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Suquamish.nsn.us
Suquamish News
May 2022 | 1
Suquamish News Volume 22
May 2022
No. 5
In this issue: Treasury tours Suquamish - p3 Garden project at ELC -- p9 Honing new strengths -- p10
Spring Break fun! — p4
Tribe votes on BIA — p7
Suquamish Champions! Three youth teams take top titles
Preparing for disasters — p11
2 | May 2022
Community Calendar
Suquamish News
Events & Meetings
Contact
Suquamish Tribal Council Tribal Council meets May 9 & 23. Links are sent to Tribal members via SUN.
Government Offices Communications: (360) 394-7184/7102 Community Dev: (360) 394-8415 Community Health: (360) 394-8468/8594 Emergency Management: (360) 394-8507 Emergency Work Orders: (360) 900-7050 Emergency Utilities: (360) 710-3223 Finance: (360) 394-8432 Fisheries: (360) 394-8438 Health Benefits: (360) 394-8424 Human Resources: (360) 394-8409 Human Services: (360) 394-8465 IT Help Desk: (360) 394-8485 Maintenance: (360) 394-8590 Tribal Child Welfare: (360) 394-8480 Tribal Court: (360) 394-8697
PME Board Meetings are online and in person on May 11 @ 9am. Contact Emily Sato, emilysato@clearwatercasino.com (360) 598-8703. Suquamish Tribal Gaming Comm. Meets May 5 & 19. Virtual only. Contact Angela Brainerd at (360) 394-8652 for details. Suquamish Seafoods Board Meets online May 17 . Seafoods Retail is open Thurs-Sun. Contact Shanel Carlson at (360) 394-8512 for details. Suquamish Museum Board Meets May 19. Call (360) 394-8499 for details. Suquamish Warriors Suquamish Warriors meetings are on 1st Tuesdays @ 5:30pm at Suquamish Warriors Vet Center. For information, contact Jean Belmont at (360) 601-7918.
Suquamish Elders Della Crowell (360) 394-8417 Donna Sigo (360) 394-8472 Suquamish Police Dept Mon-Fri, 8am–4:30pm Front Desk: (360) 598-4334 Emergency: 911 Wellness Center Front desk: (360) 394-8558 Crisis Hotline: (888) 910-0416
Suquamish News •
Published monthly by the Suquamish Tribe: 18490 Suquamish Way, Suquamish, WA 98392
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Email us at: communications@suquamish.nsn.us
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Send letters to: Suquamish News Editor, PO Box 498, Suquamish, WA 98392-0498
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Letters should include the writer’s full name, address, and home telephone and may be edited for clarity and space.
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All photo submissions must be made in JPG or PDF form, with resolution of 300 dpi or more.
On the cover... The Suquamish PeeWee C Team was among three Suquamish youth teams to secure championship titles during the winter basketball season. Back row, left to right: Taya Lawrence, Chris Miller, We-Laka Chiquiti Jr, Shaunie Cordero, Sully Korsak, Kyle Wellman, Bryson Miller, Silas Old Coyote, Magdalena Turrieta. Front row, left to right: Braylen Boure, Kayo Zaiss, Jaryk Belgarde. See more on page 5.
Suquamish Tribal Council Leonard Forsman
Chairman
Josh Bagley
Vice-Chair
Windy Anderson
Secretary
Denita Holmes
Treasurer
Rich Purser
Member
Sammy Mabe
Member
Luther Mills, Jr.
Member
Reproduction of Suquamish News, in whole or in part, without written permission from the Suquamish Tribe is strictly prohibited.
Production Staff Leonard Forsman Sarah van Gelder Jon Anderson JoAnn Joe
Editorial Policy
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Photography/Design
Publishers of the Suquamish News reserve the right to refuse publication of letters to the editor and guest editorials. Submission of editorials and letters is encouraged. However, they represent the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the Suquamish Tribe. As such, we reserve the right to refuse to print any letter, for any reason.
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Suquamish News
May 2022 | 3
Community
U.S. Treasury’s COVID Relief Official Learns about Use of COVID Funds in Suquamish
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n Sunday April 3rd, U.S. Department of the Treasury Chief Recovery Officer Jacob Leibenluft visited the Suquamish Tribe, the first visit by a Treasury Department official to Tribal lands during the Biden-Harris administration. During his visit, Leibenluft toured several of the Suquamish Tribe’s facilities that are receiving support from federal recovery funding, including Suquamish Seafoods and Chief Kitsap Academy. Tribal officials also briefed Mr. Leibenluft on plans for a new health clinic, and new housing projects, where the Tribe is making major investments. Leibenluft oversees Treasury’s Office of Recovery Programs – a new office established in April 2021 to administer the over $1 trillion in pandemic relief programs under Treasury’s oversight. A Tribal Policy and Engagement Team within the Office of Recovery Programs was created to support an equitable and efficient deployment of funds to Tribal nations. This round of federal funding is the largest appropriation for Indian Country in U.S. history. The Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan, signed at the White House last year on March 11 in response to the COVID emergency, earmarked more than $20 billion of the total $1.9 trillion package for Native American Tribes. The funding “is a long over-due step towards meeting the federal government’s trust responsibilities to the original peoples of this land,” said Suquamish Chairman Leonard Forsman. Reservation Housing Is the Priority The Suquamish Tribe is using most of its share of the funding to address a chronic scarcity of affordable housing on the reservation. Like many other Tribes, the Suquamish has struggled with the loss of reservation lands caused by feder-
al policies that neglected trust responsibilities to Tribes and under-funded Tribal programs. The need for housing on the Port Madison Indian Reservation (PMIR) has recently become even more urgent as the prices of homes throughout the region, including the PMIR, have spiked. Many Tribal families are being priced out of living on their own homelands. Among the projects moving forward with American Rescue Plan funding is the Little Hill housing development, which will provide a dozen lots, supplied with utility infrastructure, where Tribal families can build their own homes. There will also be a 20-unit townhouse complex built across from the Suquamish Tribe Administration Building, on land that the Tribe recently re-acquired at the end of the “Suquamish Shores” second 25-year lease. Bringing water, sewer, and electricity services to these projects is a major investment partially funded with American Rescue Plan dollars. In addition, the COVID pandemic showed that good internet service is a necessity, and the Tribe is making major investments in building out broadband connectivity to Tribal homes and public spaces. The Tribe is using some of the funds to support Tribal members in purchasing homes through down payment assistance, and supporting the repair and maintenance of homes owned by Tribal families. “The funding received through the American Rescue Plan Act means more Suquamish Tribal members can afford to live on their own reservation, or to return home. It means families will have access to 21st Century necessities, like broadband internet. And it means our children can be educated in a facility that is both safe and welcoming,” said Forsman.
