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Suquamish News
Suquamish.nsn.us
Suquamish News Volume 21
November 2021
November 2021 | 1
No. 11
Thankful for the Harvest
Chief Seattle Days 2021
In this issue: Preserving our Future -- p5 Veterans Day Reflections -- p7 Understanding Emotions- p16
Meet the new Operations Ex. Dir. — p3
Port Madison Dialogues — p6
Diver Crew Rallies in Emergency — p7
2 | November 2021
Community Calendar
Suquamish News
Events & Meetings
Contact
Suquamish Tribal Council Tribal Council meets Nov. 3, 15 & 29 Links are sent to Tribal members via SUN or ask Rebecca Purser, (360) 900-8031, rebeccapurser@suquamish.nsn.us.
PME Board Meets online and in person on Nov. 16 @ 9am. Contact Emily Sato, emilysato@ clearwatercasino.com (360) 598-8703.
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
Suquamish Tribal Gaming Comm. Meets online Nov. 4 & 18. Call Angela Brainerd at (360) 394-8652 for details.
Suquamish Elders — contact: Della Crowell (360) 394-8417 Donna Sigo (360) 394-8472
Suquamish Seafoods Board Meets online Nov. 9 @ 1pm. Seafoods Retail is open Thurs-Sun. Contact Shanel Carlson at (360) 394-8512 for details.
Suquamish Police Dept lobby is available for government-related paperwork. Mon-Fri, 8am–4:30pm Front Desk: (360) 598-4334 Emergency: 911
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 Museum Board Meets Nov. 18 @ 11am-1pm online. Call Jennifer at (360) 394-8499 for info.
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Coming Up
Wellness Center Front desk: (360) 394-8558 Crisis Hotline: (888) 910-0416
Oct 28: Halloween Drive-thru, 6:30-8pm Family & Friends/Fitness Center Parking Lot Nov 3: COVID-19 Booster Shot Vaccination Clinic, HOAC, 12:30-5pm, by appointment only. Nov 11: Veterans Day “Grab-and-Go” drive-thru gift bag honoring for veterans at Tribal Center parking lot. 11am-1pm.
Tribal members needed for Suquamish boards The Suquamish Tribal Council is seeking applications from Tribal members for appointment to positions on Executive Boards and Commissions that expire at the end of this year. Appointments are for three-year terms. Board members are paid stipends as allowed by charter or ordinance. Positions are available on: • PME Board • Tribal Gaming Commission
Nov 11: Tribal Government offices closed in honor of Veterans Day
• Suquamish Seafoods Board • Housing Board
Nov. 22: Holiday voucher, Elders only
• Enrollment Committee
Nov. 23 & 24: Holiday vouchers, all Tribal members
• Higher Education Board • Suquamish Museum Board • Culture Committee
Nov. 25 & 26: Tribal Government offices closed for Thanksgiving
• TCW Advisory Committee • Suquamish Foundation
Look for details on how to apply in the Suquamish Weekly Update email and the Tribe’s website.
On the cover...
Clyde Brown wraps up Suquamish Tribe’s last daylight clam dig of the year on Oct. 15. With the changing season and shortening daylight, the low tides needed for clam digs now come at night. See page 4 traditional recipes and stories to warm hearts and homes this holiday season. (Photo by Jon Anderson)
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.
Suquamish Tribal Council Leonard Forsman
Chairman
Wayne George
Vice-Chair
Windy Anderson
Secretary
Robin L.W. Sigo
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 Heather Purser
Editorial Policy
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Photography/Design Communications Associate
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
November 2021 | 3
Community
Tribe welcomes new Executive Director for Operations Catherine Edwards brings wealth of Indian Country experience
C
atherine Edwards began work as the first of two Suquamish Tribe co-Executive Directors on October 12, the day after Indigenous Peoples Day. “Catherine is known in Indian Country for her commitment to protecting tribal sovereignty and also possesses the necessary experience in tribal government operations to help us achieve our mission and promote our values,” said Suquamish Tribal Chairman Leonard Forsman in announcing the new hire. Her experience in Tribal government began when she moved home, to Juneau, Alaska, after living most of her life in Los Angeles and Hawaii. She quickly was hired on by her tribe, the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, working as a court clerk. The temporary job was supposed to last just six months, but she ended up staying with the Tribe for 30 years. “I loved working for my Tribe and learning as much as I could,” she says. Over those three decades, she worked in the Tribes’ office of the president, and in personnel, economic development, employment, and training, and finally, headed up a department that combined the previously siloed client services departments. Later, she was elected to the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indians of Alaska, eventually becoming first Vice President. “With Tribes you’re working with your people and families and communities, and you’re making a difference in their lives,” she said. Edwards represents the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indians at the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, and co-chairs the Violence Against Women Task Force. “I love working not just for my Tribe but for Indian Country, exercising our sovereignty and trying to get the federal government to serve the people the way we need to be served, to make sure people are getting what they need to be able take care of their families.” Edwards moved to Kitsap County when her children graduated from high school, working for the South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency and living in Bremerton. She later worked as a regional director for a Tribal TANF program in Los Angeles and for the Wampanoag Tribe in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Edwards considers herself a participatory leader. “I have an open door. I’ll listen,” she said. But she doesn’t mind having difficult conversations, and she doesn’t avoid confrontations. “If we got to get it done, we got to get it done,” she said.
