Community Calendar
Meetings
Suquamish Tribal Council meets July 1 & 15 . Agenda and links sent via Weekly Update & SUN texts.
Suquamish Tribal Gaming Comm. meets July 2, 16 & 30, 9:30-11am at Suquamish Museum. Call Angela Brainerd at (360) 394-8652 for details.
Suquamish Warriors meet July 2, at 5:30pm at the Warriors Vet Center.
Suquamish Seafoods Board meets July 16. Call Shanel Carlson at (360) 3948512 for details.
PME Board meets July 17. Contact Emily Sato at emilysato@clearwatercasino.com for details.
Suquamish Museum Board meets July 18, 10am-noon at Museum. For info call (360) 394-8499.
Elders Council meets July 16, 2-4pm at Elders Lodge. Call (360) 394-8417 for details.
Community Events
Lunchtime Forum on the Suquamish Tribe’s new Climate Response Program, July 18 at noon via Zoom.
Suquamish Culture Camp July 9-12. Contact Family & Friends Center @suquamish.nsn.us or (360) 394-8576
Suquamish Canoe Family: Loading barge and truck for journey, July 26.
Canoe Journey Hosting. Arrival on July 28, departure July 29.
(See details of Journey, hosting, and pull to Puyallup on page 3.)
Chief Seattle Days August 16-18.
Wellness Meetings
All are welcome to recovery meetings held Mon thru Fri., 6pm at the Wellness Center.
Mark Williams named Suquamish Police Chief
Mark Williams has been selected to serve as the Suquamish Police Chief. Williams is a 20-year veteran of the Department, serving as patrol officer, detective, deputy police chief, and, most recently as acting police chief after Mike Lasnier’s retirement in March.
On the cover
Suquamish News
Published monthly by the Suquamish Tribe: 18490 Suquamish Way, Suquamish, WA 98392
Email us at: communications@suquamish.nsn.us
Send letters to: Suquamish News Editor, PO Box 498, Suquamish, WA 98392-0498
Letters should include the writer’s full name, address, and home telephone and may be edited for clarity and space.
All photo submissions must be made in JPG or PDF form, with resolution of 300 dpi or more.
July Events at the Suquamish Museum
July 1-3, Mon-Wed, 9am-4pm. Complimentary Necklace-Making
July1-29, Summer Glass Float Find July 9, Tues, 3pm. Behind the Scenes Tour July 13, Sat, all day. FREE Museum Admission July 13, Sat, 10am-1pm. Beaded Sasquatch Earrings Workshop with Jo Citlali
July 15, Mon, 2pm. Movie: Boomtown
July 17, Wed, 1pm - 4pm. Object ID
July 20-21, Sat-Sun, 10am-4pm. Cedar Woven Devil’s Club Walking stick workshop with Tribal Elder Kippie Joe.
For more info or to register for any of our workshops, call (360) 394-7105, or email museum@suquamish.nsn.us
Suquamish graduates were honored on July 25. Those who attended the ceremony are, front row: Kayla Purser, Isabelle Chiquiti, Shayla Sigo, Renee Hommel, Julia Hommel, Caitlin Blomberg, Abagail Whitehead, Aaron Lawrence, Laree Miller. Back row: Lorilee Morsette, Kiomi Pavlock, Debra Dunning, James Abler, Sea-Ots-ton Jones Jr., Kylie Cordero, Misty Sigo, Jessica Ledesma, Taliyah Ledesma, Denita Holmes, Barb Santos, Daniel Adams, Nisrine Ridani. See pages 6-7 for more graduation coverage.
Suquamish Tribal Council
Leonard Forsman Chairman
Josh Bagley Vice-Chair
Irene Carper Secretary
Denita Holmes Treasurer
Lorilee Morsette Member
Azure Boure Member
Luther Mills, Jr. Member
Production Staff
Leonard Forsman Editor-in-Chief
Catherine Edwards Executive Editor
Sarah van Gelder Managing Editor
Jon Anderson News Editor
JoAnn Joe Photography/Design
Georgia Browne Layout and Design
Editorial Policy
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.
Reproduction of Suquamish News, in whole or in part, without written permission from the Suquamish Tribe is strictly prohibited.
Suq uamish Museum
Power Paddle to Puyallup Youth Canoe Journey 2024
Thisyear’s Tribal Journey will put a special emphasis on youth participation and leadership as canoe families travel to Puyallup in late July and gather for protocol in early August.
Dubbed the “Power Paddle to Puyallup Youth Canoe Journey,” the intent is to provide an “opportunity for elders to impart their knowledge, for adults to guide and support, and for our youth to step confidentially into roles of leadership. This will assist in ensuring that the culture is continued on through future generations,” say Puyallup organizers.
The point of this Youth Journey is to prepare youth to take leadership, said Puyallup Heritage Director Connie McCloud. “It doesn’t eliminate any canoe families from participating. It puts the focus on training our youth.”
“The Tana Stobs and UW Canoe Family will also be traveling with us to Blake Island with us,” said Cultural Activities Coordinator Denita Holmes.
In the spirit of the invitation from Puyallup, “we want to focus on passing the torch to the youth when it comes to our protocol functions and our
own hosting,” says Vincent Chargualaf, youth activities coordinator at the Family & Friends Center.
This year’s Culture Camp, held July 9-12 at the House of Awakened Culture, will emphasize preparing youth for tribal journey, he said.
“The primary focus for Culture Camp is going to be training and working with the youth to learn how to run floor, how to introduce songs, how to help out with cook lines,” Chargualaf said. Part of that will be recognizing what each youth is good at and finding ways to insert them into a job that is right for them.