Suquamish Chairman Leonard Forsman (second from left), Vice-chair Joshua Bagley (front), meet with U.S. Treasury Chief Recovery Officer Jacob Leibenluft (front row, center) during visit to Suquamish on April 3.
“The funding received through the American Rescue Plant Act means more Suquamish Tribal members can afford to live on their own Reservation, or to return home.” Tribal Land Taken – and Recovered How did a housing shortage happen on the Port Madison Indian Reservation? Due to federal and local policies, much of the land on the Port Madison Indian Reservation had been taken out of Tribal hands during the long period of assimilation following the signing of the Treaty of Point Elliott of 1855. Much of the land that was allotted by the Indian Agent to individual Tribal members, was lost to tribal members through marriage, fraud, taxes that a subsistence way of life couldn’t support, and, in at least one dramatic case, through U.S. Military appropriation. Na-
tive people who were unable to pass bogus “competency” tests (like reading and writing in English, which, for them, was a second language), could find that the local Indian agent had assumed guardianship over the land and had sold it to whomever he pleased, at whatever price he determined. In 1904, the U.S. Military took much of the reservation’s waterfront including the land where Old Man House, Chief Seattle’s home, had stood, and where the main Suquamish village was located. The land was never used for fortification, the
Continued on page 7
4 | May 2022
Suquamish News
Youth
S prin g Br e ak Fun!
Tribal Community children enjoy a wide range of activities at the Family & Friends Center during the Spring Break.
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pring break was a BIG success for the Family & Friends Center! The youth had many activities to choose from! We did crafts here at ʔiišədalʔtxʷ ʔə ti suq̓ ʷabš (Family and Friends Center), took kids to the Seattle van Gogh Experience Exhibit, and took them out to eat at the Seattle Crab Pot restaurant. Thank you Sports & Recreation Department for hosting an archery class where the youth learned how to use a bow & arrow! We had a successful field day. We served hot dogs and hamburgers, salad, refreshments and the youth loved our homemade snow cones! While playing tug-a-war, potato sack racing, Frisbee throwing and four square, there were unlimited smiles and laughter. Closing spring break, the Family and Friends Center hosted a “Teen Late Night” which was very popular (the youth are asking for more Teen Late Nights) Pizza, gym time, dance class, weight lift-
ing, root beer floats, video games and the teen girls painting each other’s nails. Some other activities that youth participated in this month included a trip to the Poulsbo Dancing Brush, family pool day at the Bainbridge Island Pool, weaving classes with Denita Holmes, Suquamish Song & Dance at the HOAC, an information/ goody bag distribution to recognize Autism Acceptance month, mini-ribbon skirts to recognize “Ribbon Skirt Month,” and plenty more crafts to do after school. We also had a couple “Rez Clean-ups,” a distribution day to recognize Earth Day, and a Renewal Coastal Jam at the House of Awakened Culture on scheduled for April 30. If you have any questions about any upcoming events, please contact ʔiišədalʔtxʷ ʔə ti suq̓ ʷabš (Family and Friends Center) at (360) 394-8576 or email us at fandfcenter@suquamish.nsn.us. Abby Purser-Price
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Suquamish News
May 2022 | 5
Suquamish Youth Basketball teams win Kitsap County, Poulsbo Park leagues, and Nisqually Championships No fewer than three Suquamish Youth basketball teams wrapped up their winter seasons with championship titles to their credit. The nine and ten year olds on the Suquamish Pee Wee “C Team” started the season with three losses, but turned it around by working hard and improving every game. By the end of the regular season, they were tied for second place with a 7-3 record. Moving into the playoffs The Suquamish youth 3rd and 4th graders team won several games while they continued their hot learning the fundamentals of the basketball. streak, defeating North Perry who beat them earlier in the year. From there they moved on to face Warren Avenue, who had not lost a game in two years. During the regular season, we lost our first meeting against Warren by a double-digit margin. The second game was much closer, losing by just one point. During the playoffs, Warren continued their domination of other teams. But our Suquamish youth accepted the challenge, going on to defeat them in the Kitsap County Championship game. Congratulations to the team and coaches for their hard work and great sportsmanship throughout the season. 5th grade boys, 3rd & 4th grade girls go undefeated The 5th grade boys team came into the season with some newcomers to the program, beginning the season a little slow. But they made improvement throughout the season and put in the work at practice. As a result, they finished the season undefeated! They culminated their season with a big win as the Poulsbo Park League champions. These players are improving their skill levels and will be turning out for their middle school basketball teams next season. We will continue to participate in the upcoming spring league, which will include 6th graders, beginning at the end of April. The girls 3rd and 4th grade Parks & Rec team was also undefeated in their season.
The 7th and 8th Graders won the Nisqually Tournament championship title on April 10.