Catherine Edwards is Suquamish Tribe’s new Executive Director for Operations. (Photo by Jon Anderson)
She was attracted to work with the Suquamish Tribe when she noticed how Tribal leadership show up at ATNI (Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians). “I was watching the Suquamish Tribe’s economic enterprises, which are really progressive, and the work on climate change and protection of killer whales. The leadership is progressive and dedicated.” And at NCAI (National Congress of American Indians), the Pacific Northwest has a strong presence, she said, and “that’s in part a result of some of the leadership of this Tribe.” Catherine Edwards plans to move to within a halfhour commute of Suquamish. She says she will start off her new position getting to know the staff and the community. With the pandemic, there has been a lot of stress, she noted. One of her first tasks will be to identify where the organization
has been most stressed — where is the need to shore up places that are almost at the breaking point. She also wants to learn in what ways families have been struggling. “People are so stressed out. Some are taking risks by coming to work, and some can’t work and they’re losing their jobs. Who’s delivering services? Are checks getting out the door on time? Are people making court hearings?” “I won’t come in here with any ideas about how to change things,” she says. Her plan is to first get to know the Suquamish Tribe’s organizational culture and protocols. “I need to get to know the Tribal citizens and how they interact with their Tribal Council and with the programs,” she said. “Getting to know the community is how you build trust.” By Sarah van Gelder
4 | November 2021
Suquamish News
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Culture
Season of Thankfulness
Warming hearts and home with food and family
S
I get the cream cheese from in my uquamish Tribal Elder Marilyn Wandrey recipe. But I learned about adding remembers first foraging for Thankslemon from friends in New Zeagiving cranberries as a little girl in a tucked away bog off of Totten Road near her familand. I just keep adapting the over the years. And it’s easy to mix it up, ly’s home in Suquamish. like I’ll add thyme maybe if I don’t “This time of year, that bog would be full have green onions.” of cranberries,” she says. “And I’d go there to Roasted venison is another collect berries for cranberry sauce.” favorite this time of year that brings Some years, the family struggled to make warm memories for her as well. ends meet. “One year, my father tossed corn “When I was learning how to around the bog to attract ducks. Everyone cook from my sister-in-law back around the table had their own delicious in the day, before she passed, she roast duck for Thanksgiving that year,” she taught me a deer recipe that is still says with a smile. my go-to for venison, cooked like a Times were hard, but she remembers lean roast,” says Boure. those moments warmly. Back at Chico Bay, Suquamish Indeed, there is something about the Tribal member Clyde Brown is fillpower of good food, shared with friends Tribal Elder Marilyn Wandrey adds apples and honey to her go-to fall cranberry sauce. and family around the table, that can transing up four big bag of clams as the form days that are colder, wetter and darker outside into home, take them out of the shell, and smoke them with sun rises and begins to burn through thick clouds. warmth and light inside. alder smoke,” he says. “The history of Thanksgiving has some stigma for It’s part of what makes Thanksgiving and the holiday “It’s a whole family event. The kiddos are involved, my me,” he says, “but I try to enjoy it for what it is — enjoyseason so special for many. The joy of shared food is as mom, my dad, my sisters, and we all sit down and take ing good meals, spending time with family and friends.” connected to Suquamish culture as the water is to the those clams and put them into jars together.” Memories of childhood meals with his uncle are beaches of the Salish Sea. Those canned clams become gifts and handy easy-toamong his most cherished. Steamed clams, along with “This time of year, my family loves to gather and preuse ingredients for their own meals. fry bread and elk meat, are among his favorites at the Suquamish Tribe’s Traditional Foods and Medicine exThanksgiving table these days. pare food together,” says Luther “JJ” Mills III. “We also “I love elk stew with potatoes, carrots, celery, and love to give food that we make away over the holidays.” pert Azure Boure says one of her favorite dishes this time garlic,” he says. So much so that he’s planning to go out Making smoked canned clams is a favorite. of year is a smoked salmon dip. hunting this year for the first time. It’s a tradition he learned from his dad, Suquamish “Fall is the season for smoked salmon, so it is definite“I gutted and dressed a deer with my dad a long time Tribal Councilmember Luther “Jay” Mills, “and it’s one of ly part of Thanksgiving and basically everything we do ago, but this would be a new thing for me. I’m going to the reasons I’m proud to be his son.” through the holiday season,” she says. Her recipe mixes And it’s a tradition he’s proud to pass on. “Our family crumbled smoked salmon with cream cheese, sour cream, do it with a compound bow. I’m going to give it a shot at least,” he says. has harvested clams for a long time,” says Mills during an green onion, seasonings, and a bit of lemon juice. And maybe this year he’ll be the one to make Elk stew early morning October clam dig on the shores of Chico She credits Jay Mills with giving her the gift of her love Bay. “My dad is really into giving, so he loves to take of salmon dip. “He smokes his own salmon and makes his for Thanksgiving. By Jon Anderson product that we gather from the beach and bring them own dip, so I’ve adapted my recipe from his. He is where Azure’s Smoked Salmon Dip 2 lbs kippered or soft smoked salmon 1 8oz block cream cheese, room temperature 3-4 TBS sour cream 1 Small bunch of chives, chopped small 1 Fresh lemon for squeezing Flake salmon into a bowl. Add cream cheese, mash with a fork. Add sour cream, chives and a squeeze of lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste.
Marilyn’s Cran-Apple Sauce 4 Medium red apples, cored and grated or chopped 1 cup fresh cranberries 1 cup apple juice 1-2 tablespoons honey Blend apples, cranberries, apple juice and honey until quite smooth. Pour into sauce dishes, Top with parsley sprig and cranberry halves soaked in honey water. Serve at once.
Mills Family Canned Smoked Clams Standard mason jars and lids Smoked clams 1 tablespoon brown sugar, per jar 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, per jar Half teaspoon of cracked red pepper, per jar Ensure jars, lids and rims are sanitized. Use funnel to add ingredients so no food residue gets on rim of jar. Mix oil with sugar and red pepper. Add clams to mixture, leaving about an inch of head space. Pressure cook and cool.
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Suquamish News
November 2021 | 5
Freezing Our Resources to Preserve Our Future I
f she can get the hang of a skill she is developing in time, Azure Boure could be cooking her Thanksgiving meal this year and serving it about 10 to 20 years later. The trick is a freeze-drying process now available to anyone who can afford it, or in this case, a Tribal program with some leftover funding. A few months ago, the Family and Friends Center purchased a Harvest Right freeze-drying machine for Suquamish Traditional Food and Medicine, a program which Azure coordinates. Since receiving the device, she’s been researching freeze drying techniques, reading and re-reading the owner’s manual, and practicing the uses of the new appliance. The goal, she says, is to get the craft down well enough so she can make it a part of the program’s curriculum and teach as many people as she can.
New priorities, same objective Pre-pandemic, the main emphasis of Traditional Food and Medicine was on the processing and use of traditional foods and herbs for Tribal health, knowledge, and culture. Now, the program is adopting a different priority; learning and teaching how to preserve large amounts of food should access become scarce. Azure says that our best hope is to be prepared and have our people ready with enough of the resources they’ll need to keep their families safe. “We have to do what our ancestors would have done and put to work any tool that protects our future.” Thinking ahead is something Tribes have done since time immemorial. Suquamish ancestors worked together to salt-dry their meat to preserve for winter or travel. They would smoke foods or use the wind and sun to dry them. Although these methods remain effective, they are no longer commonplace as more instantaneous and convenient options exist. “Grocery stores, fast food, and restaurants disrupt the practice of gathering and preserving food, but these are important skills to know, especially now.” According to the US Department of Agriculture, the cost of food has risen 75 percent since 2019 and is expected to climb. Product shortages and a slower supply chain account for much of the inflation threatening our economic stability. Complicating this, the United Nations reports another concern; by 2050, they estimate the world will need to increase food production by at least 60 percent to account for a projected population growth of over 1 billion. “You can feed your body anything, but not just anything will feed your spirit . . . What if we someday don’t have access to our traditional food?” It’s a question that sometimes keeps Azure up at night, and, once so far, her kids, too.