Hosting just one night
Suquamish will host canoe families making their way to Puyallup for one night only, on July 28. The following day, Suquamish canoe families will join the journey, spending one night on Blake Island, the birthplace of their ancestral leader Chief Seattle, before making their way to Tacoma for five days of protocol and ceremonies.
By Jon Anderson
Suquamish Canoe Journey Schedule
• July 28 - Suquamish hosts Canoe Families
• July 29 – Depart Suquamish for Muckleshoot Landing, overnight at Blake Island
• July 30 – Soft landing – Owen Beach
• July 31 – Formal landing and welcoming at the Port of Tacoma (Hylebos Waterway)
• Aug 1-5 – Protocol in Puyallup
Resources:
Suquamish Tribe’s Canoe Journey maps, camping, and other information: bit.ly/CanoeJourney2024.
Puyallup Tribe’s Canoe Journey maps, camping, route, and other information: bit.ly/PuyallupCanoeJourney
Suquamish tribal members take on groundbreaking cockle restoration project
Suquamish tribal member Katelynn Pratt is bundled in a hoodie on a snappy spring morning out on a soggy tidal flat as she hunches over against the wind, sifting through the wet sand and seaweed for the distinctive heart-shaped shells of cockles. Every so often, she stands up straight and pulls a phone out of her pocket, holding it up to her face as she stretches out her back. But she’s not checking texts, as it might first appear. Instead, the resonant gutturals of Lushootseed spill from her lips like the echo of a distant raven, her crisp plosives snapping in the air like cracking clamshells.
She’s in the middle of her Lushootseed language class, revitalizing the ancient language of the Suquamish people, attending via Zoom even while she works on the beach helping reinvigorate a prized traditional seafood.
It’s all part of an innovative new project launched by the Suquamish Tribe aimed at restoring cockle populations in the tidelands surrounding the Port Madison Reservation and beyond.
Pratt is one of three tribal members who make up the Fisheries Department’s new cockle crew, joined by fellow Cockle Technician Travis Silvey and Project Intern An-Nika-Leesh Chiquiti. As seasonal hires through the spring and summer, they all focusing on enhancing the availability of cockles for subsistence gathering. This initiative, a collab-
oration with the Puget Sound Restoration Fund and funded by Washington Sea Grant, hopes to provide significant benefits for the Suquamish community.
The tribal members are involved in all aspects of the project, says the tribe’s Shellfish Biologist Elizabeth Unsell, from experimental plot maintenance to disease monitoring. This project is driven by the desire to increase cockle populations on tribal beaches, which are currently closed for subsistence harvesting due to population challeges particularly in central Puget Sound. By restoring these populations, the team hopes to reopen their beaches for tribal members, providing a sustainable source of traditional food.
“This whole project is motivated by the fact that cockles are a favorite traditional food of tribal members,” says Unsell. “This is not commercially motivated, it’s not about the money, it’s about restoring something that’s largely been lost. So, to have tribal members working on this project that is for a tribal first food is just perfect.”
“It definitely beats working in an office,” says Chiquiti with a big smile. Especially, she says, on a day like this when the cockle crew are out on a geoduck aquaculture farm on the Olympic Peninsula coast where they’ve been invited by the owner to come harvest as many cockles as they can find.
The team are carefully checking for cockles that have tucked themselves into metal mesh tubes lining the low-tide beach. The tubes, their tops jutting out of the sand by the thousands in neat, orderly rows, are intended for growing more lucrative geoduck clams.
“This is win-win for everyone,” says Silvey, as he fills another bag with cockles. “The farm wants the cockles out of here so they don’t compete with the geoduck, and we get to bring them home to our
people.”
The project has established several experimental plots on a section of reservation tideland, each with different treatments to determine the optimal conditions for cockle growth and survival. The project’s goal is to identify the best methods for cockle transplantation and enhancement. This involves measuring the cockles at the time of collection and again after a few months to assess growth and survival rates. In addition to the physical trials, the team is also studying bivalve transmissible neoplasia, a type of shellfish cancer not dangerous to humans, to understand its impact on cockle populations and explore ways to mitigate it.
The project also includes plans for additional experimental outplanting next year, using hatchery cockle seed to enhance the population. This seed will be produced using improved techniques to maintain genetic diversity and ensure the sustainability of the cockle populations.
The restoration project faces several challenges, including the difficulty of surveying cockle populations due to their low density and the impact of diseases and population. Funding is another challenge; although the project is currently supported by grants, additional resources are needed to conduct comprehensive surveys and continue the restoration efforts.
Despite these challenges, the project is breaking new ground in cockle restoration. It is one of the first to transfer cockles in this manner, and the data collected will contribute to scientific understanding of shellfish enhancement techniques.
Indeed, the Fisheries Department plans to share findings at an intertribal fisheries conference Suquamish will host next year. If successful, the project could serve as a model for other tribes in the regions facing similar challenges with shellfish populations, says Unsell.
In the meantime, after a full morning out on the tidal flats, the crew is returning with nearly 400 lbs of cockles to distribute to tribal members. Despite the back breaking work, they all seems to love it. Both Pratt and Chiquiti are in college and considering careers in Marine biology.
“Yeah,” says Chiquiti, “this is definitely better than working in an office.”
By Jon Anderson
Suquamish geoduck and salmon attract crowds at DC seafoods celebration
Suquamish Seafoods was once again a hit at the Washington DC Sustainable Seafood Celebration organized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. On offer was the Tribe’s famous geoduck, smoked salmon, and other delicacies.