7th & 8th Graders Nisqually Champs On April 1-3, we brought our 3rd & 4th grade team to compete in their first tournament in over two years. Not only was this the first tournament in two years, but for most of these players this was their first tournament ever. They played some great games, and as always they gave it their best and had all smiles all weekend. They fought hard right down to the end. They fell just a little short but played their hearts out. On the following weekend, we brought two teams down to Nisqually for 5th and 6th grade and 7th & 8th grade coed tournaments. The weekend was very long. We spent all of both days in the gym. These kids played some very tough games, against great competition. Our 5th & 6th grade team took 4th place overall and our 7th & 8th coed team walked away as the tournament champions! These players gave everything they had in these games, playing hard until the very last buzzer went off. All their hard work at practice unfolded in this tournament.
We are beyond proud of each youth that competed in these tournaments and are looking forward to more tournaments with our kids. We are all very happy we get to have our youth back in the gym playing the game they all love. Thank you for all the parent support over this past basketball season. By Craig Miller and Magdalena Turrieta
Suquamish Basketball Spring Games for Grades 5-8 5th & 6th Grade Schedule:
7th and 8th Grade Schedule:
6 | May 2022
Suquamish News
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Tribal Government
Chairman’s Report
N
ow that the pandemic restrictions are beginning to lift, more in-person events are being held to commemorate important historic events. The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe hosted an event at their golf course facility to honor our Vietnam veterans on the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. The Suquamish Warriors were well represented and I had the honor to meet some of the men and women who served during this conflict. The Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community commemorated the 80th anniversary of the removal of Japanese Americans from Bainbridge Island at the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial on Eagle Harbor. I welcomed the attendees to our ancestral lands at the beginning of the ceremony. Frances Kitamato Ikegami, an Elder who was interned as a child, and Governor Inslee were the featured speakers.
Welcoming international guests We had two great opportunities to extend our tradition of diplomacy to international guests this past month.
The Marshall Fellows visited the Suquamish Museum to learn more about our Tribe and our culture. The Marshall Fellows program is intended to improve Trans-Atlantic relations by sending European scholars to the U.S. and vice versa to learn more about our respective countries. Our group included scholars from Poland, Germany, Armenia, Greece, and France. We also had a group of citizens from Nantes, France visit our museum and the grave of Chief Seattle as part of the Seattle-Nantes sister city exchange. The visit included the Mayor of Nantes and other government officials. We participated in a similar exchange in 1982 when the “Eyes of Chief Seattle” traveling exhibit was shown in Nantes and later became the Suquamish Museum’s first permanent exhibit in 1983. Tribal Elder Bernard Adams relayed to us at the time that he had been hospitalized in Nantes during WWII after fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, another Nantes-Suquamish connection. Thank you to Treasurer Denita Holmes, Joey Holmes, and other canoe family members for traveling to a reception for the Nantes delegation in Seattle prior to their visit at Suquamish. CSD and Canoe Journey planning The Elders Council and the Culture Committee each held their meetings to plan future events and activities. Chief Seattle Days will be held in August with limited events. The Elders Council is going to organize the Chief Seattle Gravesite honoring. A small canoe journey for our Tribal canoe families will be held in August with travel to Blake Island.
review the agenda for the mid-year conference to be held at Lummi in mid-May. We are looking forward to having an in-person conference and renewing our solidarity. Building relationships Our government-to-government relations continue to be an important role of the Tribal Council and our key staff members. Governor Inslee held a bill signing ceremony at Tulalip that included legislation strengthening identification and awareness of missing indigenous women and a bill that clarified Tribal consultation processes under the Climate Commitment Act. I was able to provide some brief remarks regarding the importance of a transparent state-Tribal relationship based on mutual respect. We also had our annual meeting with the North Kitsap School Board and heard reports from the leadership at Suquamish Elementary and Kingston High School. Data provided during the meeting showed that many of our students are lagging behind, but this trend is districtwide as the school population recovers from the disruptions to learning caused by the pandemic.
Educating to protect We continue to work to educate others about the importance of preserving salmon and shellfish habitat from pollution and climate change. The League of Women Voters of Kitsap sponsored a virtual panel of local elected officials to discuss climate change challenges and potential solutions. Promoting Tribal Gaming I emphasized the work that we are doing to Our government relations also include working restore habitat as a backstop against impacts of with other Tribal governments on protecting our our warming climate. sovereignty and growing our economies. The recent passage of the Violence Against The Swinomish Tribe hosted the monthly Women Act reauthorization has enabled Tribal Washington Indian Gaming Association meeting courts to exert more jurisdiction over non-Inat their casino/resort. dian who commit domestic violence against The meeting included a lengthy discussion Tribal citizens on our reservation. regarding the finances of the organization and Our Tribal attorneys are working with the the growing need for us to invest in educating the court and police to make the code revisions public about the economic and social benefits of needed to implement these new authorities. the Tribal Gaming industry. By Leonard Forsman The ATNI Executive Board held a meeting to Suquamish Tribe Chairman
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Suquamish News
May 2022 | 7
News
Down Payment & Homeowner Maintenance Assistance increased
Suquamish Tribe Votes to Amend Constitution
Down Payment Assistance program changes approved by Tribal Council increased assistance for down payments and refinancing. Homeowner Maintenance Assistance was also increased. Previous recipients can reapply for additional funds towards maintenance of their primary residence. The service area for both programs was extended from Kitsap County to include the whole Kitsap Peninsula. Applications are available in the DCD lobby. Questions? Contact Vicki Cole (360) 394-8419 or vcole@suquamish.nsn.us or Lois Sullivan (360) 394-8416 or lsullivan@suquamish.nsn.us
The Secretarial Election Board, whose members include Puget Sound BIA Superintendent Janine Van Dusen and Suquamish Tribal Members Martha George-Sachava and Charlene Renquist, have certified that the results of the election are to adopt the proposed Constitutional amendment. The total vote was 137 in favor of adopting the constitutional change and 59 opposed. A total of 280 Tribal members registered to vote in this election. Results were sent to Tribal members via SUN text alert and posted on the Tribe’s website. Further details are at: https://suquamish.nsn.us/biavote/ Secretarial Election Board members and Tribal citizens Martha George-Sachava and Charlene Renquist counting votes in the BIA Secretarial Election. The outcome was announced April 8.