Azure Boure loads the Tribe’s new freeze-dryer with some apple slices. (Photo by Jon Anderson) On one occasion, Azure drove to her office at 10 pm to check the machine between cycles, “trailing kids and all of us in pajamas.” In the few months she’s had the freeze dryer, Azure has processed batches of salmon, geoduck, and apples. But, she says, so far, the only thing to have turned out fully freeze-dried has been a batch of Skittles candy. Advertised by the company as being easy to operate, Azure realizes this must be the case once you’ve become familiar with the equipment and experienced with techniques. There may be many more trays of only half freezedried fish before things start turning out the way she needs, Azure keeps pushing. She hopes to get the process down in time for the spring harvest of stinging nettle and dandelion; two essential ingredients for the salves, teas, and other medicine she teaches Tribal people to make. The Harvest Right will eventually become less difficult to operate but for now it proves to be no ordinary kitchen appliance.After all, inside its 25x18 inch metal frame is a force comparable to the extreme conditions found along the highest peaks of the Andes Mountains. The modern freeze-dry machines may seem a modern marvel, but the science behind it is all Indigenous. Ear-
liest accounts of the practice come from the Inca of the 15th century. Their people would pre-freeze harvested crops in their village then hike them to the top of Machu Picchu. At such high altitudes, the low pressure and extreme cold vaporize water particles, preserving food for an extended amount of time. Still uncommon in households across the US, freeze-dryers were first widely used in WWII to transport blood and medicine. Since then, they’ve served a variety of uses in various fields but are likely most recognized for an old favorite, astronaut ice cream bars. But versatility isn’t the only advantage to freeze drying. More than any other method, the flavor of freeze-dried foods is greatly enhanced. For example, once re-hydrated with water, the taste, color, and structure of a King salmon would be identical to the day it was packaged. Even better, it would also maintain its high nutritional value, meaning you could catch and bake a fish for your great-grandchild, and several years into their future, they would still get the vitamins and nutrients of this traditional food, and all the love you put into it. Freeze-drying was not a traditional practice of Suquamish, but Azure is sure, had the Harvest Right freeze dryer been available to Tribal ancestors, they would have used it. By Heather Purser
6 | November 2021
Suquamish News
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Community
Port Madison Dialogues Build Understanding P
ort Madison Dialogues, an online series of discussions on the Suquamish Tribe’s history, culture, and current issues, has been making waves in Kitsap County. Registrations had to be cut off early when the capacity of the Zoom platform maxed out at 500. Video recordings of Sessions #1 and #2 have had nearly 1,000 views. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many participants thanking the Tribe and noting that they had learned a lot about the sovereign nation that is their neighbor. The idea for Port Madison Dialogues was sparked in the spring of 2021. Non-Native residents of the Port Madison Indian Reservation had questions about the Suquamish Tribe and about how relationships might improve. The Suquamish Community Advisory Committee took those questions to Kitsap County Commissioner Rob Gelder, who asked Chairman Leonard Forsman. Out of that conversation, Port Madison Dialogues was born. A team formed to plan the forums made up of Commissioner Gelder, Tribal members Tina Jackson and Kate Ahvakana, Suquamish Communications Man-
ager Sarah van Gelder, and Sue Miglino from the Dispute Resolution Center of Kitsap County. They began planning a four-part series on the history, culture, and current issues facing the Suquamish Tribe. The series is free, but participants were asked to commit to all four sessions. The final session will be a restorative justice circle on November 4 at which Tribal members and non-Natives will share their experiences of the sometimes-difficult relationships between communities. This session will take place on November 4 and be facilitated by Tribal member Shoshanna Bayes and Miglino. “Historic trauma is very real in our community, and the harms continue,” the description reads. “But healing has happened and continues alongside the harms.” This dialogue will acknowledge the damage caused by colonialism and racism, efforts at healing, and will look forward to the sorts of relationships, communities, and common future we hope to create.” Session #1, which took place on September 23, began with Tribal Elder Barbara Lawrence telling the Suquamish Creation Story. Panelists, including Suquamish Chairman Leonard Forsman, Dennis Lewarch, Tribal archaeologist, and Barbara Lawrence, focused on the early history of the Tribe, the ways of life practiced in this region, traditional stories, and the locations of some of the winter villages. The panel discussed Chief Kitsap, Chief Seattle, and other Suquamish leaders and the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott, which affirmed the Tribe’s inherent sovereignty. Comm. Rob Gelder and Tribal member Annie Forsman moderated. Session #2 focused on Tribal sovereignty and governance, the roles of Tribal Council, General Council, government departments, and the Tribe’s government-to-government relationships.
The Oct. 7 session began with a poetry reading by Tribal member Cedar Sigo and continued with a panel made up of Tribal Council member Sammy Mabe, Seafoods Director Tony Forsman, and Cultural Coordinator Tina Jackson. Luther “Jay” Mills stepped in for the last part when Mabe’s internet connection went down. Kitsap Commissioner Charlotte Garrido and Tribal member Lisa Jackson co-moderated. The session also discussed the meaning of treaty rights, the Boldt decision, and other decisions that have confirmed the Tribe’s rights to harvest in the “usual and accustomed” places in the Salish Sea. Law enforcement and security, land ownership, and other topics were also discussed. Session #3, which took place on Oct. 21, began with Kate Ahvakana offering songs and then turned to a discussion of the current issues facing the Tribe, including protecting treaty fisheries, water quality, and biodiversity, the challenges of Climate Change, ocean acidification, and pollution. Other challenges were explored as well, including bias in education, the multi-generational impacts of boarding schools, crimes targeting Native women and children, racism in Kitsap, and building an economy that can support the whole Tribal community. The panel was made up of Tribal Council members Luther Jay Mills and Robin L.W. Sigo and Jamie Gooby, Director of Human Resources. This session was moderated by Kitsap Commissioner Ed Wolfe and Tribal Traditional Foods Specialist Azure Boure. To find more information about Port Madison Dialogues and links to the videos for Sessions #1, #2, and #3 go to https://bit.ly/PortMadison. Or simply point your phone’s camera at the QR code below and click on the link that pops up.
Slides from Port Madison Dialogues Session #1 and #3.
