. Jumping out to a 10-3 point lead calmed the girls’ nerves and allowed them to settle in and just play their game. They would win the 2^nd game 25-15, tying the match at one game apiece.

In the 3^rd game, #13 Jaylin Rivera kept the momentum going for her team by serving up four straight aces. With #12 Aliya Jones leading the way with her active voice and energy, she sparked the rest of her teammates to follow suit and hustle their way to a 25-13 win to claim the 3^rd game.

The 4^th game would be the easiest of them all for Lady Hawks, as the Rockets best player appeared to strain her hamstring and come out of the game. Leaving little competition for the Lady Hawks, they took the game 25-12 and the match 3-1. It was the first home win on the season for the Lady Hawks, and moved their overall record to 3-4 and only 1 game behind for 4^th place in the division standings.

Tulalip removes statute of limitations on sexual assault cases

By Niki Cleary, Tulalip News

It’s a nightmare. Whether it happens to you or someone you love, or just someone in your community, it is a trauma with vast ripple effects. Rape. Sexual violence. Child molestation. Just naming the crime is uncomfortable, scary, traumatizing. Imagine if it happened to you, to your best friend or sibling, and it’s every parent’s worst nightmare to think it could happen to your child.

“Victims might hold onto an assault for years without saying anything,” said Tulalip Chairman Mel Sheldon. “In the past, when they found the courage, or the right situation came up where they could talk about it, the statute of limitations may have passed. There was no justice for them. This is about sending a message to those that were victimized, letting them know that we care and from this day forward there will be justice no matter when the crime happened.”

According to the Department of Justice National Crime Victimization survey 284,350 people were victims of rape or sexual assault nationally. This doesn’t include domestic violence or intimate partner violence, which often includes a sexual assault component.

“We know Native American women are three times more likely to be sexually assaulted,” said Tulalip Prosecutor Brian Kilgore. “It’s an epidemic and it drives a lot of the trauma and grief behind the drug epidemic.”

Only a fraction of sexual assaults are ever reported and fewer still are prosecuted. The reasons why are far from simple. They run the gamut from cultural norms to the physical, financial and psychological pros and cons of reporting. Particularly, since the majority of sexual assaults are committed by someone known, or related to the victim.

A few of the lifelong effects of sexual assault include post-traumatic stress disorder, inability to form healthy attachments, sexual dysfunction, depression and anxiety. This is also further complicated by the reactions of those close to the victim when the victim discloses the crime. The fear of losing their support systems, or worse, being shunned or blamed for the assault, often stops victims in their tracks.

“This is about sending a message to those that were victimized, letting them know that we care and from this day forward there will be justice no matter when the crime happened.”

– Mel Sheldon, Tulalip Tribes Chairman

“If you have 100 sexual assault victims, maybe 10 or 15 will get reported,” explained Aaron Verba, the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Investigator for the Tulalip Prosecutor’s Office. “You might file three and then when it comes to a guilty verdict, maybe you’re down to one. It really comes down to the cost for the victim,” he continued. “There’s a 99 percent chance that you were victimized by someone you know or are related to.”

Because the perpetrator is often part of the community, peers and family may be unwilling to believe the crime happened. In many cases not believing the victim is a form of self-protection, Aaron described. Families don’t want to see another family member as an offender.

“Everyone is victimized,” he said. “For the family, if they support the victim sometimes they have to admit, ‘I believe this bad thing happened to you and I may have unknowingly been involved in the grooming process.’ The family has to decide whether it’s safer for them to support the victim or the perpetrator.”

Oftentimes, it’s easier to simply deny that the crime happened, to blame circumstances or even blame the victim. Jade Carela, of the Child Advocacy Center.

“Why don’t they come forward?” she asked. “As a community member, I feel like the community support isn’t there yet. We have sex predators in our community that hold high positions or spiritual positions in our tribe. Victims have to wonder, ‘Why would I come out in a community that still holds these people up? I’m not going to get support.’ In the past when they were ready, the statute of limitations may have been up, and then it was too late.”