The Suquamish Tribe’s stand was the best attended and consistently had the longest line in the event, according to Josh Clause, who represents the Tribe in Washington, DC. Councilmember and chef, Luther “Jay” Mills Jr, Shelleen Kurtz, Melissa Pondelick, and James Banda overcame many obstacles to create the successful presence for Suquamish Seafoods — like NOAA’s fridge breaking and ruining the first round of food!
“The Awesome Seafood Staff helped pull off a miracle in Washington, D.C.,” said Mills.
The event sold out in just two minutes this year, attracting high-level fishery policy makers across the federal government, according to Clause. Among those attending were:
• Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) enjoyed the Tribe’s geoduck and spoke with the crew about
the geoduck harvest. Senator Cantwell chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over all federal fisheries. She helped secure the support for fisheries and hatcheries that was included in recent Biden administration funding.
• Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) also visited the Tribe’s booth as well as numerous chiefs of staff for congressmembers.
• The head of NOAA Dr. Richard Spinrad and Janet Coit, the assistant administrator for Fisheries, stopped by and talked with Councilman Mills for almost 15 minutes. Dr. Spinrad and Assistant Administrator Coit are responsible for the rollout of most of the recent fishery funding. They also assist with culvert replacement funding.
• Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland came to the Tribe’s booth and sampled the Tribe’s geoduck and smoked salmon and chatted with Councilman Mills and the Suquamish crew.
Brice and Morsette families thank staff members for life-saving action
Nicholas Mabbot, a carpenter with the Tribe’s Department of Community Development, and Terry Johnson, administrative assistant with Community Health, were blanketed and honored by the Brice and Morsette family in front of Tribal Council on Monday, June 17th.
The families thanked the two for taking quick action to perform CPR on Elder Lorraine Brice’s husband James Brice when he had a medical emergency. “The family is so grateful for your heroism that helped save James life,” they said.
The also thanked and acknowledged the Suquamish Tribe Community Health Program for offering CPR training as well as Human Services and Port Madison Enterprises for their support of Lorraine and James.
(See answer on page 11!)
Senator Maria Cantwell samples some of the delicacies offered by Suquamish Seafoods at the Washington, D.C., Sustainable Seafood Celebration.
Can you guess who this Suquamish boy is?
Hint: This photo was taken around 1992 and he’s the brother of a current Suquamish Tribe department director.
Congrats to all of our Graduates!
You did it! All of your hard work and dedication has paid off. We wish you all well in your journey ahead!
Chief Kitsap Academy Graduates
Back row: Lucas Kinslow, Jeremiah George, Nisrine Ridani, Steven Anderson, Fisher McLeod
Front row: Shayla Sigo, Sho-shyne Jones, Faith Tom, Thallia Galler
Tribal Member High School Graduates
River Alexander – KHS
Steven Anderson – CKA
Isabelle Chiquiti – KHS
Jeremiah George – CKA
Sho-Shyne Jones – CKA
Sea-Ots-Ton Jones – KHS
Makaha Lawrence –Choice Academy
Taliyah Ledesma - NKHS
Ave McDonald – NKHS
Zoey Miller – KHS
Kayla Purser –Tacoma School of the Arts
Nisrine Ridani – CKA
Shayla Sigo – CKA
Abagail Whitehead – Jena H.S.
Higher Ed Graduates
James Abler
Evergreen State College
Master of Public AdministrationTribal Governance
Daniel Adams
Western Oregon University
B.A. in History and Social Science
Dylan Amick
Central Washington University
B.S. Physical Ed and School Health
Caitlin Blomberg
Olympic Community College
A.A. Business
Kylie Cordero
Pacific Lutheran University
B.A. Comm. Film & Media Studies
Ciarra Covarrubias
University of Washington Bachelor of Psychology
Maxwell Dawes Cornish College of Arts
Debra Dunning
Central Washington University
M.Ed., Summa Cum Laude
Robert Forsman
Olympic Community College
Tyler George Commercial Driving School
Denita Holmes
University of Washington Master of Education
Julia Hommel
Northwest Indian College Associate of Arts
Renee Hommel
Olympic Community College
B.S. Nursing
Kal’el Jones Divers Institute of Technology
Aaron Lawrence
Northwest Indian College Bachelor of Business Management
Jessica Ledesma
Northwest Indian College Associate of Arts
Celeste Loneia
Evergreen State College
Laree Miller
Olympic Community College Associate of Arts
Lorilee Morsette
Central Washington University Master of Information Technology and Administrative Management
Kiomi Pavlock
Portland State University
B.S. Environmental Studies
Denise Pezzanite
Pennsylvania State University Bachelor of Arts
Katelyn Pratt
Northwest Indian College Associate of Arts
Barbara Santos
Evergreen State College
Master of Public AdministrationTribal Governance
Misty Sigo
Northwest Indian College Associate of Art & Sciences
Family and loved ones celebrate their graduates
Congratulations to Aerrow Cruz, great granddaughter of Evelynne Gemmell and granddaughter of Robin Camacho, for graduating from UNLV in May with a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice.
Congratulations James Abler and Barbara Santos
Master of Public Administration
Evergreen State College
Congratulations Daniel Ray Adams
Double major Bachelors in Social Science & History
Western Orgeon University
Father- Mike V. Adams
Mother- Sadie Thompson
Congratulations Isabelle Chiquiti Class of 2024 Kingston High School
Congratulations Lorilee Morsette You continue to make our family proud of your educational achievements and leadership. We love you!