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Suquamish News
November 2021 | 7
Suquamish dive crew rallies in emergency I
t didn’t take long for Jennifer Purser-Hess to figure out something was going terribly wrong. The Suquamish geoduck diver was about 40 feet underwater on the morning of Oct. 5, harvesting the big clams from the ocean floor, when she started to feel the heavy line connecting her to the dive boat above begin to tug. The umbilical cord – as divers call it – is a literal lifeline, that not only provides a communications link with the boat crew, but also fresh air to breath. It’s not uncommon for divers to get tugged a bit as their dive boat shifts on its anchor line with changing winds and currents. But Hess knew some- Jennifer Purser-Hess in dive thing was wrong when gear. (Photo by Heather instead of being tugged Purser) up towards the boat she found herself getting yanked down with the sloping seafloor. “I realized the anchor wasn’t holding and that it had drug over my line and was now dragging me down with it,” she said. When Hess had first jumped into the water less than an hour earlier, “it was a nice morning, cool and a little breezy, but no white caps. I didn’t even think twice about the wind.” But as every Puget Sound sailor knows, the weather can change on a dime. And that’s exactly what was happening above her where winds were suddenly jumping to 30mph, creating bigger and bigger waves. In fact, dive boat skipper Mike Rogers had just decided to call it a day and pull Hess and fellow diver Kyle Purser out of the water when things suddenly started going sideways. “We are 100 percent focused on the divers, and keeping them safe is our biggest priority. We’re like parents constantly worried about our kids,” said Rogers, who immediately began directing the crew to get the anchor up and pull the divers out. Down below, even as her cousin Kyle was getting pulled aboard the boat, Hess was doing her best to manage the situation. “I was getting drug deeper and deeper, and it was not slowing down,” she said. “There’s all kinds of stuff down there – crab pots, huge rocks – that I could have
been pulled into. So, I was trying to stay on my feet and run with the anchor so that I could dodge anything that came in front of me and not get tangled up down there.” “She was just so calm,” said Rogers. “At one point she was at 80 feet, telling us how beautiful it was and how many clams there were.” But 80 feet was about as deep as any Suquamish diver had ever gone. Later her dive computer would show that she’d gone to 110 feet before her line was untangled from the anchor and she was pulled out of the water. Even when she was out of the water, her life was still in dire danger.
Because the weather and rising waves forced her to surface faster than normal, her blood had dangerous levels of life-threatening nitrogen. The quick-thinking crew got an oxygen mask on her that very likely saved her life, said doctors later. A lifeflight helicopter would deliver her to a six-hour stay in a decompression chamber at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle to ensure she was okay. “I have to give a lot of credit to Jen for how cool-headed and calm she remained throughout,” said Rogers. “I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and this was one of the scariest situations I’ve ever seen. I work with five crews and 25 divers. And even though she’s (Cont. page 11)
Suquamish combat vet reflects as Veterans Day nears Alan Deam isn’t the type to boast about his time serving as U.S. Marine. But after more than two decades on active duty, he’s been to some places and seen some things. And like many veterans who’ve watched the end of the war in Afghanistan in recent weeks, this year’s Veterans Day in particular is bringing with it some very mixed emotions. “It been really hard,” says Deam. “It’s hard to express what it’s like seeing the Taliban walk through the hangars at the Kabul airport, in the exact place where I’d worked.” Deam enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1988 and retired as a master sergeant after more than 22 years on active duty. He served in Operation Desert Storm, during the first Gulf War in 1991, and then in Somalia, and then regular redeployments back the Persian Gulf as tensions continued to simmer with Iraq. Then came the U.S.-led NATO intervention in Kosovo. After the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, Deam found himself back in the Middle East, on the tip of the spear during the initial invasion of Iraq 2003, and then two more tours of duty there later on. “I’ve been to every country in the Middle East, except Iran,” he says. Throughout his service he served as CH-46 “Sea Knight” transport helicopter mechanic, crew chief, and door gunner and later helped field the Marine Corps’ new tilt-rotor V-22 Osprey. Even after retiring, he found himself returning to war zones. In 2012, a friend asked if he’d like to go to Afghanistan as a contractor with the State Department. “A pilot I’d flown with in the Marine Corps called me. I’d recently retired from the Marine Corps and was
working here in Suquamish at the Casino.” They needed someone to run aircraft maintenance on a fleet of CH-46s the State Department had taken over from the Marine Corps and was getting ready to start flying out of the Kabul Airport. He served there, and later in Kandahar, for about a year and a half. “It was an interesting place to work,” he said. And every bit as much combat flying as when he was still in uniform. And as the United State’s 20-year presence in Afghanistan came to unceremonious end in August, Deam texted with a friend on the ground who was among the last Americans to evacuate. Like other wars before, and like other warriors who fought in them, Deam finds himself now weighing the cost in blood and treasure against the outcome. “I’m just mad. We’re really good at breaking countries and then leaving,” he says. This Veterans Day, Deam hopes civilians who might otherwise thank him for his service would do something else instead. “I’d like to ask people to read a book about a battle,” he says. “Try to get some sense of what it’s like to serve.” Among some of his recommendations: Semper Fidelis, Black Hawk Down, Lone Survivor, and Bravo Two Zero. For those who aren’t readers, he says The Hurt Locker is one of the few movies he’s seen that actually captures some resemblance of what it was like to serve in Iraq. The Suquamish Tribe will be honoring veterans on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, with a drive-thru “Grab and Go” gift bag at the Tribal Government Center parking lot from 11am to 1pm. By Jon Anderson
8 | November 2021
Suquamish News
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Government
Chairman’s Report
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he fall brings the annual intertribal meetings held by the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI), and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). ATNI held their annual convention on a virtual platform. Highlights of the Convention included updates on the Brackeen Indian Child Welfare Case, which is going to be heard before the U.S. Supreme Court, an appearance at the ATNI conference by Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) and ATNI Executive Board elections. On the move Secretary Haaland, who ran in the Boston Marathon on behalf of Indian Country the day before addressing the convention, spoke about her initiative on Boarding Schools historic treatment of Indian students, and the initiative on identifying and investigating crimes against American Indian women who have been murdered or are missing. We also held elections for the Executive Board and all three candidates were elected after running opposed. Results: 1) Leonard Forsman (Suquamish) elected President 2) Delano Saluskin (Yakama) elected 2nd Vice President 3) Casey Mitchell (Nez Perce) elected Assistant Secretary