Treasury visit to Suquamish continued from page 3
original justification for the taking. Instead, it was sold to developers, who divided the land into lots for waterfront homes for non-Natives. The original covenants on that land, still on file with Kitsap County, require that land owners only sell their land to Caucasians. At the low point, the Tribe and Tribal members owned just one-third of the land and a fraction of the waterfront property on the reservation. Efforts to re-purchase land and build housing were often met with hostility from non-Native neighbors. Today, through an arduous and expensive process of re-purchasing the land at market rates, the Tribe and its members own more than half of the land on the Port Madison Indian Reservation, allowing the Tribe to expand housing opportunities for Tribal citizens. Other Uses for COVID Relief Funds Although affordable housing is a priority, the Tribe is also using some of the American Rescue Plan funding for education. The Tribe is building a new multi-purpose building
for its Tribal-state charter school Chief Kitsap Academy. During the COVID pandemic, it became clear that the cramped spaces now used for lunches and gatherings were inadequate, especially when physical distancing was a public health necessity. The new multi-purpose building will mean school assemblies, rather than taking place with students and staff standing outdoors, can now occur inside, and that some sports and other gatherings can be located on the school campus. Next up for the Tribe – planning a new lodge for Elders and upgrading the infrastructure capacity at existing Tribal neighborhoods to allow growth. “The nation’s Tribes have yet to recover from centuries of disinvestment and broken promises,” Forsman said. “But, a year after this historic commitment to Indian Country, we are seeing real progress for our Suquamish families.” Following the tour, Leibenluft was treated to a seafood feast prepared by Luther “Jay” Mills, Jr, and others at the House of Awakened Culture, and he had an opportunity to hear from other regional Tribal leaders.
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Suquamish News
News
Tribal members sound off on distribution preferences Gift cards, Tribal pride, culture-themes top list Suquamish Tribal members were asked for their thoughts on distributions and giveaways in an online survey. From among the 51 who responded, many said they’d love to see more gift cards and items sporting Tribal flair and Coast Salish culture. “For much of the pandemic, drive-thru distributions have provided items based on what we thought people might want. But it was time to ask our people for their input and help us understand how we can improve moving forward,” said Lisa Jackson, the Tribe’s Healing of the Canoe Training & Curriculum Manager who organized the survey. Questions included preferences for the best days and times for giveaways and suggested items for future distributions for youth, adults and families. Tribal members were also asked what was the best ways to get details on upcoming giveaways. Here are the results: • Distribution Requests – More than any other specific item, Tribal members requested more gift cards, as well as gas and food vouchers, in giveaways. For youth distributions, craft supplies and activity kits were also a common request among respondents. Movie and game night swag bags were also highly requested, as well as staycation nights at the Clearwater Casino Resort. • Suquamish Pride – Many requested items with the Suquamish Tribe logo on everything from bowls, plates, and ornaments to towels, pillows, and license plate holders. One Tribal member said they’d love to get “Suquamish Tribe flags so we can display in our yards or off of our houses.” • More culture-themed giveaways – Many asked to see more Suquamish and Coast Salish culture integrated into distributions. One offered the idea of a book “explaining the values of Coast Salish people” as one giveaway possibility. Drum and rattle kits, looms and beading supplies, canned and smoked fish, were also common requests.
• Best Day – Tribal members could pick as many days of the week as they liked, but Wednesday emerged as the favorite, followed closely by Tuesday and Friday. Sunday and Thursday were the least preferred. • Best Time – The later the better, said Tribal members. With four time blocks to pick from, the earliest, 11am to 1pm, got the least votes Again, respondents could select as many time blocks as they liked, but preference went up from there with each time block getting progressively more votes, with respondents saying the last time block, 5pm to 8pm, was the most convenient. • Best way to learn about distributions – The vast majority of Tribal members said they learned about distributions through messages from SUN text alert and the Suquamish Weekly Update email. The Tribal Only Facebook Group is also common. Several Tribal members also offered some constructive criticism on providing better instructions and faster drive-thru flow, among other ideas. Others took a moment to offer their gratitude. “I appreciate the time and work that goes into a distribution, we are so fortunate to receive such gifts, activities and more,” commented one Tribal member. “We hold hands up to you with gratefulness,” wrote another. “It was important to each department to understand what Tribal members experienced and thought of past distributions. Thank you to all the Tribal members who participated in the survey, and we look forward to future distributions,” said Jackson. By Jon Anderson
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Suquamish News
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May 2022 | 9
News
Catherine’s Column: Health clinic, emergency plans, and summer school
Greetings Honorable People of the Suquamish, April showers bring May flowers, mixed with a little snow— maybe it was just April fools snow! I certainly hope so.