Jeremiah George, we are so proud of the young man you have become and all you have accomplished in your short 18 years of life. You are so, kind, caring, compassionate, and loving. You have a great sense of humor, great attitude, and you always have a smile on your face. We can't wait to see where life takes you. Good luck in all you do and we know you will do great things at University of Alaska Fairbanks and Ester Fire Department! We will miss you so, so much! Love you always, and forever! Mom, Dad, Nana, Papa, Josh, Uncle, Aunty, Mav and Goose!
Congratulations Katelynn Pratt!!! Your whole family is proud of you and all of your accomplishments. Keep shining baby girl!!
Love Mom
Congratulations to Riana Durrett, daughter of Robin Camacho, for receiving an advanced law degree, an LLM in Gaming Law.
Congratulations Sea-Ots-Ton Jones Jr.! We are so proud of you Grandson! Love, Grandma Marilyn and Grandpa Gene Jones
Congratulations Shayla Sigo CKA 2024
Congratulations Kiomi Pavlok
Congratulations Dylan Perry Amick BS Physical Ed & School Health
Chairman’s Report
Congratulations to all the graduates from high school on up. I enjoyed seeing many of you at the Graduation Honoring. The pandemic years were a tough time to be getting an education, and you serve the community and your families when you do the hard work and obtain a degree.
The Suquamish Tribe continues to invest time and other resources in promoting education for our people. In addition to the Early Learning Center and Chief Kitsap Academy, the Suquamish Tribe works to make sure our families have access to community college, technical and trade school, traditional universities and other four-year institutions, and graduate programs. These provide opportunities for employment, leadership development, creative thinking and positive life experiences.
Our own Suquamish Cultural Resources Department hosted culture night at the House of Awakened Culture. As we move into our summer activities, this was the last Culture Night until fall. The food, art and dance presentations were excellent.
The Department of Community Development and Clark Construction hosted a tour of the Enetai Townhomes development in the former Suquamish Shores property. Council was able to see some of the units that will be a great addition to our housing stock when they are completed.
G-2-G
Government-to-government meetings are important to our sovereignty as we protect our treaty rights, advocate for our issues, and educate public officials about our history and culture. The Puget
Sound Regional Coordinating Council held their annual meeting at the Washington State Convention Center Summit, which opened in January 2023 and features on display a large Salish blanket by Suquamish artist Danielle Morsette.
I joined Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and King County Executive Dow Constantine in an event at the Chihuily Boathouse on Lake Union centered on the importance of art and culture to the economic and mental health of our respective communities.
I also attended and provided a welcome at the grand opening of Kitsap Transit’s Silverdale Transit Center located near St. Michael Hospital.
Tribal Council met with U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington Tessa Gorman and her tribal liaisons. Our tribal prosecutor Ben Brueseke gave a presentation on our plan for exercising criminal jurisdiction over non-natives who commit domestic violence crimes against Indians on the reservation.
Protecting Natural Resources
Natural resource protection is one of our top priorities as we work to safeguard our waters and lands from pollution and overdevelopment. The Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC) is a non-profit organization that focuses on acquisition and preservation of open space in our ancestral territory. The GPC held their annual fundraiser at Kiana Lodge. I provided some opening remarks and a welcome. GPC also honored the contributions of the late Chairman Jeromy Sullivan for his work in preserving open spaces during his tenure.
The West Sound Partners for Ecosystem Recovery held a meeting at the Silverdale Water District office. Primary topics included review and approval of salmon habitat projects and a presentation on the habitat benefits that the beaver population can provide in our local ecosystems.
The Se’Si’Le organization hosted a tribute to the orca at the Seattle Aquarium to educate the public on how they can help save the orca population. I joined speakers from the Lummi Nation, Nez Perce Tribe, and Tsliel-Wahtuth First Nation to testify to respecting the orca and prioritizing the restoration of salmon runs to help their survival and also provide opportunities for our people to continue their fishing traditions.
The City of Seattle held a ceremony dedicating
the Pioneer Square Habitat Beach next to Pier 48. This is one of a very few beach access points in the downtown waterfront where residents and visitors can experience the marine environment.
I provided welcoming comments for the Pacific Salmon Commission Fraser River Panel, which met in the Billy Frank Jr. Room at the Clearwater Casino Resort. The Fraser River Panel regulates Fraser River-origin sockeye and pink salmon fisheries.
Tribal Gatherings
The Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP) held the quarterly Tribal Leaders Advisory Committee meeting on a virtual platform hosted by NAP lead Joel Moffet (Nez Perce). NAP distributes funds and assisting tribes in applying for private funds to help them address natural resource issues.
The National Congress of American Indians held their midyear conference in Cherokee, North Carolina. Those attending heard from Biden Administration officials including Bryan Newland (Bay Mills), Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, and Tom Vilsack, secretary of agriculture. Discussions centered on climate change and its growing impacts on our environment and weather, and offshore wind energy projects and concerns about the Department of Interior poor tribal consultation practices. The White House Council on Native American Affairs interviewed me during the convention for a training program intended to educate federal employees about tribal sovereignty.
Washington Indian Gaming Association (WIGA) held their annual meeting in Tulalip, and shared plans for a tribal nations’ plaza at their headquarters in Olympia aimed at promoting our tribal governments in the state capitol. The Association of Washington Tribes (AWT) met online to discuss plans for the upcoming Centennial Accord in September.
Higher Education
The University of Washington held their annual UW-Presidential Leadership Summit at the Intellectual House on the Seattle campus. Tribal leaders met with President Ani Mari Cauce and her key staff to learn about the UW’s efforts at recruitment and retention of American Indian students and plans for completion of Phase II of the Intellectual House. The Intellectual House staff also hosted their annual Native American commencement cel-
ebration, including a traditional meal and presentations. Congratulations to Denita Holmes, Madeline Welch, Ciarra Covarrubias and Cecelia Williams for graduating from the UW this year.