NCAI also held their annual convention and elections online. Highlights included appearances by key members of the Biden Administration, including Vice-President Kamala Harris, who addressed the NCAI convention and spoke about the U.S./ Indian Nation relationship in a historic context. Assurances from White House The vice president said that the Biden/ Harris Administration recognizes that the bond between the Tribes and U.S. is “sacred” and that the country needs to “speak truth of history” and not shy away from the “shameful past” of interactions between early explorers, such as Columbus, and the American Indian populations. She emphasized her commitment to supporting the Missing and Murdered Indian Women initiative, protecting American Indian voting rights, publicizing tribal service in the military and the government, and working to improve U.S./Tribal relations. The vice president also noted the White House’s efforts to rebuild our economy and our democracy, including historic investments in Indian Country programs, and she committed to engaging with Tribes in “consensual” rule and policy making. There were also addresses by Secretary John Kerry, the Biden Adminis-
tration’s Climate lead, who discussed the important role that tribes play in climate change policy and strategy, and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge who spoke to her commitment to increasing funding for tribal housing programs. NCAI also held elections, which resulted in the election of three candidates who ran unopposed and one contested election. Results: 1) Fawn Sharp (Quinault) President 2) Shannon Holsey (Stockbridge-Munsee) 3) Aaron Payment (Saul Ste Marie Chippewa) 1st Vice President 4) Mark Macarro (Pechanga) won a contested election. The Washington Indian Gaming Association, another important intertribal organization, held gathering in a hybrid virtual/in-person meeting at Jamestown S’Klallam’s Seven Cedars Casino. We continue to engage with state legislative leaders and educate them about our successful tribal economies and investments in our tribal government and our local businesses. We also met with the Washington State Gambling Commission to continue discussions regarding implementation of sports betting in our respective casinos. Navy Consultations Government-to-Government consultation with the U.S. Navy has resumed, and we had two meetings with Naval representatives last month. The new Navy Region Northwest Commander is Rear Admiral Brad Collins who has spent much of his career as a helicopter pilot. Rear Adm. Collins stated that he was committed to meaningful tribal consultation and is looking forward to future work with the Suquamish Tribe. The new Naval Base Kitsap Commanding Officer is Capt. Richard Massie. Capt. Massie was a submarine commander and also committed to consulting with the Suquamish Tribe on future
projects and operations in our usual and accustomed fishing area, including Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. We also engaged in further outreach and consultation with the Biden Administration. HUD Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman met with NW tribal leaders to discuss their programs and get reports from our region. We all expressed frustration with the lack of affordable housing on our respective reservations and homelands. Expressing concerns The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Brenda Mallory visited Seattle to hear the concerns of tribes and residents regarding our region’s waters. The CEQ advises the President on the environment, climate change, and other issues. Chair Mallory held a meeting on the Duwamish River and heard tribal concerns and community input about the health of the river and of Elliott Bay. The Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency that funds and advises our nation's libraries and museums, held a tribal consultation session to hear the concerns of tribal governments about each of their cultural preservation and public education efforts. We are also in consultation with Governor Inslee on his climate change policy. The Suquamish Tribe hosted a meeting at the Clearwater Casino Resort with the Governor, his policy team, and tribal leaders to discuss tribal consultation protocol. Thanks to the resort staff and PME management (special thanks to Irene Carper) for managing the arrangements and to Sammy Mabe for providing the blessing. Totten Road Roundabout The Washington State Department of Transportation held a meeting to discuss planning for the Totten Road roundabout and culvert replacement project scheduled to go to construction next summer. We also met with State Senator Christine Rolfes to update one another on SR
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(Cont. from previous page) 305 planning and the upcoming legislative session. We also met with the State Department of Revenue to discuss our concerns about the retail tax exemption process for on-reservation deliveries by local vendors. We made some progress and will have more information forthcoming on improving the process. The Kitsap County Regional Council had their planning policy committee meeting where elected leaders joined together to discuss strategy for managing future population growth in Kitsap County. Our Communications Department has been working with outside filmmakers and journalists to promote our commitment to restoring and protecting our ancestral waters. The latest projects are in respect to our support of restoring kelp beds in the Salish Sea and our general commitment to educating the public, especially new residents, about the importance of caring for our rivers, streams and marine environment.
Suquamish News
Growing influence Tribes are becoming more influential in education policy in our state. The Suquamish Tribe’s leadership role in the Tribal Leaders Congress on Education has brought great improvements to our tribal education programs. We held our latest meeting on a virtual platform and received reports from the Office of Native Education housed at the State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington Education Association, and the Evergreen State College. Earlier that same day, I provided a welcome to representatives from our state’s Community and Technical Colleges attending a session on tribal consultation principles. I also had the pleasure of traveling to the University of Washington’s Intellectual House to hear Dr. Charlotte Cote, a First Nations professor at the U of W, speak about the founding and construction of this important fixture on the Seattle campus. By Leonard Forsman Suquamish Tribe Chairman
November 2021 | 9
The Suquamish Tribe hosted delegates from Tribes across Washington state along with Gov. Jay Inslee at the Clearwater Casino Resort on Oct. 7 to discuss potential new tribal consultation protocols. (Photo by Jon Anderson)
Suquamish Tribe: Fall Cleanup 2021 haʔlid ʔə ti pədt’əsəbil
On Saturdays, from 9am to 3:00pm, the Suquamish Tribe will be holding a clean up in the following neighborhoods: Tundra: Nov. 6 Sackman: Nov 13
Woolly Dog: Nov 20 George Lane: Nov 27
Items Accepted (no empty, leaking, or damaged containers) • Liquid Household Wastes (up to 15-gallons/household): Paints, Oils, Antifreeze, Cleaning Products, Flammable Liquids and Solvents, and Herbicides and Pesticides • Household Batteries, Aerosol Cans, Fluorescent Tubes and CFL Bulbs, Mercury Thermometers, and Road Flares • Other Household Wastes (up to 10 items/household): Isobutane or Butane/ Propane Pressurized Fuel Canisters, Propane Bottles (1 Liter or Smaller), and Auto Batteries
Suquamish Tribe Fisheries Director Rob Purser answers questions from journalists on the Tribe’s salmon habitat recovery efforts along Chico Creek. The state legislature recently funded a major culvert removal project in the area. (Photo by Jon Anderson)
We are not accepting household garbage, furniture, appliances, mattresses, or electronics. If you have larger quantities or any questions, please contact Jaime Lawrence (Solid Waste Coordinator) at 360-471-3500
10 | November 2021
Suquamish News
Suquamish.nsn.us
Community
Remembering the Boarding School Children Students and Staff at Chief Kitsap Academy focused their studies on Indian Boarding Schools during the National Day of Remembrance in the United States and Canada. Students discussed the importance of remembering what happened at the board-
ing schools and the impact they still have in Indian Country. Activities included watching an interview with Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. “We had a fire burning throughout the day if students or staff needed a break to pause and reflect,” said CKA Principal Rex Green.