So much going on here at the government. We are finalizing the clinic so that we can get it approved for occupancy. Once we have the go-ahead, there will be a blessing ceremony. As we move from the throes of the pandemic and the near fatal storm known as COVID-19, we are settling in to our new normal, which looks completely different than it did at the end of 2019. Thank you to our Tribal Council and staff who worked diligently to keep us all safe. While on the topic of safety, and after what we’ve learned, we are going to prioritize standing up our Emergency Management department. This will include offices, Continuity of Government planning, and workshops for staff and community. There is much to learn as we prepare for what may be coming next, be they tornadoes, tsunamis, or pandemics! It’s imperative that we are
ready! We want to ensure survival just as our ancestors did! Once our clinic opens, we will be moving some of our departments around to fit our growing needs. We’ll keep you posted through our Weekly Update emails. We are gearing up for Summer School and credit recovery programs. We know it’s been rough on our kids being in and out of school, so we are gearing up to get them back into the routine and up to speed so that they can excel academically. Education is a tool that has replaced the sword in modern times. If we are going to continue to grow and protect Tribal sovereignty, we need education to fight the erosion of our rights. We want to make sure our children are equipped! Look for those summer school announcements. We’re looking forward to all the graduation announcements coming soon. Go class
of 2022! This time of year always brings spring cleaning, which comes naturally to us as stewards of the environment. We know that we are vital as indigenous people to the ecosystems that we live in every day. The dates for Spring Clean Up has been pushed back due to problems with the trash compactor. It may be delayed, but it is still happening! A shout out to our DCD and Natural Resources staff who have already started doing what they can to beautify our neighborhoods in the meantime. While the cherry blossoms bloom and nature begins to rejuvenate, so will we as we move into our next life cycle -- our new normal. Stay tuned for what comes next! Respectfully, Catherine N. Edwards, KashKaani Executive Director
Healing & Dye Garden Project taking root at ELC At a gathering sponsored in early April by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s Traditional Foods and Culture Program, I was able to share with other Tribal representatives my excitement about plans for a mini garden at the Marion Forsman-Boushie Early Learning Center. An ELC parent is coordinating a donation from Viking Feed of stalk tanks that will be filled with soil and become the center of the new garden. Classrooms will use the garden to learn and explore traditional foods, dyes, and medicine crops (confirm). I am learning about how to make gardens a learning tool in collaboration with the group, Farm to Early Childhood Education, and I am working with the Suquamish Tribe’s Grants team on opportunities for other projects related to garden projects and traditional foods. At the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s Healing and Dye Garden Project on April 1, I was thrilled to share this news with people I know from the Native Pathways Program at Evergreen State College, and participants
from the region’s Tribes. Azure Boure invited me to participate in this work party. The day started with a light breakfast, networking, and seed sharing. We heard the plan for the day and received copies of the map/layout of the garden bed. We shared plant knowledge and talked about related projects we are working on. After a light lunch, a blessing, and a traditional song, we got to work on the garden space. We moved dirt, leveled out planting areas, and learned why each plant was selected. A group also walked the campus collecting native plants for the spring salad. We had a great time working outside even with the early spring weather of scattered rain. Another group helped in the kitchen preparing dinner. A few of the foods that were offered: freeze-dried smoked salmon chowder, geoduck ceviche, nettle power bars, smoked salmon dip. Dinner- Baked salmon, spring salad (some items were gathered), wild rice, and coleslaw. By James Abler
Suquamish Tribal Elder and Since Time Immemorial Curriculum Specialist Barbara Lawrence was among many government staff that decorated their offices in blue as part of April’s National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
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Wellbeing
Increase self-esteem by focusing on values, growing new strengths
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ast month’s column discussed how adults can improve their self-esteem in two ways: 1) By challenging and correcting inaccurate self-perceptions 2) Strengthening the self by doing something slightly hard, all the time. It is difficult to feel good about ourselves if we do not know who we are. This month we continue with the topic of self-esteem by identifying what we value. Values exist whether we recognize them in our life or not and define who we are to others. When we do not mindfully and consciously identify what we value, our choices, conversations and behavior speak for us; what we “esteem.” What do we stand for? It is advantageous to mindfully identify what we hold to be most important as an intentional quality that leads to a corresponding, unfolding action. When our actions reflect what we say is important, we live a life of integrity, of good self-esteem. Identifying and understanding what is important to us is a challenging and important exercise. Googling “values” results in lists of words that can be overwhelming and repetitive. Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman in 2004 grouped their values as 6 character traits with 24 corresponding virtues. They chose qualities considered good by the vast majority of cultures throughout history and theorized that practicing these traits leads to increased happiness and mental wellness.
To improve self-esteem:
Choose from the following list, desirable qualities you may or may not have but you want for your life. Start by identifying only one or two you consider most important. Add to the list additional qualities you or the Suquamish community hold as important traits and values to live by. Ask yourself, does my life show evidence of what I say is important to me? Develop mastery by identifying steps by which the quality you choose can become a way of life. Saying is not enough; we must put our intentions into action in order to have good self-esteem. Strengths of Wisdom & Knowledge – Cognitive strengths involving the desire for education and use of knowledge: • Creativity [originality, ingenuity] – thinking of new and productive ways to do things. • Curiosity [interest, openness to experience] – taking an interest in ongoing experience for its own sake; exploring and discovering.
Strengths of Justice – Interpersonal strengths concerned with the equitable distribution of benefits and burdens to individuals in societies, and how the rights of various individuals are realized. • Citizenship [social responsibility, loyalty, teamwork] – working well as a member of a group or team; being loyal to the group or culture as appropriate. • Fairness – treating all people the same according to notions of social justice; not letting personal feelings bias decisions about others. • Leadership – encouraging with integrity a group of which one is a member to get things done and at the same time maintaining good relations within the group.