The UW Board of Regents held their June meeting on the Seattle campus. The Evergreen State College hosted the government-to-government summit, “Building Higher Education Best Practices for Washington Tribes” at the Evergreen Longhouse. This meeting emphasized the importance of tribal culture, traditions, and history in higher education policy development. I shared our story on a panel with other tribal leaders from Snoqualmie, Jamestown, Skokomish, Squaxin and Colville.
Canoe Journey
On July 28, Suquamish will once again host tribal canoe families from throughout the region. Please join me in welcoming them and in celebrating our Suquamish canoe families, especially our youth, who will be traveling our ancestral highways to join in protocol and cultural sharing in Puyallup.
By Leonard Forsman Suquamish Tribe Chairman
Tribal Council Schedule
Tribal Council meets July 1 & 15.
Kitsap Harvest delivers fresh produce
Fresh fruits and veggies offered free to Suquamish community
Fresh, local produce will be delivered every other Tuesday to the Suquamish Human Services lobby, where it will be given away free to all who need it. The produce distributions will resemble a farmers’ market, allowing individuals to select the items they prefer, thus promoting dignity and choice. Delivery dates in July will be July 9 and 23.
This new service is a result of a partnership between Suquamish Human Services and Kitsap Harvest.
Kitsap Harvest’s network of volunteers will harvest surplus produce from local farms, gardens, and yards and deliver it to the Human Services lobby at the Tribal Center, making it easily accessible for the Suquamish community.
The purpose is to support the health and wellbeing of Suquamish tribal members, their families, and the community at large by ensuring all have regular access to nutritious fruits and vegetables. The Suquamish Traditional Foods and Medicine program and the WIC program under Community Health are also supporting this effort.
Making fresh, locally sourced produce accessible to the community addresses several key issues:
Healthy & Whole is back!
Eightgraduates of the Suquamish Tribe’s Healthy & Whole group celebrated completion of the program at a ceremony on June 26.
The curriculum was originally offered by Wellness counselor Lori Glover but lapsed when she retired. The Wellness Center’s Susannah Hart Stephens and Shoshanna Bayes revitalized the 9-month program, beginning last October.
This fall, they are planning to offer two of these weekly, educational community experiences, beginning in October and wrapping up in June 2025. One group will meet during an extended weekday lunch hour and the other in the early evening.
The Wellness Center has already started collecting names of people interested in partic-
• Food Security: Ensures that those who may face barriers in accessing food banks or grocery stores have consistent access to nutritious food.
• Health and Nutrition: Provides fresh produce, essential for a healthy diet, helping to combat food-related health issues such as diabetes and obesity.
• Community Support: Strengthens community ties by involving local volunteers and organizations in a united effort to support the Suquamish community.
As Suquamish Human Services and Kitsap Harvest continue to work together, the positive impact on the community will undoubtedly grow. This initiative serves as a model for how local partnerships can effectively address food insecurity and promote health and wellness within the community.
For more information or to learn more about this program, please contact Suquamish Human Services (360) 394-8465.
By Nehreen Ayub Director Human Services
ipating. To find out more and to sign up, email Susannah Hart Stephens at SHartStephens@ suquamish.nsn.us
Healthy & Whole instructors Sushannah Hart Stephens (left) and Shoshanna Bayes
George Hill pours passion for service into new role as Fitness Center Director
GeorgeHill III is a man of visions.
When he was in high school, he had visions of playing championship games. Going to college, he had visions of playing Division 1 basketball. Later he set his sights on playing professional ball. When he became a coach at Chief Kitsap Academy, he had visions of helping the next generation of athletes. When he started his non-profit “Give Back Projects” he set his sights on finding ways to bring his vision of helping Native kids throughout Indian Country.
Hill’s visions don’t always come into being exactly how he imagined, but somehow he always finds a way to make things happen, often despite enormous setbacks.
Now, Hill is bringing his extraordinary vision to the Suquamish Fitness Center with big plans to reimagine and expand what can be offered there while partnering with a variety of departments in tribal government and local groups. Among them:
• A café-style food & nutrition bar
• Physical therapy in a joint effort with Healing House
• Saunas and cold plunge tanks in both locker rooms
• Self Defense Classes
• New functional workout gear
• An inspirational mural on the front entrance wall.
In fact, in a recent proposal before Tribal Council, Hill offered 16 new ideas for the Fitness Center. He was given the green light to begin working on all of them.
Good fuel for good living
Among the first items on his agenda, the nutrition bar will put to use the kitchen that’s already built into the Fitness Center but until now has rarely been used.
“The nutrition bar will incorporate our traditional foods,” Hill says. He’s been getting notes and menu ideas from the tribe’s Traditional Food & Medicine Program Coordinator Azure Boure. “This isn’t about making money, it’s about providing affordable, healthy nutrition for our people,” he says.
The initiative aims to serve the community by offering a variety of healthy options like infused waters, smoothies, protein shakes, salads, and acai bowls, and seasonal menu options.
The nutrition bar will be staffed with two employees — a full-time manager and a parttime assistant to start — open from noon to 8pm, offering affordable snacks, pre- and post-workout fuel, along with quick and easy lunches and after-work meals.
Infusing Culture
Cultural integration is another pillar of Hill’s strategy. He is collaborating with the Cultural Resources Department to create a welcoming mural by a Suquamish artist. He’s also working with the Language Program to incorporate Lushootseed throughout the center. “We want to immerse ourselves in culture,” Hill says.
Culture is showing up in less obvious ways as well. Walking through the weightlifting room, he points to a new piece of fitness gear that he recently installed, called the Rogue Donkey.