Sports & Recreation: Covid safety in Pee-wee and other activities
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uquamish Tribe Sports and Recreation have been working with area Parks and Recreation Departments and the Kitsap Pee-wee associations to hopefully have a season this year. Craig Miller will keep everyone updated on the progress as we move forward. Teams will be limited to around four teams this season, depending on how district protocols, rules, and regulations are set up for each district. We will send out information in the Suquamish Weekly Update email and the Sports and Recreation Facebook page when we hear. Sports Reimbursements Sports and Recreation will help with reimbursements for activities for school and recreation activities registrations.
For more information on reimbursements, please contact Craig Miller at Craigmiller@suquamish.nsn.us or (360) 394-8574. After School Activities: As a reminder, Sports and Recreation is offering sports activities for youth 12 years and older. Staff hope to lower the age limit once a COVID vaccination is available for those younger than 12 years old. Those who come to the Fitness Center for activities are required to wear masks while in the building. For more information, please contact Magdalena Turrieta or We-laka Chiquiti at the Fitness Center, (360) 394-7142. Craig Miller
Suquamish wins the championship in the Sliver Division of the Bremerton co-ed Softball League in the end-of-season tournament. Back Row, Left to Right: Jimmy Boure, Rachael Matthews, Andrew Joe, Beaner Jones, Chris Sullivan, Mikole Hendricks, Ali Chiquiti. Front Row Left to Right: Magdalena Turrieta, Bailey Moss, Brandy Boure, Malora Chee, Karleigh Gomez. Not Pictured: Ryan Boure, Carl Mack, Lucy Schaeffer, Jon George, Shaylene Jefferson
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Suquamish News
November 2021 | 11
Rental Assistance Available for Tribal Members in Washington
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he COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented hardship on tribal families and households. To alleviate some of the hardships, the Suquamish Tribe is offering rent and utility assistance awarded by the U.S. Department of Treasury to eligible tribal families at risk of eviction, homelessness, or losing stable housing. Assistance must be for the applicant’s primary dwelling, including those covered by a rental agreement, Mutual Help Ownership Agreement (MHOA), rentto-own agreement, and mobile home park lot lease. This program does not provide assistance for homeowner mortgage or utility payments.
Cold Weather
Home Maintenance Check Up Colder weather is approaching quickly. Here are some maintenance tips to better prepare your home and help avoid higher utility bills or costly repairs: • Clean your gutters, make sure downspouts are draining water away from your home’s foundation to ensure a dry crawl space. Recheck after every large windstorm. • Disconnect outside hoses and install hose bib cover, wrap water pipes beneath home. • Check windows and doors for air leaks, reinstall weather stripping and door sweeps as needed. • Clean your heating devices, replace furnace filters, adjust thermostats as necessary. • Switch the direction of ceiling fan to ensure proper air flow / heat distribution. • Have your chimney cleaned, inspected, and re-certified prior to your first fire. • Check your smoke detector batteries and fire extinguisher, replace them if needed. • Clean dryer hose and clear lint. By Lois “Lane” Sullivan
Eligibility requirements: 1. Enrolled Suquamish Tribal member at least 18 years old living in Washington. 2. Head of household caring for an Enrolled Suquamish youth living in their home residing in Washington State 3. Enrolled Tribal Member of Federally recognized Tribe renting a home on the Port Madison Indian Reservation. 4. Assistance must be for household’s primary residence. 5. Applicant Household income must be at 80 percent of median income for their housing area. Applicants do not have to be late on rental or utility payments to qualify, but they must meet income criteria. For example, in Kitsap County a family of five annual income must not exceed $81,350 to qualify.
Available assistance includes: • Payment for past due rent, late fees, or penalties incurred after March 13, 2020 not to exceed 12 months of assistance. • Assistance paying up to 3 months of future rent. For assistance beyond 3 months, the applicant must reapply for the program. • Payment of past due utility bills incurred after March 13, 2020 (water, sewer, garbage, power, heating fuel, and internet to the primary residence of the applicant. • Relocation assistance due to COVID-19 temporary or permanent displacement for security deposit assistance and rental application processing fees. • Payment of past due parcel lease and/ or utility bills incurred after March 13, 2020 for mobile/manufactured homes.
Application Requirements: Applicants are required to complete a “Suquamish Housing Emergency Rental and Utility bill Assistance” application and submit necessary supporting documentation as outlined in the application. Applications are available by request through any of the Suquamish Housing Team members, and we are here to answer your questions and assist Tribal members regarding this emergency assistance. For help, please contact: Rachel Nellenbach, (360) 394-8418 rnellenbach@suquamish.nsn.us Lois Sullivan (360) 394-8416 lsullivan@ suquamish.nsn.us Shenowah Purser (360) 394-8423 Spurser@suquamish.nsn.us Vicki Cole (360) 394-8419 vcole@suquamish.nsn.us By Housing Program Staff
Dive Crew, from page 7 only been diving for a few years, I’ve got to say she’s one of the greatest to work with.” Fellow crewmates say they're not surprised at how well Hess handled the situation. “She’s like our dad in that way of being calm and quick on her feet. The greater the threat, the more level-headed and collected she becomes,” said sister and fellow diver Heather Purser. “She is the most fierce individual I know, and I am proud to be her sister.” Hess credits her crew mates, and their level of training, preparation, and experience with the successful outcome. “The reason I was able to stay so calm down there was because I knew they were going to figure it out and get me up. This is dangerous work. We all know that,” she said. “And sometimes these situations happen and you have to deal with it. I just knew they’d have my back, because we’re more than just co-workers, we’re family.” Now, Hess said, she just wants to get back to work. “This has all just made me very grateful. Yes, working on the water is dangerous — whether you’re a fisherman, a crabber, no matter what you’re doing out there —it’s such a dangerous job. “But my family has been working on this water for literally more than 1000 years. We would not exist without this body of water. So, I just feel so grateful to it, to live this life, and have this history, and to have these people who went through this experience with me.” By Jon Anderson
12 | November 2021
Suquamish News
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Elders’ Corner
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elcome and Happy Birthday to our new elder, Michelle Brown, and wishing a Happy Milestone Birthday to Tara McNally. October brought us much needed rain. We are sorry to see summer go, but happy that everything is getting watered and the fires knocked down. Our next Elders Council meeting will be on Zoom Nov. 16. Our meeting times have changed to the afternoon from 2pm-4pm, from now on. There will be some changes in the Elders Lodge soon. Della and Donna shopped for a new couch, new patio chairs and two new twin beds that can be converted to a Queen for our Elders who come by to visit. We will be hanging pictures that Elder Mary Ann Youngblood left us. Some of these pictures are northwest Native designed needlepoints that her mother Vivian Youngblood created many years ago. We are so blessed. Eanie Abler and her crew have been serving some great lunches in our Elders lunchroom,11:30am1pm. Our favorites include her soups, frybread, salads, and meatloaf. Yummy! Remember, as an Elder you may pack a meal for home or sit in our lunchroom to eat. Don’t forget to bring your vaccine card (if you haven’t already), and sign in and take your temperature at time of entry. We need to glove up while serving our food. If you’re homebound and unable to make it to our Elders Lunchroom, please call our kitchen at 360-394-8407. We had a great time with Denita Holmes, one of our master weavers, who taught us how to prepare cedar this past October. We had about 10 elders attend this (Cont. next page)