• Open-mindedness [critical thinking] – thinking things through and examining them from all sides; weighing all evidence fairly. • Love of learning – mastering new skills, topics, and bodies of knowledge, whether on one’s own or formally. • Perspective [wisdom] – being able to provide wise counsel to others; having ways of looking at the world that make sense to oneself and to other people. Strengths of Courage – emotional strengths that involve accomplishing goals in the face of opposition, external and internal: • Bravery [valor] – not shrinking from challenge or difficulty; acting on convictions even if unpopular. • Persistence [perseverance, industriousness] – finishing what one starts; remaining in a course of action in spite of obstacles. • Integrity [authenticity, honesty] – presenting oneself in a genuine way; taking responsibility for one’s feelings, words, and actions, “walking the talk.” • Vitality [zest, enthusiasm] – approaching life with excitement and energy; feeling alive and activated. Strengths of Humanity – Interpersonal strengths that involve tending and befriending others: • Love – valuing relations with others, especially the lives of vulnerable elders, children. • Kindness [nurturance, care, altruistic love] – speaking compassionately and generously, doing good deeds for others, respecting elders, showing hospitality • Social Intelligence [emotional intelligence] – being aware of the motives and feelings of other people and oneself.
Strengths of Temperance – strengths that protect against excess: • Forgiveness & Mercy – forgiving those who have done wrong (Including oneself); accepting the shortcomings of others; giving people a second chance; not being vengeful. • Humility [modesty] – letting one’s accomplishments speak for themselves; not regarding oneself as more special than one is by recognizing the unique strengths of all people. • Prudence [pragmatic] – being careful about one’s choices; not saying or doing things that might later be regretted. • Self-regulation [self-control] – regulating what one feels and does as appropriate to each situation; being disciplined. Strengths of Transcendence – Strengths that encourage connections to the larger universe and the natural world, providing deeper and profound meaning: • Appreciation of beauty and excellence [awe, wonder] – appreciating beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in various domains of life. • Gratitude [thankfulness] – being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen within all things; taking time to express thanks. • Hope [optimism] – expecting the best in the future and working to achieve it. • Humor [playfulness] – liking to laugh; bringing smiles to other people; seeing the light side. • Spirituality [faith, purpose] – having coherent beliefs about a higher purpose, the Creator, the meaning of life, or the universe. By Lori Glover, LICSW, LMHC
Suquamish.nsn.us
Suquamish News
May 2022 | 11
Government
New TCW director blends passion for Native culture with focus on supporting families
M
arique Moss’ first passion when she attended college was Indigenous studies. She thought she would become an educator. However, a comment from a college admission official sent her on a different track, which eventually brought her here to Suquamish, where she is heading up the Tribe’s Tribal Child Welfare Department. Moss is enrolled in the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, also known as the Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota. She identifies as Afro-Indigenous. Her traditional name is Woman in the Water. She has a BA in Native American and Indigenous Studies and holds a Masters in Legal Studies in Indigenous Peoples Law from Oklahoma University. Caring for Indian children is a priority for her. Her mother was adopted by a Scottish mother and a “very German” father, along with two other children from her Tribe, 21 years before the passage of the Indian Child Welfare Act. Her mother was a “superwoman,”
she says. She is a “woman of steel” who made it through a time of historical trauma while her two adopted Native siblings fell prey to assimilation laws. “Kill the Indian, Save the child.” Moss’ father, a Black man from Detroit, Michigan, is a Licensed Masters social worker who worked with ICWA cases throughout the Southwest. He later met Moss’ Mother in Spokane, where he had gone after graduating from Gonzaga University and was a Center for their infamous basketball team. Moss was born in Albuquerque, and the family moved to Houston, Minneapolis, Maryland, Connecticut, and New York, and then back to Minneapolis. This was due to Moss’ mother, Margaret Moss, as the first and only American Indian to hold both a nursing Ph.D. and a Juris Doctorate; her expertise is in health policy and health disparities. Growing up around policy, legislation, and social work, Moss was thrust into the realm of social justice, decolonization, and federal Indian policy. She stayed in touch with her own culture through her relatives and workshops, learning traditions and her Hidatsa language during all that time. Moss came to Suquamish from Minneapolis, where she worked as director of American Indian education, one of the largest school districts in the state. She advised district lawyers on matters pertaining to Tribal Child Welfare and Indigenous protocol and was a liaison between the 11 tribes of Minnesota. Her job included supporting predominantly Dakota and Anishinaabe students, but over 40 Tribal nations were represented who had few other resources to support their learning about their indigenous culture and history and the challenges of navigating a predominantly non-Native culture. She worked on multiple fronts across the school district to advocate for the
Suquamish Tribe Emergency Management coordinated the installation of new UHF and Ham radio upgrades at the Indianola Tower in April that will provide better communications during a disaster or other emergencies.
Help Tribe prepare for disasters Would you be willing to help the Suquamish Tribe better prepare for earthquakes, wildfires, and other potential disasters? Hazard planning is all about how we lessen the impact of potential disasters. It’s figuring out the things we can do today to be more protected tomorrow. That’s why Suquamish Tribe is updating our Hazard Mitigation Plan. The goal: save lives and protect property by reducing our vulnerabilities.