“It’s a reverse hyper machine,” he explains. “It strengthens your posterior chain while decompressing your spine. So, when you’re doing the active exercise, you’re strengthening your glutes, your hamstrings, your hips. And what does clam digging involve? It’s all that.”
Self defense for women and girls
Acknowledging the alarming rate of missing and murdered Native women, Hill also plans to offer self-defense classes for women and girls. “Protecting our women and our children is of the utmost importance,” says Hill. With support from the staff of Warrior Buddha and Street Sports in Poulsbo, the classes will offer everything from self-defense to competitive training.
In addition to building practical self-defense skills, the free classes will also aim to build self-esteem, confidence, and street-smart awareness among participants.
Hills is also excited about the new six-person saunas that will soon be installed in both the men’s and women’s locker rooms. New cold plunge tanks will also soon be available.
“There are reasons professional athletes use these types of facilities,” he says. And it’s another place where modern science meets traditional wisdom. “Science has shown that saunas, used regularly, will literally start adding years to your life,” he says. Meanwhile, cold plunges have been spreading from places like the Seattle Seahawks locker rooms and other pro teams around the country, to wider use as more and more people discover the benefits of cold therapy as part of regular workouts and healthy living.
“These are things our people have known since time immemorial,” he says. “Some people are not able to go to the Sweat Lodge, but here, it’s a comfortable place where they can sweat it out, lose those toxins, and help their heart health and breathing.”
Building vision
When Hill was going to high school there was no Suquamish Fitness Center. But he had big dreams to play top-level basketball
Graduating in 2011, he helped lead the Kingston Buccaneers to an Olympic League championship basketball title and notched third place in state finals, not to mention captaining the Buc’s football and track teams.
Back in those days, Hill would make the daily five-mile back-trails trek on his bike from his home in Indianola to Kola Kole Park in Kingston where he’d drill his hoops skills and get an early morning workout before starting school.
(cont. on p11)
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Hill’s basketball journey took him to Washington State University, where his talent and hard work earned him a walk-on spot on the men’s basketball team. His burgeoning career was abruptly cut short by an accident that crushed his lumbar and right knee.
“I had achieved my life’s dream of becoming a Division 1 basketball player and then it was all suddenly taken from me. It was hard,” he said. “But, in hindsight, I’m thankful that it happened because now I’m appreciative of what I have and what I can offer others.”
Indeed, in the years since, he’s trained eight of the last ten Olympic League MVPs. Hill founded a nonprofit he dubbed “The Give Back Projects,” dedicated to supporting higher education and academic retention for Native American youth. His work took him across Indian Country, helping underserved communities from North Dakota to southern Florida.
“I’ve turned my mindset from trying to be the first Suquamish person to do this, that or whatever to how can I help tribal members of the next generation achieve those things.”
By Jon Anderson
New Physician at Healing House Looking to Build Relationships, Empower Patients
TheSuquamish Tribe is welcoming Dr. Casey Kernan, DO, the latest physician to join the professional team at the Healing House.
Dr. Casey (as he likes to be called) joins medical director Dr. Kristine Ewing and Dr. Alex Craft, along with a team of nurses, technicians, and administrators who serve Suquamish Tribal members (who make up 59 percent of the clinic’s patients), other tribal families (13 percent), and Medicaid patients from Kitsap County and beyond (43 percent).
New Hires & Transfers
Name Title Dept.
John Portanova III SSE- Accounting Clerk Seafoods
Vicente Lewis Surveillance Observer Gaming
Jennifer Morello Preschool Teacher ELC
Mark Williams Police Chief Police
Casey Kernan Health Clinic Medical Provider Health
*Erica Cardiel Visitor Services Rep. Museum
*Jessicca Cordero On Call Plant Worker Seafoods
Samantha Perry Audit Inspector Gaming
*Hailee Hess On Call Plant Worker Seafoods
Cheyenne Damien On Call Plant Worker Seafoods
* Tribal member
** Descendant
“I’ve known Casey since his residency days and have been impressed by his ability to really listen to patients and motivate them on their health journeys,” said Dr. Kristine Ewing, Medical Director at Healing House and a colleague of Dr. Casey since his days in training as a medical resident. “His patient-centered, compassionate approach is an excellent fit for our integrated care model.”
Dr. Casey completed his undergraduate studies at Oregon State University in Corvallis and earned his medical degree at Kansas City University. After completing his residency at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Dr. Casey launched a small clinic in East Bremerton during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he cared for people at all stages of life, with a special focus on the needs of LGBTQIA patients.
August 16 - 18
Chief Seattle Days
The experience reinforced his commitment to spending quality time understanding each patient’s needs and goals. “I learned how important it is to listen to my patients and to make sure they feel heard,” Dr. Casey said.
When he learned about the approach taken at the Healing House from Ewing, the thought of working here “reignited [his] joy in practicing medicine.”
Along with the team at the Healing House, Dr. Casey is excited about collaborating with the tribe’s Community Health and Wellness teams. “I want to be part of a team where I can see the impacts of our work,” Dr. Casey explained. “The team-based approach is how healthcare should be rather than working in silos.”
Dr. Casey grew up on a farm in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and today lives with his husband in East Bremerton, where he enjoys gardening, and exploring the region for hiking, snow boarding, and camping.
By Sarah van Gelder
That’s Who! (from page 5)
He’s Dale Ahvakana! The son of Peg Deam and Larry Ahvakana, and brother of Cultural Resources Dept. Director Kate Ahvakana.
Baked Chicken
Sweet Potatoes
Germany Blend
Veggies
Tossed Salad
Birthday Cake & Ice Cream!