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(Elders, continued) activity. Foot care was a success this month too. We had 31 elders who went home with happy feet. Remember, for Elders who are diabetic, it is recommended that you see a nail specialist monthly to trim those toenails. Our hands are up to Lisa Jackson for her COVID-19 pumpkin design on our coffee cups and to The Healing of The Canoe staff drive through celebrating “Grandparents Day”. Each grandparent bag included items to make s’mores and a framed picture to honor all the grandparents designed by Lisa Jackson. Elders Cheryl Lawrence and her brother Junior reported they vacationed in Las Vegas and experienced their very first live NASCAR race this last month. They said being there was so exciting. Their favorite driver is Bubba Wallace. They recommend the Luxor Las Vegas Steakhouse for a good ole steak. Elder Bill Gemmell and bride Diana Gregory were married at the Little Church of the West in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sept. 27. And, yes, Elvis Presley was not only there, the King performed their service and later serenading them with their favorite songs. We all wish you a very happy marriage Mr. & Mrs. Gemmell! The Elders are sending congratulations to Ashley Boure-Jones, the grand-daughter of Eanie Abler and daughter of Azure Boure. We wish all our veteran a very Happy Veterans Day. We are very thankful for your service. Thank you veterans! We hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving Day! Please be safe.
By Della Crowell and Donna Sigo
Suquamish News
November 2021 | 13
Language Program News syəcəb ʔə ti suq’ʷabšucid haʔł sləx̌il suq’ʷabš (Good day Suquamish People), Your language program has been very busy this last year creating material to help our people start speaking language again. In the last year we have: • Created 118 Lushootseed Videos on YouTube Suquamish Language Program channel. • Developed hundreds of pages of material for community programs (ELC, Traditional Plants, Wellness) • Renamed four tribal departments in the language • Recorded over 10 hours of audio to support the class material • Developed our Suquamish Language Program web page • Developed our Suquamish Language Program Facebook
• Responded to over 50 translation requests • Offered multiple weekly language classes online each quarter (currently seven classes and 50 registered students) • Provided Lushootseed activities to include in holiday distributions • Applied and have been granted an ANA grant to work on creating Language Books Currently we are: • Developing a formal translation process for community requests (outside of tribal government and tribal member use) • Compiling footage for a Tribal Acknowledgment video • Researching place names • Planning for the New Year and scheming on ideas to get our people
Traditional Heritage Specialist News I have been very busy collecting names of plants for various projects and asking permission from the Cultural Committee to use them in new signage at a park in Seattle that was used by Suquamish Tribe for many thousands of years. This park will have pictures and English, Latin, and Lushootseed. There are three tribes working with the Foster Island Park on this, and we are each to submit names in our language. I am also happy to say that I took part in a Sacred Sites Zoom Meeting and was able downloaded it to review the different parts I enjoyed the most. I also got copies of papers that the speakers provided on their topics. It was a very educational two days of learning about how different Tribal and First Nations
Peoples care for and protect their Sacred Sites. They even had speaker from Australia who talked about their sites. He was so great! The time is now for smoking fish and canning fish. The hatchery has salmon returning, and if you watch sometimes our fishermen have fish for sale that you can buy for your smoking and canning. Also many vegetables can now be canned for your future use. Azure has great recipes for you and can teach you how to preserve them. Also, if you like to vacuum pack, that is a great way to preserve foods. You should place them in your freezer with dates, and use them before they get too old! By Marilyn Jones
speaking the language regularly so that when we tentatively host Canoe Journey in 2025 we can greet and visit with our relatives from other tribes in our language. The language program is comprised of two full-time workers: Lena Maloney (Program Coordinator) and Cassy Fowler (Language Specialist) and three contract teachers Joey Holmes, Christy Roberts, and Randi Purser-Smith. As a program, we are spread very thin to do a lot of work. We are very happy to have the opportunity to do this work. However, the goal of all this is to get our people using the language in their home and with their family. We encourage all families to participate in our language classes and utilize the material on our program page https://bit. ly/SuquamishProgram By Cassy Fowler
14 | November 2021
Suquamish News
Emotions: What Are They Good For?
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n previous posts, we considered the benefits of mindfulness and learned strategies to examine, with intention, what our minds are full of. A simplistic but useful model is to imagine three states of mind: emotional, reasonable, and the integration of both, which we call “wise mind.” Each state of mind is essential; without one, we could not easily make decisions or enjoy healthy relationships with others. Why study emotions? Many people believe they would be better off without them, especially those we consider “difficult or unpleasant.” Although emotions are important to our survival and functioning, for many, they are intense, long-lasting, and too often control our behavior. The result is a life that seems chaotic and unpredictable, constantly addressing negative consequences to ourselves or others. As children, many of us were overwhelmed by strong feelings. We heard confusing messages about emotions like “you’re just too sensitive,” “there’s nothing to be afraid of,” “don’t be such a baby,” “stop crying, or I’ll give you something to cry about!” We concluded that most emotions were not useful. Working hard to shut down We worked hard to shut feelings down and cover them up, so it is not surprising we are not experienced in knowing what we feel or curious about how emotions are useful. Invalidation stopped emotional learning, and now it is time to begin again with education, practice, and self-validation to develop mastery and self-confidence. Emotions are here to stay, and the better we understand their usefulness, the more control we can have in our lives. Emotions are immediate and efficient; when philosophical thinking about a present danger could cost us our lives, emotions are immediate, organizing and preparing us for action. Emotions communicate to us and to others that “something is going on…pay attention.” It is helpful to know several facts about emotions. First, most researchers agree that there are only eight or so primary emotions: anger, sorrow/sadness, joy, surprise, fear, disgust, interest, and guilt/shame. Primary emotions mean our brains are hard-wired with the readiness to feel these; a facial expression is attached, and an urge to action is associated with each one. All other emotions are generally variations in intensity (irritation or frustration for anger) or combinations (jealousy as anger+fear). This is true for all human beings, no matter where in the world you live.