Native students, explaining to other staff, for example, why some students needed to be absent to participate in wild rice harvests, smudging, or certain sacred ceremonies. “It piqued my interest and made me realize this is the work I need to do,” she said. “I would like Native people to be in the care of other Native people to revitalize our language and traditions,” she said. With ICW, “we are doing all we can to preserve our families and traditions.” Moss started as head of the Suquamish Tribe’s Child Welfare office in January and is proud that the department is now fully staffed. She is working on getting information systems, like a database, in place and revitalizing the TCW advisory committee. She is excited about this year’s theme for Child Abuse Prevention month: “Be a rain-
Input from the public is a vital part of that process. If you live in the Suquamish area, please take a few minutes to help by taking the survey at the link that will come up on your phone with this QR Code:
bow in a child’s cloudy day!” Tribal government departments are decorating their lobbies blue and wearing blue on Tuesdays. Free training for adolescents and parents on preventing trafficking and sexual violence took place on April 14. Moreover, on April 20, TCW is holding an event to encourage families to become placement parents for respite care. Moss wants to support Tribal families, whether with gas and grocery vouchers or with a break when a placement home needs respite. Her message to the Tribal community: “I am very excited to be here and work with you. Let me know if there is anything I can do to support you.” You can reach Moss at 360-394-8479, or mmoss@suquamish.nsn.us By Sarah van Gelder
Suquamish News
12 | May 2022
Suquamish.nsn.us
Elders
Elder’s Lunch Menu May 2022 Mon
2 Goulash (ground beef, green beans, tomatoes) Brown Rice Spinach-Blueberry Salad Fresh Fruit
Tue 3 Beef Barley Soup Cucumber Tomato Salad Wheat Roll
Yogurt & Fruit Parfait
Birthday Cake!! 9 Beef Vegetable Stir Fry Brown Rice Apple, Celery, & Pineapple Salad Wheat Roll Fresh Fruit
10 Tamale Pie (ground beef, veggies, cornmeal crust) Coleslaw Fresh Fruit
16 Chicken Soft Taco (chicken, refried beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa) Spanish Rice Chuckwagon Corn Fresh Fruit
17 Elk Vegetable Stew Egg Salad Sandwich Broccoli Salad
23 Baked Ham Sweet Potatoes Germany Veggie Blend Tossed Salad Oat Bran Raisin Muffin
24 Split Pea & Ham Soup Turkey & Cheese Sandwich Light & Tangy Cole Slaw
Applesauce
Fresh Fruit
30
31 Macaroni & Cheese Stewed Tomatoes Green Salad Corn Bread Fresh Fruit
Closed Memorial Day Holiday
Fresh Fruit
Elder’s Kitchen: 360-394-8407 Please call to inform the kitchen if you would like to cancel home delivery for the day.
Wed
Thu
Fri
4 Tuna Noodle Casserole California Blend Vegetables Tossed Salad Applesauce Muffin
5 Baked Chicken Brown Rice Japanese Blend Veggies Kale Salad Corn Bread
6 Indian Tacos (fry bread, meat, beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato, salsa, FF sour cream) Fresh Veggie Platter
Fresh Fruit
Fresh Fruit
Fresh Fruit
11 Chicken a la King Brown Rice Steamed Broccoli Carrot-Raisin Salad Blueberry Bran Muffin
12 Breakfast for Lunch Whole Grain Pancakes w/ Berry Sauce Scrambled Eggs w/ Onions, Peppers & Salsa
13 Geoduck Chowder Tossed Salad w/ Sunflower Seeds & Cranberries Biscuit
SF Pudding
Fresh Fruit
Yogurt & Fruit Parfait
18 BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad Capri Blend Veggies Cucumber-Tomato Salad
19 Meatloaf Mashed Potatoes w/ Gravy California Blend Veggies Tossed Salad Wheat Roll Spiced Fruit Cup
20 Salmon Roasted Red Potatoes Mixed Vegetables Tossed Salad Pachado Bread
26 Chicken Adobo Brown Rice Asian Blend Veggies Tossed Salad
27 Ham Hocks w/ Red Beans Brown & White Rice Green Beans Tossed Salad Corn Bread
Fresh Fruit
25 Baked Fish Scalloped Potatoes Capri Veggie Blend Spinach Blueberry Salad Wheat Roll Fresh Fruit
Fresh Fruit
Fresh Fruit
Cottage Cheese & Pears
Beverages Served Daily: Choice of 1% Milk or Lactose Free Milk Occasional substitutions may be necessary
Elders Corner We want to welcome new Elder Shawn Boushie. We have some milestone birthdays Happy 60th Birthday to David Greer, Happy 70th Birthday to Nancy Johnston and Happy 90th Birthday to Gladys Jackson. Our April Birthday winners were Jean Belmont and Willard Pratt. As soon as we receive the gift cards they will be mailed to all our of winners from January, February and March also. January winners were Tory Dotson and Allicia Knapp, February’s were David Weber and Tiny Zaiss, March’s winners were Lillian Ballew and Thomas Fowler. Stay tuned for May drawings. We had about 45 elders come to our springtime open house. There were four golden eggs and only two were chosen. Congratulations Dickie Johnson and Gene Tabafunda. We had such a good time visiting with our Elders and missed those that were unable to attend. The Elders Lodge was full of laughter. We thank our Executive Director, Catherine Edwards and Human Service Director, Nehreen Arub for coming and hanging out with us too. We want to thank Tracy Tabafunda and her Mom, Joy Belmont for assisting with
Suquamish.nsn.us
Suquamish News
May 2022 | 13
Community
the set up the open house at the Elders Lodge. We had a nice surprise last month. Elder Gloria Mills Smith and her daughter, Michelle Goodner, came home for a visit from Florida. When they left, Dolor Mills decided to hop a plane with them for the warm weather of Florida. We received a very cute pic of Dolor holding a fresh picked orange and wearing a red flower in her hair, soaking up the sun. What a life, as we sit under the rain drops patiently waiting for the sun. Hopefully, Dolor will bring the sun upon her return. With mixed emotions we have learned one of our Elders, Jean “Bell” Belmont and her wife Marty are leaving Port Madison Reservation to move to Ohio. They bought a three-bedroom home on 19 acres. As many of you know, Bell has been very active in the Suquamish Warriors and our Elders Council. We are sending blessing for safe travels to Ohio. You will be missed! Elder Tracy Tabafunda and her husband Gene provided an act of kindness a couple of weeks ago, they cooked dinner and passed out free dinners at the Suquamish United Church of Christ. Don’t forget we will have our garden preparation on April 28 from 1 pm to 4 pm and April 30 10 am to 2 pm. As always, we offer prayers and support to those in need and kindness. By Della Crowell & Donna Sigo