Chicken
Baked Ham
Sweet Potatoes
California Blend Veggies
Tossed Salad Wheat Roll Applesauce
Tossed
Chuckwagon Corn
Tossed Salad Fresh Fruit
Pachado
Pachado
We send congratulations on a recent gift that Vernon Vollenweider (Alexis) and his wife Marianne received, the blessing of their first grandchild, Scolaro. They report that he is “just adorable.”
Fish Stories: Truth be told, Troy Mabe caught the winning fish “Big Mama” during the 4th Annual Elders Fishing trip near Port Townsend. She came in at 22+ pounds. Troy had a real fight on his hands, sweating up a storm trying to reel her in, his wife Vickie had to wipe his brow (just kidding). The Suquamish Warriors helped to net Big Mama, it was pretty exciting. Congrats Troy!
Now an “escape artist” fishing story by Lena Maloney (Purser), who also caught a good-sized salmon. Lena had a fight on her hands, and succeeded in netting the fish, but after the salmon was tagged and weighed, it jumped out of the ice chest. While Lena was chasing the salmon on the boat floor, it escaped again and jumped back into the Salish Sea. We feel bad for Lena, but laugh and give respect to the feisty salmon!
Rob Norris, husband of Elder Cathlene Norris (George) had the time of his life reeling in his “little fish,” while some Elders reeled in rocks — how does that happen? The weather was beautiful that day. Many thanks to the volunteers: Staff/students from Family & Friends Center, the skippers from the Carriere & Challucum, the Suquamish Warriors, Jay Mills, and Rob Norris. We appreciate the whole crew that made this event happen.
A great time was had by all at the Muckleshoot Indian Relay Races at Emerald Downs. Watching the riders jump on and off the horses while at full gallop was awe-inspiring. A little bird told us that Bill Gemmell’s (Alexis) wife Diana, Elder Tracy Tabafunda (Belmont), and others won some money on the horses. Congratulations to all. Elder David Zurflueh (Belmont) came from Oregon to watch the races. It is nice when out-ofstate Elders can attend our activities.
The new Suquamish Tribe Chief of Police Mark Williams was honored with a cake, provided by Treasurer Charlene Renquist (George) during the June Elders Council meeting. Attending Elders congratulated the new chief, and expressed thanks for the police presence in
Language Program marks first Level 1 Teacher Certification
Suquamish Tribe’s Language Program multimedia specialist Joey Holmes is the first candidate to meet the tribe’s new certification requirements to be a Level 1 Lushootseed language teacher.
Holmes passed the rigorous certification testing on June 5, under new rules recently approved by Tribal Council. Holmes is already at work to proceed to his Level 2 and final Level 3 teacher certifications.
Language Program Coordinator Cassy George thanked Holmes for his good work:
“ʔəsk’ʷədiidxʷ čəd txʷəl ti Joey.
ƛ’uʔabəłxəčbitəb ti txʷəlšucid ʔə tə haʔł.
ƛ’ukʷaxʷad gʷəl c’qaqid ʔuxayəb.haʔł st’ulǰəxʷ tiʔił txʷəl dibəł. ʔuyayus ʔə tə tib. ʔəsq’ič ti
Contact the Suquamish Tribe Wellness Center at (360) 394-7139 or (360) 394-8558.
For 24/7 help, info, and referrals, call or text the WA State Helpline 1-800-547-6133.
tribal neighborhoods, and their positive interaction with our children.
The Elders Program staff send well wishes and prayers to our Tribal Elders who are in need or recovering from illness.
Happy Trails to you, until we meet again, and remember KINDNESS to our fellow Humans.
Della Crowell & Melissa Lund Elders Program
ʔalalus txʷəl ti Joey. ʔəsk’ʷədiixʷ čəd txʷəl ti syayuss.”
“I am thankful for Joey. He habitually gives his good mind and heart to the Lushootseed language. He habitually helps everyone, and he always laughs. That is good medicine for us. He works hard. Culture work is very important to him. I am thankful for his work.”
Getting certified
Level 1 teachers must:
• Use 25 domains, or self-narrated activities, that the speaker must say out loud daily, such as frying an egg, washing dishes, and putting away leftovers.
• Have a dedicated language “nest” where only Lushootseed is spoken.
• Use Lushootseed for at least one hour per day and be able to converse for 20-40 minutes.
• Successfully complete courses in classroom management and other teaching requirements. “It has been very inspiring and motivating to
RV there yet?
hear Joey speak Lushootseed,” said his wife Denita Holmes, who serves as the tribe’s Cultural Activities Coordinator and Tribal Council Treasurer.
“From the beginning of taking Chinook Wawa classes to Lushootseed, his love of language never faded but I also know it was never easy. I’m so proud of this huge accomplishment.”
Expect more to come, adds Cultural Resources Department Director Kate Ahvakana. The Language Program is working hard and this is only the beginning as we will see more speakers emerge in our community.
Indeed, Holmes has been an inspiration to the other Lushootseed students and teacher candidates, said the Language Program’s Lushootseed Revitalizationist Sequoia Chargualaf.
“The amount of time and effort he has put into this is amazing, and it has been such an honor to be able to work with him and learn from him and his passion towards the Suquamish people and language,” said Chargualaf. “This is a huge step and accomplishment towards getting our language out there for our own people so that one day we will have a community full of txʷəlšucid speakers.”
By Jon Anderson
Lake Leland Campground reopens with a splash
The Suquamish Tribe’s Lake Leland Campground is now open for camping with some new updates sure to pave the way for summertime adventures.