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In Memoriam
Marcia Faye Cook Laguna Teal
Second, there are explanations for why we feel the way we do. We generally have emotions (even the painful ones) for very good reasons. Paying attention to the message If we pay attention to the message and mindfully accept and address its purpose, we decrease our suffering and improve well-being. The primary emotions have evolutionary value. Feeling sad when someone dies encourages us to remember and value that each person is important to the community. Disgust when eating spoiled food shows on our faces immediately without words and can save another person’s life. Anger, when attacked, changes blood flow from the brain to the extremities, creating a powerful action urge to fight, flee or freeze, which promotes survival. Third, we are capable of regularly being in situations that provoke emotions because emotions do not last longer than seconds or minutes (not days or months!). In fact, emotions come and go like waves in the ocean, with a swell, a peak, and a calm. If we do nothing but observe their presence and notice how our bodies experience them, they will pass or change. However, it is the fourth fact about emotions that causes us so much emotional suffering. It is what we do when we feel an emotion that extends its presence. Hating or blocking the emotion with an unwillingness to feel will keep it around longer. The opposite is equally true. Emotions love and feed on themselves. Emotions look to be fed, and in feeding, they grow. Certain emotions make us feel more powerful. When we feel anger, rather than noticing and letting it pass over the top of us like a wave, we think of all the other times we felt the same way, fueling anger’s intensity and ensuring it will stick around if we continue thinking these thoughts. Fortunately, our brains are not only emotional entities. Since we are not daily confronting saber-toothed tigers in our backyards, our brains have evolved with systems and synapses that help with reappraisal when danger is not imminent. Breathing and asking, “what else is true?” can slow down emotionally driven thoughts and action urges to give us a chance to consider possible reasons for emotions and to consider consequences. Asking “What is the right thing for me to do right now?” considers not only what I’m feeling but integrates with other important information to create a wise mind decision and response. By Lori Glover, LICSW, LMHC
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arcia Faye Cook Laguna Teal passed away on Aug. 25, 2021. She was four days from her 84th birthday. GG, as her family fondly called her, was born in Bremerton, WA, Aug 29, 1937, to Lydia and Charles Cook, who preceded her in death. GG loved to travel and play the slots at the casinos. She was a devoted fan of Wheel of Fortune and loved eating all-you-can-eat seafood buffets at the casino. Teal proudly retired from Boeing as a QA Supervisor in the Aerospace Division. She was one smart cookie, say family members who recall that she taught them all to work hard and that they could achieve anything they set their mind to. “My grandmother was all about making sure we all knew we must work hard in order to have the things we wanted out of life,” said Teal’s granddaughter Rebecca Purser. “‘Don’t you give up,’ she would tell us, ‘and don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Always do your best and remember I always love you and am proud of you.’” One practical word of advice Purser says she will always hold on to from her grandmother: Never quit your job until you have another one to replace the one you are quitting. GG resided in Snoqualmie with her daughter Tina and great-granddaughter Isabella, who tenderly took care of her and enjoyed her so much. Teal’s brothers Roger Cook and Norman Cook preceded her in death. She is survived by her other siblings: Barbara Thornton, Judy Rogerson, John Cook, and Nick Cook. GG is also survived by her three daughters, Kathy Bannister (Wayne) Sanders of Cummings, GA, Lisa (Mark) Lewis of Suquamish, WA, and Tina Laguna of Snoqualmie, WA, and four grandchildren, Rebecca, Jessica, Thomas, and Michael, as well as many beautiful and loved great-grandchildren. A memorial will be held on her birthday in 2022.
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November 2021 | 15
Birthdays
r e b m e v o
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November 1 Chalakwatud Chiquiti Rayn Hendricksen Scot McPhee Wilsie Hawk November 2 Savannah Ranes Windy Anderson November 3 Antonia Ewing Carlos Virella Hali-aleetsah Deam Krystal George
November 6 Jenavieve Old Coyote-Bagley JoAnn Joe Julian Rodriguez November 7 Vince Peterson November 8 Tara McNally Travis Demain
November 4 Hazel Ginn
November 9 Andrew Vejar Christopher Santos David Lindell Isaiah Devore Krystopher Hyatt-Tansill Tyler George
November 5 Jayden Sigo Jill Howard Sebastian Pool
November 10 Brooklyn Ives Marta Belmont Torri Rubeck
November 11 Jason Napoleon Jennifer Hess
November 12 Augustina Purser George George Vernelle Trevathan November 13 Kathryn Johnston November 14 Gregory George Susan Henry November 15 Aliana Chiquiti Ethan Willis Marlin George III Nathanial Pratt Ryan Cobb Xavier Medina November 16 Michael Pelch Quelisha Brealan-Bayes
November 17 Donna Sigo Ryan George Shawn Hawk Jr. Thomas Cordero Jr. November 18 Patricia Vollenweider November 19 Alaric Jackson Angelia Cordero Avery Purser November 20 Brenda Anderson Kiera Lawrence Madison Cordero-Edgley November 22 Duwayne Oakman Mellene Kurtz Sequoia Chargualaf November 23 Aaron Nelson Alexander Warner Kana’i Lawrence Sheri Wilson November 24 Clifford Adams Ethel Jones Kristen Soy Skyler Bakken
November 25 Amanda Stieger Jace-Anthony Adams Krista Cornn Michelle Brown Rachel Nellenbach River Alexander November 26 Marilyn Jones November 27 Armando Chavez Brandon Smith Elijah Covarrubias Elilai Abraham Erik Alexander Kale Kalahan William Jones IV November 28 Charles Lawrence Cory Winnie Luther Mills III November 29 Azure Boure Kiarra Armstrong Talynn Marquez November 30 Alycia Covarrubias Rudolph Smith
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID
Suquamish Tribe is Hiring! To find current career opportunities with the Suquamish Tribe, please check out the regularly updated job posting on the Tribe's website at:
www.suquamish.nsn.us/careers For more information call the Job Hotline at: 360-394- 8414
Kent, WA Permit No. 71