Traditional Heritage Specialist April was very busy, bringing home an Ancestor; we will be setting up a date and time for the reburial and let folks know when it will be later. Working on finishing my filing system as the office is being reorganized and we have to change everything to digital files. Learning new computer skills and trying to understand what to do with paper files. Changes are sometimes good and hard at the same time. I am working to transcribe the final videos and interviews. This is a long process; for each hour, it is eight hours to transcribe. I am not a trained transcriber, so it takes me twice as long. Please understand I want to make sure that I do my best to preserve the words of the people I have interviewed and
Spring Cleanup 2022 haʔlid ʔə � pədhədəbil
Neighborhood Dates (Note: Dates were revised due to an equipment failure at the Olympic View Transfer Station) Sackman: May 3 – 7 Woolly Dog: May 10 – 14 George Lane: May 17 – 21 Adams: May 24 – 28 Tucker Topsoil: May 31 – June 4 Indianola: June 7-11 Eaglemere: June 14-18 Wee Wun: June 21-25 Days & Times Tuesday – Saturday, 9am – 4pm Items Accepted Household Trash Appliances Furniture Tires Mattresses Electronics (TVs, computers, printers, etc.) We are not accepting paints, oils, antifreeze, and similar items during this cleanup. A separate event for these items will be held during the Fall 2022. Elder’s Assistance Contact: Jaime Lawrence, Solid Waste Coordinator, (360) 471-3500
make sure they have their thoughts preserved correctly. I have also been asked if anyone is interested in having youth and myself interview you soon so that the youth may learn to do interviews. If you are interested, please contact either Barb Santos at bsantos@suquamish.nsn.us (360) 394-7107 or myself at mjones@ suquamish.nsn.us (360) 394-8526 and we will gladly assist you in setting up
interviews. This is a great way for the youth to learn skills for future jobs and gain college credits. I have inquired about the sweet grass permits and I am waiting to hear back. Della Crowell will be contacting you if you are on the list about when to go gathering. Thank you for your understanding. By Marilyn Jones
Suquamish News
14 | May 2022
New Hires & Transfers Name *Teri Bayes *Tara Witcher Dora Smith Vicente Pagadauan-Alarcon Britni DawsonGiles Cruz McNew Bill Holway Gianna Pantaleo
Title On-Call Cook Education Specialist Caseworker Enforcement Agent
Department CKA CKA TCW Tribal Gaming
Mental Health Counselor Supervisor Housing Maintenance Assistant Trust Realty Officer Shellfish Biologist II
Wellness DCD Legal Fisheries
* Tribal member
Suquamish Tribe is Hiring! Among the positions now available in Suquamish Tribal Government: • Carpenter
• Headstart / ECEAP Teacher
• Childcare Teacher
• Substance Use Disorder Professional
• Night Shift Custodian
• Middle and High School Teachers
Point your phone camera at the QR code to see the current list of all career opportunities currently available, as well information on how to apply. Or call the job hotline at (360) 394-8414.
Suquamish.nsn.us
Suquamish News
Suquamish.nsn.us
Birthdays
y a M May 1 Jeanette Lawrence Jewelian Lawrence Kyle Purser Rachel Duthie Sean Mabe May 2 Dawn Ensminger Michelle Charette Robert Pastrana May 3 Alexia Baldwin Briann Cloninger Cindy Nichols John Jones Maureen Belmont May 4 Angela Ives Brooke Orsen Duane Napoleon Jr. Eliana Edelstein Reada Smith May 5 Brenda Guerrero Brooke Edlen Monique Pastrana Virginia Gemmell
May 2022 | 15
May 7 Jessicca Cordero Leroy Henry III No-Yectee-Hemeh Alexis May 8 Corey Manley Jasmine Cannon Karleen Crow Luke Williams May 9 David Greer Joshua George Shyla Ahvakana-Villa Toshina Baldwin May 10 Harold Pratt Nancy Johnston May 12 Cathlene Norris Edward Cordero Elias Neugebauer Gladys Jackson Ryan Sigo Warren Neugebauer William Hoffman May 13 Angee Harrington Christina Roberts George Hill Jr. Shardan Stark Wanda Vollenweider
May 14 Bryna Lawrence Cecelia Brown Lori Wolfe Mackenzie Crow Michael George Tu-tai-ud Everhart May 15 Jennifer Pratt Lillian Abler May 16 Elizabeth Lindell Elizabeth Townsend James Bradwell Jr. Koen Smith Rebekah Nelson Tyler Tiffany May 17 Charles Deam Sr. Eric Glaze Golden Hawk Jr. Isaac Johnson May 18 Dolores Mills Lily Stockwell May 19 Benjamin Johnson Christopher GeorgeOld Coyote Phenix Mabe
May 20 Georgianna Ungaro Marlane Buckner Oliva Purser Robert Hagen Roxanne Cruver Sara Purser May 21 Braden Hess Clyde Brown David Zurflueh Kayla Purser May 22 Alan Lerdo Jr. Bonnie Brown Brayden Napoleon Dylan Crow Frances Jackson Mark Pratt Robin Camacho Shawn Boushie
Duran George Jimee-Mai Webster Telisha Hendricksen May 26 Anthony Howard Colleen Hickerson David Sigo III Madison Pool May 27 Althea Jones Daniel George James Armstrong Nata-chee Pratt Orion Keller Rigel Keller Zaylee Moss May 28 Chelsey Hettema Daniel Smith Jennifer Willis
May 23 Amie Adams Callum Purser Frasier Purser
May 29 Bernard Adams Christine West LeAnne Nilluka
May 24 Albert Agibinik Jr. Matthew Hawk Stephanie Alexander
May 30 Amanda Carper Caleb Stewart John Webster Kristina Pearson Ronald George Jr.
May 25 Celia Williams Charlotte Ives Cheryl Cahill
May 31 Robert Kumpf-Fleming
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