Community Development crews repaired both gazebo picnic areas and bathroom facilities. The old weather-damaged community building has been replaced with two new paved RV pads. Meanwhile, a new campground caretaker is expected to begin work there soon.
The campground is located about six miles north of Quilcene on the eastern side of the Olympic Peninsula and is stocked annually with trout by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.
Tribal members may reserve their spot through the summer by filling out the request form available at the Tribal Admin Building front desk.
Camping is free, but a $100 refundable security deposit is required to lock in reservations. For more information, call: (360) 394-8402.
Just in time for summer fun, the Lake Leland Campground is now open for tribal members and their families to enjoy, with several updates including new RV pads and updated gazebos.
Youth Activities this Summer
The staff of the Cultural Resources Department, Family & Friends Center, and Fitness Center outlined a slew of plans for Suquamish youth this summer during their recent Lunchtime Forum with tribal members.
Among the highlights:
Family & Friend Center – Will host field trips, classes, games, and beach days to Old Man House Park and Doe-kag-wats. Here’s what on the schedule for July:
July 5 - Boys movie day (ages 10-18)
July 9-12 Culture Camp
July 16 – Wild Waves outing (ages 13-18)
July 17 - Traditional Food & Medicine lesson
July 18 - Girls day, nail outing (all ages)
July 19 – Boys Escape Room (all ages)
July 23 – Teen Top Golf trip
Open weekdays 10am-6pm, the Family & Friends Center staff can provide pick ups and drop offs for youth who live on the reservation.
Culture Camp - Held July 9-12 at the House of Awakened Culture, with a variety of field trips and activities planned, Culture Camp will also put a special emphasis on preparing for this year’s youth-focused Tribal Canoe Journey.
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for Aug 12-14. That will lead directly into a 3x3 basketball tournament during Chief Seattle Days that will include youth brackets.
Chief Seattle Days – In addition to all the reg-
Youth Tribal Journey traveling canoe families participating in the Tribal Journey Paddle to Puyallup on July 28. The Suquamish Canoe Family will then travel to Muckleshoot and Blake Island with protocol in Puyallup running Aug 1-5 (see details on page 3).
Youth Basketball Camp –hosted the first camp of summer break the last week of June. Another basketball camp is planned
Sweet Victory: Candy -Coated Bingo Night Brings Fun for All!
The Family & Friends Center hosted bingo night on June 11, filled with laughter and friendly competition as tribal families enjoyed an evening of classic bingo fun.
To start the evening off, Traditional Food & Medicine Coordinator Azure Boure provided a delicious dinner of salmon chowder and salad. The Youth Council called the bingo and verified winners before handing out prizes.
In a tasty Bingo twist, candy was used instead of ink daubers. “Of course, there had to be some taste testing, for those who were making sure all numbers were marked as they were called off,” said Family & Friends Center Director Barb Santos.
“What a fun evening it was, bringing families and community of all ages together and enjoying the time together,” said Santos. “We can’t wait for our next event!
Birthdays
July
July 1
Steven Holt
Travis Ives
Zoey Miller
July 3
Celila’litsa Holmes
Jonathan Old Coyote-Bagley
William Forsman
July 4
July 8
Dakota Standley
Max Gellert
Michael Puckett
Nico Purser
Randy Jones
July 9
Bonnie Carriere
Jocelyn Talmadge
Tony Nilluka
July 10
Your paragraph text
Ashley Friedman
Kinslee Moss
Marian Adams
July 5
Ellen Hagen
Harvey Adams III
Jeremy Rubeck
Juanita Villanueva
Raven Torres
July 6
Shayan Mabe
July 7
Eric Pondelick
Joseph Agibinik
Julian Garza
Laloni Mowitch
Matthew Hawk
Oskar Salas
Donald George
Jacob Ewing
Mark Belmont
July 11
Amanda Lara
Jody MacKenzie
Malina Vejar
Roland Valois
July 12
Catherine Howard
Leyton Miller
June 13
Judith Porter
Samuel Castaneda-Sigo
July 14
Zoeyanne Lawrence
July 15
Joseph Adams
July 16
Eugene Jones
Mary Miller
Michelle Lanning
July 17
Bryson Miller
Kelsey Womack
Natasha Tiffany
Trenton Landsaw
July 18
Claudette Kasper
Jazmine Ortiz
Jessica Ledesma
July 20
Lois Sullivan
Melissa Lund
Renee Roberts
Sarah Richards
July 21
Dyan Perrot
Jasiah George
John Mabe
Laurisa Miller
Makenna Oliver
Richard Demain
Tracy Pelch
July 22
Charles Sigo
Jack George
Madison George
Nicole Neugebauer
July 23
Elisha McAllister
Jillian George Thomessa Inions
July 24
Cecelia Williams
Ed Carriere
Kali Chargualaf
Sharon Purser-Atkins
Toni Markowiak
July 25
Deandra Decker
Jillian Woods
Joseph Peterson
July 26
Barbara Burgess
Benjamin Purser
Maheyla Joe
Meadow Boyd
Michael Cheyney
Nicoline Spanos
July 27
Alden Boure
Corrina Sigo
David Demain
Everly Sigo
Koh-kai Williams
Tyleeander Purser
July 28
David Pierpoint
Gary Hagen III
Valerie Stull
July 29
Anthony Pondelick
Daniel Demain
Lucas Johnson
July 30
Amaya Lawrence
Bahiyyih Mudd
Breylin Alexander
Drew Lawrence
Julian Covarrubias
Princeton George
July 31
Michelle Goodner
Qwoo-chee Kah-ty-ah Moran
Riley Nelson Love, All of us!
Chief Seattle Days