“It’s especially hard to disclose if a victim has seen another victim disclose and it went badly for them. Sometimes people justcarry that trauma around with them,” Aaron continued. “It’s a conversation we have with every victim that walks in here. Or they may be thinking I’m going to put this person away for the rest of his life, and you have to have an honest and frank conversation about the fact that we may not get 40 years, or even 30. This person may be back in the community in one year.”

Particularly in Native American communities, after the perpetrator serves time, community will be looking to reintegrate the person into everyday life. That means that the victim will likely encounter the perpetrator at community events, family events and everyday activities like going to the grocery store.

“When you sit down and tell people realistically what is going to happen, sometimes they change their mind,” said Aaron.

With all of the obstacles and potential fallout surrounding sexual abuse, there are just as many positive reasons to disclose a sex crime.

Brian explained that most rapists have a history of sex crimes, and unless they’re prosecuted, a future. Making sure that a perpetrator doesn’t hurt someone else is a huge incentive for some victims.

“Rape kits are expensive to test,” said Brian. “The State of Ohio had thousands of untested rape kits sitting on a shelf and they paid to have them all tested. When they did they found a pattern because most rapists are serial rapists. It’s not a comfortable thing to say, ‘I was raped,’ but there’s a good chance if they’ve done it to you, they’ve done it to other people. The only way to stop them is to shine some daylight on it.”

Removing the statute of limitations on sex crimes isn’t just an empty political move, said Jade, it’s a step towards justice, healing for victims and an overall healthier community.

“As a community, we can show these victims that we love them by not being secretive about this. We need to educate our children, and come forward. Know that from here forward, whenever you are ready, we can still prosecute the crimes that happened to you.

“We always talk about the drug epidemic,” she continued. “Drugs are a symptom, they’re not the cause. The root cause is that when these drug addicts were little kids, things happened to them. If we want to eradicate drug use on the reservation, what we need to do now is keep our children safe.”

Aaron agreed, “There’s an incredibly high correlation between drug use and trauma. If you poll all the people who come through our court for drug offense, I’m guessing that 99.99% of them would have some sort of emotional abuse, neglect, physical abuse, or sexual abuse. Ultimately there’s a reason that you use drugs to change your reality, usually it’s because your reality sucks.”

Last, both Jade and Aaron agreed, disclosure is about healing.

“The women coming out now were children when this happened to them,” Jade said. “Hopefully, now they’ll feel safe enough to tell the reality about what happened to them so that they can get help. So that they don’t pass that on to their children.”

Aaron pointed to the new law as a sign of the changing times. But family support is going to be even more valuable.

“The important thing is how we support a victim,” he said. “When they disclose, they need to know they’ll be believed and someone will do something about it. The big thing about disclosure is that’s when you start healing. You can’t truly heal a wound until you take care of it, you can cover it up, you can ignore it or pretend it didn’t happen, but you can’t truly heal.”

Aaron also pointed out that sexual assault leaves scars that can take generations to heal.

“I heard once that it takes seven generations for sexual abuse to get out of a family,” he said. “That’s if the first person actually gets treatment, resolves issues and gets back to a somewhat healthy way. That person is still going to pass some of it on. You can’t not pass your life experiences on to your children, whether you know you’re doing it or not. We have people who have kept that stuff hidden for 30 or 40 years. The people on this reservation are still dealing with the effects of sexual abuse in boarding schools.”

This resolution is not retroactive. If the statute of limitations has already expired, the crime may not be prosecuted in Tulalip Court. However, Brian explained, it’s still worthwhile to report it.

“If you have DNA evidence, the federal statute of limitations runs from when you test the evidence,” he said. “For a lot of folks, the police may have a current file on the perpetrator, and any information will help them in their investigation. We can never promise that a case is going to be prosecutable, but we don’t know if it’s never reported.”

If you were the victim or witness of a sexual assault, or any crime, the first step is to call the police, regardless of how much time has passed. In emergencies always call 911. For non-emergencies you can reach the Tulalip Police Department at 360-716-4608.